Full Expression

Joe Breeze is an American bicycle frame builder, designer and advocate from Marin County, California. An early participant in the sport of mountain biking, Breeze — along with other pioneers including Gary Fisher, Charlie Kelly and Tom Ritchey — is known for his central role in developing the mountain bike. Joe is the co-founder and curator of the Marin Museum of Bicycling and the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in Fairfax, California. He helped me immensely with the introduction of a Chronicle book I wrote in the late 1990s, called Fat Tire: A Celebration of the Mountain Bike. I spoke with Joe about the early days of mountain biking on Mt. Tamalpais, what it takes to be an industrial designer, and the key role the bicycle will play in sustainable transportation while keeping a smile on our faces. 

Hal Mayforth is an American cartoonist, illustrator and abstract painter. A nationally recognized illustrator, Hal’s work has been widely published in magazines from Rolling Stone to the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. His colorful paintings have been exhibited in galleries around the United States. He is a lifelong musician and most recently was the artistic collaborator on my “Gratitude” video that was released in May 2022. I spoke with Hal Mayforth about his journey to becoming a professional illustrator, his daily practice of automatic drawing, his affinity for abstract expressionism and art history, and his guiding belief in doing what you love. You can learn more about Hal Mayforth’s work at www.halmayforth.com.

Matt Goulding is a co-founder of the independent media company, Roads and Kingdoms and the co-author of the New York Times best selling series Eat This, Not That! With Roads and Kingdoms, Matt Goulding has written a number of books that merge food culture, politics and history in engaging, creative formats: Grape Olive Pig (about Spain) Rice Noodle Fish (about Japan) Pasta Pane Vino (about Italy). He currently divides his time between the tapas bars of Barcelona and the barbecue joints of North Carolina.    I spoke with Matt Goulding about his journey to becoming a food writer, what makes a great title, and how a tweet from Anthony Bourdain changed his career. You can find out more about Matt Goulding’s work at www.roadsandkingdoms.com.

David Quammen is an American non-fiction writer and the author of 17 books about the history of science, evolutionary biology, zoonotic diseases and the outdoors. His articles have appeared in Outside Magazine, National Geographic, Harper's, Rolling Stone, The New York Times Book Review, The New Yorker, and other periodicals. David Quammen’s highly acclaimed books include Spillover, The Song of the Dodo, The Tangled Tree and his most recent work, Breathless, about the Covid-19 pandemic. This is a conversation about David's lifelong journey into nonfiction writing and extensive field reporting. 

Laura Guido-Clark is an interior designer and material and color consultant. She has worked with a wide array of everyday products, from furniture, cars, electronics and chocolate. Her recent work includes an update of the iconic Aeron chair. In 2011 Laura founded Project Color, a nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalizing urban neighborhoods with paint and pattern. In 2017 she founded Love Good Color, a revolutionary color tool that fuses science with the senses.  

Alam Khan is a musician, composer and performer. The son of Mary Khan and sarode master, Ali Akhbar Khan, he began studies in Indian classical music at the age of seven. Alam has played alongside India’s tabla masters in venues throughout the world. His other collaborations include the Tedeschi Trucks Band the San Francisco Symphony, Bob Weir and his hip hop project, Grand Tapestry. Alam is a teacher of advanced instrumental instruction at the Ali Akbar College of Music in San Rafael, California.

Chris Blum is a graphic artist and art director who works in a variety of mediums, from product graphics and advertising to film and video production. He’s also a lifelong producer of art boxes: dimensional collages that combine wordplay and found objects to make a statement about current events and cultural affairs. Chris is an ardent student of pop culture and I collaborated with him for many years when communicating about issues of food and agricultural policyI spoke with Chris Blum about his ability to visualize his creative projects, working with Tom Waits, the art of making a wine label, and his great grandfather’s confectionary

J Henry Fair is a photographer and storyteller who works at the intersection of art, environmental science and the industrial economy. For decades he has been taking what he describes as “ironically beautiful images of terrible things.” His abstract and highly composed aerial photographs capture coal mining, factory farming, clearcut forestry and other activities. His work is featured in a new book, Human Nature: Planet Earth in Our Time published by Chronicle Books.

Jessica Martin is a visual artist who lives, practices and teaches in Healdsburg, California. She works in various mediums, from painting to sculpture and ambitious urban curating. Her pieces often involve extensive research into how the passage of time affects and shapes our memories. She received an M.A. from the California College of the Arts in 2006 and has been working as a professional artist ever since.        

Shea Breaux Wells is a vocal artist, performer and songwriter. She was raised in Texas in an artistic household and later found her way to Los Angeles where she explored numerous musical styles, from art rock to jazz and electronic music. Shea is also a world class vocal instructor who teaches people to sing with intention and technique.