1: The First Time I Was Wrecked by Art: Picasso’s Girl Before a Mirror

In this episode of Wrecked by Art, I share how chef Tristen Epps’ win on Top Chef Canada became a powerful metaphor for the creative process. We talk about what it means to create from authenticity, how to keep going when you don’t know what you’re making yet, and why knowing yourself is the foundation of creative expression. Whether you’re blocked, burnt out, or just craving more depth in your art, this episode is for you.What I Talk About in This Episode:Why I love competition shows where people create with passion (Top Chef, Bake Off, Pottery Throw Down, etc.)* A Top Chef moment that cracked me open* What Tristan’s win taught me about trusting the creative process* Why the best work often starts without a clear idea* The myth of inspiration vs. the truth of presence* Art as lineage, memory, and cultural storytelling* How authenticity requires deep self-knowledge and healing* The difference between broad and deep impact in creative work* Why your truth—not your polish—is what makes your art matter* A gentle invitation to “go to the grocery store” and meet your art where it livesLinks & Resources:Join the Becoming Art waitlist: cindyingram.com/becomingBook a 1:1 curiosity call: cindyingram.com/coachingFollow me on TikTok and ThreadsMentioned in This Episode:Top Chef Canada Season 22 (featuring winner Tristen Epps)Great Pottery Throw Down, Bake Off, Blown AwayMy book: Art Is About Being Whole: A Memoir Get full access to Wrecked by Art with Cindy Ingram at cindyingram.substack.com/subscribe

⚠️ Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of trauma, religious abuse, sexual assault, sex trafficking, suicide, and domestic violence. Please take care while listening.In this powerful conversation, Cindy sits down with Charli—clarity coach, meditation teacher, and recovering perfectionist—to talk about the book that quite literally fell into their life at just the right moment: Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love (affiliate link).Charli shares how:* A childhood of homelessness, trauma, and religious pain shaped their early years.* A Barnes & Noble accident (and one very insistent book) shifted their spiritual path.* Reading Eat, Pray, Love (affiliate link) gave them permission to define spirituality and agency for themselves.* Meeting Liz Gilbert years later led to a life-altering moment of truth-telling with their family.* Creativity and art remain vital tools for processing emotions, healing, and staying grounded.This episode touches on resilience, survival, and the way art meets us at exactly the right time—even when we resist it.---If you have a story of being Wrecked by Art and want to share it on the podcast, email me: [email protected]’s Kofi storeFollow Charli on TikTok + Instagram: @charli_timehackerEat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (affiliate link)Get my weekly emails on art + creativity: cindyingram.com/helloFind me on Threads: @cindyingram_artandselfTikTok: @cindyingram_artandself Get full access to Wrecked by Art with Cindy Ingram at cindyingram.substack.com/subscribe

In this deeply personal episode, Cindy shares the story of a solo trip to Houston during the early days of her burnout. There, two pieces of art—Niki de Saint Phalle’s joyful Nana sculptures and a 13th-century painting of the Virgin Mary—revealed the emotional contrast between who she was and who she longed to be. This is a story about the weight of exhaustion, the mirror of grief, and the slow, sacred path back to joy.Mentioned in the episode:Niki de Saint Phalle – The NanasNiki de Saint Phalle: Rebel with a CauseMother of God (Byzantine, c. 13th century) at the Menil CollectionRothko ChapelMemoir excerpt from Art Is About Being WholePast episode: The Shark and the Book: Burnout, Subconscious Magic, and the Creative ProcessPast episode: Revealing the Door Into Our Hearts: Delighting in the Duality of Creative Existence with Yola MehmetiUpcoming Events:🎨 Ugly Zine Night – August 28Follow Cindy:TikTok @cindyingram_artandselfThreads @cindyingram_artandselfInstagram @cindyingram_artandself Get full access to Wrecked by Art with Cindy Ingram at cindyingram.substack.com/subscribe

Sometimes a painting doesn’t just hang on a wall—it waits for you.In this episode of Wrecked by Art, I share the story of encountering Frida Kahlo’s The Love Embrace of the Universe, the Earth (Mexico), Myself, Diego, and Señor Xolotl during an August Art Church session—a time when I felt unrooted and unsteady in my own life.Three days later, I found myself on a river trip where a grounding meditation echoed the painting’s imagery in uncanny, sacred synchronicity.One year later, I’ve returned to both the painting and the river with a deepened connection to Spirit, a steadier sense of grounding, and a clearer understanding of how art’s messages can evolve over time.In this episode, I talk about:The magic of when art enters our livesFrida Kahlo’s layered imagery of embrace and rootsHow ungroundedness showed up in both the painting and my lifeThe synchronicity that tied the painting and river togetherReturning one year later with a new sense of connectionFollow me:TikTokThreadsJoin my email list Get full access to Wrecked by Art with Cindy Ingram at cindyingram.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Wrecked by Art, I tell the story of how a single sentence in a novel led me to sharks, burnout, and the most exhilarating chapter I wrote in my memoir, Art Is About Being Whole. This story is about creative trust, synchronicity, and the magic that only shows up when you're deep in the work.You'll hear about: A quote from Remarkably Bright Creatures that cracked me openThe Jaws poster painting and why it became the perfect metaphor for my burnoutHow your subconscious is always gathering the pieces you needThe deep connection between creative process and life itselfAnd why you don’t get clarity by forcing it—you get it by staying present in the fogMentioned in this episode: (the book links below are affiliate links)Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van PeltThe Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers (more on that in a future episode)The Jaws movie poster (art by Roger Kastel)Big Magic by Elizabeth GilbertYou Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith✨ If you’re working on your own big creative project and want support—coaching, collaboration, or creative midwifery—reach out. I help people through the messy middle. A new program is coming in September.📧 Email me: [email protected]🎙️ Subscribe to the podcast on Substack or your favorite podcast app🎨 Follow me on Threads - https://www.threads.com/@cindyingram_artandselfTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@cindyingram_artandself Get full access to Wrecked by Art with Cindy Ingram at cindyingram.substack.com/subscribe

What happens when you lose the map, the plan, and all your usual tools for navigating life? In this episode of Wrecked by Art, I reflect on the first time I saw Tempest in Yellow by Dorothea Tanning—and how it wrecked me in ways I didn’t understand until years later.I share how this painting collided with my business burnout, my unacknowledged identity shifts, and my deep craving for control and certainty. Paired with a metaphor from Breath of the Wild—wandering through the dust storm with no map and only faint shrine beeps and sword-pointing statues to guide you—this episode is about learning to listen inward. To trust your intuition. To stop outsourcing your wisdom. And to find your way through the creative and spiritual fog, one tiny sacred signal at a time.Mentioned in this episode:Tempest in Yellow by Dorothea Tanning (see image in Substack post)The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildMy book: Art Is About Being Whole cindyingram.com/bookHow the education system teaches us to ignore our intuitionBurnout, grief, and creative reawakening🎧 Subscribe on your favorite podcast app or follow on Substack💬 Got a story about how art wrecked you? Email me at [email protected]✨ Support the podcast and join our art-loving community: Patreon.com/wreckedbyart📲 Follow me on:TikTok: @cindyingram_artandselfThreads: @cindyingram_artandself Get full access to Wrecked by Art with Cindy Ingram at cindyingram.substack.com/subscribe

In the very first episode of Wrecked by Art, Cindy shares the moment that changed everything—New Year’s Day 2004, when she came face to face with Picasso’s Girl Before a Mirror. What began as a museum visit turned into a full-body, soul-level recognition. This painting didn’t just speak to her—it saw her. It mirrored the pain she was hiding, and helped her feel, for the first time, truly seen.This raw and unedited episode explores the transformative power of art, the weight of hiding your true self, and the moment Cindy scrapped her PhD applications and chose a different path—one rooted in helping others feel the magic of art too.Links & Mentions:View the artwork: Girl Before a Mirror – MoMACindy's book: Art Is About Being Whole: A MemoirBonus episode: Chapter One reading on PatreonEmail your story: [email protected] Cindy on TikTok and ThreadsSupport the Show:Become a Patron and get bonus episodes and behind-the-scenes stories: patreon.com/wreckedbyart Get full access to Wrecked by Art with Cindy Ingram at cindyingram.substack.com/subscribe

I’m a mosaic artist, and sometimes I have the great joy of getting to smash a plate with a hammer. The sound it makes when it shatters is sharp, decisive, like a lightning snap.In the instant after, your whole body goes still. You stop, startled. Everything sharpens.That’s what it feels like to be wrecked by art.This podcast is born from that moment—that ache, that awe, that sudden clarity art gives us when we let it all the way in.In this first episode, I share how this podcast has evolved over the years, how my own journey through queerness, neurodivergence, and creative return has changed me, and why I believe art is one of the most honest ways to become whole again.We talk about the glow of stained glass, the ache that art helps us hold, the gold seams of kintsugi, and the creative fire that remakes us.Come listen. Come feel. Come remember who you are.Episode is below or on your favorite podcast player.This week also marks the official launch of the Wrecked by Art Patreon!If this podcast stirs something in you—if you want to linger longer in the ache and awe of art—you’re invited to join me there.It’s a cozy, art-soaked corner of the internet where I share behind-the-scenes voice notes, extended podcast episodes, tarot reflections, sacred gatherings, art prints, and glimpses of my mosaic process.Think: sacred irreverence, unexpected beauty, and the kind of honesty that makes you feel more like yourself.Come be part of the beginning. Founding members will shape this space with me. → patreon.com/wreckedbyart Get full access to Wrecked by Art with Cindy Ingram at cindyingram.substack.com/subscribe

The last couple of weeks have been intense. Between processing the presidential election results (which has left many of us feeling scared, emotional, angry, and sad) and some difficult things happening in my personal life, my creative practice has completely fallen by the wayside. That daily art practice I shared with you before? The one with the squares for each day? Gone. Those mosaics I was making tons of? Haven't touched them. I simply haven't had the energetic, emotional, or mental capacity for any of it.Watch this episode on video: https://youtu.be/-dGpUlC6QnM?si=z9clL7Z-9eX6mFlnYou know those times when the world feels like it's falling down around you, and the thought of picking up a paintbrush or sitting down to write feels completely overwhelming? That's exactly where I am right now, and I know I'm not alone. This week, I was meeting with a coaching client who's working on an exciting creative project—one that usually lights her up—and she shared that she's experiencing the same thing. The election results knocked her over too, and she hasn't been able to put any creative energy toward her work.Here's the thing: I've noticed that when life gets intense, our creative practices are often the first things to slip away. It's totally normal. As someone who makes art, writes, and generally tries to stay creative, I've learned that there are gentle ways to keep our creativity alive even when we don't have the emotional or mental capacity for big projects.Creating Safe Space for CreativityLet's talk about something really important that I've learned: to be able to create, you need to feel some level of safeness. Your nervous system needs to be at least somewhat regulated. You don't need to feel 100% safe—just enough to get started.What does that look like in practice? It's different for everyone, but here are some things that help me:* Creating a soothing environment (yes, it sounds cliché, but lighting a candle or playing specific music really does help)* Finding your comfort drink (I'm literally sipping iced coffee as I write this, even though it's 4 PM)* Setting up a dedicated creative space, even if it's just a corner of your desk* Using meditation apps (I've been trying Insight Timer lately—turns out meditation isn't so bad with my ADHD when I have something to focus on)Starting Small (Really Small)One of my program participants came up with this brilliant idea: she made a post-it note that said "2 minutes" and listed all the creative things she could do in that time:* Write a haiku* Make a quick drawing* Take photos of interesting plants on a walk* Doodle on a post-itIt doesn't have to be a big event. You don't need to set up cameras and art supplies and make a whole production of it (trust me, I get it—I'm literally has to make the video simpler than usual because that's what I can handle right now).Finding Your "Just Right" ActivityFor me, one of the most soothing creative practices is collecting paper scraps and gluing them down. I can watch TV or listen to an audiobook while I do it. It's engaging enough to keep my hands busy but not so demanding that it overwhelms my emotional capacity.Your "just right" activity might be:* Neurographic art (making lines and rounding the edges)* Playing with watercolors and watching them flow* Stream-of-consciousness writing* Moving your body through dance or large gesture drawing* Working with clay* Following a simple art tutorial on YouTubeThe key is finding something that feels luscious and good to you, without being overwhelming.Remember: It's About the Process, Not the ProductThere's this amazing Kurt Vonnegut quote where he tells students to write a poem and then tear it up—scatter the pieces in different trash cans so no one can ever put it back together. Why? Because you still grow from the act of creating, even if no one ever sees it.I spent years not making art because I thought it had to be "good." I studied art history, I knew what "good art" looked like, and I convinced myself that if I couldn't make that, it wasn't worth making anything at all. What a waste! I've been making art for several years now, and while I haven't made any money from it, it has changed my life in profound ways.Stay Engaged (Even Just a Little)The longer you stay away from your creative practice, whatever it is, the harder it gets to come back to it. (And if you're neurodivergent like me, you might literally forget that you're an artist or writer—whoops!)Staying engaged, even in tiny ways, reminds your subconscious and your nervous system: "Hey, this is still a thing I do. This is still part of who I am." It helps you hold onto that part of yourself when things get hard.A Gentle ReminderIf you're struggling to create right now, you're not alone. Allow yourself to create without expectation, without pressure for it to look or sound any particular way. Your creativity isn't gone—it might just need a gentler approach right now.Remember: engaging with your creativity is valuable with or without an outcome. Sometimes the most important thing is just showing up, even if all you do is tear up paper or write three lines in your journal.What small creative act could you do today? Not to make something amazing, not to share it with anyone, just to stay connected to that part of yourself? Get full access to Wrecked by Art with Cindy Ingram at cindyingram.substack.com/subscribe

In this vulnerable share on my podcast and YouTube, I open up about my journey of embracing my true self through healing through art and creative community. Watch as I process these revelations through art journaling while discussing last night's powerful tarot session, the magic that happens in our art interpretation circles, and my upcoming tarot program. Join me as I reflect on self-acceptance, neurodiversity, and the healing power of creative community. To see me making art at the same time, watch this podcast episode on YouTube: 🎨 Mentioned Programs: * Art Church (Monthly Free Sessions) - https://cindyingram.com/art-church * Art Connection Circle - https://cindyingram.com/circle * New Tarot Program (Coming Soon!) ✨ Want to join our creative community? * Subscribe to my Substack - https://cindyingram.substack.com * Learn about Art Church - https://cindyingram.com/art-church 🖼️ Featured In Video: * Light Seer's Tarot Deck - https://amzn.to/48ExgFb (affiliate link) * Last Week's Video -* More about my River Trip - https://cindyingram.substack.com/p/sunday-strokes-a-river-trip-and-a * This is Me - Table Sing -* This is Me - Britain's Got Talent -Art and Self with Cindy Ingram is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Wrecked by Art with Cindy Ingram at cindyingram.substack.com/subscribe