Episode 0: Welcome to Talking With Creatives

In this episode of Talking With Creatives, Jennifer is joined by Sunshine Coast-based musician Will Clift, an independent artist whose sound blends soul, indie, dance and contemporary R&B. Will shares his journey from a promising professional rugby career to choosing a more uncertain but deeply honest path in music- a decision shaped by self-belief, discipline and a willingness to listen to his inner voice. Beginning as a busker at the famous Eumundi Markets, his practice remains grounded in grassroots performance, community connection and the slow, deliberate work of building a sustainable creative career. We talk about songwriting, creative pressure and the realities of working independently in an industry shaped by streaming, uncertainty, and constant change. Will reflects on the making of his debut EP I Know You Know (2024), co-written and produced with Matt Corby, and the importance of trust; in the creative process, in yourself, and in the audiences who find meaning in your work. This conversation explores what it means to choose honesty over certainty, and how courage, community and consistency can shape a life in music. — Hailing from the Sunshine Coast, Indie Soul musician Will Clift began his music career early as a busker in his hometown at the Eumundi markets. Turning his back on a promising rugby career and armed with a Bachelor of Music from the Australian Institute of Music, Will has earned his stripes supporting acts like Matt Corby and Milku, selling out shows in Sydney and Melbourne, and honing his craft at Matt Corby’s renowned Rainbow Valley studio. Will’s music has gained 600k+ plays and featured on Spotify playlists such as New Music Fridays AU/NZ with his sound being likened to Tom Misch, D”Angelo, Matt Corby and Allen Stone. His unforgettable shows include supports for Matt Corby, Dan Sultan, Eves Karydas, and Ross Wilson Mondo Rock among others. With multiple tours across the East Coast of Australia, and most recently, performances in London, UK and Lombuk, Indonesia, Will’s heartfelt performances have cemented his status as a crowd favourite. For more information, please visit willcliftmusic Listen to Will Clift at Will Clift Featured Image: Will Clift LP Cover. Courtesy of the artist. Note: The artwork shown here may appear styled by the website theme and is not indicative of the artist’s vision.

In this episode of Talking With Creatives, Jennifer sits down with photographer, emerging curator, and community arts advocate Warwick Gow– an artist whose work bridges the margins and the maintstream. Drawing from a DIY ethos, Warwick’s background in journalism and role in Creative Development at Sunshine Coast Council, sees Warwick’s practice spanning portraiture, documentary photography, and the co-founding of LANTANA Space, a hub for experiemental and inclusive arts programming in regional Queensland. Together, we explore how fringe communities, raw storytelling, and subcultural spaces influence Warwick’s creative voice, and how these worlds can inspire a more connected, courageous and inclusive regional arts scene. From building trust with photographic subjects, to championing opportunities for people of all abilities and walks of life, Warwick’s work reminds us that creativity thrives when everyone feels seen, heard and valued. — Warwick Gow is a Sunshine Coast based artist, art worker and co-founder of LANTANA Space. Warwick’s arts practice is primarily based in photography and installation, using the portrait to place local fringe culture within arm’s length of the mainstream. Destabilising notions of representation, elevating unique identities and that of the self by hijacking the thin veil of commercialism and elegantly smashing it against a DIY ethic. This ethos carries through into Warwick’s approach as an arts worker as part of Sunshine Coast Council’s Creative Development Team, and also into their emerging practice as an independent curator in a regional setting. For more information, please visit warwickgow.com and www.lantanaspace.com Featured Image: Warwick Gow, self portrait as part of ‘From Out of the Home’ series for SUPERCUT Outer Space, Brisbane in 2022. Courtesy of the artist. Note: The artwork shown here may appear styled by the website theme and is not indicative of the artist’s vision.

In this episode of Talking With Creatives, Irish-born, Australia-based artist Miriam Innes reflects on the power of drawing memory – exploring how connection, heritage and resilience shape her monumental charcoal installations. From the peatlands of western Ireland to the streetscapes of New York, Miriam’s art captures a profound sense of place and belonging. Translating memory into form, Miriam transforms the fragility of time into powerful visual storytelling that invites us to pause, reflect and reconnect with our environments, our histories and each other. An insightful and heartfelt conversation about creativity, memory and resilience, seen through the eyes of an evocative contemporary artist whose work speaks quietly but powerfully of human connection. — Miriam Innes is an Irish-born, Australian-based contemporary artist known for her monumental charcoal drawings and immersive installations that explore memory, landscape and our connection to place. Working primarily in charcoal, she creates intricate cityscapes and evocative natural environments, drawing from the peat bogs of her Western Ireland, the bustling streets of international cities, and the lived experience of displacement, heritage and home. Through her large-scale works and community-centered projects, Miriam delves into themes of environment, resilience and collective memory. Major international projects such as New York Rambling, and her awarded response to the South East Queensland floods- 22.96 receding, reimagine familiar places with tenderness and precision. Miriam’s work has been exhibited widely across Australia and internationally, including the United States, Germany, the Republic of Ireland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Republic of Korea. Her work is represented in a number of private collections in the United States, United Arab Emirates, Ireland, and Australia. Awards include the Bendigo Bank local Artist Award at the Du Rietz Art Award, and The Lyn McCrea Memorial Drawing Award-People Choice, from Noosa Regional Gallery. Miriam was also a judge in the International Boynes Emerging Artist Award in 2021. For more information, please visit miriaminnes.com Original works can be purchased through mitchellfineartgallery.com Featured Image: Miriam Innes with her work New York Rambling (detail), New York, 2019. Courtesy of the artist. Note: The artwork shown here may appear styled by the website theme and is not indicative of the artist’s vision.

In this episode of Talking With Creatives, Australian artist Juan Ford reflects on his journey from computer engineering to hyperreal painting. He shares how reconnecting with nature grounds his practice and explores what it means to be human in a fragile environment- where art becomes both mirror and message. A thoughtful conversation about creativity, environmental awareness, and the human condition through the lens of one of Australia’s most distinctive contemporary artists. – – – Juan Ford is one of Australia’s most acclaimed contemporary artists. Since the early stages of his painting career, Juan has employed photorealistic modes of representation that have come to characterise his practice. Through his evolving exploration of the fraught relationship between humans and the natural environment, Juan has developed a reputation for pushing boundaries and challenging genres, while remaining deeply connected to traditional painting techniques. Having staged more than 36 solo exhibitions, 161 group exhibitions, and having featured in major institutions including the National Portrait Gallery, National Gallery of Victoria, and QAGOMA, Juan’s works are held in national collections including Artbank, the NGV, and the Parliament of Victoria- to name just a few. Juan has received multiple accolades throughout his more than 20year career, including the Fletcher Jones Contemporary Art Prize. For more information, please visit juanford.com Represented by michaelreid.com : thisisnofantasy.com : galeriedumonde.com Featured Image: Juan Ford, Sentinel, 2018, oil on linen, 90 x 75cm. Note: The artwork shown here may appear styled by the website theme and is not indicative of the artist’s vision.

Meet your host, Jennifer Dean in this brief intro to Talking With Creatives, a new podcast inviting you to see beyond the finished work, bringing you closer to the people behind the art. Jennifer Dean is passionate about making art and creativity feel accessible, so this new podcast invites you to connect, discover, and be inspired. Episode 0 because apparently, in the world of podcasting, its a thing!