69: No Bad Ideas: A Guide to Creative Collaboration 01.24.25

In this episode of Honestly, Dear Listener, we dive into the magic of creative collaboration and how making art with others can be an act of rebellion and resistance. With over 30 years of creating together, we share insights on what makes a great artistic partnership: trust, filling in each other’s gaps, and finding that creative flow.
This week, we filmed a music video to Alanis Morissette’s “Ironic,” complete with middle school choreography-a joyful reclaiming of the secular music we weren’t allowed to listen to as kids. We discuss how making art can help us heal stolen parts of our childhoods and push back against a world that often feels heavy. We also explore how to tell the difference between when your body is saying “no” versus when it’s creative resistance you need to push through-and why resistance can show up even with things you love.
Tune in for stories, laughter, and inspiration to keep making art with people who light you up.

[@CravenLovelace]

You're probably sick of seeing comments from me, but I wonder if either of you are familiar with Manny Farber's famous essay, "White Elephant Art vs. Termite Art." It's kind of heady stuff and maybe it will just read like gobbledygook to you (it does to a certain percentage of my students!), but it was hugely influential on me since I was introduced to it in my 20s. He posits that there are two approaches to art: What he calls "white elephant art," wherein the artist adopts a message or theme and then, through the power of his genius (white elephant art is often "his" art, but that's my footnote, not Farber's), perfectly expresses that message or theme. Whereas termite art is art that doesn't necessarily have an intended outcome, but exists to explore different methodologies and modularities and perhaps different media. Termite art invites happy accidents and collaboration. It's often made at the fringes of the art world, but a lot of termite art of the past goes on to tbe the classics of today. (An example I might pick is Detour, the ultra-low budget film noir from the '40s that, at the time, was a CHEAP throwaway b-picture, but is consider practically the ur-noir nowadays.) It was in the spirit of creative play with my like-minded roommates that we made my film, which is still the proudest achievement of my life. Always love listening to your show!

[@honestlydearlistener]

Sincerely, Arn, I never get sick of seeing your comments. I'm going to check out the Farber essay--thank you for that recommendation and for commenting and listening! - Carrie