How to Make an Album and Hundreds of Exquisite Paintings with Sandra Taylor

How to Make an Album and Hundreds of Exquisite Paintings with Sandra Taylor

Sandra Taylor is a wildly talented painter, singer-songwriter, and pianist. Her watercolours bring us exquisite explorations of nature, (shout-out to the birds), and truly unique abstract designs. In 2024, Sandra launched her album “Life Beautiful Life,” which combines down-to-earth, whimsical lyrics with her soothing voice and impressive musicality. Sandra was also my first-year university roommate, back when we were almost as young and full of promise as we are now. It is such a gift to have kept in touch after all these years, and a true dream to have her on the show. Thank you, Sandra! (And please listen to the end for a beautifully special surprise!) Sandra Taylor on the interwebs Follow Sandra Taylor on Instagram: @sandrataylormusic [https://www.instagram.com/sandrataylormusic/] Buy her album Life Beautiful Life [https://sandrataylor.bandcamp.com/album/life-beautiful-life] on bandcamp: More on Sandra’s watercolours and music at sandrataylormusic.com [https://sandrataylormusic.com/] *All excerpts from Life Beautiful Life were used with Sandra’s permission. Life Beautiful Life was produced by Chris Stringer and engineered by Darren McGill. Erica J. Schmidt on the Interwebs Instagram: @erica.j.schmidt [https://www.instagram.com/erica.j.schmidt/] Substack: @ericajschmidt [https://ericajschmidt.substack.com/] Website: ericajschmidt.com [https://www.ericajschmidt.com/] The Donate Button [/checkout/donate] If you would like to be a beta reader for one of Erica’s two manuscripts, please get in touch! THANK YOU SO MUCH! Timestamps for Life Beautiful Life: Music, Watercolours, and Creativity with Sandra Taylor 00:00:00 Theme song and Sandra Taylor’s bio 01:52:11 How Erica and Sandra Taylor met (at the cool kids residence, Solin Hall, Mcgill University, 2003) Their moderate approach to cleaning routines lined up great. Erica was trying to make her boobs grow with 2% milk. 00:04:30 How did Sandra’s creativity start? When did she start being creative?  As a kid, Sandra loved running around outside, putting on plays with her siblings, and writing stories. But she also got really far in the Royal Conservatory of Music. Her Bach is lit! 00:08:43 But did the Internet take over your life in grade eight or nine? What about MSN messenger and ICQ? Sandra doesn’t let her life revolve around a device. Erica does her best. 00:12:32 Erica and Sandra are McGill dropout twins. Does Sandra have advice for people hoping to go to university and become an artist? 00:18:47 Now Sandra is back at university finishing the music degree she started when we first met. How is that going? 00:20:23 Special excerpt of Sandra’s music video LIFE BEAUTIFUL LIFE. Watch and listen to the whole thing here! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UriNq8QIec] 00:21:27 How Sandra keeps the faith and how she keeps making things. 00:24:14 It’s time for Sandra Taylor’s routines! Hurray! Starting with her morning routine. 00:25:44 Erica and Sandra discuss yoga routines of yore. 00:29:36 Sandra Taylor’s creative routine. “A lot of this stuff is just putting the hours in.” 00:32:44 The value of setting a specific goal, like when she tried to work on her portrait skills. 00:32:18 Special Bach Surprise. More where that came from here. [https://www.instagram.com/reel/DU6uLQMDc82/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==] 00:37:45 Sandra Taylor’s Cleaning Routine 00:41:17 Special excerpt of “Downhill Too Fast” from Sandra Taylor’s album, “Life, Beautiful Life.” Watch the whole video here! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNtXTKRtG-Q] 00:42:29 Listener Question from I.T. GUY. APPARENTLY. 00:52:46 Sandra Taylor’s spectacular TED talk 00:58:11 Where people can find Sandra Taylor online. The hyper-free links: https://www.instagram.com/sandrataylormusic/ [https://www.instagram.com/sandrataylormusic/] https://sandrataylormusic.com/shop-music [https://sandrataylormusic.com/shop-music] https://sandrataylor.bandcamp.com/album/life-beautiful-life [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNtXTKRtG-Q] 00:59:53 If you enjoyed this episode, you will also enjoy Hot Dates and Frenching withLou Laurence [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/this-is-your-strange-and-beautiful-life/id1687371004?i=1000656243397]and Singing for Bliss with Kathy Kennedy [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/this-is-your-strange-and-beautiful-life/id1687371004?i=1000673277288] 01:00:16 Wrap-up and Thank yous 01:01:26 Modern Life by Sandra Taylor mixed with miscellaneous video clips. Listen to the entire album, Life Beautiful Life. Thank you for listening to this episode of This Is Your Strange and Beautiful Life. LOVE YOU, BYE!

Unhinged Ways to Learn French in Quebec (with Jahon Mousavi-Torbati)

Erica and Jahon are two artsy, nerdy, anglophone Montrealers. And today, we’re coming together for our special episode, Unhinged Ways to Learn French in Quebec. Join us for adventures in French stand-up comedy, cringe slam poetry, and becoming a Quebec Grey’s Anatomy superfan. We talk education, French immersion in Perth Ontario, reading in French, dating in French, hobbies in French, and more. Make sure to listen to the end for a riveting listener question from Girl Who Just Wants to French Some Dudes. Please note that this episode is in English, making it a wonderful start for learners of all levels. Wherever you are in your French journey, it’s never too late and it’s always worth it. Jahon Mousavi-Torbatiis a talented concept artist and regular artist who has made a recent pivot to storytelling and stand-up comedy. Jahon has great enthusiasm for urban transit, kobo e-readers, pineapples, and ending doom-scrolling for all time. In general, Jahon is  someone who exudes great enthusiasm for just about everything. Also, he is Erica J. Schmidt’s boyfriend! Erica J. Schmidt grew up in Perth Ontario, where she enjoyed half-day immersion from grade five to eight. Then there was a touch of extended French in high school, but odds for mastery were not in her favour. Despite this, she moved to Montreal and proceeded to become a French-to-English translator. These days, she is proud to be able to read full novels in French with the help of her trusty kobo. Jahon Mousavi-Torbati on the Interwebs Follow Jahon on Instagram @jahonart [https://www.instagram.com/jahonart/] Check out his Concept Art Drink and Draw: @conceptartdrinkanddraw [https://www.instagram.com/conceptartdrinkndraw/] Jahon’s Quebec fantasy illustration project [https://www.artstation.com/artwork/Bkq3X4] Jahon on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jahontorbati/] Jahon’s Website: artstation.com [http://www.artstation.com/] Erica J. Schmidt on the Interwebs Instagram: @erica.j.schmidt [https://www.instagram.com/erica.j.schmidt/] Substack: @ericajschmidt [https://ericajschmidt.substack.com/] Website: ericajschmidt.com [https://www.ericajschmidt.com/] The Donate Button [/checkout/donate] If you would like to be a beta reader for one of Erica’s two manuscripts, please get in touch! THANK YOU SO MUCH! How to Learn French in Quebec: Art, Books, and Resources C’est L’Halloween [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYfmQ5eAQlg] (Est-ce que tu as peur? Oui, oui, oui, oui, oui!) Watch STAT on icitouttv [https://ici.tou.tv/stat/s01]‍ ‍ Book: 99 Francs, a novel by Frédéric Beigbeder [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/99_Francs_(novel)] Book: Spoken Here: Travels among Threatened Languages [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/244/spoken-here-by-mark-abley/9780679311997] LOVING SHOUT-OUT TO OUR FABULOUS TEACHERS From Stewart School, Perth Ontario: Mme. Shelley Fillipoff, Mme. Renée Capello, Mme. Denise Baker, Mme. Danielle Normandin ‍From John Abbot College, Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue:Frédéric Laganière [https://departments.johnabbott.qc.ca/fr/william%20russell%202/frederic-laganiere/] ‍How to Learn French in Quebec: Timestamps 00:00:00 Theme Song 00:00:34 Introduction to  VIP guest, Jahon and his extra special episode, Unhinged Ways to Learn French in Quebec. Teasers about Jahon’s slam poetry and fun facts on how to pronounce poutine. Disclaimer about how this episode will NOT address language politics 00:02:54 Official Bio: Jahon Mousavi-Torbati 00:04:20 Jahon’s incredibly biased bio for host Erica J. Schmidt. Slide into Erica’s DMs if you’d like to be a beta reader for one of her manuscripts. 00:07:17 Erica and Jahon’s linguistic origins. Jahon was Montréal born and raised by French-Canadian mother and Persian father who both spoke English at home. He went to French immersion school and eventually was accepted to a French program at university. 00:11:12 Erica grew up in the metropolis of Perth Ontario. Her French career started with core French songs like C’est l’Halloween before she embarked on four years of half-day immersion from grade 5 to grade 8. 00:16:55 Jahon feels he did not read enough books in French. Shout-out to his teacher Frederic who had him read the book 99 Francs and dessicrate it 00:18:27 How Jahon’s father ended up in Quebec, and his French story. The moments Jahon realized that his French was not at an adequate level. Jahon reads book Spoken Here and commits to improving his French and he applies to Université de Montréal.    00:23:11 The moments when Erica realized her French was not at an adequate level.  00:24:54 Erica binge watches STAT on icitoutv. (Quebec’s Grey’s Anatomy) 00:28:50 The first time Jahon was referred to as le Quebecois, and how that became part of his identity. 00:32:19 Deeper into unconventional ways Jahon and Erica learned French, especially improv and stand-up comedy. 00:39:19 Erica explains Shadowing, the technique she used while practising to become an interpreter. It involves listening to the language you are practising and then repeating the words while you are still listening to what comes next. 00:41:45 One last conventional way to learn French: Read! And ideally get a Kobo which lets you take books out of the library and look up words without checking your phone. 00:44:19 Listener Question from A Girl Who Just Wants to French Some Dudes 00:58:02 Always read books with your girlfriend. Stay tuned for an exciting surprise on This Is Your Strange and Beautiful Life 59:22 Thanks and wrap-up. Follow Jahon and Erica on the Interwebs. Go to Jahon’s Concept Art Drink and Draw. Never give up on your French. LOVE YOU, BYE!!!

In Loving Memory of Mary Adamson Owen

For our first-ever encore episode, we have Mary Adamson Owen, otherwise known as the best grandma in the world. Grandma was my inaugural podcast guest and reason for starting This Is Your Strange and Beautiful Life. After a long, strange, and beautiful life, Grandma died on November 14, 2025. She was 99. To honour her memory, I am reposting the extra special interview we did back in March of 2023. We recorded from her tiny room in long-term care, where she had just moved in. Unsurprisingly, she was an all-star guest. It is such a treasure to be able to listen to her voice and her stories now that she is “gone,” whatever that means. I have added an only slightly teary intro and some VIP footage at the end. Check out the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PQACTE_CduA [https://youtu.be/PQACTE_CduA] To learn more about Mary’s life, you can read her obituary [https://blairandson.com/tribute/details/6976/Mary-Owen/obituary.html]or watch a wonderfully extensive interview series [https://ohp.crestwood.on.ca/ohp/owen-mary/], created by the Crestwood history project, created when Grandma was 98! Bravo, Grandma! We miss you so much. Thank you everyone for listening. Love, Erica Instagram: @erica.j.schmidt [https://www.instagram.com/erica.j.schmidt/] Substack: ericajschmidt.substack.com [https://ericajschmidt.substack.com/] Website: ericajschmidt.com [https://www.ericajschmidt.com/] The Donate Button [/checkout/donate]. Thank you so much!

As Good a Place as Any with Rebecca Păpucaru

Today we have a writer’s writer’s talk with the accomplished author and poet Rebecca Păpucaru. Rebecca has published an impressive variety of poetry and fiction, and she is someone who works very hard and long on her creative projects. Legend has it that some of her published poems and her recent novel have taken years (and even a decade or so) to make them what they are today. So,if you’re someone who’s been toiling on a project forever, if you feel like you’re stuck, or even if you haven’t started yet, this interview is bursting with hope, tips, and inspiration. Bio: Rebecca Păpucaru (also known as Rebecca Schwarz) Growing up in Montréal, Rebecca Păpucaru was always the English teacher’s pet. During her youth, she won second prize in an Archie comics’ writing contest. Her essay on how to change the world beat out hundreds of American and Canadian competitors. In 2018, her collection of poems, The Panic Room won the Canadian Jewish Literary Award for Poetry. Her novella Yentas won the Malahat Review’s 2020 Novella Prize. And her recent novel, As Good a Place as Any has met great acclaim, making all kinds of lists including the CBC’s selection for Best Canadian Fiction Book of 2025 [https://www.cbc.ca/books/as-good-a-place-as-any-by-rebecca-p%C4%83pucaru-1.7438618]. As Good a Place as Any tells the story of 16-year-old Paulina, who is forced to flee Chile with her brother after the 1973 coup. They land in Toronto, and no spoilers but Paulina has a much better time than her brother Ernesto does, and we get to read about her unlikely quest for freedom as a queer woman and aspiring actress. It’s a historically relevant, emotionally compelling coming-of-age novel. You’ll love it as much as you’ll love this episode! Thank you, Rebecca for coming on the show. Follow Rebecca on Instagram: @rebeccapapucaruwriter [https://www.instagram.com/rebeccapapucaruwriter/] Rebecca’s author page on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaPapucaru] Book of Poetry: The Panic Room [https://nightwoodeditions.com/products/9780889713383] (Nightwood Editions) Novel: As Good a Place as Any [https://guernicaeditions.com/products/as-good-a-place-as-any] (Guernica Editions) Erica on Instagram: @erica.j.schmidt [https://www.instagram.com/erica.j.schmidt/] Erica on Substack (new!): @ericajschmidt [https://ericajschmidt.substack.com/] Erica's website: ericajschmidt.com [https://www.ericajschmidt.com/] Full shownotes: ericajschmidt.com/podcast/as-good-a-place-as-any-rebecca-papucaru [http://ericajschmidt.com/podcast/as-good-a-place-as-any-rebecca-papucaru] If you enjoyed this podcast, you may also enjoy: Montréal’s Favourite Anita Anand (Author, Translator, Peace Seeker):Apple Podcasts  [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/this-is-your-strange-and-beautiful-life/id1687371004?i=1000729728623]Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/episode/4B8zhA6eKsdpQxoXvWhqC4?si=435821686b1141be] True Stories to Save Your Life with Nisha Coleman:Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/this-is-your-strange-and-beautiful-life/id1687371004?i=1000712560828]Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/episode/5mBZhNXKsjonkqfspbYbNs?si=72851449148d4d3b] Curiosity with Michelle Syba (Author of End Times):Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/this-is-your-strange-and-beautiful-life/id1687371004?i=1000630048097]Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/episode/3QphBPXAMbnCskRLkUEh0f?si=a85be698d8f94881] Rebecca Păpucaru on This Is Your Strange and Beautiful Life (Timestamps) 00:00:00 Theme Song, Intro + Rebecca Păpucaru’s bio 00:03:50 Rebecca gushes about Erica’s squatty potty set-up in her bathroom. Erica: You want to give birth and take a dump in a squat. Rebecca and Erica talk ergonomic redemption and the importance of internal plumbing as you age. 00:08:00 Rebecca was born Rebecca Schwarz but prefers her father’s family name Păpucaru, which he changed when he came to Canada.   “If I’m honest, my decision to publish under that name is a certain internalized self-loathing. But on the other hand, I really like the sound of it.” 00:12:05 Writer’s Block Trick: If you don’t have money for a writer’s course, just write an essay on your name. 00:12:47 Rebecca Păpucaru’s creative origins and how she became a writer (Early journals, lots of reading, and winning the Archie comic writing contest) 00:16:55 Theatre school at Dawson college and why Rebecca did not become an actor 00:19:52 The call to read. University of Toronto Rebecca is captivated by Sylvia Plath and decides she wants to write poems. Ends up studying English at U of T. She writes poem but they rarely submits them anywhere. Then her uncle dies when she is 38, and she vows to take the writing thing seriously. 00:27:31 What is most natural, writing poetry or fiction? 00:31:05 The tension between commercial and literary fiction and the pressure to write something high-brow and cerebral. 00:32:03 Elevator pitch for As Good a Place as Any 00:36:19 Did Rebecca do research to authentically and respectfully depict the experience of the queer Chilean woman? Rebecca describes her process and self-doubt, and the trip where she met her main character. 00:42:37 A sign that you’re really stuck with your writing. 00:43:29 Writing through shit in the dark and/or How to get into a flow state and get your characters to talk to you 00:48:30 Rebecca Păpucaru’s Morning and Creative Routines 00:53:31 Rebecca Păpucaru’s Spectacular TED talk 00:54:59 More writing tips! How to write or not write and not hate yourself 01:48:00 Rebecca Păpucaru’s Cleaning Routine 01:03:40 How to read outside reading bubbles and Instagram lists. Reading tips and recs 01:07:59 Wrap-up and where to find Rebecca online and buy her book To support this independent podcast, please consider purchasing a Lil and Bud dog greeting card at ericajschmidt.com/merch [https://www.ericajschmidt.com/merch]. You can also make a one-time donation here at The Donate Button. [https://www.ericajschmidt.com/checkout/donate?donatePageId=660c1b9e70926f7060fdf52c]Feel free to get in touch for other sponsorship possibilities. My infinite thanks for all of this. More infinite thanks, as always, to Taes Leavitt (darling big sister, Big Heart Journey [https://www.bigheartjourney.com/]), Sherwin Tjia (technical and creative advisor, Sherwin’s Quirky Events [https://www.facebook.com/groups/851268551651989],Episode 22 [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/this-is-your-strange-and-beautiful-life/id1687371004?i=1000648052747]) and my dearly departed aunt Eileen Gun, whose generous gift helped to fund my new podcast equipment. Stay tuned for more episodes extra soon. Don’t forget to followThis Is Your Strange and Beautiful Life on your favourite podcast platform. And if you enjoyed the episode, I would be immensely grateful if you could share it with a friend and/or leave a kind and enthusiastic rating and review.

How to Be an Artist with Gretchen Andrew

“An artist is someone who is celebrated for being themselves. A professional artist is someone who is paid for being themselves.” “It takes as much creativity to make it work as it does to make the work.” —Gretchen Andrew Gretchen Andrew is a viral painter, hacker, and creator of the award-winning FaceTune Portraits, a series of oil paintings that “reveal the hidden scars of social media filters.” Two years after college, Gretchen quit her so-called “dream job” at Google and set out on a performative experiment to become an artist. It was a wild success! Most recently, two paintings from Gretchen’s Facetune Portrait series have been put forth for permanent acquisition at the Whitney. These provocative portraits criticize how AI and plastic surgery are homogenizing and dictating our collective beauty standards. The world needs this series and it was a joy to talk to Gretchen about creativity, algorithms, morning routines, robots, Botox, and how to become an artist. Follow Gretchen on Instagram @gretchenandrew [https://www.instagram.com/gretchenandrew/] Gretchen Andrew’s website: gretchenandrew.com [https://www.gretchenandrew.com/] Erica on Instagram: @erica.j.schmidt [https://www.instagram.com/erica.j.schmidt/] Erica on Substack (new!): @ericajschmidt [https://substack.com/@ericajschmidt] Erica's website: ericajschmidt.com [https://www.ericajschmidt.com/] Full shownotes: ericajschmidt.com/podcast/artist-gretchen-andrew [https://ericajschmidt.com/podcast/artist-gretchen-andrew] Gretchen Andrew on This Is Your Strange and Beautiful Life 00:00:00 Intro: Gretchen on today’s unreasonable beauty standards 00:01:44 Theme song plus Gretchen’s bio and riveting banter on Botox 00:06:04 Gretchen gets a running scholarship at Boston College. Landed a job at Google, which she quit after two years to illegally move into her art studio. How did this happen and how did it go? 00:09:39 Using the Internet as a force for good. Trying to make it as an artist in San Francisco 00:16:30 Gretchen’s take on the term “self-taught.” How she acquired the technical skills she needed without getting an MFA. How she found mentors like Billy Childs 00:21:00 Gretchen’s artistic origins. Did she draw as a child? Why art now? Gretchen’s dream of becoming part of the art world. Making your life one beautiful piece of art. 00:23:57 Promoting yourself as an artist. “It takes as much creativity to make it work as it does to make the work.” Networking, snail-mail thank you cards. Making it fun. 00:29:52 Using SEO to hack the search term “Next American president” with her vision boards during the 2020 election. How to make the Internet “a global subconscious manifestation machine.” 00:36:23 Gretchen’s morning routine. It involves setting an intention in front of the mirror at 4:55 a.m. She records herself and listens to the recording throughout the day. Seems like it is working? 00:40:21 Robotics and Gretchen’s Facetune Portraits. More on our society’s impossible beauty standards, the effects of AI filters, the cost of Botox, fillers and other interventions. 00:40:34 Specifics about the mechanics of Gretchen’s robots. Check out Erica’ smash-hit YouTube channel for footage! 00:51:41 How the Facetune project has affected Gretchen personally in terms of how she processes appearance expectations for women. More on Botox, haha, and does EMDR therapy make you prettier? 01:04:42 Gretchen Andrew’s creative routine. It can vary by week, month, or even two-to-five year period. And she has stop watches to keep track of it all.  01:13:08 Gretchen Andrew’s cleaning routine. Her house is spotless! And she hits Inbox Zero every afternoon. What a surprise. 01:15:37 Gretchen Andrew’s spectacular TED talk. Listen to the end for the title and topic! 01:16:25 Wrap-up and closing theme song. Sing or dance along. Thank you so much, Gretchen. What a blast and an honour. If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like: How to Be a Writer with Kyle Stevenson [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uydJomCU8BM], Making It Fun with Mary Owen [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/this-is-your-strange-and-beautiful-life/id1687371004?i=1000612943670], and Moments of Joy with Al Lafrance [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/this-is-your-strange-and-beautiful-life/id1687371004?i=1000660889525]. To support this independent podcast, please consider purchasing a Lil and Bud dog greeting card at ericajschmidt.com/merch [https://www.ericajschmidt.com/merch]. You can also make a one-time donation here at The Donate Button. [https://www.ericajschmidt.com/checkout/donate?donatePageId=660c1b9e70926f7060fdf52c] Feel free to get in touch for other sponsorship possibilities. My infinite thanks for all of this. More infinite thanks, as always, to Taes Leavitt (darling big sister, Big Heart Journey [https://www.bigheartjourney.com/]), Sherwin Tjia (technical and creative advisor, Sherwin’s Quirky Events [https://www.facebook.com/groups/851268551651989], Episode 22 [https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/this-is-your-strange-and-beautiful-life/id1687371004?i=1000648052747]) and my dearly departed aunt Eileen Gun, whose generous gift helped to fund my new podcast equipment. Stay tuned for more episodes extra soon. Don’t forget to follow This Is Your Strange and Beautiful Life on your favourite podcast platform. And if you enjoyed the episode, I would be immensely grateful if you could share it with a friend and/or leave a kind and enthusiastic rating and review.