PODCAST · arts
Your Creative Midlife
by Betsy Bush
Your Creative Midlife. With host Betsy Bush. I’m talking to people who are exploring the creative life post-career or as empty nesters: painting, writing, making music, theater, and film making. What about you? Is this the time to write that book? Return to arts you enjoyed as a kid or teen? Curious to try something new? Here’s the thing: It’s never too late to bring a creative practice into your life. My guests talk about the satisfaction they find as they develop their new skills. They also share the uncertainty and fear they felt when they started and the confidence they gained as they kept at it and their skills developed. Even better: their definition of success is their own. Where do you want to go? Dare to follow your muse. Have a creative journey to share? Please get in touch via our website contact page, www.yourcreativemidlife.com
Episodes
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Inspiration from Unexpected Places: Why My Favorite Place on Nantucket Is the Dump
In this episode of Your Creative Midlife, I'm at my favorite place on Nantucket, which is not the beach. It's the Take It or Leave It shed at the Nantucket dump. know. Beautiful Nantucket, and I want to talk about the dump. But I have found some real treasures there, and I'm not the only one —…
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Needlework, Toile, and What You're Not Good At
What happens when you sign up for something you might turn out to be bad at? In this episode of Your Creative Midlife, I'm exploring embroidery on Nantucket, in its different forms. It's the part of this island the influencers aren't telling you about. What I didn't expect was how much this...
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This is the Value of Process Over Product: What I Learned in a Four-Day Collage Workshop on Nantucket
I’m sharing the results of a collage workshop I took at the Visual Arts Center of the Artists Association of Nantucket, one of the island's major art centers. As a budding collage artist, this was an amazing experience, and it really gave me a chance to do a deep dive for four days in a row with…
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Inside the 500 Year Old Craft of Paper Marbling
How would you like to try something completely new? That's what I'm doing with my summer, calling it Nantucket Camp. How about paper marbling? It's a heritage craft, which means, in some ways, it's considered endangered. Here’s how I learned to make marbled paper, just like Renaissance Florence…
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Introducing a New Summer Series: Camp Nantucket!
This summer I'm treating Nantucket Island like summer camp, exploring new activities like pottery, collage, paper marbling, and so much more. You can try so many artistic pursuits on this island. So if you see something new that you want to try, join me for Camp Nantucket. The first episode drops...
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Yes, You Can Learn to Play the Violin as an Adult
Do you wish you had taken (or stuck with) music lessons as a kid? Or maybe you didn’t have the opportunity for lessons and now wonder if it is too late. In this episode, I talk with Elle Littlefield, an entrepreneur and classical music lover. Elle Littlefield grew up playing violin through the...
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How to Write an Authentic Memoir and Tell a Good Story, with Sarah Saffian, Writing Coach
There are many reasons to write a memoir. You may find it cathartic to “get it all out there” or maybe you have a life story that you think readers will find entertaining. Either way, says memoirist and writing workshop leader Sarah Saffian, there is a difference between therapeutic writing for…
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How a Painter Found Community at The Art Students League of New York
In this episode, I reflect on my trip to The Art Students League and how it influenced my friend and podcast guest John Kneapler’s journey as an artist. The Art Students League has been making art education and studio space accessible in New York City. This kind of community is important for…
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If You Want to Try Collage, This Episode is for You
I’ve explored collage a lot this past year. In fact, my collage roommate has become an exceptional collage artist after retiring from her career in corporate communications. Her creative pivot has been a huge inspiration. This episode is a compilation of my interview with Lela and my own journey...
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This Book is Taking Over the Art World: Reflections on Art Cure by Dr. Daisy Fancourt
I met Dr. Daisy Fancourt in May, when she was a featured speaker at a longevity conference. If you’ve heard of her, it’s because her latest book Art Cure, has taken over the art world on social media. In this special solo episode, I share my thoughts on this revelatory book, the questions it…
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You’re Not Stuck with Your Professional Identity: Betsy Bush and Flora White on Evolution Now
You can have a whole new identity if you want. You can pick up something new or pursue that creative impulse that has been in the back of your mind. This week on Your Creative Midlife, I am in the hot seat! I sat down with my friend and fellow podcaster, Flora White, who is the CEO of Evolution...
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Don’t Wait for Retirement to Write That Book, with Chris Shirley, Award-Winning Fiction Writer
Do you want to write a book, either now or in retirement? Rather than put off his writing dreams until retirement, Chris embraced the challenges through courses, mentorship, community, and self-education. He went on to write a debut novel and is working on his third book. Chris’s story offers...
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Make a Movie on Your Own Terms and Navigate Life as an Artist, with Brooke Berman
This week on Your Creative Midlife, I talk with Brooke Berman about her latest film, "Ramona at Midlife," which explores the central challenge of reconciling one's youthful aspirations with the reality of how life actually unfolds. The film follows Ramona, a former essayist turned animal shelter...
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From Medicine to Painting and Finding New Forms of Expression in Retirement, with Bob Veselis
What do doctors and scientists do in retirement? In this week’s episode, Betsy speaks with Bob Veselis, a former anesthesiologist, about his art practice and how he transitioned from medicine to becoming an artist. About the guest: Bob Veselis, a retired anesthesiologist from Memorial Sloan...
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Why Music and Performing Arts are Key to Creative Aging, with John-Morgan Bush, Dean of Juilliard Extension School
I am thrilled to share my conversation with John-Morgan Bush, Dean of Juilliard Extension. We talk about creative aging, Juilliard Extension, and how music and the performing arts can help us live more enriched lives. John-Morgan advocates for the importance of lifelong engagement with the arts,...
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From Lawyer to Model & TV Extra, with Deidre Michael
When you watch a movie, do you ever wonder about the people in the background? What would it be like to work as an extra in the movie business and how do you get that work anyway? In this episode, I talk with Deidre Michael, a former lawyer, about how she became a model and movie extra. It took...
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What Is Your Creative Midlife Going To Be? My Biggest Lessons From One Year Of Podcasting
While you're learning to be creative, I'm learning how to do a podcast. In this episode, I reflect on the fantastic first year of the show, podcasting as an older woman, what AI means for our creativity, the connection between creativity and brain health, and what I’ll be exploring on the show in...
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She Made Her First Film at 65: Now, at 75, Melissa Davey’s Documentary "Climbing Into Life" is Winning Awards
Few of us would dare attempt to become a filmmaker at 65, but that is exactly what Melissa Davey did when she retired from corporate life. Her second documentary, "Climbing Into Life" profiles Dierdre Wolownick, the oldest woman to climb Yosemite’s El Capitan. Wolownick was guided through the...
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“I was actually just a storyteller my whole career”: Live from Graham Broyd’s Book Launch for Backpack, Jacket, Surfboard at Scarsdale Golf Club
We've been following the journey that my guest, Graham Broyd, has taken as a first time author from developing a personal story into a manuscript that was published by Forbes imprint Advantage Press. In August, I was honored to be asked by Graham to help him launch Backpack, Jacket, Surfboard on...
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Nobody Pays to See Normal, with Stand-up Comedian Jane Condon
What does it take to be a stand-up comedian in midlife? Jane Condon has been at it for several decades and gives us the inside scoop of what it really takes to get in front of audiences, develop material, and even recover when a routine bombs. Jane Condon shares insights into her comedic style,...
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His first book is in the top 10% of books sold in 2025: How Graham Broyd Did It.
Graham Broyd was a popular guest when I interviewed him back in February, as his book, Backpack, Jacket, Surfboard was in the final editing stages. Now his book has launched and is selling very well. Graham, a former banker, shares the surprising amount of work involved in selling a book after...
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Did a Family Ghost Lure Me to Nantucket? A Special Episode with Betsy Bush
For the last Nantucket edition of the year, I’m sharing a personal story that kind of fits with the spooky season of Halloween. It’s the story of my first visit to Nantucket, only five years ago during COVID, when the island was shut down. During those months when the town was almost deserted, it...
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Enjoy this Replay with Astrologer and Tarot Reader Suzanne Keating!
Enjoy this Replay with Astrologer and Tarot Reader Suzanne Keating! Summer can offer us time to contemplate the future and imagine life changes. If you are on Nantucket, you might consider consulting Suzanne Keating. She's an astrologer with a longstanding practice on the island. With interest in...
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Supporting Midlife Creativity in a Judgement Free Zone: Nantucket Island School of Design and Art
Is there a connection between the relaxed vibe of Nantucket Island School of Design and Art (NISDA) and its way of inspiring creativity in midlife? This farm-turned-art workshop, with its silos and outbuildings on Wauwinet Road, feels like a true throwback to Nantucket in the ‘70’s, which is when...
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Writing with Purpose and the Magic of Nantucket: How Nancy Thayer Published 35 Bestsellers
Why is Nantucket such a powerful setting for novels about renewal and reinvention? The island seems to be a place where life can change in the course of a summer, especially for those in midlife facing an empty nest or a change in a relationship. As author Nancy Thayer explains, Nantucket is for...
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50 Years of Nantucket Arts and Creativity with Charley Walters
Charley Walters proves that you don’t have to create art to be immersed in it. Over the 50 years he has lived on Nantucket, Charley has become a guiding presence in the island’s evolving arts scene. In this episode, he recounts his early career writing album reviews for Rolling Stone magazine and...
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The Joys of Rock Music in Midlife: The Story of Cranberry Alarm Clock, Beatles Cover Band
How many of you out there have dreams of forming a rock group with your pals playing the music you love? In this episode, members of the Nantucket-based Beatles cover band, Cranberry Alarm Clock, discuss their recent experience traveling to Liverpool to perform at the International Beatle Week...
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Write Your Memoir So That Others Will Read It with Sarah Saffian
“What an interesting life you’ve led. You should write a book.” Has anyone ever told you that? Or maybe you’ve thought this about your own life? There are many reasons to write a memoir. You may find it cathartic to “get it all out there” or maybe you have a life story that you think readers will...
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Your Midlife Is Vibrant – Write About It! with Stella Fosse
Stella Fosse retired from her biotech career ten years ago and started writing. Her work encompasses a surprising range, from blogs to novels to non-fiction guides for midlife women who want to write their own stories filled with love and romance. Her new book is “Rock On: Power, Sex & Money…
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Blending Business and Art with John Kneapler, Painter
Discovering your creative outlet can be beneficial on many levels. Just ask John Kneapler, who found that painting helped him through the death of both parents. Then the impact of COVID on his graphic design business led him to move into painting full-time. John describes the profound importance…
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A Different Way of Knowing with Astrologer Suzanne Keating
Summer can offer us time to contemplate the future and imagine life changes. If you are on Nantucket, you might consider consulting Suzanne Keating. She's an astrologer with a longstanding practice on the island. With interest in astrology and tarot growing, it's a great time to learn more about...
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No Rules, Endless Possibilities: Collage Artist Lela Goldstein
Sometimes the first step in your midlife creative journey is to look back at the things you loved as a kid. For Lela Goldstein, it was building on her love of paper, images, colors and patterns that led her to explore the world of collage. As she approached retirement, she discovered collage as…
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Reliving Nantucket’s nautical past with the Shanty Singers
The popular Shanty Cruise offers a unique experience for visitors and locals alike—evoking the spirit of long-ago ship crews who sang these working songs as they hoisted sails and weighed anchor. For anyone exploring creative pursuits in midlife or retirement, it’s a reminder that it’s never too...
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Finding Joy in the Creative Process with Photographer Lynn Savarese
Lynn Savarese, a Harvard-trained lawyer, discovered her love of photography when she took a beginner's photography class at Manhattan’s 92nd Street Y. Soon after, she volunteered to photograph taxidermied birds at the American Natural History Museum, bringing her own materials and artistic...
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On the Isle Community Theater with Kathi Loughlin
Your Creative Midlife – Nantucket Edition Your Creative Midlife is visiting Nantucket for special episodes this summer. Nantucket is a beautiful wedge of sand 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod. Just 14 miles long and 7 miles wide, it has a storied human history—from early Indigenous people to...
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From Lawyer to Playwright: How Dan Moretti Got His Plays Produced
Dan Moretti is a lawyer in New York City who is finding success as a playwright. During COVID, Dan started writing one-act plays, which have since been produced by New York theater workshop groups with professional actors. His plays draw inspiration from his own life experiences, including his...
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Share your passion for art: how a retired dentist became a docent at the Met with Deborah Pilla, DDS
After a 33-year career as a pediatric dentist, Manhattan-based Dr. Deborah Pilla took on a challenge that rewards her love of art and of learning: becoming a docent and a school programs guide at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her work with children in her dental practice makes her a natural for...
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Revive Your Theater Career: One couple shares how in their 60’s they are landing parts and directing plays. With Steve Taylor and Kathleen Mahan. Ep.4
They met in tap dancing class in NYC as young theater hopefuls. Marriage, babies and a move to the suburbs followed. But they never lost their love of theater. Now, post retirement, they are finding their way back to the stage. Kathleen Mahan is now a director and theater arts teacher working…
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Pick up your childhood violin again – seriously! Join the “late starters” finding joy in making music with Elena Rahona Ep.3
For anyone who regrets quitting their music lessons when they were little and assumes it’s too late to go back, please listen to Elena Rahona talk about founding the New York Late Starters Orchestra, modeled on a similar one in London. “Late starters” are people who want to resume playing their...
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Graham Broyd (Extended Version), the unexpected author: How youthful adventures caught a publisher’s eye and turned a banker into a writer
Extended Version of Episode 2 Graham Broyd thought he’d write down the stories of his adventures as a 20-year-old from the UK hitchhiking across the United States, stories he’d been telling friends for decades. Through a series of improbable events, Forbes publishing discovered him, and the…
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Graham Broyd, the unexpected author: How youthful adventures caught a publisher’s eye and turned a banker into a writer
Graham Broyd thought he’d write down the stories of his adventures as a 20-year-old from the UK hitchhiking across the United States, stories he’d been telling friends for decades. Through a series of improbable events, Forbes publishing discovered him, and the result is Graham’s forthcoming…
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Cherie Corso: Getting out there with her artwork—and selling successfully
After many turns as a marketing and media entrepreneur, Cherie Corso turned her energy and talent to abstract painting, with great results. Just two years in, she’s exhibiting her canvases, making sales, and even donating a few to charities for auction. She shares her latest project, The Pulse of...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Your Creative Midlife. With host Betsy Bush.
I’m talking to people who are exploring the creative life post-career or as empty nesters: painting, writing, making music, theater, and film making. What about you? Is this the time to write that book? Return to arts you enjoyed as a kid or teen? Curious to try something new? Here’s the thing: It’s never too late to bring a creative practice into your life. My guests talk about the satisfaction they find as they develop their new skills. They also share the uncertainty and fear they felt when they started and the confidence they gained as they kept at it and their skills developed. Even better: their definition of success is their own. Where do you want to go? Dare to follow your muse.
Have a creative journey to share? Please get in touch via our website contact page, www.yourcreativemidlife.com
HOSTED BY
Betsy Bush
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Your Creative Midlife have?
Your Creative Midlife currently has 44 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Your Creative Midlife about?
Your Creative Midlife. With host Betsy Bush. I’m talking to people who are exploring the creative life post-career or as empty nesters: painting, writing, making music, theater, and film making. What about you? Is this the time to write that book? Return to arts you enjoyed as a kid or teen?...
How often does Your Creative Midlife release new episodes?
Your Creative Midlife has 44 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Your Creative Midlife?
You can listen to Your Creative Midlife on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Your Creative Midlife?
Your Creative Midlife is created and hosted by Betsy Bush.
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