Chasing Artists with Xenja

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA we chat with co-founder of Kawami Jewelry, Maria Clara Ospina about starting a small business to create global impact and enhance the beauty of people around the world. Guest Bio Kawami Jewelry is a jewelry company located in Chicago, Illinois, focused on sharing the exquisite handwoven, beaded, and artisanal jewelry produced in Medellin, Colombia. Each piece of jewelry is hand-crafted by artists in Colombia, which gives it the personal touch of Colombian art and culture. Links to Guest https://kawamijewelry.com @kawamijewelry Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with creativity coach, actress, writer, and teaching artist Jennifer Seifert about healing through creativity with the Artists Way and the creation of CRxEATIVITY. Guest Bio Jennifer Seifert is the producer behind the CRxEATIVITY Festivals and the facilitator for the Artist’s Way workshops.  The Festivals have focused on Healing through Creativity and Women and Empowerment.  Between the #metoo movement and her own traumatic health event in 2017, Jennifer looked to Creativity as medicine for body, mind and soul.   CRxEATIVITY’s incredible support system of artists embraced this concept, and along with the nonprofit organizations, Moms Demand Action, RAICES and the Cancer Support Community of Pasadena, Jennifer has emerged as a game changer in Altadena.   Jennifer Seifert is a Jack Nicholson Scholarship Award winner and alumnus of the University of Southern California, is a certified life coach, actress, writer and teaching artist.  As an actress, Jennifer is an Ovation Award winner, and has worked with such theaters as A Noise Within, Pasadena Playhouse, Shakespeare Festival LA, The Actors Gang and The Falcon Theatre (now Garry Marshall Theatre) with Troubadour Theatre Co.  Jennifer produced her own short film, To Desdemona, Love Juliet and can be seen in the Academy Award nominated film, In America, and opposite Academy Award winner, Anjelica Huston in Huff.  She is thrilled to be teaching theatre arts again in South Central Los Angeles with CRE, and facilitating CRxEATIVITY groups.  Ever since the shooting at Columbine, Jennifer has been passionate about eliminating gun violence in this nation, and has recently followed through with a variety of other humanitarian missions, including her film Inside a Feather. Her CRxEATIVITY Festival raised money for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and her CRxEATIVITY groups of 2017 donated funds to Habitat for Humanity in the aftermath of the hurricanes in Houston and Puerto Rico.  Jennifer also continues to tour the country with Playfair,  and has found a new voice with Expressing Motherhood , and  Listen to Your Mother. CRxEATIVITY’s Artist’s Way groups are now a hybrid of Jennifer Seifert’s own social/emotional curriculum and creativity coaching, hands on creations and writing, and a navigation through Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way.  As CRxEATIVITY has shifted to an online platform, (although, will eventually go back to “in person” meetings as well), participants have discovered that the process can be more flexible as the artists can participate from the comfort of their homes.  Discussions of Brene Brown’s work, and Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magichave become an important part of the connection that occurs within the 12 week program, and the leaps, and breakthroughs that artists have made throughout the years, (both in person and online), have been nothing short of incredible.  Past participants and CRxEATIVITY Festival performers  have gone on to be nominated for Emmy Awards, write and direct films, produce and star in web-series(that have then been sold),nominated for Tony Awards, win OFTA Awards, design costumes for film and music stars, speak for TED Talks, book series regular roles on TV shows, create websites, sculpt and design for Disney, start blogs, write and collaborate on books, book film, TV and professional theatre jobs, write and produce one person shows, win awards for short films, write for Expressing Motherhood, write and produce for Disney, create and sell paintings, perform in World Tours, produce CRxEATIVITY Festivals, earn college degrees, have babies, find some semblance of balance and joy in this creative, beautiful life.  For more information about Jennifer and CRxEATIVITY visit www.jenniferseifert.com  Links to Guest www.jenniferseifert.com @crxeativity Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA we chat with multi-hyphenate artist Emma Estrada about her many artistic outlets, pursuing comedy professionally, artistic recovery, and arting sober. Guest Bio Emma Estrada is a mostly vegan 24 year-old writer, actor, artist and comedian from Los Angeles. She hosts the I Love You Haha podcast every Tuesday and creates comedy videos every Friday on her YouTube channel. Just search for her name. Find her on IG at @theemmaestrada.  Links to Guest Emma Estrada - Facebook @theemmaestrada - Twitter @theemmaestrada - personal & comedy Instagram @emmaestradaart - art & cartoons Instagram @iloveyouhahapodcast - instagram Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC61y0qbwyPL00cYLVoe7ytA Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.patreon.com/xenja www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with Irene Rubinsky about her love of and passion for dance, and how dance has been her rock throughout everything in her life from moving to the USA from Argentina in her early twenties to navigating a major LA earthquake the day after starting her own gym to stepping into her own performance light. Guest Bio Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Irene began dancing at the early age of three. Irene studied Modern, Ballet and Jazz in Argentina and dancing became her passion throughout her teens. She appeared on television and the stage before eventually teaching dance. In 1991 she relocated to Los Angeles. In 1994, along with co-owner and celebrity dance/aerobics instructor, MaDonna Grimes, Irene opened her first dance studio in West Hollywood, California. Within only one year her dance studio became “the studio of choice” providing celebrities and locals with the hottest and best instructors and the most innovative classes. In 1997 Irene started a very successful career at Gold's Gym as the Group Exercise Director overseeing 7 different locations and over 200 instructors all over Southern California. In 2012 Irene decided to change gear yet again and became the manager of Talent Lab a kids dance studio in Westalake Village. And In 2017 at Edge Performing Arts Center in Hollywood.  Irene decided in 2018 to pursue a professional dance career and was signed by Go To Talent Agency. She recently appeared on the award winning show “Transparent” on Amazon Prime. Meanwhile Irene's passion for dance has never stopped. In 1994 she created her Latino Groove class which has been evolving ever since. Irene has instructed students worldwide including Japan, Korea, South America and throughout the United States.  She has been featured in numerous television shows and Magazines.You can find her teaching her Latin Jazz Fusion class at Edge Performing Arts Center in Hollywood and at Equinox around Los Angeles.  Owner, creator and manager of MaDonna Grimes Fitness Theatre Co- West
Hollywood 1993-1997
Group Exercise Director Gold's Gym Hollywood, Downtown LA, Thousand
Oaks,Simi Valley, Fullerton, West Covina 1997- 2012
IDEA conference Presenter 1998-1999
IHRSA Conferemce Presenter-2006
Gold''s Gym Conference Presenter 2010
Gold's Gym award winning Program Director 1999 & 2001
Gold's Gym nominee for Best Program Director 02,03, 04, 05, 06, 07,
08, 09, 10, 11
Featured in SHAPE magazine, Los Angeles Times, Inside Edition, Extra, Good Day LA
Certifications : AFAA, Pilates, Gravity, Zumba,  CPR/ AED , Life Coach, and creator of Latino Groove , Latin Grind, FIRE, Latin Jazz Fusion. Teaching history: MaDonna Grimes Fitness Theatre West Hollywood CA 1994-1997 Gold's Gym 1997-2011 Hollywood, Downtown LA, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley and Culver City.  Breakthru Fitness Pasadena CA 2011-2012 Talent Lab Westlake Village CA 2012-2015 Equinox Woodland Hills 2012-2013 Equinox West Hollywood -2012 Equinox Encino 2014 BayClub Santa Mónica CA 9012- Present BayClub Canoga Park CA 2012- 2019 Edge Performing Arts Center 2012-Present LaDance Fit 2012 BayClub Thousand Oaks CA 2015- 2017 Athletic Society Westlake Village 2017-Present Equinox Sports Club LA 2020 Certifications and Accreditations: Life Coach, AFAA, Pilates, Gravity, Zumba, CPR/ AED certified. Go2Talent Agency, Creator of Latino Groove, Latin Grind, FIRE, and Irene's Dance Fusion. Featured in SHAPE Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Inside Edition,  Extra and Good Day LA. International Award Winning Coach for U.S.A. (Gold and Silver) and Danish (Gold) Aerobic Competition Teams and Pairs. 
Choreographer for Miss Fitness U.S.A. and Miss Fitness America. 
Transparent. Links to Guest Irene Rubinsky - facebook @chachaqueen - instagram irenesdancefusion - youtube Show Notes @iamxenja www.xenja.org www.patreon.com/xenja www.xenja.bandcamp.com Produced by XENJA Music by XENJA Audio Editing by High Noon Audio

There are the stories we tell to the world. And there are the stories that led us there, that remain in our hearts, quietly guarded. Behind the most imaginative and evocative stories are the creative humans, leading lives of inspiration, empowerment, and authenticity, often the foundation for bringing such creative storytelling to life. Chasing Artists with XENJA brings to you the stories of these creative beings, whose work invokes palpable connective emotions to uniting fans around the world to cult followings. Join your host XENJA, writer, independent music artist, and creative soul, weekly as she dives behind the scenes of the incredible real-world creatives of today, tomorrow, and yesterday. What journeys led them to where they are now? How have their experiences influenced their creative works? What messages delve beyond the stories they’ve brought to life? YOU are invited to connect with XENJA and her guests through their courageous and vulnerable storytelling, to encourage the inner light already inside of you to be your guide, and to discover the journey that is right there waiting for you to bring it to life. Voice Over by Pam Levin Music by XENJA