It’s amazing who you can meet in a park during your child’s soccer game. I was introduced to Stephen Gritt on one such occasion last summer by someone who knew that Stephen would make a great guest for Electric Sky. They were right.

• Show ID and intro
• Interview with Stephen Grit
• National Gallery of Canada
• Piet Mondrian (on Wikipedia)
• Paolo Veronese (on Wikipedia)
• Dead Christ with Angels: Fragment of the Lendinara Altarpiece (1565)

Outtakes from this interview can be found at MarkBlevis.com.

 

 Stephen Gritt on Art Restoration and Conservation [10:18m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

During the annual Great Glebe Garage Sale (a huge community garage sale in Ottawa), my family stumbed on Jennifer Barnaby, a Cordon Bleu Chef who was serving baked goods she’d made while her husband, Jim, brewed up espresso and handled the transactions. Every single cent collected from the sales went directly to charity. They didn’t even recover their expenses.

That’s how I met Jim and Jennifer. I had one of their espressos and a piece of the most incredible cake I have ever had to kick off my garage sale spree. It might have been 9:30am.

• Show ID and intro
• Interview with Jennifer Barnaby (Cakes for a Cause)
• Nepalese Youth Opportunity Foundation

 

 Jennifer Barnaby and Cakes for a Cause [9:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I’ve wanted to produce a documentary on honesty for almost three years. In preparation, I gathered some street audio on honesty and dishonesty, definitions of the ideas and self-analysis (unfortunately, I seem to have misplaced some of this audio). I also conducted an incredibly insightful interview with Brad Blanton whose book Radical Honesty: How to Transform Your Life by Telling the Truth I was reading at the time.

When I conducted this interview in 2005, Dr. Blanton was preparing to pursue a political career as an independent, green candidate on a platform of honesty.

I still have designs on producing a documentary on honesty. At the same time, I can’t keep this interview to myself any longer.

• Show ID and intro
• Interview with Brad Blanton
• Anonymous ’streeters’
• Audio clips from Sage Tyrtle and Charles Cadenhead

 

 Brad Blanton and Radical Honesty [10:21m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

While in Perth, ON last August, I learned about Bracelets of Hope, an initiative to raise the money necessary to build a medical clinic for a Village of Hope in Harare, Zimbabwe — all by selling handmade bracelets. Even more impressive is that the initiative was dreamed up by a ten-year-old.

I met with Carrie-Anne Bauer and her mother, Pamela, in a park in Ottawa last August (2007) and conducted this interview. I’ve been beating myself up for not having released this interview sooner. That was before I received an update from Pamela this past Friday (April 4, 2008) . Her update inspired me to publish the interview now. I think it has more impact this way.

• Show ID and intro
• Interview with Carrie-Anne and Pamela Bauer (August 2007)
• Update on Bracelets of Hope fundraising (April 2008)

Relevant links:

• Bracelets of Hope
• Village of Hope Zimbabwe
• Sub-Saharan HIV and AIDS statistics

Photo of Carrie-Anne and the Bracelets of Hope provided by Pamela Bauer.

 

 Bracelets of Hope [9:49m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Our family vacation in August 2007 was a two-week, unplugged, extravaganza down the Fundy side of New Brunswick. The camping was fantastic and we were able to witness the awesome vertical tides of the Bay of Fundy.

The highlight of our trip was a whale watching expedition on the Jolly Breeze, a tall ship based out of (beautiful) St. Andrews by the sea.

• Soundseeing tour of the Jolly Breeze
• Interview with Rob Carney
• Interview with Captain Troy

Photo: Derek Beardsworth

 

 Whale Watching on the Jolly Breeze [9:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In the conclusion of this two part series, Sir Ken Robinson explains what ‘back to basics’ means, offers ways in which parents can help foster creativity in their children, and outlines his ideal school.

• Show ID and Intro
• Interview with Sir Ken Robinson (part 2 of 2)

I recommend Sir Ken Robinson’s book, Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative and a video of his presentation Do Schools Kill Creativity? which he delivered at the TED conference.

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 Sir Ken Robinson on Creativity and Education (part 2 of 2) [11:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I first learned about Sir Ken Robinson and his research on creativity and the decline of creativity in education when I saw a video of a presentation he delivered at the TED conference (Do Schools Kill Creativity?). His book Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative is an in depth analysis of education systems and the role of creativity as part of our ourselves and our education.

• Show ID and Intro
• Interview with Sir Ken Robinson (part 1 of 2)
  

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 Sir Ken Robinson on Creativity and Education (part 1 of 2) [9:17m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Ottawa Valley Honey is one of the popular attractions at the Ottawa Farmers’ Market. Children and adults flock to this booth to study the section of beehive that is always a part of the display.

I had the opportunity to interview Michael Kositsin, one of the beekeepers, about his amazing honey bees.

• Show ID and Intro
• Interview with Michael Kositsin of Ottawa Valley Honey

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 Michael Kositsin and his amazing honey bees [10:14m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download