Dear friends, supporters, listeners, and fellow travellers,
I want to take a moment to say thank you, truly, deeply to every one of you who has followed, supported, listened to, shared, or believed in The Artful Exchange.
It feels almost incredible to write this.
People have told me I must be crazy for starting this podcast. And maybe I was. I started it entirely in my free time, voluntarily, with no funding, no backing and during one of the hardest periods of my life.
At that time, I had lost almost all confidence in myself and in my own achievements. One failure after another had worn me down. I shut down. I lost my voice. I felt struck down and, for a while, almost hated, without ever fully understanding why. There was no single clear reason. Just the heavy, brutal feeling of being unwanted, misunderstood, and exposed.
The last few years have brought enormous change emotionally, financially, and professionally. My work direction shifted. My sense of self shifted. And in the middle of all of that, this podcast quietly became both my escape and my exposure therapy.
It helped me start believing in myself again.
It helped me slowly give my voice a voice if that makes sense.
Through The Artful Exchange, I got to do what I love most: meet people, listen deeply, and learn from their journeys from their failures as much as their achievements. From their different ways of approaching life, hope, dreams, and career choices.
I am endlessly inspired by people who do not give up. And I truly believe that is exactly what this podcast has done for me over the past two years: it gave me hope. It gave me my voice back. And it gave me the quiet confidence to step forward again and to finally stop giving a fuck about what others think.
To every single one of my guests: thank you.
Your generosity, honesty, time, and conversations have helped me more than you could ever imagine. You didn’t just share your stories you helped rebuild mine.
I am carrying all of your voices with me into 2026. And we’ll see how many more wish to join along the way. If not, then I am already profoundly grateful for these two extraordinary years and for the privilege of having walked part of the road with you.
I wish you all a blessed, gentle, and magical start to 2026.
There is an Italian saying that has stayed with me since I was a young girl. I have actually written down this saying on every piece of assignment I handed in to my teachers and proffessors over the years.
“It is better to live one day as a lion than one hundred years as a sheep.”
— Benito Mussolini
In Italian, it reads:
“Meglio vivere un giorno da leone che cent’anni da pecora.”
For me, this has never been about power or domination, but about courage. About choosing to live truthfully, even briefly, rather than safely and silently for a lifetime.
Please don’t give up on yourselves.
Keep going.
We are all good.
So much of life comes down to timing, to owning your voice, and to stopping the habit of apologising for being who you are.
So let’s stop doing that.
Welcome 2026 with courage, curiosity, and heart.
With gratitude and love,
The Poetic Designer
The Artful Exchange
In this episode I am speaking with Czech poet and multilingual Marcela Kvello. We talk about writing between languages, carrying one's homeland in words, and what happens to identity when life unfolds far from where it began.
Belonging, displacement, and the quiet strength of creating a creative life.
This episode is for anyone who has felt from somewhere and elsewhere at the same time. How adapting to a new langauge and a new culture becomes your new identity .
Tune in with us today!
@marcelakvello both on instagram and facebook
What if art wasn’t just something you looked at but something you traveled through? What if a painting could take you on a journey just as vividly as a plane ticket?” Welcome to The Artful Exchange, the podcast where we explore the power of art to connect, inspire, and tell stories across cultures.
Today, we’re taking a journey, quite literally through the world of art. My guest is Alisa, the founder of The Art Trotter, a platform dedicated to making art education accessible, engaging, and enriching for everyone.
Instagram: @the_art_trotter
Website: Learn about art online | The Art Trotter
Thank you to Next Flow Studio for help with filming and editing this episode.
Winther & Healey: A Sounded Poem.
In this special short episode, I share an original poem, brought to life in collaboration with composer and musician Geoff Healey. A mix of voice and melody, words and atmosphere. This piece is an intimate encounter between poetry and sound, where each note holds space for silence, and each line finds its rhythm.
A quiet moment. A breath between worlds.
Music: Geoff Healey
Words and reading: Tania Winther
Episode II/Season II
*This beautiful intro song is a song by Geoff, also including his talented daughter Emily. The song is called 'Wrong' and is so touching. Might we just be seeing a new daughter/father duo in the near future. Here's for hoping!
ENJOY!
I’m thrilled to welcome an old mate of mine; Geoff Healey,
An Australian singer-songwriter and piano entertainer whose career has taken him across 14 countries over the past three decades. With seven albums to his name, including his latest release, Mixed Bag, Geoff's music blends storytelling, emotion, and a touch of humor. Beyond his work as a musician, Geoff is also the creative force behind The WonderLand, a comedy podcast where he shares his witty and insightful take on life. His unique voice, both musically and in conversation, has resonated with audiences worldwide. Join me as I take part into his artistic journey, the stories behind his songs, and the creative process that fuels both his music and his podcast. And not least, his latest project in Tasmania.
www.geoffhealey.com
Facebook: @healeymusic
Instagram: @geoffpianoman
Podcast: The Wonderland
In our first episode for 2025 and second season of The Artful Exchange, I am talking with Katarzyna Maria Wieczorek, also known as Kamawi. She is a Polish-Norwegian composer and sound designer based in Trondheim, Norway. With a strong background in musicology and music technologym from NTNU, Kamawi has established herself as an innovative voice in contemporary music.
Kamawi made her debut with the piece Solidarity; at Rockheim in 2020, and since then, she has been involved in numerous interdisciplinary projects that blend music, visual art, and dance. Known for her experimental approach to composition, she often explores alternative methods of connecting data with music, experimenting with timbre and scales, and using field recordings alongside programming.
One of her standout projects is Brainfeels; a collective initiative that visualizes different mental states, allowing listeners to experience a deep emotional connection. Kamawi's work often balances between technology and traditional folk music, creating immersive soundscapes where improvisation with synths, vocals, and acoustic instruments play a key role.
Katarzyna Maria Wieczorek
KAMAWI
Composer and Sound Designer
http://kamawi.no
kamawias@gmail.com
@kamawi_
In this episode, I’m excited to welcome Deborah Alma, a remarkable poet, editor, and educator based in the UK. Deborah has devoted her life to sharing the transformative power of poetry with diverse communities. Her work spans dementia care, hospice support, schools, and vulnerable women’s groups, alongside her roles as a lecturer at Worcester and Keele universities.In 2012, Deborah launched the groundbreaking Emergency Poet project, prescribing poetry as a form of healing from a vintage ambulance, a truly creative and moving initiative. She took this vision even further in 2019 by co-founding the world’s first walk-in Poetry Pharmacy in Shropshire with her partner, poet James Sheard. This unique space combines literature with mental health support, creating a safe haven where words become a remedy for the soul. With the recent opening of a second location in London, Deborah continues to make poetry an interactive and accessible experience for all.Her debut poetry collection, Dirty Laundry, captivated me, and she has since published several other works that bridge art and healing in extraordinary ways. Join me as I explore Deborah’s inspiring journey and her mission to make poetry a force for connection, comfort, and change.
Deborah Alma
The Poetry Pharmacy
@poetry_pharmacy_
@Deb Alma (Facebook)
www.poetrypharmacy.co.uk
EXTRA EPISODE!
POETRY READING BY THE POETIC DESIGNER
THE POETRY COLLECTION
‘DIRTY LAUNDRY’
BY DEBORAH ALMA
The Emergency Poet, Entrepreneur, Editor, Lecturer
OWNER OF THE POETRY PHARMACY
Episode 6 is a great talk with the Australian landscape artist, Zoe Grey. She is based in Hobart, Australia.
Since Tassie is so close to my heart, it is only natural I bring in talents from OZ too.
I became aware of Zoe a few years ago and have been following her ever since. She recently won the, ‘Hadleys Art Prize in Australia, which is a prestigious art prize for Australianlandscape art. Zoe, a young, and very much, new and rising star in the art world, won the prize with her landscape painting, ‘The Shape of Rock’. Come join us as we learn more about her as an artist and her beautiful island filled with inspiration for her incredible works. How she works and future plans.
www.zoe-grey.com
insta: zoe_makes
Teaser II
-from The Artful Exchange with a poem reading by your host, The Poetic Designer.
Memories from Oz.
Stay tuned and listen to our episodes every month as we interview and talk to artists around the globe!
https://atelierwinther.no/podcast
Our 5 episode is coming out October 1, with the Italian artist, Cristiana Giacchetti. It was a true pleasure to get to know the woman behind the artwork 'Faccio'. It a short period of time, Cristiana has manged to create a name for herself and make art her fulltime livelihood, leaving the corporate world behind for good. Come join us as we listen to her journey.
instagram: cg_artesofia
Gallery: galeriehelligheit.de
Come join in and listen to a great talk with a young and fascinating entrepeneur and gallery owner in Southeastern France. Andreas Fensby is the owner behind Heimdall Gallery in France. He is focusing on introducing modern Scandinavian art to the French, which is a bold move. Andreas has a true passion and commitment to art.
In 2023 Andreas Fensby, opened a gallery in the ski resort area of VIllard de Lans in France. Southeast of France.
Opening an art gallery can go both ways. But with hard work, passion and dedication, Andreas has managed to double the size of the gallery, Tripled the amount of artists and received numerous amounts of support from locals wishing the gallery to succeed.
www.heimdall-gallery.com
instagram: heimdall.gallery
Come join and listen to our latest episode with the award winning interior design firm from Valencia, Spain:‘Masquespacio’.
What do you consider being a multihyphenate?
I think it is fear to say this duo represents this word well.
I am so honored to represent these guests for today. This a story about a true power couple. A love story. Yin and yang. Teaching us that all can be done.
www.masquespacio.com
Insta: masquespacio_ana
Insta: masquespacio_chris
In this episode I am very excited to introduce a interdisciplinary artist from South Africa. Natalie Field.
Come join us as we explore how her career shifted from photo and fashion, into what she is doing today. Natalie has lived and explored the world. Let us listen to her experiences and how taxidermy came to play a crucial role.
Learn more about Natalie:
https://nataliefield.art/
@nataliefield.art
Our first guest joining us at, 'The Artful Exchange', is Kiki Plesner-Löfroth from Plesner Patterns. She is a Norwegian based textile and surface designer. She recently won the prestigious Red Dot Award for her blanket ‘The Norwegian Heritage’.
Come join as we learn more about her process, collabs, international awards and so much more!
www.plesnerpatterns.no
@plesner_patterns