In this debut episode of the Beyond and Back podcast, I speak with my friend fine artist and musician Nathan Carter in his Brooklyn art studio. We're hearing from Nathan at a time when he's just spent about three years working on an entirely new project, a real departure from his previous work, and fortunately it's proving to be a success for him.

Nathan shares some formative memories he has about being a creative child. We talk about what it's like to have two parents who supported his creativity and believed that being an artist is a legitimate life choice. These types of experiences color our attitudes about creativity and whether or not we believe that we're allowed to be creative.

We also discuss Nathan's approach to creating, which invites some vulnerability, a healthy feeling of fear and an element of risk and recklessness. This conversation is free form and we use words that some people find offensive. You'll also hear two songs from The Dramastics that might whip you into a frenzy. So listen with caution.