Art Heals All Wounds

Do you think art can change the world? So do I! We’re at a pivotal moment when scientists, medical practitioners, and creatives are coming together in recognition of the ways that art plays an indispensable role in our well-being, as individuals, communities, and societies. In each episode we hear from artists and creatives who share their inspiration for their work and its wider impact. These conversations about transformative artistic practices show the ways that art can be a catalyst for healing and change. How do we change the world? One artist at a time.

Art Heals All Wounds is a arts podcast hosted by Pam Uzzell, with 159 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Pam Uzzell hosts Art Heals All Wounds, a arts show with 159 episodes published.

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  Episode #14

  Violence, Memory, and Community Murals: Artist Claudia Bernardi on Art Against Brutality

  Jun 25, 20261h 7mS9

  Painting the Unspeakable: Art, War, and Remembering with Claudia Bernardi I sit down with artist Claudia Bernardi to talk about her new book, Art Against Brutality: Community and Collaborative Art Projects with Survivors of Political Violence . Claudia lived through the military dictatorship in Argentina. In 1992, she was asked to work as a cartographer with the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team on the exhumation of the site of the El Mozoté massacre in El Salvador — an experience that led her to found Walls of Hope, a community mural project working alongside survivors of war, sexual violence, and displacement. We talk about memory, testimony, and what happens when survivors of unspeakable violence pick up a paintbrush for the first time. This is a conversation about murals, human rights, collective memory, and the people who refuse to let their stories disappear. Episode Highlights (Timestamps) 00:54 — Introducing Claudia Bernardi and her background as an installation artist, painter, and printmaker 01:02 — The military dictatorship in Argentina and the 30,000 desaparecidos 01:25 — How the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team began searching for the disappeared 05:23 — What Art Against Brutality is and where the murals were created 06:07 — Who was Rufina Amaya Marquez, the sole survivor of the El Mozoté massacre 09:28 — Claudia's role as cartographer during the El Mozoté exhumation 11:54 — The moment the idea for working with art and children took shape at the exhumation site 19:11 — Founding Walls of Hope and building the "Perquin model" 27:34 — What it means to remember, and what survivors choose to put on the wall 29:38 — The women of Huehuetenango and painting a mural about surviving sexual violence 35:55 — Returning to Argentina to paint a mural at ESMA, the country's largest former detention and extermination center 44:23 — Painting murals with incarcerated, unaccompanied migrant youth in the U.S. criminal justice system 53:02 — A devastating conversation with one young participant about disappearance and being forgotten 1:02:11 — Where to find the book and learn more about Walls of Hope Where to order the book Art Against Brutality Learn more about Walls of Hope Art Heals All Wounds website Support the show

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  Episode #13

  From Fear to Fiction: Holly Ringland on Writing, Healing, and Creative Expression

  Jun 18, 20261h 6mS9

  Holly Ringland on Overcoming Creative Fear and Finding Joy as a Writer In this episode, I sit down with Holly Ringland — bestselling author of The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart and The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding — to talk about her first work of nonfiction, The House That Joy Built . If you've ever struggled with creative block, self-doubt, or the fear that you're just not good enough to create, this conversation is for you. Holly spent 20 years disconnected from her writing — not because the desire wasn't there, but because fear silenced her. In The House That Joy Built , she shares her deeply personal toolkit for overcoming the inner critic, reconnecting with your creative self, and finding joy in the creative process — even when life has been hard. We talk about how grief and rage can become unexpected catalysts for creativity, why joy isn't the opposite of pain but can live alongside it, and how returning to your imagination is like coming home to yourself after a long journey. Whether you're a writer, an artist, or anyone who has ever felt cut off from a creative outlet you once loved, Holly's story and insights will resonate deeply. Timestamped Highlights [00:47] — What if you could write about difficult, challenging emotions while still embracing joy? I introduce Holly and the big question at the heart of her work. [02:35] — Holly shares the origin story of The House That Joy Built — how her publisher Catherine Milne sparked the idea over champagne by the sea, and how Holly said yes to writing it in just three months. [09:21] — I tell Holly that The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart has the best opening hook I've ever read — and she shares the remarkable story of how that first line came to her in a moment of grief and rage. [19:25] — Holly talks about what it means to become disconnected from your creativity, and why severing yourself from the thing you love most can be a form of self-protection — and self-harm at the same time. [23:07] — Why The House That Joy Built isn't just for writers — it's for anyone who has ever loved a creative outlet and lost touch with it, and what it means to find your way back. [26:46] — Holly shares a Richard Rohr quote that stopped me in my tracks: "Pain that is not transformed is transmitted" — and what that means for how we handle our own struggles creatively. [29:54] — Holly tells the hilarious and deeply moving She-Ra story — and what a six-year-old girl with a plastic sword and a face mask taught her about facing fear and vulnerability as a creative person. [37:17] — The difference between outer landscape and inner landscape, and why the places we love hold our memories and emotions in ways that mirror our own inner world. [44:21] — The desert oak seed pod: Holly explains why this extraordinary tree — which needs fire to crack open its seeds before they can grow — is one of her most powerful metaphors for the creative journey. [50:45] — What is the house that joy builds? Holly explains the beautiful metaphor at the heart of the book — and why coming home to your creativity is like finding the porch light left on for you by a former version of yourself. [01:01:07] — Where to find Holly online, including her Substack newsletter, and how she invites readers to send her their questions about creativity and vulnerability. Links & Resources The House That Joy Built by Holly Ringland The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding, The World Beneath Her Feet by Holly Ringland Holly Ringland on Substack: The Joy Rise Holly Ringland on Instagram: @hollygoeslightly Art Heals All Wounds Podcast: arthealsallwoundspodcast.com Art Heals All Wounds on Substack Enjoyed this episode? Follow Art Heals All Wounds on your favorite podcast app, and if you'd like to support the show, I'd be so grateful for a five-star rating or review. It makes a real difference in helping more people find these conversations. Support the show

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  Episode #12

  Coming of Age in the Shadow of Vietnam: A Hidden History Finally Told

  Jun 11, 202653 minS9

  What was it like to grow up American in 1968 Bangkok, living in the shadow of the Vietnam War? In this episode, I sit down with author Daria Sommers to discuss her debut historical fiction novel, Sawadika American Girl — a coming-of-age story set against one of history's most turbulent eras. Daria shares the little known story of the vast American community in Thailand during the Vietnam War, the experience of being a "third culture kid," and how storytelling and art can heal even the deepest historical wounds. A must-listen for fans of historical fiction, Vietnam War history, and the power of narrative to reclaim hidden stories. [3:44] Introduction to Sawadika American Girl — historical fiction set in 1968 Bangkok [4:36] The American expat community in Thailand during the Vietnam War [5:48] Piper's backstory — loss, family tension, and dislocation [8:59] The role of friendship and freedom in a coming-of-age story [14:56] Music, healing, and the Thai prince who anchored it all [17:45] First love during wartime — Jack's story and what they were up against [21:34] Daria's own background as a third culture kid in Bangkok [23:02] The burden of a childhood you couldn't talk about [32:16] Returning home — finding your people after a third culture childhood [39:06] From documentary filmmaker to veteran’s advocate — the making of Lioness [44:36] Speaking at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial — when hidden stories finally matter [50:17] Where to find Sawadika American Girl and follow Daria's work Daria's website Support the show

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  Episode #11

  Art as Healing: Using Intuitive Painting to Process Trauma, Find Belonging, and Express Emotion

  Jun 4, 202641 minS9

  <p>What if you could paint your deepest emotions — without anyone judging whether the painting is beautiful, and without needing to analyze what it means? In this episode, I talk with <b>Bahar Amanzadeh</b>, an intuitive painting guide whose trauma-informed workshops create a safe, somatic space for emotional healing through art.</p><p>Bahar explains how intuitive painting differs from art therapy, why healing happens in the body before it happens in the mind, and how community and creativity can help us find rootedness even in the most turbulent times. As a member of the Iranian diaspora, she also sh...

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  Episode #10

  Suga' from Bundle of Sticks: Black Queer Identity, Gender Freedom, and Healing Through Art

  May 7, 20261h 3mS9

  <p><b>Suga' with Bundle of Sticks: Black Queer Identity, Gender Freedom, and Healing Through Art</b></p><p>I'm so glad to welcome back Dazié Grego-Sykes and Derrick Miller-Handley of Bundle of Sticks Art Collective for a conversation about their upcoming performance ritual, Suga'. This art collective has spent over 25 years exploring the intersection of Blackness and queerness through performance art, visual art, and community building — and their newest work may be their most personal yet.</p><p>Suga' is an immersive performance ritual in which Derrick steps into the performer role for the first time in over 20 years, usi...

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