The Creative Pulse podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ep 151: Madison Lee - Graphic Novel Illustrator Oct 07, 2026

Show notes

Madison Lee is a professional illustrator, mangaka, graphic novelist and fine artist who is all about creating intricate, hand-inked pieces with a fantasy flair. She specializes in traditional, pen and ink illustrations with a mixed media twist.
She’s the founder of MadDog Ink and her most recent project is a 100% hand drawn, painted and lettered graphic novel called DirtBags that she co-created in collaboration with writer Americo Alvarenga (stay tuned to hear from him on an upcoming episode!). This comic was recently launched and they have been busy doing signings at shops, exhibiting at comic conventions, and meeting the people who are already loving the characters and the story.
On this episode, host Angela de Burger chats with Madison about why she wanted to handcraft every aspect of her new graphic novel and the value of collaborations for creative projects.
Say hi to Madison:
Website - maddogink.com.au
Instagram - @inkedbymadisonlee and @dirtbagscomic
TikTok - @inkedbymadisonlee
Patreon - /Maddogink
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Creative Pulse Podcast socials:
Instagram: @creativepulsepodcast
Music credit: https://www.purple-planet.com

Ep 150: Kevin Howe - Percussionist, Composer and Producer Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

For episode #150, host Angela de Burger welcomes her brother Kevin Howe to the podcast. He’s a percussionist, composer and producer who specializes in reggae and West African percussion, and his musical journey has led him to learning and performing all over the world.
Kevin fell in love with playing the djembe over 20 years ago and since then he has studied with djembe masters and played with several bands. He is a founding member of Reggaddiction, an 11-piece reggae band that fuses the timeless rhythms of Jamaican reggae with Canadian influences.
Kevin is also a composer and music producer. He has recorded his songs in some of the most iconic studios in the reggae world, including Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston, Jamaica, which was founded by the legendary Bob Marley.
Playing live is still a thrill for him, and with 50+ shows per year, he gets to make music with friends and create incredible experiences for, and with, audiences near and far.
On this episode, Angela chats with Kevin about how he discovered his love for playing the djembe, his experience learning from djembe masters and community members in the Ivory Coast, his collaborations with fellow musicians, and his creative process when writing and recording songs.
Say hi to Kevin:
Instagram - @heydjembe
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Creative Pulse Podcast socials:
Instagram: @creativepulsepodcast
Music credit: https://www.purple-planet.com

Ep 149: Kestral Gaian - Novelist, Playwright, Poet Sep 09, 2026

Show notes

Kestral Gaian is a novelist, playwright and poet. They tell stories that bend time, break rules, and reach under the surface of things. Two of their six books have been released in the past year, with another young adult novel scheduled to hit shelves soon.
Their work explores systems, survival, and the strange beauty of being human. The characters are often outsiders, observers, or soft disruptors. The sort who change the world not through force but through persistence, wit and quiet resistance. Recent publications include:
- Tubelines: The Poetry of Motion was written in the tunnels, carriages and platforms of the London Underground.
- The Boy from Elsewhere is the first book in their young adult ‘Reality Quake’ science fiction series. It includes LGBTQ characters who are strong and unique, is written from multiple perspectives, and takes place in parallel worlds across multiple timelines.

On this episode, host Angela de Burger chats with Kestral about balancing creative experimentation with building creative habits, their focus on writing stories that help the reader feel seen, and the role of purpose in creativity and art.
Say hi to Kestral:
Website - kestr.al
Instagram - @kes.tr.al
Mastadon - @kestral
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Creative Pulse Podcast socials:
Instagram: @creativepulsepodcast
Music credit: https://www.purple-planet.com

What keeps your creativity fired up? (Summer break edition) Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

Summer is officially here once again! As is tradition at this time of year, host Angela de Burger has something to ask you - yes you! - it’s a classic Creative Pulse podcast question: What is your tip for starting up, or keeping up, the creative energy in your life?
To share a tip, you can

send a message or tag @creativepulsepodcast on Instagram
or, record a short voicemail from your phone or computer at speakpipe.com/CreativePulse

The tips will be shared on future episodes of the podcast and on social media so the ideas can help other people who are looking for some creative inspiration.
This is also the time of year when there will be a short break in new episodes. The next few weeks are a great time to catch up on any of the 148 episodes that have come out so far. Or perhaps there’s an episode that calls out to you for a re-listen!
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Creative Pulse Podcast socials:
Instagram: creativepulsepodcast
Music credit: https://www.purple-planet.com

Ep 148: Sarah Head aka Silhouette Sarah Jun 10, 2026

Show notes

Sarah Head is a professional silhouette artist, cutting one-of-a-kind silhouette portraits freehand using nothing more than scissors and paper. She’s self-trained and has been creating these incredibly detailed profile portraits for over 25 years.
Sarah is often handcutting portraits at live events, getting all of the details just right and then handing the special keepsake to the person. She shares videos of her creating these artworks and the reactions her silhouette portraits receive are incredibly fun to see.
On this episode, host Angela de Burger chats with Sarah about how she discovered the art of silhouette, the way she developed her specialized skill set, and the experiences she’s had as a live art entertainer at special events all over the world.
Say hi to Sarah:
Website - silhouetteartist.co.uk
Instagram - @silhouettesarah
Facebook - /SilhouetteSarah
LinkedIn - /sarah-head
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Creative Pulse Podcast socials:
Instagram: @creativepulsepodcast
Music credit: https://www.purple-planet.com

Ep 147: Lesley Luce - Collage Artist May 27, 2026

Show notes

Lesley Luce is a collage artist whose large-scale circular works are created from thousands of hand-placed paper fragments arranged in precise concentric circle compositions. She wants people to be captivated by her art from afar and intrigued up close, rewarding those who are curious.
Lesley says she’s a late-blooming artist and her artistic practice reflects a perspective shaped by time, lived experience, a career, and a deep belief that curiosity does not expire with age.
Her artworks even come with a manual - a handmade mini book that’s part archive, part decoder ring. It shows the fragments she used, cites where they came from, and why they are included in the work.
Through her social media channels, Lesley shares fun, fascinating info and behind-the-scenes peeks into her life as an artist.
On this episode, host Angela de Burger chats with Lesley about how she rediscovered her creative passion through tiny pieces of paper, the role curiosity plays in her creative practice, and how she draws from history to tell stories through her artworks.
Say hi to Lesley:
Website - lesleyluceart.com
Instagram - @lesleyluceart
TikTok - @lesleyluceart
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Creative Pulse Podcast socials:
Instagram: @creativepulsepodcast
Music credit: https://www.purple-planet.com

Ep 146: Katie Gates - Scrap Monster Maker May 13, 2026

Show notes

Katie Gates is a fibre artist who made a creative playground for herself by establishing Oddkin Studio where she creates delightfully odd, handmade scrap monsters from repurposed textiles.
Inspired by the constraints of scavenged materials, resourcefulness and a love for the slightly strange, Katie creates each piece thoughtfully by hand, intuitively allowing the materials to guide the direction of each one-of-a-kind creation.
Oddkin Studio began with a leap of faith and a basket of fabric scraps. Katie stepped away from a decade-long teaching career with no clear plan in mind for where her journey was headed next. She spent her days resting, wandering and following small sparks of curiosity wherever they led. And somewhere along the way, those sparks turned into scrap monsters.
On this episode, host Angela de Burger chats with Katie about how going viral recently on social media led to her finding her creative community, how using recycled materials creates constraints that fire up her imagination, and how she’s purposely developing a process for her handmade art business that fuels her work and life.
Say hi to Katie:
Website - https://oddkinstudiocreations.com
Instagram - @oddkin_studio
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Creative Pulse Podcast socials:
Instagram: @creativepulsepodcast
Music credit: https://www.purple-planet.com

Ep 145: Eline De Groot-Hoskens and Domien De Groot - Dramatized Audiobooks Apr 29, 2026

Show notes

Eline De Groot-Hoskens and Domien De Groot are a married creative team and the founders of Audio Epics, an award-winning production company that creates dramatized audiobooks.
They not only develop the storylines and write all the words, they also manage the creation of all the aspects of the audio books, including voicing characters and incorporating beautifully composed original music and a rich array of sound effects in order to bring their stories to life.
Their audiobooks include titles such as Witch Hunter, The Beast of the Western Wilds, The Treasure of Boneyard Bay and The Will of the Woods.
On this episode, host Angela de Burger chats with Eline and Domien about what sparked their love of storytelling, how they collaborate so effectively, their creative process for developing epic story ideas, and the community of people who are fully engaged in their tales.
Say hi to Eline and Domien:
YouTube: @AudioEpics
Website - audio-epics.com
Instagram - @audioepics
Facebook - /AudioEpics
Patreon - /AudioEpics
Podcast - Audio Epics
Bandcamp - Audio Epics
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Creative Pulse Podcast socials:
Instagram: @creativepulsepodcast
Music credit: https://www.purple-planet.com

Ep 144: Crystal Larocque - Visual and Textile Artist Apr 15, 2026

Show notes

Crystal Larocque is a visual and textile artist who never shies away from exploring new ways to express her creativity. She rediscovered a childhood passion for sewing and embroidery in her 30s and that reconnection to sewing has grown into a deeper exploration of textiles, materials and storytelling.
At the core, her work is about making something meaningful, keeping craftsmanship alive, and creating pieces that feel like memories.
On this episode, host Angela de Burger chats with her longtime friend Crystal about how she stays open to exploring her creativity through new mediums, why she’s been so drawn to working with textiles, and how she’s encouraging more people to join in the fun by sharing helpful tips and tutorials.
Say hi to Crystal:
Instagram - @crystalspoints
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Creative Pulse Podcast socials:
Instagram: @creativepulsepodcast
Music credit: https://www.purple-planet.com

Ep 143: Jessie James - Tufted Rug Maker at Studio Tuft Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

Jessie James is the founder, maker and designer of Studio Tuft, where she hand tufts rugs. Taking cues from mid-century design, she designs free-form, colourful patterns that become three-dimensional, functional pieces of textile art.
Jessie uses specially chosen yarn for each of her pieces, rescuing deadstock to ensure it won’t be wasted. Each of her rugs is handmade and hand finished, resulting in one-of-a-kind pieces of tufted art.
On this episode, host Angela de Burger chats with Jessie about how she dove into the world of rug tufting, why she loves creating functional art, and how she incorporates sustainability practices into her work.
Say hi to Jessie:
Website - studiotuft.com
Instagram - @studiotuft
YouTube - @studiotuft
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Creative Pulse Podcast socials:
Instagram: @creativepulsepodcast
Music credit: https://www.purple-planet.com

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