E134 Brenna Quinlan - Celebrities at funerals, shared mulberry trees & dried fruit for Halloween

Futuresteading

Illustrator extraordinaire is back to chat! Brenna's talent lies in taking hairy, complex systemic issues and distilling them into bite-sized, actionable messages using just her pencil (& of course her magnificent capacity for critical thought). We check in with her latest updates from life on the road with her partner Charlie McGee touring with his band and they're latest project, building a strawbale small home in Denmark Western Australia.
We unpack why being a purpose-led creative who's her own boss can be tough but shine a light on the delight of living a life that is cobbled together with many small magic opportunities.
We get the low down on what life is like in an intentional community - “By being consistently kind and loving, the soul of my community is full of gifting, generosity and a vibrant sharing economy”
We lamented the state of deep division we're all experiencing and talked frankly about how she's breaking down these divisions in her own world by finding a higher goal to focus on which allows you to set aside your ideological and ethical differences, focusing on the overlap areas instead.
There is often truth on both sides of peoples belief coins - deep valid beliefs that justify both sides of the coin.
It's a winding conversation - join us!

Things we chatted about:

Formidable Vegetable - latest album
Dopelganger - Naomi Klein
Brenna Quinlan online

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Show Notes:
Being on the road gives energy and fresh ideas but 1.5 years was too long
Home to build a straw bale tiny home
Learning to switch off as a freelancer - a unique occupational hazard in the gig economy
Triple edged sword of being a freelancer, a creative and purpose driven
Having some structure in an unstructured life has meant life feels happier
Leaning on her community to carry her through the grief of her Dad
Covid fractured the global permaculture movement but the permaculture convergence was a magnificent opportunity to heal the Australian contingent of the permaculture movement. It was about inclusivity.
Respectful, inclusive and joyful interaction allows for permaculture to be the peoples movement
I’m not the permaculture police but she has been able to maintain relationships with people who have different beliefs to her in the interest of maintaining conversation so everybody has the ability to reach out to somebody
The Left in general has been fractured by extremism and also by an inability for us to accept a belief that differs
Its ok to feel comfortable with someone’s belief that differs to you
Communities can teach us how to ask for help
If you have a profile - go to a funeral - it perks the grieving up no end - Three cheers for costa who showed up for her dads funeral
Her word - Warmth - like an energetic blanket being worn around during the dark days, their love can be felt

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