Today’s conversation with Marisa Avila Sayler is a collaborative jam session on all things WORLDBUILDING in visual art. While Marisa and I make work that is very different, one thing that we have in common in our work is that we are each creating our own-- and we have A LOT of thoughts on the subject.  For those of you who love all things fantastical, alternate reality, otherworldly, transcendent, surreal– this episode is for you. BUT even if this isn’t your home genre or main interest, this conversation gives way to a lot topics that are relatable to most any creative: the desire to create something new and better, to use art as a way grapple with the world around us, and to give ourselves a safe haven via our process. Whether we make otherworldly work or not, artists are constantly attempting to create their own world for themselves (the very cool and meta aspect of Worldbuilding that Marisa and I talk about!). In this episode we discuss... – How we each view and define Worldbuilding in the context of visual art -- Why we think there’s been an uptick in this kind of work and its current cultural relevance -- Why content for children tends to be otherworldly in nature – Worldbuilding as an act of freedom seeking and rebellion, and our personal reasons for engaging with this kind of work – The in’s and out’s of the worlds that Marisa and I build. Why we’ve chosen the characters and elements that we have to create our Cosms (worms, slime mold, nostalgia, lucky charms, oh my!) – How being self-taught v. formally trained has impacted the development of our worlds + work -- The importance of retrospect and the role that's played for each of us – The value of getting (the right kind) of feedback on your work -- much more! Love this episode? Join us Marisa and I for, "Worldbuilding: An Immersive Course in the Art of Cosm Construction for Visual Creators." More info here. Enrollment closes on April 1st and class begins on April 9th. https://marisaanddevon.wixsite.com/world-building Listen to Marisa's past Art + Magic episode: #17 Unlearning Art School + Full-time Realties FOLLOW MARISA www.marisasayler.org IG: @speaking_in_rainbows SUPPORT THE SHOW Visit patreon.com/devonwalz for exclusive bonus episodes each month FOLLOW THE SHOW @artandmagicpodcast @devonwalzart www.devonwalz.com