236: New Zealand Week: Michael O’Donnell on the spiritual aspect of ecology

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Michael O’Donnell. A longtime resident of the Coromandel region, Michael is an environmental advocate that uses ceramic sculpture to tell the story of the local ecology. His role as artist, story teller and spiritual seeker has been spurred on in defiance of multinational mining corporations that are working in the region. In our interview we talk about the influence of Barry Brickell, creativity as an antidote to depression, and Maori spiritual beliefs about water. To see images of Michael’s studio and work search Tarariki Pottery on www.artzentao.co.nz.

To listen to this episode click here.

This interview is part of a New Zealand series taped in April and May of 2018. I want to send a special thank you to the Ceramics Association of New Zealand for their support in making the series. To join the association, or to subscribe to their journal Ceramics New Zealand, visit www.ceramicsnz.org.

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