Today’s episode has a little bit of everything for both writers and artists, no matter the stage of your creativity journey.

We chat about fighting perfectionism and knowing when a project is complete, taking inspiration from your creative idols without compromising your individuality, and so much more.

Guests:

(3:00): Sarah Nerboso is a 1999 Scholastic Awards alumna and screenwriter, currently writing on HBO Max’s Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai. After graduating with an M.F.A. in Film from Columbia University, this guest has written for a variety of animated shows, including Nick Jr’s Nella the Princess Knight, Apple TV’s Doug Unplugs, Imagine’s Tiny Chef, as well as several not-yet-announced upcoming projects.

/ nerbosowriterofworlds
https://www.max.com/shows/gremlins-se...

(17:05): Ashley Binstock is a 2022 gold medal portfolio winner in writing. This talented young writer wrote a collection of works that highlighted the underlying issues and topics stirred up by the pandemic. Today, she is a student at the University of St. Thomas studying environmental science and creative writing.

/ ashley.binstock
https://www.flipsnack.com/artandwriti...

(36:08): Lily Arnold is a 2022 gold medal portfolio award winner in Mixed Media and Printmaking. This guest’s art centers on her Asian American identity as an adoptee growing up in predominantly white spaces. Today, she is a fashion major at Savannah College of Art and Design.

https://lilygarnold43.wixsite.com/lil...

In today’s episode, we discuss the magic of fusing art mediums, how to be vulnerable in your work, putting yourself out there creatively, and writing cross-genres.

Guests:
(2:45): Gabrielle Civil won a Scholastic Award in 1990 for nonfiction writing before becoming a feminist performance artist and writer. Today, she teaches in the MFA program in Creative Writing and the BFA program in Critical Studies courses at CalArts and has premiered fifty original performance artworks around the world.

(18:33): Brittany Cavallaro won a gold medal in 2003 for her writing collection of poetry, flash fiction, and nonfiction. She then went on to publish two collections of poetry and a variety of Young Adult novels spread across multiple genres such as historical fiction, fantasy, thriller, and more. Her newest book, Sunrise Nights, in collaboration with Jeff Zentner, is on sale July 9.

(38:55): Shaeley Lincoln is a 2022 Gold Medal Portfolio Award winner. This young artist’s winning portfolio explores the injustices against People of Color and celebrates cultural values. She is currently a sophomore majoring in Sculpture at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Follow our guests!

Gabrielle Civil
https://www.gabriellecivilartist.com/
/ gabrielle_civil

Brittany Cavallaro
https://brittanycavallaro.com/
https://www.instagram.com/bricavallar...
Pre-order a copy of Sunrise Nights: https://www.harpercollins.com/product...

Shaeley Lincoln
Learn more about Shaeley's portfolio!

In today’s episode, we discuss the steps involved in the publishing process: querying literary agents, rejection, selling your work, and asking for your first blurbs. We also dive deeper into artist recognition, choosing a college major as an artist, and finding your confidence to call yourself an artist/writer.

Guests:
(3:57): Carolina Ixta received her first Gold Medal in Novel Writing in 2012. Today, she is a writer from Oakland, California, and an elementary school teacher whose pedagogy centers on critical race theory at the primary education level. Shut Up, This is Serious is her debut novel.

(32:23): Mac Barnes is a 2022 Gold Medal Portfolio winner in Mixed Media. He is a gifted creator of quilted applique, the process of cutting out fabric pieces and sewing them directly on top of the larger quilt instead of seaming pieces. Through quilt-making, Mac concentrates on common themes of immigration and overcoming struggle, hoping to highlight the American experience.

(44:39): Alexandra Pechman is a writer and director living in Los Angeles and was our 2023 Alumni Microgrant Program juror. She has written and produced TV shows for Hulu, directed a debut short film called Thumb, which premiered at the 2021 Fantasia Film Festival and is currently developing her first feature film. Previously as a magazine writer, her writing has been published in Vogue, The New York Times, Artforum, Vanity Fair, and many other magazines. Please welcome, Alexandra Pechman!

Follow our guests!

Carolina Ixta:
/ carolinaixta
https://www.carolinaixta.com/
Purchase a copy of Shut Up, This is Serious:
https://bookshop.org/p/books/shut-up-...
https://www.harpercollins.com/product...

Mac Barnes:

Welcome to HALL PASS: The Official Podcast of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. This show will encompass a series of interviews about how art, writing, and creativity have shaped the lives and careers of Scholastic Art & Writing Awards alumni.

In today’s episode, we discuss the courage it takes to show your art with the world, the challenges and joys of being a college student and an artist, how the Awards have impacted our guest’s career trajectories, and the process of judging teen artwork.

Guests:
(3:13): Screenwriter & filmmaker Sri Rao, best known for the Netflix series The Fame Game, discusses screenwriting, the importance of putting your work out there, and how the Awards shaped his career in film.

(21:30): 2022 Gold Medal Portfolio Award winner, Gina Bae, tells us about balancing her creative and personal life as a student pursuing a BFA in Illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design.

(33:01): Art juror and editor of the Scholastic Art Magazine, Katie Brickner, lets us in on the secrets of what makes award-winning art stand out.