Joining us for today’s show is the remarkable international wildlife photographer Marian Brickner, who shares her fascinating story and the lessons she has learned from following her dreams. You’ll hear about the surprising way she got started in her photography career, the driving force behind her passion for capturing the individual lives of animals, and her practical advice for creatives or anyone who wants to follow a passion. You’ll love her delightful sense of humor—and how her captivating images landed her in National Geographic Kids, on the cover of a book by a famous Dutch primatologist and, yes, even on a billboard in France.

In short, you don’t want to miss this priceless interview. Simply click the Play button above, then sit back and enjoy!

The Backstory

I first met Marian Brickner during a Monday-morning strategy session at Medici MediaSpace, a creative, collaborative co-working space based in Saint Louis, MO. Having joined Medici as the newly minted founder and editor of Boomalally magazine at the time, I was there to learn as much I could about launching and growing a successful business. Turns out, Marian was there for a similar reason—to take her photography business to the next level.

My first impression of Marian was that she was fiercely observant, intense, and curious. Petite with piercing blue eyes and short, silver hair, she was filled with energy, enthusiasm, and passion for her work. I promptly invited her to speak at a Meet-up group that I also was starting. The captivating photographs and stories she shared about her life’s work during her talk were truly spellbinding.

Over the next four years, we kept up with one another. Then after two lovely conversations this year, she graciously agreed to join me for this podcast episode.

The Interview

In this heart-warming interview, you will hear how Marian began her journey as a wildlife photographer at the age of 55, how capturing the lives of Bonobos (the fourth great ape) became her passion, and the gutsy, unconventional ways she gained access to both animals and people in some of the top zoos and publishing outlets in the world.

You’ll be inspired by her keen sense of responsibility for capturing the lives of animals as unique individuals and her fierce determination to make a difference through her mesmerizing images. You’ll also be captivated and moved by her intriguing stories and her powerful, straightforward advice for anyone who wants to follow a purpose, passion, or dream.

Fun Facts

• Launched her career as an international wildlife photographer at 55 years of age
• Traveled the U.S. (and world) capturing images of animals ranging from dragonflies and green tree pythons to jaguars and Bonobos
• Documented the life of one special Bonobo named Lucy growing up over a 13-year period
• One of her images of Lucy playing with her baby named Yuli was featured on a billboard in France
• At 85 years young, she continues to be a prolific nature photographer

Cool Links

Marian’s Magical Photography Website

Marian’s Fantastic Facebook Page

Quotes by Marian Brickner

“When I was 55 and I was working, I woke up one day and said, ‘Why do people keep killing each other all the time? I really need to do something about that.’”

“I am looking for respect for the individual no matter what body they happen to have. You never can tell what body [you’ll be] born in. That has nothing to do with you.”

“What I’m wanting to do with my images is cause an inadvertent smile to everyone who sees the image. So, all the images are always about there’s an individual living in the body they happen to have, and we get respect for that individual, and those are my images.”

“We all have spikes, but generally we don’t see them on each other. And the question is how do we get along? To me it’s all about that: How do we get along when we have all these spikes with each other?”

Artist and gallerist Mary Martin is my wildly talented guest on today’s show. As both an acrylic collage artist and owner of Green Door Art Gallery in Saint Louis, Mary shares a wealth of knowledge and wisdom during our delightful interview. You’ll hear about her surprising journey from a childhood steeped in creativity through her initial career as a respected physical therapist to a return to her passion and work as an artist, then gallery owner. You’ll enjoy learning about the highlights and challenges she has faced in her artistic career, the driving force behind her life and work, and her success secrets for following your own passions and dreams.

Click the Play button now and join us for a truly inspiring, engaging interview.

The Backstory

My husband and I are avid art lovers who have lived in Saint Louis for the past eight years. During that period, I cannot remember NOT knowing about Green Door Art Gallery, as this wonderful gallery was one of the first that we visited after moving here. And oddly enough, I cannot remember a time when Mary Martin wasn’t at the helm welcoming artists and patrons alike with her big heart, beautiful smile, and incredible generosity of spirit. With masterfully curated artwork in a space that evokes serenity and peace, Mary has created an enchanting gallery that you want to visit again and again.

That said, you can only imagine how high Mary Martin would be on my list of dream guests for the show. In fact, she was one of the creative forces who inspired the creation of Tiny Sparks, Big Flames. No way did I have the courage to reach out to her until I had completed a full season of the show. (Truth be told, I first needed to prove to myself that I could follow through on my own vision and dreams.) With Season 1 accomplished, my next step was reaching out to Mary. After a brief phone conversation, we met over coffee and macarons at a lovely sidewalk cafe in Webster Groves, the home of Mary’s gallery. Much to my delight, she said “Yes!” to the podcast and happily the rest is history.

The Interview

You are in for a treat with this lovely interview. During our brief time together, Mary shares a lifetime of experience and offers practical, sound advice for creatives and dreamers alike. You’re going to love hearing about the highlights and challenges of her fascinating journey, the importance of understanding the business side of any successful creative endeavor, and her secrets for following a passion or dream.

You will also get the inside scoop on the inspiration behind Mary’s work as an artist, the role that faith plays in her beautiful art and life, and her incredible advice for artists who dream of showing their work in galleries. Then, hold on tight, world—Mary previews her remarkable plans for the next five years. You don’t want to miss this intriguing part of the interview.

Fun Facts

• Her love of art began as a child with everything from twirl-o-paints + spirographs to pottery + sewing to crayons + paper to needlework, fabric + textiles
• Her first career was as in the healing arts as a physical therapist
• Is “inspired by the beauty of seasonal changes in the landscape and moment-to-moment variations in the sea and sky”
• Is a “foodie” who loves exploring indie restaurants
• Loves music, theater, and nature hikes

Cool Links

Mary’s Lovely Website

Mary’s Cool Facebook Page

Mary’s Rockin’ Instagram

A Glimpse of Mary’s Art on Fine Art America

Green Door’s Beautiful Website

A Window into Green Door on Facebook

Get to Know the Gallery on Instagram

Quotes by Mary Martin

“One of the things I really enjoy about [Green Door] is just seeing the joy of other artists when their work sells. So, it’s as much of a high to sell somebody else’s work as it is to sell my own.”

“What has really been beneficial for me is not trying to reinvent the wheel and figure it all out myself. I have studied with a lot of different art coaches, so that would be one thing I would really recommend for people to do is get out there and find a coach that resonates with you.”

“One of the things people don’t really realize when they’re just out there being creative and trying to decide they’re going do this is you really need to spend at least as much time on the business side of your art business as you do in creating the art.”

“The artist community in Saint Louis is really fabulous, and I think in certain pockets really close-knit…. I have seen more people supporting each other than competing, which is really a cool thing.”

“The way that faith plays into my artwork is I feel like I’m a peacemaker, and I like to use those themes of peace and connection that I get from my own faith.”

“Make time for [exploration]. If it’s something that you’re passionate about, if you’ll make time for it, even if it’s just little blocks of time…, just keep moving forward.”