Are Artists Time Travelers? (Asking for a Friend—and Mozart)

Honey! I'm painting it again!

Yes, I have that sort of mind. I think if I were younger, they would have pumped me full of drugs in school. But I'm old enough to have escaped that, so I lived in a raw state that freaked out many people around me. I apologize for that, but not for being weird. To me, I'm normal, and everybody else is weird. Every weird person thinks that way.

I've lost a lot along the way—friends, enemies, partners, family. I sit these days on the shores of Lake Michigan, and I wouldn't say I miss them because I do all this meditation to keep myself rooted to the stoney shores and grainy beaches; the lake winds. I live there, and the past is a swirly thing out on the horizon. It's better that way, trust me. What was I talking about?

Oh yeah.

Have you ever heard a song that hits you like a memory you didn’t know you had? Or standing in front of a painting that feels like it’s already seen your future? Or painted a painting from a dream? Or a song? Or a poem? Or a novel?

Yeah. Me too. Like my whole life.

I started writing when I was eight and have the journals to prove it. It's all a scribble, a cosmic scribble only an alien can decipher. At least a lot of it feels that way. And this life led me to this:

What are artists doing when they create something that feels timeless? Like… genuinely untethered from the present moment. Are they reaching backward? Forward? Somewhere in between? Where does all this art come from? Where did Mozart come from? How can he be? Or Shakespeare? Or Bobby Dylan. What are they channeling? Are artists time travelers!!!

That’s the question we'll explore in the next episode of the podcast—and I let it go on this podcast. I broke form to find a new form, more impact in less time, a music narrative, a beat, and a flow. Creativity Jijiji evolved.

I’m joined by Suzanne Cloris, a thinker, wild spirit, and creative force who’s spent her life chasing questions most of us are too distracted to ask. Questions like:

Where does creativity come from?

Do artists channel something beyond themselves?

And are they, in some strange, beautiful way… bending time itself?

How long do I boil pasta?

We have a conversation looking for al dente creativity.

Our conversation felt like opening a portal. We touched on myth and memory, science and song, ghosts and genius, the past and future, and the creative spark that blurs the line between the two. And we did it in 26 minutes. Who has time in 2025?

The episode’s currently off in the mixing, an alchemic process being done by Mark Maynor. I've never worked with Mark before, but we met a couple of months ago in Florida, and I thought, why not go for some panhandle mix glory? Life is short. Let's get that final Florida polish—EQ’d, balanced, smoothed out just right. (If you’ve ever waited for a track to bounce, you know that giddy, buzzy anticipation. It’s real.)

And I’ll say this: Mozart, you freak, I think I finally figured you out. And Shakespeare put down your quill pen and come out of the shadows. Busted, you incredible Saturnia scribbler. I get it now,

Your ghosts showed up during this one. And yes—it got a little Star Trek-level cosmic. But somehow, it all made sense. (remember, I'm a weirdo.)

So, if you’ve ever wondered where inspiration comes from… why certain art pieces feel eternal… or what exactly happens when someone enters that mysterious creative zone—this episode is for you.

🎧 Subscribe now—wherever you listen to podcasts. We’re already there, waiting to beam you in.

This one’s part mystery, part madness, and part full-on mind-bender.

And William Blake. You'd know he was in this.

I can’t wait for you to hear it.

SUBSCRIBE!

There's a cold wind, and I could use a new sweater; I was thinking of an old-school letter sweater. I always liked those. I wasn't much of an athlete in school but I got one for track. Guys like me ended up on the track team, and I won some medals, so that was good. Please subscribe because I love you, and I hope you love me. Yours ~ chris