Why AI Can't Make Art | with Austin Kleon

What does it mean to create something beautiful—not despite our limitations, but because of them? We talk with bestselling author and artist Austin Kleon about creativity as resistance, the tension between process and product, and the courage to show our work. From crushed oyster shells to pink conchas, from ancient nun rhythms to the modern grind, this episode reminds us that creativity is not about abundance—it’s about attention. And it might just save our souls. 

Our guest this week, Austin Kleon, is the New York Times bestselling author of Steal Like an Artist, Show Your Work, and Keep Going. Known for his accessible insights into the creative process, he writes a widely followed weekly newsletter and shares his own journey of making art with words and pictures. 

Notes  

• Steal Like an Artist, Keep Going, and Show Your Work by Austin Kleon 
• The Gift by Lewis Hyde 
• Makoto Fujimura at Laity Lodge 
• Pink concha painting by Eva M. Marengo Sanchez 
• Get a beautiful quarterly print magazine for free at echoesmagazine.org