Author: Mei McIntosh

The Creative Sober is a community of sober and sober-curious creatives looking to connect with others who are navigating sobriety, health, and spiritual awareness.

The Creative Sober is a community of sober and sober-curious creatives looking to connect with others who are navigating sobriety, health, and spiritual awareness. The foundation of the Creative Sober is our stories and keeping an open mind towards recovery. Creative expression is a fundamental part of what we put into the world. It takes real courage

The Creative Sober is a community of sober and sober-curious creatives looking to connect with others who are navigating sobriety, health, and spiritual awareness. The foundation of The Creative Sober is our stories and keeping an open mind toward recovery. Creative expression is a fundamental part of what we put into the world. It takes real courage to share this with others. Duality and Art – Interview with Cate Blanchard, The Sober Painter After stopping drinking in 2019, @thesoberpainter from Manchester, UK, decided to swap a pint glass for a paintbrush and hasn’t stopped since! Naming pieces after the numbered days of their…

The Creative Sober is a community of sober and sober-curious creatives looking to connect with others who are navigating sobriety, health, and spiritual awareness. The foundation of The Creative Sober is our stories and keeping an open mind towards recovery. Creative expression is a fundamental part of what we put into the world. It takes real courage to share it this with others. Jardine Libaire Jardine Libaire has published six novels, including HERE KITTY KITTY (Little, Brown) and WHITE FUR (Hogarth), and the nonfiction essay collection about sober hedonism called THE SOBER LUSH in 2020. She also collaborated on the creative documentary…

Calvin Robinson is a singer/songwriter and owner of @superdupersoberclothing with 26 months, clean & sober, dedicated to sobriety, and working at the Rehab Center that he graduated in detox. His addiction started in 2008 when his father passed away. Not knowing how to deal with that pain, he turned to alcohol. In 2017 he committed an assault & robbery crime that would ultimately change him. Calvin took a deal that gave him a strike. He didn’t straighten up until 2018, after his life went downhill by doing meth & cocaine. He got caught on a warrant in October 2018 and stayed in…

Blackout Orchestra mastermind Ben VanBuskirk was going through a transitional period after years of ups and downs. At the end of a troubled relationship, he found himself two musical projects (the critic-approved death-obsessed shoegaze-pop band The Dearly Bereft, and feminist grunge provocateurs Green Girl), and at the end of his rope. Depression, anxiety, and alcoholism had him metaphorically. And on one night, literally, staring down the tracks at the lights of an oncoming train. He wasn’t sure he wanted to get out of the way. With the help of some close friends, he started to manage these issues that once…

Allie K. Campbell (she/her/hers) is a digital content creator and entertainer on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. To date, she has uploaded over 300 videos on the topics of sobriety, queerness, ADHD, and how the three often (hilariously) intersect. Allie has a burgeoning audience of 15K followers across platforms. She hopes to triple her reach in 2021 with more speaking engagements, new approaches to content creation, and the launch of her first publication, The Sober Hobbies Activity Book & Journal. Follow Allie K. Campbell: Instagram @alliekcampbell Youtube Allie K. Campbell Follow The Creative Sober on Instagram! Hosted by Mei McIntosh Sober…

Sabrina is an International British Writer, Expressive Artist, and Entertainer. She has been spreading her creative sparkle and words of inspiration throughout America for the past 15 years. Going wherever the wind whispers to her heart, meditating to the beat of her drum, and blazing through her barriers, be they emotional, mental, or physical. She is an overcomer, and spiritual warrior fueled with a passion for reaching out to others creatively and shining the light where they may only see darkness. Her first mental health memoir is on its way to being published in the Fall of 2021. It deals…

This question has been the most consistent of all questions that come through our community, “Can I be sober and still create?” Working through the “Ad”versity It’s human nature to want to see proof to spark a belief inside of us that something is to be accurate or sometimes the opposite. Alcohol consumption is promoted as a regular part of our society. Image and media are such powerful tools that it’s hard to believe that only 26 years ago, the ban on TV/Radio liquor ads was lifted after being in place for almost 50 years. Some shocking numbers to take in is…

Ben Boden is 3-years sober, an LGBTQIA+ musician, life coach, and creative practitioner from England. He currently works within Education and as the Creative Director for The Lighthouse Bali, a rehab facility in Bali, Indonesia. Including awards such as Yahama’s ‘Unsigned Artist’ and ‘Best Entertainer’ at Northampton’s Diamond Awards, as well as starring in SKY1’s reality talent show Showboaters, his music has been hailed as ‘one to look out for’ by BBC Introducing, with his latest release ‘Ghost’ sitting at the No.1 spot on Q32’s LGBTQ global chart for multiple weeks. Ben has first-hand experience of the arts supporting his…

Producer and DJ are just a couple of Tommie Sunshine’s passions that lead his life. Also, count on him being involved in activism, teaching at NYU, being a husband, and sober for the last 16 years! Tommie takes us through some of his journeys as a world-traveling DJ, what convinced him to get sober, and what he is doing to contribute to making a difference for the greater good. Tommie Sunshine Official Bio: Tastemaker to tastemakers, curator, and shapeshifter, Tommie Sunshine is renowned for his reputation of being consistently ahead of the curve bridging the worlds of Rave, Disco, House,…

Laura Silverman has been a booze-free babe since July of 2007. Founder of sober lifestyle blog The Sobriety Collective, wellness travel site Booze-Free in DC, and Zero Proof Nation, a community celebrating nonalcoholic beverages and the people who drink/create them, Laura is passionate about #thesoberlife. When not tasting delicious new booze-free BEVs, she’s a karaoke rockstar, roller derby girl, nature lover, #mentalhealth advocate, and treasures spending time with her close friends and family. Follow along with Mei McIntosh in all of the digital spaces and places Support + Follow The Creative Sober – Hosted by Mei McIntosh Join The Creative Sober Community The Creative Sober Podcast – Authentic conversations about…

Radio Personality and DJ Dan Amsden, aka Huggie, thrived on boldness, charisma, and intensity on and off the mic when it came to his radio career of 10 years to DJing as ‘TVTV.’ To keep up the momentum and party life, he turned to cocaine, eventually leading him to rehab. After a year of being clean and sober, Huggie is grounding his creative passions by leaning into music, producing, and keeping an open mind towards what makes him grow into ‘the artist way’ of living while inspiring others around him to recover out loud. Follow HUGGIE on Instagram: @itsmehuggie  Follow…

Josh James, a career bartender, took a year off drinking to see what would happen. His result was realizing his full potential and reviewing NA Beverages as Josh the Non-Alcoholic on YouTube and Instagram. After creating 30 videos, he walked into a deli establishment that happened to be closing in 1 week. 3 months later and 11 months into being a non-drinker, Josh opened Ocean Beach Cafe to build the largest non-alcoholic beverage selection in the country! The response has been massive in the booming industry as he continues to take this ride to the moon! Instagram: @joshthenonalcoholic Website: oceanbeachcafe.com…

Philip Speer is the Chef and Owner of Comedor, an award-winning Mexican restaurant in downtown Austin. Starting his culinary career at 17 as a baker, Philip moved swiftly into esteemed Pastry Chef positions at Austin’s most innovative restaurants. After struggling through years of addiction, Philip made a profound recovery. He found a renewed motivation by changing his life habits to focus on running, healthy eating, sobriety, and honest dialogue in the restaurant community. Philip now works as a change advocate in the culinary sphere, offering resources and opportunities for peers and employees to engage in a healthier lifestyle. Philip heads…

From his humble beginnings in rural North Carolina to eventually touring the world as a tech and his recent work as a producer for Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls, Gregory Dwane has first-hand seen many facets of the music industry. Add to his impressive pedigree a bit of alcoholism, burnout, and fatherhood, and you’ve got life experience in spades, all informing the songs on his self-titled debut record, which establishes him as the alt-country songwriter. Gregory takes us through his history, from finding his sobriety to becoming a painter and art gallery owner, only to find himself back into…

Chelsie Cahoon aka The Sober Raver is an entrepreneur, business owner, published model, singer/songwriter, and content creator who travels all over the country with her work. She is the founder and owner of the company Music Is The Drug which is a non-judgmental company that aims to show the world that whether you use substances or not, music is the ultimate drug that unites us all. She chose to live a sober life from a very young age and has been completely drug and alcohol-free her entire life. Her mission is to show people that you can literally get high…

Katie Mack brings a refreshing approach and vitality to storytelling through her craft of acting, writing, and Webby award-winning podcast F*cking Sober: The First 90 Days Podcast, described as an “unflinching semi-comedic mostly nonfictional narrative podcast about the first 90 days of being f*cking sober.” Over a decade of experience in theater, TV, and film, Katie not only elevates the stage with her creative input, but she is also outward about her addiction recovery and reaching two years of sobriety. Follow Along with Katie Mack: Follow along with Mei McIntosh in all of the digital spaces and places Support +…

Originally from the west coast of Canada, singer and songwriter Michelle Reid blend dark soul-baring honesty in her lyrics with glitchy electronic production and catchy pop melodies. She releases original music under her solo artist project, “Sorcia”, where she also advocates for mental health awareness, specifically in terms of OCD, eating disorders, and alcohol recovery. Michelle got her start as a singer, dancer, and actress in the theatre, touring Canada, the US, and Europe with shows such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Superman, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She writes music for film and TV placements as well as…

S.C. Jensen is a Canadian fiction writer, sci-fi and horror enthusiast, and literary advocate. She lives with her husband, children, and various fuzzy friends on an acreage in The-Middle-of-Nowhere (a.k.a. Northern Saskatchewan). She spends most of her days crafting stories about ordinary people forced to act in extraordinary situations and is perpetually rooting for the underdog. That’s because she used to be the underdog in her own story. Since quitting drinking on August 31, 2018, she’s come into her own as a sober creative and hopes to share her experiences with fiction lovers from all walks of life. Jensen dabbles…

Meredith earned her Bachelor’s Degree from ULL in Cultural Anthropology with a minor in English. Her work has been featured in Poets Choice, Anti-Heroin Chic, and the anthology “Storealities.” She is the subject of an Artist’s Feature in Hatchlings Publishings. She headlined and produced the event, A Night of Poetry, created and produced the Flood Relief Fundraiser with Paige Daye to raise over $5K for victims of the 100 Year Flood in Acadiana, has shared her work in readings at The Warehouse, Feed N Seed, Glide Dance Studio, The Warehouse Project, (Lafayette, LA) Readings on the Pike (VA), Poetry in…

Jessica Jeboult is a Sober Girl. After trying to get sober for nearly 10 years, Jessica is here to share her experiences along the way to complete and utter sobriety. From health and fitness to relationships, dating and even having sex sober, this hilariously witty and casual approach to an otherwise daunting subject is sure to give you some solid tips to getting and staying sober. Mei McIntosh: The Creative Sober Mei walks us through her sobriety journey that includes relapsing after 5 years sober. She explains how this time around is different and how her podcast, The Creative Sober,…

The Creative Sober Podcast is a collection of interviews with sober creatives from all walks of life who inspire and continue to create in sobriety and is hosted by Sober Curator, DJ Missing Mei. *Trigger Warning: With consent to release, the following is a recorded interview with Martin Lapid before his passing in Dec 2021. Topics include substance use disorder, self-harm, and alcoholism. Las Vegas resident Martin Lapid was a graphic designer, business owner, and co-founder of the recovery brand Serenitees Collection. He shares about his design career during the past 20+ years, how he found life in recovery and…

Ranger Sauce, a wanderer who picked up a guitar and has been on an adventure or two. Interview + New Single “Gambler’s Road”

Grace Askew is a sixth-generation Memphian and a highway child. With seven studio albums and nearly a decade of touring under her belt, Askew has established herself as a relentlessly creative artist and a powerhouse of talent. She has become a festival favorite at eclectic live events and gained the attention of brands like Stetson, Wrangler, and Tecovas Boots, all of which have signed her on as a model/spokeswoman. She mostly hits the road accompanied only by her truck, Wanda. Still, she has also supported legends like Hayes Carll, Ray Wylie Hubbard, James McMurtry, Lisa Marie Presley, Marty Stuart, Paul…

Leah Martin-Brown is an Australian-born singer/songwriter and guitarist based in Los Angeles, CA but currently in Stockholm, Sweden. Leah started her career at age 13, playing in local pubs and clubs around Gold Coast, Queensland, where she formed her first project- Lilly Rouge. After completing her Bachelor of Popular Music at Griffith University’s Conservatorium of Music, Leah and Lilly Rouge began focusing on their professional music goals. They toured Australia, played the Gold Coast leg of the legendary Big Day Out tour, and supported international acts such as Everclear, Presidents of the United States, and homegrown favorites- The Getaway Plan.…

As seen on CBS, FOX, and NBC. POP Buchanan is the creative director, and founder of the Sober is Dope podcast company. POP Buchanan is a holistic mindset coach, lyricist, meditation expert, prayer consultant, and nutrition coach. POP’s #1 goal is to help people heal from trauma, toxic lifestyles, and harmful addictions. POP Buchanan is a 41-year-old Creative from Brooklyn, NY. He lost his father when he was 13 years old from a heart attack. POP grew up interested in music, martial arts, esoteric spirituality, poetry, God, and love. He writes poetry and considers himself an idea machine. POP struggled…

The Creative Sober is a community of sober and sober-curious creatives looking to connect with others who are navigating sobriety, health, and spiritual awareness. The foundation of the Creative Sober is our stories and keeping an open mind towards recovery. Creative expression is a fundamental part of what we put into the world. It takes real courage to share it this with others.

The Creative Sober is a community of sober and sober-curious creatives looking to connect with others who are navigating sobriety, health, and spiritual awareness. The foundation of the Creative Sober is our stories and keeping an open mind toward recovery. Creative expression is a fundamental part of what we put into the world. It takes real courage to share this with others. Healing Through Art – Interview with Alli Bratt Alli Bratt is a mixed media artist, whose mediums include painting, drawing, and collage incorporating reclaimed materials. Originally from California, Alli received her BFA from Savannah College of Art and…