Claim OwnershipThe Art of Connection
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© Tatyana McKenzie 2023
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Welcome to The Art of Connection — a space created to explore true connection with the arts and conscious creators in our community.
Thank you for being here. I’m Yana — host, conscious creator, teacher, mother and founder of Oak & Haven ceramics. TAOC explores how art led connection guides us to satiating, soulful fulfilment, and welcomes us home to ourselves.
I can’t wait to unravel and discuss the vast tapestry of connections life brings us, alongside insightful guests who are recognising the same in their own lives. Thank you for being here — it’s a pleasure to have you.
With love, Yana x
22 Episodes
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In this episode, Yana explores the inherited scripts we follow, including the paths of career and home that many adopt before they are old enough to question them. She shares her personal journey of ticking every box only to find her life force energy leaking, and the unexpected liberation she discovered when her world cracked open and allowed her to begin again. It is a story of moving from doggy paddling through time to being truly submerged in the beauty of the present.This episode is an invitation to redefine success by how it feels within your own body and nervous system rather than how it looks from the outside. Drawing on the parable of the fisherman, Yana explores how we often strive for a future freedom that is already within reach and discusses using envy as a compass to point toward our truest desires.A tender reminder to trade what you want for what you truly need, prioritising time, presence, and the courage to design a life that feels nourishing to live inside.
In this special cross-podcast episode, Yana is joined by parenting mentor and registered nurse Kim Cousins, host of the Baby It’s You podcast. Together they explore Yana’s unfolding journey as a woman, mother, and creator — from the early shaping of her identity to building Oak and Haven, a much-loved community store in Melbourne’s east. The conversation moves through creative expression as a pathway to self-discovery, the impact of diagnosis and self-acceptance, and the ways motherhood can both crack us open and invite us into deeper truth. Kim and Yana also speak candidly about mental health, pregnancy, self-care, relationships, and how our own upbringing inevitably shapes the way we mother. At the heart of the conversation is Yana’s newest project, Blood to Bone magazine — a printed publication honouring women’s lived stories, creativity, and wisdom across the seasons of maidenhood, motherhood, and matriarchy. This is an honest conversation about becoming, shedding old identities, telling the truth in partnership, and choosing empowerment even when it feels uncomfortable.
In this episode, Yana returns to the microphone to introduce a project that has been over a year in the making: Blood to Bone magazine. After a brief hiatus from recording, she shares the vision behind this new print publication designed to hold women's stories with reverence, clarity, and without judgment.Yana discusses the "drop-in" moment of inspiration that led to this venture and her commitment to creating a physical home for the raw, unfiltered voices of womanhood. From the metaphor of ceramics to the importance of preserving human expression, this episode is an invitation to join a growing community archive.You do not need to be a professional writer or have a large platform to contribute. If you have a lived experience of womanhood, your voice is welcome here.Submissions Close: March 23rd at 11:59 PM (or until the 100-page limit is reached).Submit at: bloodtobonemagazine.com.au.Follow the Journey: @bloodtobonemagazine on Instagram.
In this episode, Yana reflects on two years of Oak & Haven and what success truly means beyond numbers and productivity. She shares the quiet wins that shaped the past year; sustained energy, mental wellbeing, present motherhood and creative expansion, and invites you to pause and honour your own journey.A reminder that success can be spacious, nourishing and deeply human.
In Part 2 of a conversation recorded in 2023, we return to where we left off with Yaz Del Mar of Tiny Cupboard Creatives.This episode explores creativity as a lifeline through change. We reflect on art as a place of safety, self-trust, and resilience, and on the natural cycles of destruction, maintenance, and creation that shape our lives.Yaz shares openly about navigating separation, cancer survivorship, single motherhood, neurodivergence, and building a creative life that remains aligned and regenerative. This is a conversation about choosing yourself, staying in motion, and letting art carry you home, again and again.✨ Find out more about Yaz and her work here: @tiny_cupboard_creatives / tinycupboardcreatives.com.au
In this episode, Yana invites you into a gentler and more grounded approach to the holiday season. From her cosy “car office,” she reflects on the unseen labour women often carry at Christmas and offers tender, practical ways to return to presence, equity and joy.She explores how to ease the mental load, ask for support, honour your limits and reshape traditions so they feel aligned with your values. Through stories from her early years of motherhood to the more balanced home life she has created today, Yana shares six guiding principles for a softer and more spacious December.This episode is an invitation to reclaim Christmas on your own terms, with clarity, nourishment, community and a greater sense of being rather than doing.
In this gentle solo episode, Yana reflects on the void; the quiet space before something exists, where ideas rest in the dark soil of possibility. She shares how Oak and Haven grew from a personal longing for connection during early motherhood, a time marked by isolation, anxiety, and a deep need for community and softness.This episode is an invitation to notice what is missing in your life and to trust the first spark of an idea before there is proof. Yana explores how creation begins in places of unmet need, how tending to a vision transforms the creator as much as the creation, and how what we make for ourselves can ripple outward to nourish others.A tender reminder to listen closely to what is calling you, to hold emerging ideas lightly, and to let them unfold in their own time.
In this solo episode, Yana offers an honest look at the realities of running a heart-led business. She speaks to the parts we celebrate and the parts we often keep to ourselves. Yana explores three of the hardest aspects of business: juggling multiple roles, dealing with uncertainty, and experiencing the loneliness that can come with leading something of your own.She then turns to the three things that make it all worthwhile: creative freedom, meaningful connection with community, and the personal growth that naturally unfolds along the way.This episode is a warm reminder that business is a mix of grit and glow, and that no one is walking this path alone.
In this solo episode, Yana reflects on the fullness and chaos of life, learning to “let it be hard” instead of resisting it. She answers listener questions about imposter syndrome, self-forgiveness, and knowing when it’s time to start anew; sharing her own journey of leaving teaching, rebuilding life, and returning to what feels true. A gentle reminder that growth often lives in the messy middle, and that softness can exist alongside strength.
In this episode of The Art of Connection, Yana sits down with women’s embodiment photographer Sophie Spencer for a conversation that began before the podcast itself had even taken shape; a story of creative trust and saying yes before knowing how it will unfold.Sophie shares her journey from photographing pizzas to capturing the essence of women through intimate portraiture; a transformation born from her own path of self-discovery and courage. Together, Yana and Sophie explore what it means to be seen, to come home to the body, and to honour womanhood as art.They talk about the birth of Sophie’s Wholesome Women’s Weekends, the power of female connection, and the symbolism of black cockatoos; a shared reminder of freedom and transformation. From laughter to tears mid-flight, Sophie’s story is a reminder that creativity and courage take flight when we trust our timing and believe in our wings.✨ Find out more about Sophie and her work here: @brandingbysophie_ / sophiespencer.com.au
In this episode of The Art of Connection, Yana records from her “mobile office” and offers a tender life update on moving from her beloved Croydon home to a little cottage in the hills. She reflects on the house that held early motherhood and the seed of Oak & Haven, and how transition can hold grief and gratitude in the same breath. With gentle rituals; early nights, incense, pink paint for Daisy’s “Marshmallow Magic” room; and a commitment to ask for help, she shares what it takes to land softly. Back in the shop, she looks toward summer and Christmas: a candlelit VIP evening with mocktails and making, a “golden moments” Communi-Tee shirt created with poet-artist Sophie Rowlands, and the joy of thoughtful, values-aligned gifting. Strength training becomes a metaphor for resilience; presence with customers, a practice of care. This is an invitation to notice the season you’re in, let the old unfurl, and welcome what’s arriving.
Reporting poolside from Tugun on the Gold Coast, Yana is joined by poet, mentor and “word florist” Sophie Rowlands for a spacious conversation about creativity that grows like a garden; seasonal, cyclical and deeply human. They explore the language of intuition, the “fertile dark” that precedes new work, and the tender link between pleasure and expression. Sophie shares the story behind her hand-typed Poetry Posies (crafted on her beloved green typewriter, Alice), and the heart of her offerings—The Hive, Honeycomb and The Secret Garden—where women are witnessed without fixing and encouraged to create from their own rhythm. Together they reflect on blooming in your season, composting what no longer serves, and tending a “digital garden” that grows at the pace of real life. A gentle, sun-dappled episode that feels like a deep exhale, and an invitation to make a little more room for honey, poetry and everyday connection.
In this episode of The Art of Connection, Yana sits down with Mikka Richter, founder of The Hearth Café & Providore in Mudgeeraba, QLD. What began as a dream and an online offering has become a soulful bricks-and-mortar space where food, family, and community weave together. Mikka shares how her maternal line of women shaped her love of cooking, why food is more than fuel, and what it takes to follow a dream that carries both risk and profound reward. Together, they explore nourishment as an art form, the courage required to create something bigger than yourself, and the magic of spaces that feel like a warm hug; places where connection, care, and creativity come alive.✨ Find out more about Mikka and her café here: @a.nourishedwoman / @thehearth_cafe
In this episode of The Art of Connection, Yana explores the fertile, surprising relationship between early motherhood and creativity. She shares how the rawness of postpartum life; its sleepless nights, shifting identity, and moments of deep presence can awaken a powerful surge of inspiration and ideas. What might seem like a season of loss can also be one of self-discovery, where dreams, artistry, and even new businesses are born from the same life force that nurtures our children. With warmth and honesty, Yana offers gentle encouragement to honour these sparks, however small, as part of the transformation of becoming both mother and maker.
Lately I’ve had so many conversations with friends about the fear of letting go — of relationships that have run their course, of clothes or things tied to a past self, of identities that don’t feel right anymore. Here’s what I’ve come to believe: letting go creates space for life to surprise you. The void never stays empty. This week on The Art of Connection, I’m sharing my own story — from leaving behind a 13-year relationship and a teaching career, to releasing old versions of motherhood, to now packing up my home and stepping into a new chapter with my family. I’m not afraid of letting go anymore, because I know what’s waiting on the other side. With love, Yana.
In this episode of The Art of Connection, Yana reflects on the unexpected parallels between strength training and working with clay. At first glance they seem worlds apart; one rooted in sweat, movement, and resistance, the other in earth, stillness, and form. Yet both invite us to centre ourselves, breathe with intention, honour good form over force, and embrace the steady rhythm of learning through repetition. From the kiln’s slow transformation to the body’s response to resistance, Yana explores how strength and softness coexist, reminding us that growth comes not from rushing, but from showing up, listening deeply, and allowing the right kind of pressure to shape us.
In this episode of The Art of Connection, Yana reflects on the toll of busyness and the reminder of why she chose to step away from the fast-paced, burnout-driven way of working. From the hum of overfull weeks, she contrasts her past life as a teacher with the slower, intentional rhythm she has designed now; one that honours rest, motherhood, creativity, and nervous system care. She shares candidly about boundaries, letting go of hustle culture, and the deep value of building a life that fits your energy rather than forcing yourself to fit a system. This episode is a gentle reminder that it’s possible to thrive by slowing down, honouring your limits, and trusting the steady rhythm that sustains you.
In this heartfelt episode of The Art of Connection, Yana reflects on turning 34 and the gratitude she feels for motherhood, partnership, creativity, and community. She shares tender moments from her birthday celebrations, alongside the bittersweet process of farewelling her beloved honey-bricked home. Through poetry and reflection, she honours the space that nurtured her healing and creativity before stepping into a new chapter with her partner and daughter. With Oak & Haven entering a new season, this episode offers a gentle reminder of the beauty in transition and the joy of trusting what unfolds next.
After a two-year pause, Yana returns to The Art of Connection with a heartfelt reintroduction, honouring the vision that first sparked this podcast and the journey that’s unfolded since. She reflects on the opening of Oak & Haven and the immense growth of her business over the past year, while candidly sharing the fears that once held her back from fully stepping into her creative path. This episode is an invitation into Yana’s renewed devotion to the podcast as both a creative outlet and a space for deeper conversations—beyond the confines of social media squares. With plans for solo episodes and rich dialogues with artists, makers, writers, health practitioners, and community voices, the podcast now moves forward as a homecoming to creativity, motherhood, intentional living, and the heart’s work that connects us all.
I’m here today with Yaz Del Mar of tiny cupboard creatives, the most effervescent and bold creator, art teacher and mentor, sole business woman, mother and absolute powerhouse I have the honour of knowing. Yaz is not like any other woman I have met before, and our chance meeting was written in the stars in 2021, connecting us through another artist and creator, which we’ll get into. Yaz teaches art on a term by term basis to adults and children alike in her tiny cupboard, which is now a shop! Today we sit down to talk about our connections with art, how it saves us, soothes us, and lends us a conduit to our higher selves and the connection to others we are satiated by. Especially during a big time of transition from married woman to single mother, and from business partner to solo business woman. From cancer patient to cancer survivor. Thank you, Yaz, for being with me here and sharing your connections to art and the nourishment it brings to your life. Follow Yaz at @tiny_cupboard_creatives on IG
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