Escaping Isolation and Reclaiming Self Through Art with Skelly Harrington

In this episode, I connect with novelist and illustrator Skelly Harrington for a conversation on art, identity, and transformation. Skelly, an improv teacher at Curious Comedy Theater in Portland and author of a dark fantasy trilogy, opens up about their journey from a religious, off-grid upbringing to an artist embracing their queer identity. We discuss Skelly’s path to self-discovery through art, the challenges of promoting personal work online, and the balance between audience expectations and artistic authenticity. Episode Highlights: Theology Beer Camp Reflection: Sarey shares the experience of screening a trailer for her sci-fi short film The Winemaker for an audience of 600. Skelly’s Artistic Evolution: Raised in an isolated, religious household, Skelly explains how improv helped them connect with people and embrace community-focused art. Dark Fantasy Trilogy: Skelly’s 15-year journey writing a trilogy about a girl possessed by an ancient entity reflects personal themes of autonomy, mental health, and self-discovery. Exploring Gender Identity: Skelly shares how their agender identity shapes their writing, with diverse queer characters adding depth to their stories. Navigating Online Visibility: Skelly talks about balancing authenticity with audience expectations, including the challenges of self-promotion as a queer artist. Art as Healing and Connection: For Skelly, art transforms personal pain into shared empathy, connecting people across boundaries. Quotable Moments: "Art has an incredible power to transcend the limitations of language, allowing us to relate to and understand experiences far removed from our own." "It’s about transforming personal pain into something constructive that blooms and connects with others." Find Skelly’s Work: Website (Books): www.sooliebeetch.com — Skelly’s dark fantasy trilogy is available here. Website (Illustration): www.skellyharrington.com Instagram: @skellyharrington — Follow for illustrations and more insights into Skelly’s artistic journey. Join Sarey on Letterboxd: @sheologian. www.secretartproject.com Instagram: @doctormonalisa & @secretartprojects https://substack.com/@secretartproject Listen, Subscribe, and Leave a Review: If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review. Follow us for more inspiring stories and deep dives into the journeys of artists and creators. (I use AI to help me write shownotes.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices