At Sea with Justin McRoberts How to See Invisible Things With Stephen Roach
Feb 11, 2026
Stephen Roach, artist and organizer of Breath and Clay and Makers and Mystics, talks creativity, community, and the spiritual life of making. He describes gatherings as collaborative laboratories, why mystery and space matter in design, and how projects sprout ongoing partnerships. Themes include art as way of seeing, border-walking artists, and the 2026 focus on making space.
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How Breath and Clay Sparks Real Collaborations
- Stephen Roach seeds long-term collaborations by intentionally seating artists who haven't worked together before.
- Example: pairing Luke Skaggs with Eric Marshall at Breath and Clay led to a record and tour born from that first meeting.
Inviting Risk By Dismantling Expectations
- Stephen intentionally dismantles conference expectations to let invited artists experiment without fear of failing.
- He told a worship artist to leave other event rules behind and use Breath and Clay as a risk-friendly lab.
Give Clear Direction Then Leave Room To Wander
- Create clarity around a theme but leave enough mystery to invite curiosity and discovery.
- Example: Breath and Clay uses a yearly theme and an icon (this year's chair) then trusts designers to explore interpretations freely.
