Who we are

Real Deal Divas is hosted by two real deal women who pull no punches in voicing their views and championing creativity in its many forms. This innovative audio and video podcast series, presented by visual artist Marybeth Bradbury and author Deb Bowen, explores intersections of various creative disciplines, inviting listeners into candid conversations that highlight the collaborative and integrative nature of the artistic process.  We not only entertain, but empower our diverse creative guests to share their experiences as they push boundaries, collaborate fearlessly, and create in new, exciting ways.

  • Deb Bowen’s written works and teachings are propelled by her search for ways in which we can deepen connections among us. She writes about the tasks humans must undertake in order to maintain bonds with all beings, the sea, the earth, and the sky.  Collaborations with other artists has been an outgrowth of her quest for connection. Her book, A Good Friend for Bad Times: Helping Others through Grief, was written for those suffering personal losses. Her work now focuses on creative nonfiction, essays, and poetry that speak of grief about environmental losses from man-made and natural disasters.  Her forthcoming book, Crafting the Wheel of the Year, explores our relationship with the evolving seasons and our dedication to honoring the earth.

  • Marybeth Bradbury creates semi-abstracted figurative work of imagined characters in colorful, contemporary, distorted paintings.  “All humans have a story. We are wacky, wonderful, wounded creatures, beautiful in our imperfection, courageous in our vulnerability. Our outsides often don't reflect our journeys, our stories, our painful or ugly parts. We may be whimsical and fun, might be dark and frightening, but we are always more interesting than what sits on the surface. I hope to tell these stories in my art, and by doing so, help others to celebrate their own stories.”  While Marybeth is primarily a painter, she is also a skilled seamstress, bookbinder, fiber artist and encaustic artist.  She is represented by Sunset River Gallery, Calabash, NC.