Daring Creativity Podcast
Episode: "I'm a unicorn that simply refuses to be put inside a horse box." (Sarah Masters Bonus Episode)
Host: Radim Malinic
Guest: Sarah Allen Masters, Collage Artist & Founder of Collage
Date: March 12, 2026

Overview

This bonus episode revisits standout moments from the conversation with Sarah Allen Masters, a collage artist and workshop facilitator who champions creativity as an alternative way to process, express, and heal—especially for those whose learning journeys don't fit traditional molds. The episode offers an honest exploration into Sarah’s experience with dyslexia, her initial skepticism about collage, her creative transformation, and her unique adaptation of well-known creative frameworks.

The episode’s intent: to showcase how embracing imperfections, questioning biases, and “doing the thing shaking” can lead to genuine creativity, connection, and self-compassion.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dyslexia, Schooling, and Early Experiences of Not Fitting In

• Sarah’s struggle in the traditional education system:
  Sarah recalls how the lack of support for dyslexic students impacted her confidence and self-worth.

  • Notable quote [00:55]:
    Sarah: “As a child I had a really tough time at school not fitting in and there was just not the curriculum or opportunities to explore the different ways that I learn...I wasn't only bullied by other kids, but I was told in front of a class by the teacher that I was stupid.”

• The significance of authority figures:
  Radim underlines the lasting effect when someone in power (like a teacher) sows self-doubt.

  • Analysis [01:46]:
    Radim: “A teacher holds enormous power over how a child understands their own worth, and Sarah was given the worst possible verdict in the most public way imaginable.”
  • This experience becomes a ‘through line’ shaping Sarah’s later mission to create nurturing spaces.

2. Questioning Creative Biases & Discovering the Value of Collage

• Initial dismissal of collage as ‘nonsense’:
  During her undergraduate studies, Sarah was skeptical about collage, regarding it as children’s play.

  • Notable quote [02:54]:
    Sarah: “I thought it was just kids play. I was like, this is nonsense. Why are we doing this?...when I got to my master's level, I wanted to question that bias...to understand why I thought it was invaluable.”

• Transformation through genuine inquiry:
  Radim highlights the power of being an advocate who started out as a skeptic.

  • Interpretation [03:37]:
    Radim: “When a workshop participant walks in skeptical, Sarah can honestly say, I was you. I thought this was a waste of time too...Her passion isn’t inherited or assumed. It’s the product of real intellectual challenge.”

3. Developing a Visual Journaling Practice Suited to Dyslexic Brains

• Turning diary entries into collage:
  Sarah describes merging monthly journal entries into summary words, then translating those words into images using materials she had on hand. This became her main creative process, especially after traditional ‘morning pages’ didn’t resonate due to her dyslexia.

  • Notable quote [04:33]:
    Sarah: “I was dying to feel a sense of being seen through my work...I kind of see my collage practice as a visual way of doing the morning pages. So I use collage...as a way of getting out what’s inside with what’s to hand.”

• Adapting ‘morning pages’ for non-writers:
  Radim labels this as “quietly brilliant,” reframing a text-based exercise (from Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way) into something tactile and visual.

  • Reflection [06:06]:
    Radim: “She took an established creative framework and rewired it completely, replacing language with image, text with texture, writing with making...For anyone who’s ever bounced off traditional journaling, this reframe is genuinely liberating.”

4. Building Courage Through Repetition, Not Achieving Perfection

• “Getting in the reps” for confidence:
  Inspired by Maya Angelou, Sarah describes how continual practice builds her sense of self-efficacy, regardless of how small the action.

  • Notable quote [07:09]:
    Sarah: “I think I am now reveling in getting in the reps because I can give myself kudos just for showing up and just getting an extra rep in. And the more reps you do, you just marginally get a little bit closer to confidence every time...Today I get anxiety over sending a voice note. I’ve just come on a podcast.”

• Challenging the tidy narrative of ‘healing’:
  Radim asserts that the power lies in acting despite anxiety, not waiting for it to disappear.

  • Reflection [07:41]:
    Radim: “She’s not fixed. She’s not cured. She still feels anxious about her smallest acts of communication. And yet she showed up...That gap between the fear and the action is where all the courage lives...You don’t wait to feel brave before you do the thing. You do the thing shaking. And that is the bravery.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On being labeled in school
  Sarah [00:55]: “I was told in front of a class by the teacher that I was stupid.”
• On skepticism toward collage
  Sarah [02:54]: “I had a very opinionated friend that was also on board with this were like, this is just ridiculous that we’ve got a whole term doing this.”
• On reframing creative routines
  Sarah [04:33]: “I kind of see my collage practice as a visual way of doing the morning pages.”
• On practicing courage
  Sarah [07:09]: “Today I get anxiety over sending a voice note. I’ve just come on a podcast.”
• On bravery
  Radim [07:41]: “You don’t wait to feel brave before you do the thing. You do the thing shaking. And that is the bravery.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:55] – Sarah’s schooling and public humiliation as a dyslexic child
• [02:54] – First impressions and biases about collage
• [04:33] – How Sarah developed her visual journaling practice
• [06:06] – Reframing Julia Cameron’s ‘morning pages’ for non-writers
• [07:09] – Building confidence “rep by rep,” the ongoing nature of courage
• [07:41] – Radim’s reflections on acting bravely “while shaking”

Tone and Language

The conversation is unfiltered, honest, and accessible, balancing vulnerability with pragmatism. Both Sarah and Radim use direct, relatable language, sharing personal anecdotes and inviting listeners to reconsider their own creative blockages or biases. There’s no prescriptive tone—just encouragement to show up, however imperfectly.

Conclusion

This episode stands out for its raw honesty and practical takeaways:

• Encounters with rejection and self-doubt can be alchemized into creative missions.
• True advocates for creative practices are often those who journeyed in as skeptics.
• Creative frameworks are a starting point, not a prison—feel free to adapt them to your strengths.
• Courage is built in increments; the act of “doing, even while afraid” is at the heart of creative daring.

For anyone struggling to own their imperfection or waiting to feel “ready,” Sarah Masters’ story is both validating and motivating: “You don’t wait to feel brave before you do the thing. You do the thing shaking. And that is the bravery.”

Recommended listen: Check out the full episode with Sarah Allen Masters for a deeper dive and more inspiration.