Finding Strength in the “Wonky” — A Conversation With Ross Minton

In this episode’s 1-2-1 session, we sit down with Ross Minton — an artist, environmental storyteller, and self-described “wonky doodler” who has spent more than two decades creating work that blends humour, honesty, and a deep love for nature.

Ross’s journey is one of resilience. Growing up with significant health challenges, he learned early on what it meant to survive, adapt, and keep going even when life didn’t make sense. But he’s quick to point out:
he never wanted to be defined by disability, and he refuses to let it box him in creatively.

Instead, Ross frames his experiences through art — making pieces that remind people to slow down, appreciate the earth, and find beauty in imperfection. His affection for trees, especially old ones, reveals his philosophy: survival, age, and endurance are worth celebrating. If trees could talk, Ross jokes, they’d have better stories than all of us.

During our conversation, Ross opens up about what it’s like to navigate a creative career while managing disabilities — not for pity, but for awareness. He speaks candidly about how often disabled creators are underestimated, overlooked, or pigeonholed. His mission is to challenge those assumptions with work that’s honest, expressive, and fully him.

We also dive into his thoughts on AI — and Ross doesn’t hold back. He believes that AI, especially in the creative space, is becoming dangerous territory without proper regulation. To him, it’s like a powerful tool that can inspire or destroy — and in the wrong hands, it can cause real harm to working artists.
His answer is simple: regulate it responsibly, just like we regulate anything that has the potential to cause damage.

Ross’s story reminds us that creativity isn’t about perfection or ease — it’s about perspective, resilience, and finding meaning even when life feels “wonky.” His humour, honesty, and grounded outlook make this session both inspiring and refreshingly real.