Art Connection

Free to Create

With a career spanning 52 years and accolades that include 22 Grammys, Jazz legend Chick Corea offers insight into his creative process, his career and his life in Tampa Bay, Florida. The Waukesha Art Crawl features arts and entertainment on display in over 20 galleries with original works by over 100 artists. Butterflies, dinosaurs, flowers, oh my! Meet a couple of friends from Reno, Nevada, who fell in love with the world of balloon animals and learn how they honed the skills that delight all ages. A US veteran combats his PTSD by using his welding talents to create wonderful metal art sculptures as his therapy.

From the Ashes

Meet the two artists who wish to revitalize an area once thriving with a wealth of African American culture in Houston, Texas. Take a look at the glitz and glamour of the upper crust society of New York during the time of Downton Abbey. We’ll talk with Michael Cina, an award-winning graphic designer and we take an in-depth look at Heimrad Backer’s body of work documenting the remnants of Nazism and the Holocaust.

From The Page to the Stage

Owner and lead sculptor of Sculpted Ice Works, Mark Crouthamel, shows off his ice carving skills. We speak with Phyllis Magidson about the attire of the elite of the Gilded Age and what it takes to design period costume pieces. Get to know the touring company of Wicked and we follow Zeb Andrews, a man who likes the bare basics of photography.

From Traditional to Digital

We visit the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum and travel through its grand opening. Multi-media artist Tony Carosella embeds QR codes into portraits to combine traditional photography with digital media. We talk with the sculptor who brought the creatures to life on Boston’s Rose Kennedy Greenway carousel and we explore the International quilt festival.

F-Stops

Meet Houston artist Wiley Robertson who is using signs, buildings and more to spread his message of love around the city. Artist Gabriela Michanie shares how she found her passion for photography. Sculptor artist Greg Shochko attempts to capture people's attention as well as carbon monoxide fumes with his prototype scooter. And for anyone who has ever dreamed of turning a secret family recipe into a food product for sale in stores, there's a program giving hope and advice on how to do it.

Full of Life

We meet abstract artist Brenden Spivey. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Spivey’s canvases are rich with color, shape, and texture. Each painting he creates is full of life. In 1978, Donn Arden’s production “Hello Hollywood Hello” premiered in Reno, Nevada. It was a massive hit. We hear more about the show and its lasting impact. We take a trip to Florida to experience the immersive exhibition “Seven Solos.” The show includes site-specific works from seven different contemporary artists. Through the power of song and personal storytelling, the musical “She’s Crazy: Mental Health and Other Myths” hopes to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.

Further

“Doctor Atomic” is an opera about the creation of the atomic bomb. We travel to New Mexico to meet one of the artists behind the production, renowned opera director Peter Sellars. Natasha Tsakos is a show maker who combines technology with live performance to create new, dynamic experiences. In her work, she reimagines what theater could be. “Alight on Mars” is a nocturnal exhibition that celebrates the firefly. Walking along the outdoor sculpture path, visitors are able to see artwork that illuminates the night sky. In Reno, Nevada, we hear from Traci Turner, an artist who embraces color and finds inspiration in the human figure and human experience. With her paintings, she expresses emotion and builds connections with her viewer.

Fused

In this episode of Art Connection we sit down with Bonnie Gale, a New York artist, who uses willows to create her living outdoor sculptures. We catch up with Grammy award winning pianist, Billy Childs, who merges classical music with smooth jazz. We go behind the scenes with the creators of a spell bounding adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest and we check out “To The Brink,” an ongoing exhibit at the JFK Library that sheds light on U.S-Soviet Relations during Kennedy’s Administration.

Gathering Community

As a playwright and founder of a performing arts organization, Darius V. Daughtry provides opportunities for members of the community to express themselves. We travel to South Florida to learn more about the important work he is doing. Educator Megan Hallett leads “Family Art Studio,” a free, after school program that allows families to come together to create art in a welcoming environment. Gene Epstein transforms books into works of art by cutting and folding their pages into a variety of shapes and designs. We meet the artist and find out more about her creative process.

Generations

Muzelle is a multi-genre violinist. Although she is classically trained, she works in other genres. We visit the artist during a performance at a contemporary art exhibit and find out more about her creative journey. We meet Jason Glaser, a second-generation metal crafter. After his father passed away, he decided to continue the family business and helps run Jay’s metal crafting, which specializes in creative metal and ironwork. We travel to New York to learn about an exhibit that highlights printmaking among women artists during the experimental and collaborative period between 1960 and 1990. Mallory Feltz is a visual, installation, and performance artist who uses a variety of materials to examine the idea of home. We meet the artist and get an inside look at her process.

Gifted

An arts nonprofit in Washington, D.C. builds community through the art of storytelling.  “Mona Hatoum: Terra Infirma” showcases some of the major sculptures from this world-renowned artist. The Filomen M. D’Agostino Greenberg Music School is the official music school of The Lighthouse Guild, a nonprofit healthcare and service organization for the blind and visually impaired. Cincinnati artist, Terrence Burke, developed an interest in puppets when he was growing up. But it took special encouragement from his daughter to help him realize his childhood dream.

Gifts

Students in Detroit, Michigan learn the trade of media making. Poet Tanaya Winder shares her inspiration. Visit Mark Groaning's gallery in Rochester, New York, and you'll quickly realize that he likes to explore. It isn't often that you come across an artist who is as comfortable with a paint brush as they are with a torch. Stephen Koury is an artist in central Florida, who is known for his paintings of animals.

Giving a Voice

In Lorain County, Ohio, a new theater company is making a splash. Called “Outside Circle Theater Project,” the company is providing a stage for underrepresented voices to share their story.The Sierra Highlanders Pipe Band in Reno, Nevada, has been bringing the music of scotland to eager audiences for over fifty years. We see the talent and dedication that goes into making a band like this one successful. Eric Rausch and Jen Kiko are a husband and wife creative duo who work together on meaningful public art projects.

Giving Back

Katherine Rutledge is inspired by Louisiana. With paint, she captures the architecture, waterways, and landscapes that make her state unique. We traveled to Islamorada, Florida, to meet artist Elena Madden. In her artwork, she examines light and the way it reflects against the water. Her paintings are full of energy and movement. Founded in 2017, the young filmmakers academy in Lakewood, Ohio, is an award-winning program that gives young artists the opportunity to learn about filmmaking. Iain Forrest is an electric cellist, medical student, and participant in the metropolitan transportation authority’s music under New York program. With his cello, he performs contemporary music for commuters.

Giving Hope

With his work, artist Jeremy Rosario hopes to make connections and spread messages of positivity. In the face of hardship, art becomes a means of inspiration. For over twenty years, the organization “Giving Tree Music” has been spreading joy and strengthening bonds. Through interactive drum circles, they build community and encourage participants to have fun. We learn about “The First Lady Presents,” an education program that highlights the art, culture, and history of Nevada, and celebrates artists throughout the state.

Giving Joy

When artist Sarah Renee creates, she uses her imagination. In her artwork, she takes the everyday for a spin and renders fantastical creatures that leave viewers full of wonder. Invented in the early 20th century, the theremin is an electronic musical instrument that produces a fascinating, one-of-a-kind-sound... and it is one of the many instruments that musician Caroline Scruggs plays. When singer-songwriter Anthony “Tony” Manfredi performs, he hopes to bring joy to his audience. Based in the Florida Keys, his home is a tremendous source of inspiration. We take a trip to the Goodwill Art Studio and Gallery in Ohio to meet artist Helen Taylor. Through the act of creating, she finds an outlet for self-expression and hopes to help others.

Giving Opportunities

Steve Kolpacke recently discovered his passion for woodturning. We caught up with him in his studio in Detroit. Art + Practice not only provides world class arts experiences but in partnership with first place for youth, local foster youth receive access to housing, individualized education and employment support. Kenneth Young is a talented painter that enjoys exploring many different styles. We visited the artist at his home in Ghent, New York. We take a look at Fannie Mae Duncan’s Cotton Club, celebrating inclusion, desegregation, and the history of Colorado Springs Jazz.

Glass Hieroglyphs

We take a look at the places and the people that keep the regional Capital Repertory Theatre vibrant. Gerardo Pereda-Rosas demonstrates the time and love that goes into his glass-etching pieces, which showcase his Latin-American heritage. The Live in Color Dance Company provides a place where dancers can perfect urban funk hip-hop choreography and form a lasting community. And a father and son show their work together in a light and sculpture exhibition connected by the theme of continuance.

Glass Memorials

Meet Dan Dunn, an artist that creates paintings with rapid strokes at a breathtaking speed. We visit “Magritte,” an exhibit highlighting Belgian surrealist René Magritte at The Museum of Modern Art. Glassblower Michelle Kaptur shares the emotion that goes into each of her creates titled “Soulbursts” and we visit the recently refurbished tapestry room in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

Grand

Artist Erin Beckloff loves the tradition and history of letterpress. At the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, artists can display monumental works that may not find a home anywhere else. Singer-songwriter Annie Lennox explores her life journey through an installation at the museum. Baltimore-based interdisciplinary artist Abraham Burickson is co-founder and artistic director of odyssey works, a cross-genre collaborative of artists. Leslie Greeneisen is a sculptor in the Detroit area who shares her passion with her community.