Art Connection

Helping Communities

Colleen Connolly is a member of the Reno police department in Nevada. After a crime is committed, she works with witnesses to create composite sketches of suspects. The Metrohealth Glick Center is a new hospital in Ohio that features hundreds of artworks, ranging from murals to photographs. designed for the community it serves, many of the works were created by local artists. We visit the exhibition “Monet to Morisot: the real and imagined in European Art.” Focused on the 19th and early 20th century, the show offers a thematic exploration of art from this period.

Helping Hands

The profile introduces us to Amy Sherald, an award-winning portrait painter who shot to international fame when she won the commission to paint the portrait of Former First Lady, Michelle Obama. A day-habilitation program for people with disabilities in Rochester, NY that focuses on the arts. Carl Goines is a skilled craftsman and figurative sculptor who also is the creative director for 555 Arts, an arts organization that is renovating an art space on the Eastside of Detroit. From filmmaker Tommy Shimanek a look at Abel Alejandre who learned early the importance of allowing himself creative freedom and personal perspective he shares his thoughts with young artists attending Fullerton College.

HERitage

For local art group the big picture Denver, the street is their canvas. Using the age-old technique of Wheatpasting, they enliven the streets of Denver, Colorado with powerful photographs. Every summer, the Museum of Wisconsin Art welcomes the community to their annual art and chalk fest. Both local and nationally renowned chalk artists gather together and create a variety of colorful works. In this segment, we check out the Francis Wilson playhouse, a community theater that brings famous Broadway productions to Clearwater, Florida. Brooke Smart has illustrated 50 leading women from Utah history, in preparation for the 150th anniversary of Utah being the first place and American woman voted. Learn about this remarkable artist and the process of bringing these 50 women to life.

Hidden Gems

Ice can come in many different shapes and sizes. Just ask Charles Jones, the owner of the Ice Man. Based in Hudson Falls, New York, Jones and his team of artists create memorable ice sculptures. Detroit vineyards is redefining what a typical vineyard and winery looks like. Located in the heart of Detroit, Michigan, Detroit Vineyards is making and supplying wines in a city environment. Sign painter and shop owner Derek McDonald focuses on vintage design. Based in Reno, Nevada, the artist chooses to work in the traditional sign painting technique, forgoing the computer for paint, brushes, and pencils. Artist Randi Channel makes unique porcelain ball-jointed dolls. Each doll is its own special work of art. We head to Clintonville, Ohio to learn more about her creative process.

Historic Murals

We take a look behind the curtain at the Arizona Opera Costume shop, where we meet shop manager Kathleen Trott, who guides us through the costume creation process. We see how The Walldogs movement of sign painters and muralists revitalize towns. We visit The Guggenheim Museum and go inside the “Italian Futurism, 1909-1944: Reconstructing the Universe” exhibit. And musician Matt Saunders combines Celtic music with the electronic dance genre, creating music that is loved by a variety of audiences.

History and Inspiration

A short walk from the Utah State Capitol, a monument unveiled in 2020 commemorates 100 years of women paving a path toward inclusive voting rights. Katherine Kitterman, Historical Director, and Tiffany Greene, Historical Research Consultant, from Better Days 2020, reflect on the importance of the monument and the historical influence behind its unique design. The installation “Cuban Caricature and Culture: The Art of Massaguer” features the modernist works of caricaturist and publisher Conrado Walter Massaguer. We travel to Miami, Florida to stop by the show. We travel to Cincinnati, Ohio to meet artist Ahmad Darouich. Born in Syria, we hear about his journey to the united states and his passion for painting. The Battleborn Memorial in Carson City, Nevada pays tribute to Nevada’s fallen service members. We meet the artistic team behind the meaningful structure and find out more about its design.

Holiday Cheer

Take a look as the Kansas City Ballet mount their production of The Nutcracker. From costumes to lighting the sets to opening night. Erin Simmons shares the practices of the traditional art of blacksmithing. We visit artist Philip Worthington’s newest exhibit where graphic design combines with technology to make shadow monsters. And we visit an exhibit showcasing the enormous art collection amassed by Ruth and Marvin Sackner.

Holiday Gala

In this edition of Art Connection, we meet the faculty and students of the Festival of Fine Arts as they prepare for the perfect concert to celebrate the holidays. We go behind the scenes with Kansas City Ballet's Artistic Director as the troupe prepare to put on the holiday favorite, the Nutcracker. We meet a Sacramento artist who is creating sweet designs from clay. And we meet a photographer who hand etches all of her images with a needle to create depth.

Home

We get an inside look at Milwaukee’s “Present Music,” an ensemble devoted to commissioning, creating, and recording contemporary music. We talk with dancer Sheri “Sparkle” Williams who has danced with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company for 40 years. We get a look inside the strong, charming, creative, and courageous soul that was artist Maria Lowenstein. And we visit artist Harumi Abe, who is working in South Florida as part of the AIRIE (Artist In Residence in the Everglades) program.

Hope

Critically-acclaimed artist Ai Weiwei visted the Newseum in Washington, D.C., to discuss artistic freedom of speech and his new documentary on the global refugee crisis, Human Flow. Jamie Hevener of Hilliard, Ohio believes "sewing is growing." She takes her craft – namely her sewing cart – on the road to remind us that some skills can last us a lifetime. In April 2017 Harold Holden became the first Oklahoma artist to be inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. We watch him work on his art in his private studio in Enid. From France, a violin worthy of a concert stage created by a 3-D printer… 3Dvarius.

Human Bond

We visit the Museum of Fine Art in Houston, Texas where a unique exhibit is sparking curiosity and encouraging interaction with art. The Museum of Jewish Heritage reveals their core exhibit that gives insight into the lives and talents of Jews living in Nazi concentration camps. Sculptural landscape artist, Adam Kuby, brings a touch of natural to his urban art pieces and artist Jeff Suntala shares why he loves to create art without a computer.

Identity

Artist Cora Marshall focuses her work on issues of identity, history and community with her colorful portrait paintings that she creates in her home studio in Gulfport, Florida. For almost 70 years, the Wisconsin Philharmonic has provided cultural and educational experiences to Wisconsin audiences through music. In this segment, audiences experience how "music paints a picture. Mass media has often portrayed Native Americans as sidekicks or villains, and comic books are no exception. Lee Francis helps launch INC Comics, the first all-Native comic book publishing company. The Eustis Mansion in Milton, MA was constructed in 1870s. More than 18-thousand square feet, it sits atop 80 rolling acres. And thanks to Historic New England, it recently opened to the public as a new museum.

Illumination

A platypus meets an overhead projector, and mayhem ensues. We shine light on General Electric's advertising plan to convince the country to give the light bulbs a try. We visit metal sculptor and painter Bill Reid and take a look at his moveable, whimsical art that delights. And we talk with Steve Piscitelli, a sculptor and Vietnam veteran, about how his art helps him heal emotionally from the images of combat.

Images of Life

See a living history art project that pays tribute to African American veterans with first-hand narratives of World War II. We sit down with Suzanne Heintz and get an inside look at her photography as she creates Kodak moments with her manufactured-mannequin family. Travel to Tampa, FL. for the annual Conga Caliente festival that invites the community to experience the art and music of Latino culture. And we talk to artists Katha Seidman and Laurie Kaplowitz, the creators of “Once There Was a House.” An art installation in Cohasset, MA. inspired by the destruction of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

Imagine

With wood as her medium, Oklahoma-based artist Ebony Iman Dallas created the mural “Greenwood Imagine.” Based off a poem, the work imagines a world in which the 1921 Tulsa race massacre never happened. We meet the community of roller skaters in Tampa Bay, Florida. Each time they go around the rink, they dance to the music and show artistry in their movements. Since she was a teenager, artist Judy Holley has been practicing the art of quilt making. With skill and concentration, she renders colorful quilts rich with pattern and design. We visit “Monet and Boston: Lasting Impression” at the Museum of Fine Arts in Massachusetts. For the first time in 25 years, the museum exhibited its entire collection of Monet paintings.

Imitation

With charcoal in hand, 84 year-old Jim Seigler looks back at a long and magical career designing prints for the Barnum and Bailey Circus. Choreographer Mark Morris discusses his landmark work "L'Allegro, il Penseroso, ed il Moderato." Sculptor Mark Rice uses power tools to sculpt his distinctive wooden statues and with such finesse, we had to take a closer look. And we sit down with experts at Ohio's Canton Museum of Art as they take a look at the long and profitable history of art counterfeiting.

Immersive

We head to Denver, Colorado to check out Kaleidoscape, an immersive, multimedia installation that brings passengers on an exciting adventure. We learn about sheet music and its fascinating history. With professor Daniel Goldmark as our guide, we look at sheet music cover art and discover more about the popular music industry. Rachelle Eason is excited about art and all that you can do with it. Based in Lakeland, Florida, the artist explores all kinds of mediums and methods in her work. In Houston, Texas, we tour an exhibition focused on the life of Alexander Hamilton. Full of remarkable historical objects and pictures, the exhibit provides a glimpse at one of the most important figures in united states history.

Impact

In this episode, we tour an exhibition of celebrated Tarpon Springs painter, George Inness, Jr. We visit Ten Chimneys historic summer home of Broadway acting legends Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. Poet, author, screenwriter, and educator Terry O’Neal shares her heart and soul with the world, so with every word, she hopes to encourage others. And The Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center hosts cutting edge arts, artists and performances.

Important Legacies

Inspired by the fantasy novel “The Last Unicorn,” Rosine Bena of Sierra Nevada Ballet decided to bring the text to the stage, and created an original ballet based on the work. Taking three years to complete, the ballet was presented in 1989 and 1991, and it returned in 2023 for audiences to enjoy. From an early age, painter Said Oladejo Lawal has been creating art. A life journey that brought him from Nigeria to Columbus, Ohio, today one can find him creating colorful works that overflow with motion and feeling. Author Anne Hillerman is continuing her father Tony Hillerman’s legacy. We travel to new mexico to hear how she’s been developing her father’s stories and the characters he created.

Important Work

Founded in 1983, Stageworks Theater is the longest-running professional theatre in Tampa, Florida. through the plays they present and the arts programming they provide year-round, they strive to eradicate intolerance. With his art, award-winning choreographer Dominic Moore-Dunson examines issues of race and encourages conversation. We meet the artist in Ohio to find out more about his recent work that explores the lives of four black male characters in the wake of police violence. The Rafael Soriano Foundation preserves and honors the legacy of Latin American painter Rafael Soriano. We traveled to Miami, Florida, to hear from the artist’s daughter and get an inside look at the foundation’s archives.