Art Connection

Mastering the Craft

Corky Bennett, aka “The King of Reno” is a Nevada-based musician and entertainer who loves to play the accordion. With his instrument, he has traveled across the country, delighting audiences for decades. We take a trip to the Bass Museum of Art in Florida to visit the immersive exhibit “Better Nights.” Created by the artist Mickalene Thomas, viewers are able to walk into and experience an interactive three-dimensional work of art. We meet Jim “Dauber” Farr, a hall-of-fame master Pinstriper. For over 40 years, he has been working on his craft, transforming cars into one-of-a-kind customized creations. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, artist Lisa Difranza has been creating sketches as a way to process what is going on in the world. We visit the artist in to find out more about this project.

Memoirs

Jorge Pérez is an art collector. At a young age, he started his collection and has been building it ever since. We head to his contemporary art space “El Espacio 23” in Florida to find out more. We travel to New Mexico to hear from Lois Rudnick, the preeminent scholar on Mabel Dodge Luhan. Luhan was a writer of memoirs. In her work, she gave an intimate look at her life and her battle with depression. Even though the Covid-19 pandemic forced the Fitchburg Art Museum in Massachusetts to temporarily shut its doors, staff and volunteers still found ways to give back to the community. We meet Trey Valentine, a window cartoonist in Reno, Nevada. For various businesses, he creates painted window displays full of color and imagination.

Memorable

We meet the Whiskeybelles, a musical trio from Milwaukee, Wisconsin who blend Country, Bluegrass, Americana, and folk to create their own memorable sound. Kathleen Tesnakis is part of the sustainable fashion movement. A recycling designer based in Troy, New York, she makes clothing and accessories in an eco-friendly way. In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Dance Theatre of Harlem presents performances that acknowledge their past, while also focusing on their present and future. Whether he is depicting pop culture icons, landscapes, or angels, the tool of choice for artist John Schmitz is the airbrush. Since he was 14 years old, he has been using this technique.

Memories

Meet a Houston wood-turner with an emotional connection to his craft. Katherine Reynolds is a neon glass artist in Oklahoma City. She is the founder of Reynolds and Son Neon where she and her son Dustin create stunning signs that light up the city. This short profile features Baltimore-based filmmaker and curator Margaret Rorison’s emotional film about her Grandmother, who is failing due to Alheizmer’s Disease. Filmmaker Caleb Oosterling teamed up with local musician Johnny Maio to create a fun, catchy music video that highlights all that's special about living in Tampa Bay.

Merging

In Ohio, the Weavers Guild of Miami Valley is a nonprofit Organization that embraces handweaving, hand spinning, and the textile arts. At the University of New Mexico, the computer Program Art1 gave artists the opportunity to use technology to render works of art. One of these artists was Frederick Hammersley who made over 150 groundbreaking illustrations in this manner. We take a trip to Reno, Nevada to see how art is being incorporated into the commercial space. Businesses and artists are working together to bring art to the community. Responding to the covid-19 pandemic, artist Talle Bamazi created a series of paintings that visualize the virus and its effect on the world

Mile High Art

We meet a second-generation sculptor who finds peace in constructing elegant metal structures. We tour The Bush-Holley House, an American historical gem. Take a walk through the new Aspen Art Museum in Colorado an architectural space that merits equal - appreciations as the art collection it houses. And we take a look at award-winning playwright August Wilson's life through the making of American Masters "August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand."

Mindset

Meet Austen Brantley, an artist who has molded a hobby of sculpture making into a passion. We get a look inside Greater Orlando C.A.R.E.S. an organization investigating the impact music has on developing minds. We check out a giant inflatable art piece called “Wiggle Giggle Juggle.” And we meet a Nevada based artist with cerebral palsy whose work is an inspiration through perseverance.

Minute to Monumental

We take a tour of St. Louis Art Museum’s new addition with museum director, Brent Benjamin. We check out the recently transformed Sky Train at the Phoenix Airport. Nevada artist, Steve Liguori, gives us a tour of his studio where he mastered sculpting and we take a step into the light-scapes of British artist Bruce Munro.

Mission

A church in suburban South Florida that caters to a 21st century audience from their signature hash tag (#NoPerfectPeopleAllowed) to their impressive social media reach to their rock-concert inspired performances. A look at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and an exhibit that's changing the "face of science.” Get a behind-the-scenes look at the Reno Little Theater in Reno, Nevada and meet technical director and production manager, Chad Sweet. Jeweler Marisa Martinez’s career is marked by her family ties, her Mexican-American heritage, and the women mentors in her life.

Mixed Art

Renowned musician, Bela Fleck, talks about the history of the banjo and his influence on its perception in the general public. Milwaukee artist Jesse Meyer is a self-taught metal sculptor. With a background in metal fabrication, he shifted his artistic focus from industrial to more accessible art. The Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables has once again commissioned artist Dale Chihuly to create stunning installations. In Sacramento, CA, an artist is mixing his visual and musical art forms to create unique works of art.

Mixed Media

As Artist Stephanie Cole puts it, she “paints with stuff.” Glass, wood, fiber… her mixed media constructions explore different aspects of her life. We visit the Fuller Craft Museum in Massachusetts to see an exhibit of her work. As a way to honor their volunteers who help serve food to those in need, the Food Bank of Northern Nevada decided to create a mural that reflects all that they do. We take a trip to Florida to meet with the team behind Key West Pottery. Originated in 2009, the artists Kelly Lever and Adam Russell render a variety of unique styles and designs out of clay. The history of witchcraft and sorcery is a fascinating one, rich with magic and myth. Up next, we meet New Mexico Historian Robert Martinez who speaks about the state’s connection with the occult.

Molded Forms

Photographer Watson Brown captures evocative images of rural North Carolina. PUSH. Physical Theatre, based in Rochester, New York, has taken storytelling to new levels. They’re able to tell rich, powerful stories through physical expression and movement. New Mexico’s Cochiti Pueblo potter Helen Cordero’s renowned storyteller figurines were inspired by her grandfather’s stories. Reno, Nevada based Lisa Kurt uses her dreamlike art to tell stories that involve people, animals, and nature in mysterious settings.

Monoprints

New Mexico artist, Nick Abdalla, creates his works of art like it's a journey with no destination in mind. Creating art that has a certain identification to him, but another to another individual. The students that form The Empire State Youth Orchestra share their thoughts and feelings about how performing in an orchestra shapes them into better human beings. Print artist Jack Pachuta combines ink and colored pencils to create "monoprints" with distinct foregrounds and backgrounds that help him images leap from the page. And we meet artist Sibylle Szaggers Redford who creates multimedia art performances that pay homage to planet Earth.

Motivated

In response to the covid-19 pandemic, artist Melissa Vogley Woods set up a public installation at her home that allowed viewers to connect with art at a safe distance. We travel to New Mexico to meet Gemma New, a New Zealand-born music Director and Conductor known for her vision and expertise. We find out more about her musical journey. We visit the exhibition “Beyond the Cape: Comics and Contemporary Art.” Located at the Boca Raton Museum of Art in Florida, this exhibit features contemporary artists influenced by graphic novels and comic books. With a passion for fashion and design, designer Melissa Michelsen uses the ancient technique of marbling to render vibrant reusable masks. We head to California to find out more.

Moving Forward

After being born, some babies need a helmet to correct the shape of their head. To make the process easier for the child and the parents, Florida-based artist Kelli Sorg transforms this medical device into an artwork. Born in 1944, the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe 2926 steam locomotive ran a million miles before being retired in 1956. Fast forward to today, the new mexico steam locomotive and railroad historical society restored the locomotive to her former glory. We head to the decorative arts center of Ohio to visit the exhibit “Distinctly Paramount: Fashion and Costume from the Paramount Pictures Archive.” on display was a wide assortment of garments from both film and television.

Moving Pictures

Ever wonder how painstakingly precise the art of claymation is? Artist and animator Seth Mittag gives us a closer look. We travel to New York to see the Chagall: Love, War, and Exile exhibit at The Jewish Museum. We get in touch with our inner child with the improv comedy group Go Comedy! and we head to one of the oldest operating cinemas in the United States and learn a thing or two about the days of reel-to-reel projection.

Muse

We visit Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park to meet the team behind a musical that tells the story of Cincinnati, Ohio’s King Records, and to learn more about the theatrical process. Artist Ken Hines creates eye-catching neon signs for his customers. With an array of colors, designs, and styles to choose from, the possibilities are endless. For the impressionist painter Claude Monet, one subject of particular interest was London’s Waterloo Bridge. We get an inside look at an exhibition that features some of these paintings. Drummer and music educator Chad “Chadzilla” Johnson teaches the art of Rock and Roll. We sit in on one of his classes and find out more about his past, his method, and what he hopes for his students.

Musical Connection

Mandi Anderson’s love for music opened up a world she and her family never imagined possible, rewriting the harsh notes that came with a label of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Pastry chef Alon Gontowski of Tampa’s Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, creates confections that look as good as they taste. We go inside artist Toni Lipsey’s home where she turns strands of yard into whimsical creations. And jazz violinist, Jairus Daigle, shares his influences from some of the finest music minds in the world.

Myths & Legends

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science points out that mythic creatures like dragons, mermaids, and chupacabras cultivate conjecture as well as inspire art and culture. Alastair Bruce of Crionaich, the historical advisor for “Downton Abby” on MASTERPIECE, shares how he became involved with films and television. A professional belly dancer shares her passion for dance and her deep desire for belly dance to be more widely accepted. And artist Brian Frederick used salvaged and reclaimed wood to sculpt fish.

Nature Performs

Artist David Adickes talks about his series of mega-heads of state. We meet a multimedia specialist creating an extraordinary view of the world through time lapses. Howard Solomon invites us into his home and gallery, a unique building reminiscent of a medieval castle. And Wisconsin painter Lynn Casper combines realism, detail, and impressionistic touches to her cityscapes, landscapes and historic scenes.