Art Connection

Play By Ear

Fabric artist Kate dePara demonstrates how she threads together her passion for textile creation with design to create a series of unique garments. Muralist and painter, Geeta Dave, who draws inspiration from her Indian heritage, brings a fierce passion to her art, her teaching, and her community. We sit down with violinist Regina Carter, who unlocks the past with every note she plays. And we visit "In Blank We Trust," an exhibit that addresses the complex nature of money and its relationship to art.

Poetry in Motion

“Walking with words” is a collaborative exhibition in which humanity, community, inclusivity, and diversity are celebrated. Graphic Design Students from the University of Dayton got together to visualize the poetry of artist Sierra Leone. The organization “Regional Dance America” supports the future of dance by giving dancers the opportunity to excel. In 2022, they selected Reno, Nevada, to host their Pacific Festival, which welcomed dancers from various regional companies and included programming that inspired. Next, we take a trip to Ohio to hear about the screen-printed poster show “Prints and Pints.” This annual event pairs twelve local artists with twelve breweries to create special posters that are then sold to members of the community.    

Portrait

The exhibit “The Neighbors: Slide Shows for America” presents photographic slide shows from five different artists that focus on the communities that make up America. In Berea, Ohio, people gather together by the train tracks to watch, photograph, and admire the trains that come and go. These train enthusiasts appreciate the art and technology behind these incredible machines. For muralist and graffiti artist El Mac, public spaces are his canvas and his monumental artworks have a powerful impact. We take a trip to Miami, Florida, to meet the artist. We meet the artists behind the Love sculpture located in front of Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, Nevada. This large-scale aluminum artwork shines as a beacon of hope during challenging times.

Possibilities

A woman who is passionate about life drawing and painting sees her art as a way to focus and re-direct her thoughts towards the positive appreciation of beauty. 4th Wall Theatre Company creates a safe space for people of all abilities to learn and practice performing arts…kids and adults sing, dance and act while gaining confidence and learning important social skills. Meet Gailmarie Pahmeier, one of 2016’s honorees into the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame. Experience the poetry and other works of this highly-recognized creative writer and teacher. The Orlando Museum of Art hosts a quarterly event, "Yoga in the Galleries" in collaboration with College Park Yoga. The couple that runs the studio discuss the impact of art on a yoga practice. 

Powerful Experiences

With her camera, photographer Megan Wynne explores the maternal experience and the powerful relationship between mother and child. In Sparks, Nevada, Sarah and Jason Harrell love to decorate for halloween. With originality, they bring their ideas to life and adorn their home with creatures, lights, and pumpkins. We travel to Tampa Bay, Florida, to meet artist and teacher Junior Polo. In addition to painting and sculpting, he gives back to the community through teaching and shares important skills and methods with his students. We get a look at the exhibit “The Salem Witch Trials: Reckoning and Reclaiming” at the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts. On view are an assortment of artifacts that date to this moment in history.

Powerful Words

Artist David Blondell combines his two passions, using his artistic skills to recreate some of sports most memorable moments. See how artist Jera Rose Petal Lodge melds metal into wearable art. Take a behind the scenes look at "Louis & Keely 'Live' at the Sahara," a musical play about the legendary music duo. And teacher Erin Gruwell shares "Stories from an Undeclared War" the real life chronicle of 150-at-risk students whose lives changed with the power of the written word.

Practice and Caring

In his workshop in Athens, Ohio, acclaimed luthier Don Macrostie creates mandolins. Having studied the instrument for decades, he makes each one by hand and uses his immense knowledge and skill to produce an incredible sound. We travel to Florida to hear from artist Dean Mitchell. Whether it be a landscape, still life, or figurative work, when he paints, he draws from the challenging experiences of his youth and examines the world we live in. Janina Marie Fuller is the author of “The Gecko in the Bathtub.” In it, she includes stories about her many encounters with different types of animals. We head to Louisiana to learn more about the book and the writer’s love of nature.

Preservation

Jim Deyoung is the senior conservator at the Milwaukee Art Museum in Wisconsin. In his role, he preserves artwork from around the world, so that it can be appreciated for years to come. Formed in 1971, M Ensemble Company is the longest running African American professional theater company in Florida. They bring impactful stories to the stage for audiences. We visit the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts to see an exhibit focused on women’s groundbreaking influence on fashion and design. We meet artist Lea Gray. Inspired by nature, she transforms paper into realistic, intricate sculptures of plants and flowers. We travel to the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Ohio to see an exhibition of her art.

Providing a Path

Visit an exhibit that features portraits of older, transgender and gender non-conforming individuals whose lives have been marked by both hardship and joy. The arts conservatory for teens provides an exciting arts education for youth in the Tampa Bay, Florida area. In Detroit, Michigan a program brings music to those suffering with mental health challenges. The Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory in Denver, Colorado stands as a concrete architectural marvel and features hundreds of exotic plants from around the world.

Providing Opportunities

At the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company in Ohio, dancers can fully be themselves. Founded in 1968 to create opportunities for dancers of color, this historic company supports diversity and inclusion. We take a look back to when the company celebrated its 50th anniversary. The Reno Street Art Project allows people to virtually explore the art scene in Reno, Nevada. Using virtual reality technology, this immersive experience provides 360 degree views of a variety of murals. We take a trip to Tampa, Florida, to meet poet and educator Liz Prisley who performs spoken word. Combining her words with her voice, she performs for the community and speaks her truth.

Pumpkin Heads

Meet Mark Gunter, a Sacramento fashion photographer who is capturing "the look" on runways across the county. Follow filmmaker Alicia J. Rose as she rehearses and films her short film "A Gift of Gravity." Artist Catalina Delgado Trunk explores mythologies from pre-Colombian Mexico and shares her inspiration form its food, traditions, and language. And artist Deane Arnold creates fantastic 3D creations of fleshy faces on pumpkins.

Purpose

Can a book have a second life? In the hands of Troy, Ohio artist Kyleen Greene it can. She takes books of all shapes and sizes and repurposes them into eye-catching paper sculptures. Artist Bassmi of Clearwater, Florida, shares how meditation influences his abstract paintings and how a chance encounter with a famous artist inspired him to pursue his passion. Sculpture Milwaukee is an annual free, outdoor urban art experience where sculpture artists from around the world showcase their works along Wisconsin Avenue, which runs through the heart of downtown Milwaukee. Albuquerque’s innovative “We Are This City” builds community.

Radiance

Today we go inside the Milwaukee Art Museum and explore their gallery dedicated to light-based media and the featured exhibition of the work of late documentary photographer Larry Sultan. We dig deeper into the life of Italian immigrant Marino Auriti and his seven-foot high architectural model called "The Encyclopedic Palace." We travel to New Mexico to make artifacts with ceramicist Jami Porter Lara. And artist Julie Wiegand displays her devotion to capturing the beauty of the Missouri River landscape with oil paint and canvas.

Reaching New Heights

We sit down with a cabaret performer whose content is physics and other sciences. Author Richard Russo’s career reached new heights in 1993 with his third novel Nobody’s Fool. A film adaptation that starred Paul Newman a year later helped make the fictional town of North Bath, NY dear to many. Artist Lisa Scholder helps to heal the visible and emotional wounds of female cancer survivors through body paint. We talk with Kelsey Rose Young and Katherine Greene with the Detroit tap repertory. These tappers are keeping the beat with their feet while they perform around the city.

Recognition

For the Holidays, the Reno Philharmonic put on their annual concert called Spirit of the Season."In addition to an orchestral performance, audiences in Nevada were able to enjoy singing, dancing, and so much more. Earl James designs and makes blown glass objects. He's been working in his Cleveland, Ohio studio since 1990, and for the past few years, he’s created glass sculptures for the recipients of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards.The Avery Fisher Career Grant awards give assistance and recognition to emerging instrumentalists full of great potential. In 2023, one of the recipients was Bokyung Byun, a guitarist who interprets music in a way that is very much her own.

Reflection

The Colorado Ballet troupe artistically represents one of the darkest periods in human history. In Texas, artist Dixie Friend Gay is making the airport a calmer place…one mosaic at a time. We learn how Renaissance man, Dougie Padilla, finds his inspiration and inner peace and we take a look at how artist Richard Birkett turns trash into treasures.

Reflections

 The African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists, otherwise known as AfriCOBRA, was founded in 1968. We meet one of the co-founders of the movement, Wadsworth Jarrell. Gordon Campbell is an aerial photographer. From above, he captures the impressive landscapes of the eastern shore with his camera. In Utah, the exhibit “Up Close and Far Away” at the Springville Museum of Art allowed students to artistically reflect on their experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic. We travel to the Florida Keys to see the sculpture “Red Nun.” Designed by multidisciplinary artist James Emerson, viewers are invited to step inside and become part of the artwork.

Refurbished

In this episode of Art Connection we will take a look at Dominque Martinez’s successful scrape sculpture company, visit with Ukrainian music professor and composer Virko Baley. We’ll get an in depth look at Gary Myers paintings and see the masterful refurbishments of the men behind Twenty1Five.

Remarkable

For over 90 years, the Cass Tech Harp and Vocal Program in Detroit, Michigan has been teaching its students an array of music and providing a space for them to express themselves. We travel to Englewood, Colorado to get an inside look at Natura Obscura, an engaging nature-focused arts experience that encourages exploration and discovery. Hans Hofmann was an artist and teacher whose vivid canvases influence individuals to this day. We visit the Peabody Essex museum in Salem, Massachusetts to see some of his striking works. At Peppermill Resort Properties in Nevada, guests will have the opportunity to view videos taken from around the world. In these hotels, video screens display landscapes, culture, and wildlife from all seven continents.

Remembrance

Robert Frank was a documentary photographer who captured 1950’s America with his camera lens. Entitled “The Americans,” his pivotal photo-book contained eighty-three photos that showed what society was like at that time. We take a trip to Reno, Nevada, to find out more about Reno Public Market. In addition to retail shops and a food hall, the market will host an art collective and have space for artists to create and show their work to the community. Abstract artist Glenyse Thompson depicts conversation through colors and lines. In her symbolic paintings and drawings, she expresses the wonders of human interaction. Near the Utah state capitol, there is a monument that pays tribute to the courageous women who fought for equal voting rights. In its design, the sculpture conveys the fight for suffrage.