Art Connection

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.

Impressions

Founded in 1954, the Sacramento Ballet in California has made a lasting impact on the world of dance. We get a behind the scenes look at how a ballet is choreographed for the stage. Scratchboard Art dates back to the 19th century. A form of direct engraving, the artist creates by scratching through a surface coated with black ink to reveal a layer of white below. Based in Reno, Nevada, American Duchess is a company that creates historically accurate shoes. From the 1700s to the 1940s, a multitude of past styles and designs come to life in the modern day. We travel to Tampa, Florida to meet Adam Goldberg, a pet photographer. With his camera, he takes adorable photographs of animals and encourages pet rescue and adoption.

In Another's Shoes

Identical twin brothers Eric and Anthony McGriff discuss their musical influences, their compositions and how they are helping their community with their music. We take a private tour of the late Laureen Landau’s studio with curator D. Neath. Animator David Tart gives us some tips and tricks on how to bring an animated character to life and we take a look at Christopher Steele’s extensive penny scale collection.

Influence

We visit artist Barbara Sorensen whose main artistic focus is the relationship between humans, nature, and the growth that happens within ourselves and in the world around us. We explore over sixty years of Jewish influence in rock and roll music at the “Jew Who Rock” exhibit. Iraqi-born poet, Dunya Mikhail discusses how her past and new life in America has impacted her work and a daytime super couple recast themselves as authors.

Ingenuity

In Tampa, Florida photographers Matt Larson and Rebecca Sexton Larson don’t operate your typical gallery space. Rather, they offer workshops, create art, and inspire others in a 23-foot airstream travel trailer. We travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to witness a sacred artistic tradition. For a week, Tibetan monks ceremoniously constructed and dismantled a sand mandala in city hall. Embracing her culture and heritage, artist Chela Lujan practices the art of beadwork. We head to La Junta, Colorado to see how she makes meaningful pieces of jewelry with beads. From a very young age, Yvette walker Dalton from Dayton, Ohio has been an artist. We hear about her time in the art world, her long and significant career, and how her art continues to thrive in her retirement.

Initiative

Find out how artist Steven Spathelf made it his mission to add color to the town of Dunedin, Florida through public murals. Jazz pianist Ellis Marsalis Jr. and his six sons are regarded by many as New Orleans’ first family of jazz. In 2011 they were named the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters, Ellis Marsalis spoke with us. The corset has a long history. Designer Larissa Boiwka has made it her business to bring this stiff undergarment out from under the shadows of confinement and give it a chance to sparkle on the outside. A young boy’s endless interest in collecting objects of art blossomed into a full-time obsession with sharing art with as many people and in as many places as possible. Kim Martindale and the LA Art show.

Inner Creativity

Fashion designer Christian Micheal Shuster draws inspiration from military history, sometimes even from the battlefield itself. We sit down with Marie Romero Cash as she expands on traditional Hispanic arts in New Mexico. We go inside some classrooms in Cleveland, Ohio where teachers have added a fourth “R” to the traditional curriculum of reading, writing and arithmetic. The Rumba! And Eddie Osborne delivers lectures on African Linguistic Retention and composes music using his own handcrafted African instruments. 

Innovate

Blindworm Guitars is a shop that makes inventive custom instruments. We learn more about the inspiration and technique behind these incredible creations. Otto Piene was a German American artist who focused on Kineticism and technology in his works. We visit the Fitchburg Art Museum in Massachusetts to find out more.The Educational Theatre Association in Cincinnati, Ohio wishes to give students the space and time to explore the art of theater. At the University of Nevada, Reno, there is a stairwell entirely covered in graffiti. Located in the James Edward Church Fine Arts building, the stairwell provides a place for people to express themselves through this artform.

Innovation

In Colorado Springs, Colorado One comes across an English Tudor-style castle called Glen Eyrie. Built in the early 1870s, the estate is rich with history, architectural splendor, and archaeological discovery. We visit the Cleveland Museum of Art to learn more about contact sheets. An important component of 20th century photography, these sheets display all images from a roll of film and allow a glimpse into the artist’s method. Artist Teresa Melendez practices the art of Native American beadwork. Since the age of 15, she has been creating eye-catching designs full of color and creativity. We meet the creative team behind Rebel Nell, a social enterprise based in Detroit, Michigan that designs one-of-a-kind graffiti jewelry.

Innovation

New York Florist Lewis Miller colors the city streets with thrilling pop-up floral arrangements. Started in 2016, these “flower flashes” exude joy, beauty, and spontaneity. We visit Williamsburg, Virginia, to meet culinary historian and author Michael Twitty. In his work, he explores African American foodways and the role that food has played throughout history and across cultures. High Desert Harmony Chorus embraces the art of a cappella. Undaunted by the pandemic, this group of singers has found ways to continue to use their voices to make something magical. Interactive Initiative is a non-profit organization that gives artists the chance to create interactive artwork in the digital space. We hear about their new phone application “Tropi” that highlights local artists.

Innovators

Meet Melissa Janda whose has a passion for glass and painting have lead to a true love of glass artistry. We discover how an artist creates her own little worlds within our own. We take a tour of the Atwater Brewery in Detroit, Michigan and learn how endless the possibilities of a good brew really are and we watch performance painter, Brian Olsen, use his fingers, arms and elbows to bring portraits to life right before our eyes.

Inside the Mind

Across the state of Ohio one will find the fascinating remains of medieval texts. Desiring to explore this complex history, The Ohio State University’s rare books and manuscripts library exhibited over one hundred manuscript items. We travel to the American Folk Art Museum in New York City to learn about Lonnie Holley, a contemporary artist based in Atlanta. As part of the exhibit “Material Witness,” some of Holley’s work was on display and his creative collaboration with materials examined. We take a trip to Sarasota, Florida, to get a behind-the-scenes look at “Clowns Like Me,” a one-man show that examines what it’s like living with mental illness.

Insight

At the Columbus museum of Art in Ohio, the biennial exhibit “Art in Bloom” showcases floral designs by artists inspired by the museum’s collection. We head to Florida to meet digital artist Michaela Oteri. In her artwork, she represents the disabled and LGBTQ+ communities and gives them a voice. We visit the exhibit “Writing the Future: Basquiat and the Hip-Hop Generation.” Located at the Museum of Fine Arts in Massachusetts, the show shines a light on the post-graffiti movement and the pivotal role Jean-Michel Basquiat played in its development. Ali Armstrong is a wildlife artist and activist. In 2014, she started “Scarce,” an art series that raises awareness for endangered species. We travel to the Reno-Tahoe area to meet the artist.

Inspiration from the Past

We travel to Tampa Bay, Florida to learn more about a singular type of pottery made in prehistoric times. Through this art, we are able to gain an understanding of a past culture. We sit in on a music therapy session and find out how this universal language helps the human mind and spirit. Colorado-based artist Scott Hildebrandt, aka Mister Christmas, builds magical, miniature worlds. In repurposing vintage and antique items, he creates playful, special scenes on a very small scale. In Norfolk, Virginia, artist Spencer Tinkham sculpts wood. With an appreciation for biodiversity and the environment, he carves natural materials into an array of animals.

Inspirations from the Past

Gary Hovey didn’t let life’s hardships get in the way of his true passion, welding. He takes everyday kitchen utensils and creates fascinating sculptures based on the things he enjoys most: wildlife, welding, and humor. Gadu Doushin moved from his native Japan to study engineering at the University of Minnesota in the early 1990s. But his true passion was dance. He now performs Butoh, a Japanese performance art born in the 1950s.  Andrea Durfee is a watercolor artist based in Rochester, NY. She incorporates figures in her landscapes and channels stories of mythology as her inspiration. Lastly, we visit a mathematical optical illusion artist.

Inspire

Artist T. Eliott Mansa’s solo exhibition “For Those Gathered in the Wind” gives viewers the space to contemplate mourning and loss. with his monochromatic assemblages, he uses found materials to reflect on important topics in the world today. We head to New Mexico to meet artist Danielle Rae Miller. When seeing Miller’s work, it is clear that nature is her source of inspiration as she evokes the many species that thrive outdoors. With the help of her daughter, author S.R.D Darris writes books for children. recognizing the importance of representation, the pair tell stories that uplift, inspire, and leave an impact. 

Inspired

The Heckscher Museum of Art is a Long Island gem. The institution showcases an extraordinary work by dada artist George Grosz and its annual 'Long Island's Best Young Artists' exhibit. John F. Emery draws his inspiration from his childhood, where exploring his grandparents long forgotten trunks inspired a passion for creating watercolor on three-dimensional formed paper. In a collaborative space in downtown San Antonio, musicians, producers and music entrepreneurs are gathering to build the San Antonio music scene. Although milliner Karen Morris uses the motto “simple is good” to guide her work, the making of her hats is anything but. 

Inspired Drive

The Nevada Ballet Theatre gives us a sneak peek at their "studio series," where the audience can interact with the dancers themselves. Meet August Powers, a copper sculptor from the Florida Keys who combines fire and metal to create sculptures inspired by the wilderness that surrounds him. Writer and filmmaker, Mark Bailey, shares true tales of celebrity hijinks, Hollywood history, and movie-star mayhem. And season two Project Runway winner, Chloe Dao, discusses the art of her designs and what it takes to put together a fashion show.

Inspiring and Healing

College sweethearts John and Marcia Koverman are passionate about the arts. Learn how veterans, their loved ones, and volunteers create art out of military uniforms through a lengthy but therapeutic process made possible by Combat Paper Nevada. Wildwood School located in Schenectady, New York, provides education for students with complex learning disabilities. Lastly, we go to Utah where Repertory Dance Theatre inspires and encourages students to learn about the benefits and history of dance.

Inspiring Moments

We sit down with a band who is thriving in the Cuban Music scene, with a style that has a west coast flair. Meet artist Jeremy Johnson who uses remains from humane sources, to explore the natural world with techniques of taxidermy. Visit a one-night experimental art event on Historic 25th Street in Ogden, Utah. Students from Weber State University created sculptures which incorporated light as a central design element. Also, over the span of her lifetime, Maya Angelou inspired others to think about and share their stories and history. In that same spirit, literary organizations Gemini Ink and Second Verse are working with local students to learn life lessons from poetry.