Art Connection

art connection

Past Episodes

Creatures

Meet endearing doll-sized creatures reminiscent of cast-off children’s toys and ill-conceived taxidermy experiments. An Arizona man uses his engineering skills and the connection he has with his brother to create custom wheelchairs. We visit the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum with a redesigned permanent exhibition “A New Deal for a New Generation” and we meet an artist whose canvas is the face.

Creole Jamboree

Cedric Watson shares his love of Creole music and reveals some of the struggles that come with being a full-time musician, despite four Grammy nomination. We take a look at the first war to be fought and represented by contemporary artists, World War I. Anna Skibska describes her work with glass as storytelling. We learn more about her approach in an exhibit titled Reveries at the Loveland Museum. And we visit the Bowne & Co. printing company in New York City.

Cross Currents

We stop by the “Cross Currents” exhibit in Denver, where Native American artists address the conflict of safeguarding tradition in the face of change. We meet Lisa Frasier, a newsroom illustrator that is looking for a change in pace. We drop by Portland, Oregon, where a young painter is making a name for herself and we chase down mystery and intrigue with the legendary Sherlock Holmes.

Crossfade

We head to the Denver Art Museum to explore an exhibition celebrating the work of Mark Rothko and other abstract expressionists called Figure to Field: Mark Rothko in the 1940s. We learn more about a legend in the music business, Henry Stone, who co-founded the indie giant “TK Records.” If you think disco is his only success story, think again. Screenwriter Matthew McDuffie shares the importance of storytelling. And we visit The Rockwell Museum in New York, which holds one of the largest collections of Western American and Native American art in the eastern part of the United States.

Cultural Dance

Traditional dance is an important part of Native American culture. In this episode, we explore the meaning, history, and regalia of three unique Native American dances. We travel through an exhibition of women’s work uniforms from the last century, showcasing the changes in costume. We visit a family in Detroit that’s taking on urban gardening. And we see how body painting artist, Sandra Artist, breathes life into her imaginative creations.

Culture Behind The Arts

Today we follow Grammy winning composer Gabriela Frank, tour the set and meet the actors and directors behind the mini-series The Hollow Crown. Meet the Northeast Ohio painter, Don Harvey and discuss his painting principles. Finally we'll introduce a unique partnership that brings farmers and artist together.

Cuppa Joe

Veteran journalist Carl Hoffman believes he's solved one of the great mysteries of the 20th century, and it all began with a love for art. Learn the artistic process that goes into creating the perfect cup of coffee from the craft roasters and baristas of Buddy Brew Coffee. When Kathy Barnard turned her attentions from wood to glass, the results were amazing and now where work can be seen around the world. And take a look inside the studio of cartoonist Mason Mastroianni and his touching family story.

Dance for Health

Meet Beryl Colbert, a dancer and business owner of St. Petersburg, Florida, who is aiming to inspire children to live a healthy and active lifestyle through dance. A Sacramento photographer captures fellow artists in a new light. The Boston Symphony Orchestra is now under the reign of Andris Nelsons as he presided over a concert built around his identity. And Bill Cohen, a journalist and musician, spent more than 40 years reporting for Ohio's public radio and television stations. Today he uses his voice through music and song.

Dancin Shoes

It’s been thirty-five years since the Pulitzer Prize winning comic novel “A Confederacy of Dunces” was published. We take a look at the journey the book has been through during its long publication. We visit The Broadway Dance Lab in NYC, a place where choreographers can test different styles with the resources they need to bring their visions to life. We go inside artist Kurt Seaberg’s studio to see how he uses lithography to transform landscapes into works of art. And several graffiti artists turned muralists are transforming the face of Reno, Nevada’s Midtown district.

Dazzling

We take a trip to New Mexico to hear about a family who worked at the locomotive repair shops in Albuquerque. Through photographs, their powerful story is told and a shared immigrant history is revealed. Artist Rebecca Louise Law’s installation “The Archive” is made up of thousands of flowers that seem to float in the air. Located at the Cleveland Public Library in Ohio, the dazzling exhibition was made possible through the efforts of the local community. We meet singer-songwriter Leah Sutter. Born and raised in the Florida keys, her home has played a big part in shaping who she is as a musician.

Decades

For decades, “The Simpsons” has been delighting viewers around the world. In celebration of the animated series, the Trout Museum of Art in Appleton, Wisconsin, exhibited memorable artwork from the show. Combining Reggae, Hip-Hop, and R&B, artist Greg Gutty has created a sound that is very much his own. With his music, he hopes to uplift and inspire. We head to Dayton, Ohio, to learn about the city’s strong connection to aviation history. As a way to honor this heritage, a series of striking murals were commissioned for the public to appreciate.

Dedication

The Amenda Quartet is a group from Rochester, New York that is dedicated to performing all of Beethoven's many string quartets. Aspen, Colorado, artist Tania Dibbs explores humanity’s complicated relationship with nature though her artistic works in oil and encaustic painting, and sculpture. The exhibition called "Stories of a Workforce" celebrates the people who built the Houston Ship Channel as it celebrates 100 years as a deep-water port. Discover how, in his quest to show the world something different, artist Gerry Simpson has done acting, singing, modeling, fashion design, and more – and is now helping kids tap into their creative gifts.

Defy Expectations

Neo-classical rock star organist Cameron Carpenter, made his own instrument and when he performs he defies the traditional views of organ players. Central Florida's Chris Scala likes to break rules. He expresses his creativity through many different art forms...From stone sculptures to underwater art. Several of the nation's top muralists descend upon the walls of Circus Circus Casino in Downtown Reno to slug it out in a 24-hour mural marathon. Throughout her life, Russian-born Cincinnati artist Ivanka Lempitsky collected small knick-knacks. Today she is turning those found objects into fine jewelry.

Designer Labels

Watch as an animal shelter is transformed into a gallery space. Paws N' Claws for Art is a regular collaboration in which artworks sold will benefit the two participating non-profits. The makers of HE'BREW craft beer find art in beer labels and craft in the brews at Shmaltz Brewing Company. Meet Sacramento-based fashion designer Maisha Bahati, who is creating timeless pieces for today's fashionistas. And see how the finest fabrics and embroidery from years passed find another chance by being transformed by designer Rebecca Vizard.

Determination

The Artists Biennial at the Museum of Wisconsin Art has an array of artworks. The exhibition provides participating artists with the opportunity to present their creations to the public. Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, the spirit of many arts communities has failed to diminish. We head to Reno, Nevada to find out how artists continue to create in these difficult times. We travel to Key Largo, Florida to meet artist Caroline Guyer who makes eye-catching leather masks. Inspired by animals, Guyer transforms leather into wearable art. Eddie Mormon started painting at a very young age. Since then, he has created a multitude of impressionist works. We head to Louisiana to hear from the artist.

Determined

At the Bass Art Museum, Harold Koda shows viewers the Vanitas Exhibit and what happens when death and fashion collide with fine art. Photographer Ackeem Salmon transferred from Jamaica to Detroit and just had to get into the city’s premier art school, the Detroit School of Arts. We check out Ackeem as he undertakes his largest project to date. Drones take to the skies over Houston and offer a new perspective on urban intersections. The Think360 Arts for Learning organization in Denver sponsors the Institute for Creative Teaching where teachers discover ways to integrate arts-based techniques into their classes.

Different

Colombia native and Tampa Bay magician Cesar Domico shares his path to mastering the art of magic through humor and illusion. The city of Columbus, Ohio recently commissioned Santa Fe artist Terry Allen to create and install a couple of whimsical human-like deer sculptures along the banks of the downtown riverfront. Vi Tran's autobiographical play tells the story of his family’s journey from Vietnam to Western Kansas and how Vi has used the opportunity to contribute significantly to our music and theater scenes. Discover the healing power of hearing and creating music.

Dimensions

Maps may be a victim to digital advancements but Ed Fairburn makes them into something outstanding once more. We get a sneak peek at choreographer Justin Peck's work, "Heatscape," part of the Miami City Ballet's Open Barre series. Peck discusses the South Florida connections with the piece. Stephen Locke knows exactly where and when he got the storm chasing bug. Locke spends more than six months a year pursuing super cells, from which he creates magnificent time-lapse videos. For more than four decades, an organization known as "Tuba Christmas," led by Professor Tucker Jolly, has been serenading audiences around the world with holiday classics.

Discovering Your Craft

Meet James Gulliver Hancock, an artists attempting to draw all the buildings in New York City. Discover the golden age of Jazz music and it’s leap to Broadway. Witness a group of teachers taking art education into their own hands and Graham Nash introduces us to his love of photography.

Discover Your Path

Lisa Friedrich began her work with gunpowder and smoke in college. She is constantly experimenting and trying to be as flexible and as unpredictable as the gunpowder itself. Robin and Julia Rogers discuss their work as individual artists, collaborators and how having a family has shaped not only their personal lives but their work as glass blowers. Repertory Dance Theatre has been revolutionizing the dance scene in Utah since 1966 and through their education programs, they are able to teach students the benefits and history of dance. WUCF Artisodes celebrates Student Artist McKenzie Fitzgerald from Hagerty High School.