Art Connection

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.

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

Bluesman Kenny Neal and his band play the blues for us. Kenny Neal started out following in the footsteps of his father Raful Neal, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but is now a success in his own right. Cedarburg, Wisconsin, architect Tom Kubala finds balance in his life through watercolor paintings. He's not afraid to step outside the boundaries for his art. With a repertory that includes powerful, athletic dances and whimsical, humorous glimpses at the human experience, Jennifer Backhaus of Backhausdance wants audiences to discover the beauty of contemporary dance. Rochester Contemporary Art Center holds an annual community art event called 6x6. They collected thousands of donated 6"x6" artworks from around the globe. This year they collected nearly 6000 artworks.

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.

Distinguished

A.V.A Ballet Theatre is a ballet company dedicated to the art of dance. Located in Reno, Nevada, the company presents memorable performances to audiences in the region. The Kohler Foundation’s Distinguished Guest Series brings an array of artists to the Wisconsin area. From Renee Fleming to Yo-yo ma, the performing arts are cherished and admired. We take a trip to Florida to meet Arlo Haskell, author of the book “The Jews of Key West.” We learn about his experience as a writer and listen to stories about the Jewish community in the Florida Keys. Founded in 2010, Such and Such is a design and fabrication studio based in Cincinnati, Ohio. We meet the artistic team and see how they work together to create something fresh and modern.

Diverse

As she tours the country, concert pianist Lara Downes explores how music can be used to spark conversation and connection. She is also recording an album that celebrates American composer Leonard Bernstein. University High School's Kenneth Rodriguez draws. His goal is to be a graphic artist working in video games and tattoos. A look into Basque Art and Culture. We see Basque paintings and sculptures and learn about how their immigration to America influenced their art. Mohamud Mumin uses his camera to create images he hopes will spark conversation about the immigrant experience in Minnesota. 

Diverse Arts

A traditional Indian dance school celebrates diversity through music and dance. Chesapeake native and artist Elginia McCrary's elongated stylized images embrace moments in time. Special effects artist Rudy Campos transforms people into otherworldly creatures through makeup, prosthetics and air brush. The stories of Florida’s soul musicians.

Down the Rabbit Hole

In this episode, we visit the studio of Baton Rouge artist Mary Lee Eggart who uses artistic symbolism in her elaborate drawings of birds and nature. The Morgan Library & Museum in New York celebrates the 150th Anniversary of the first publication of Alice in Wonderland. We unravel artists Kim Matthew's journey from learning printmaking, which led to paper making, and then to creating sculptures. And we visit special effect artist Ben Peter and discover what it takes to make it in the special effect industry.

Dumpster Diving

A Sacramento, California neighborhood is turning dumpsters into canvases with the local artist exhibition, “Art of the Dumpster.” We hear the sounds of Classical greats such as Chopin and Mozart amidst the dance clubs in South Beach, Florida. Artist Amy Liebrand’s smartphone purchase in 2009 led her to merge her two passions: art and science and we visit Axle Contemporary, a mobile art studio and gallery.

Dynamic

In this segment, we head to Reno, Nevada, to meet artist Cooper Bayt. Combining fire spinning, juggling, and dance, he creates dynamic performances that leave the viewer amazed. The Museum of Graffiti in Florida, presents the graffiti art movement to the public. From the early days to the present day, the museum highlights graffiti’s evolution and impact. Nick Davis is a digital artist who renders computer generated works of art that celebrate African American culture. We take a trip to Florida, to meet the artist and find out more. The exhibit “Art of Native America: the Charles and Valerie Diker Collection” showcases a wide range of Native American works from over fifty North American cultures. We travel to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City for the story.

eARTh

This week, we talk with architect Garrett Finney, who previously designed living quarters for NASA and is now applying his knowledge of “out of this world” living to a vehicle for exploration. Brazilian instillation artist, Lucia Koch, turns ordinary scenery into a place begging to be seen. Ceramic artist, Sara Swink’s, inner child and psyche help her create pieces of visual juxtaposition and Florida gallery owner, Helen Harrison, discovers materials and inspiration from her tropical home.