Art Connection

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.

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.

Dreams

Inside the Potentialist Workshop in Reno, Nevada, one will come upon “Upside Down Land,” an 11,000 square foot immersive art installation inspired by bedtime stories. Artist Larken Janson-Tidd loves to experiment. When she creates, she takes chances and explores various media and methods. The Wild Space Gallery in St. Petersburg, Florida, raises awareness about conservation issues. Through art, an appreciation for nature is brought to the fore. In 1998, dancer and choreographer David Shimotakahara founded the contemporary dance company “Groundworks Dancetheater.” with their performances and  events, they have achieved national recognition.

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.

Echoes

This segment takes us behind the scenes during the production of a recent Maryland Public Television musical extravaganza called, Young Artists of America: The Songs of Tim Rice. As you step inside Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Rooms, reflections of dots, colors and light bend reality. Theater students throughout the Reno/Tahoe region learn the finer things of Shakespeare while performing on the beautiful shores of Lake Tahoe. Bernalillo painter Scott Greene examines the impact humans have on the natural world.

Elements of Design

Bestselling mystery writer, Laurie R. King, discusses her multiple series of historical fiction including her latest novel: The Bones of Paris. We take a look at Downton Abbey-era fashions. We travel to Palm Springs, California to discover the roots of Mid-century modern architecture and JW Johnston chats about his passion and focus for photography.

Embrace

In Ohio, the Bach Society of Dayton honors seven centuries of classical and contemporary music. This group of volunteer singers join together and embrace the power of song. The Solace Tree is a non-profit organization that provides a welcoming space for those struggling with grief. Art becomes a means of helping individuals share their feelings. The exhibit “New Industry Contemporary Visions of the Industrial” explores the industrial aesthetic. The show features artwork that reflects on mechanics and the urbanscape. Through her art and activism, Los-Angeles based photographer Dana Gluckstein highlights the indigenous persons living in our world.

Emotions

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Ohio State university dance professor Susan Van Pelt Petry created nineteen videos as a way to process what was going on in the world. In these short pieces, the emotions and challenges of this unprecedented moment in history were explored through dance and movement. For over forty years, multimedia artist David Humphreys has been creating images. From fine art to portraiture to advertising and commercial photography, Humphreys brings his vision to each work he produces. Music chose Siobhan Monique. As an ancestral funk artist, she tells a story with her voice and connects with those that came before her. When she sings, audiences are dazzled.

Empowered

When he was only eleven, countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo began performing professionally. Over the years, he has gone on to perform at the Metropolitan Opera, appear on broadway, and win a grammy. We travel to New Mexico to learn about the painter Henriette Wyeth. As the daughter of acclaimed artist N.C. Wyeth, Henriette began studying art at a young age. Throughout her career, she painted portraits, still lifes, and floral compositions in her own unique way. Nicole King is a jewelry designer in Reno, Nevada. With metal and stone, she creates a wide range of pieces for adornment, and they leave clients feeling empowered and inspired.

Everybody

In celebration of the 150th anniversary of Utah women’s right to vote, students in the state gather together and create art that honors this monumental moment in history. In Islamorada, Florida, artists Glenn and Nadine Lahti render nautical artwork out of lobster trap wood. With nature as their partner, they repurpose what comes out of the water to make one-of-a-kind frames. The Center for Performance Arts and Learning in Wixom, Michigan provides individuals with an inclusive space to explore the arts and its many facets. No matter your background, everyone is invited to express themselves. The classically trained French painter Stephane Cellier melds past and present in his art. Using a technique from the 15th century, he paints eye-catching modern subjects.

Exceptional

Body painting is a different and unique medium. Hear from the body paint factory in Reno, Nevada and see how a human body can be transformed into a work of art. The Addison gallery of American Art in Massachusetts explores Harlem's history, from the artists who documented it to the artists who define it today. In Mount Vernon, Ohio, four generations of one family have been creating handmade, hand-tooled leather goods from carpet bags and purses, to belts and keychains. John Kascht is a renowned caricature artist. He shares how caricature is a specialized form of portraiture that amplifies one's characteristics to find the true essence of a person.

Exceptional

Donna Darby, Historic Hudson Valley Visitor Services Coordinator, gives a tour of Kykuit, the Rockefeller Estate, located in Pocantico Hills, NY / Westchester County just north of New York City. Edmond, OK, painter Reian Williams was selected as the artist featured in the 2017 Oscar swag bags. We go inside his studio to meet the man who wooed Tinsel Town with his emotive realism. Now let's hit the ice, where you'll see skaters combine creativity with athleticism like you've never seen before… check out Michigan Showcase Skating. Meet printmaker Katherine Case of Reno, NV, who creates linoleum carvings. She hand-sets metal type and prints using an antique SP-15 Vandercook proof press; fusing history, art, and textile patterns.

Exceptional Communities

Megan Hallett is an educator in Utah, she leads Family Art Studio, which is a free after school program where families gather to share a meal and make art together, while building a strong community. In this session the families worked on oil pastels to make pet portraits. Part of the class is that the students are involved in the teaching process and show their parents how to draw and paint. We travel to South Lake Tahoe, California, to meet artist and muralist Matt Kauffmann. As the founder and creative director of “Tree Fort Design,” he looks to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary and evokes childlike wonder with his work. At the age of sixteen, artist Jes McMillan made her first mosaic…and today, she shares her knowledge with her community. Through the act of creation, she encourages people to come together and form connections.

Exceptional Creations

Artist Clayton Singleton recognizes the importance of creation. We travel to Norfolk, Virginia and learn more about his technique, inspiration, and striking, colorful works. We meet grand junction, Colorado based woodworker Greg Vigil, who applies his background in anthropology to his one-of-a-kind works of art. Fine art, murals, clothing design, pattern creation…for St. Petersburg, Florida artist Chad Mize, his canvas takes on many different forms and there are no limits to his bold ideas. Glassblowing is a special art form that requires tremendous skill and control. Since college, Nate Freeland has been using this technique to render vibrant, custom pieces.

Exceptionally Ordinary

We visit with Bobbi Mastrangelo who is internationally known for her artwork based on the theme of manhole covers. Artist Joanne Barthelmes takes a walk on her land and explains how she finds inspiration. We take a look at how students from The National Dance Institute of New Mexico are making exciting moves both on the stage and in the classroom. And we meet up with two students at the Columbus College of Art Design who leave inspirational messages on a chalkboard.