Art Connection

Art & Adversity

Up until 14 years ago, Chuck Weber spent his days in an office. Today we learn what drove him back to his art. Melvin Charles discusses his childhood inspiration and his dream of seeing the Black American Heritage Flag raised at City Hall. We attend the Bonhams Motorcycle Auction along the Vegas strip and we see the most complete collections of early American décor.

Art and Grace

Bonsai is a Japanese art form that has been around for centuries. Since the 1970's, the Milwaukee Bonsai Society has celebrated the tradition and artistry of bonsai. In Colorado, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts tells a variety of stories on stage. We go behind the curtain to see how costumes are made for their productions. Lorielle J. Hollaway wanted to create a bookstore where children could learn about the world and be inspired. And she did just that. We go to St. Petersburg, Florida, to check out her bookstore, cultured books. If one enters the doors of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Dayton, Ohio, they will get to experience the Casavant organ. Dedicated in 1963, the pipe organ contributes to the church's strong musical history.

Art and Joy

During the Covid-19 pandemic, over fifty artists in Reno, Nevada, collaborated on an uplifting song and music video for the city. We get a behind the scenes look at how this special project developed and the impact it's had. Louisiana Public Broadcasting’s educational puppet series “Ziggy’s Arts Adventure” explores the magical world of art. In each episode, viewers are taken on an exciting journey, learning important artistic and academic concepts. The Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus seeks to preserve the culture, music, and history of Ukraine. By sharing the bandura instrument with people across the globe, the group keeps the rich musical traditions of Ukraine alive.

Art and Science

Every year during the holiday season, an origami holiday tree is displayed at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Volunteers from origami USA fold paper into a variety of inventive designs to decorate the tree. Jordan Wong, aka Wongface, is a graphic designer, illustrator, and artist. His artwork is full of imagination, whimsy, and movement. We travel to the Akron Art Museum in Ohio to view his outdoor exhibition “The 10,000 Things.” In Reno, Nevada, artist Kathryn Howard demonstrates how making soap is both an art and a science. She handcrafts one-of-a-kind bars of soap with care and attention. We meet watercolor artist Arthur Dillard. Based in Bradenton, Florida, we find out how he went from being an engineer to a professional artist who has exhibited across the country.

Art & Culture

New Mexico artist, Thomas Vigil, is pursuing a harmony between culture, religion and his love for art. Project row houses, an arts organization in Houston, Texas, has had a positive impact on the lives of people in the city's third ward. The artist Jeff Donaldson was one of the founders of a Chicago-based group, Africobra. An exhibit, “Jeff Donaldson–dig,” at the Akron art museum reveals his lifelong commitment for equality. Refugee artist Mohammed Hanif Esmaty, who is newly resettled in Dayton, Ohio, paints images of his afghan homeland from memory.

Art Cultures

For more than two decades, Clyde Morgan has led SUNY Brockport students in learning about, not only African dance but also its culture. From stage to your living room, "Live from Lincoln Center" brings the best of Broadway home with the thought provoking Tony Award-winning “Falsettos.” Since 2005, the Jafagirls are best known for practicing craft activism, like their yarn bombs – a type of street art that uses colorful displays of yarn rather than paint or chalk to make a statement. Baton Rouge artist Randell Henry takes great pride in his ability to merge varying colors and textures that some people feel don’t go together. He talks about challenging the norm.

Art for Everyone

All year round, the Art in Public Places initiative in Coral Gables, Florida, brings art to the public space. walking through the city, one comes across an array of world-class pieces. The Massachusetts College of Art and Design has opened a gallery in Boston called “Massart SOWA." Members of the school’s graduate programs present their art in this new setting. The Audubon Mural Project is a public art initiative that brings awareness to the many species of birds threatened by climate change. With the help of local artists, murals of these at-risk birds appear in New York City. For many years, painter Jake Fernandez has been working on the Myakka Fork Project, which highlights the Myakka wilderness in Sarasota, Florida. We meet the artist and learn more about his creative process

Artistic Fashion

Andrew Bolton, curator of the costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art guides us through this year's exhibit "Punk: Chaos to Couture." Giles Clement practices the antique craft of wet plate photography. The Museo de las Americas presents The Legacy Project, curated by Maruca Salazar and we will reveal the identity of the man who drew Captain America.

Artistic Language

We visit the Columbus Museum of Art in Ohio where collaboration with designer Heidi Kambitsch creates an imaginative space where children and adults are invited to play dress-up. Choreographer Rulan Tagen sits down with Hakim Bellamy and explains how dance is more than an art form, but a language with a history. Las Vegas journalist Matt O’Brien and photographer Daniel Robert Mollohan come together to capture the struggles of the city’s homeless and we visit students at Art Night Live in Utah’s Granite School District.

Artistic Path

Kids from Wisconsin is a training program for young adults interested in the performing arts. Since its founding, they have performed for over 10 million audience members across Wisconsin and the Midwest. We take a look back to when they celebrated their 50th anniversary. We learn about the art of the Ukrainian Easter Egg. Known as “Pysanka,” artists transform an egg into a canvas full of colorful, complex design. We take a trip to Ohio to learn more about this important cultural tradition. The exhibition “Cuban Pathways” tells the stories of those who traveled to and from Cuba over the last 500 years. Located at the Tampa Bay History Center in Florida, it explores the connection between Tampa and Cuba. 

Artist’s Voice

At the Punto Urban Art Museum, art is presented outdoors. Located in the “El Punto” neighborhood in Salem, Massachusetts, the public is able to appreciate over 70 large scale murals by international and local artists. We head to St. Petersburg, Florida, to meet artist Angus Macaulay. With his expressive abstract paintings, he evokes feelings of comfort and tranquility. Formed in 1997, Reno Taiko Tsurunokai is a traditional Japanese drumming group. Based in Reno, Nevada, this talented ensemble plays music and brings Japanese culture to audiences in the area. The Museum of Catholic Art and History in Columbus, Ohio, exhibits religious artworks and artifacts. We find out more about the museum and its recent move to a new location. 

Artist Takeover

Meet Suzy Taylor, a Watch as a potter from New York creates ceramics that catch your eye from a distance and draw you in with their intricate and unique glazes. Visit downtown Reno, Nevada as local artists’ takeover and display a wide variety of sculptures. The Florida Brewing Company offers their walls to muralists to create unforgettable works of art. And artist Marlene Lewis creates paintings that reflect her fascination with color, form, and the human figure.

Art Legacies

Take a look at “Phoenix,” a monumental project by Chinese contemporary artist Xu Bing, which is installed at The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in NYC. We learn insights into the appraisal process from certified antiques appraiser Barbara J. Eash. Then, gutsy, talented and one of the boys… Patsy Cline left a legacy despite her early death. Bringing her story to the screen became a labor of love for producer Barbara Hall. And we travel to San Antonio, TX for CineFestival, the oldest Latino film festival in the US.

Art Makers

Colorado Springs artist JD Sell turns Polaroid photos into intriguing screen prints, working with Denver high school students who looked at their own neighborhoods with fresh eyes, developing a sense of place. Philippe de Montebello interviews Dr. Anne-Imelda Radice, Executive Director of the American Folk Art Museum in New York City. Lebanese graphic artist Pascal Zoghbi and Houston graffiti artist DUAL come together to create a cross-cultural mural at The Printing Museum in Houston. Moira Bateman's knowledge of native plants and geologic history inform her work as she incorporates natural materials and processes into the creation of her sculptural dresses.

Art of Healing

Amanda Joy Petersen is a printmaker and educator in Cache Valley, Utah. She is also a student at Utah State University. In this segment, we see her at work and learn more about the ways art has helped her heal. We visit Florida to explore Hollis Garden. walking through this botanical oasis, visitors will discover vibrant flowers, neo-classical architecture, sculptures, and fountains. For decades, Linda Ianniello has been capturing photographs underwater. In more recent years, she has been on black water dives where she takes images of small, fascinating creatures at night. We visited southeast Florida to find out more.

Art Outreach

Two friends strive to minimize waste and environmental impact in their craft and lifestyle. They've developed alternate power sources for hand making wooden eyeglasses. The Rose Kennedy Greenway has a fresh vision for public art that includes a soaring sculpture by Janet Echelman that, for the moment, is redefining the Boston skyline. A Tampa Bay artist takes Mandala art to a whole new level by collecting and creating art with candy. And Jane Chu hopes to expand the reach of the arts throughout each and every community.

Art Squared

Meet calculus teacher and artist Harriet Stone Evans, who believe her paintings can help students with math. New Mexico artist, Brandon Maldonado, shares old mythologies in new ways by communicating beyond the confines of spoken language through art. Ceramic and sculpture artist, Ernest Miller, hand alters his pieces and continually pushes himself to make the perfect ceramic pot. And we look at a rarely viewed collection of works from Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Eddie Adams.

Art Uncensored

We explore the challenges and stereotypes of the hip-hop industry through a multi-media theater piece with writer and performer Jeff Campbell. We visit with Barbara Page, a pilot turned artist. We highlight “Dance-The Next Generation,” a program in Sarasota, Florida that not only teaches ballet, but also gives students the discipline to succeed in school. And we stop at The Dublin Arts Council in central Ohio to meet a very special member of their staff.

A Stitch of Heritage

We visit Eatonville where two very patient quilters are creating wonderful works of art from scraps. Find the humor in Jeffu Warmouth’s art installation in the Fitchburg Art Museum in Massachusetts. We sit down with Ingvar Estrada who discusses his Italian heritage and the roots of his musical passion and we celebrate today’s evolving arts culture of the west at the Coors Western Art Exhibit.

Backpacking

Take a look inside the Utah Museum of Fine Arts in Salt Lake City, Utah, where the Backpack Program is helping families engage with artwork. We visit the Old Globe Theater in San Diego, California to see their rendition of 'White Snake,' a classic Chinese Folktale. The Dayton Ballet and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra work together to put on a fantastic show. And we meet Violectic, a group that combines the energy and irreverence of rock 'n' roll with the sweet sounds of violins and violas.