From woodblock prints and paintings, to concert posters for top-line acts and recording his own music, Indianapolis-based multi-disciplinary artist Nathaniel Russell has proven he can do it all. I sat down with Nathaniel a few days before the closing reception for his two-person show along with Lori Damiano, Foot Chorus, at Minnow Arts in Santa Cruz, CA, to discuss how he's able to keep creating in so many different mediums, the importance or connection and relationships, and the role that art and music play as an extension of life. Plus, I learned that something I always thought was a nickname is actually an official term! www.nathanielrussell.com Photo by Katie Coles

Reconnecting with someone who's been an important part of your life is always wonderful, but when that person is also a top-notch painter with fantastic stories to tell, you just have to share. Greg Miller, one of my former college teachers, is also a skilled mixed media artist. A self-described "contemporary cave painter," he combines painting and collages of vintage magazines to add layers and depth, as well as mixing figuration with text to create nuanced narratives that, despite a certain level of nostalgia, still look forward towards contemporary issues. On top of all that, he tells some great stories about art world luminaries, how visiting abandoned ghost towns in northern California as a child still influences his work today, and (my personal favorite) the infamous Keith Haring volleyball incident. https://gmillerstudio.com/

This episode with Florida-based collage artist Duane Toops is bittersweet. While excited to chat with Duane about his immersive analog/digital hybrid collages, the circumstances surrounding the interview were challenging to say the least. Recorded a few days after wildfires tore through the LA area (my home and family are ok, but the effects on the city can't be understated) which caused a huge pause in this episode's production. Then on the eve of finally posting this Duane revealed that he not only lost his job, but was then forced to let go of his studio. In our discussion we touch on the importance of the studio to not only his daily art practice, but how it's his "happy place," a place crucial to his daily well-being. Listening back to our talk, it hits a little differently now; a reminder of the January fires that seem a lifetime ago, an echo of an artist's bygone routine, but it's also a reminder that a lot of people out there are struggling with the havoc that this "project" that is 2025 is wreaking on our society and that we need to look out for and check in on our friends and neighbors now more than ever. Despite all of this, our conversation was one of the most joyous and philosophical of the ten that I've done so far. We discuss his need for routine, his innate need to create, and of course the role his studio played in not only his art, but in his everyday life. Instagram: @duanetoops Substack: duanetoops.substack.com

In the non-objective paintings of Joseph O'Neal, one constant holds true: dualities. Eye-popping colors combine with stark black and white. Ambiguous shapes play off of thought-provoking text that seems to drift in on a stray radio frequency. Even his recurring series of paintings of Jackie Onassis contain hidden dualities, which we get into, as well as Joseph's journey as an artist, in our discussion from his studio in Easton, PA.

Though best know for his 2001 piece Guerrilla Public Service, which consisted of taking it upon himself to correct an oversight on downtown Los Angeles freeway signage, Richard Ankrom has had an extremely varied and interesting artistic career and creative journey. I sat down with him to discuss sign making and his various forays into fine art. And, of course, we discuss Guerrilla Public Service, as well as other projects lurking in the shadows that he has yet to divulge. https://ankrom.org/ https://youtu.be/Clgl63CWOkM?si=LZkToV0CBt-fdS0n Photo: Gary Leonard

In the street art hub of Lisbon, one artist isn't aiming her spray paint can at buildings. Dear Anushka chooses instead to tag her particular brand of witty sayings, romantic longings, and universally relatable missives onto a much different canvas: discarded mattresses left on the streets. We discuss how these temporary queen-sized galleries provide a voice for the voiceless while performing an unexpected public service. Instagram: @dear.anushka website: dearanuska.com

Corita Kent, or Sister Mary Corita as she was known in her days as a nun, was an educator, activist, and widely-acclaimed artist, creating some of the most influential pop art serigraphs of the 1960s. Her career continued into the 1980s, and the steward of her art and legacy is the Corita Art Center in Los Angeles, led by Executive Director Nellie Scott. In this episode I sit down and talk with Ms. Scott about Corita's life, the history and legacy of her art, and what big things are in store for the center in the very near future. https://www.corita.org/

Today's guest is New Hampshire-based painter, Chad Etting. We discuss Chad's influences, how the pandemic helped shape his practice, his surprising beginnings in New York City after graduation, plus a whole lot more. https://www.chadetting.com/

On the closing day (10/19/2024) of his Los Angeles solo debut show "I'm Trying to Live Forever" at Lowell Ryan Projects, Eric Stefanski joins me from his studio in Chicago to discuss the themes in his work, the beginnings of his artistic journey, plus a peek at what the future holds in store. https://www.ericstefanski.com/ https://www.lowellryanprojects.com/eric-stefanski-im-trying-to-live-forever

For today's episode Kenneth chats with Mexico City-based author Eloisa Hernandez Viramontes about her new book The Word as Artistic Language: Textual Practices in Mexico, which is the first book to ever tackle the topic of Mexican text-based art. But, you probably already know Eloisa for her Instagram account, Word Artworks.