We are kicking off our 14th season with a podcast conversation with James Kennedy and Ross Thorn. While Ross and James work in different mediums, they both spent their retreat week at Everwood engaging in some explorative world building. In this conversation, we talked about trying new things and how the outside world influences their art. Learn more about James at jameshkennedy.com and more about Ross at rossthornmusic.com

Geoffrey Lamar Wilson, also known by his stage name LAAMAR, is a Minneapolis based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. After spending his 20's studying and performing music in New York, and working the craft coffee cafe circuit in Brooklyn, he returned to his hometown in 2016 to "settle down". He emerged on the local music scene in 2023 with his song Home to My Baby, a song which resonated deeply across the state in the wake of the Philando Castile and George Floyd murders. In this and subsequent tracks on his debut EP Flowers, he explored the challenges of being black in America and Minnesota, at a time when many folks were seeking understanding and connection across social and cultural lines. He carried this momentum into several very busy years of performances supporting notable local and national touring artists, appearing at music festivals and shows across the state, and as a guest on various radio, podcast, and television broadcasts(and one billboard). In 2025 he released a full-length record In the Light, to critical acclaim. An album which expands his creative palate, turning the lens inward towards fatherhood/partnership, and further outward toward stories rooted in humanism, empathy, nature, and poetry. Instagram   Torey Erin is a Minneapolis based interdisciplinary artist primarily working in moving image, sculpture, installation, ecology, and land art. Torey received her Bachelor's of Fine Art and Master's of Landscape Architecture from the University of Minnesota. Torey's work amplifies environmental phenomena to create places where people may share their stories and co-create new art works. She has created a living participatory land artwork for the 4Ground Land Art Biennial titled Love Letters to the Earth, where she invited the community to discuss ecological grief and write devotions to earth on handmade seed paper to plant into a perennial garden. She proposes ways of re-imagining material approaches to art and landscape that serve human and non-human life, focusing on environmental change, empathy and relationality. During her most recent residency at Franconia Sculpture Park, she transformed one acre of turf grass into native prairie, inviting participants to seed the landscape by hand and dance the seeds into the ground. This intention is to connect people to landscape through ritual and body movement that will benefit non human species and soil quality for years to come. Torey has exhibited at Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Mirrorlab, Soo Visual Art Center, Company Projects, Public Functionary, Q2 Gallery, Rosalux Gallery, Yeah Maybe Project Space, FilmNorth, Gamut Gallery, and has an outdoor installation at Silverwood Park in Minnesota and Rabanus Park World Garden in Fargo, North Dakota; she has created costume and set/interior design at First Avenue, the Palace Theater, and the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis. Torey's films have been featured in the Franconia Environmental Film screening, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Regis Center for Art, Duluth Film Festival, Trylon Cinema, Saltless Sea Cinema, Headwaters Film Festival, and Franconia Sculpture Park's 5 Minute Film Festival. She is a recipient of the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Grant, Everwood Farmstead Artist Retreat, 4Ground Midwest Land Art Biennial (with support from Plains Art Museum and Franconia Sculpture Park), Joan MaCloed student Leadership Award (landscape architecture), 2020 Minnesota Artist Initiative Grant, Springboard for the Arts Hinge Artist Residency, Jo Tushie Fellowship, the Blacklock Sanctuary Fellowship, and is a Landscape Architecture Foundation Olmsted Scholar. She is the current Franconia Sculpture Park inaugural Prairie Artist in Residence of 2024. She is a Research Fellow at the Minnesota Design Center working on the Empowering Small Minnesota Communities project and Design Assist, which include asset based community co-design, climate resilience, and systems thinking for long term development strategies. She is also an adjunct professor in architecture/landscape architecture at the University of Minnesota College of Design. website

Chris Stedman is a writer, podcaster, and professor who teaches in the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Augsburg University in Minneapolis, MN. He is the author of the books IRL, Faitheist, and the forthcoming Nothing in Particular, as well as the writer and host of Unread, named one of the best podcasts of 2021 by the Guardian, Vulture, HuffPost, Mashable, the CBC, and others, and honored by the 2022 Webby Awards under Podcasts – Best Writing.  Chris is the founder of Good Judy Productions, a new podcast studio based in Minneapolis committed to telling stories that, in the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, take the "view from below," or "the perspective of the outcasts, the suspects, the maltreated, the powerless, the oppressed and reviled, in short from the perspective of the suffering." The studio's first series, for which Chris was awarded a 2025 Minnesota State Arts Board Cultural Expression Grant and 2025 Arts Impact for Individuals Award from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, is currently in production and will be distributed by iHeartPodcasts. In addition to his books and podcast work, Chris has written popular essays for outlets including the Atlantic, Pitchfork, BuzzFeed, VICE, the Washington Post, and others. At Augsburg, Chris teaches on the search for meaning. He has also held fellowships in Augsburg's Center for Democracy and Citizenship and Interfaith Institute, and in 2023 the university appointed him as the Institute's inaugural Research Fellow in support of his ongoing work studying the religiously unaffiliated. He was also awarded a Director's Residency at the Collegeville Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, named 2025 Visiting Scholar at Northwestern University and 2025 Scholar-in-Residence at Susquehanna University, and invited to be in residence at Write On, Door County and at the New York Mills Cultural Center for this research and writing. Previously the founding director of the Yale Humanist Community and a fellow at Yale University, he also served as a humanist chaplain at Harvard University and as a Trainer and Content Developer at Interfaith America. In 2018, Augsburg selected Chris for their annual First Decade Award, which recognizes alumni "who have made significant progress in their professional achievements and contributions to the community" ten years after graduating. chrisstedmanwriter.com

Kurt Robert Engh is a theater-maker with the goal to expand the framework of what "theater" is in order to adapt the art form to a twenty-first century audience. He transposes experimental practices to narrative stories, addressing how contemporary audiences consume live performance. He is specifically interested in exploring Midwestern identity, creating characters as complicated as real people, and taking advantage of the metaphysical space of the stage. He likes testing the endurance of audiences and uncovering ways to contextualize a physical space in a digital culture. He borrows more from concerts, obscure YouTube videos, contemporary film, restaurants, clubs, and social media than he does classical theater. Kurt wrote and self-produced an anti-romcom "Only Ugly Guys" in June 2024 at Open Eye Theatre, which reviewer Cherry and Spoon called "funny, clever, inventive, and very modern." He produced, adapted and directed "Naïve. Super" at Norway House in September 2023, with a new actor at each performance, experiencing the play for the first time. He hosts "Running Errands," a short-play incubator for writers/directors/actors to experiment with new ideas at Bryant Lake Bowl (March/May/July/September 2023 and beginning again quarterly October 2024).   Dave Osmundsen is a queer and Autistic playwright whose work has been seen and developed at BLUEBARN Theatre, the Kennedy Center/NNPN MFA Playwrights Workshop, Purple Crayon Players, Great Plains Theatre Conference, the William Inge Theatre Festival, Clamour Theatre Company, Premiere Stages, the Valdez Theatre Conference, and more. His play Light Switch was a Distinguished Achievement recipient of the Jean Kennedy Smith Playwriting Award. A recipient of the Blank Theatre/Ucross Foundation's inaugural Future of Playwriting Prize, his plays have been published by The Dionysian, Canyon Voices, Exposition Review, Concord Theatricals, Broadway Play Publishing, and more. MFA: Arizona State University.

This is a special conversation with Em Haas, Everwood Farmstead's 2025 Artist Retreat Administrator. Em joined us at the farm this summer to support the 34 artists who traveled from all over the country and Canada to work in the Retreat. Em is a recent graduate of St. Olaf College with a Bachelor of Arts degree focused on English, Creative Writing and Ancient Greek. Em was also a Senior Admissions Fellow for the college, serve as the Literary Editor for The Quarry Literary and Fine Arts Magazine, and work as a copyeditor for The Olaf Messenger. Post Everwood, Em is interested in pursuing full-time work in copyediting and copywriting. LinkedIn

Nissa Nordland Morgan is a playwright, actor and musician in Minneapolis, MN. She is a member of the Twin Cities' Playwright Cabal and Artistic Director of Twin Cities Horror Festival. Her plays "The Fae", "Incarnate", "Stabby Stab Stab" and "Kin" were performed as part of the Twin Cities Horror Festival; "The Fae" was nominated for Best Original/New Work through TC Broadway World. Her Minnesota Fringe play "Xena and Gabrielle Smash the Patriarchy" was awarded the TC Arts Reader Critic's Choice Award and won the Theatre in the Round Venue Pick. Nissa co-wrote "Finger Lickin' Good" with Heather Meyer and it won a Minnesota Fringe award for Artist Pick. She's been a mainstage cast member and writer at the Brave New Workshop. Her ten-minute play Catnipped won second place at the MN Shorts Festival. She has collaborated in devising new works with Umbrella Collective, The Winding Sheet Outfit, nimbus theatre and Four Humors. Nissa earned a BA in Theatre Arts from Southwest Minnesota State University. newplayexchange.org

Sarah Elstran is an independent musician that bridges the gap between bright-eyed pop composition and hands-on atmospheric live layering of voice. Her vocal loops give us the kind of detail and wide multi-octave range that we might come to expect from a marquee pop star, while her production decisions continually keep us guessing as to what rabbit holes her tracks might fall into next.  thenunnerymusic.com Amanda Hanlon is a painter and printmaker. She lives and works out of her home located in a historic river town in Minnesota. Amanda has received a MFA in Painting from the University of Washington - Seattle, a BFA in Painting from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. She has taught classes in Painting, Drawing and Printmaking in Savannah, Georgia. Her work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in Minnesota, California, Georgia, Washington and Wisconsin. amandahanlon.com

Originally from Colorado, Genevieve Waterbury grew up in the mountains and in the ballet studio at Boulder Ballet and eventually studied dance at Colorado State University. She then joined Nevada Ballet Theatre in Las Vegas where she collaborated annually with Cirque du Soleil. One of her favorite moments from NBT was working intimately with Cynthia Gregory on character portrayal for the company's performance of Giselle; It deepened her interest in acting and dance theater, ultimately prompting the move to New York City.  In New York, Genevieve had opportunities to work across many genres including a Butoh Residency at Kaatsbaan with Joan Laage (Kogut Butoh), a lead dancing role in the original cast of RED, a New Musical by Lawrence Dandridge ("Ain't Too Proud" National Tour), dancing in New York Fashion Week for JAHNKOYxPUMA, and several seasons as a company member with nathantrice/RITUALS. Genevieve moved to Minnesota in February of 2020 and made her local choreographic debut at Sher Demeter's River's Edge series that fall. Highlights since then include setting On the Bank of Snake River for Christopher Watson Dance Company, collaborating with Melody Gilbert as dancer/choreographer for her documentary Judy's Thoughts, and creating commissioned ballets Emily Dickinson: The Untold Verse, Lunar Lullaby, and Dirty Dancing, for Ballet Co.Laboratory. Genevieve also directs Ballet Co.Laboratory's second company, and the non-professional Performance Ensemble. She creates original choreography for these groups each season. Her short stories, Tortoise and the Hare and Danse Macabre were performed alongside the company at Orchestra Hall and the Cowles Center.  genevievewaterbury.com   Cym Warkov creates ceramic pieces that explore the tension between imagination and construction. That invites conversation between herself and the medium she's working with.  Cym grew up In Northern CA & Minneapolis. Her parents (both artists) thrived in the Minnneapolis art scene. Her mother, Lynne Lockie, founded the Women's Art registry of Minnesota in the 70's. Her father, Saul Warkov, taught photography at the UofM. Both parents were founding members of the Minnesota Zen Center. She's mostly self-taught through a lifetime of various experiences and vocations all leading up to my current endeavors. She lived in Los Angeles for 30 years, raising 2 children there. She worked as a hair colorist, creative team member for Aveda and as a hair & make-up artist in the entertainment industry before earning a degree in landscape architecture from UCLA. Cym's always had a personal creative / artistic practice and decided to return to Minneapolis to explore this seriously in 2018. As of today, she has a thriving business as a ceramic artist. cymwarkovceramics.com      

Nichole Gronvold-Roller is a painter who received a BFA in Art Education from Minnesota State University of Moorhead, an MA in Art Education from Boston University, MA, and an MFA in Painting from Bradley University. In addition to being an artist, Nichole is a full-time high school art teacher in Tremont, IL, where she has been teaching for the past twenty-six years. Furthermore, she is a contributor writer for the Inland Art column with Community Word.  nicholesgallery.com   Dr. Brianna Matzke's dynamic pianism shows "a sense of refinement, flair, and technical prowess" (clevelandclassical.com). An avid performer and commissioner of new music, she has collaborated with many composers, including Tina Tallon, Marc Mellits, Michael Fiday, Elliot Cole, Molly Joyce, Alexandra du Bois, D. J. Sparr, Danny Clay, Jennifer Jolley, John Glover, and Evan Williams. She has appeared in concert at across the globe; recent appearances include concerts in Italy, Beirut, São Paulo, and in series such as TriBeCa New Music, Vanguard New Music Series, ETHOS New Music, Re:Sound Festival, neif-norf New Music Marathon, and the Accidental Music Festival. She has given multiple concerts with the Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center, and has performed with the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra and the concert:nova chamber ensemble. briannamatzke.com

Cori Nakamura Lin (she/her) is a Japanese, Taiwanese, Okinawan-American multimedia visual artist based in Chicago. By painting, documenting, and weaving, Cori is finding her way to a world that prioritizes ecological and community care. Descended from East Asian island peoples and born and raised in the midwest, Cori's art practice is an ongoing self-archive where she examines her own multiple identities as a story of self.  Cori's work asks: How do we dream beyond our fears in the face of climate collapse? How do we carry multiple legacies, multiple ancestors, through the generations? How do we honorably re-root as unmoored people on occupied lands? Primarily using gouache, watercolor, and paper-cutting when making images, Cori layers fluid washes with sharp paper edges to create dreamy, textured paintings that investigate liminal spaces in the natural world and her cultural identities. She is inspired by Japanese records of yōkai, kawaii visual culture, and Okinawan textile practices, and she is currently learning basket making practices to help her process her relationship to the lands that she lives on. Learning from the work of Black and Indigenous feminist abolitionists — like Mariame Kaba, Kelly Hayes, and Ruth Wilson Gilmore — and Afro-diasporan and Indigenous futurists —like Octavia Butler, NK Jemisin, and Grace Dillon—Cori Nakamura Lin aims to create art that will outlive her into the next seven generations. corilin.co   Tori Hong (she/they) pursues an interdisciplinary art practice expressed through illustration, textiles, printmaking, and installation. Positioned within queer theory and praxis, her work explores the concepts of ritual, pleasure, self-determination, and political resistance. Hong endeavors to bring the past into the present — and the present into the future — by incorporating Hmong and Korean aesthetics into their practice. Expressed through repetition, saturated colors, and confident lines, Hong's art embodies and expresses their authentic self, encouraging her audience to do the same. Born in 1992 in Minneapolis, MN, Hong is currently based in Providence, RI working toward her MFA in Illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design. Hong has been awarded the Everwood Artist Retreat (2024), Springboard for the Arts Hinge Arts Residency (2021), MRAC Next Step Fund (2020), Forecast Public Art Early Career Research and Development Grant (2020), and more. Ntxoo Art reclaims the name Hong shares with her mother and sister: Ntxoo ["un-Zong"] meaning "shade" or "shadow". ntxoo.art