Ep. 182 Abigail Kreuser – Photographer, Curator, & Co-Owner of Auric Gallery
Abby discusses how she and her partner Gundega came up with the name for their new gallery, being a serial entrepreneur, her journey as a photographer, getting her B.F.A. at the Rochester Institute of Technology, moving back to the Springs after college, her beginnings in curation, her first gallery space, her upcoming solo exhibition, her documentary project “Lucere”, the Colorado Springs art community and its small business community, Curate Your Space and the services they offer, the decision and catalyst to join forces with Gundega Stevens to form Auric, the balance of their partnership, their exhibition calendar, advice for people thinking about starting a gallery, exhibitions that she’s proud of presenting, and current and upcoming shows…
Ep. 181 Kristen Egan – Mixed Media, Sculpture & Masks
This week, Wes and Todd talk with Kristen Egan. Kristen discusses sourcing gourds, carving masks, New Contemporary Folk Art, the area where she lives in Pennsylvania, sense of place, other materials she incorporates into her masks and sculptures, totems, the catalyst to carve gourds, air drying paper clay, repetition & referencing past work, birds, research, process, art show titles, Alfred University, being open to new experiences, foundation, Goggleworks, Arch Enemy Arts, Instagram, the compulsion to create selling art, commissions, production, pricing, perfectionism, evolution & experimentation, work/life balance, bagpipes, weird bagpipe experiences, procrastination, being a life long learner, and collectors previews.…
Ep. 180 A.L. Lummus – Painter, Sculptor, Advocate Artist
This week, Wes and Todd talk with A.L. Lummus, a.k.a. Amy Lummus. Lummus discusses the pandemic & how it affected her and her work, timing, Barbara Kruger, Mettle Martyr I & II, being an Advocate Artist, lessons learned in doing the work, “dog with a bone” syndrome, work/life balance, the thread that runs through the work, stories/narrative, art & carpentry, the genesis for Mettle Martyr, telling the story that’s hers to tell, asking the question “is it breathing?,” research & statistics, process, the Ft. Collins Mural Project, working big, kinetic sculptures, Firehouse Art Center, her show “Spit and Splinters,” her residency, and her motto…
Ep. 169 Topher Straus – American Impressionistic Landscape Artist – 2023 Check-in
This week, Wes and Todd do their annual interview with Artist Topher Straus. Topher talks about technology, Maui, charities, Sauvage Spectrum Winery, changes in his business model, World Heritage Sites, marketing & advertising, Vail International Gallery, the secondary market for his work, new gallery representation, Japan, traveling, new work, photo collages, the Design With Us competition, proven business tactics and goals.
Ep. 116 Dan Cameron – Acclaimed Curator, Art Writer, & Artist
Dan talks about his path to becoming a Curator, some of the exhibitions he’s been proud to curate, the rural art space that he’s helping to facilitate in Chiloé, Chile, how art is looked at in the Americas, the monetization of contemporary art, art fairs, art and the pandemic, his curation process, collecting ephemera and his archive, art appropriation, how art and artists are fundamental in terms of preparing us for the future, his collage and assemblage work, writing about art and what excites him for the future of art.
Ep. 109 Gered Mankowitz, FRPS – Iconic Photographer of Rock and Roll Royalty.
Wes and Todd sit down with Iconic Photographer, Gered Mankowitz, FRPS. Gered talks about Peter Sellers and the catalyst that sparked his interest in photography, the importance of his father’s guidance, his early history, finding his voice, his foray into working with performers and bands, working with film, process, the series Icon: Music Through The Lens, and shares stories of photographing Marianne Faithfull, Jimi Hendrix, Duran Duran, Bing Crosby and the Rolling Stones.
Ep. 107 Elle Naef – Content Producer & Strategist at PBS 12, Co-Founder & Producer of Head Room Sessions
Elle talks about Headroom Sessions and its mission, jaw rock, ReCreative Denver, Denver Creative Movement, her start promoting and managing bands, the wall of death, curating playlists, Tom Jones, rock and roll moments, Girls Rock Camp, being a Producer at PBS 12, Generation GRIT, Colorado Inside Out, puppets, her favorite PBS shows growing up, and activism.
Ep. 102 Sarah Larsen – Intuitive Art
Sarah talks with us about the mediums she works with, process and exploration, the catalyst that got her back into art, juried exhibitions, being the conduit of the art, creating for the process, love, Scrupulous OCD, line art, fear and failure, intuitive art, mental health, loss, and the healing power of art.
Ep. 101 Devon Dikeou – American Artist, Editor and Publisher – zingmagazine, Founder – The Dikeou Collection
Wes and Todd talk with Devon Dikeou. Devon talks about her work, exploring the in-between, her “Mid-Career Smear”, zingmagazine, and the Dikeou Collection.
Ep. 100 Howard Harris – Photographer, Dimensional Photographic Images, Techspressionism
Wes and Todd talk with Howard Harris about his early art experiences, attending the Kansas City Art Institute, analog and digital photography, securing a patent for his layered artwork, visualization, galleries, Techspressionism, and seeing beauty wherever you are.
Ep. 099 Megan Morgan – Tusche Wash Painting & Oil Pastels On Burlap
Wes and Todd talk with Megan Morgan. Megan talks about the catalyst of using oil pastels on burlap, tusche wash painting, process, drawing, the language of art, art education, being a visual learner, interpreting art, her system of working without a studio, pricing, and advice for aspiring artists.
Ep. 098 Harrison Love – Painter, Illustrator, Bright Futurism
Harrison talks about positivity, living in Belgium, influencers, making art for the future, Bright Futurism, art and the pandemic, Contecht, autonomous storytelling, NYC Art Movement, his families art legacy, the Rhode Island School of Design, finding his voice, process, sales and commissions, and pricing.
Ep. 097 Valerie Savarie – Altered Book Artist, Book Sculpture
Wes and Todd talk with Altered Book Artist, Valerie Savarie. Valerie talks about how she got started sculpting books, working parameters, making art for yourself, process, inspiration, old books, commissions, public art, Edward Gorey, collaboration, pricing, Valkarie Gallery, and advice to aspiring Artists.
Ep. 096 Hayley Richardson – Director, Dikeou Collection
Wes and Todd talk with Hayley Richardson, Director at the Dikeou Collection. Hayley talks about her education and path to becoming the Director at the Dikeou Collection, background of the Dikeou Collection, Zing Magazine, Devon Dikeou, collecting, and the importance of networking and internships.
Ep. 095 Brenda Stumpf – Contemporary Sculptor and Painter
Wes and Todd talk with Contemporary Sculptor and Painter, Brenda Stumpf. Brenda talks about growing up in a family of makers, quitting art school, Cy Twombly, poetry, mythology, trusting your intuition, process, finding beauty where you’re at, the Colorado art community, connection, cautionary tales, integrity of the work, and advice to aspiring Artists.
Ep. 094 Topher Straus – American Impressionistic Landscape Artist
Wes and Todd check in with their friend, Artist Topher Straus. They talk about what’s been going on since last year during the pandemic, his evolving style, Grand Teton National Park, Hawaii, gallery relationships and their importance, commissions, dealing with rejection, charitable work, wineries, art fairs, marketing, collectors and he shares with us a powerful story. We finish up with another special visit with Topher’s son, Oliver, and what’s been going on with his artistic endeavors.
Ep. 093 Sue Oehme – Artist and Master Printer
Wes and Todd travel to Steamboat Springs, Colorado to talk with Master Printer, Sue Oehme. We talk with Sue about printmaking, her work, Oehme Graphics, how the pandemic affected her studio, and a plethora of other subjects.
Ep. 092 Cipriano Ortega – Low Rock High Art, Queer Noir
Wes and Todd talk with Musician and Artist, Cipriano Ortega. They talk music, two-string bass, Morphine (the band, not the drug), painting and Cipriano and Vitaliy Minyaylo regales us with some low rock!
Ep. 079 Brooke Einbender – aka Mindbender Art, Pioneering Artist in the XR art space.
Wes and Todd talk with the pioneering Artist in the XR art space, Brooke Einbender. Brooke talks about her incredible art experiences while attending Wake Forest University, her experience of VR and how it led her to incorporate AR into her work, her journey to Telluride, the idea of doors and how it plays into her work, her multi-faceted project “The Unknown Zone," Non-fungible tokens (NFT’s) and multitude of other subjects.
Ep. 067 Anastasia Samoylova - Russian American Artist, Photographer - FloodZone
Wes and Todd talk with Russian-American Artist, Anastasia Samoylova. Samoylova talks about flooding in Miami, freedom of speech, naturalization, Russia, getting her MFA at Bradley University, being an early adopter of digital photography, teaching photography, her various projects, photo history, the catalyst for her book FloodZone, working with Steidl, Bloomberg commissions, gallery representation, and artist residencies.