Kicking off this season, Ben, Elisabeth, and Elise briefly catch up about what they have been up to, some of their favorite most recent arts events, and chat a little about what to expect for this season. Then we transition into our first interview with the incredible Dylan Collazo, which was recorded live at Inkwell in Allentown.

Dylan Collazo, born in Allentown, is a self-taught contemporary artist painting visual narratives that delve into the human psyche using relevant cultural and historical references, and symbolism in his style of portraiture. He uses his art to tie the human experience to the individual experience and vice versa, using his own complex journey as the anchor and foundation for the images, scenery, and symbolism found in the work.

You can keep with with Dylan by following him on Instagram at @the.collazo or by checking out his website.

Currently, Dylan's solo exhibition "When Eye Faced Myself, I Drew Blood" is on display at Inkwell, located at 125 Hamilton St Storefront, Allentown, PA 18101. He also has work on display at SNKR BOX in Easton, Jones on 9th in Allentown, and Lehigh University Art Galleries in Bethlehem.

Interested in learning what arts events are going on in the valley? Keep an eye on the Lehigh Valley Arts Podcast Instagram, where we  frequently share details of local events on our story! Additionally, you can follow LV Artist Meetup and Connected by Craft to keep up with ongoing artist meetups. Interested in the LV music scene? Pick up a copy of The Bethl'mite zine at the Compact Disc Center, Lit Coffee Roastery & Bakes, or The Ice House!

William H. Travis (AKA Travis Hobbie) is a singer/songwriter from the Lehigh Valley. Travis is a local singer/songwriter who has performed  in and around the Lehigh Valley, in both solo shows and in groups. Most recently, he has been performing alongside Alex Luquet, Rebecca Nunes, John Morgan Kimock, and Justin Mazer. Currently, he is in the process of rolling out his newest album, "Ruby" on vinyl.

You can find William H. Travis on Instagram, Facebook, Bandcamp, his website, YouTube, and (begrudgingly) on Spotify & Apple Music.

To purchase the Ruby Vinyl online, visit Square of Opposition Records' website! And keep up with Chris Reject/Square of Opposition Records/LVAC on Instagram!

The next "Ruby" vinyl release show will be at Apport Used Books in Emmaus on Saturday, September 13, at 7pm. William H. Travis will be joined by Chelsea Smarr and Super Infinity! There is a suggested donation of $10 for those attending the concert. Additionally, there will be a limited edition version of "Ruby" along with posters and art by Miki Tamura.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to help make this episode a reality! There are so many people who lended their thoughts, wonderful voices, and ideas on how to make this episode what it is. Some of those individuals include: @_wyattpaul_, @mozzle_liam, @_kellyeah, @leahmccann45, @veggie_benji, @mamphibian, @johngalm, @jberkjj, @dearmisty, @lavalampbebop, @pantaloop and so many more!

And thank you to Colin Hart for helping to capture, edit, and mix the live-music recording at the Compact Disc Center! This episode truly came to life through the weaving of the live show with the interviews, and it couldn't have been done without him!

Lastly, shoutout to Nathan Allebach, host of the show "What's Really Good," who interviewed William H. Travis and provided boundless information to build this interview and episode off of! You can listed to that episode here if you would like to learn more!

100 Years of Lehigh University Art Galleries
From the art and engineering of the first Lenape inhabitants, through the upheavals of the steel and railroad industries, to the hi-tech manufacturing of today, makers and innovators of all kinds have found a home in the Lehigh Valley.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, this maker mindset found its way into the DNA of Lehigh University, shaping both artists and engineers. Lehigh University’s founder, Asa Packer, was a creative entrepreneur: a carpenter and boat-builder who believed in a well-rounded education. Built on this creative spirit, LUAG has championed the power of art since 1926 – the year of the first known art exhibition on campus.

A century later, the museum provides art experiences for all, offering dynamic programming and meaningful art education to learners of all ages. Exhibitions in our galleries represent artworks from both globally-recognized institutions and from LUAG’s own collection of more than 20,000 works of art.

Here and Now: 100 Years of LUAG, 100 Local Artists
In honor of this milestone, LUAG is thrilled to present Here and Now: 100 Years of LUAG, 100 Local Artists – a juried exhibition of 100 artists reflecting the wide range of artistic practices thriving in our local community today.

From September 2, 2025 through May 22, 2026, the 100 selected works will transform our galleries, providing a dynamic catalyst for a series of receptions, lectures, community workshops, and special events – a true celebration of LUAG's past, present, and future. Follow along here for a growing list of centennial events.

The yearlong exhibition draws from a vibrant wellspring of creativity: nearly 300 area artists submitted approximately 800 artworks, serving as a testament to the region’s breadth of talent and the power of art to inspire. The exhibition will coincide with an initiative to make significant purchases of works by local artists for the university’s collection.

We were pleased to have Curlee Raven Holton, Founding Director and Master Printer at Raven Fine Art Editions, Easton, as the exhibition’s guest community juror. Previously, Curlee served as the founding director of The Experimental Printmaking Institute (EPI) at Lafayette College, where he was the David M. and Linda Roth Professor of Art. He recently retired as the director of the David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland.

For more information and a full list of the featured artists check out LUAG’s landing page for the exhibition: https://luag.lehigh.edu/exhibitions/here-and-now-100-years-luag-100-local-artists

The Wonton Soups are a quirky and lovable horn band from Bethlehem, PA. Blending experience from jazz, musical theater, marching band and self taught musicians, The Wonton Soups have a truly unique sound influenced by funk, ska, swing, and big band.

You can follow The Wonton Soups on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Youtube. To keep up with everything they're up to, including all their upcoming shows, check out their website! You can listen to their original music on Spotify and Apple Music.

The Wonton Soups have 2 upcoming shows during the weeks of Musikfest. The first is on Saturday, August 2nd at MusikFest's Festplatz Stage from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm. The second is on Saturday, August 9th at The Wooden Match's MatchPlatz stage from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm. The Wooden Match is located at 61 W Lehigh St, Bethlehem, PA 18018.

The song played at the opening of the episode is “Pink Pony Club (Live)” by The Wonton Soups. The song played at the end of the episode is "Escape Velocity", also by The Wonton Soups. "Escape Velocity" is from their album “Contact,” which is discussed in the episode.

This event was in partnership with Elise Schaffer and Brandon Dominguez, who have been hosting artists meetups all around the Lehigh Valley. All types of artists are encouraged to attend these events and enjoy hands-on art making and networking with other artists!

The list of guests on today's episode and where to find them will be updated throughout the day on the Lehigh Valley Arts Podcast post about this episode!

Basement Poetry is an organization dedicated to empowering diverse communities through the performing arts and poetry. They create opportunities for cultural participation and education in theatre, focusing on works that address contemporary issues while amplifying the voices and talents of women, LGBTQ, and BIPOC individuals/communities.

Chloe Cole-Wilson is a multi-disciplinary artist as well as Artistic Director of Basement Poetry. Khalid Taylor is a teacher, podcaster, musician, and Music Director for Basement Poetry's program "Joyful Voices."

You can follow Basement Poetry on Instagram (@basementpoetry) or Facebook. If you would like to get in contact with them, you can email them at basementpoems@gmail.com.

This episode's opportunities are:

Joyful Voices is back! Join Basement Poetry for their second choir experience on February 22nd from 1:30 PM - 4:00 PM—come sing, connect, and enjoy some snacks on us at the Boys and Girls Club in Bethlehem.

Keep an eye out for our brand-new Inspire Cr8tivity Micro-Grants, designed to support artists and small businesses that uplift the arts community.

And coming April 2025… Basement Poetry presents DreamLAB: An Artist Escape—an overnight retreat designed to fuel your creativity. Scholarships will be available for artist to attend! More details coming soon! 

Follow Basement Poetry on social media for information about all of these upcoming opportunities.

Damian Appiotti is a multi faceted musician and educator who has been playing the guitar for about as long as he can remember. He grew up with parents who both have musical backgrounds, and has had a life surrounded by music, film, and art at large. The style that Damian often works in is referred to as Prog, which some have gone on to describe by saying it’s not so much a genre as is just people making music on the guitar and making unique and interesting compositions. His experiences to date have culminated in his first EP, Automoton. And since its release, he has been hard at work on his next project which is expected to release in the coming months. 

Over the next 2 months (as of the release of this episode), Damian be will giving free live online soloing masterclasses via zoom. They’ll be free to attend but the dates are tbd. Follow him on social media to stay up to date about this opportunity and when it is officially starting up. 

In addition, he recently started a Facebook group for people stuck in the intermediate stages of guitar playing. This group is free to join for anyone and he is posting multiple times a week with advice and exercises that should help push past plateaus in the learning process.

To stay up to date with all of these opportunities and more, make sure to give Damian a follow on Instagram @Damian_appoitti, as well as Facebook, and your favorite streaming platform.

Streaming Links:

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/damianappiotti/automaton-ep/

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/damianappiotti/flannel-single/

Social Media Links:

https://www.instagram.com/damian_appiotti?igsh=MTNmeGt1ejh2ajF2eg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BK8QF9agZ/?mibextid=wwXIfr

https://bsky.app/profile/damian-appiotti.bsky.social

Intermediate Guitarist Group:

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1DEmUMUYMr/?mibextid=wwXIfr

PLANET INFAMY is an art rock collective of Lehigh Valley musicians playing innovative original compositions and irreverent improvised jams. The group features Josh Berk and Bryan Lazewski on guitar, Doug Boehm on bass, "Big Dom" Haberstumpf on drums,  Shaun Adickes on keyboards, and Al Johnson on percussion--with many talented instrumentalists joining in the jam from time to time. Berk says of their lyrics: "I like to write songs with equal parts heartbreak and humor." They draw inspiration from experimental rock forefathers like Frank Zappa, Grateful Dead, Ween, and Flaming Lips--each PI show is a one-of-a-kind experience!

Their debut EP, Forever, was just released (August 2024) and can be found on all the streaming services. 

• Planet Infamy on Apple Music
• Planet Infamy on Spotify
• Planet Infamy on Amazon Music
• Planet Infamy on YouTube

Instagram: @planetinfamy

Planet Infamy has 3 upcoming shows:

March 8, 2025 - Soft Machine Gallery with Bombs Eat Sharks

Allentown, PA 

March 14, 2025 - Godfrey Daniel’s 

Bethlehem, PA

May 3, 2025 - Eleven20 Art Studios

Easton, PA 

For more information about their upcoming shows, follow them on social media!

Growing up, Derick never saw his father without a camera in his hand. His Father’s passion for photography inspired him to become a photographer himself. After graduating from College, Derick made backpacking throughout the world a priority. He took with him his Fathers Olympus mirrorless camera with a 20mm lens that easily fit into his pack.

Derick traveled throughout the US and places such as Spain, the Sahara Desert, Thailand, Galapagos Islands and Peru, where he captured moments of beautiful places, people, and cultures. Behind each photograph is a story that means everything to Derick. 

After the pandemic, Derick switched gears and was able to combine his love of music and photography. He now photographs DIY live music shows and band portraits in the greater Philadelphia area.

You can follow Derick on instagram at @tumbleweed_photographer.

This episode's opportunity is for Derick's solo show opening at The Gallery at Steel Pixel Studios titled "What A Long Strange Trip It's Been." It features both the band and travel photography of Derick. The opening reception will be on December 14, from 6-9pm, and will feature acoustic performances by Kaile of Mars Counsel, Wyatt Davidick of Felt Rite, and Miles H of Food Truck. The Gallery at Steel Pixel Studios is located at 701 N New St, Bethlehem, PA 18018. For more information, check out the gallery's website or instagram.

This episode's interview is with Oliver Reilly and Becca Maye of Soft Guts Collective.

Oliver Reilly & Becca Maye started Soft Guts Collective in 2019 with their friend Lee Nobody. The trio strives to create safe spaces and uplift marginalized identities. Their mission is to host events that prioritize and uplift bands/musicians that are women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, & other marginalized identities. Reilly and Maye are also multi talented musicians and members of various music groups in the Lehigh Valley. You can follow them on instagram at @softgutscollective and follow their band Ghost Lilly at @ghostlilyband. You can follow Oliver at @ohholiver and Becca at @dancepartyghoul.

Join Soft Guts Collective at their 3rd annual Goth Prom. Come get spooky, dance your moody black heart out, and dress for the occasion, darling. Costumes welcome.

Live performances by:
THE NORMAL COLLEAGUES (performing STRAWBERRY SWITCHBLADE) - LV/NJ/NY
SOFT NO (originals) - Philly
NOW IS NEVER (performing THE VELVET UNDERGROUND) - Lehigh Valley
CIGARETTES FOR BREAKFAST (originals) - Philly
LOVE THEM (performing THE SMITHS) - Philly

Vendors will be announced closer to the date.

This event is on Friday October 11th, 2024 at National Sokols. Doors open at 6:30pm and Music starts at 7:00pm. Masks are strongly encouraged. Cover charge is $10-20 on a sliding scale. No one turned away for lack of funds. A portion of proceeds will be donated to a local nonprofit. For questions and/or accessibility, softgutscollective@gmail.com. Get your tickets to reserve your spot at https://www.tickettailor.com/events/softgutscollective/1382173. 

Easton, Pennsylvania’s very own indie quintet, We’re From Antarctica, emerged onto the scene in late 2018 through a series of serendipitous events that would lead Carlos “Paco” Brown (Vocals, Rhythm guitar), Jessie Rae (Vocals, Keys), Jon Blanco (Lead guitar), Mackenzie Kressley (Bass) and Christopher Kendall (Drums) to meet. The group’s debut album, “The People We Knew”(2019) took off to much acclaim. The reviews are in: “The kind of music you play in the background as you make dinner for the friend you’ve been secretly in love with for two years now.” “Wistful make-out music.” While extensively touring through the years, the band has had the opportunity to open for national touring acts such as: Frankie Cosmos, The Unlikely Candidates, and Ryan Cabrera.

Their sophomore album, “We’ll Figure It Out” is releasing on September 27. Recorded December 2022-January 2024 at Headroom Studios, the album is a culmination of the sonic stylings of each member entering a new era that defines this group’s sound. The album is being produced by Kyle Pulley, who has engineered artists such as Alex G, Cafuné, and Dr. Dog.

You can follow We're from Antarctica on Instagram at @werefromantarctica, or TikTok, Bandcamp, Youtube, Spotify, Apple Music, and Soundcloud. You can also email them at werefromantarctica@gmail.com for scheduling/booking. You can find Jon Blanco at @jonny_devito, Carlos “Paco” Brown at @timespentpoet, Mackenzie "Mack" Kressley at @theturtlehouse24, Jessie Rae at @jr.jrae, and Christopher Kendall at @organic_coconut. You can follow their manager, Ryan Susko, at @musicgardenpa.

Some upcoming show dates are:

9/21 - West End Food Festival (Allentown, PA)

9/27 - Free Parking with Death By Indie (Newark, DE - DM Band or Venue for Address)

10/4 - Album release show with My Cousins Girlfriends House and Just at sokols (Bethlehem PA)

For details on these shows and more, follow We're from Antarctica!

Daniel, a native of Maracaibo, Venezuela, was the second of three sons of a Cuban Basque mother and first generation Ukrainian/Russian Father. He was raised in a colorful, multicultural home where different languages were spoken, and traditions upheld; opening the windows of his imagination and awakening his artistic soul and curiosity at an early age.

In 2004, due to the turbulent political climate in Venezuela, Daniel and his family received political asylum and moved to the US.

As an interdisciplinary artist, he describes his process as Chromatic Immersion Journeys.  He uses the language of color to develop works through different concrete forms such as pigments, materials, and textiles as well as non-tangible forms such as light and performance, bodies of work in which he involves political, social, aesthetic and universal issues.

Aesthetically he has a great influence by the arts and crafts of the Wayuu people. He grew up as child exposed to the work of Venezuelan artists such as Armando Reveron, Carlos Cruz Diez, Jesus Soto, Francisco Hung, Lia de Bermudez. He learned directly from Frank O'Cain in the Arts Student League New York.

Daniel was featured in Italian L’UOMO Vogue as one of New York’s up and coming artists.

Daniel is the Art Director and Co-Founder of the artist community project EL PATIO DE MI CASA (@lptdmcs) and Residency program La Casita de Bambú.

Today, Daniel lives in Bucks County PA working in both his studio sharing with people the power of emotional growth through art making and as a Community Engagement and Arts Integration Manager for Arts Academy Elementary Charter School (@artsacademyelementary) in Allentown, PA And Art Commissioner of the Allentown Arts Commission (@allentownarts), and the Art Community and Action Fellow with the Allentown Arts Museum (@atownartmuseum).

You can follow Daniel Djuro-Goiricelaya on Instagram at @ddjuro or check out their website at https://www.ddgart.com/.

Michael B. Judkins is creating stories that reach, teach, and empower. He has 10+ years of experience in the creative industry as an independent Creative Director, Screenwriter/Writer, Content Creator, and Mental Health Advocate. Michael believes that art can truly change lives! He holds an Associate Of Science in Journalism, a Bachelor of Science in Human Services, Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling. In addition, he has a Product Management Certification, Safe Set Certification, and is an Award Winning Director/Writer/Producer (Lonely Girl - Short Film 2022) Michael was Signed to AOIS 21 Media Publishing House, which published his Second Poetry Collection titled “Interlude to Sentimental Me.” Later, he turned the poetry collection into a stage play with two sold-out nights In Bethlehem, PA.

You can follow Michael by checking out his instagram at @oct14entertainment or his linktree by clicking here.

Michael wants to spotlight the upcoming film "Steve Brosky: Living in Allentown" which will delve into the life of a young man growing up in the inner city of Allentown, Pennsylvania, during the late '60s. With a logline that promises a journey encompassing happiness, personal conflicts, the allure of substance, and ultimately finding salvation, the biopic will provide a deep insight into Brosky's transformative experiences.

Written collaboratively by Michael B. Judkins and Steve Brosky during the development stage, the film is poised to become a significant milestone in the singer-songwriter's remarkable career. By sharing his story with the world, the aim is to inspire and uplift audiences while showcasing the vibrant city of Allentown.

For more information about the film and to contribute to the fundraiser,
please visit the official indiegogo link!

This episode's opportunity of the week is for the 2nd Annual Arts and Care 2024 held on August 30th & 31st, 2024 at the Charlie A. Brown Ice House. The purpose and mission of this event are to merge the worlds of creative arts and mental health/self-care through education, information, and accessibility. Arts and Care's core mission is to create a place of creative expression, education and community. Stay tuned to Oct 14th Entertainment's social media, website and linktree for more information about this upcoming event!
 

Danny Finocchio is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Easton, PA. A designer by trade, Danny has enjoyed a long career producing graphics, apparel, and footwear for brands like Mitchell & Ness, Reebok, and La Colombe. Danny meshes his diverse design experience and a love of experimentation within his art practice drawing upon memories, abstraction, pop culture, and sport as touch points of inspiration. With deliberate playfulness, Danny's pieces reflect a perpetual pursuit to develop his own artistic voice through story, illustration, color, repetition, and form.

You can follow on instagram at @dannyfinocchio, visit his personal website at https://dannyfinocchio.com/ and his studio website at https://studiofinocchio.com/. To inquire about a project, you can email him at danny@studiofinocchio.com.

To check out Danny's episode of The Social Tour Podcast, check it out here! And to check out Danny and Brandon's short conversation about the Bodies of Knowledge Sketch Book he designed for Lehigh University Art Galleries, check out this post.

This episode's opportunity of the week is for the Dear Misty x Glass Mask show on June 1st at the Bethlehem Rose Garden as part of the Live in the Garden series. It’s a free, outdoor, all ages concert with food trucks, wine and beer vendors, a nearby playground for the kids, and all the summertime neighborhood vibes you could dream of. Festivities start at 5:30PM. This event is organized by @bethlehemchamber and @tapeswapradio for @cityofbethlehempa. There is such a variety of good music through the whole series, so be sure to check out all the dates, every Saturday in May and June. The gig poster and custom animation for this show were done by Danny Finocchio! To learn more about his event and the Live in the Garden series, check out this post or this web page.

Florence-Susanne Reppert (@schizo_trash_poet) is a neurodivergent, nonbinary poet/photographer from the Lehigh Valley. They run Nowhere as Promised open mic at Nowhere Coffee Co (@nowherecoffeeco), and they are the founder of Poetry as Promised Literary Magazine (@poetryaspromised). They also occasionally Co-host Noble Quills (@noblequills) at Barnes and Noble. You can often find them on instagram talking about books, birds, and their children non-stop.

Daulton Reppert (@daulton_reppert) is poet/writer/musician from Allentown PA. He co-hosts Nowhere as Promised Open mic and is one of the -co-hosts for Unraveled Conversations (@unraveled_influence). When he is not hosting poetry related shows and events, he likes long walks down the hallway with his cat.

Poetry as Promised Magazine is a unique homemade and handmade literary magazine devoted to publishing your poetry, prose, short stories, photography, and visual arts in a way that speaks to the readers. It's Editor/Founder Florence-Susanne Reppert spends their time to compiling the accepted works alongside beautiful pages and stickers as a form of scrapbook art. They pride ourselves on their eye for detail and do everything in their power to deliver a masterpiece the featured poets can be proud of.

You can follow Poetry as Promised on instagram: @poetryaspromised
You can check out their website at https://poetryaspromisedsu9.wixsite.com/poetryaspromisedmaga
If you're interested in picking up an issue, click HERE!
For a full collection of links and others ways to get/stay involved, check out their linktree!

This week's opportunity of the week is for the Nowhere as Promised Open Mic #18. This event will feature Cord Moreski (@cord_moreski) & Andy Morales (@theeandymorales). It will be on Saturday, May 18 from 6-8:30pm. This event is for all ages, but please be advised of occasional adult content or language, as artists are not censored. This is a safe space for everyone interested in poetry and all forms of poetry, art, music and vulnerability in creation are welcome. This is a judgement free zone welcome to all. For more information on this event, keep an eye on the Poetry as Promised instagram page. 

Food Truck is an indie/alternative trio formed in 2017, based out of Bethlehem, PA. They are comprised of Miles Hiebsch on guitar and vocals, John Mackey on bass and vocals, and Ryan Flynn on drums.

You can follow Food Truck on Instagram at @foodtruck and check out their music through their linktree to find your preferred streaming platform. To keep up with Miles, check out @mileshiebsch or @mileshphoto. To keep up with John, check out @john_mackeyy. To keep up with Ryan, check out @ryanflynnstagram_. Stay connected with Food Truck for more information on when their sophomore album is coming out!

This episode's opportunity of the week is for The Spring Thing concert presented by the avenue. This fun night will include performances by Just Say When, Food Truck and Willowbrook. The door open at 7 and music starts at 7:30. This event has free admission but is 21 and up. DM any of the bands involved for the address! Hope to see you there!

This music at the beginning of this episode is an instrumental of "So Distant" by Food Truck. Recorded/Mixed by Matt Molchany at Shards Recording Studio. Mastered by Matt Poirier at Miner Street Recordings.

The drum fill used throughout the episode is from the song "Below the Sea" by Food Truck. Recorded/Mixed by Matt Molchany at Shards Recording Studio. Mastered by Matt Poirier at Miner Street Recordings.

Danny is an artist, teacher, administrator, father, and so much more. He was born in northeast Philadelphia and raised in central Connecticut, but Easton, Pennsylvania is where he has called home for most of the last 25 years. Through his studio practice, he wants to make Art that makes people feel as good as he does when he sees work that he likes.  He likes to use every tool he sees fit to communicate visually with people who are open to seeing how he feels. In addition to being an artist, he has been teaching for the Whitehall-Coplay School District full time, serving as a Drawing teacher, Graphic Design teacher and Director of the Zephyr Art Gallery at Whitehall High School.  He has received awards in Arts Education from Kutztown University, Lehigh Valley Arts Council, and the Scholastic Arts and Writing Organization.

To keep up with Danny, you can follow him on instagram at @dannymoyer.artist!

Here is a list of individuals who submitted remarks for the beginning of today's episode. They are listed by order of appearance.
Maryann Riker (@maryannriker)
Anthony Smith Jr. (@asmithjrnyc)
Doug Boehm (@dougboehmart)
Giancarlo DeMarchi (@notgiancarlo)
Peter Mayes (@wcsdwhs)
Kate Hughes (@ih8kate)
Todd Frankenfield (@wearemostaliveindreams)
DJ Brad Scott (@djbradfscott)
Al Johnson (@aljohnsonart)
Anthony Marraccini (@connexions_gallery)

This episode’s opportunity of the week is for the ongoing figure drawing sessions every Thursday in the Williams Visual Arts Building. Thank you  to Lafayette College for making this possible. Sessions are from 6-8:45 pm and is free for all, however, tips for the model are gratefully appreciated, but not required. The doors unlock at 5:45 pm, and re-lock at 7:30 pm. For more information, visit their facebook group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/499807193546210/

Here is a list of those interviewed in this episode:

Ryan Susko (@icehouse.punkdiy & @musicgardenpa)

Rachel Ana Dobken (@rachelanadobken)

Jason Reif (@freestone_jason)

Barry Knoblach (@ocean.avenue.musical)

Marlana Faye Ryan of The Normal Colleagues (@thenormalcolleagues & @Lane2go)

John Hoofman (@sonny_dai.feed)

Elflok (@elflokviolin)

Stewart Brodian of WDI (@nickelstew & @wdiyfm)

Rachel Mackow (@rachel.mackow)

Jon Blanco of We're From Antarctica (@werefromantarctica & @jonny_devito)

Jess Meoni (@scrantonpunkco)

Ray Meoni (@diavolobooking)

Cris & Craig of Loaf of Toast (@loafoftoast.lot)

Jason Shanes (@justsaywhenband)

Sol Katana (@solkatana)

Madison Van Duzer (@madisonv137)

Katie (@k8s_art_and_nails)

 Robin Gow (it/fae/he & él y elle) is a critically acclaimed trans poet from rural Pennsylvania. He is the author of several poetry collections, an essay collection, and Middle-Grade and YA novels. Faer novels include Ode to My First Car, A Million Quiet Revolutions, and Dear Mothman. Fae works as a community educator, calling folks into discussions around queer and disability justice. It lives with it's partner Rain and their menagerie of animals.

 To find more of Robin's work, you can follow them on instagram at @robin_gow_poet, on tiktok, or by checking out their website at https://robingow.com/.

 For more of Robin's upcoming events and readings, you can find a list here.

 For more about Robin and Rain's training click here.

 Our opportunity of the week is the Fine Arts and Curiosities Craft Show and Vendor Market presented by Arkana Antiques and Oddities. This craft show and vendor market is dedicated to showcasing fine art, oddities and the metaphysical. It is going on March 9, 2024 from 10am-4pm. Robin will be there vending and book signing! for more information, check out Arkana's facebook page.

Brandon Dominguez is a boundary-pushing contemporary artist navigating the realms of abstract and pop art. At the heart of his creative universe are the iconic characters Brian(the Brain) and Moonie(the Moon), who take center stage in his vivid compositions. Dominguez masterfully employs vibrant colors, crisp lines, and dynamic motion to convey the universal spectrum of human emotions. Influenced by the whimsical charm of rubber hose animation, his work invites viewers on a journey to explore the essence of creativity and the myriad emotions that make us uniquely human. In each piece, Dominguez seeks not only to showcase his artistic prowess but also to unravel the intricacies of what it means to be a creative being.

You can follow Brandon on Instagram @brandondm.art or visit his website at https://www.brandondmart.com/.

You can see Brandon’s work currently on display at ESOArts in Lancaster. Follow them on Instagram at @ESOArts_ or visit their website at https://www.esoartslanc.com/.

Brandon’s work will also be on display soon at Midnight Gallery as part of the exhibition Resilience: Expressions of the Mind, which will be on display soon. Stay tuned for more details by following them on Instagram at @midnightgallerypa or visiting their website at https://www.midnightgallerypa.com/.

Our opportunity of the week is Winter Replay 24’ presented by Marz Meets Venus, going on Saturday, February 24 from 1-8pm at 143 W Linden in Allentown! There will be vintage apparel, tattoos, clothing, art, jewelry, food, and music! For more information, check out the Marz Meets Venus instagram page @marzmeetsvenus. 

Larry Mason, is a writer, musician, Theatre Artist, and Disability Advocate. He works within the theatre world to try to build shows that talk honestly about his history with Disability, and how to build a more accessible theatre experience.

To follow Larry Mason on Social Media, you can check out his instagram page @larrymasontheater!

Arta Brito is a classically trained oil painter who has studied with various professional artists in New York City. She’s worked for the world renowned Jeff Koons studios from 2014-2016, has had several group and solo exhibitions throughout the U.S. and is in the permanent collection of the Hunterdon Art Museum and Lehigh University Art Galleries.

Brito’s work explores gender and queer themes inspired by both personal and current events. Her creative process serves as a vehicle for self exploration and storytelling. Brito’s work often resists sociopolitical structures and illuminates historical events purposefully left out of academia.

You can follow Arta on Instagram @artabrito

Arta's work is  on display at Bradbury Sullivan LGBT Community Center in the exhibition “Arta Through The Looking Glass” from December 14th - January 29th. The gallery is located at 522 W Maple St, Allentown, PA.

On Saturday, January 27th at Bradbury Sullivan there will be an artist talk. This will include a conversation with Arta Brito and Mark Wonsidler, Curator of Exhibitions and Collections at Lehigh University Art Galleries. For more information, check out this webpage. 

Arta's work is also on display at Atelier Jolie Gallery in the group show "The Language Of heART" from November 30th - January 31st. The gallery is located at 1122 W. Hamilton St. Allentown, PA.

Doug Trachtman is a 26 year old artist, musician, and food pantry coordinator. He grew up in Allentown, Pa, went to school at Temple University and is now living in the Lehigh Valley area.  Doug began making art as a child and drew frequently until high school when he took drawing class and hated it. In college Doug got back into creating both music and visual art. During his senior year of college, he turned his apartment into a makeshift art gallery and hosted two art shows that featured his own art and some friends' art. Post college, Doug has been working on creating a brand around his art and trying to sell locally. His work is characterized by its bright colors and various happy subjects.

His work is currently on-view and available for purchase at Art Beat Cafe, 432 state ave Emmaus,pa  18049

At the end of the episode, Doug mentioned the Punk Rock Flea Market in Philly. At the time this episode releases, this event will have passed.

You can follow him on Instagram at: @lavalampbebop

You can check out his etsy shop at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/lavalampbebop?load_webview=1&bid=diOPrW7AFynlAX6pwwT6gLdSXwZc

You can check out his appareal at: https://www.teepublic.com/user/lava-lamp-bebop

This episode is the finale of Season 3 of the Lehigh Valley Arts Podcast. We will be back soon with new episodes as we kick off Season 4!

An artist and exhibition curator, Elizabeth Johnson began writing reviews for
artpractical.com in San Francisco, California, and later covered exhibitions in New York City, Philadelphia, and the Lehigh Valley for theartblog.org. She has written for artcritical.com, Artvoices Magazine, Figure/Ground.org, The Brooklyn Rail, and DeliciousLine.org. Currently she interviews artists for Gross McCleaf Gallery in Philadelphia, and Philadelphia gallerists for theartblog.org. She curated The Big Painting Show at Workspace Limited in San Francisco’s Mission District and has since curated shows that mix local and visiting artists at Lafayette College, Cedar Crest College, Brick + Mortar Gallery and the Soft Machine Gallery, all in the Lehigh Valley. She co-curated Pathological Landscape for Marquee Projects in Bellport, New York, and Residential Tourist for Gross McCleaf Gallery in Philadelphia. Solo shows have been held at Café Museo, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA); Canada College, Redwood City, California; Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture SFMOMA Artists Gallery; and, in 2019, Cedar Crest College. After receiving a BA in Fine Arts from Bard College in 1986, she lived in San Francisco, California for 25 years. She moved to Easton, Pennsylvania, in 2011. She makes oil paintings that suggest dimensional space using curved and warped images. You can follow her on Instagram @elizjohnson2018 or check out her website at https://www.elizabethjohnsonart.com/

The show WORRY features twenty-two artists from Philadelphia, the Lehigh Valley, New Jersey, and New York in the hope of soothing shared political and cultural anxieties by revisiting classical drama. Loosely modeled on Penelope, Odysseus, and Athena from Homer’s Odyssey, WORRY compares Penelope’s suitors to a throng of stubborn anxieties, which might be mitigated through artmaking rather than annihilation. Emphasizing Athena’s association with protection, handicraft, and wisdom but not war, WORRY identifies Odysseus not as military hero but in terms of the joy of wandering and distraction. WORRY is a show at Soft Machine Gallery in Allentown, PA.

WORRY artists include: Rocío Cabello, Matthew Crain, Eva Di Orio, Morgan Hobbs, William Hudders, Duwenavue Santé Johnson, Elizabeth Johnson, Frederick Wright Jones, Elizabeth Keithline, Tom McGlynn, Renny Molenaar, John Mortensen, Jill Odegaard, Joseph O’Neal, Bethann Parker, Celia Reisman, Paul Rider, Anthony Smith Jr., Emily Steinberg, Charles Stonewall, Bruce Wall, and Tenesh Webber

WORRY will be having a closing reception on Saturday, July 1 at 2 pm for a brief Artists Talk and music by Francine Roussel (vocals) and Patrick Paladin (piano) who will present a repertoire of popular songs, in the original French, with a jazz approach.

Soft Machine Gallery is a contemporary art space/performance venue in blossoming Allentown featuring local/national artists & performers.
It is located at 105 Ridge Ave, Allentown, PA 18101. For more information about them, follow them on Instagram at @soft_machine_gallery.

Matt has always known he wanted to work in the movie industry. He has a filmmaking degree from Temple University and has produced numerous independent short and feature films. After completing an internship in Los Angeles, Matt became enamored with independent arthouse theaters and shifted his focus toward the presentation side of films rather than the production. In 2014, Matt helped to revive and run a drive-in theater in Carbon County, PA, and felt he found his niche. Matt teamed up with his friend and fellow theater operator, Brendan Joyce, in 2019 to found The Moving Picture Cinema (TMPC), presenting professional-grade outdoor cinema to unique, non-theatrical spaces in the greater Philadelphia area. TMPC kicked off operations with a handful of small, intimate screenings at local breweries and taprooms.

Lauren spent the majority of her adult life as a medical social worker and healthcare marketer. She met Matt in 2018, when she was a customer at his first drive-in theatre. After traveling around the country together visiting drive-in movie theaters and unique cinematic displays, Lauren found herself gravitating more toward the cinema business. In May 2022, Lauren took a leap out of healthcare and joined TMPC full time to oversee the company's marketing and business development activities, helping to expand the mobile cinema into new markets.

During the spring of 2022, Matt and Lauren met with the owners of Shankweiler's Drive-In Theatre in Orefield, PA. The theater had been for sale for several years, and its future was uncertain. They made the decision to purchase the theater and continue its operations. The drive-in re-opened in November 2022 and is now open year-round. TMPC continues to innovate and evolve new events and partnerships to offer the drive-in experience to communities across Eastern PA, allowing Matt to combine his love of vintage cinema with his borderline obsessive DIY spirit.

For more information about Shankweiler's, check out their website https://www.shankweilers.com/ or follow them on instagram at @shankweilers.

For more information about The Moving Picture Cinema, check out their website https://themovingpicturecinema.com/ or follow them on instagram at @movingpicturecinema.

Melissa R. Strom is an interdisciplinary artist based in the Lehigh Valley and New York City Metropolitan area. She earned her BFA in Studio Art and Graphic and Interactive Design at Moravian University. Primarily working with oil paint and found object assemblages, her practice stems from themes including mental health, relationships, music, and everyday life, and is often informed by a span of historic and current events. Recently, patterns, light, and text have become important aspects of her work, and she continues to explore different approaches to forming, altering, and handling these components. Melissa currently works at the Allentown Art Museum.

To keep up with Melissa and hear more about what she's doing, follow her on Instagram at @artbymelsie or check out her website at https://melissarstrom.com/. 

This episode's opportunity of the week is for The Gold Door Gallery's fundraiser "Heart of Gold Charity Show." Proceeds collected at this year's exhibition are benefiting the Pennsylvania SPCA. This event will be held on February 11, 2023 from 7-9pm. All artwork on display will be for sale or auction. Entry to the event is free, but they are asking for supply donations if possible. These include pet food and general pet supplies. You can follow the Gold Door Gallery on instagram at @golddoorgallery or check out their website at https://www.golddoorgallery.art/. 

The artists we interviewed (In order of appearance):
David Matzura (@Treeman_Artist)
Tyrone Webb (@Fine_Spray_Paint_Art)
Brandon C. Lay (@Living.Proof.Pictures)
Katie Hovencamp (@KatieHovencamp)
Larry Mason (@touchstone_theatre)
Ben Burrington (@WhyNotFailAgain)
Noel Elvin (@NoelElvinMusic)
Bryana Joy (@_bryana_joy)
Emma Ryan (@Hues_of_Bluez)
Rachel Cavotta (@rkc_artwork)
Chris Singleheart (@ChrisSingleheart)
Robert Pipeling (@ItWasAllaDweeb)
Gabby Gentile (@Gabby_M_Gentile)
Jen Schaffer (@SweetJuneMoon)
Nicole Schaffer (@LazyDaisyDog22)
Melissa R Strom (@ArtByMelsie)

To follow any of our hosts on Instagram, you can find them at:
Elise Schaffer (@EJSchaffer)
Elisabeth Orr (@Li_Beth_19)
Benjamin Orr (@BenjaminDavidOrr)

The Art Beat Café is located at: 432 State Ave, Emmaus, PA 18049

Alex Luquet is a bass player that's lived in Bethlehem since 2011. He's performed locally and nationally with a wide variety of musicians including Dominic Angelella, Cold Fronts, John Morgan Kimock, and William H. Travis. Alex releases his own albums under the band name Sailcloth, focusing the music on my upright bass. He has also done sound design and composition for film and video games as well. To keep up to date with Alex, you can follow him on Instagram at @alexluquet and @sailclothsounds. You can follow him on Bandcamp at sailcloth.bandcamp.com/. 

Alex Luquet and Daniel started collaborating a few years ago on an ongoing series of short films, using each other's films and music as inspiration. They share a love of nature and an organic approach to art making, giving the pieces a unified aesthetic where the audio and video play equal parts. Currently, Alex and Daniel are compiling their efforts into a performance entitled The Forest Primeval.

The Forest Primeval is the product of a years long collaboration between musician and composer Alex Luquet (aka Sailcloth) and filmmaker Daniel Paashaus (Paas-haus).  This original performance showcases the duo’s short films, photography, spoken word, and live music. Alex will be performing unreleased solo work, including a live score to some of the films, and will be releasing his new EP, Resting Fields. The Forest Primeval will premiere at The Ice House in Bethlehem on February 3rd, 2023.  Gallery opens at 7:00 with beverages.  Show begins at 8:00 with music, video, and words.  Tickets are $10 at the door.  More info at paas-haus.com/. The address of The Ice House is 56 River St, Bethlehem, PA 18018.

The songs at the open and close of today's episode were provided by Sailcloth off the upcoming EP Resting Fields. The opening is titled Silver Star and is the first single off the project. The closing song is titled Earth in Earth and will be available to purchase and stream once the full EP comes out. To preorder the project, check out the Bandcamp page for the project at sailcloth.bandcamp.com/album/resting-fields.

Christa Neu is a photographer and photo editor for Lehigh University. She serves on the board of Healing Through the Arts, a non-profit organization that provides information and resources to encourage and support healing to individuals, caregivers and their families.

 Prior to Lehigh, she was Photo Director and Editor at Organic Gardening, Rodale Publishing’s flagship brand, and a photo editor at TV Guide. She holds her MA in Illustration Photography from Syracuse University, Newhouse School of Public Communications, and her BA in History from Alfred University. To keep up with Christa, follow her on Instagram @cneu, her artwork page @cneu_artjournal, her website christaneu.com. To see some of her work with Lehigh, keep an eye out on Lehigh's Instagram @lehighu.

This episode's opportunity is for Lehigh University's What Matters Most. Over the past year, over 100 Lehigh students, faculty, and staff, as well as community members in Bethlehem were asked what matters most to them.  A broad range of topics were discussed, from protecting our environment to fighting racism to our individual and collective well-being. The contributors were asked to discuss these issues, and then to select works of art from Lehigh’s collection that help us think more deeply about them. Rather than being illustrations of specific issues, or even the central topic of concern to the artist, these selections are meant to expand, explore, and connect our ideas about what matters most. Lehigh University Art Galleries invites you to visit the exhibition in five of our campus galleries, as well as along the South Bethlehem Greenway. Be sure to attend our free programs and events. For more information, visit the Lehigh University Art Galleries website at https://luag.lehigh.edu/exhibitions/what-matters-most or follow them on Instagram at @luartgalleries. 

Doug Boehm is a painter and illustrator whose personal work has been shown in galleries throughout the United States and collected in the US, UK, Australia, and Taiwan. His illustration work has graced the pages of national publications and tour posters. Doug lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and three children. You can view Doug's works and online storefront by visiting https://dougboehm.com. You can follow him on Instagram @dougboehmart.

The opportunity of the week is for Doug's Solo Show, Mt. Duality, at Arch Enemy Arts which is located at 109 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. The show opened on November 4th and will be on display all month. 

In this special episode, we talk with Kiki Keyser from Mission Spooky about all things death and dying! More specifically, we talk about the history of art in gravestones & graveyards! In our conversation, we talked about gravesites around the world, in the state of Pennsylvania, and even in our local Lehigh Valley scene.

At the beginning of the episode, we talk about our experience at the Midnight Gallery's Halloween Pop Up Show, Elise's guest episode on the Mission Spooky Podcast, and the story of an art piece that was birthed out of Ben's obsession with 7-Eleven.

Kiki's educational background is in archaeology with a concentration in Classical Studies (Egyptian, Roman, Greek, Mexican in that order), and an anthropologist with a focus on physical anthropology. She received a National Science Foundation grant for the study of the taphonomy of grave sites for an extinct indigenous tribe of modern-day Kentucky. She's also the proud mom of a wonderful 6-year-old boy.

Kiki is also a host on the wonderful show Mission Spooky, a historical and folklore-based look at haunted locations in the North East concentrating on Pennsylvania. They have a few nerdy segments which are TTRPG based and their Soil Sessions segments which focus on growing plants in their zone as well as the folklore and history around them. You can follow Mission Spooky on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok by searching @missionspooky.

The Midnight Gallery's Halloween Pop-Up Show is running through November 11th and features spooky art from several artists. For more information, check out their Instagram or website. 

This episode was created alongside the National Museum of Industrial History as a way to uplift the prominence of Bethlehem Steel on the history and culture of the Lehigh Valley.

For the opportunity of the week, we invite you to join us for an exploration of all things STEEL! Highlights include the Steelworkers Reunion Party, pop-up exhibits, hands-on youth activities, documentary and archival video screenings, live demonstrations, guided tours and more. Musical performances by Kendal Conrad and Starting Tomorrow and food from Heaven On A Bun Food Truck and a very special Foodways of Steel tasting.

Steel Weekend will be held from 10am-5pm on October 15 & 16. This event will be held at the National Museum of Industrial History, which is located at 602 East Second Street, Bethlehem, 18015. For more information about the event, please visit https://www.nmih.org/event/steel-weekend-steelworkers-reunion/.

This event is presented in partnership with Steelworkers’ Archives, Baltimore Museum of Industry, Banana Factory, Bethlehem Area Public Library, Lehigh University Art Galleries, Bethlehem Area School District. South Bethlehem Historical Society, Lehigh Valley Public Media.

Funding generously provided by Northampton County Department of Community and Economic Development Hotel Tax Grant Program, Lehigh County Quality of Life Grant Program, Hank & Joanne Barnette, OneGroup, PA Steel Alliance, American Institute of Steel Construction, MMZ Foundation, St. John Windish Church, Azar Supermarket, Weis Markets, Giant Markets.

Born and raised in rural Eastern PA, with a Jewish mother and a Puerto Rican Father Eliana was inspired to create art that could encapsulate her specific experiences with adversity and trauma throughout her life. As a survivor of sexual abuse, and a person with a learning disability, she tries to create self-portraits that can allow people to understand her perspective, whilst also working through her traumas emotionally. Her work is both a representational self-portrait of her face, but also an emotional self-portrait created by the vintage collage materials, and found objects from her own life. These paintings are almost like diary entries and scrapbook pages, making comments about capitalism, and institutionalized prejudice in the United States. In her experience, when you are a minority every facet of your life is inherently political, and she works to convey this message within her work.

You can find Eliana on Instagram at @elianavelez_art.

This episode's opportunity of the week is for Eliana's solo show at The Gallery at Steel Pixel Studios. The exhibition's opening reception will be on September 21st from 6:30-8pm. It will be at 701 N New St. Bethlehem, PA 18018. The exhibition will be on display from September 14th through the beginning of November.

Josh Berk is the Executive Director of the Bethlehem Area Public Library as well as an author and musician in the Lehigh Valley. Josh comes from a family of librarians and has deep roots in the Lehigh Valley. In addition to being a librarian, Josh is also an author. His first book for young adults, The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin, was set in a high school in PA coal country and was placed on several “best of” lists. His first book for younger readers, Strike Three You’re Dead, allowed him to write about his passion for baseball. It was a finalist for the prestigious Edgar Awards presented by the Mystery Writers of America. In addition to writing, Josh is also a musician and plays Bass in the band Fictional Name! When he’s not working, writing, or playing bass, he’s fanboying on instagram over the new face of the Lehigh Valley Punk Rock Scene, Chloe the Chug. You can find Josh Berk on instagram at @jberkjj, the Bethlehem Area Public Library at @pabapl, Cloe the Chug at @cloethechug, and Fictional Name at @fictional_name!

Alongside Josh on this episode is Mall Molchany, the seasoned sound engineer who started Tape Swap Radio owns Shards Recording Studio in Southside Bethlehem. Matt is also a member of the bands VoirVoir & Wipes. You can find Matt on instagram at @shards_recording_studio, tape swap radio at @tapeswapradio, and VoirVoir at @voirvoirband!

Katie Hovencamp received her BFA from Arizona State University in 2009 and her MFA from the Pennsylvania State University in 2014. Hovencamp has exhibited her work in numerous exhibitions within the United States, Europe, and Asia. Her work has been reviewed in Sculpture Magazine, Chicago Reader, and several online and print publications. She was the recipient of the Outstanding Student Achievement Award for Contemporary Sculpture in 2014 and the University Graduate Fellowship at the Pennsylvania State University in 2012. Hovencamp has participated in residency programs at Vermont Studio Center, Serde Interdisciplinary artist group in Latvia, and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Ireland. In 2016, she was awarded an artist residency with International Sculpture Center at Mana Contemporary in Jersey City, NJ. She has taught at various institutions such as the Edna Vihel Center for the Arts, Totts Gap Art Institute, Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg Area Community College, Keystone College, and Northampton Community College.

Devyn Briggs grew up in Bethlehem, PA and studied at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, MD. She studied drawing, painting, sculpture, fiber arts, and ceramics and earned a BFA with a major in Ceramics in 2013. She then earned a masters degree in the Business of Art and Design, studying creative entrepreneurship before opening a studio at the Banana Factory in Bethlehem, PA. In addition to making art, Devyn is an educator and arts activist dedicated to fostering equity and inclusion within the Lehigh Valley arts community. She has worked in numerous areas of the arts world including fine art collection management, creative start-ups, community and public art, and non-profit management. She currently works at Northampton Community College as a Career Readiness Specialist, empowering students to start successful careers, and as an adjunct instructor in the art department. She previously served on CACLV’s Color Outside the Lines Quality of Life Committee and as an advisory board member of the Guild of Creative Citizens, a non-profit dedicated to arts equity in the Lehigh Valley. She is an active member of the Juneteenth Lehigh Valley Steering Committee and African American Business Leaders Council Events Committee.

You can follow Katie on Instagram @katiehovencamp or visit her website at www.katiehovencamp.com.

You can Follow Devyn on Instagram @devynlenor or by visiting her website at www.devynlenorbriggs.com.

You can follow Kendal Conrad on Instagram at @kendalconrad and follow her food page at @kendalsbites. Make sure to check out her new song, I Don't Need You Now, at https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/kendalconrad/i-dont-need-you-now.

You can follow Kate Hughes on Instagram at @ih8kate and Fig Lehigh Valley @figlehighvalley. Visit Fig Lehigh Valley's Website by visiting https://linkin.bio/figlehighvalley.

For our opportunity of the week, we wanted to share some information about how you can get involved with ACE - The Artists Community of Easton!

Monthly meetings are held by ACE as an opportunity for members to learn about the organization, upcoming events, and the work being done by the committees. There’s also an open forum for all members to share their thoughts and announce their own exhibitions that are done outside of ACE. Frequently, guest speakers are invited to discuss various topics of interest to the arts community.

Artists of all mediums are welcome, as is anyone who would like to support the arts.  ACE Monthly Meetings are open to the public.  You do not need to be an ACE member to attend. ACE is a membership-driven organization, and there are numerous ways to contribute to and benefit from participation. As an ACE member, you will receive multiple opportunities to exhibit artwork, receive discounts, and more. Become an active ACE member and help lift and encourage our community through the power of the arts. ACE offers individual, family, and student memberships that offer benefits such as participation in meetings and events, marketing and networking resources, special exhibition opportunities and announcements, and more!

You can find Rachel on Instagram as @rochperi and @rachelperiphoto.

You can find ACE on Instagram as @ace.artscommunityofeaston or visit their website at www.eastonart.org.

You can keep up with him by following him on Instagram @seth_witcher or by checking out his Linktree at https://linktr.ee/SethWitcher.

His new song "We're All Human" comes out on May 20th. Keep an eye out for that new song and make sure you stick around until the end of the episode for a quick surprise!

Seth read the opportunity for the week, which is a listing of all his upcoming concerts! For more information about his upcoming shows, check out the shows tab on his website: https://www.sethwitcherofficial.com/shows.

All the music used in this episode is by Seth Witcher.

The closing reception for the show will be on Saturday, April 30 (2022) at 2pm. We hope to see you there!

The Art Establishtment's website is https://www.theartestablishmentstudios.com/
Anthony's Website is https://www.anthonysmithjr.com
Doug's Website is https://dougboehm.com/

Our opportunity for the week is Hemlock's funeral. Hemlock will be closing its brick and mortar location at 9 N 2nd St. in Easton-- but this is not the end! Join Hannah in having a funeral for the physical gallery, to pave way for an exciting new afterlife! The Funeral will be hosted in the gallery, for a fond farewell. Funeral garb is encouraged but not required. Drinks, small bites and an arty little gift bag for the first 20 guests. The event will be on April 24th from 1-5pm.

After graduating from Tyler School of Art at Temple University with a BFA in painting and drawing and a minor in art history, she immersed herself in the Lehigh Valley art scene. 

She began working as the front desk receptionist at the Banana Factory and soon after that she started interning at the Allentown Art Museum in the exhibition and collections department. After putting in a year at the art museum, she then went on to work as a gallery assistant at Bethlehem House Gallery. Over the course of 2018 she went back to Temple and became a certified floral designer. Furthermore, in 2019 she started working under a local florist in the Easton, PA flower shop “Bloomies”. 

Her role as a floral designer influenced her contemporary painting style and brought her work into the 3D realm. In 2020, during the pandemic shutdown, she was able to expand her portfolio and create a body of new work, which was on display in the Bethlehem House Gallery’s Holiday Show 2020. The exhibit included many of Rachel’s mixed media paintings & drawings, floral arrangements, installations, and prints. 

Currently, Rachel has elevated her role at the House Gallery to Assistant Director, continues to create fresh floral arrangements at Bloomies, which was rated 2021’s Best Flower Shop in the Valley by LV Style Magazine, and she also manages her art practice in Studio 248A at the Banana Factory.

Our opportunity for the week is the artist reception for  for “Black Vision.”  Femi J. Johnson is the guest curator for this celebration of Black History Month. Femi has chosen three prominent local artists to feature in the show — Berrisford Boothe, Al Johnson and Charles Stonewall. The reception is Thursday, February 3, 5:30-7:30, at ARTHAUS (645 Hamilton St). 

Abraham Darlington is originally from Philadelphia, PA. He has always had an interest in art, especially tattoo art; but, was not until he developed a shoulder injury that he began to pursue his artistic interests. Abraham has no formal art training, except for taking a small number of courses at The Baum School of Art at a young age. Everything he creates has been through hard work, experimentation, imagination, and the sounds of rock music.
Abraham's work does not follow a specific style or school of thought when he creates art. He enjoys all styles and mediums, but has a proclivity for street, graffiti, abstract, minimalist, and cubist art. His paintings are typically created spontaneously and quickly being completed within a sitting or two. He uses all types of tools including brushes, palette knives, spatulas, combs, sponges, spray paints, stencils, even his own hands.
Follow Abraham on Instagram @art_enthusiast1986 or visit his website www.punkmetalabstract.com.

Our opportunity for the week is for the newest gallery show at The Gallery at Steel Pixel Studios. Digital Frontier: An NFT Exhibition opens on Wednesday, January 12th and features the work of Tyrone Webb, Michael Lebson, and the "Aww, Rats!" team. The opening reception is on January 12th from 6:30-8pm. The show will run from January 12th - February 25th.

This week's special guest is singer/songwriter Stefanie Johnson!

Singing and writing songs since a young girl, Stefanie hails from the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, once home to some of the country’s largest steel manufacturing. Her professional musical experience is varied and significant: performing at Bethlehem’s popular Musikfest, one of the nation’s largest music festivals, and beyond. Stefanie has appeared on local television stations such as WLVT's Steel Sessions, WFMZ’s Music Monday, and Service Electric’s Holiday Concert Series as well as The Mike Zambelli Show. In addition to the local scene, Stefanie has performed at Nashville's legendary Bluebird Cafe and 12th & Porter, and then on to perform at the Rock and Roll of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.

In 2015, Stefanie began recording her album with co-writer/producer Brian J. Anthony who immediately embraced her vision. Brian helped create a sonic landscape by mixing bits of rock, pop and country while not losing the intensity of her voice or deep personal reflection in her lyrics. The result of these tracks gained the attention of some of the area's best-known musicians who all jumped at the opportunity to be part of this project. She released her self-titled debut album, Stefanie, through England's Escape Music label in February of 2017.

To describe her voice, Stefanie has a bold melodic presence, both strong and smooth. Her style ranges from a soaring pop artist to rock singer with a slight country timbre as well. Similarly, her music and songwriting style traverse those same motifs. Stefanie is currently working on a new album with co-writer and producer Brian Anthony. This album will be slightly more blues and country driven with a roots rock feel.

Stefanie has also made her mark in the music licensing business. Her song “In my Shoes” has been featured in the 2018 film Affairs of State. In addition, her song “One Life” will be featured in the upcoming film Red Rocket to be released December 2021. Most recently, her song “Everything You Need” will be featured in Daniel Roebuck’s Hail Mary which is currently in postproduction.

For more information about Stefanie and to see her upcoming shows, check her out on Instagram at @stefanie.johnson (https://www.instagram.com/stefanie.johnson/) or go to her reverbnation page (https://www.reverbnation.com/stefaniejohnson)!

Stick around until the end of the episode for a short and funny musical suprise!

Ramona is a Texas native who came to Bethlehem in 1985. Looking for music on the left end of the dial, she found Hep Cat’s Holiday - hosted by Dave Fry - on WMUH radio, where she heard that Nanci Griffith would be performing at a place called Godfrey Daniels. She remembers finding and walking into the club one evening to buy tickets. Nanci Griffith at Godfrey’s: an intimate concert with only about 30 in attendance. Needless to say, she caught the magic that night. She answered the call to start volunteering. It didn’t take long to figure out that she could be part of a group of like-minded folks who helped bring live music to the masses.

She was soon enlisted to help behind the scenes. By 1990, she was invited to join the board. In the late 1990s, she joined the conference staff for the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance and International Folk Alliance for 10 years, an important nexus for folk artists, venues, radio, festivals, press and record companies, and others. In 2010, she was recognized as Volunteer of the Year by the Bethlehem Fine Arts Commission, due no doubt to her volunteer time with Godfrey’s, and her years (2003-2009) with the Celtic Cultural Alliance (Celtic Classic festival). At CCA, she was public relations; bookkeeper; volunteer coordinator; festival finance director. The Lehigh Valley music scene is truly a large, generous and open hearted community - very much like a family. The people who I count as my best friends today, she met at Godfrey’s or thru herwork at Godfrey’s.

Godfrey’s partners with several area arts organizations: WDIY; Touchstone Theatre; Celtic Classic; ArtsQuest/MusikFest. The LV Charter High School for the Performing Arts. Godfrey Daniels has been recognized by the LV Music Awards. Godfrey’s is supported financially by a strong membership program; and local foundations such as Martin Guitar Foundation; also the PCA.

Marie Jeanne is an independent artist working and living in Hellertown, Pennsylvania. Her interest in art and stained glass began in 2010 when she first arrived to the U.S. from Guinea Conakry in West Africa. While attending Germantown High School, she distinguished herself by crafting paper birds with intricate feathers and stained glass. One of her feather birds won first place in the Philadelphia School District art competition, kicking off her career as a visual artist.

Upon graduating, she attended Community College of Philadelphia where she continued studying English as a second language. Jeanne then transferred to Shippensburg University where she majored in French language and culture while engaging with many art courses, including art history, 3-dimensional art, and ceramics.

After graduating from Shippensburg University, Jeanne felt torn between pursuing a career as a translator and exploring her passion for stained glass and painting. She made a studio in her basement, a sanctuary where she was able express her creativity, and dedicated herself to making art from an international perspective.

Jeanne’s artworks are inspired by her early experiences in Guinea Conakry, as well as by the West African perspective on life. She draws from the region’s spirituality and the concept of sacred femininity. “Heaven is under the feet of women,” according to Islamic belief—a popular saying across West Africa. With this in mind, Jeanne’s art depicts the female figure. Her work explores the mythology, spirituality, and representation of women in her culture. With her fine art, Jeanne manages to combine her experiences as a young adult in Pennsylvania with her early influences in Guinea Conakry. Although women are considered sacred in West Africa, there is still a taboo around open conversation about a woman’s body.

Therefore, Jeanne’s dream is to introduce a frank dialogue about all aspects of femininity—including the bodily form.

You can view her work at her website, https://www.marie-belle-art.com/, on Instagram at @belleeeart, or by visiting her on an upcoming First Friday at the Banana Factory.

Our opportunity for the week is the "Art (and) History From a Queer Perspective" at the Bradbury Sullivan Center. The next class will focus on Anne Lister (Gentleman Jack) and her era, with a special presentation by “Lister Sister” Michelle Mecham, on decoding Anne’s fascinating diaries.

While it’s sometimes hard to provide solid evidence that a person in the 1800s was actually gay, that is not the case with this fascinating woman. Diarist Anne Lister has been called the “First Lesbian”, because her (literally) 5 million words of eye opening journal entries (circa 1835) describe not only her well-adjusted understanding of her lesbian identity, but graphic descriptions written in code of making love to many women, including Ann Walker, whom she wooed and “wedded." Lister’s and Walker’s in-church commitment has been recognized as the first same-sex marriage in Britain, and Anne Lister’s life is the subject of the show “Gentleman Jack," a BBC TV series. 

In this class, instructor Liz Bradbury, MFA will talk about Anne Lister’s life and a bit about other queer figures in history that were part of her era. Included in this class will be a presentation by Michelle Mecham, a “Lister Sister” who is part of the decoding project of Anne’s Diaries, organized by the Shibden Hall Anne Lister Museum. 

The series is free and open to the public. Registration not required. For more information about the series, contact instructor Liz Bradbury at 610-432-5449 or Liz@BradburySullivanCenter.org. 

Marlow Rodale paints imaginary landscapes, rich in color and texture, to capture the ephemeral world of dreams.  The surreal color combined with the skewing of perspective and geometric form is an attempt to capture the otherworldly feeling of being in a dream; a world familiar but not confined to logical conventions of our waking reality. The tantalizing surface texture, perspective and color all work together to draw the viewer into the scene and evoke a visceral reaction, while an absence of recognizable objects allows the viewer to create a narrative from their own experience

You can find more about Marlow by following them on Instagram at @wolram or by checking out their website at https://www.marlowrodale.com/.

Our opportunity of the week is for the Opening Reception: "Riot of Life" Works by Terry Stout and Tom Maxfield, a new show by two local artists who interpret flora, fauna, small and large, parts of interwoven, integrated systems that make the wild web of life in two very different ways.

The reception will be at the Nurture Nature Center, located at 518 Northampton St, Easton, PA 18042. It will be held from 6-9pm on Friday, December 3rd 2021.

Rei Ukon is a queer and trans Japanese collage artist with a fascination for the hidden, spiritual world. Their art reflects a journey of understanding the relationships that make up our lives and towards inner peace. Specifically, collage has been a healing medium. The act of taking an existing material to create from imagination mirrors the experience of holding their queerness together in forging identity. Each tear in a piece of paper represents a process of letting go and embracing imperfections while awaiting the unique surprises each tear can offer. Through workshops and classes, they aim to cultivate safe spaces for creation. Currently, they are a Teaching Artist at the Banana Factory, Lehigh University Art Galleries, and The Art Establishment. 

You can find more about Rei by following them on Instagram at @reiukon or by checking out their website at https://reiukon.wixsite.com/myart.

Our opportunity of the week is for Exposé, an exhibition which features art which relates to exposure, confessions, secrets, coming out, unmasking, opening. This exhibition is an online and digital show that will be online and projected on the walls of Hemlock Art Space & Gallery in Easton, PA. Pieces will be linked to the artist for sales and Hemlock will not collect commission.

The online show will run November 13, 2021 - January 3, 2022 and the projected images will be on view Fridays during the same time period.

Starting off the show, Elise and Nina talk about what Nina has been up to. Later on, they talk (and often times laugh) with Andi about her studio, process, and so much more!

Andi Grunberg is a sculptor and mixed media artist living and working in the Lehigh Valley. She was born and raised in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Art has been a large part of her life since childhood; learning about and creating art has always been integral to her daily life. Andi holds a Master's degree in Psychology, as well as two Bachelor’s degrees, one in Psychology and one in Art with a focus on metalsmithing. At the intersection of Art and Psychology is the Self, art creates the path towards deep introspection of our lives, the world, and the spirituality and power of women. In celebration of this, her work focuses on the expression of the Divine Feminine. Using a variety of mediums, Andi is committed to unearthing and expressing the Goddess within, through the language of art. Her art studio, Expressions Studio, is located in the heart of Center City Allentown.

You can find more about Andi by following her on Instagram at @andigrunberg or by checking out her website at https://andigrunberg.com/.

This week's opportunity of the week is for the second exhibition at the Gallery at Steel Pixel Studios featuring Nina Boodhansingh!

Stop by the studio on Wednesday, November 17th from 6:30-8pm for a reception celebrating Nina's work! Masks are highly recommended.

Steel Pixel Studios is located at 701 North New Street in Historic Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. See you there!

Starting off the show, Ben and Keith talk about what Keith has been up to. Later on, they talk with Domenick about his process, inspiration, and much much more. 

Domenick Naccarato began his professional career in 1998 after receiving his BFA in Fine Art from The College of New Jersey. He has spent time wearing several different hats over the past two decades including that of a web designer, web developer, graphic designer, creative director, marketing manager, and product manager. The single role that has been the common thread behind all of this, is that of Artist. Naccarato moonlights out of his basement workshop and studio, producing art that has been exhibited in and around the Lehigh Valley for the past 9 years. His style has been described as contemporary industrial and he is regularly included in seasonal shows at Connexions Gallery in Easton, PA, has exhibited at Bethlehem House Gallery in Bethlehem, PA and has also been included in a number of solo, curated, and juried shows throughout the Valley. He currently sits on the board of the Lehigh Art Alliance and is also a member of the Arts Community of Easton. Naccarato resides in Lower Macungie with his wife and two teenage daughters.

Naccarato’s contemporary, industrial style is achieved with compositions that are the result of his approach to combining paint, text, found objects, and a variety of other textures and non-traditional mediums. He uses a variety of techniques and processes to create the work and build up textures that include everything from sanding layers of joint compound to coating surfaces with roofing tar. His processes are purposeful, taking brand new hardware in some cases, and adding a patina of rust on the metal to make it appear as if it had aged over years. Not one to be content with just painting, he’ll often add graphic elements of fragmented words and numerical references, or other assemblage and collage elements to his pieces. These items can take the form of reclaimed pallet wood, wire mesh, or perhaps brown packing tape. And his love of hardware is evident too. With the addition of large bolts, rusty nails, or brackets, his pieces quickly become three-dimensional in nature.

For more information about Naccarato, or to see his work,  check him out on instagram, @domenicknaccarato, or check out his linktree at https://linktr.ee/domenicknaccarato.

This week's opportunity of the week is for Allentown Art Museum's Cocktails and Collecting, which will be held on Saturday, November 6, 2021 from 6-9pm.

This stylish evening in the galleries offers access to an extraordinary array of more than twenty emerging and established artists, from painters and print makers to fashion designers and jewelry makers.

The artists will be on hand to explain their creative process and answer your questions about their art—an enjoyable way to start or grow your collection. Along with original art you’ll experience the culinary creations of Sumac Catering, a specialty cocktail by Black River Farms, Lehigh Valley Style’s Style Wall, and live-spun music by DJ Brad Scott.

Or stop by Sunday, November 7th, from 11 till 4 to meet the artists, listen to the sounds of DJ Brad Scott, browse original works of art, and wander the galleries, all free. For more details, go to AllentownArtMuseum.org.

Kailey Atkinson is an artist and creative professional from Easton, PA. Her primary mediums are mixed media collage with 2D and 3D elements, illustration, and paper craft. She collects imagery from sources dating back to the late 1800’s, but most often from the early to mid 1900s. Through found imagery and the experimentation of a range of materials, Atkinson creates new narratives that explore topics like body image, memory, mental illness, identity, feminism, gender roles, politics, and personality, because she feels it is necessary to expose what is below the surface in her art. She also makes work that could be viewed as nonsensical, humorous, or a celebration of not taking life too seriously. Her work may seem simply playful at first, drawing viewers in with glitter, vibrant colors, mysterious textures, sassy sayings, and unexpected juxtapositions of imagery. Upon closer looking, she hopes viewers find connections to their own experiences and recognize the deeper meaning within her work.

To view her work, you can follow her on Instagram at @kaileycatkinson, go to LEARKE found at 65 N. 4th St. Easton, PA 18042, or check her out at the Indiemade Craft Market on 12/24/21 at the Starlite Ballroom in the Fearless Fire Company found at 1221 S. Front St. Allentown.

The Lehigh Valley Arts Podcast is a Steel Pixel Studios original series. To find out more about @steelpixelstudios, check out their Instagram or go to www.steelpixelstudios.com.

Reservoir Hill is an original Americana rock band co-founded by friends Dylan Flaherty and Brad Kramer in Allentown, PA. The band currently comprises Brad Kramer (Lead vocals), Tommy Pogash (Bass), Dylan Flaherty (Lead Guitar) and Charles Kicska (Drums).

Formed in the Winter of 2018 the band draws on their many influences to bring forth a diverse sounding collection of songs that show many sides to their personality. Influenced by bands like; Zac Brown Band, Chris Stapleton, U2, The Allman Brothers, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, The Black Keys, and more. They aim to produce lyrically driven, diverse and catchy originals with a wide variety of covers performed in their unique style.

After partnering with Lehigh Valley producer Brian J. Anthony, the band released their self-titled debut EP "Reservoir Hill" in March of 2019. Their single "Boneyard" was later nominated for "Best Single" for the Lehigh Valley Music Awards. They have played all over the Lehigh Valley adding new originals and drawing large crowds at venues like "ArtsQuest". In August of 2021 the band released their first full album “Desperate Times” on all streaming platforms. Now the band looks to grow their audience online and in the North East.

To see them live, check out their concert on October 22nd at Seven Sirens Brewing! You can find more information about the band on https://www.reservoirhill.band/bio! In addition, you can find them on Instagram at @reservoir_hill!

To learn more about Anthony and his work, follow along on Instagram @asmithjrnyc. You can also see his work in person in shows around the Lehigh Valley at the Payne Gallery, Banana Factory Art Center- Crayola Gallery, and Lehigh University Art Galleries.  His website is http://www.anthonysmithjr.com/.

Our opportunity of the week is Michael Lebson's upcoming solo show at ARTHAUS opening on November 3rd with a reception on November 18th. For additional information, including the address of the show and start time of the reception, go to https://figbethlehem.com/2021/09/michael-lebson-similar-but-different/. You can find Michael on Instagram at @michaellebson. 

The Lehigh Valley Arts Podcast is a Steel Pixel Studios original series. To find out more about @steelpixelstudios, check out their Instagram or go to www.steelpixelstudios.com.

In this episode, we go to Allentown's 47th Annual Art-in-the-Park and talk with an abundance of the artists in attendance!

Also Mentioned in this Episode:
Ann Lalik
Lit Coffee Roastery & Bakeshop
Southside Film Fest
Meaningless Films’ movie “The Gospel of Damian” directed by Collin Kornfeind

The Lehigh Valley Arts Podcast is a Steel Pixel Studios original series.