The Art Box

After meeting Jeannie at her exhibition, "Invisible Memories," at Core Contemporary co-curated by Mylène Lachance-Paquin and Nancy Good we just knew she was our next guest. Her exhibition is described as dynamic, multi-layered paintings and collages fearlessly travel through concepts of cultural migration, historical and contemporary racism, fraught emotional territories, and confrontational change. We promise you will enjoy this heartfelt episode with an incredibly talented wife, mom, professor, judge, and artist. When not creating art, you will find Jeannie on our public lands helping with nature projects. Learn mote about Jeannie

We had the delightful opportunity to attend the "Celebrating Life! Masters' Exhibition 2024" held at the Charleston Heights Art Center Gallery in the vibrant city of Las Vegas. Amidst the breathtaking artwork, we had the pleasure of sitting down with artists Bobbie Ann Howell and Robin Stark to delve into their creative processes and inspirations. Kick back and enjoy a wonderful art conversation. Learn more: Bobbie Ann Howell - What I love about Nevada. Robin Stark

Boom, this hit our wheelhouse of nature, public lands, native culture and creativity, Linda and Steve thought they were in heaven interviewing Fairbanks based naturalist, wilderness guide and writer Michael Engelhard. Come join us for an interview touching on how Michaels western adventures shapes his writing. Click here for Micheals website. Click here to purchase Michels books. Check back now and then as Michael will be visiting Las Vegas during a fall book tour. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a marvelous episode that artists will appreciate from beginning to end. Linda Harris masterful job of asking questions displays the breadth of her guest research and profound understanding of the creative process. Besides being a great artist, Cody is very much a conservationist, lover of all thing’s nature and a full-time ranger with the US Forest Service. You can find out more about Cody on his web site. https://codyrexchamberlain.art/ This is our 2nd episode where we have utilized Addy as our "interlude announcer". We would love to hear your thoughts on this new feature. Do you like it? Dislike it? Might you have other suggestions for us. Drop us an email and let us know. [email protected] Thank you Cody Chamberlin for your amazingness.

A Saturday Art Box road trip to Las Vegas found us at the Blue Ox Tavern on Sahara meeting up with artist and College of Southern Nevada (CSN) professor Sean Russell for a wide-ranging and fun chat about creativity and art. Slip on the headphones, sit back, maybe grab a glass of good red wine, or an IPA and enjoy this lovely conversation. No extra charge for the neat bar sounds in the background. Find out more about Sean. This episode we introduce Addison (Addy) Johanson hailing from Brisbane, Australia as our "interlude announcer" providing specific information about subjects we touch on during our episodes where some details would be helpful. Addy has her MFA from "Brisbane School of AI Artistic Expression" (BSAE), A vibrant and innovative institution nestled in the heart of Brisbane, Australia, dedicated to fostering creativity and nurturing the talents of aspiring artists across various disciplines. With state-of-the-art facilities and a supportive community of faculty and students, BSAE aims to push the boundaries of artistic exploration and produce the next generation of visionary artists.

In our efforts to publish community based content, today we will talk about coyotes. As Mesquite pushes boundaries deeper into coyote habitats, rapid development, driven by population growth and economic expansion, encroaches upon the once-remote territories where coyotes roam. As Mesquite expands, it brings infrastructure, residential areas, and commercial developments, fragmenting natural landscapes and disrupting Mojave Desert wildlife corridors. This expansion poses significant challenges for coyotes, forcing them to adapt to an increasingly urban environment. Coyotes, known for their remarkable adaptability, navigate this new landscape by seeking food, water, and shelter within city limits. However, this proximity to human populations raises concerns about conflicts, including encounters with pets, predation on urban wildlife, and occasional interactions with humans. Many thanks to Don Molde for dropping in to talk about our neighbors the coyotes. Don is president of the Nevada Wildlife Alliance, and has actively participated in the state Wildlife Commission's deliberations for over four decades. Enjoy Don's work in Nevada Current, you are sure to learn something interesting. Thank you Fred Bell for your Coyote sound track recorded in Death Valley. Visit Fred's web site: https://soundsandspaces.net/

Linda and Steve welcome Suzie White as our "From the Theatre" host. Suzie will be focusing on performing arts in the Virgin Valley and beyond. Today Suzie welcomes Al Vysinka and Jim Blanco from the musical trio "Off the Rails" to our STEAM Center studio to chat about their upcoming performance at the Mesquite Community Theatre on Saturday May 18. John Maystadt their third member was vacationing in the Pacific Isles so not available today. Give a listen as Suzie, Al and Jim have a fun convestaion about growing up in Chicago and not meeting each other until they ended up in Mesquite, oldies, goodies and hot dogs. Enjoy the chat, enjoy some laughs and come see "Off the Rails" at the Mesquite Theatre on May 18. Tickets can be purchased at this link.\ Look for more "From the Theatre" podcasts as Suzie cooks up some fun for our listeners.

What a pleasure it was to sit down with Brian Cornett in our Do It Best Hardware recording studio in the Mesquite Works STEAM Center. Brian is just a nice guy, with a heart for volunteering and writing. We hope you enjoy this episode with a true Mesquite upstanding citizen and artist.

You might recognize Teresa Skye and Dave Ward from their appearance in Episode 76 - Deep Space, Volunteering and Nature Journaling - from March 10, 2023. We recorded at their campsite in Gold Butte National Monument. The Art Box has not been recorded outside since then until now. Steve drove 323 miles to Horseshoe Canyon in Canyonlands National Park to catch our amazing volunteers at their National Park Service assignment this week, deep in Horseshoe Canyon at the Great Gallery. This episode has been in the works since we found out Dave and Teresa would be volunteering here. It was windy and our little handheld remote recorder struggled to silence the wind. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable trip, camping on the rim and walking the seven-mile round-trip to the Great Gallery. You can find Teresa's passion for Nature Journaling on her Mojave Nature Journalers FaceBook page. Dave is an avid dark sky lover and can spin you amazing tales and lore of the human visions of the night. More on Dave and Teresa. Dave Ward Born and raised in the East, David Ward has always considered the West his home. He has been a river rafting guide, a hiking guide, and a guide to the night sky, living his passion of sharing his love of the outdoors. Always searching for a dark sky, he spends his time between the deep canyons of Death Valley and the snow-clad peaks of the Pacific Northwest. Teresa Skye Teresa Skye has been a hiking guide and has put together outdoor programs for Death Valley Natural History Association since 2015. She is a former teacher, backpacking guide, and avid hiker. This includes hiking much of the Pacific Crest Trail, Yellowstone NP, and Death Valley NP. She currently volunteers for the Nevada Site Steward program as well as in Canyonlands NP and Ash Meadows NWR. Teresa has been nature journaling for several years, taking classes online as well as in-person workshops. She feels the joy of being a close observer of nature and capturing it in art and writing is something you can practice for life, no matter what your age or abilities.

Steve was honored in early 2023 to attend Torrey House Press Voices for the West Writers Workshop in Sprindale, Utah just outside of Zion National Park. Our fiction group was led by amazing author Kase Johnstun and included Morgan Sjogren (Path of Light), Stacie Shannon Denetosie (The Missing Morningstar), the talented Liana Morales, many others and me. As we introduced ourselves I was enthralled that Liana was a librarian in New Mexico who had a background with bookmobiles. Growing up I loved our bookmoble. I was hooked and knew Linda and I would just have to have her as a guest on the Art Box. Well, schedules being such, with Liana and I both in need of a second brain (you will need to listen to understand this reference) it took over a year to finally arrange. I loved our conversation as we talked poetry, writing, screenplays, AI, and bookmobiles. Find out more about the New Mexico library system. Enjoy!

The Art Box was pleased to welcome Mesquite Public Arts Commission (MPAC) Chair Karen Miskimins to our Do It Best Hardware Studio at the Mesquite Works STEAM Center to chat about promoting public art in Mesquite. Our wide-ranging conversation ran from MPAC inauguration by the city council, to initiatives such as First Fridays, fundraising, pollinator garden, our new fire department, youth art, and our many creative residents. Visit your MPAC commissioners at Mesquite Days Family Fun night on May 1 at the rec center and tell us your ideas for public art. Click here to access the MPAC web page. You can email us at: [email protected]

We were graced at our Do It Best Hardware studio in the Mesquite STEAM Center with local entertainer DJ Van Dyke. Listen in as DJ recounts her journey of creativity and song that she will be sharing this May in Mesquite. DJ Van Dyke is an Iowa farm girl who made her way to Nevada by way of a short stop in Colorado that lasted 42 years. DJ headlined a contempory rock band in the mid-70's. Raising children, an over-the-road truck driving husband, and the emergence of Disco derailed her music career. But, in 2018 and 2019, she participated in the Elvis Tribute Show at the CasaBlanca. Somebody suggested she do Patsy Cline, and so, this is where she is today. Over the last five years DJ has performed in Sun City, St. George, and Overton. Important Ticket Notes Limited VIP Reserved seats for this event are located front-and-center in the first four rows of Mesquite Community Theatre. VIP Reserved seats are available only online. Click here to purchase tickets. Local comedian and Marketing Director for the Virgin Valley Theatre Group Suzie White co-hosted this interview with Steve as Linda was in Indiana watching the eclipse.

It was our pleasure to host Lydia Wolfe as a guest on the Art Box Podcast. Lydia is full of energy in her work at Get Outdoors Nevada and her many other heartfelt commitments to our local community. Those who know Steve, know that he loves quotes and Lydia gave him two "Every artist breathes life into the piece they are making" and one so amazing it is the title of this episode "Treat art like life". YES!!!!!! Lydia (She/Her/Hers) has lived in Las Vegas since 2009 and has always had an interest in learning about culture and connecting to nature. One way that she was able to do this was to major in Anthropology at UNLV where she is graduating with her bachelor’s degree in December 2022 with a minor in American Indigenous Studies. Currently she also interns with IndigenousAF Inc. and volunteers with The Cupcake Girls. You will enjoy this episode. More about Get Outdoors Nevada. We love the work Get Outdoors Nevada does for our communities. Outside Las Vegas Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, is now doing business as Get Outdoors Nevada. The original organization was formed in 2000 by a group of passionate Nevada outdoor enthusiasts and community leaders. This dynamic group predicted a critical link between our spectacular outdoors places and our quality of life. We changed our name to Get Outdoors Nevada in 2018 because we celebrate and support ALL of Nevada’s amazing outdoor experiences. Today, it is Get Outdoors Nevada’s mission and vision to connect Nevadans and visitors from all backgrounds and ages to the state’s diverse outdoor places. To this end, we pursue a three-fold approach of education, service, and community engagement. Many of our efforts and programs focus on the needs and lives of families and school children, especially those who are at-risk and often have limited opportunity to experience the great outdoors. We are committed to preserving Nevada’s public lands, urban trails, and community parks. We love Nevada and Nevada’s outdoors.

As part of our humanities programming The Virgin Valley Artists' Association and The Art Box are proud to present a podcast with Southern Nevada Health Districts health educator Pitchaya Pattasema. Pitchaya oversees the Pop-Up Produce Stands program. The Pop-Up Produce Stands program is part of CDC’s Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program which aims to improve health, prevent chronic disease, and reduce health disparities among racial and ethnic populations with the highest risk of chronic disease. The Pop-Ups Produce Stands enable low-access and low-income persons to access fresh fruits and vegetables. People are able to use their SNAP/EBT benefits to purchase produce at a discount on top of being able to use incentives such as Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) to maximize their purchase. The DUFB works by providing dollar to dollar coupons for every dollar of fruits and vegetables purchased. If a client buys 10 dollars’ worth of fruits and vegetables with their SNAP/EBT benefit, they will receive a $10 coupon to buy more fruits and vegetables. You can find out more at the web site for Get Healthy Clark County or from you phone you can dial 211 for Nevada 211, a program of the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, that is committed to helping Nevadans connect with the services they need. We work with many programs, agencies, coalitions, organizations, and community partners to foster physical, social, and policy changes that make it easier for residents and visitors to engage in healthy lifestyles. Mission To mobilize communities, develop innovative, evidence-based programs and advocate for policies that support healthy lifestyles, healthy communities and the elimination of health disparities. Vision To lead through collaboration with internal and external partners to bring innovative, creative health promotion programming to the community. Goals The Office of Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion works toward the achievement of several health goals. These goals have been selected using health and needs assessment data for our community to ensure that they align with the health needs of Clark County residents. Prevent initiation of tobacco use among youth and young adults Promote quitting (tobacco products) Eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke Reduce and eliminate chronic disease-related health disparities Increase physical activity levels Increase fruit and vegetable consumption Increase the percentage of people who are at a healthy weight Reduce soda and sugar sweetened beverage consumption Improve health outcomes and self-management efficacy for people who have chronic diseases Promote healthy behaviors and link residents to existing programs and resources Farmers Markets Farmers Markets selling fresh grown produce may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think desert living. But actually, there are several markets around the Valley giving residents access to lots of locally and regionally grown produce. Shopping at your local farmers market not only supports small businesses and farmers, it’s also a great opportunity to learn more about where your food comes from and how it’s grown, empowering you to make informed food choices for your family. Farmers Markets Accepting EBT, SNAP, Debit & Credit Market dates, hours, and locations are subject to change. Please check with the market before your visit. To see a list of Farmers Markets participating in WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program visit the Nevada WIC website. Veggie Buck Truck Mobile Market Call 702-636-4152 for information on truck stops. Las Vegas Farmers Market - Downtown Summerlin Saturday, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. 1825 Festival Plaza Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89135 The District at Green Valley Ranch Thursday, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. 2240 Village Walk Drive Henderson NV 89052 Henderson Cornerstone Park Saturday, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. 1600 Wigwam Pkwy, Henderson, NV 89074 Boulder City Farmers Market Every 1st & 3rd Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Parking Lot Of Boulder City Assembly of God Church 1100 Adams Boulevard Boulder City, Nevada 89005 Intuitive Forager Farmers Market Friday, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. 818 Commerce Street Las Vegas, NV 89101 Dollar Loan Center Every Monday from 9am-2pm 200 S Green Valley Pkwy, Henderson, NV 89012 Downtown Henderson Last Friday of the Month, February - April and September - November 4 pm - 8 pm 129 S Water Street Henderson, NV 89015 Pop-Up Produce Stands April 2nd & April 9th May 7th & May 14th June 4th & June 11th 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm or until supplies last 101 E Bonneville Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89101

If you hang out at the Mesquite Rec Center chances are you will catch a glimpse of our two whirlwind friends Donna and Ann buzzing about, teaching classes and being happy. Linda has been working for some time to schedule a podcast and poof a week ago our Art Box studio in the STEAM Center came alive with these two dynamos. Here is a little bit about them below, then listen to an energy packed podcast. Donna Schorr I started in teaching in 1984 after my favorite instructor told me I should be leading class, and took me under her wing. I started teaching what we called "aerobics" back then, which was really dance exercise, similar to Jazzercise or Zumba. I quickly progressed to teaching sports conditioning, boot camps and circuit training, as well as spinning and yoga. It just makes me so happy! I get a truly euphoric experience when the music is pumping and all the bodies are moving in unison. My whole paradigm changed after I took Pilates training, there is no other exercise system that starts with your skeleton first, then works outward to the muscles. The latest training I completed was on coaching senior fitness/cognitive training, and am already implementing the concepts in all my classes. I love what I do! Ann Murphy Then: Raised on a Wisconsin farm, off to college and married a local Marine. Have lived in seven states and travel is in my blood. Serious fitness and health advocate since the my early 20's. Worked in the airline industry before turning to teaching fitness full time. Married a couple more times, ran a B&B and a horse boarding stable. Now: Settled in Mesquite and still have the fitness passion, particularly in motivating others. Enjoying dancing with the Lifelong Dancers, biking, hiking and weekends in Vegas. Lastest travel was cruise on the Amazon. My partner Jim Russell and I are planning an expedition cruise to Antartica. I am about to finish my five year reign as Ms. Senior Mesquite which has been a very rewarding experience. I just adopted yet another rescue dog. Life is good.

We are going to start a new short podcast idea by interviewing artists whose works have received Best of Show awards. Not just at our local gallery but from anywhere. We will start with the Mesquite Fine Arts Gallery March exhibition "Through Our Eyes" and the Best of Show "Leaping Lizards Southwest Style" by Linda Harris. Linda is interviewed by Floyd Johnson. Enjoy.

Steve looks forward to Spring every year when Lori and Dan Rowland visit Gold Butte National Monument giving him friends to go out and play. This year JT and Anastasiya came along with Dan, Lori, Ruby and myself on a good hike in Garden Canyon. The next day Lori and Dan visited our STEAM Center studio for a much anticipated podcast. Lori was her always brilliant self giving us a behind the scenes look at her amazingly creative life. Find out more about Lori at Oregon Exposures. Oregon Exposures is all about sharing the love of the great outdoors and the joy of nature photography, pure & simple! My name is Lori Rowland and I’m a landscape photographer lucky enough to be living in Eastern Oregon. Through my galleries, tutorials, and blogs, I will share with you stories and photographs taken on my travels from around the state. I believe Mother Nature and landscape photography go hand in hand, each experience greatly enhancing the other. Therefore, I always keep my camera close at hand when I am out hiking. What I love about photography is that it makes it easy for me to bring home a little piece of my outdoor experience and share it with people like you. I enjoy traveling in our RV with my husband, Dan, and black lab, Ruby. I guess you can say that they are my support team. 🙂 One of our favorite things to do is travel in our RV. You could call our traveling style, roaming aimlessly. We make no reservations and pick our routes to take all the scenic highways we can find, even though it often adds miles to our trip. Traveling at this slow pace is how I discover some of my most beautiful and unique images. In addition to traveling in the RV, I enjoy backpacking, hiking & skiing. I am fortunate to have two mountain ranges not far from where I live, each packed with hiking trails just waiting to be explored. Neither my camera or I am never disappointed by the views we find at the end of those dusty trails. In conclusion, I want to invite you to join me on my photographic journeys as I explore the beautiful landscapes in the remote corners of Oregon & the Pacific Northwest.

The Art Box was privileged to host director Fred Bell at our STEAM Center studio. Fred recently captured the Best Nevada Filmmaker award at the Dam Short Film Festival in Boulder City, Nevada for “Sounds of Blue Spaces.” Fred Bell is very comfortable sitting in the desert, miles from anywhere, listening to (and recording) the spirit of the land. A 2005 article in the Seattle Times about “One Square Inch of Silence” was his epiphany, causing him to realize that while on numerous hikes he heard the sounds of nature, yet he never stopped to intentionally listen. Thus began his pursuit of finding and recording natural soundscapes around Nevada and the southwest. He is a member of IATSE Local 720 (the stagehand union) and currently works as a video technician for the Las Vegas convention industry. He has a website, www.SoundsAndSpaces.net, and encourages everyone to… Hike With Your Ears.

Our friend Bob Craig zoomed into our STEAM Center studio to chat about the Virgin Valley Theatre Groups coming production of Almost Maine. As Director, Bob provides us a unique look at this popular play, its stories, it's almost-ish, and it's magic. Gwen and I have our tickets for opening night, this is going to be our spring MUST SEE in the Virgin Valley and beyond. Almost, Maine, a town that’s so far north, it’s almost in Canada. And it almost doesn’t exist. Because its residents never got around to getting organized. So it’s just…Almost. One cold, clear Friday night in the middle of winter, Almost’s residents find themselves falling in and out of love in the strangest ways. And life for the people of Almost, Maine will never be the same. ALMOST, MAINE: It’s love. But not quite. Purchase tickets here ---> https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/vvtgnv/6616

Linda and Tyler sat down with Pennsylvania based artist Denzy Dark recently for a wide ranging discussion of poetry, creativity, visual arts and life in general. This will go down as one of our best podcasts. Denzy Dark, artistic alias for Dustin Nispel, is an international award-winning poet and visual artist. His works dive into dark surrealism with cumbersome emotion that pulls at the viewer’s closed doors. The work of Denzy has been described as visual poetry exploring untouched reaches of the soul. A journey meant for ghosts that dream. It is derived from his own hauntings, internally and externally. Where the veil is thin, is where we find Denzy’s work; hung in the recesses, staring back at us as though a mirror of our darker places where angels weep and phoenix rise. Denzy has been featured at the Pennsylvania State Capital Rotunda in Harrisburg, York Art Association, Hive Art Gallery, Ironic gallery and coffee house, Kings Courtyard Artist Collective, Central Penn College, The Altland House, The White Rose and the York Holistic Expo. In addition to creating artwork he has also curated artwork for his former Gallery The Rooted Art Gallery, where local artist and Internationally renown artists had their works featured. The likes of Peter Max, Salvador Dalí, Henry Matisse and John Lennon made their way through The Rooted Art Gallery while it was in operation. In addition to his visual art, Dustin Nispel is an author of two full length books of poetry, The Tower (2014) and his latest work The Road Home. He has been writing Poetry and prose since 13 years of age. He has won multiple awards for his writing and performances in slams and competitions; including being recognized on the international stage in 2015 DITËT E NAIMIT in Tetova, Macedonia, receiving Niam’s Candle for best poem performed. You can find Denzy's art at: https://denzydark.com/

Linda and her granddaughter Natalie sat down during the summer to discuss music in the schools, and the physical and intellectual challenges of playing an instrument in a marching band. Natalie has advanced in her music since this discussion, and recently won Gold for her saxophone solo in her District Competition. She now advances to the state competition.

Morgan Sjogren is an author, explorer, and defender of wild places. Her books and writing focus on human-powered adventure, public lands, conservation, history, travel, and food. Sjogren devotes much of her writing and time to advocate, educate, and inspire others to help protect endangered landscapes and the environment. Sjogren is the author of Path of Light: A Walk Through Colliding Legacies of Glen Canyon (Torrey House Press in April 2023). She is the author of Outlandish, The Best Bears Ears National Monument Hikes, and The Best Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Hikes. A nomad by nature, Sjogren lives on the Colorado Plateau and feels most at home in the wild.

Our good friends from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Jennifer Heroux and Rob Vinson drove to Mesquite to enlighten our listeners about the history of US wildlife refuges and how the Federal Duck Stamp Program has positively impacted wildlife through land preservation. Jennifer oversees the Nevada Junior Duck Stamp program and she takes time to explain how teachers and young artists can engage. The Nevada Jr. Duck Stamp original art is displayed at the Pharanaget National Wildlife Refuge in Alamo, Nevada, it is worth the trip to go see. Where are the original art pieces? Suzanne Fellows the Program Chief provided us the following: The federal art itself is owned by the artist and after the stamp is designed the original is returned to them. They can then sell their original, reproduce it, make prints, put it on shirts/mugs, etc. The artist owns the copyright to the art and this is basically how they can make a living off being a "duck stamp" winning artist (since we don't pay them). The stamp image is copyrighted by the DOI/USFWS - you have to have a license from the USFWS (Duck Stamp Office) to reproduce an image of the stamp and there are specifics that need to be followed (set up to prevent counterfeiting). Royalties are collected for the image use and goes back to the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund for conservation. Currently, approximately 70 pieces of the original winning art are now owned by the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, CT. Artists/owners sold their piece to a collector who then donated it to the museum. There are about 3 other originals in museums elsewhere, several still held by the artist or their family, some that were sold to other collectors prior to the Bruce collection being assembled, and a couple that have been stolen or otherwise disappeared. The Bruce is putting on an exhibit of the entries in Sept that will run for a few months. After that it is hoped that the collection will be lent/used to other wildlife/art/conservation organizations across the country To learn more about the Federal Duck Stamp Program click here. To learn more about the Jr. Duck Stamp Program click here. Southern Nevada Fish and Wildlife Refuges

We wrapped up our visit to Elko, enjoying our old friends and making many new ones. Not much sleep, long ride up and back but our time was precious. We hope you can enjoy the myraid of talented guests that graced our mic. Many thanks to the worldwide fans of The Art Box and to our sponsors the Virgin Valley Artists' Association.

Karen Terrey is a writer, editor, and writing coach, offering marketing and business writing, copy editing, publishing guidance, and creative writing workshops in Truckee through her business Tangled Roots Writing for clients of all ages. She has taught at Lake Tahoe Community College, Sierra Nevada College, and Sierra College and has served as a poetry editor for the literary journals Pitkin Review and Quay. She is a recipient of a Sierra Arts Endowment Grant, the John Woods Scholarship to Prague Summer Program, the Steve Turner Scholarship to Surprise Valley Writer's Conference, and a scholarship to the Vermont Studio Center. Her poems have appeared in Rhino, Edge, Meadow, WordRiot, Puerto Del Sol, Wicked Alice, Canary, and Gray Sparrow Journal, among others. Her poetry chapbook Bite and Blood is now available from Finishing Line Press and local bookstores, including Sundance Books in Reno, NV and Word After Word in Truckee, CA.

To quote my Grandmom and Annie MacKennzie "Welp", we tried to record during our annual shopping spree of the vendors setup in the Conference Center, and the background noise mostly washed out the conversations we had with the many talented vendors. But here you go, the best we could edit. Hope you can semi-enjoy this.

WOW, is all you can say after a Kristyn Harris show, she PLAYS the guitar like no one else, and she belts out her tunes that has you tapping your toes and dancing in your seat. We caught up with Kristyn this year along with her Grandpa the evening before they headed north to work on her herds calving in Southern Idaho. Thank you Kristyn for an always fun interview. Have fun in Europe this summer and keep wooing crowds worldwide.

Back in 2023 our friend Roberta Townsand before we left for Elko said "make sure you see Jessie Veeder", well we missed her, but not this year. We were WOWed by Jessie (along with her dad on the harmonica) at the "Pretty Ranchy" show along with Yvonne Hollenbeck, Annie MacKenzie and Carin Mari. Linda beelined it to the stage and came back all excited that yes, Jessie would interview with us. We not only got a smiley interview but Jessie gifted us her songs as our lead in music. Jessie and her husband also are podcasters with "Back at the Ranch": https://jessieveedermusic.com/podcast Her website is: https://jessieveedermusic.com/ We loved our time with Jessie.

This episode is a MUST for you brush artists. Nancy Harris McLelland found Ron for us after she saw us oohing and ahhing over his art hanging in the vendor area. He drove down the next day and we could of had a marathon episode but ran out of daylight. Listen and you will understand. More about Ron: https://doublescoop.art/route-to-the-rurals/

My name is Doug Figgs and I am a Western music singer/songwriter from Lemitar, NM. My musical influences include Country, Western, and Southern Rock. I can perform solo, as a duo, or as a trio (Doug Figgs, Jim Jones and Mariam) as "The Cowboy Way". I have 5 CDs currently available at the "Store" on this website. They are "All Because of You", a collection of Western/Americana songs mostly written or co-written by me, "Partners", a very well received album with 3 award winning songs, the award winning Western album "A Cowboy Like Me", "...thinkin' of you" an album I recorded with award winning singer/songwriter Mikki Daniel, and 2022 IWMA Western album of the year “Yellow Horse”. My latest album “One More Ride” is now available through this web site and also from CDbaby, Spotify, Itunes, etc. More about Doug: https://www.dougfiggs.com/

We shared the media room with fellow press member Larry Hillberg from KMVR 89.5. Larry, a friend from last years gathering presented a special poem at an open mic session. Enjoy. More about Larry: https://www.kvmr.org/users/larry-hillberg/ Thank you Larry.

As Steve made his way through the vendor area in the Elko Conference Center he ran into a fellow Children's book author, Gus Brackett. We enticed Gus to come over to our media room with the promise of a Ribeye Steak. OK, we lied about the steak but the nice guy Gus is, he stayed for a fun interview. This is an episode you will want to listen to. Thank you Gus! You can find out about Gus' books at: https://www.amazon.com/Books-Gus-Brackett/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AGus+Brackett

Linda being the adventurer she jumped right into dancing with the Basque dance company Txori Baltza with Katlyn, Olivia and Franci. Afterwards we dragged them into our Media room and with a ruckus concert going in the room next door, we proceeded to have a fun discussion of Basque history, delicious Starr steaks and their creative dancing. Though we may not be in the Basque Country, we are in peak cider season! Before the cider can bubble in your belly, it must first be made. Watch as contemporary Basque dance company Txori Baltza illustrates the tale of making cider and enjoying it after. Gather around the cider barrel and listen for the cry of “txotx!” Are you up for it? Enjoy this episode.

It was not poetry that brought Nancy to use, it was Linda looking at some incredible paintings from Tuscarora where she ran into Nancy and started talking writing. Next thing you know Nancy is visiting with us in the Media room. You will enjoy this interview. More about Nancy: https://www.nancyharrismclelland.com/

If there was a reason we could hardly wait to get back to Elko, it was probably Annie MacKenzie, bringing real prose from Jordan Valley, Oregon we just love her work and mater of fact delivery. We convinced her sister Megan to join in with us and we had a rousing conversation that you are going to love. OK, enough blabbering from me, time to start this episode for some listening pleasure. Thank you Annie and Megan.

Yeppers Linda and Steve got to sit down the Nevada Humanities Program Manager Bobbie Ann Howe for a wide ranging interview about humanities in our state. Learn more about Nevada Humanities: https://www.nevadahumanities.org/ Learn more about Bobbie: https://www.nevadahumanities.org/blog/2021/11/4/what-i-love-about-nevada

Linda and Steve were all smiles when Doris Daly was our first guest this year. Doris was on our mind all year after she wowed us with her brand of creativity last year in Elko. Doris brought along her husband Doc this year for an entirely fun interview. Sit back and enjoy as Doris and Doc entertain us. Doris web page: https://www.dorisdaley.com/home "If cowboy poetry was fresh milk and the cream that rises to the top was the very best, then Doris Daley would be very rich and very fattening." So says renowned cowboy ambassador Waddie Mitchell about an Alberta ranch girl whose love of wordsmithing has made her one of North America's favourite western poets, emcees and western humorists. Born and raised on a family ranch in the foothills of Alberta, Doris's authentic, sparkling poetry has taken her to campfires large and small, to highways, roundabouts and gravel roads throughout the west, and to concert appearances with the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and the Saskatchewan Opera Company. With a performance career spanning more than 20 years, Doris is a frequent performer at corporate and community events, Christmas parties, private parties and cowboy poetry gatherings. To purchase poetry books or CD recordings, simply send an email: [email protected]

Linda and Steve just arrived in Elko for the 39th Annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering and sat down for a quick review of our schedule and goals. Get ready for our 13 episodes with the most amazing down-home creative talent in the USA. Please enjoy our opening and closing music provided by Jessie Veeder and our opening and closing voice Diana Lee Rose. We recorded from the media room at the Elko Convention Center that quite often had traffic traversing through, so you will notice some noise in the background. Many thanks to Western Folklife Center's Press Coordinator Karyn Erikson for her work herding around us needy press corp members.

Linda and Steve had the privilege of a visit by local graphics designer, regional entrepreneur, and author Dustin Berg. Put on your head set and sit down with us for an enjoyable thirty-minute chat. Mesquite Branding - https://mesquitebranding.com/ Purchase Dustins Book "All Around Mesquite" - https://www.amazon.com/All-Around-Mesquite-Nevada-Destinations/dp/B0CPG62LWP

Meet award winning editor and journalist James Luksic, Wright State University graduate and current Moapa Progress journalist. Jim is all about movies, great books and is beloved in our community. You can catch Jim's work at: https://mvprogress.com/?s=James+Luksic Movie Reviews: https://mvprogress.com/2024/02/20/critics-corner-bob-marley-one-love-earnest-but-lacking/

This episode started over six months ago while your hosts were volunteering at the ⁠Love Family⁠ Prom and Linda watched Billy the King perform an amazingly athletic pole routine. Linda's jaw dropped and she could be heard all evening, "I wanna do that". Well do that she did, as Nicky Wangsgard (a.k.a. Billy the King) arranged for pole dancing lessons for Linda and afterwards we adjourned to Nicky's house for an incredible podcast interview. We love a quote from our interview: "That's what we want to do as artists', give somebody hope." ⁠Billy's Face Book Page⁠

Linda and Steve were super excited to sit down the most amazing couple, Charlotte and David Sirignni owners of Juniper Outpost in the Mesquite Plaza. (312 W Mesquite Blvd #114, Mesquite, NV 89027) They strive along with their unique vendors to "Make the World a Better Place" with the most incredible array of beautiful art, many of which support those of lesser means through giving organizations. We believe Charlottes statement "Not an Amazon experience" says it all, you must visit to understand. Sit back and enjoy the next 45 minutes, then hop in the car and visit the Juniper Outpost. Thank you to our voice of the Art Box Pericles Rellas and our music provided by Kit Pristine.

We were so happy to sit down with February 2024 Artist of the Month Randy Bauman for a ten minute quick episode, thirty minutes later we finished but could have talked for another hour. Randy is an amazing photographer and we were able to dig in on reasons why we love photography. Come visit Randy's exhibit at the Mesquite FIne Arts Center, January 29 until February 23.

This is STEAM Chat episode 005, but we thought we would release it as an Art Box episode in parrallel because space travel and science is Art. Enjoy. Mesquite Works STEAM Chat was honored to host Shannon McConnell for a stimulating conversation about her career journey at the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab that cemented her love for STEM education which then culminated in her appointment as the Education and Public Engagement Lead for NASA’s Deep Space Network. We talk about the many projects she was part of: Magellan, Space Shuttle, Cassini and TOPEX/Poseidon, also artificial intelligence, her lead role in NASA collaboration with K-12 education and why there could be no STEA without Mathematics. Learn more about Shannon: https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/we-are-nasa-shannon-mcconnell-education-public-engagement-lead-nasas-deep-space-network-dsn/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-mcconnell-96a8a530/ https://onegiantleapfoundation.com.au/team-archive/shannon-mcconnell/

Linda and Steve we so super excited to visit with Nancy Good at her Las Vegas studio/gallery 'Core Contemporary'. What an amazing chat about creativity, STEAM, Nancy's many mediums and oh so much more. This is a must listen as is a visit to 'Core Contemporary' 900 Liberace Ave Suite B111, Las Vegas, NV 89109, your eyes and heart will thank you. Learn more about Nancy at: https://www.corecontemporary.com/about.html

The Art Box was invited to travel back in time to Lizard, Nevada 1942. This time there was no train but Steve was blown back via a haboob. I had the pleasure of chatting at the Virgin Valley Theatre with the cast (in character) on the stage. As always this group of neighbors, friends and performing artists were funny, talented and at times serious as we chatted about their new melodrama A Haboob in the Hoodoos. You can find out more and purchase tickets at: https://www.vvtgnv.com/buy-tickets See you at the show!

A life and death struggle occurs daily just south of the cute little artist community of Ajo, Arizona. A small non-profit works to save lives in the Sonoran Desert by strategically placing and maintaining water catchments for those in need. Linda and Steve had the honor of interviewing one of the heroes of Humane Borders, Laurie Cantillo.

Your hosts Linda and Steve are delighted to release our very first 'STEAM Chat' podcast in parrallel on the Art Box. Since 2016 our loving neighbors Ann and Burton Weast have used their energy and skills to help our community find jobs with Mesquite Works. Now Partnering with George Gault they are placing Mesquite on the educational map with their creation "The Mesquite Works STEAM Center" a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Center that also includes key elements of Art and Agriculture. The mission of the STEAM Center is: Our mission as the Mesquite STEAM Center is to engage students with hands-on learning within the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. Students will have the opportunity to learn the necessary skills to find success within their future professions and academic pursuits. Our STEAM Center students will be hosting STEAM themed podcasts to bring science, technology, engineering, agriculture, art and math subjects to our listeners. Stay tuned as STEAM Community Radio is also in the works. Settle back and listen to two Mesquite wonders Ann and Burton.

Linda and Steve were treated recently with a delightful interview with our friend, award-winning author and essayist Kase Johnstun. Our chat ranged from Craniosynostosis, how he researched and wrote Let the Wild Grasses Grow, dreaming, writing discipline, artificial inreligence, his grand parents, mom and passion for creativity and writing. More about Kase. KASE JOHNSTUN lives and writes in Ogden, Utah. Author of Let the Wild Grasses Grow, Beyond the Grip of Craniosynostosis and coeditor of Utah Reflections: Stories from the Wasatch Front, he teaches at the Creative Nonfiction Foundation, the Graduate School in Creative Writing for Southern New Hampshire University, Barton Community College, and Weber State University. His essay collection Tortillas for Honkies was a finalist for the Autumn House Press Nonfiction Award, and his work has been published in Label Me Latino/a, Creative Nonfiction, The Watershed Review, and elsewhere. He holds an MA in Creative Writing and Literature from Kansas State University and an MFA in Creative Writing from Pacific University. You can find him running on the trails of the Rocky Mountains along the face of the Wasatch Front. You can find Kase's work at: http://kasejohnstun.com/