The Truth In This Art: Stories That Matter

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, returning guest Esteban Whiteside is back!Who is Esteban Whiteside: A Durham, North Carolina-based artist, Esteban Whiteside creates bold social commentary through what he calls "concrete oppressionism"—work that confronts American cultural absurdities with childlike aesthetics, parody, and irreverent humor. Working across canvas, wood, and sculpture, his art is both therapy and truth-telling, making heavy subjects digestible through wit and visual directness inspired by artists like Jacob Lawrence.Esteban talks about his creative evolution since our last conversation, including his new clock series exploring history and revolutions, and how he balances tackling heavy subject matter with abstract work that lets him breathe. We dive into why he uses humor to shame oppression, the colors that make him happy (brilliant blue, yellow, and emerald green), and how his art reflects his personality—chill in person, but uncompromising when it comes to speaking truth. He shares stories about drawing daily lunchbox notes for his daughter that sparked the clock series, unconventional painting techniques (like writing text upside down or left-handed), and why Jacob Lawrence's Migration Series opened the door for him to become an artist.He reflects on the importance of making art accessible at every price point and staying true to his voice no matter what may come with that.For updates, follow @estebanwhiteside on Instagram and visit estebanwhiteside.com.Revisit Esteban's first interview on The Truth In This Art here. Image courtesy of Esteban Whiteside The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Veronica Jackson!Who is Veronica Jackson: A Washington, D.C.-bred and Virginia-based visual artist whose foundation is rooted in architecture and museum exhibit design. She critically examines the lives of Black women through innovative visual art, exploring themes of invisibility, hypervisibility, and devaluation—bringing powerful narratives to life using familiar objects, archival texts, and data.In our conversation, Veronica traces her late-in-life arrival to visual art—graduating from grad school in 2016 with plans to teach, then attending a Santa Fe residency where "art just started pouring out of me." She breaks down her seminal piece That's Pops’s Money, a data portrait memorializing her grandmother's devalued domestic labor through 813 hand-cranked time cards printed in blue ink on black paper—chronicling 67 years of marriage, nine children, and invisible work. Veronica explains how she pulls from established archives like the Library of Congress, Sojourner Truth's carte de visite statement "I Sell the Shadow to Support the Substance," Jefferson's Farm Book (which listed enslaved workers alongside cattle), and poets like Lucille Clifton ("...every day something has tried to kill me and has failed") to tell stories rooted in truth. She discusses her BLACKTIVISTS series spotlighting 13 understudied Black women from the 19th century, including Anna Julia Cooper—the only woman quoted in every U.S. passport—and reflects on how visual culture shapes perceptions, why Black land ownership matters, and what it means for Black women to mark, claim, and take up space.Don't miss Veronica Jackson's work—her archive-driven, text-based pieces make the invisible visible and challenge how we see history, labor, and value. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of The Truth In The Art, the returning guest is Lanise Howard!Who is Lanise Howard: A Los Angeles-based multidisciplinary artist, Lanise Howard creates work centered around a reimagining of different histories, especially within the black experience. She pulls from the past and from the future, which she often sees in her dreams. Working across paintings, drawings, sculpture, and soon textiles, Howard is a world-builder whose portraiture depicts Black bodies and paints often untold stories.Lanise talks about the three bodies of work she's currently developing: her main project, a sci-fi world based in the future but with a story that started in the 1970s; a more personal body of work featuring herself traversing different landscapes; and an ancestral series honoring different ancestors from the past. We dive into her world-building practice, how she merges the "future past" or "past future" to create parallel universes and new dimensions, and her approach of asking which medium best conveys each story she wants to tell.She reflects on recent museum shows—particularly at the California African American Museum in partnership with Art and Practice—where she witnessed diverse audiences getting emotional while viewing her work. Lanise shares details about her Miami solo show, where she experimented with cultural elements like feathers and architectural details. She opens up about becoming more unapologetic in her work, navigating the art world as a Black woman who has to demand respect, and why her work is always uplifting—even when melancholic—to give people hope.For updates, follow @lanise_howard_studio on Instagram and Twitter, and visit lanisehowardart.com.This is Lanise's second appearance on The Truth In This Art—it's been a little over two years since her first episode. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of The Truth In The Art, the guest is Ruut!Who is Ruut: A Finnish-born, Maryland-based singer, songwriter, composer, and writer, Ruut is a multidisciplinary artist and creative leader known for her evocative music and dedication to uplifting women artists. She’s the founder of the Making Her Mark Foundation, a young nonprofit born from personal loss that connects, mentors, and amplifies women artists in Baltimore and beyond.Ruut talks about discovering music as a child at the piano, moving to the United States as a teen, and the moment creativity became her calling. We dive into how Making Her Mark grew out of honoring a mentor’s legacy, the early challenges and surprising community response to a “baby” organization, and stories of mentorship—like helping a hesitant student find her voice and confidence through creative projects. Ruut also shares practical details about her music journey: a new record partnership with ECR Meridian, forthcoming shows, and where she’ll be sharing new work this year.She reflects on creative routines (5:30 a.m. writing sessions with her dog as an alarm), the emotional work of returning to past recordings like the Steinway sessions, and what the phrase “art saves us” means to her now—how art can honor memory, foster resilience, and create spaces of belonging.For updates, follow @ruutartist, visit https://www.ruutartist.com, and if you’re a woman artist seeking connection and mentorship, check out makinghermark.org.Image courtesy of Steven Parke The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of The Truth In The Art, the guest is Barbara Perez Marquez!Who is Barbara Perez Marquez: Baltimore-based, Dominican Republic–born writer and creator working in comics and prose, focused on middle grade and young adult readers.Barbara Perez Marquez talks about her path into writing and why she centers younger readers and her own lived experience. She shares insights from The Cardboard Kingdom and previews upcoming projects: The Library of Memories, The Curious Society: A Game of Code, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, and To Dance the Moon and Star. We also dig into collaboration, mentorship, and community—how creative peers shape the work and sustain the process.Her aim throughout: representation, strong storytelling, and a sense of belonging for young readers.For updates, visit www.mustachebabs.comPhoto by Jason Gitlin. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

Back by Bodacious Demand. Let's Watch It Again is back!Rob Lee and Isaiah Winters revisit the 1991 childhood classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze for its 35th anniversary.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991) drops the turtles back into a messy, fun, 90s adventure: reconnecting with April and Splinter, fighting Tokka and Rahzar, and chasing the mysterious ooze that created them. It’s loud, goofy, full of practical effects, puppetry, and pure kid‑movie energy.In this episode, Rob and Isaiah mix straight-up nostalgia with clear-eyed takes. No fluff — just the moments we loved, the parts that aged weirdly, and why this movie still matters to us.Topics include:Pizza PropagandaWhy the sequel went full kid-friendly and how that shapes the filmTokka, Rahzar, and Keno: what works and what doesn’tVanilla Ice’s “Go Ninja Go Ninja Go” set piece and the Super Shredder finalePractical effects, puppetry, and 90s slime — what still landsIsaiah's NYC Rat StoryVHS memories, the 35th anniversary screening vibe (Georgetown), and where it fit in 1991 pop cultureRob and Isaiah’s favorite scenes and quick takesWanna listen to Rob make another funny? Check out the review of the original 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles review — give it a listen and relive the nostalgia. Cowabunga. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of The Truth In The Art, the guest is Juan Morales!Who is Juan Morales: Maryland native, writer and director whose films explore immigration, racism, and community; currently developing the feature Abhaile about a small town overtaken by a white supremacist group.Juan talks about his path from nearly attending medical school to filmmaking, why he wrote Abhaile from the perspective of a Latina protagonist, and the challenges of telling a large story with a small cast. We also dig into research, collaboration, mentorship, and how community shapes and sustains creative work.His aim throughout: to tell timely stories that provoke conversation about belonging, identity, and justice.For updates, follow https://www.instagram.com/j.mor_95/ The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Jamilla Okubo!Who is Jamilla Okubo: A Washington, D.C.-based multidisciplinary artist whose work spans painting, collage, illustration, and print design. Her work centers the Black silhouette, using pattern, ornament, and saturated color to explore identity, self-possession, and cultural memory—drawing from African textile traditions, fashion, and Black feminist thought.In our conversation, Jamilla traces her journey from Duke Ellington School of the Arts to Parsons, where she initially planned to focus on painting but discovered her multidisciplinary approach after making a dress from magazine paper. She breaks down how she developed her signature use of the Black silhouette—blacking out white models in fashion magazines with Sharpie, then tracing and painting them in bold colors to represent Black people in a positive light. Jamilla talks through the tension between her illustration work and fine art practice, explaining how client deadlines can feel like "being a machine" while her studio work requires patience and time to let ideas fully develop. She shares her creative breakthrough ritual: boxing at the gym followed by steam room sessions where she works through mental blockages. We also dig into community, the importance of trusting your gut ("if it's not a hell yes, it's a hell no"), and what it means to be in this for the long haul—creating meaningful work instead of chasing fleeting fame.Don't miss Jamilla Okubo's work—her bold, layered silhouettes tell stories of identity, heritage, and belonging you won't want to overlook. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Currie Lee!Who is Currie Lee: Filmmaker and artist with a photography background, focused on visual stories about complicated relationships.In our conversation, Currie talks through her short film The Haze—a psychological horror about a toxic relationship. She connects the project to personal moments that pulled her back into making art and digs into choices that shaped the film’s edit and camera language. As she puts it, “you’re upset and unhappy because you’re not the one making the art.”She recalls a Q&A after a screening where she realized she was speaking before she’d decided to—steadying herself by looking to friends in the front row. We get into collaboration and making adjustments when feedback or funding reshapes a plan, and how staying connected keeps the work moving.Be sure to follow Currie Lee to keep up with her films and future projects.Photo courtesy of Chris Sigamony The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore). Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production:Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos:Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcastThe Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★