23 APR 2024 · This week the portraiture, mixed-media artist Diana Bittar whose large canvases convey bold, uninhibited figures reflecting the artist’s new found confidence and expression. ‘I am constantly fascinated by faces, and how the personalities and thoughts of each individual inspire me to form delicate relationships with each canvas’, she explains. Diana was born in London in 1974, the middle of three children—she has an older sister and younger brother. Her father Doraid is Syrian and her mother Helen, a Czech, who met while studying mechanical engineering in Prague. Diana was born during her parents’ visit to London for her father who needed medical attention following the loss of a leg when the oil refinery at which he was working in Syria was targeted during the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. The family returned to Prague until 1980 when they moved to Syria. From the age of two, when her mother first gave her crayons, Diana has shown a natural talent for the fine details of her art. By the age of 17, despite being an introvert, she was receiving her first commissions. Meanwhile, following a chance encounter in the pool, Diana proved to be a natural swimmer and would go on to win national championships. But it was her passion for art that would eventually decide her career path. She chose to major in Visual Communications and Graphic Design at the Fine Art University in Damascus, graduating in 1995. Shortly after, she met her Syrian husband, Tarek, an orthopedic surgeon, and followed him back to California. Diana took a break from her art to raise her three sons. When she returned to her easel she changed her focus from landscapes to what she describes as Abstract Realism in Portraiture. She lives in Granada Hills, Los Angeles where she has held a number of shows in the area.   Diana Bittar Website: https://www.dianabittar.art/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/diana_bittar_art/ Diana's playlist: The Weather Report Lettuce The Blackyards Alfa Mist Otis McDonald Herbie Hancock Miles Davis Ron Carter Pat Metheny "I mainly listen to instrumental, like fusion Jazz or old traditional Arabic music. Also love old school rap and hip hop. At times my heart craves 80s music every now and then." - Diana   Host: Chris Stafford Produced by Hollowell Studios Follow @theaartpodcast on Instagram AART on Facebook Email: hollowellstudios@gmail.com

16 APR 2024 · American cinematographer Erin Haynes is making her way in an industry that she believes has a long way to go to increase diversity among its crews. Erin was born in New Orleans in 1999—one of two daughters to Denise and Joe Haynes. She grew up in the 7th Ward of a complex city as a young Black woman mindful of the challenges facing minorities. Erin attended Cabrini High School in the shadow of New Orleans Museum of Art where she was drawn to English Literature, writing, art and film. She developed a talent as a sketch artist and at Loyola University she studied Mass Communications; Journalism and French.  Erin describes herself as a ‘shy, nerdy kid’ who surprised everyone by leaving the Big Easy for the Big Apple in pursuit of modeling opportunities; something she is still open to today alongside her day job. Her immersion in fashion modeling led to an interest in the photography and filmmaking. She prefers film that makes you think like psychological thrillers and horror. Her early inspiration in filmmaking came when she discovered Greta Gerwig’s work in the 2017 Comedy Romance Lady Bird, and Christopher Nolan’s 2014 SciFi/Adventure Interstellar, which captured her imagination for its visuals and soundtrack. Erin’s career path has so far led to being a Second Camera Assistant, FAA Drone Pilot and an emerging Steadicam and Underwater Camera Operator at the age of 24. She says: ‘I want to be a complete master of the camera.’  Erin’s ambitions align with her mission to champion the need for diversity, visibility and possibilities for women of color in the film industry.   Erin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erinhaynesofficial/ Some Female Visual Artists Erin admires: Supermodel Coco Rocha Supermodel Naomi Campbell Cinematographer, Camera Operator, and Founder of 600 Black Women, Chris Wairegi Cinematographer, Camera Operator, and Founder of @ladycameraguy on Instagram, Gretchen Warthen Cinematographer and Steadicam Operator, Megan Masur Actress Zendaya Director and Cinematographer Chloe Weaver Cinematographer Mandy Walker Fashion Model and Activist Bethann Hardison (whose film Invisible Beauty was shot by Cinematographer Mia Cioffi Henry) Photographer Nadia Lee Cohen Fashion and Beauty Influencer: Karen Blanchard (@karenbritchick on Instagram and YouTube) Singer, songwriter, entertainer, performer and business woman Beyoncé Knowles Carter Filmmaker Ava DuVernay Filmmaker Shonda Rhimes Fashion Designer Donatella Versace Visual Artist and Painter Hill Spriggins Photographer Kris Davidson Actress, Filmmaker, Fashion Icon, and Founder of PATTERN Beauty Tracee Ellis Ross Director, Writer, and Actress Greta Gerwig Actress, Writer, and Producer Meryl Streep  Host: Chris Stafford Produced by Hollowell Studios Follow @theaartpodcast on Instagram AART on Facebook Email: hollowellstudios@gmail.com

9 APR 2024 · This week the American equestrian artist, oil painter, landscape artist and retreat host Weatherly Stroh. Her unique palette and eye for horses brings a soft light to her work as she captures the gestures and movement of her subjects She says: ‘My paintings reflect the inspiration I find in the world around me, with a deep appreciation for slowing down to capture and appreciate the everyday magic that surrounds us.’  Weatherly was born and raised in Metamora, Michigan in 1974 the youngest of four children—including two step-siblings—to Gari Melchers Stroh (d) and Susanne Stroh. Her parents' love of horses brought them together and they subsequently conveyed their passion for riding to a young Weatherly who became a competitive rider. Her mother is also an artist and sculptor who instilled an artistic eye in her daughter so it was not surprising that, after high school at Cranbrook-Kingswood (affiliated to the renowned art academy graduate school) in Michigan,  Weatherly chose to major in art and photography at the University of Colorado. Whilst in college she spent a year in Florence, which stoked her interest in travel as well as inspiring her art. After college, she pursued various personal and professional directions including: racing mountain bikes, working for a magazine, a non-profit organization and teaching elementary school. It was during her twenty years in Colorado (Boulder for 10 years and then in the Vail Valley for 10) that Weatherly would also negotiate a divorce before she made a decision to relocate to Florida in 2011 where she has established herself as a professional artist. When she is not in her studio in Wellington, Weatherly is riding, playing tennis, and organizing Art of Life creative retreats.    Weatherly's website: https://weatherlystroh.com/pages/bio Instagram: @weatherlystroh  Some favorite female artists: CJ Hendry Lizzie Larock Claudia Rilling Jill Soukup  Weatherly’s playlist: Fleetwood Mac Tracy Chapman Country Classical Pop  “Depending on my mood, I listen to pop music in my studio when I need energy, classical music for focus or a random mix of opera, country, oldies, and pop.” - Weatherly   Host: Chris Stafford Produced by Hollowell Studios Follow @theaartpodcast on Instagram AART on Facebook Email: mailto:hollowellstudios@gmail.com

2 APR 2024 · This week the filmmaker Kire Godal whose focus on African culture and wildlife has reached audiences through National Geographic, the Discovery Channel, BBC, Amazon Prime among others. Her purpose and goal is to capture and memorialize important stories that she feels need to be recorded for history and to educate a wider public at a time when both people and animals are under threat of radical social and environmental changes or extinction.  Kire was born in Aspen, Colorado in 1962, one of three children—she has two brothers—to Norwegian immigrants Inge and Bente Godal . Her childhood was spent exploring the back country of Colorado, riding and skiing. She soon developed a passion for the outdoors and animals, which drew her to ambitions of being an explorer. But first, after High School, she was going to find herself in the Big Apple, drawn to the world of modeling after being talent spotted on the slopes by the American modeling agency executive, Eileen Ford. Whilst on fashion shoots, and catwalks of New York, Kire became fascinated in the art of photography and was soon drawn to being behind the camera. It was also at this time that Kire met her first husband, the Italian model agent, Giogio Piazzi, which would take her in a new direction. Kire found herself living in Aguilla BWI and Caracas, Venezuela while raising her first two children before returning to the US. She had decided by now that she wanted a career in filmmaking and took herself back to school at UCLA to study broadcast journalism. From there she worked in TV news, but it was the draw of the wild that led her to Kenya where she met her second husband and started her own production company Malaika Media as an independent filmmaker while raising three children but by now as a single parent. Her dreams and ambitions led to make her own self-funded films, which gradually led to bigger and more ambitious productions. Her portfolio includes Maasai The Last Dance of the Warriors for National Geographic, Lion Warriors for National Geographic Wild, Skypaths, and many more ethnographic, and natural history wildlife productions. Kire lives in Kenya and is currently working on two productions; Tolstoy, The Tomato Thief about a Super Tusker Elephant, and Maasai Eunoto featuring the important Maasai Warrior passage to elderhood ceremony. Kire's website: https://www.kiregodal.com/ Kira on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kiregodal_filmmaker_in_africa/ Tolstoy The Tomato Thief:  https://www.tolstoythetomatothief.com/ Kire’s IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0323701/ Kire’s playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4gzA9O48M99t6ddwJfhgdU?si=j9pCGQA0T-C8W3srs3ij9A&pi=u-1bohYGWNTsuR&nd=1&dlsi=152ed12c0d9a4342   Women whose work Kire admires: Mirella Riccardi Leni Reifenstahl Angela Fisher Carol Beckwith Annie Leibowitz Mandy Walker Dame Jane Campion  Host: Chris Stafford Produced by Hollowell Studios Follow @theaartpodcast on Instagram AART on Facebook Email: hollowellstudios@gmail.com

26 MAR 2024 · Carylon Cooper is an American contemporary artist whose work includes abstract, figurative, still life and animal portraits. Carylon was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1948, one of two daughters to Imogene & Herschel Cooper. She attended High School in Nashville and, since she was 19, she has called Chattanooga, TN home. Carylon’s art education began at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) and she followed that by majoring in art at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga (UTC) where she audited classes in printmaking and mono-printing. She spent time as a model in New York City before marriage and raising three children took priority. During a difficult first marriage, Carylon found peace in focusing on her fitness and became an endurance runner.  Her art proved to be her salvation through a second marriage, which ended after 30 years. Carylon is now happily single and feels stronger than she has ever been, She says: ”every single day of my life has been ordained.”  We hear about her discipline in the studio, and the profound impact of faith and perseverance on her life and legacy. Carylon now enjoys a happy mix of art, yoga, hiking and exercise routines. She also keeps busy as a grandmother of 10 and great-grandmother of 4 children.   Carylon’s playlist: Vivaldi Four Seasons Andres Segovia Chris Botti Brandenburg Concerto No. 61 Santana Nora Jones Chris Stapleton Bonnie Raitt Ero Ramazzotti Podcasts including AART  Favorite female artists: Louise Bourgeois ( Camille Henrot Tracey Ermin Sunny Apinchapong Peggy Kroll Roberts Nancy Chaboun Margaret Dyer  Host: Chris Stafford Produced by Hollowell Studios Follow @theaartpodcast on Instagram AART on Facebook Email: https://gmail.com

19 MAR 2024 · English portrait artist and sculptor, Eleanor Cardozo, is known for her bronze sculptures and the dynamic movement in her work. Eleanor was born in London in 1965, the second of 10 children to Colonel Benedict Cardozo, a Military Attaché in the British Army, and Caroline Cardozo, an artist and musician. Her childhood was subjected to the typical adventures of a military family when her father was posted overseas to Aden, Malaysia, Germany, Malawi, Ghana, Cyprus and Gibraltar. Eleanor’s education began at a French school in Ghana, followed by boarding school from ages 8 -18 at St Mary’s Convent in Dorset. Her interest in art began as a small child so it was with a degree of inevitability that she chose the City & Guilds School of Art London for Fine Art in Sculpture, followed by the Florence Academy and Cecil Graves School in Italy for portraiture. She says: ”I think because I respected my parents so much and they had very high expectations, pretty much everything we did, whether it was piano or art or academics, they wanted it to be at the highest level.” This episode is more than an interview; it's an intimate portrait of an artist's life, filled with anecdotes that make you laugh, moments that inspire, and revelations that make you ponder the nature of creativity. Eleanor's reflections on her boarding school days, her family's musical legacy, and her spiritual journey add layers to her persona, revealing a woman who is as multifaceted as the sculptures she creates. We hear how being a gymnast and dancer through her teens informed her appreciation for athletic movement. Her love of beauty is evident in her work, which has adorned venues such as the Beau-Rivage Palace hotel in Lausanne, Cirque du Soleil, Harrods in London, Terminal 5 at Heathrow, Westminster Abbey, the Palais Wilson in Geneva to name a few. Her work is primarily commission based but, as she explains, she is also keen to explore other art forms. Eleanor and her husband Rupert live in Geneva and have three children, Cosima, Daniel and Harry.   Eleanor’s wedsite: https://www.eleanorcardozo.com/ Instagram: @eleanorcardozo  Playlist: Ennio Morricone - Cinema Paradiso Camille Saint-Saëns - The Swan Stan Getz & Gilberto - Girl from Ipanema ( my phone ring!) Diana Krall - Why Should I Care Amy MacDonald - This Is The Life Pharrell Williams - Happy Pietro Mascagni - Cavalleria Rusticana The Godfather Love Theme  Favorite women artists: Camille Claude Elizabeth Frink Luo Li Rong ... and so many more painters. Host: Chris Stafford Produced by Hollowell Studios Follow @theaartpodcast on Instagram AART on Facebook Email: https://gmail.com

12 MAR 2024 · This week's guest is the media artist Kasumi whose career ranges from musician, filmmaker, author, designer, illustrator and painter. Her work features short and feature length experimental films, live shows, VJ, and public art projection, creating looping electronic sculptures, designing motion graphics and animated gifs, producing immersive 360 virtual reality pieces and making fine art prints and wearable art. Kasumi studied music at the Stadliche Musik Hochschule in Cologne, Germany playing the lute. She then moved to Japan, where she lived for 12 years and taught Baroque music at the Tokyo College of Music. Kasumi performed as a soloist throughout Japan, Europe and the U.S., recorded four albums, and performed twice at the Carnegie Hall. Whilst living in Japan, Kasumi explored her writing and published her first book; The Way of the Urban Samurai, in 1992. Kasumi married and raised her son, Kitao Sakurai who became a renown filmmaker. While simultaneously pursuing her work in painting and set design she continued to publish writings on music, politics and social issues for among others; the Asahi Shimbun, The Japan Financial Journal, The Early Music Quarterly Tokyo, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Sacramento Bee. From prints and collage to films and video art installations at the Rocket Mortgage Field House; at the Lincoln Center with The New York Philharmonic and Carnegie Hall; performances with Grandmaster Flash and DJ Spooky; public art at The Cleveland Museum of Art, DC Tower, Vienna, and Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires; VR 360, post-production, and gifs for The Eric Andre Show; and interactive art-making apps. Kasumi’s work Surfacing, developed at The Cleveland Museum of Art, was expanded into a solo exhibition for The Sculpture Center. Perhaps her most impactful production came after being awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2011 when she embarked on the feature-length film project, ‘Shockwaves’, which included 25,000 plus short public domain film samples. It proved to be a life-changing project, which she says ‘was like being in therapy for five years’. Kasumi’s next production is ‘Farandole’, an hour long cinematic assemblage, selected as part of Lincoln Center Presents Women and Non-binary Artists in Tech. It will screen at 6:30 pm on March 14 at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center. Free and open to the public. Kasumi’s website - http://kasumiartstudios.com/ Kasumi’s Instagram: @kasumifilms Kasumi’s favorite women artists: Amanda Bluglass Flash Rosenberg Leslie Swackhamer Julie Patton Kasumi’s playlist: Lil Cherry & Goldbuuda - Mukkbang! Miles Davis David Starfire / Cobra Harsh Kale / One Step Beyond Ricardo Imperatore / Omelet Banana Cheb i Sabbah / Ganga Dev Nightnoise / Fionnghuala Electronic World Music Dublicator Host: Chris Stafford Produced by Hollowell Studios Follow @theaartpodcast on Instagram AART on Facebook Email: hollowellstudios@gmail.com Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wisp--4769409/support.

5 MAR 2024 · Anna Echols is a cake artist, designer and bakery owner who creates life-like cakes celebrating every occasion. With painstaking attention to detail, her goal is to produce a cake that is hard to decipher from the real thing; almost too good to eat. Anna was born in Wilmington, NC in 1984 to Douglas and DeLonna Echols. She has one brother Douglas Echols, Jnr., a custom home renovator. Her father, who passed away in 2006, was a Commercial Real Estate Developer and entrepreneur who loved cooking, and Delonna, a stay-at-home mom. Her father once owned the shopping center where Anna’s bakery business is now based although he sadly did not live to see her business develop. Anna attended Cape Fear Academy for pre-k-12th grade in Wilmington and Meredith College, Raleigh, NC for her bachelors degree before she went to Orlando Culinary Academy for the Le Cordon Bleu Patisserie and Baking Program. It was while she was there that she took part in TLC’s “The Ultimate Bake-Off”, which Anna says was a defining moment in her career. In 2011, she returned home to Wilmington to her mother’s house where she started her bakery business and operated for the first two years. One Belle Bakery took off and she expanded her space for customers and, which now, has eight full-time staff whom Anna considers her family. Anna's creativity has attracted celebrity clients, including the late Country Music singer Charlie Daniels who gave her a cowboy hat in return. https://www.onebellebakery.com/ Instagram: @https://www.instagram.com/onebellebakery/ Anna’s favorite women artists: Liz Marek Natalie Sideserf Maggie Austin Brooke Helton Brooke Lupton Jennifer Rose Playlist: Faith (with Dolly Parton ft. Mr. Probz) Wake Me Up (Avicii) I Just Wanna Shine (Fitz and the Tantrums) Take a Walk (Passion Pit) Sugar, Sugar (The Archies) Host: Chris Stafford Produced by Hollowell Studios Follow @theaartpodcast on Instagram AART on Facebook Email: mailto:hollowellstudios@gmail.com

27 FEB 2024 · Felicity Starr is a contemporary realism artist who seeks to ‘celebrate life and excite the soul’ through her paintings, which portray still life, landscapes and portraits. Felicity was born in Colchester, England in 1982, the eldest of three daughters to Steve and Fiona Menadue. Her father was in IT and her Fiona a stay-at-home mom. At the age of 14, Felicity's family moved to Paris and she attended the British School of Paris. She focused on politics and international studies as a foundation for a career but instead found that she had a talent for sales. Whilst her career has taken her down that path Felicity has never stopped drawing and is mostly a self taught artist. Her dedication to art though has been a constant source of solace and self-discovery, allowing her to navigate the unique challenges associated with dyslexia and ADHD. Felicity has shown her work at the Royal Society of British Artists, The Royal Institute of Oil Painters, The Royal Society of Marine Artists and the Society of Wildlife Artists; exhibitions held at the Mall Galleries in London. In 2023, she also exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and the Royal West Academy. Felicity combines her art with a full-time job in IT as VP at Salesforce. She is married to Richard, who also works in IT, and the couple live in Hampshire, England with their two children, Annabelle and Charlie. https://www.felicitystarr.com/ Felicity on Instagrm: @felicityjoystarr Felicity’s favorite women artists: Haidee-Jo Summers Ruth Fitton Kate Bryan Gail Reid Zoey Frank Melissa Scott-Miller Catherine Gray Rosemary Lewis Felicity’s Playlist: Birdy Turkish March - Mozart Motown music Taylor Swift Stereophonics Oasis Disney French songs Host: Chris Stafford Produced by Hollowell Studios Follow @theaartpodcast on Instagram AART on Facebook Email: hollowellstudios@gmail.com

20 FEB 2024 · Tamar Cohen is a self-taught creator of miniatures and diorama. Her work reflects her passion for architecture, particularly European gothic, castles and art nouveau. Tamar was born in Tel Aviv, Israel in 1981, one of four children; she has an older sister who lives in New York, and an older brother and younger sister who live in Israel. She describes her parents as being crafty in an artistic sense; her father was an electrician by trade who enjoyed building furniture and her mother knits quilts and is an artist. As a child, Tamar studied painting, photography, sculpting and history of art. When she was 21, she learned silversmithing for a year, but decided not to make that a career. Instead, she went to college and then, having enjoyed gymnastics in her youth, she became a personal trainer for six years. In 2016, Tamar moved to Canada. It was during the COVID pandemic lockdown in 2021 that she began building dolls houses for her daughter. This proved to be the start of a new career building miniatures and diorama, which is now a full-time job. Tamar lives in Montreal with her husband Zac, a concept artist, and their daughter Sophia. Tamar on Instagram: @miniatureit Tamar’s website - https://msha.ke/miniatureit Tamar’s Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/miniatureit Tamar’s Playlist: P!nk - Just Like Fire Celeste - Stop This Flame Celeste - Love Is Back Teddy Swims - Lose Control Teddy Swims - Devil in a Dress Teddy Swims - You're Still The One Teddy Swims - Bed On Fire Favorite female artists: Céline B. La Terreur Sunshine Kim Sophie Alp Sasha Tudvaseva Host: Chris Stafford Produced by Hollowell Studios Follow @theaartpodcast on Instagram AART on Facebook Email: hollowellstudios@gmail.com

6 JAN 2016 · Record breaking offshore sailor Dee Caffari MBE launches The Sailing Show with a stellar line up of sportswomen. She caught up with Stacey Jackson and Katie Spithill during the Extreme Sailing Series in Sydney;  and with Lizzy Foreman  and Nikki Curwen fresh from the Mini Transat race. Endurance Swimmer Anna Wardley tells us what motivates her and what lies ahead, and British Powerboat Race Shelley Jory-Leigh @shelleyjory talks about her comeback after a terrifying accident. Host: Dee Caffari For more information, links and resources plus conversations from the world of women’s sport including articles, blogs, videos and podcasts visit wispsports.com. WiSP Sports is the World’s First and Only Podcast Network for Women’s Sport with more than 60 hosts, 1500+ episodes across 50 shows and over 7 million downloads. We are ranked in the top 2% more of than 2.69 million podcasts worldwide. WiSP Sports is on all major podcast players. Follow WiSP Sports on social media @WiSPsports. Contact us at info@wispsports.com.