Send us a text

In this episode we explore how photography shapes memory, culture, and legacy with visual effects veteran Matthew Smith, tracing a line from 19th‑century spirit photos to AI deepfakes. The camera doesn’t capture truth; it curates stories, and we can choose how to author ours.

 I want to take another minute to remind you listeners that ArtStorming is a listener-supported non-profit, and we need your help to keep the conversation going. Every dollar goes directly into programs that support our mission. That means more compelling stories, more in-depth articles, and a greater impact on our community. If you love what you hear, please consider making a contribution. Visit our website for more ways to engage, and thank you for being an essential part of our work.

 We're going to pause here for a moment to speak to our listeners. if you like this content, and want more information on our guests, their projects and more indepth ways to engage with us, you can find us on ArtBridgeNM.org or our ArtBridge Substack. Please read, follow and share our content. Your subscriptions, shares and contributions help us grow our artistic community. Thank you and now back to our conversation.

Music for ArtStorming was written and performed by John Cruikshank.

Send us a text

What if a weapon could become a tool for growth, a song, or even a room you can step inside to remember a life? We sit down with Miranda Viscoli, executive director of New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence, to explore how Guns to Gardens turns surrendered firearms into shovels, sculptures, instruments, and a traveling installation built by teens who refuse to let grief be the final word.

 I want to take another minute to remind you listeners that ArtStorming is a listener-supported non-profit, and we need your help to keep the conversation going. Every dollar goes directly into programs that support our mission. That means more compelling stories, more in-depth articles, and a greater impact on our community. If you love what you hear, please consider making a contribution. Visit our website for more ways to engage, and thank you for being an essential part of our work.

 We're going to pause here for a moment to speak to our listeners. if you like this content, and want more information on our guests, their projects and more indepth ways to engage with us, you can find us on ArtBridgeNM.org or our ArtBridge Substack. Please read, follow and share our content. Your subscriptions, shares and contributions help us grow our artistic community. Thank you and now back to our conversation.

Music for ArtStorming was written and performed by John Cruikshank.

Send us a text

What if legacy isn’t a monument, but a moment where someone finally feels seen? We sit down with Robert Washington-Vaughns to trace the unlikely path from corporate burnout and suicidal ideation to a life anchored by art, nature, and community—and a simple ritual that’s changing how men relate to themselves and each other. The Black Man Flower Project began with a brave question: why do most men only receive flowers at a funeral? Robert’s answer is a living practice that replaces isolation with acknowledgment and performance with presence.

 I want to take another minute to remind you listeners that ArtStorming is a listener-supported non-profit, and we need your help to keep the conversation going. Every dollar goes directly into programs that support our mission. That means more compelling stories, more in-depth articles, and a greater impact on our community. If you love what you hear, please consider making a contribution. Visit our website for more ways to engage, and thank you for being an essential part of our work.

 We're going to pause here for a moment to speak to our listeners. if you like this content, and want more information on our guests, their projects and more indepth ways to engage with us, you can find us on ArtBridgeNM.org or our ArtBridge Substack. Please read, follow and share our content. Your subscriptions, shares and contributions help us grow our artistic community. Thank you and now back to our conversation.

Music for ArtStorming was written and performed by John Cruikshank.

Send us a text

Dive into the transformative journey of artist Chris Moench as he shares the story behind his stunning ceramic prayer wheels. From a tragic disaster to healing and remembrance, Chris's art extends beyond aesthetics—it's a powerful medium for connection and reflection.

Music for ArtStorming was written and performed by John Cruikshank.

Send us a text

Memory can move like a boat in a draft, and that’s exactly what happened the moment we stepped into Elizabeth Fergus Jean’s dream studio in the woods. Suspended vessels, flickering shadows, stones with rings of time, and a labyrinth set on a forest power point created a space where grief felt present, tender, and strangely full of life. We set out to talk about legacy and found a living bridge between ancestry, art-making, and the land that holds us.

Music for ArtStorming was written and performed by John Cruikshank.

Send us a text

A hidden cemetery. A mill built by an enslaved craftsman. A song written on the hillside where roots hold memory. Eric Mingus joins us to unpack a lineage that runs through the Great Smoky Mountains, across Cherokee land, and into a body of work that insists legacy must stay alive, not embalmed. What began as a visit became The Mill—composed on site, later performed with Yo-Yo Ma, and now growing into a traveling forum that invites communities to gather, remember, and speak.

Music for ArtStorming was written and performed by John Cruikshank.

Send us a text

What if the most meaningful part of your story is the chapter you haven’t designed yet. We’re opening our new season by taking a clear-eyed look at legacy, grief, and the artful choices that can turn memory into something living. Welcome to Season 2 ArtStorming the Art of Remembrance.

Music for ArtStorming was written and performed by John Cruikshank.

Send us a text

The Holzmans' work offers important lessons about resilience, creativity, and finding beauty in the discarded. Hear more about this father-daughter duo on this episode.

Music for ArtStorming was written and performed by John Cruikshank.