Cassette Single: The Art of Taking a Break with Carl Simmons

New Bedford, MA multi-disciplinary artist Carl Simmons joins me for a discussion on creative breaks, not just blocks. An art residency doing nothing, if you will, if ever that was a thing. We also talk about using instagram and facebook as a venue and medium for visual art formats. How do these platforms differ for painting and video work etc. 

Carl and I share a few laughs, and some serious accounts on working as an artist using one of the near only venues for showing work during a pandemic without making the episode a total downer. Besides, how could an art chat where Star Wars comes up multiple times be anything less than a galactic experience? Listen below for more... 

Ahtcast · The Mixed-Media Tapes: The Art of Taking a Break with Carl Simmons

Drawings by Carl Simmons

 

 

Find Carl Simmons on instagram for more of his drawings as well as video and photo work: carlcarlsimmons

or

Carl Simmons on Vimeo

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Mentioned in the conversation:

Poetry Super Highway 

Co+ Creative Center New Bedford

 Andy Anello

 Tracy Silva Barbosa

 Kate Frazer Rego

Jamie Uretsky, Curator New Bedford Art Museum/ArtWorks!

Akira Kurosawa's Dreams

Ed Wood

Steven Spielberg

matt pond PA

 Dr. Dog

 Joanna Newsom

 

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Big thanks to Carl Simmons for being a part of The Mixed-Media Tapes conversation!

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And thank you for listening!

 

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the mixed-media tapes. 2021  

Cassette Single: Dance, and Art-Practice Parallels with Sarah Boyts Yoder

The Mixed-Media Tapes clears the floor for previous Ahtcast guest Sarah Boyts Yoder! Sarah steps in and joins us via video from Charlottesville, Virginia to share more about dance and its parallel place among painting and life. 

Stay tuned as we pick up where Sarah's last interview left off, watch or listen below!... 

 

Video talk:

 

Audio Only: 

Ahtcast · The MIxed-Media Tapes: Dance, and Art-Practice Parallels with Sarah Boyts Yoder

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Tilted

Acrylic and watercolor on canvas

24" x 36"

2021

Available via/courtesy Page Bond Gallery in Richmond, Virginia.

 

 

 

The artist's website: Sarah Boyts Yoder

 

 

Mentioned in the talk:

Tina Fey

Elizabeth Murray

Song Exploder music podcast

  Wangechi Mutu

 

 

Big thanks so much to Sarah for being a great guest and offering up an animated talk on the subject of dance and studio life.

 

Thanks to you for listening or watching!

 

For more from Sarah, check out the Ahtcast interview at the blog here: Sarah Boyts Yoder on Ahtcast

 

 

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the mixed-media tapes. 2021.

Cassette Single: Creative Block Talk with Renee Robbins

The Mixed-Media Tapes are back! This episode's guest is Chicago based painter Renee Robbins. She steps in to share some ideas and thoughts on creative block, which we all have from time to time, no? 
In the recording Robbins goes into being present and to allow the process to be about the process, and not the end result to take some of the pressure off. Besides, you don't have to show anyone! And a nice list of other things to get work going again.

Also, being the time of social distancing this is timely in its subject matter as some artists are having to make temporary studios, can't get to their studios, and are separated from the in-person art community. 

So sit back and relax, or make a sketch or two while listening...
listen below...

Buried Treasure

36 x 36 inches

acrylic on canvas

2019 

Renee Robbins in her Chicago studio




Renee Robbins' website: Renee Robbins

Audio conversation: 

Mentioned in the conversation:  

The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron 

Thanks so much to Renee for generously sharing what works in her studio when dealing with creative block!

For more from Renee please check out her full-length interview over at ahtcast.com: Renee Robbins' full-feature interview

Thanks for listening! 

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The mixed-media tapes. 2020.

Cassette Single: Light | Color | Shadow with Erika b Hess and David Linneweh

The Mixed-Media Tapes returns with an episode about light, color, and shadow. I invited fellow artists and podcasters Erika b Hess and David Linneweh on the show to talk art in their own segment which I have placed together for this special episode!

You'll hear accounts of bold color in Erika's work, the poetic subject matter of David's work, and how such elements revolve around light, color and even a shadow or three. 

Listen in to dig deep into the work and processes of these two great painters and podcasters, I personally am honored to have them both on the show, and to present this episode! Listen below...

Erika b Hess

The Resort Pool 

oil on panel 

16" x 12"

2018

Erika b Hess

Heritage Hunting Hat

 oil on canvas 

14" x 11" 

2015

 

 

 

 

 David Linneweh

Pembroke 15

transfer and oil on panel

10 3/4 x 16 1/4 inches

2018

David Linneweh

Pembroke 16

transfer and oil on panel

15 3/4 and 21 1/2 inches

2018

Mentioned in the episode:

Mary Heilmann

Joanne Greenbaum

Mark Rothko

Richard Diebenkorn

Wayne Thiebaud

Erika's painting website where you will also find her podcast I Like Your Work: Erika b Hess

David's painting website: David Linneweh

David's Studio Break podcast home: Studio Break

 

Erika, David and I are all artists and podcasters brought together by our similar projects and interests and I'm grateful to know them and to have had them as guests on the show. I'm a better painter and podcaster because the experience. I'm looking forward to staying in touch. Thanks guys! And thank you listeners! 

 

(check out their paintings!) 

Your host, Phillip J. Mellen

 

 

 

 

The mixed-media tapes. 2019.

Cassette One Side A

Welcome to the mixed-media tapes

A short artist talk series based on word and phrase prompts. I have invited visual artists from around the world to share their thoughts and stories based on their selected prompt(s). I hope you enjoy this as much as I have. Your host, Phillip J. Mellen. Cheers!

This post is cassette one side a. Listen below!


 Track listing is as follows:

1. David Myrvold. Trollhattan, Sweden. 
Prompt: Changes. 1:00 - 11:23.
2. Jonathan Christie. Sydney, Australia. 
Prompts: Music and Freedom. 11:30 - 27:30.
3. Kale Tunnessen. Chicago, Illinois, USA. 
Prompts: What is an artist's mind like? The finished painting. 
27:35 - 31:14
4. Krista Svalbonas. Chicago, Illinois, USA. 
Prompts: Collage and Alchemy. 31:23 - 40:55.

Audio Talks:

Works by guest artists:

David Myrvold

Park view (Birch), 

81,5x60,5 cm/32x24 inches

Oil on Mdf-panel, 

2015.

Jonathan Christie

Untitled, 

30x25cm/12x10inches

Vinyl and gesso on timber panel. 

2015.

Kale Tunnessen

Untitled, 

9" x 12"/22x30cm

acrylic and pastel on paper, 

2014.

Krista Svalbonas

Migrants 24, 

14”x14”/35x35cm

digital photography and collage on board.

 2015.

Thanks for listening!

The mixed-media tapes. 2015.