Ali & Callie Artcast

Ep 82: Emerge Throwdown with artists Louise Schollaert and Marnie Herald

Talking about Emerge's annual Ceramic Throwdown and Cup Frenzy! This very fun, high energy event is a local favorite with the unique competitions between experienced ceramicists blindfolded on the wheel, and given certain criteria to create a spontaneous piece. There also are hundreds of mugs available on a first-come, first-serve basis for a minimal price. Art demonstrations, live music and an exhibit all make for a fun evening.

We visit with potters, Louise and Marnie, who tell us about their experience and about the event itself.

Emerge is a collective art experience engaging all members of the community in a variety of high-quality creative outlets while offering a platform for emerging artists to cultivate their careers as professionals.

They have 3 main components; gallery/performance space, classrooms for arts education, and community art events.

Click here for more information about the 2023 Ceramic Throwdown and Cup Frenzy.

Ep 81: Genie Higbee, Artist and Author

Genie Higbee, author and artist, brings to her novels a passion for visual imagery and poetry. But without one mysterious impetus—a phenomenon explored together with her violinist father, Lloyd Frisbee, and forwarded by her firstborn, Ashkelon Sain, multi-instrumentalist and soundscape creator she would be missing the elemental component of her inspiration, Music.

She currently lives in North Idaho with her husband, Rick Higbee, history buff, bibliophile, and gardener.

Listen and learn about her passion for the written word and how she came about writing this amazing book.

For more information about Genie or how to purchase her book, visit geniehigbee-art.com.

Click here for The Violin Thief playlist on Spotify.

Ep. 80: Gary Edwards, Composer, Musician and more

Join us for an updated conversation with Gary Edwards, whose many works are getting recognition in South Carolina with his Qual Chan Opera and New York City where he composed the music for the off-Broadway show "Stealing Mona Lisa!" His adventure to the east coast to see his works produced ended up being a hilarious adventure reminiscent of the movie "Planes, Trains and Automobiles!" 

For more of Gary's amazing portfolio of work, visit his website at edwardsmusicsite.com. And check out his New York Show Stealing Mona Lisa.

Ep. 79: Tracy Holmes, Sports and Figure Artist

As one of the newest studios in the Rockford Building in Downtown Coeur d'Alene, Tracy Bailey Holmes has come to be known for her artwork representing sports and figures, including high-profile athletes, high-profile races, and events. She has been commissioned by businesses, organizations, corporations, cities, states, and abroad for her artwork. Her artwork, conceptual ideas, and designs have marked and established visually historical events, people, places, races, and awards. Tracy uses her gifts and talents to speak to, remind, inspire, and establish visual records of events and the beauty and potential embodied in life and the human spirit ......."The Human Race". She is the officially licensed NASCAR artist, and has traveled each year VIP with an official Tour de France Operator.

Check out her website at tracyholmesfineart.com

Ep 78: Julie Powell, Actor and Music Teacher at Bryan Elementary

Julie Powell is a National Board Certified, experienced music teacher who loves learning new things. Her degree from the University of Idaho is in Vocal Music, K-12 and has been teaching for 30 years. Her program at Bryan focuses on healthy and artistic singing techniques using songs in many different styles, languages, traditions and cultures. The concerts she directs at Bryan range from a Third Grade Veterans Program, a Fourth Grade Idaho History Program, Holiday Celebrations, Kindergarten Graduations and programs about science and exploring world cultures.

Julie also is an accomplished actress, appearing in many musicals and stage productions for Lake City Playhouse and the CDA Summer Theatre.

Ep 77: Brett DePew, Principal, Sorenson Magnet School of the Arts and Humanities

A great conversation with Brett DePew, the principal of Sorenson Magnet School of the Arts and Humanities that recently won the 2022 Governors Arts Award for Innovation in the Arts.

Sorensen Magnet School, a little school with BIG IDEAS! A place where students learn core knowledge through the fabric of the arts and humanities. Located in the heart of downtown Coeur d'Alene, this newly remodeled school building is a reminder of the hard work demonstrated by members of the community who joined forces in a campaign to save Sorensen, turn it into a school of choice, make it one of two "Arts and Humanities" schools in the state of Idaho, and as a result, this little school with "big ideas" has impacted countless numbers of students and will continue to do so for generations to come.

With the upcoming levy election on March 14, we talk to Brett about the importance of the arts in our community, and how important it is to vote in favor of the supplemental levies.

Ep 76: Christmas special

Ali and Kristin had the opportunity to speak at the NIA (North Idaho Alliance) Women of Impact Arts gathering with the focus on the arts. A fun opportunity to talk about the Arts & Culture Alliance and our favorite podcasts from the last two seasons.

Ep. 75: Michael Koep, musician, author, and swordsman

Join us for our season finale and our 75th episode with Michael Koep, a local author, musician (drummer) and swordsman/jouster as we talk to him about his fourth book, Gigmentia: a love story to his music, bands, bandmates, son, and mostly his mother. This memoir with posts from his personal journal is inspiring, funny, and totally engaging. The book is due out in March of 2023, but we got an early release copy, and could not put it down.

By the age of 12, Michael B. Koep had written a complex, Tolkienesque fantasy with its own number system, language and runic alphabet. He continues that tradition with his fiction debut. Koep has been called an Inland Northwest “Renaissance Man”. An avid world traveler, educator, accomplished visual artist, and a touring rock musician, Michael’s spirit is imbued in the arts. He is a co-founder of a North Idaho fencing consortium, but he is best known as a drummer and lyricist for progressive rock group KITE, as well as the percussionist for the variety power trio The RUB. He is a winner of a Costello Poetry Prize. He lives in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho with his family.

 

You can find out more about Michael and his books, including the Neuwirth Trilogy, at willdreamlyarts.com, and about his band on Facebook @rubtherub

Ep. 74: Ali & Callie in the Kitchen with Victoria

In our very first video cast, we spend an afternoon with Victoria Hiraoka making the most delicious food!

Victoria Hiraoka has successfully merged her decades long experience in luxury service and hospitality, her love of history and culture, and her always growing obsession of food and gas created a magical adventure that continues to intrigue both friends and followers alike. Whether it be recipes she's learned from her travels or introducing you to artisans in your own home town, Victoria shares amazing insights and shows you how you, too, can bring these exciting experiences into your day to day living with the Chef Wives Club... it's like a secret club you absolutely want to be a part of. 

Recorded this summer, this episode is also a tribute to her husband, Yuji, who tragically lost his life a week after this was recorded.

For recipes from this episode visit Visit Chef Wives Club on Instagram or the Chef Wives Club Facebook page @chefwivesclub

Ep. 73: Lillian Dodson, Abstract Artist

Born in Detroit, Lillian Dodson has done some amazing things in her long life, including being a part of the New York art scene for 55 years. She met and married Stanley Twardowicz, a painter and art instructor who inspired her to paint. Stanley introduced her to the "Abstract Impressionists" of the day, including Jackson Pollack, Mark Rothko, Franz Kline and Willem de Kooning. She got to be part of these incredible artists' regular meetings at a pub in Grenich Village, talking about anything other than art.

Lillian and Stanley both taught art at the prestigious private school, Hofstra University. Lillian went on to explore pottery, felting (particularly the most amazing hats), and loves being experimental. She is an absolutely fascinating character as she causes us to become completely absorbed in her experiences.

Lillian has lived in North Idaho for the last eight years near her two sons, both creative in their own way.