Today, we welcome another one of our six 2021 NOT REAL ART Grant for Artists winners, the one and only Carmen Mardónez, hailing from Chile. Carmen is a fiber artist living in Los Angeles, California, whose work explores an imagery of rebellion and freedom through natural landscapes saturated with lights and colors. She employs a characteristically …

Have you ever wondered how certain people and companies achieve larger-than-life status? Well, today’s guest has some theories about what legends are made of, with empirical evidence to back them up! Gair Maxwell has worked with some of the world’s most dynamic organizations, including Apple, Caterpillar, NAPA, and Virginia Tech. He has also shared…

When we hear the term, “it runs in the family,” it usually means some negative behavior trait, a genetic disease, or a vice but, in the Pelayo family, the main trait that runs through this family is artistic talent. If you’ve ever heard the idiom, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” today’s guests are the perfect case study for that! We are…

Today’s guest on the Not Real Art Podcast is John Chang, one of our six 2021 Not Real Art Grant winners. John is a Chinese-American multidisciplinary artist from Shanghai who considers himself a spiritual escapist. His work is rich and deep, layering language and image to construct and reconstruct meaning, memory, and intention. In this episode, Jo…

Today’s guest is the amazing Natalia Villanueva Linares, one of our 2021 NRA grant winners! Natalia hails from Peru and France and is now residing in Chicago. She is an installation and performance artist specializing in space understanding. Our conversation begins with Natalia describing a decade long-project she has been working on involving reva…

In today’s episode, we feature one of our six 2021 NRA grant-winners, Nadyia Duff! Nadyia is a Jamaican-American artist who hails from Miami Beach, Florida. Nadyia's portraiture work, like her personality, exudes passion, energy, love, joy, and style. In our conversation with Nadyia, we talk to her about her portraiture style depicting detailed sub…

In today’s episode of the Not Real Art Podcast, we discuss higher education in the creative arts, specifically when it comes to Sourdough’s alma mater, Columbia College Chicago, where he graduated in 1994 with a double major in graphic design and arts management. Joining us is Sarah Schroeder, Director of Alumni Relations for Columbia College here …

Today on the show we have the one and only Roy Miles, a true Swiss Army Knife of an artist with a seemingly never-ending set of skills. For those in the back who have not heard of Roy, he is a puppeteer, musician, filmmaker, designer, and the list goes on. Roy, AKA the Ghetto Gepetto, is the creator of the Biddies toys as well as the YouTube channe…

Today’s show is all about why art is important. If you’re listening to this podcast, you probably believe, as we do, that art, creativity, and artists are essential to making this world a better and more interesting place. Because art is subjective, why art is important differs according to personal opinion. That is why today’s episode includes the…

Today's episode is especially exciting because we are announcing our 2021 grant winners. We are so grateful to every artist that entered, and the quality of work we saw truly blew us away. Of course, we would have wanted to give money to all of you, but the sad reality is that it is just not possible. We shed light on what the selection process loo…

Today's episode is especially exciting because we are announcing our 2021 grant winners. We are so grateful to every artist that entered, and the quality of work we saw truly blew us away. Of course, we would have wanted to give money to all of you, but the sad reality is that it is just not possible. We shed light on what the selection process loo…

Standing out in the crowded L. A graffiti scene is no easy feat, but it is something today's guest, Vyal One, has managed to do. He is a muralist from East L.A with over 25 years of experience creating aerosol murals and is one of the graffiti movement's most skilled aerosol painters. His work has taken him across the globe, and his portfolio inclu…

Art has always been about stretching people’s imaginations and creating spaces for expansive thinking. For Freedoms is an art-led civic organization that creates art and sparks conversations around what expanded civic participation looks like. Michelle Woo is the Director of For Freedoms and is also a creative producer and artist based in L.A. Her …

Many people view art as transformative in and of itself. But what about the process of making art? Can that not also be a tool for transformation? Brett Cook is a multi-disciplinary artist who uses storytelling to distill complex ideas and creative practices to transform the inner and outer worlds of being. He has taught at all academic levels and …

The importance of the business aspect of being an artist cannot be underestimated. This side of the trade is an art in its own right and requires some training to master. Today on the show we are joined by Anthem Salgado where he shares his expertise on all the strategies that we as artists should be using to sell ourselves and connect to our audie…

When you think of some of the most culturally diverse and renowned cities on earth, they all have one thing in common: art. From local galleries to life-size murals, a community full of art is a community full of culture. That’s why supporting the arts in your local community is a crucial part of building a legacy, exposing artists to bigger platfo…

One of the most important purposes of art is to shed light on issues and people that may not always be in the spotlight. Artists spark conversations and are foundational pillars in many social justice movements. Showzart, the Art Jedi, is a muralist, community organizer, and resident of Skid Row. He works tirelessly to elevate the Skid Row unshelte…

The Asheville art scene is on fire, and the city is well-known for its support of artists and creators of all kinds. Joining us today from the heart of the Southeast art world are Bob Ware and Louise Glickman, of Sand Hill Artists Collective (SHAC), a group that looks to support the art community on the far West side of Asheville. In this episode, …

If you are looking to learn, grow, and be inspired, then today’s show is for you. MonaLisa Whitaker is our guest today, and her warmth, dedication, and brilliance are all infectious. MonaLisa is a photographer and mixed media artist with an enviable resume and decades of experience. In our conversation today, MonaLisa talks about her work in the In…

Today’s guest is the inspirational photographer and documentarian, fifth generation Angelino, and all-round good guy, Steven Levey. Steven joins us on the show to talk about his views on art, his recent foray into cooking, how he happened into professional photography, and why he mainly just wants to be a good person. We kick the show off hearing a…

If you are old enough to remember cassettes, you will remember the Dolby noise reduction switch on them. This humble beginning was the foundation for an incredibly innovative company that has since branched off into creating immersive audio and visual entertainment experiences. Ellis Reid, a Senior Industry Marketing Manager at Dolby, helps people …

Some people are extraordinarily unique and change the game completely. Greg Escalante was a bona fide maverick and trailblazer, carving out a space where so many of us could feel at home. Juxtapoz Magazine, the publication Greg co-founded, is still a leading work in the alternative and underground art space. Greg's legacy is about far more than the…

Three letters are dominating the art world right now, N-F-T. They stand for ‘non-fungible token’, which is represented as a unit of data, typically on the Ethereum blockchain. So how does this affect artists around the world? It returns the power to them. In today’s episode, we speak with intellectual property attorney Joshua Wattles, and former De…

Making a break in the entertainment industry takes hard work, careful attention, and a strong vision. Today we speak with a woman who achieved great heights in film and television. Channing Dungey is a TV executive and the first black American president of a major broadcast television network. In this rich and inspiring episode, we talk with Channi…

Muralism is empowering, uplifting, and can be a megaphone to celebrate ethnicity. Judy Baca has been creating public art for decades and has produced over 400 murals while employing thousands of local participants to be part of Los Angeles’ social and artistic evolution. Her efforts are embodied by the Social Public Art Resource Center or SPARC. In…

Welcome to episode 117 of the Not Real Art Podcast. In today’s show, host Erin Yoshi is joined by three more exceptional artists, Gloria Muriel, Amanda Lynn, and Mariella Ajras. These women are among the most influential and talented muralists around, and in today’s show, they share their stories, inspirations, and advice. We kick things off by hea…

Welcome to another Not Real Art takeover hosted by Erin Yoshi for the month of March to celebrate National Woman’s Month. Today Yoshi sits down with two of her Trust Your Struggle crewmates, Nancy Hernandez and Cece Carpio. Trust Your Struggle is a crew of visual artists who partner with communities across the world to fight for social justice usin…

Welcome to another podcast takeover with Erin Yoshi. For International Women’s Month, we are going to talk to some of Erin’s favorite women in the creative field, each offering something brilliant, raw, and powerful. Today we talk with guests Heidi Johnson and Maria Jenson about marketing artists and art events. Heidi is an accomplished public rela…

For women, the time is now. Today Erin Yoshi begins her month-long takeover of the Not Real Art Podcast with a focus on uplifting women in the arts. We kick things off by finding out a little more about Erin, who is a creative strategist that paints stirring murals. As a curator, producer, former nonprofit executive, and now podcast host, Erin inte…

With International Women’s Month just around the corner, we decided to dedicate today’s show to previewing the exciting month we have ahead. As our guest and official occasional-co-host, Erin Yoshi joins us today to talk about what makes next month so special and how she is going to bring an edge to the Not Real Art podcast. We kick things off by f…

We are doing things a little differently today’s episode of the Not Real Art Podcast. There’s no guest, just news. Good news. Random news. News you never knew you needed. While Man One is still away on assignment, Sourdough opens the show by discussing what this extra format is bringing to the table. We started off by asking: how do we bring value,…

In today’s episode, we sit down with Scott Bedbury, world-renowned brand consultant, author, and speaker who has played a central role in the success of massive names like Nike, Starbucks, and Airbnb. His bestselling book, A New Brand World, is a must-read for anyone working in business today. In this show, we talk about the erosion of trust in an …

Today’s guest is Juergen Berkessel, founder of Polymash, here to talk about podcasting as a content strategy and the false distinction between career paths that occupy creative versus so-called ‘commercial’ spheres. Polymash is a boutique digital marketing agency based in Florida, and Juergen has become a close friend of Sourdough’s because Polymas…

If we told you that the Mona Lisa was missing, you probably wouldn’t believe it. But this was the case in 1911 when, for two years, the world’s most famous painting was nowhere to be found! Our guests today, Joe Medeiros and Justine Mestichelli Medeiros are experts on this fascinating story and have produced a documentary called Mona Lisa is Missin…

Art is important for more reasons than will ever be possible to count. From aiding cognitive development and critical thinking skills to beautifying the world we live in, art matters to us all. Today’s guest, Mary Farmer, is an internationally-recognized encaustic painter based in Asheville, North Carolina, whose work creates a portal into a timele…

While the pandemic has taken a lot away, it has also gifted many of us with extra time to pursue our passions. This is how today’s guest, Javie Lopez, views the forced downtime in 2020, and he has been grinding harder than ever before. As a consummate multi-hyphenate, Javie is an artist, producer, DJ, videographer, director, and Founder and Creativ…

For the acclaimed writer, producer, and broadcaster Frances Anderton, telling engaging stories is about inspiring people and never leaving them feeling hopeless. Having just left her position of 22 years at KCRW, in this episode we speak with Frances about transition and her history reporting on how design and architecture impact community, politic…

Brand identity is a big business. From consumer products to startups and even political parties, if people identify with your message, they will be on your side. Today's guest, Ron Vandenberg, is a multi-Clio Award-winning brand consultant and creative director and is recognized for his expertise in brand thinking, communication, design and experie…

Welcome to this special holiday episode of the Not Real Art Podcast! As Sourdough explains early on in the show, this episode is fast and loose, featuring a bunch of boys behaving badly due to excessive amounts of holiday cheer! ManOne is finally back in the studio after his year-long assignment and what makes today’s show even better is that James…

As the lines we have drawn to separate ourselves from others seem to be hardening, will we ever get to a place where we all get along? There may not be a silver bullet to reach a place of inclusion and equity, but this does not mean it is not possible. Today's guest, Scott Hoesman, Founder of inQuest Consulting, is doing the work to help teams crea…

Artists who are willing to put themselves in harm’s way are a rare bread, and those who use their work to help others are perhaps even rarer. Photographer, Brian McCarty, is one of these unique artists, and since 2011, he has been collaborating with the United Nations and other NGOs to help traumatized children in war zones. Through his project, Wa…

This year has understandably been tough for artists. With increasing levels of stress and anxiety, it is not easy to be freely creative. Yet, art, in all its forms, is more important than ever for getting people through these difficult times. Parlor Social is at the top of their game, and Ric’key Pageot and Dessy Di Lauro, the husband-and-wife duo …

Today’s guest is pioneering conservation photographer, Robert Glenn Ketchum. Robert's imagery and books have helped to define contemporary color photography while at the same time addressing critical national environmental issues, having made him one of the most successful artists and activists in American history. In today’s episode, Robert talks …

Human beings have done a good job of ripping this planet apart; we have to figure out how to put it back together, and today’s guest is at the forefront of this initiative. Erin Yoshi joins us today to talk about her new project, The Land of WE. In this project, Erin is using art to drive conversations that imagine a different world, one in which w…

Continuing our conversation with Indivisible 2020 participating artists, today’s guests Mary Sherwood Brock and Joshua Wattle engage in a stimulating discussion filled with passion for the country. Show curator Karen Fiorito joins the two artists, who both have roots in Washington and have been on the frontlines for their whole lives — Mary as an a…

We continue our discussion with artists participating in Indivisible 2020 today with Anna Stump, Erin Yoshi, Ted Meyer, and Kalynn Campbell. In this jam-packed show, the guests address various pertinent social and political issues. We begin by hearing what indivisibility means to everyone, where Anna and Ted, who live in a rural, red part of the co…

We are continuing our discussions with artists participating in the Indivisible 2020 exhibition that Not Real Art is a media partner of, and today’s guest is none other than Linda Vallejo. Linda is a multimedia artist who consolidates a range of influences from a lifetime of travel and study to create work that explores contemporary social, cultura…

In our increasingly polarized society and as the indivisibility we have been promised becomes further from our reality, what role do artists play in interrogating where we are now? The Indivisible 2020 exhibition explores what it means to be indivisible and divided in today’s United States, and Not Real Art is proud to be a media partner. The next …

Today we welcome multidisciplinary artist David Schwartz, AKA DVS to talk about his most recent foray into physical art, his memories of working with Prince, and the fruits of never giving up on a creative vision. David is a singer, songwriter, graphic designer, art director, and visual artist, and while he was sleeping in his car after he got out …

Today we speak to Tijera Williams, a painter whose work incorporates collage, self-portraiture, and re-workings of art iconography to form images that are rich and raw while carrying a powerful political message. Tijera is a recipient of the 2020 NRA art grant and it was a pleasure having her on the show to talk about her journey with art, the whit…