The Artistic Fuel Podcast: Recent Episodes
Artistic Fuel
Elise Arndt is an actress, singer, and teacher whose impact on the arts spans across the country. Learn why it's a good idea to always keep your head up on your journey as a performer and how anyone can excel in the arts.
Elise Arndt is a San Clemente native and holds a BA in Musical Theatre from American University. The Granddaughter of a Broadway veteran, Elise always knew she wanted to be on stage. She spent 8 years living in New York City continuing her training with the best in the business while developing her parallel career in teaching. She has performed in theatres regionally, toured, worked off broadway, performed in countless cabarets and has credits in the TV, Film, and Commercial space. Her biggest artistic achievement to date has been the inception of her award winning one woman show "Sing, Bibi, Sing!" which she wrote and starred in that chronicles the life of her grandma Bibi Osterwald who was an accomplished Broadway performer. She continues to audition, work, and train across mediums which allows her to bring a very present real world experience to her teaching and her students. Elise has taught at schools all over New York City, multiple performing arts studios around Southern California, and continues to privately coach kids across the country in voice, acting, and audition prep. Elise has been teaching for a decade and is currently teaching in the musical theatre department of the Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA).
www.elisearndt.com - for more about performing
www.theelisearndtstudio.com - for more about teaching/coaching
Jessica Lauren Walton is a communications strategist and writer in the U.S. defense industry.
She grew up in an orthodox Jewish community in Maryland and immigrated to Israel as a
teenager. She has a bachelors in English literature and a masters degree in security intelligence.
While working in the Israeli security community, she specialized in asymmetric warfare,
psychological operations, and national security policy. She served in the Israeli military and
worked in private security, including a post in Transylvania. She returned to the Washington,
D.C. area in 2017 and now works in the U.S. defense industrial base. She is also involved with
the Women in Film and Video network in D.C. Most recently, she completed her memoir about her experience as an American woman in the Israeli security community. No matter the medium, her passion is storytelling in the security world.
https://www.jessicawaltonwriter.com/
Jeremy Urann is a creative storyteller. He works through mediums of Theater, Film, Modeling, Dancing, Writing for Stage, Song and Screen. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Jeremy excelled in creative arts from a young age, from home-made movies with his five siblings to Theater productions at school and beyond. He completed his BA in Dramatic Arts: Acting and Writing in 2015 from Western Washington University. Now, he finds himself in sunny Los Angeles, CA pursuing Film, Television and Brawn Modeling. Recent credits include a featured role in BTS' "Permission to Dance" Music Video, E-Comm campaigns for StitchFix and MeUndies, and a national commercial spot dancing for SoFi financial.
https://www.jeremyurann.com/
Instagram & TikTok: @jeremyurann
Programs Director Kaeley Boyle and Director of Education and Research Betsy Scotto-Lavino sit down with Programs Manager Katie Cetta to discuss what Artistic Fuel is, the work we do at the Artistic Fuel Foundation, and the Ties That Bind Benefit.
Presented by Artistic Fuel and organized by The Artistic Fuel Foundation, benefit organizers invite the Leesburg community and greater metro DC area to attend this event on Saturday, August 27th, 2022 from 6:00 – 10:00 PM at Ida Lee Park in Leesburg, VA. If unable to attend, we ask for donations in support of these important mental health services for Uvalde residents recovering from community tragedy. Participants can purchase tickets or make donations at https://www.artisticfuel.com/ties-that-bind
Artistic Fuel Ties That Bind Benefit Purpose: In partnership with the Arts Therapy Association of America (AATA). The Artistic Fuel Foundation seeks to raise a minimum of $100,000 for the creation of an art therapy program for the town of Uvalde. This program includes the hiring of an art therapist and purchase of needed art materials or resources. We propose to provide this service for a minimum of one year.
Artistic Fuel Ties the Bind Benefit Itinerary: The benefit is two parts.
Part 1:Art Activities, Music, Food: From 6:00-7:00 PM A variety of art wellness activities will be provided for children and adults by local art therapists. Live music and ten food trucks will also be available during the earlier part of the event.
Part 2: Panel Discussion and Film Showing: At 7:00 PM a panel of speakers will discuss art therapy and collective trauma before the film showing. The panel discussion (TBD) includes VTVCare, Sandy Hook Promise, American Art Therapy Association, Dylan Matlock and JP Ouellette and will be moderated by Cynthia Young, Executive Director of AATA.
After the discussion, we will show the critically acclaimed film MASS. The film will be shown on a 40 ft inflatable screen with sound dispersed through speaker towers. Attendees are asked to bring blankets and chairs to sit on for viewing the film.
MASS
World Premiere at Sundance Film Festival 2021
Directed by: Franz Kranz
Starring: Jason Issacs, Martha Plimpton, Reed Birney and Ann Dowd,
Years after a mass shooting tragedy tore their lives apart, two sets of parents, those of the shooter and of the victim (Jason Isaacs and Martha Plimpton, Reed Birney and Ann Dowd), agree to talk privately in an attempt to move forward. In Fran Kranz’s writing and directing debut, he thoughtfully examines their journey of grief, anger and acceptance by coming face-to-face with the ones who have been left behind.
www.artisticfuel.com
www.theartisticfuelfoundation.org
Tracy Kleeman is a writer and director based in Los Angeles.
Since moving to Los Angeles in 2015, Tracy began working in Hollywood as the Assistant to James Wan on the DC Entertainment and Warner Brothers Studios Blockbuster "Aquaman.”
She went on to write, direct and produce five successful short films including the viral horror short “FEAR FILTER” which has garnered over 8 million views on YouTube earning the young director an option from AGBO owned by the Russo Brothers.
Kleeman is currently attached to a number of projects in Hollywood.
Alex Winkler is an established film composer and songwriter living in LA, as well as a graduate of USC's prestigious Masters program in Screen Scoring. At the end of the episode, enjoy a sample of Alex.'s music Titled " Meet Daphne" from the award winning short film "What Daphne Saw".
Jess Paul is an American actor and producer known for award-winning short “A Funny Man”, Revry.tv’s “Promenade” & 2014 Official Sundance Film Festival Selection, “The Immaculate Reception”.
At 19, Jess self-produced the rock news webshow “Wrecked Radio News“which obtained Youtube Partnership, 3 million+ views & an international fanbase before ending in 2014. She has portrayed significant roles in notable film, TV and webseries including Vicky in “Rehabilitation of the Hill” , Myra in ”Fang“ and her dual roles in upcoming Austin Revolution Film Festival Selectee ”Galatea“. See all credits»
www.jesspaul.net
Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/JessPaulArt?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=564370197
www.jesspaul.net
Devin Patrick, discovered her love for design at a young age, growing up in an home purportedly designed by Julia Morgan in the Bay Area. The family business was buying and renovating Victorian homes and bringing them back to their former glory. She saw firsthand what it takes to run a business and how to meticulously remodel a home. From childhood to present day, Devin has worked with a variety of clients, budgets, and overall design aesthetics in both residential and commercial projects. She received her education from Design Institute of San Diego graduating with a B.F.A. in Interior Architecture and Design.
Devin will bring to light a complete vision for your design project and is well versed in working within a budget, from conceptual design to ground up construction. A vintage girl at heart, but with a flair for the modern, Devin has a deep love of architecture. She has traveled extensively, visiting over 20 countries, with an eye to broadening her sense of design.
Devinion Haus strives to make sure every is space is functional and picture perfect. Our main headquarters are based in Burbank, California, but we accept projects worldwide.
https://devinionhaus.com/about/
Louise Brix Andersen is a multilingual writer and film director. She is an advocate for women's rights and a member of several organizations working towards gender balance in the film industry. She is also co-founder and host of the group THE LEADING LADIES where she organizes monthly online meetings for the group’s female members with inspiring guests from the film industry.
Andersen will open the door to filmmakers to join her in conversation about how to explore the taboo through filmmaking. She be there to provide insight on important questions. How can we use film to normalize hard conversations? How can film change the narrative of the world? How can we use what we have available to us to make an impactful change on communication?
Her most recent short film, THE PILL, was made remotely during the pandemic with the collaboration of 9 different countries, produced by Hollywood-based production company EXIT 44 Entertainment and Barcelona-based Limmat Films. Subsequently, Louise wrote and published the book: REMOTE FILMMAKING, now available on Amazon.
Louise is also creator and host of the channel: CHANGING THE NARRATIVE, a series of video conversations showcasing inspiring women from around the world. Now also available as a podcast.
Currently, Louise is in development for the feature documentary film, NOAH, and looking for producer for her fiction feature film SISTERHOOD.
Pashur helped pave the way for the modern body paint industry with his first image, a pregnant cyborg incubating a cyborg baby fondly named “MotherBoard”. Since then Pashur has been instrumental in the main stream inclusion of body painting in current media. His influence can be seen throughout the industry.
Pashur the Body Painter is known for his full body artistic masterpieces. This award-winning body painter is known throughout the world for his incredible talent, as the “Picasso of Body Painting”. As a professional body painter, Pashur can tailor the body painting designs to fit any theme or style. His body painting is a hit at the biggest events in the USA such as the Electric Daisy Carnival, Fantasy Fest, Mardi Gras, Sturgis, Lollapalooza and more. He has traveled the world and sold out body paint workshops in Australia, France, Italy, Spain, Holland, Scotland, Ireland, England and Hawaii. Pashur's body painting has been published in hundreds of magazines around the world. Past and/or Present Clients Include: Rolling Stone, Smirnoff, Playboy, Cirque du Soleil, Nicki Minaj, 5 Seconds of Summer, Toyota, Brooks & Dunn, Penthouse, Daniel Ash, Eve 6, Prius, Wrangler, Rav4, Tundra, Animal Planet, Walmart, Camel, Amity Affliction.
Pashur has painted for TV shows that aired on VH1, Comedy Central, Spike TV and TNT and he was a special guest as a Body Paint Expert on the SyFy Channel TV show, Face Off. Pashur has even consulted for the body painting TV shows Skin Wars and Naked Vegas.
Pashur resides in Los Angeles, California where he continues to innovate and break boundaries with his body painting art.
[ www.canvasalive.com ]
@pashurbodyart
@pashurillustration
Owen Palmiotti is a novelist and an award-winning screenwriter/filmmaker. He is a former U.S. Naval Reservist and Merchant Marine, and taught navigation at his alma mater, SUNY Maritime College. He is the author of a Young Adult Fiction trilogy, The Adventures of Benjamin Manry. In 2014, Owen switched to writing screenplays and producing both short films and feature length films. He co-wrote, produced, and executive produced the feature film, Madhouse Mecca, which won Best Editing for a Feature Film and then secured a Domestic and International distribution deal. To date, Owen has been part of over twenty films in various capacities. He lives in Leesburg, Virginia, with his wife, Marissa and their dog, Charlie.
Douglas Rogers is an award-winning author, travel writer and journalist with 20 years’ experience writing for the world’s leading magazines and newspapers including The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Travel & Leisure, National Geographic Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, The Guardian, the Daily Telegraph and
the Times of London.
Born and raised in Zimbabwe, he has lived in Johannesburg, London, New York and Washington D.C, and has reported from more than 50 countries on topics as diverse as the diamond trade in Africa, the movie stars of Bollywood, and the restaurants of New Orleans.
He is the author of the acclaimed memoir: The Last Resort: A Memoir of Mischief and Mayhem on a Family Farm in Africa, (Crown/Random House), finalist for the prestigious Dolman Travel Book of the Year. The New York Times wrote: “This vibrant, tragic and surprisingly funny book is the best account yet of ordinary life – for blacks and whites – to have come out of the Mugabe dictatorship.” It was a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week.
Rogers ghost wrote The Lion Awakes: Adventures in Africa’s Economic Miracle by Ashish Thakkar (St Martin’s Press, 2015), the story of Africa’s youngest billionaire, and his insights into the continent’s astonishing economic growth.
Rogers has won many awards, including a 2016 Silver Award from the North American Association of Travel Journalists for a feature on Mozambique; Best National Feature Writer at the 2013 Visit USA Awards in London; and the 2010 Travel Book of the Year from the British Guild of Travel Writers.
https://www.douglasrogers.org/about.html
Lynne Russo discusses life after diagnosis and how it has transformed and informed her art as well as her outlook on life.
Motion drives the imagery in Lynne Russo’s painting. The work jumps off the canvas in an explosion of abstract colors.
The Ames Iowa native and long-time Los Angeles resident comes by this approach naturally. She trained as a dancer with members of the Joffrey Ballet. In high school, she earned a scholarship from The Royal Winnipeg Ballet School while attending a prep school at the University of Winnipeg Collegiate.
Yet, throughout her dance training she was developing a parallel passion for art. She had grown up in a house with shelves bursting with art books. Her mother was an elementary school teacher who had earned a Master’s degree in Art history. Russo devoured these books but her epiphany came during a trip to Washington D.C. where she had a actual religious experience encountering Mark Rothko’s work in person. “It was like seeing God,” she recalled.
After graduating from the University of Minnesota with degrees in Speech Communication and British Literature, she migrated to Los Angeles. Here, she was drawn to create visual art herself. Self-taught, she spent over a decade honing her ability and developing her aesthetic.
Russo doesn’t view her process as a means to an end. Instead, the physical art of painting is an essential element of the work. “I believe the act of creation is important as the result and feel passionately that the process and the finished piece can’t be separated,” says Russo.
Spurred by her early encounter with Rothko, Russo was also influenced by both Willem and Elaine de Kooning, Motherwell, Kline, Mitchell, Frankenthaler, Abbott, Krasner and Chagall. Russo paints with acrylic paint, and sometimes on glass as well as canvas. She is also experimenting with mixed media work.
Whatever tools she uses, Russo likens her approach to action painters who spontaneously dribble, splash and smear paint onto the canvas versus trying to re-create particular imagery already formed in her mind.
This form of painting is often called “gestural abstraction,” which directly correlates with Russo’s past as mastering gesture is an essential element of the motions dancers must master. Yet, now it’s Russo’s colors that move.
Melissa J. Houghton joined Women in Film & Video (WIFV) as Executive Director in August 2005. WIFV serves 900 media professionals and program provision exceeds 90 professional development offerings annually. WIFV serves as a fiscal sponsor of independent media projects, and provides the Randy Goldman Career Development Scholarship, the Seed Fund for Documentary Filmmakers, Carolyn's First Decade Fund, and the Jane Cusumano/WIFV Narrative Short Film Finishing Fund in its portfolio of programs that benefit members. Houghton excels at putting WIFV resources, connections and advocates at the service of WIFV members.
Houghton has served on the boards of the DC Architectural Foundation, DC Film Alliance, and Wide Angle Youth Media. She is currently a member of the WETA Community Council, the FAVS Advisory Board at George Mason University, and the Advisory Board for The Actors' Center.
She will open the doors to 20 filmmakers to engage in an open discussion about the importance of creating a community of creatives around you. This seminar will be in the format of an open discussion and participants will have the opportunity to ask questions of Melissa. This event takes place on June 3rd, 2022 at 4PM PST / 7PM EST
https://www.theartisticfuelfoundation.org/film-fund
A message from Ann,
"I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing stories, putting on plays, or belting songs. Ever since grade school when my dad substituted me in for his turn at the Toastmaster podium and I held a captive audience with my speech, I've loved making people laugh and cry. Whether public speaking, singing, acting on stage, or creating a novel, I want to be a part of the story.
While in my teens, my dad challenged me to write a memoir about my mom’s family. My grandparents escaped from Russia and had to leave behind their three-year-old son in order to save the rest of their family. Delving into the history of that choice and the emotions, and learning about their lives, fascinated me. My dad believed in me and I wanted to complete this. In the meantime, my own life happened and I taught junior high, senior high, went to grad school, married, and had two daughters and a sheep farm, and wrote five other books." - Ann Marie Stewart
https://www.annmariestewart.com
Anna hails from the Michigan mitten and is a Los Angeles-based Writer/Director and freelance TV Development Consultant. She has been a core development team member at Rob Dyrdek's Superjacket Productions and Mona Scott-Young's Monami Productions where she developed unscripted content for MTV, Nickelodeon, Vh1, WeTV, BET, and CMT.
Most recently, Anna's debut feature film Disfluency won the Jury Prize at the Austin Film Festival. Disfluency was developed at the inaugural Jim Cummings' Short to Feature Lab where Anna was one of ten fellows competitively selected for her short film Disfluency. Disfluency is also the recipient of the Duplass Brother's Hometown Heroes "Oh Shit!" Grant and a selection of 10th US in Progress Wroclaw. She has several feature and TV scripts currently in development.
As a filmmaker, Anna additionally has an independent TV pilot, a dozen short films, and a digital PSA campaign under her belt. Her short film Line Dry premiered at the Oscar Qualifying Palm Springs International Shortsfest in 2020. She has also written animated TV episodes for the Warner Bros 2017 revival series Wacky Races. She is the media partner of SafeBAE, an organization founded by the young survivors in Netflix’s Audrie & Daisy. SafeBAE works to provide sexual assault awareness and prevention education to middle, high school, and college students. Anna produced their digital PSA campaign #QuitThisShit featured in Teen Vogue.
Victoria V Nunley received her BA from Brandeis University in 2014 and her MFA from Boston University in 2018. She currently lives in New Jersey.
http://www.vvnunley.com
Born and raised in Mexico, after high school, Sara moved to NYC to pursue her dream of becoming a filmmaker. Sara started working as a PA on several Television shows and feature films. Eventually, Sara had the honor of working at Pearl Street Films under the wing of Jennifer Todd, working on LIVE BY NIGHT and the 89th and 90th Academy Awards. After that, as a freelancer Sara has worked as a Producer for commercials and films, and as a Production Supervisor on Television shows such as THE MINDY PROJECT and CHAMPIONS. All the while, Sara has continued to work on producing and developing her passion projects. That included several shorts and her first feature film; COYOTE LAKE. Sara directed COYOTE LAKE starring Adriana Barraza and Camila Mendez in 2018.
Writer/Director/Cinematographer Emily Skye is an accomplished independent filmmaker who preaches creating her own opportunities. Skye wrote, directed and DP'd her first feature film RIVER distributed by Gravitas in 2020. Actress, Mary Cameron Rogers, plays the title character in Skye's film. Rogers is based out of Los Angeles, CA and has appeared in award winning films. The collaborative pair have several projects in the works.
Sarah Slipper has created over 40 ballets to date and is currently working on several new creations while serving as the Artistic Director of NW Dance Project.
In 2010, Sarah Slipper invited Ihsan Rustem to create his first commission for a company, and in 2015 he was appointed Resident Choreographer of NW Dance Project. His work in Portland has been recognized with numerous accolades. NW Dance Project was founded in Portland in 2004 by acclaimed dancer, mentor and choreographer Sarah Slipper. NW Dance Project is dedicated to the creation and performance of innovative, new contemporary dance works from established and emerging dance makers created in an open and artistically stimulating environment.
NW Dance Project has fostered the creation and Portland premiere of nearly 300 original contemporary dance works to date. Our dedication to providing dancers and dance makers the resources and creative room needed to realize new, inspired dance works led Dance International Magazine to proclaim that we are “changing the way dance is created” and that NW Dance Project has become “a laboratory, factory and repository for risk-taking new works from the next generation of choreographers from Europe and North America.”
Shona McAndrew’s paintings, digital collages, and papier-mâché sculptures celebrate the diversity of female bodies. Her body-positive images and sculptures portray unidealized, real-life subjects in intimate moments. Collaboration is a core part of McAndrew’s process: Many pieces result from an exchange of photographs between the artist and her subjects. McAndrew began making sculptures while at the Rhode Island School of Design, drawing inspiration from her own body. Her first life-size, papier-mâché self-portrait, displayed at the 2019 Spring/Break Art Show as part of a room-sized installation of her work, drew crowds as well as media attention. Since then, McAndrew has had solo exhibitions at the Moore College of Art and Design and at Art Omi in Ghent, New York.
Bio via artsy.net
Bonnie Levinthal (Philadelphia, PA) received her BFA from the Philadelphia College of
Art and her MFA from the Pennsylvania State University. She has shown her work
nationally in Philadelphia, New York, Washington D.C. among other locations, and
internationally in Atina, Italy, Skagastrond, Iceland, Havana, Cuba, Toronto, Canada
and Melbourne, Australia. Levinthal has been the recipient of numerous grants and
fellowships including a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Grant. She has been a fellow
at Yaddo and The Millay Colony in the United States and internationally at Lumen in
Atina, Italy, Nes in Skagastrond, Iceland and the Arctic Circle Residency in Svalbard,
Norway. Her upcoming residencies (cancelled in 2020) will be at the Baer Center in
Iceland and at the Ballinglen Arts Foundation in Ballycastle, Ireland. Levinthal’s work is
collected in numerous public and private collections. She is currently a Professor of
Visual Art at Penn State Abington where she teaches Printmaking and select Programs
of Study of Abroad.
Cinzia Angelini, director and creator of animated films, has worked for major international studios in the animation industry for more than twenty-five years. While she started out as both a 2D and 3D animator, she later became a story artist for Warner Brothers, Sony Imageworks, Duncan Studio, Disney Animation Studios, Dreamworks and Illumination Entertainment. Her body of work includes Balto, Prince of Egypt, Spirit, Spider-man 2, Bolt, The Minions Movie, The Grinch and Despicable Me 3. Cinzia is currently directing HITPIG, an upcoming Aniventure animated feature produced at Cinesite Studios.
Cinzia has also written and directed “Mila,” a high-quality CG short film about a little girl from Trento, whose life takes an unexpected turn in WWII.
Her idea of bridging cultural diversity through the magic of animation, led to an invitation to speak at TEDx Trento, and at TEDx Vail-Colorado.
www.cinziaangelini.com
www.milafilm.com
**Lantry graduated magna cum laude with high honors from Dartmouth College and went on to receive his MFA from Rhode Island School of Design. Lantry makes sculptures, drawings, and videos that offer absurd meditations on how we create meaning from our everyday life. His work has been shown across the U.S. with exhibitions in New York City, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Providence and New Hampshire.
Bio: Courtesy of the artist.**
Dylan Matlock, producer of the critically acclaimed film, MASS, discusses his process and projects. Dylan Matlock is known for his work on Mass (2021), Review (2014) and Along Came the Devil (2018).
Lanie Zipoy is a Memphis-born, New York-based director and creative producer working in film and theater. She has studied and worked in many fields — genetics, fashion, the healing arts, and sports. Lanie’s feature film directorial debut, The Subject, stars Jason Biggs, Emmy Award nominee Aunjanue Ellis, Anabelle Acosta, Carra Patterson, Nile Bullock and Caleb Eberhardt. The film won Best Narrative Feature Film awards from Lighthouse International Film Festival, DC Black Film Festival, BronzeLens Film Festival and The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival. Lanie took home Best Director Awards from The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival and the Newark International Film Festival and was given the Mira Nair Rising Female Filmmaker Award from the Harlem International Film Festival. Jason Biggs and Aunjanue Ellis have each received multiple awards for their performances in the film.
Robyn August is an award-winning film and music video director, writer, animator, and editor with online content viewed in the multi-millions. He has worked with musical talents such as Snoop Dogg, Pitbull, New Years Day, Set It Off, Saves The Day & many more. He is also a producer of award-winning short films, as well as online content for multiple boutique & large businesses. His first feature film “Party With Me” in which he wrote, directed, and edited was awarded “Best Film” at The 2020 Method Fest Independent Film Festival. As well as Variety Magazine’s award for “Best Ensemble” cast. It is now available on most VOD platforms through Gravitas Ventures.