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TMP350 JONATHAN FERRARA LENDS A HAND episode artwork

Oct 1, 2026 1 hr 20 min

TMP350 JONATHAN FERRARA LENDS A HAND

from Troubled Men Podcast Hosted by René and Manny

The fine artist and co-owner of the Ferrara Showman Gallery is also founder of the annual "No Dead Artists” international exhibition as well the "Guns In The Hands of Artists" series, incorporating decommissioned firearms into works of art. His latest project, "Hands Of Music," involves casting, 3D printing, and mounting sculptures of the hands of dozens of New Orleans musicians in playing position, creating an archive of the city's musical community at the points of contact with their instruments. Tonight, as Jonathan joins the Troubled Men, an extra set of hands is just what he needs. Topics include war games in town, helicopters, Dolly Parton RIP, the Trump arch, Tim Curry RIP, midnight movies, musicals, wire coat hangers, a murderer's trust fund, a music festival, camping in the high desert, Georgia O'Keeffe, Ramstein Air Base, Penn State, fundraising, Boston, banking, the United Way, Ray Nagin, opening Positive Space gallery, X-Art Gallery, Bob Tannen, David Bradshaw, selling art, buying the R Bar, Cuba, Julia St., Gina Phillips, Matthew Showman, 3D NOLA, a traveling show, and much more. Intro Music: "Just Keeps Raining" by Styler/Coman Break and Outro Music: "Factory For Stars" and "Your Best Interest" from "Hope Is Not For The Weak" by the Geraniums Support the podcast: Paypal or Venmo Join the Patreon page here. Shop for Troubled Men’s T-shirts & tanks here. Subscribe, review, and rate (5 stars) on Apple Podcasts or any podcast source. Follow on social media, share with friends, and spread the Troubled Word. Troubled Men Podcast Facebook Troubled Men Podcast Instagram Iguanas Tour Dates René Coman Facebook Ferrara Showman Gallery Facebook Ferrara Showman Gallery Homepage Chapters (00:00:15) - Intro and Chit Chat: Summer, War Games (00:02:28) - Helicopters, Chick Stick, and Weekend Antics (00:04:10) - Celebrity Deaths: Dolly Parton and Tim Curry (00:05:48) - Midnight Movies: Rocky Horror and Mommy Dearest (00:07:05) - Musicals and Broadway's Idea Drought (00:08:57) - Wire Coat Hangers and Repair Stories (00:10:08) - Rob Reiner's Son and GoFundMe Musings (00:11:47) - Music Festival Story: Blossom and Bones (00:13:41) - Ambien, Sleep Apnea, and Desert Camping (00:14:49) - Georgia O'Keeffe and the New Mexico Desert (00:18:06) - Guest Introduction: Jonathan Ferrara (00:19:32) - Jonathan's Early Life in Germany (00:23:15) - College Years and Penn State Dance Marathon (00:24:42) - Banking Career and Discovering Art (00:26:39) - Move to New Orleans and United Way Job (00:30:44) - Starting Positive Space Gallery (00:33:49) - No Dead Artists and Guns in the Hands of Artists (00:36:36) - Opening Jonathan Ferrara Gallery (00:36:57) - Mentors and Early Gallery Struggles (00:38:19) - Buying Buildings and Gallery Growth (00:42:23) - Owning the R Bar in Waveland (00:44:10) - Break/Music Interlude (00:45:40) - Return: Listener Support and Announcements (00:48:09) - Julia Street Gallery and International Art World (00:52:48) - Art World Scandals: Doug Christmas Stories (00:56:19) - Rediscovering Personal Art: The Hands Project Origin (00:58:00) - Explaining 3D Printing Process (00:59:23) - Ivan Neville and the Idea to Cast Musicians' Hands (01:01:33) - The Growing List of Musicians Cast (01:04:50) - Future Plans: Exhibitions and Museum Installation (01:06:50) - The Meaning Behind the Hands: Family and Legacy (01:08:50) - Personal Reflections on the Project's Impact (01:14:28) - Closing Thoughts and Final Plugs

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The fine artist and co-owner of the Ferrara Showman Gallery is also founder of the annual "No Dead Artists” international exhibition as well the "Guns In The Hands of Artists" series, incorporating decommissioned firearms into works of art. His latest project, "Hands Of Music," involves casting, 3D printing, and mounting sculptures of the hands of dozens of New Orleans musicians in playing position, creating an archive of the city's musical community at the points of contact with their instruments. Tonight, as Jonathan joins the Troubled Men, an extra set of hands is just what he needs. Topics include war games in town, helicopters, Dolly Parton RIP, the Trump arch, Tim Curry RIP, midnight movies, musicals, wire coat hangers, a murderer's trust fund, a music festival, camping in the high desert, Georgia O'Keeffe, Ramstein Air Base, Penn State, fundraising, Boston, banking, the United Way, Ray Nagin, opening Positive Space gallery, X-Art Gallery, Bob Tannen, David Bradshaw, selling art, buying the R Bar, Cuba, Julia St., Gina Phillips, Matthew Showman, 3D NOLA, a traveling show, and much more. Intro Music: "Just Keeps Raining" by Styler/Coman Break and Outro Music: "Factory For Stars" and "Your Best Interest" from "Hope Is Not For The Weak" by the Geraniums Support the podcast: Paypal or Venmo Join the Patreon page here. Shop for Troubled Men’s T-shirts & tanks here. Subscribe, review, and rate (5 stars) on Apple Podcasts or any podcast source. Follow on social media, share with friends, and spread the Troubled Word. Troubled Men Podcast Facebook Troubled Men Podcast Instagram Iguanas Tour Dates René Coman Facebook Ferrara Showman Gallery Facebook Ferrara Showman Gallery Homepage

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TMP350 JONATHAN FERRARA LENDS A HAND

0:00 1:20:05

Chapters

  1. 0:15 Intro and Chit Chat: Summer, War Games
  2. 2:28 Helicopters, Chick Stick, and Weekend Antics
  3. 4:10 Celebrity Deaths: Dolly Parton and Tim Curry
  4. 5:48 Midnight Movies: Rocky Horror and Mommy Dearest
  5. 7:05 Musicals and Broadway's Idea Drought
  6. 8:57 Wire Coat Hangers and Repair Stories
  7. 10:08 Rob Reiner's Son and GoFundMe Musings
  8. 11:47 Music Festival Story: Blossom and Bones
  9. 13:41 Ambien, Sleep Apnea, and Desert Camping
  10. 14:49 Georgia O'Keeffe and the New Mexico Desert
  11. 18:06 Guest Introduction: Jonathan Ferrara
  12. 19:32 Jonathan's Early Life in Germany
  13. 23:15 College Years and Penn State Dance Marathon
  14. 24:42 Banking Career and Discovering Art
  15. 26:39 Move to New Orleans and United Way Job
  16. 30:44 Starting Positive Space Gallery
  17. 33:49 No Dead Artists and Guns in the Hands of Artists
  18. 36:36 Opening Jonathan Ferrara Gallery
  19. 36:57 Mentors and Early Gallery Struggles
  20. 38:19 Buying Buildings and Gallery Growth
  21. 42:23 Owning the R Bar in Waveland
  22. 44:10 Break/Music Interlude
  23. 45:40 Return: Listener Support and Announcements
  24. 48:09 Julia Street Gallery and International Art World
  25. 52:48 Art World Scandals: Doug Christmas Stories
  26. 56:19 Rediscovering Personal Art: The Hands Project Origin
  27. 58:00 Explaining 3D Printing Process
  28. 59:23 Ivan Neville and the Idea to Cast Musicians' Hands
  29. 1:01:33 The Growing List of Musicians Cast
  30. 1:04:50 Future Plans: Exhibitions and Museum Installation
  31. 1:06:50 The Meaning Behind the Hands: Family and Legacy
  32. 1:08:50 Personal Reflections on the Project's Impact
  33. 1:14:28 Closing Thoughts and Final Plugs

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This episode was published on October 1, 2026.

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