The WonderRoot Podcast Series
by WonderRoot
WonderRoot is an Atlanta-based non-profit arts and service organization with a mission to unite artists and community to inspire positive social change. By providing production facilities to Atlanta-based artists and coordinating arts-based service programs, WonderRoot empowers artists to be proactive in engaging their communities through arts-based service work. We believe that art is an agent of change and that by empowering people with the means to create art, we are in turn empowering people with the means to create change. Visit http://www.WonderRoot.org for more details.
Episodes
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - JAMES MARTIN & BABACAR NDIAYE
Filmmakers James Martin ("The New Orleans Sazerac") and Babacar Ndiaye ("More Than Music: Senegal") discuss their short films which won the Audience Award and WonderRoot Film Award, respectively, at WonderRoot's Generally Local, Mostly Independent Film Series screening in April. Martin delves…
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - BRIT WIGINTTON
Filmmaker Brit Wigintton discusses her short film "Violet", which won the Jury Award at WonderRoot's Generally Local, Mostly Independent Film Series screening in April. Wigintton talks about the process of getting her film made as a student film, some of her favorite storytellers, and gives some...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - MIMI VALDES
Mimi Valdes talks about her love for hip-hop, transitioning from the magazine industry to filmmaking and producing the critically recognized movie Dope (2015). A former editor-in-chief at Vibe and Latina magazines, Valdes highlights how she got her start in journalism and what she’s learned as…
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - PRASHANT NAIR & SWATI SHETTY
Prashant Nair and Swati Shetty talk about their journey to becoming filmmakers and some of the important decisions they made along the way in producing their first project, Umrika, which won the World Cinema Dramatic Audience Award at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Nair and Shetty visited...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - MICHAELA PILAR BROWN
Multidisciplinary artist Michaela Pilar Brown discusses her in-process work, "The Mother Wound", ahead of her Black Box presentation at the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, how her parents' health challenges have influenced her, and how she has evolved to use her body in her artistic practice....
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - SAMMY ROSENBAUM
Singer/Songwriter Sammy Rosenbaum discusses how he blends jazz, funk and ska influences with writings inspired by ancient Hebrew text to create his distinctive musical approach. Rosenbaum also gives some perspective on what has shaped his journey as an independent artist thus far, and what he's...
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WonderRoot Programming Podcast - WONDERROOT CSA
WonderRoot Program Manager Matthew Rosenfeld joins the WonderRoot Podcast to discuss the upcoming season of the WonderRoot CSA. Rosenfeld and WR Communications & Business Manager Floyd Hall discuss the structure of the WonderRoot CSA, the arts & culture community that the CSA seeks to engage…
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - SARA SANTAMARIA
Ceramic Artist Sara Santamaria talks about her journey to Atlanta from her home of Madrid, the importance of geometry and patterns in her work, and how those patterns relate to how individuals adapt to circumstances and form intercultural identities throughout their lives. Sara also sheds some...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - LENNIE GRAY MOWRIS
Designer and Printmaker Lennie Gray Mowris joins the WonderRoot Podcast to discuss her approach to making art, her connection to nature, and how she thinks through really big ideas like her "A Year in Giving" project. Mowris also sheds some light on her youth in Florida, and why proximity to the...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE
In this artist feature special presentation, Atlanta Public Schools students Kelly Scollard, James Hunt, and Tahira Bradley join WonderRoot Program Manager Matthew Rosenfeld and Atlanta Public Schools Fine & Performing Art Coordinator Betsy Eppes to discuss WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE, WonderRoot's...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - RENEE MUSSAI
Renee Mussai, curator of Autograph ABP (London), joins the WonderRoot podcast to discuss the "Black Chronicles II" exhibition at the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art. Mussai details the social and political context that surrounds the photography in the exhibit, which highlights representations…
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - LEISA RICH
Fiber artist Leisa Rich talks about her journey to Atlanta, her earliest days as an artist growing up in Canada, and enjoying the tactile nature of her work. Rich also delves into the different forms she experiments with in her work, how she embraces modern techniques like 3D printing, why she...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - Transgression Reading Series
In this special presentation of the WonderRoot Podcast, the Transgression Live Reading Series presents a reprise of its second volume of readings, "Born Under a Bad Sign: Southern Gothic Literature Realized". Co-curators John Carroll and Laura Relyea join Floyd Hall to discuss Transgression's…
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WonderRoot End of Year Review - Chris Appleton
WonderRoot Executive Director Chris Appleton joins the podcast to discuss some of the organization's 2015 highlights and the exciting promise of 2016, including the progress on the new WonderRoot Center for Arts & Social Change, a visual re-branding, and a new strategic plan. WonderRoot is an...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - LARRY WALKER
In this far-ranging conversation, Larry Walker discusses some of the critical transitions in his life as an artist, including moving from Georgia to New York as a child, his academic studies in Detroit, and his stint in California before finally settling in Atlanta. Walker also delves into the...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - PETER FERRARI
Visual Artist Peter Ferrari talks about his early start as a graffiti artist, his background as a Montessori teacher, and his evolving role as an Arts Administrator via his Forward Warrior project. Ferrari also talks about what challenges him as an artist, why he doesn't place too much importance...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - DIVINE ZAMIR
Visual Artist Divine Zamir joins the podcast and discusses when she feels most victorious, her love of music, and some of the most important decisions and moments that have impacted her life, including what brought her to Atlanta and the accident that served as the catalyst for her career as a...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - ALBERT CHONG
Photographer Albert Chong joins the WonderRoot Podcast to discuss his early life growing up in Jamaica and some of the important decisions that shaped his 30-year career as he moved to and throughout the United States. Chong also highlights some of the challenges he faced in the art industry as a...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - FAHAMU PECOU/ELEVATE ATLANTA
Artist, Scholar, and Curator Fahamu Pecou stops by to discuss Elevate Atlanta and its current theme: F(orever) I L(ove) A(tl) – F.I.L.A. Pecou also delves into why it was important to highlight the legacy of Atlanta recording artists/producers Organized Noize, and what shaped his curatorial...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - HOWARDENA PINDELL
Mixed Media Artist Howardena Pindell discusses some impactful moments over her life and 50-plus year career, including important moments from her youth in Philadelphia, confronting racism and sexism in the professional art world, working as a curator at the Museum of Modern Art, and why her video...
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WonderRoot Programming Feature - PROGRAM MANAGER BRANDON JONES
WonderRoot Program Manager Brandon Jones joins the podcast to talk about the latest with the Walthall Artist Fellowship and Public Art Projects En Route and What Are People For. Brandon also reflects on his first few months as an Atlanta resident and in his role at WonderRoot. WonderRoot is an...
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WonderRoot Programming Feature - PROGRAM MANAGER MATT ROSENFELD
WonderRoot Program Manager Matthew Rosenfeld joins the podcast to talk about the latest with the WonderRoot CSA, Artists Helping Artists Programming, Youth Programs, and WonderRoot Gallery exhibits. WonderRoot is an Atlanta-based non-profit arts and service organization with a mission to unite...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - SHANEQUA GAY
Visual Artist Shanequa Gay talks about growing up in Riverdale, GA, confronting the complex layers of race and Southernness, creating work for First Lady Michelle Obama, and what inspired her current series, "Fair Game". To learn more about Shanequa, visit: http://www.shanequagay.com WonderRoot…
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WonderRoot Programming Feature - Film, Loose Change Magazine, and Getting Involved
WonderRoot Arts Center Manager & Program Manager Jess Bernhart stops by to talk about the latest happenings with WonderRoot's Film Series, Loose Change Magazine, and ways to get involved as a volunteer or intern. WonderRoot is an Atlanta-based non-profit arts and service organization with a…
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - BRYCE SPEED
Visual Artist Bryce Speed talks about growing up in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, what’s inspiring him now, and the sense of space, architecture, and identity in his work. Bryce Speed’s solo exhibition is on display in the WonderRoot Gallery June 25th - August 4th. To learn more about Bryce Speed and...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - GABRIELLE FULTON
Playwright/Director Gabrielle Fulton talks about how she fell in love with the art of storytelling, the process of writing for stage versus film, her work on a documentary about de-segregation in Athens, GA, and how Harlem has continued to play an influential role in her life. For more…
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - TORI TINSLEY
Visual artist Tori Tinsley talks about growing up in Atlanta and what continues to inspire her about the city, plus delves deep into how her mom's diagnosis with fronto-temporal degeneration has influenced her artwork and changed how she views love, memories, and living for the moment. Tinsley…
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - FRED SISOUVANH
WonderRoot volunteer Fred Sisovanh talks about his connection to hip-hop culture as an artist of Chinese heritage, his non-profit work in Atlanta, and a couple of artists that we should be paying more attention to. WonderRoot is an Atlanta-based non-profit arts and service organization with a...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - FABIAN WILLIAMS
Visual artist Fabian Williams joins WonderRoot's Floyd Hall for a far-reaching chat about mentorship among Atlanta artists, Williams' own brand of "smart-assery", and why contemporary art needs to go farther to offer solutions to problems, rather than just posing questions. Williams also delves...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - MANTY DEY
Visual artist Manty Dey talks about how she approaches her paintings and her paper forms, the importance of the tactile nature of her work, and how she's making the adjustment to life after graduate school. For more information on Manty, visit: http://www.mantydey.com WonderRoot is an…
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - LAURA NOEL
Photographer Laura Noel talks about her transition from studying Public Policy to embarking on an art career, her approach to her "Smoke Break" project and its impact, and the perspective she now has as an instructor at Emory University. For more information on Laura Noel, visit:...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - HENRY DETWEILER
Visual artist Henry Detweiler talks about processing emotion and making material choices, investigating physical and psychological space, and how he balances autobiographical cues with third-person perspective in his work. For more information on Henry Detweiler, visit:...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - ROGER RUZOW (THE 4WAKO)
Roger Ruzow, bandleader of the 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra, talks about the West African and Eastern European origins of the Afro-Klezmer sound, crafting narratives in the 4WAKO ensemble's instrumentation, and the approach to the orchestra's live performances and studio recordings. For more...
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Arts in Atlanta - A CONVERSATION WITH CURATORS
Presented by Octane Coffee, in this "Arts in Atlanta" conversation, curators Daniel Fuller (Atlanta Contemporary Art Center), Xavier BLK (WERC/xavierblk.com) and Davy Minor (deerbearwolf.com) talk about their outlook for Atlanta’s Arts/Culture community for 2015, including what’s working for…
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - MAREN HASSINGER
Maren Hassinger talks about some of the important transition points in her career, the importance of her artistic collaborations and how she approaches her work, and how her love of dance continues to influence her. This conversation is presented in conjunction with the Spelman College Museum of...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - ROMY MALOON
In this WonderRoot Artist Feature, Romy Maloon talks about how her South African heritage informs her art and the process of creating environments with her work, plus shares her perspective on what it means to be making art in Atlanta right now. To learn more about Romy, visit:...
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Arts in Atlanta - ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ARTS IN EDUCATION
Presented by Octane Coffee, in this "Arts in Atlanta" conversation, elementary school art teachers Mollie Katzin and Kelly Traynor join WonderRoot's Floyd Hall to talk about the environment, challenges, and opportunities they confront as artists teaching in the local public school system. Visit...
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WonderRoot Programming Feature - LOCAL FILM SERIES/POWER2GIVE
Josie Figueroa joins Floyd Hall to discuss the new Power2Give campaign to help raise funds for WonderRoot's Generally Local, Mostly Independent Film Series, which is an ongoing partnership between WonderRoot, Plaza Theatre and Atlanta Film Festival. We host quarterly screenings and regularly…
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - JENNIE LOBATO
In this WonderRoot Artist Feature, Jennie Lobato talks with Floyd Hall about her journey as an artist and what led her to start drawchange.org. Jennie discusses some of the experiences that laid the foundation for the organization, what she's learned about the administrative side of running a...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - TRACY MURRELL
In this WonderRoot Artist Feature, Tracy Murrell chats with Floyd Hall about her emphasis on the female form in her work, plus shares some thoughts on the female form in the context of popular culture, the music industry, and Barbie dolls. Murrell also discusses the influence and legacy of Jackie...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - CASEY LYNCH
Casey Lynch talks about growing up in Columbus, GA and his sense of how that impacts his work, how he teaches Art Appreciation from an artist's perspective, and reflects on the moments when he's at his best. To learn more about Casey, visit: http://www.caseylynchart.com WonderRoot is an...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - MARYGRACE PHILLIPS
Movement Artist MaryGrace Phillips talks about how she approaches her work, her relationship to space, improvisation, and "leaving room for choices", and the most difficult decision she's made in embarking upon her career. For more information on MaryGrace visit: http://marygracephillips.virb.com...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - MASUD OLUFANI
Actor and visual artist Masud Olufani chats with WonderRoot‘s Floyd Hall about how he processes history and the context surrounding his “Children of the Windy City” series. He also reflects on important moments of courage, how his art landed in SCAD’s permanent collection, and the dialogues about...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - TAMARA COBUS
Tamara Cobus, Costume Director at Atlanta Ballet, chats with Floyd Hall about the role she serves at the dance company, her start in fashion design and costuming, and the stages of preparing for a performance. To learn more about Tamara's work with Atlanta Ballet, visit:...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - ERIN PALOVICK
Visual and Performance Artist Erin Palovick chats with WonderRoot's Floyd Hall about the notion of exploration in her work, how she collaborates, and what she's learned about herself, her vulnerability, and pushing her personal and artistic boundaries. To learn more about Erin, visit:...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - DJ TABONE
DJ Tabone chats with WonderRoot's Floyd Hall about witnessing the last 20 years of Atlanta's cultural renaissance, the evolution of Soul music and the nexus of Raw Soul, and his on-air role at WRFG. Tabone also shares some thoughts on the musical legacy of J Dilla and how UK Soul has…
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - P. SETH THOMPSON
In this WonderRoot Artist Feature, visual artist P. Seth Thompson talks about the role that the media plays in crafting illusion and reality, how the theory of filmmaking sparked his interest, and how he perceives his work in the context of being an Atlanta native. To learn more about P. Seth...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - MOLLY ROSE FREEMAN
In this WonderRoot Artist Feature, Fine Art muralist Molly Rose Freeman chats with Floyd Hall about how she approaches her work, embracing her southernness, the response to her public work versus her collected work, and her newest challenge as an artist. To learn more about Molly, visit:...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - DANIEL FLORES
In this WonderRoot Artist Feature, Daniel Flores discusses how growing up in both Los Angeles and Mexico influences his life and his art, his love of technology, and how he began pursuing his career in Atlanta. To learn more about Daniel Flores, visit: http://deltatangomike.com WonderRoot is an...
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WonderRoot Artist Feature - ALEX GALLO-BROWN (Live)
In September 2014 the Walthall Artist Fellows held their group exhibition at Gallery 72 in conjunction with the Zuckerman Museum of Art. As the only writer among the Walthall Artist Fellows, Alex Gallo-Brown sent each of the other fellows (visual artists) a poem and asked them to make a piece of...
About this show
WonderRoot is an Atlanta-based non-profit arts and service organization with a mission to unite artists and community to inspire positive social change. By providing production facilities to Atlanta-based artists and coordinating arts-based service programs, WonderRoot empowers artists to be proactive in engaging their communities through arts-based service work. We believe that art is an agent of change and that by empowering people with the means to create art, we are in turn empowering people with the means to create change. Visit http://www.WonderRoot.org for more details.
Hosted by
WonderRoot