Beau Thomas: Across the Tracks (and Back Again)

Season 2 of Bird in the Wings kicks off with Kelli sitting down to chat with local artist and University of Wisconsin-Green Bay alum, Beau Thomas. Listen as Kelli & Beau take us through his journey from train graffiti and brushes with the law, to degrees in Fine Art & Graphic Design, and founding his own company – Trackside Design LLC. You don’t want to miss this fantastic discussion!

Beau Head ShotAbout Our Guest:

Beau Thomas is an artist and designer specializing in murals, paintings and graphic design. He now owns and operates his company – Trackside Design LLC. He has completed projects for Red Bull, Badger State Brewing Company and the Green Bay Area Public School District. His paintings have been shown in exhibits across the country.

 

Visit TracksideDesign.com and follow on Instagram & Facebook to learn more and to see his work!

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Season 2: We Are Back!

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It’s been a minute, but Bird In The Wings has returned for Season 2!

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We’ve got lots of new guests coming up in the coming weeks. Kelli will sit down with local artists and creatives discussing culture, the creative process and life as a working artist. Plus, a little fun nonsense too.

Season 2 premieres with a fantastic interview with Trackside Design LLC founder and artist, Beau Thomas. You don’t wanna miss this one!

Happy Listening!

Why not catch up with Season 1? All Episodes of Bird In The Wings streaming NOW

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Shanna Koltz: Capturing Images or Building Them?

In this episode, Kelli chats with photographer Shanna Koltz from De Pere, WI. Shanna and Kelli talk about the ways in which photography is beautiful even when it’s haunting. Tune in and hang out as the ladies delve into the world of art.

Shanna KoltzAbout Our Guest:

Shanna Koltz is the owner of Koltz Photography and Studio Rouge in De Pere, WI. She photographs client sessions, fashion, and events. To see more of her work, visit ShannaKoltz.com or go to KoltzPhotography.com for more info on private sessions.

 

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Nic Wessely and Liz Barlament; Jeff Entwistle: A Frankenpodcast

October was a fun (but busy) month for BITW host, Kelli Strickland! Embracing the “creepy” fact that comes with the month, Kelli got to participate in a LIVE taping of BITW alongside other podcasts produced by Phoenix Studios. The theme of this live event was “Frankenstein.” To showcase the true terror of Mary Shelly’s classic, Kelli sat down with Nic Wessely and Liz Barlament from Terror on the Fox!

Then, Kelli interviewed UWGB’s very own Jeff Entwistle. Jeff is part of the theatre department, educating students about the power of design. In true Frankenstein fahsion, both interviews are stitched together for one, mega-podcast episode! All guests in this episode discuss the ability to create an environment of terror through design.

This is truly one insightful podcast, filled with guests who are just as funny as they are creative!

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About Our First Guests: Terror on the Fox
terror on the foxFor over 20 years, Terror on the Fox has been Wisconsin’s Halloween tradition! Located on the Fox River, this haunted attraction brings guests a whole new version of horror and fun. Produced by Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, masters of world-class live action, themed, and entertainment experiences.

About Our Second Guest: Jeff Entwistle
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Professor of theatre and dance Jeff Entwistle has been part of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay for over 30 years. Jeff received his B.A. in Theatre from Bridgewater State College and his M.F.A. in Theatre Design from Michigan State University. Serving as a mentor to thousands of students over the years, Entwistle is determined to spread the notion that we all need theatre in our lives.

Laura Schley: “Unhinged,” The Arts Event for the Senses

In this short episode, Kelli meets with Laura Schley, the Public Arts Coordinator, to get all the details about “Unhinged,” an arts exhibit for the senses. This event will feature art of all forms, including music, theatrical performance, edible art, and more! Unhinged will be taking place on October 6, 2018, from 6:30pm-10:30pm. If interested, you can purchase tickets for this event at http://bit.ly/2zNmtcW (limited number of tickets left).

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About our Guest: Laura Schley

Laura schleyLaura Schley is the Public Arts Coordinator for the Green Bay Public Arts Commission and a UW Green Bay alum with degrees in Fine/Studio Arts and Arts Management.

Rivett and Young: The Path to Becoming an Artist

This bittersweet podcast started as a chance for Kelli to sit down with two creative minds, Jim Rivett and Shelly Young, to discuss art and life. We are saddened to now post this episode after learning of Jim’s passing. During this episode, Kelli was given the opportunity to meet with Jim and Shelly Young to talk about finding self-satisfaction and genuine joy, both in their careers and personal lives.

What began as a deep but upbeat conversation has now become a reflection and celebration of the talent that this world has lost. Please keep Rivett’s friends and family in your thoughts as you listen to the wonderful dialogue these three got the chance to share. Thank you, Jim, for the beauty and knowledge you shared during your time with us.

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About our Guests: Jim Rivett (August 16, 1958 – August 23, 2018)

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Maybe it’s because he was a junk-picking junkie who was addicted to scouring curb sides, attics, and flea markets for creative inspiration.Or maybe it’s just that he had dangerously high levels of adrenaline. Whatever the reason, Jim had an uncanny ability to quickly bypass clutter and zero in on missed treasures, like a brand’s authentic value proposition, for instance.

A Green Bay native, Jim’s earliest ambition was to become a serious painter until post-graduate study at the New York School of Visual Arts fueled his interest in design. While he always continued to sketch and take to the canvas, he was more often than not inactivity-challenged, which accounts for his 30+ years of success in advertising.

Don’t be fooled by Jim’s gentle spirit and soft-spoken manner. He had a wicked sense of humor and took pleasure in finding the most outrageous ways of achieving fun daily. Not to mention he was a man of profound integrity.

About our Guests: Shelly Young

shelly_biosAfter 10 years of producing numerous successful series at Wisconsin Public Television-PBS, while simultaneously contributing to various independent films and videos, Shelly met Jim in the aisle of an antique store. The rest, as they say, is history.

Shelly is the junk-picking yin to Jim’s yang. The Myrna Loy of antiquing to Jim’s William Powell. Full-time, however, she’s KHROME’s ace producer who believes “making moving pictures is the greatest job on earth” (and we’re all thankful she does). Using keen observation skills, Shelly develops full-bodied, client-reflective content, then cheerfully shepherds video projects from creative conception to complex completion, all while remaining radiantly composed in Bakelite bangles.

Despite the Tellys and Emmys on her shelves, Shelly’s true joy comes from her three fur babies and French vanilla iced coffee (hold the sugar, no cream). And anything chartreuse. Oh, and that vintage Blenko vase. On that divine mid-century table. With Russel Wright dinnerware.

Michelle McQuade Dewhirst: Finding Your Tribe and Procrastination as Inspiration

In this episode of Bird in the Wings, Kelli sits down with Michelle McQuade Dewhirst, a composer and music professor at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay. The two discuss Michelle’s work, her music and education background, the creative process, a very small consortium, how pop culture intertwines with music and much more!

About our Guest:  Michelle McQuade Dewhirst

Michelle McQuade Dewhirst is an active musician, composer, and music professor at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay.  Receiving her bachelor’s degree in music education and horn performance from Ithaca College and her master’s and doctoral degree in music at the University of Chicago, Michelle’s work has been performed on a plethora of occasions.  In addition to teaching and writing other music, Michelle is a founder of a very small consortium, which is a music ensemble that plays selections lasting no longer than one minute long OR no longer than 100 notes.  To learn more about Michelle McQuade Dewhirst, check out her website at http://www.michellemcquadedewhirst.com/ .

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May is Cracking!

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A lot is happening around here in May with the upcoming announcement of the Weidner Center’s 25th Anniversary Programming. You should come! It’s on May 24th at 4:00 pm in Cofrin Family Hall. It will be fun – I promise.  Since so much is happening, we had to take a brief hiatus on the podcast. But we’ll be back by mid-June – talking to more artists and creatives in North East Wisconsin.

Brian Simons: A Library’s Role in the Digital Age

Is there more to a library than meets the eye? In this episode, Kelli chats with Executive Director of the Brown County Public Library to set the record straight on the value of your local library. Contrary to popular belief, libraries are still widely used today. Listen in as the two discuss the importance of a library to a local community and society as a whole. You can find Brian at events like UntitledTown, taking place April 19-22 in Green Bay with key note speakers like Goosebumps author R.L. Stine.

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About Our Guest: Brian Simons*

brian-simonsA Green Bay native, Simons is passionate about giving people as many opportunities as possible to transform their lives for the better. Simons brings 13 years of experience as a library leader in Wisconsin. He started his library career in 2001 at the Manitowoc (WI) Public Library as Head of Young Adult Services and was Director of the Aram Public Library (Delavan, WI) from 2006 to 2008. Simons has been serving as Library Director of the Verona (WI) Public Library since 2008. As a result of his library management and leadership, the Verona Public Library was named Wisconsin Library of the Year in 2013.

He has proven experience in strategic planning, fund raising, risk analysis, LEAN Six Sigma processes, staff development and grant writing. Brian has also been very active in state and national organizations, advocating for library legislation and financial support for public libraries.

*This information comes from the Brown County Public Library’s Facebook page.

Kent Hutchison (Part 2): Do We Define Art, or Does Art Define Us?

This is the second part to the interview with local artist Kent Hutchison. Relax, laugh, and listen as Kelli and Kent discuss the future of art and how it shapes our culture. They also break down the long, yet worth, while processes that Kent goes through as an artist.

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About Our Guest: Kent Hutchison

ImageFormally educated in biology and visual arts, Kent’s work is a critical study of the merger of these two disciplines. Kent’s subjects range from animals and humans to abstract representations of emotion and energy. Kent derives a lot of the inspiration for his work through observing nature. “The closer we look into nature the more that is revealed to us about human truths. In a world often plagued by miscommunication and confusion it is important for us to look to nature for guidance, inspiration, and peace.” Kent lives in WI with his family.

Kent is fascinated in understanding the dynamic relationship the Arts play in affecting large scale systems such as community, society, and economy. This has led to a path of public art advocacy that has strongly shaped the course of his career.