Welcome to today's show! We have Patricia Wood, Karen's friend, and teacher, with us today. Pat is a professor of art at American River College, where she is currently teaching printmaking and drawing. She is also the director of the Kaneko Gallery, which is the campus art gallery. Today, Pat tells us about what she's doing at American River College- the fabulous art shows she's put together for the Kaneko Gallery, and the fun projects she's coordinated with her students. She also talks to us about her background and the kind of art that she creates. Listen in today, to hear all about Pat's creative approach to her life, her art, and her stimulating and multi-faceted job.

The Kaneko Gallery is situated at the American River College in Sacramento, California. Pat has been the Kaneko Gallery Director since 2016, and she coordinates and produces all the shows that are held there. Pat is also part of the Permanent Collection Committee for American River College, which oversees the college art collections for the 200 campuses in America that have part of the Andy Warhol estate. Tune in now, for more.   

Show highlights:

• Pat discusses the various art shows she coordinates for the Kaneko Gallery every year. These are massive undertakings.
• This year, Barbara Range, the curator, and director of the Brickhouse Gallery will be the juror for the annual student art competition.
• Pat explains why her bookings run way into the future.
• Coordinating art shows has been a lot of fun!
• Building an entire room within the gallery.
• American River College now owns an Elizabeth Catlin linoleum cut print, a Jacob Lawrence silkscreen, and a Simela Lewis woodcut.
• American River College has some beautiful art.
• The Warhol Collection, consisting of photographs and silkscreens, was gifted to American River College.
• Finding the best way to create a map for the art collections.
• Teaching art appreciation and an introduction to art history.
• Making a public art piece was an interesting assignment.
• Pat talks to us about the art that she creates.
• Pat has been focused on drawing, with a bit of mixed media, for the past couple of years.
• Pat had some sketches in the recent SMD (Sacramento Municipal District) show.
• Pat got her MFA from the University of Arizona in 1997 and she later became a double major.
• Pat talks about the time at the University of Arizona.
• What Pat has noticed about children and art.
• Why everyone should create some kind of art.

Links:

Pat Wood link Patricia Wood Art

Pat Wood is correct, American River College is not the only community college that received grants from the Warhol Foundation, but most recipients are universities. For a complete list of recipients, you can go to Photographic Legacy.

Links to individuals and places mentioned by Pat Wood in the podcast:

Jodie Hooker 

Mick Sheldon

Kaneko Gallery 

ARC Kaneko Gallery

Student Show submissions 

Barbara Range, Brickhouse Gallery 

Shenny Cruces

Angela Casagrandes 

Rachel Clarke 

art new media link to photo at the Rachel Clarke show 

Fan Lee Warren 

Unity Lewis   

Instagram

Unity and Samela Lewis 

Samela Lewis

The History Makers: Samella Lewis 39

Black Arts Movement 

Jacob Lawrence 

Elizabeth Catlett 

Betye Saar 

Charles White 

Charles White migration series 

Crocker Art Museum 

Sarah Mattson 

Ken Magri 

Linda Gelfman 

Garr Ugalde 

Figurative Angel Sculptures

Ruby Chacon 

ARC campus painted mural 

Randy Schuster 

Wayfinder’s map 

Dolores White

SMUD Gallery 

Craig Smith 

Lorrie Kempf 

Laura Parker 

Joy Burtinuson 

American River College (ARC)  

University of Arizona, Tucson

Sacramento City College 

University of California Davis 

Haleh Niazmand  

Stephanie Ryan  

Pima Community College  

Tucson Arts Foundation 

Sierra Community College  

San Joaquin Delta College 

Rillito River  

Mount Lemmon 

Rose Canyon 

Alan Short Center 

Fairytale Town 

Art Folsom prison 

Rehabilitative Arts CA State Prisons 

Davis Art Center 

California Youth Authority Arts Programs 

Are you bursting with creativity or are you perhaps feeling a little under the weather right now? Have you noticed how much your state of health impacts on your levels of creativity? Today, we're starting season three of the podcast with an interview with Dr. David Cornish. David is Karen's friend and he's the author of two terrific novels, 1918: The Great Pandemic, and 1980: The Emergence of HIV. With the current escalation of viral illnesses in the world, this is a really good time for reading these topical novels, so tune in, to learn more about David Cornish and his books.        

David practiced gastro-neurology for thirty-three years before retiring last year. He still works part-time, though, to keep his hand in the craft. He has always loved writing and even took some writing courses while studying Medicine at the University of California. About ten years ago, David wrote two non-fiction books about service in medicine. (Evidence In-Service and The Essential 20.) Then, about three years later, he decided to try his hand at writing a novel, and this was followed by a sequel a few years later. In today's episode, David talks about his two novels. He discusses his process of writing and he explores the reasons for reading and writing stories. He also reflects on the seriousness of viral illness, and the emotion behind human stories that are associated with diseases like influenza and HIV. Listen in today, to hear about David's creative approach to writing.

Show highlights:

• David explains how he got into writing books and why he chose these specific topics to write about.
• The influenza pandemic in 1918 was the worst natural disaster in human history.
• The main characters in David's books are fictional, but the events are all accurate.
• David talks about some of the projects he's taken on since retiring.
• David explains why he likes writing historical fiction.
• The difference between writing fiction, and writing about something technical, related to medicine.
• David found fiction a lot harder to write than non-fiction.
• David's approach to writing historical fiction.
• David talks about why people read novels rather than non-fiction.
• The influence that David's mother had on his creativity and his writing.
• Writing from what you like, and about what you know.
• David talks about the teachers who inspired him to write.
• Why you need to keep re-reading and revising what you have written.
• David explains why you need to have someone edit your work.
• David shares some observations about the difficulties associated with publishing a book, currently.
• Why ebooks are here to stay.
• David shares his thoughts about creativity, and about where his writing comes from.

Links:

Karen's website: A Creative Approach Podcast

David's website: David Cornish Books. This is where you will find his bio and information about his books. All David's books, including the non-fiction ones, have links to Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

David's Facebook Page

The link to Ursula Le Guin: Wikipedia: Ursula K. Le Guin

Would you like to know what inspires an artist to create a meaningful piece of work? Today's guest is Catherine Rains. Catherine is an artist and she is an excellent example of how evolution works in collage, her chosen medium of art. Catherine has had a really intriguing art career. In today's episode, she talks to us about her skills, and about her certification in evaluating personalities. She also explains how she lets her art speak to her over time a period of time as she creates it, and how she brings a deep and meaningful spiritual connection to her pieces. Listen in today, to learn more about Catherine and her work.

Until age 33, Catherine often said that she didn't have an artistic bone in her body. Catherine discovered her life calling in the middle of an overwhelming day job, where she created her first collage just to relieve stress.  This simple beginning eventually led to quitting her day gig to manage a thriving art business. Then her journey took an unexpected turn when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  This led her back to a day job for the next 10 years, traveling across the US, creating almost no art. Three years ago she decided to integrate the day job she loved with the art she could not live without, by setting up an art studio in every hotel she visited and following a structured schedule to fit art back into her life. As a result of this self-commitment, she returned to her greatest passion – art – on January 1, 2018. Tune in, to find out about Catherine's creative approach to her life and her work.

Show Highlights:

• Catherine talks about what she does as a collage painter.
• Catherine's art is mixed media collage infused with spirituality, meaning, and inspiration.
• Finding relief from a job she did not enjoy with collage.
• Figuring out how to make a living from art.
• Quitting her job and focusing on expanding her skills.
• Coming to realizing that she really loved doing collage and that it gives her incredible joy.
• What Catherine has discovered about making money from art.
• What the business of art looks like for Catherine.
• How posting on Instagram teaches her to be real and authentic.
• Inspiring people with her art.
• Speaking to people on a deeper level with her art.
• The spiritual aspect of Catherine's art.
• Communicating with her art piece as if it is a living being.
• Looking for a title that will draw people in.
• The unique way that Catherine blesses her art.
• Catherine believes that there is an art to marketing art.
• Asking for guidance as she creates a piece. in order to allow the magic to happen.
• Certifying people with Myers-Briggs for the moment, in order to take the pressure off having to make money from art.
• How Catherine's creative process is set in motion.
• Catherine really loves teaching. She would like to teach Soul Collage in the next year or two.
• Catherine has been a breast cancer survivor since 2004. It has transformed her life and only produced good things for her and caused her to grow.

Links:

Catherine Rains

Instagram: Catrains Artist

Wikipedia: Myers Briggs Type Indicator

The Myers Briggs

Emily Jeffords

Kelly Raero Berts

Beth Kirby

Soul Collage

Art Of Karen Poirier Brode

Are you dedicated to creating wonderful art? If so you are really in for a treat! Today's guest is April Bey, an exciting visual artist, and teacher. April teaches art at a community college in California. She loves drawing and using her art to explore contemporary themes about current events. In today's episode, April talks to us about her life, her studies, her art, and her career. Tune in now to find out more.

April grew up in the Bahamas, and for all her life she's been passionately creating. Art is a very prominent subject in schools in the Bahamas, yet April realized during high school that there were no careers in art to be had there. So she moved to the United States. She did her undergrad in the Midwest, obtaining a BFA in drawing from Ball State University. She then went to LA, to do her master's in interdisciplinary painting at California State University in Northridge, Los Angeles. Listen in today, to find out about April's creative approach to her art and teaching.

Show highlights:

• At the moment, April is doing a lot of sewing that's acting as drawing.
• April explains how she got to where she is right now with her art.
• She is currently making art about West Africa and textiles, how women run the trade there, and how their labor is often exploited.
• The materials and techniques that she uses.
• Why April loved the freedom of teaching at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena so much.
• Having overbearing foreign parents is something that April has in common with many of the students at the community colleges.
• What led April to explore the textiles of Africa.
• A lot of the fabric in Ghana is imported.
• All the places in Africa that April went to on her research trip.
• April's textile works also act as portraits.
• You can go to April's website to take a look at her awesome art. Go to April Bey.
• What you can expect to find on April's website.
• She does a lot of work with feminist themes.
• Some of the advice that April gives to her art students.
• April had some really wonderful mentors.
• Some of the shows that are coming up for April.

Links:

April's website:  April Bey.