The Art Box

This is a marvelous episode that artists will appreciated from beginning to end. Linda Harris does her normal masterful job of asking questions of Cody showing the width and breath of her research into our guests. Besides being a great artist, Cody is very much a conservationist, lover of all things nature and a full time ranger with the US Forest Service. 
You can find out more about Cody on his web site. 
This is our 2nd episode where we have utilized Addy as our "interlude announcer". We would love to hear your thoughts on this new feature? Do you like it? Dislike it? Might you have other suggestions for us. Drop us an email and let us know. artboxvv@gmail.com 
Thank you Cody Chamberlin for your amazingness. 

A Saturday Art Box road trip to Las Vegas found us at the Blue Ox Tavern on Sahara meeting up with artist and College of Southern Nevada (CSN) professor Sean Russell for a wide-ranging and fun chat about creativity and art. Slip on the headphones, sit back, maybe grab a glass of good red wine, or an IPA and enjoy this lovely conversation. No extra charge for the neat bar sounds in the background.
Find out more about Sean.
This episode we introduce Addison (Addy) Johanson hailing from Brisbane, Australia as our "interlude announcer" providing specific information about subjects we touch on during our episodes where some details would be helpful. Addy has her MFA from "Brisbane School of AI Artistic Expression" (BSAE), A vibrant and innovative institution nestled in the heart of Brisbane, Australia, dedicated to fostering creativity and nurturing the talents of aspiring artists across various disciplines. With state-of-the-art facilities and a supportive community of faculty and students, BSAE aims to push the boundaries of artistic exploration and produce the next generation of visionary artists.

In our efforts to publish community based content, today we will talk about coyotes.
As Mesquite pushes boundaries deeper into coyote habitats, rapid development, driven by population growth and economic expansion, encroaches upon the once-remote territories where coyotes roam. As Mesquite expands, it brings infrastructure, residential areas, and commercial developments, fragmenting natural landscapes and disrupting Mojave Desert wildlife corridors.
This expansion poses significant challenges for coyotes, forcing them to adapt to an increasingly urban environment. Coyotes, known for their remarkable adaptability, navigate this new landscape by seeking food, water, and shelter within city limits. However, this proximity to human populations raises concerns about conflicts, including encounters with pets, predation on urban wildlife, and occasional interactions with humans.
Many thanks to Don Molde for dropping in to talk about our neighbors the coyotes. Don is president of the Nevada Wildlife Alliance, and has actively participated in the state Wildlife Commission's deliberations for over four decades.
Enjoy Don's work in Nevada Current, you are sure to learn something interesting.
Thank you Fred Bell for your Coyote sound track recorded in Death Valley. Visit Fred's web site: https://soundsandspaces.net/

Linda and Steve welcome Suzie White as our "From the Theatre" host. Suzie will be focusing on performing arts in the Virgin Valley and beyond. 
Today Suzie welcomes Al Vysinka and Jim Blanco from the musical trio "Off the Rails" to our STEAM Center studio to chat about their upcoming performance at the Mesquite Community Theatre on Saturday May 18. John Maystadt their third member was vacationing in the Pacific Isles so not available today.
Give a listen as Suzie, Al and Jim have a fun convestaion about growing up in Chicago and not meeting each other until they ended up in Mesquite, oldies, goodies and hot dogs. Enjoy the chat, enjoy some laughs and come see "Off the Rails" at the Mesquite Theatre on May 18. Tickets can be purchased at this link.\
Look for more "From the Theatre" podcasts as Suzie cooks up some fun for our listeners.

What a pleasure it was to sit down with Brian Cornett in our Do It Best Hardware recording studio in the Mesquite Works STEAM Center. Brian is just a nice guy, with a heart for volunteering and writing. We hope you enjoy this episode with a true Mesquite upstanding citizen and artist. 

You might recognize Teresa Skye and Dave Ward from their appearance in Episode 76 - Deep Space, Volunteering and Nature Journaling - from March 10, 2023. We recorded at their campsite in Gold Butte National Monument. The Art Box has not been recorded outside since then until now. Steve drove 323 miles to Horseshoe Canyon in Canyonlands National Park to catch our amazing volunteers at their National Park Service assignment this week, deep in Horseshoe Canyon at the Great Gallery. This episode has been in the works since we found out Dave and Teresa would be volunteering here. 
It was windy and our little handheld remote recorder struggled to silence the wind. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable trip, camping on the rim and walking the seven-mile round-trip to the Great Gallery.
You can find Teresa's passion for Nature Journaling on her Mojave Nature Journalers FaceBook page.
Dave is an avid dark sky lover and can spin you amazing tales and lore of the human visions of the night. 
More on Dave and Teresa.
Dave Ward
Born and raised in the East, David Ward has always considered the West his home. He has been a river rafting guide, a hiking guide, and a guide to the night sky, living his passion of sharing his love of the outdoors. Always searching for a dark sky, he spends his time between the deep canyons of Death Valley and the snow-clad peaks of the Pacific Northwest.
Teresa Skye
Teresa Skye has been a hiking guide and has put together outdoor programs for Death Valley Natural History Association since 2015. She is a former teacher, backpacking guide, and avid hiker. This includes hiking much of the Pacific Crest Trail, Yellowstone NP, and Death Valley NP. She currently volunteers for the Nevada Site Steward program as well as in Canyonlands NP and Ash Meadows NWR. Teresa has been nature journaling for several years, taking classes online as well as in-person workshops. She feels the joy of being a close observer of nature and capturing it in art and writing is something you can practice for life, no matter what your age or abilities.

Steve was honored in early 2023 to attend Torrey House Press Voices for the West Writers Workshop in Sprindale, Utah just outside of Zion National Park. Our fiction group was led by amazing author Kase Johnstun and included Morgan Sjogren (Path of Light), Stacie Shannon Denetosie (The Missing Morningstar), the talented Liana Morales, many others and me. 
As we introduced ourselves I was enthralled that Liana was a librarian in New Mexico who had a background with bookmobiles. Growing up I loved our bookmoble. I was hooked and knew Linda and I would just have to have her as a guest on the Art Box. Well, schedules being such, with Liana and I both in need of a second brain (you will need to listen to understand this reference) it took over a year to finally arrange.
I loved our conversation as we talked poetry, writing, screenplays, AI, and bookmobiles.  
Find out more about the New Mexico library system.
Enjoy!
 

The Art Box was pleased to welcome Mesquite Public Arts Commission (MPAC) Chair Karen Miskimins to our Do It Best Hardware Studio at the Mesquite Works STEAM Center to chat about promoting public art in Mesquite. Our wide-ranging conversation ran from MPAC inauguration by the city council, to initiatives such as First Fridays, fundraising, pollinator garden, our new fire department, youth art, and our many creative residents. 
Visit your MPAC commissioners at Mesquite Days Family Fun night on May 1 at the rec center and tell us your ideas for public art. 
Click here to access the MPAC web page.
You can email us at: mpac@mesquitenv.gov
 

We were graced at our Do It Best Hardware studio in the Mesquite STEAM Center with local entertainer DJ Van Dyke. Listen in as DJ recounts her journey of creativity and song that she will be sharing this May in Mesquite.
DJ Van Dyke is an Iowa farm girl who made her way to Nevada by way of a short stop in Colorado that lasted 42 years.  DJ headlined a contempory rock band in the mid-70's.  Raising children, an over-the-road truck driving husband, and the emergence of Disco derailed her music career.  But, in 2018 and 2019, she participated in the Elvis Tribute Show at the CasaBlanca.  Somebody suggested she do Patsy Cline, and so, this is where she is today. 
Over the last five years DJ has performed in Sun City, St. George, and Overton.
Important Ticket Notes
Limited VIP Reserved seats for this event are located front-and-center in the first four rows of Mesquite Community Theatre.  VIP Reserved seats are available only online. Click here to purchase tickets.
 
Local comedian and Marketing Director for the Virgin Valley Theatre Group Suzie White co-hosted this interview with Steve as Linda was in Indiana watching the eclipse. 

It was our pleasure to host Lydia Wolfe as a guest on the Art Box Podcast. Lydia is full of energy in her work at Get Outdoors Nevada and her many other heartfelt commitments to our local community. Those who know Steve, know that he loves quotes and Lydia gave him two "Every artist breathes life into the piece they are making" and one so amazing it is the title of this episode "Treat art like life". YES!!!!!! 
Lydia (She/Her/Hers) has lived in Las Vegas since 2009 and has always had an interest in learning about culture and connecting to nature. One way that she was able to do this was to major in Anthropology at UNLV where she is graduating with her bachelor’s degree in December 2022 with a minor in American Indigenous Studies. Currently she also interns with IndigenousAF Inc. and volunteers with The Cupcake Girls.
You will enjoy this episode.
More about Get Outdoors Nevada.
We love the work Get Outdoors Nevada does for our communities. 
Outside Las Vegas Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, is now doing business as Get Outdoors Nevada. The original organization was formed in 2000 by a group of passionate Nevada outdoor enthusiasts and community leaders. This dynamic group predicted a critical link between our spectacular outdoors places and our quality of life. We changed our name to Get Outdoors Nevada in 2018 because we celebrate and support ALL of Nevada’s amazing outdoor experiences.
Today, it is Get Outdoors Nevada’s mission and vision to connect Nevadans and visitors from all backgrounds and ages to the state’s diverse outdoor places. To this end, we pursue a three-fold approach of education, service, and community engagement. Many of our efforts and programs focus on the needs and lives of families and school children, especially those who are at-risk and often have limited opportunity to experience the great outdoors. We are committed to preserving Nevada’s public lands, urban trails, and community parks. We love Nevada and Nevada’s outdoors.