On this special episode of Art Hang, we're bringing together two Cincinnati artists who are teaming up to create something pretty special for BLINK!

Jim Tucker and Frank Young are joining forces on a mural for BLINK Cincinnati—the nation's largest public art festival, transforming the city into a massive, immersive canvas of light, projection mapping, murals, and interactive installations.

Jim is an artist and illustrator known for his fun, quirky, fluid style and unmistakable characters. Frank is a photographer who has spent years capturing the people, personalities, and energy of Cincinnati's streets. On their own, they each have a distinct creative voice. But when these two artists put their talents together…something a little magical happens.

In this episode, we talk about where their artistic journeys began, how they found their way into Cincinnati's creative scene, and—most importantly—how these two very different artists found each other and decided to collaborate.

Come hang with us and hear the story behind the artists, the collaboration, and the mural they're bringing to BLINK!

As part of Swell Art Cafe's live podcast series, I had the opportunity to sit down with three incredible artists—featured in this episode is Mark De Jong.

A Dutch-born, Cincinnati-based artist, Mark transforms ordinary buildings into immersive works of art. His creative vision has brought to life a series of unique "Art Houses," including Circle House, Swing House, Square House, Smoke House, Stair House, and Paint House—each one reimagining space, structure, and experience in its own distinct way.

As part of Swell Art Cafe's live podcast series, I had the chance to sit down with three incredible artists—this conversation featuring the thoughtful and multifaceted Cal Cullen.

Cal recently stepped into a new role as Program Manager at the Carol Ann and Ralph Haile Foundation, and brings with her a rich background from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Cincinnati Art Museum, and as co-founder of Wave Pool Arts Center.

Beyond her work in arts leadership, Cal is a dedicated artist. She maintains a daily drawing practice and creates handcrafted shoes through her shop, Shoes for The Landlocked.

In our conversation, Cal shares insights into her work as a social practice artist and how it continues to shape her creative life.

Take a listen and spend some time with this inspiring conversation.

As part of Swell Art Cafe's live podcast series I had the chance to sit down with three incredible artists - On this episode, we're joined by Jay Kalagayan — a Filipino-American creator, nonprofit fundraiser, and passionate arts advocate.

Jay is the writer behind the comic company Creative Mussel, bringing stories to life through titles like Messed, Filipino Assassin, and his newest project, St. Malo.

Beyond comics, Jay is a driving force in the arts community — founder of Know Theatre and the Cincinnati Fringe Festival, and a board member of Asianati.

Tune in for a conversation about creativity, community, and building spaces for bold, original voices.

On this season finale, I had the pleasure to sit down with the CEO and Artistic Director of Artworks, Colleen Houston. In April 2020, Tamara Harkavy, the founder and artistic director of ArtWorks, announced her departure from the organization she had led since 1996, leaving a significant gap. Colleen Houston, who had been with ArtWorks since its early days, was seen as the natural successor due to her deep enthusiasm and dedication. Houston's journey began as an 18-year-old apprentice and evolved into her becoming the CEO and artistic director, focusing on building relationships within the community and expanding ArtWorks' impact. Under her leadership, ArtWorks has continued to thrive, with initiatives like murals and the "Blink" festival, and she envisions further growth, including year-round employment and expanded opportunities for young artists. ArtWorks, founded in 1996 and now a $2.6 million nonprofit, is a leader in public art and workforce development in Cincinnati.

In this episode, we hang out with the elusive street artist EMPR CTZNS at Jerry's Jug House. For the first time ever, I've altered a guest's voice to preserve his anonymity. You might recognize his signature "Alien" artwork on the walls of Cincinnati. He also spreads his socially conscious art on bus stop benches, yard signs, and street signs all around the city. We delve into his art, his creative process, and the motivations behind his work.

On this episode we hang with artist, sculptor and the President of the Art Academy of Cincinnati, Joe Girandola. We meet at the Flag Studio in Camp Washington. Flag Studio is where he creates his beautiful duct tape artworks as well as his milk crate sculptures. We talk about the way that he has progressed from art student all the way to an art school's president. He has exhibited his work in venues like the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, Kunsthalle Wien in Austria, Kwangju Biennial in South Korea, and the Center for Contemporary Art Biennial in Atlanta. He received several grants, including the Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant and the Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Grant. Girandola has held fellowships at MacDowell, Bemis Center, Santa Fe Art Institute, DUCTAC Art Center, and Caldera Artist Residency. His work is in national and international collections, and he won the West Prize in 2012. Formerly, he directed the MFA Program at the University of the Arts, Philadelphia, and was Assistant Director at the Santa Fe Art Institute. He holds an MFA from the University of Georgia (1996) and a B.A. from Pepperdine University (1992).

On this episode we hang with Emily Hanako Momohara in the video editing room at the Art Academy of Cincinnati. Her art explores heritage, multiculturalism, immigration, and social justice. She has exhibited nationally, including a notable show at the Japanese American National Museum titled "Sugar|Islands." Momohara has been a visiting artist at several residencies such as the Center for Photography at Woodstock and the Headlands Center for the Arts. In 2015, her work was featured in the Chongqing Photography and Video Biennial. She has also created socially driven billboards for For Freedoms and United Photo Industries. She also created the film Namba, that has shown in many film festivals. Now based in Cincinnati, she is the Interim Studio Arts Chair, a Professor, and heads the photography major at the Art Academy of Cincinnati.