Art Throb

Keelan O’Sullivan, writer, curator, and executive director of Institute 193, joins host Kate Savage to discuss Casey Joiner’s exhibition "Housekeeping," a dreamlike photographic meditation on family, grief, and the architecture of memory. Keelan explains how Casey’s images—rooted in the experience of losing her father and inheriting the family home—balance personal specificity with universal resonance, offering moments of beauty within the landscape of loss. The conversation pivots to the story and mission of Institute 193, a nonprofit contemporary art gallery and publisher dedicated to amplifying artists from the modern South and supporting their careers beyond regional boundaries. Keelan details the gallery’s history, founding by Philip March Jones, and its role as an incubator for emerging and established Southern artists, as well as its vibrant publishing program that brings Lexington’s creative energy to a wider audience through books and archives. The episode closes with insights into the institute’s unique fundraising model, upcoming projects, and lasting impact on the arts landscape both locally and nationally.

For more and to connect with us, visit https://www.artsconnectlex.org/art-throb-podcast.html

In my conversation with Jeremy Kisling we talk about the importance of creating a sense of belonging for young people at the Lexington Children's Theatre.  Jeremy emphasizes the universal need for all individuals to find spaces where they can be authentic and free from societal expectations.  The discussion also explores the role of theatre in personal development, community engagement and the future vision for the theatre's impact on youth.  We also talk about the evolution of themes for young people and the substances of contemporary theatre for youth.
The Lexington Children's Theatre has been in existence for 87 years, Jeremy having been there for 24 of those years.
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He has been a recipient of the Sara Spencer child Drama Award and the Tom Behm Award from the Southeastern Theatre Conference.
In 1986 The state legislators demed Lexington Children's Theatre the State children's Theatre of Kentucky.

For more and to connect with us, visit https://www.artsconnectlex.org/art-throb-podcast.html

Joe Farrell, veteran director with a distinguished 60-year career, and actor Joe Gatton, well-known in the Lexington theater scene, join host Kate Savage to discuss their upcoming production of Conor McPherson’s "The Weir" at the Antagonist Theatre. The conversation explores the play’s haunting Irish folklore, its setting in a rural pub where ghost stories are shared to impress—and ultimately reveal—the inner lives of the characters. Joe Farrell and Joe Gatton reflect on their collaboration, the thrill of working in an intimate 60-seat space, and the challenges and joys of recreating Irish accents and atmosphere. The cast and creative team’s deep connection to the material promises a riveting and cathartic experience for Lexington audiences. Tickets are available online through Antagonist Productions, and listeners are encouraged not to miss this nuanced exploration of loneliness, vulnerability, and grace.

For more and to connect with us, visit https://www.artsconnectlex.org/art-throb-podcast.html

Dr. Vicki Bell, Professor of Music Theory at Asbury University, and Dr. Stephen Bolster, retired Chair of Music at Berea College, join host Kate Savage to share their story as newly appointed co-artistic directors of the Kentucky Bach Choir. Vicki and Stephen recount decades of collaboration, their combined musical backgrounds, and the unique advantages of co-directing a choir—such as sharing responsibilities, blending their skill sets, and diversifying the group's leadership. They discuss the upcoming Bachtoberfest fundraiser at West Sixth Barrel Room, which blends German food, drinks, and music in an effort to attract new, younger audiences, and detail the rigorous audition process and the multi-generational makeup of the choir. Vicki and Stephen explore the enduring influence of Bach, the choir’s mission to keep his works alive, connections to other composers, and even links to modern pop music. They also preview innovative season events such as the Bach Marathon and plans to support local charities through future performances—all underscoring the central power of music and community in their shared vision.

For more and to connect with us, visit https://www.artsconnectlex.org/art-throb-podcast.html

​Marina Ubaldi Ritter and Lucinda Zoe, members of the Carrot Cake Collective, join Art Throb host Kate Savage to talk about about their efforts to document the history and recipes of the beloved Alfalfa Restaurant in Lexington. The conversation explores the impact of the restaurant's closure during the pandemic, the importance of preserving its legacy, and the community that formed around it. They discuss the challenges of creating a cookbook that reflects the restaurant's unique culture, the significance of sustainability practices, and the role of art and creativity in building community.

The episode highlights the collective's mission to share personal stories and recipes while supporting local nonprofits Institute 193 and Moveable Feast through their fundraising efforts for the book.
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They share their personal stories, the zeitgeist of Alfalfa, and reflect on a bygone era.

The book: EAT YOUR CARROT CAKE - LIFE, ART, COMMUNITY AND COOKERY  is not yet published but expected by the end of 2025-early 2026.

For more and to connect with us, visit https://www.artsconnectlex.org/art-throb-podcast.html

Margaret Price, award-winning writer and recipient of the Kentucky Arts Council's Al Smith Fellowship, joins host Kate Savage to discuss her new novel Where Stillness Speaks, inspired by decades of research into the mystical world of Kentucky’s Shaker communities. Margaret shares the story’s origins, from a chance encounter with a local storyteller to deep dives into Shaker journals and the secrets of Pleasant Hill. She reflects on the Shakers’ reverence for stillness, radical forgiveness, and their belief in things unseen—including visions, female divinity, and sacred places hidden in the Kentucky landscape. The conversation traces both Margaret’s personal journey and broader themes of healing, faith, and the enduring power of history, offering listeners a window into the novel’s richly layered narrative and a heartfelt invitation to experience the wonder of Shakertown for themselves.

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Kevin Nance is a writer and photographer in Lexington. His books include EVEN IF and MIDNIGHT, both collections of photographs and haiku; GENEVA’S GARDEN: FOUR SEASONS OF BEAUTY IN LEXINGTON’S GRATZ PARK, a book of photographs; and most recently SMOKE, a poetry collection just out from Accents Publishing,

As an arts journalist, Kevin writes for Lexington’s online arts magazine Undermain and has also written for the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Poets & Writers Magazine and other publications.

​As a photographer, Kevin’s work has been exhibited widely and will be represented in the upcoming Lexington Camera Club show, opening at the Gray Design Building on Sept. 8 through Oct. 17.

For more and to connect with us, visit https://www.artsconnectlex.org/art-throb-podcast.html

Seth Tusker, son of the late artist and educator John Regis Tusker, joins Kate  to recount the creation and evolution of the Mythos Experience—an immersive, reflective art encounter originally inspired by his father’s work. Seth shares the story of how the program moved from its first pop-up in a church sanctuary to being embraced by Lexington’s schools, and how the experience centers on guided journaling, self-discovery, and connecting deeply with art through touch and personal reflection. He discusses recent collaborations with Fayette County Public Schools and Dunbar High School, where students created poignant, collage-based responses to Tusker’s art, culminating in a mobile exhibition designed to inspire self-examination and empathy in viewers of all ages. The conversation also highlights Seth’s Operation Lion Drop, a global initiative delivering creative, hope-filled toolkits to children in crisis, connecting Tusker’s message of empowerment and introspection to new generations and communities.

For more and to connect with us, visit https://www.artsconnectlex.org/art-throb-podcast.html

Celeste Lewis, longtime manager of the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center (PMDAC), joins host Kate Savage to reflect on more than a decade of transformation at this Lexington cultural hub. Celeste traces the building’s evolution from a retail block to a multi-use arts center, noting key milestones like the closure of beloved venues Alfalfa’s and Ann Tower Gallery, changes in gallery spaces, and how the center navigated challenges—including revitalizing underutilized floors through crucial ARPA funding. She details the diversity and purpose of PMDAC’s three galleries, the explosion of community engagement in the newly renovated event and rehearsal spaces, and the joys and logistics of programming for both Moondance Amphitheater and the upcoming Phoenix Park amphitheater. Along the way, Celeste and Kate touch on the vital role the arts play in community vitality and share how Lexington’s collaborative spirit keeps the arts scene both accessible and ever-evolving.

For more and to connect with us, visit https://www.artsconnectlex.org/art-throb-podcast.html

Michael Morris is a photographer and designer living in Louisville, KY and working in marketing.
​He is a self-described introvert who is much more comfortable writing to people than talking to them, who uses photograph and exploration as a way to force himself to try and connect more with the world.
He began exploring Kentucky in late 2011 with an old Hasselblad camera, some black and white film and a thermos full of coffee, looking for anything interesting to put before the lense.  Since then he has traveled well over 250,000 miles around the state and "wasted more film" than he cares to remember.
His exhibition of 50 photographs titled HALLELUJAH ANYWAY - A PORTRAIT OF KENTUCKY will open at the Kentucky Folk Art Center in Morehead on 1st August and run til 1st December 2025.   www.michaelmorrisimages.com

For more and to connect with us, visit https://www.artsconnectlex.org/art-throb-podcast.html