Artifice

Langston Collin Wilkins, PhD is folklorist, ethnomusicologist, and writer based in Madison, WI. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Folklore and Afro-American Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Wilkins is the author of Welcome to Houston: Hip Hop Heritage in Hustle Town, which was released through the University of Illinois Press in August of 2023. His research interests include African American folklife, African American music, urban folklore, car culture and public folklore. Dr. Wilkins is a native of Houston, Texas and received his PhD from Indiana University’s Department of Folklore & Ethnomusicology in 2016. He also holds a master’s degree in African American and African Diaspora Studies from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Wilkins’ work has also appeared in the Journal of Folklore Research, The Washington Post, Houston Chronicle, and several other publications. From 2019-2022, Dr. Wilkins served as the Director of the Center for Washington Cultural Traditions, a public program that seeks to document and preserve the traditional culture of Washington state. Prior to this, he served the state of Tennessee though positions at the Tennessee Arts Commission and Humanities Tennessee. Dr. Wilkins is currently an executive board member of the American Folklore Society.

Langston Collin Wilkins’s Substack newsletter: https://langstonwilkins.substack.com

Purchase Welcome 2 Houston: Hip Hop Heritage in Hustle Town: https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p087295

IG: https://www.instagram.com/southsidesupervillain/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StreetFolkLCW

Threads: @southsidesupervillain

Maxwell is a pianist and knit portrait artist from Arizona. Ever since he can remember, Maxwell Eddington has been creating. Although his passion for creating beauty has led him to dabble in aquascaping, interior design, digital art, singing and sewing, his life’s main artistic devotions remain knitting and playing the piano.

Maxwell learned to knit while living in eastern Europe, by studying a “Teach Yourself to Knit” book in Russian, and getting tips from helpful babushki. Because of this, his knitting style and technique are heavily influenced by traditional Russian, Baltic and Scandinavian knitting. During the 14 years he has been knitting, Maxwell has made countless sweaters, hats, scarves and mittens, but was always a bit underwhelmed by the lack of artistic expression inherent in knitting clothing. This led him to a new realm of knitting tapestry-style portraits using classical colorwork techniques. He hopes to show his first collection of knit portraiture later this year.

As a pianist, Maxwell has played for 26 years, and has performed across the country and in Europe. Originally trained in classical piano performance, he shifted his focus to sight reading and accompanying while in college. He has worked as a professional accompanist for singers, dancers and instrumentalists, and has made music alongside artists including Kristin Chenoweth, Billy Porter, Alex Boye, Brian Stokes Mitchel, Wrabel, Vincint, and Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons.

@maxwelleddington

Angie Halford Re is founder and owner of award-winning Unique Mosaics, LLC, a Global, and Nationally recognized custom mosaic tile artwork studio located in South Salt Lake, UT. Her 22 years of experience in tile and design makes her a thought leader, and top consultant in the U.S. with designers, tile contractors, builders, and architects in custom mosaic designs and installations for the most demanding, intricate projects across the country.

Her achievements and clients include:

- 2021 two time CID award winner for special recognition- mosaics

- Coverings Global Tile & Stone Featured Exhibits

- NTCA national publication Tileletter “Women of Tile” Spotlight & numerous features

- National Art Galleries Exhibitions & Displays across the U.S.

- Commissioned work by numerous NTCA 5 Star Contractors, and NTCA members, and others on demanding special projects across the US

- Featured numerous times by Ardex Americas and artwork on permanent display at U.S. Headquarters

Angie has a strong formal education and training background with college coursework and training in Advertising and Graphic design, as well as Business Administration and Entrepreneurial Studies.

Angie has philanthropic efforts, and shows her passion with popular custom mosaic artwork classes, by teaching her students and creating custom curriculum at Western Art Glass, in South South Lake, Utah.

Angie is a new board member for Canvas 4 a Cause in Utah, and a new member of South Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce Women in Business. She is also teaching night classes (mosaic art) at University of Utah.

Her expert knowledge of installation, where her company’s capacity to self perform custom mosaic installations, also makes her an excellent installation liaison. Her clientele trusts and respects their custom orders to ensure a long lasting, productive relationships with this installation consulting, paired with the highest quality mosaic products.

Angie’s knowledge of period specific tile, make her the go-to nationwide for historical restoration projects and renovations in many of the country’s historical districts and stringent architectural review committees.

Her continuous ability to procure, design, create, and build custom mosaic tile artwork, makes her the authority in our trade. Her quality and attention to detail remains unmatched, and her experience rivals the largest manufacturers, with a competitive advantage in the tile installer community with her in-depth technical expertise and decades of experience.

Dr. Ryan Nielsen is a trumpet artist truly at home in both classical music and jazz. A devoted teacher and clinician, he has been a consultant for professionals and students alike from Los Angeles to London to Turkey. His popular YouTube channel Ryan’s Trumpet has thousands of subscribers from around the globe. He has performed and recorded with the Kobie Watkins Grouptet, Ra Kalam Bob Moses, Delfeayo Marsalis, and the Summit Brass, to international acclaim. His forthcoming book, The Classroom Guide to Jazz Improvisation, written with co-author John McNeil (Professor Emeritus, New England Conservatory of Music), will be released by Oxford University Press in early 2024. Nielsen is a LOTUS Trumpet artist.

Hello! My name is McKenna and I live on a farm by the river. I have goats, pigs, a jersey cow, chickens, quail, rabbits, dogs, and lizards! I love all my animals and the opportunities they give my children to learn how to work hard and get dirty. I enjoy gardening and learning how to better homestead our land. I love making beautiful soaps with my goats wonderful milk and providing my products to anyone who is interested.

I made my first batch of goat milk soap the summer of 2016. I didn't know what a stick blender was so I tried to mix my first batch using a hand drill. Needless to say we made a late night run to the store to get a stick blender! I have had many failed batches over the years but through that I have learned so much.

I started selling my soaps in 2017 and have expanded a little to include solid shampoo and conditioner bars, solid lotion bars, body butter, bubble bath bombs, soy wax candles and more. I love making these products and sharing them with ya'll.

Thank you so much for any support you give my small business.

If you'd like to follow along my farm adventures and stay up to date on my next shop updates and more you can follow me on Facebook and Instagram.

@stoneriversoaps

www.stoneriversoaps.com

Tito Livas is an actor, husband, father, and advocate for inclusion and

representation on stage and screen. When he's not on set or on stage you can find him tending to his chickens, caring for his garden, or most likely, cleaning up after his two boys, both of whom are under six and full of more energy than any single human should have.

https://www.instagram.com/livastito/

Joan Steinmann earned a Bachelor of Music from The University of Utah in Vocal Performance. Since 2006 she has taught both Choir and German at Paradigm Charter High School in South Jordan. Under her direction, Paradigm High Choirs have won various musical awards and performed extensive through Utah. Recently Joan Steinmann's choirs were featured guests on several concerts of the world renowned Salt Lake Vocal Artists.

Mrs. Steinmann's hobbies include reading, cycling, and hiking in Utah's beautiful mountains with her husband and little girl.

Solve for X, an original musical created by Joan Riddle Steinmann.

solveforxmusical.com

Synopsis: Two sisters, one autistic, and one neurotypical, are navigating their freshman and senior years of high school. Elle Richards has been eagerly anticipating her senior year, but is wary that her little sister, West, will negatively affect her social standing. When the siblings were younger, Elle drew Treasure Map versions of the dentists’ office, grocery store, and friends’ backyards for her sister West. This helped West familiarize herself with new locations, and avoid sensory overload.

In a twofold attempt to help West navigate high school, and keep her out of the way, Elle resurrects this childhood tradition. Elle creates a Treasure Map version of their high school: the cafeteria is Skull Rock, the gym becomes Pirates Cove, etc. West is skeptical of this new map, but in an attempt to remain close to Elle, she agrees to “play along.” After a series of misunderstandings and mishaps, both sisters gain skills that will help them better navigate unfamiliar territory.

David A. Martinez

Dave Martinez is an eclectic human.

With influences and inspirations from Bob Dylan to Lon Chaney to the back of old TIME magazines found on some dusty shelf at the old antique store down the road, you never know what the man’s discovering.

He loves going on tangents on just about anything; stares the uncomfortable bits of life in the face and muses over them, and listening to his kids talk about rocks, tissue boxes, or whatever is important at the moment.

It should also be noted that Martinez is stark raving mad about his lady and soon-to-be wife, Eve. She’s the embodiment of beauty in body and soul.

As for the official bits: Martinez holds a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Acting (The British Tradition) from Royal Birmingham Conservatory in the UK, and has been working as an actor for about a decade. He has learned from such institutions as Shakespeare’s Globe, The RSC, and more. Plus, he’s not too bad at improv.

Martinez is also gaining notoriety for his music, which you can listen to here with this handy little link, as well as see what else the man is up to if you so choose:

https://linktr.ee/davemartinez

Care to know more about his origins and life? This episode may grant curious minds a few answers!

Thanks for listening, and sending love to you wherever you are. You’ve got this. x

Charlotte Bell has been practicing yoga since 1982, and began teaching in 1986. She

has established and taught regular classes along Utah’s Wasatch Front, and in

California and Hawaii. She also teaches workshops, teacher trainings, and yoga for

cancer patients and their families at Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City. She

has taught at national yoga conferences and international yoga teacher trainings and on

women’s river trips on the Green and Colorado rivers.

Certified by B.K.S. Iyengar in 1989, she enjoys learning from teachers of many different

yogic perspectives. Charlotte’s asana teaching has been most influenced by her two

guiding teachers, Donna Farhi and Judith Hanson Lasater. She received her 500-hour

certification from Yoga Alliance in 2000, and is currently registered at the organization's

highest level, E-RYT-500.

Vipassana meditation practice has had the most profound influence on Charlotte's work.

She began her practice in 1986, and has attended many 10-and 30-day meditation

retreats since then. Her practice has been guided by her spiritual mentors, Pujari and

Abhilasha Keays of the Last Resort in Cedar Breaks, Utah, since 1985. In recent years,

she has made an annual trip to Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California,

to sit an 18-day combined metta (kindness) and insight meditation retreat. Charlotte

teaches mindfulness classes online, and at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts and Red

Butte Garden.

All these influences combine to form an evolving style of yoga that acknowledges the

alignment principles of the Iyengar system while applying mindful attention to gain

insight into the truth of each individual's asana practice rather than striving for

preconceived goals. She encourages students to explore and trust their own experience

in their asana practice, and enjoys learning new perspectives from her students.

In addition to teaching yoga and meditation, Charlotte writes feature stories for several

publications, including Catalyst Magazine, Yoga U Online and the Hugger Mugger Yoga

blog. Her articles have appeared in Yoga Journal and Yoga International. She has

written feature articles for the Telluride Bluegrass Festival’s program since the early

1990s, and has participated in research and writing for a book about the festival’s

history.

In 2007 Rodmell Press (now a part of Shambhala Publications) published her first book,

Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life: A Guide for Everyday Practice.The book blends the

principles of mindfulness with the practice of Patanjali’s Eight Limbs of Yoga. Her

second book, Yoga for Meditators, was published by Rodmell Press in 2012 and was

one of 10 books recommended in Yoga Journal magazine's “Yoga Books of 2012” list.

Her most recent book, Hip-Healthy Asana: A Yoga Practitioner’s Guide to Protecting the

Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Pain, was published in 2018 by Shambhala Publications.

Charlotte plays oboe and English horn in the Salt Lake Symphony; the woodwind

quintet, Scherzando Winds; the chamber folk ensemble, blue haiku; and with blue

haiku, Kate MacLeod and Hal Cannon in the folk sextet, Red Rock Rondo. Red Rock

Rondo’s 2009 DVD has won two Emmy awards and an award from the National

Educational Television Association.

Jeff Britman has been working with aquariums since he was 8 or 9 years old, starting with a 10-gallon freshwater tank. He began working with his first saltwater tank (a 75-gallon mixed-reef tank) at age 14, with help from his father and older brother. Currently, he curates and maintains a 120-gallon mixed-reef tank, which he started late in 2017. Jeff and his husband Jarod have embarked on many artful projects on their property, including brewing kombucha (among other fermentation projects), gardening, keeping chickens and quail, and countless interior and exterior design projects.

For more information on starting a tank of your own: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/120g-mixed-reef-build.329215/