John Hanna recounts his journey from teen dishwasher in urban Atlanta, Georgia, to culinary chef creating Ironstone Restaurant's unique farm-to-table offerings in rural Boyertown, Pennsylvania. John shares challenges inherent in the demanding lifestyle of running a restaurant along with the rewards of pleasing diners experiencing offerings sourced locally but new to their palate.

Artisan Minna Aaparyti has memories of walks through the woods to get to and from school in Finland. Her art in many mediums showcases her long-held love of nature. Participants in her workshops will find her eager to share the creative processes in relaxing sessions. And they'll take what they've created home with them. Minna is eager to resume her artistic life close to nature in an upcoming move to the Oley Valley from Fishtown.

Boyertown's Studio B Art Gallery announces the opening of "The Full Monty," on April 26, 2024, an exhibit celebrating all things male, featuring 13 gentleman artists: Albert Ciervo, Miles Decoster, Charles Emlen, Daniel Gaumer, Bob Hakun, Walk Hug, Barrie Maguire, Jim Meehan, Mike Miller, Jay Ressler, Peter Rampson, Bill Timmins, and Joe Szimhart.

Susan Grabert's home is rich with art in many mediums--her own, her photographer husband's, paintings and sculptures from local artists and from artists and fine crafts people from all over the world. Her artistic journey is rich in experiences and challenges whether creating a painting-a-day for 30 days or moving from hyper-realistic still lifes to paintings of African wildlife hidden in patterns.

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Robyn Burckhardt's friends want to spend time with her in her studio--creating, venting, relaxing--for they know that any time spent with Robyn will be full of energy and joy. She'll splash paint on your blank canvas, as needed, to get you started. And from there, anything goes. It's just so much fun. And healing, too.

Ashley had no idea following her high school graduation what she wanted to do with her life. She just knew she wanted to be creative. Beauty school followed; but in discovering a horse trailer she could transform into a business creating unique beverages for weddings and special events she recognized her "calling."

Jules Hull, familiar to many as an accomplished plumber, emerges as author in his memoir Blessings Afforded a Common Man, offering his experiences throughout his life allowing him to see God's presence and "direction" in his life. Common, perhaps, in an unpretentious lifestyle, yet Jules reveals an uncommon awareness of where the pieces of life's puzzle fit in building a life and developing relationships in simple, yet engaging and accomplished, prose. 

Several days before he passed, Charles Haddad called to say he was willing to record a "B Inspired" podcast with me and Pastor Bob Machamer. In a wide-ranging conversation, Bob Machamer, pastor serving Charles' beloved St. John's Lutheran Church in Boyertown, shares his understanding of Charles' as community leader, role model, and personal friend. Pastor Bob illuminates Charles' vision of the community's future, his earnest hopes that young leaders would emerge to further the mission he had spent his life supporting: nothing less than the unconditional acceptance of all members of the community working together to improve its infrastructure, maintain quality education, and strengthen its support of the arts, history, and cultural opportunities. Too much to say in 30+ minutes, we'll catch up with Pastor Bob on his own sometime soon.

Bill Cherkasky got "hooked" while touring the high school's "old building" before its latest renovations that would remove all the old wood found in its classroom doors and the framing of the classrooms' slate blackboards. Eager to preserve as much as he could, Bill created projects--video projects and visual art ones--raised funding to sponsor the projects, and found new "homes" for items of value to avoid landfills.