Content Magazine

#80 Scott Knies - CEO San Jose Downtown Association

Scott has been at the helm of the San Jose Downtown Association since 1988 and has been the foundation's only executive director.

Starting as founder and owner of the Fencing Center in 1981, Scott's career changed as he and other business owners looked to represent the needs of downtown businesses and the Downtown community experience. Under his leadership over these last 34 years, Scott has band a prime seat in witnessing changes and directing the City's urban core vitality. The organization launched the Music in the Park summer concert series in 1989, the Downtown Farmers' Market, and the Downtown Ice skating rink - to list a few of the accomplishments. 

In 2021 Scott announced his plans to step down in the fall of 2022, and a search for his replacement has already been in process.

In our discussion, we talk about how he came to San Jose, became the CEO of the SJDA, the changes he has seen over the last three decades, and his love for rafting.

Find out more about the San Jose Downtown Association and a San Jose events calendar at sjdowntown.com (https://sjdowntown.com) and on Instagram sj_downtown (https://www.instagram.com/sj_downtown)

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This episode's music is "408" by Jack Pavlina. Read more about Jack in Issue 14.1 Winter 2022 — release date: Dec. 9, 2021: https://bit.ly/Discover141

Follow Jack at @jackpavlinamusic

Spotify: https://bit.ly/jackpavlina

Bassist and composer Nick Panoutsos' (who was a Content intern before he went off to NYC in 2016) released his first solo album Monos. The Greek word for "alone" (μόνος), the album is a meditation on the isolation of 2020's pandemic lockdown. The album reflects on Nick's Greek heritage and fond memories of growing up in San Jose, CA, and the nearby Santa Cruz mountains.

In our conversation, we talk about his journey as a musician from moving from San Jose to New York and the inspiration behind the compassion on his album.

Find out more about Nick and his album on his website nickpanoutsos.com (https://www.nickpanoutsos.com) 

And his Instagram @vegbass (https://www.instagram.com/vegbass)

Listen and purchase the CD of  μόνος on his Bandcamp page, nickpanoutsos.bandcamp.com (https://nickpanoutsos.bandcamp.com/releases)

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Photography by Ygor Lobo ygornyc (https://instagram.com/ygornyc)

Album artwork and design by Ash Suh (https://www.instagram.com/ashsuh)

Released on Slow and Steady Records (https://www.slowandsteadyrecords.com) IG: slowandsteadyrecords (https://www.instagram.com/slowandsteadyrecords)

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This episode's music is "408" by Jack Pavlina. Read more about Jack in Issue 14.1 Winter 2022 — release date: Dec. 9, 2021: https://bit.ly/Discover141

Follow Jack at @jackpavlinamusic

Spotify: https://bit.ly/jackpavlina

Mattie Scariot became Director of PJIFF in 2018 and grew the festival to an 8-day regional festival including Morgan Hill, San Martin, Gilroy, Hollister, and San Juan Bautista. 

In our conversation, Mattie explains her vision for the festival, focusing on diverse, inclusive, and women empowering films and seven educational programs. We talk about her journey to be the director and some of the highlights of this year's festival, which return to in-person events and screenings.

Find out more about PJIFF programs, events, and purchase tickets at PJIFF.org (https://pjiff.org/)

This year's festival begins on April 6th and runs through April 13th.

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This episode's music is "408" by Jack Pavlina. Read more about Jack in Issue 14.1 Winter 2022 — release date: Dec. 9, 2021: https://bit.ly/Discover141

Follow Jack at @jackpavlinamusic

Spotify: https://bit.ly/jackpavlina

#77 - Amanda Rawson- Project Manager and  Researcher Director for Art Builds Community

Amanda Rawson has participated in the cultural art sector for more than eight years. Previously, Amanda worked as the Major Gifts Officer for the San Jose Museum of Art and the Donor and External Relations Manager at the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles. Rawson's background in art history, development, and program management enables her to create spaces that bring together the community. She is a founding member of San Jose Arts Advocates. She was the chair of genArts Silicon Valley, a program of Silicon Valley Creates dedicated to empowering creative individuals and emerging arts leaders through professional development, advocacy, and networking.

In our discussion, we talked about Amanda's path to becoming the project manager and research director of Art Builds Community, her role, and the work they have been doing for the County of Santa Clara Office of Women's Policy on a project called Womanhood.

https://www.instagram.com/initiumnovum/

https://www.artbuildscommunity.com/

https://www.instagram.com/artbuildscommunity/

https://womanhoodproject.org/

https://www.sjartsadvocates.org/

A mixed-media artist and arts educator Corinne Okada Takara was also one of the artists selected for the City of San Jose's the first Creative License Ambassador in the program in 2019. 

Corinne composes technology-integrated projects and crafts sculptural work out of elegant yet mundane materials, like silk, food wrappers, newspapers, and plastic produce netting. 

In our conversation we discuss personal art practice, her involved in the community as an arts educator as well hear the news that she will be leaving the Bay Area to Hawaii in the Summer.

okadadesign.com (https://okadadesign.com)

IG: corinnetakara (https://www.instagram.com/corinnetakara/)

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This episode's music is "408" by Jack Pavlina. Read more about Jack in Issue 14.1 Winter 2022 — release date: Dec. 9, 2021: https://bit.ly/Discover141

Follow Jack at @jackpavlinamusic

Spotify: https://bit.ly/jackpavlina

Episode #75 -  Gensler Designers Corinda Wong and Brian Corbett

This episode of the Content magazine podcast is a little bit different. I conducted the full audio interview with Corinda Wang and Brian Corbett of Gensler about the Los Altos State Street Market project. Corinda is the design director and senior associate, and Brian is the studio director. 

Los Altos community investments led the Los Altos State Street Market project with founder and principal Anne Wojcicki (also of 23 and Me); she envisioned transforming space into a vibrant community has been the extension of the Los Altos farmers market Brian and Corinda. 

Their work led designers to draw from their own experience to transform the dormant structure into a welcome flowing gathering place, which is now the modern food hall known as Los Altos State Street Market. 

Special thanks to the managing director of Los Altos community investments, Robert Hindman, for putting this interview together.

Los Altos State Street Market (https://www.statestreetmarket.com/)

IG: statestreetmarket (https://www.instagram.com/statestreetmarket/)

Gensler - San Jose (https://www.gensler.com/offices/san-jose)

IG: genslerdesign (https://www.instagram.com/gensler_design/)

Corinda Wong - corindawong (https://www.instagram.com/corindawong/)

Brian Corbett - bcorb0 (https://www.instagram.com/bcorb0/)

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This episode's music is "408" by Jack Pavlina. Read more about Jack in Issue 14.1 Winter 2022 — release date: Dec. 9, 2021: https://bit.ly/Discover141

Follow Jack at @jackpavlinamusic

Spotify: https://bit.ly/jackpavlina

Episode #74 - Donny Foley - Illustrator and Gallery Manager for the Pacific Art League Palo Alto

Donny Foley is currently the gallery manager for the Pacific Arts League in Palo Alto. Donny has also created his own illustrated characters, Donbon, Bert the cat, and Skunk-Truck, who live and make mischief in the Donbon Universe. Though he has slowed the creation of these comics during the pandemic, Donny looks to return and further explore their world in the months to come.

In our conversation, Donny explains the creation and transformation of his artwork as well as exploration in "Word Painting." (https://www.donbonsuniverse.com/word-paintings)

Follow Donny at uglydonbon (https://www.instagram.com/uglydonbon)

Donbon's Universe (https://www.donbonsuniverse.com)

Read more about Donny's journey in our 2012 article from issue 4.3, "Branding"

https://www.content-magazine.com/articles/4-3-donbon

Pacific Art League Palo Alto (https://www.pacificartleague.org)

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This episode's music is "408" by Jack Pavlina. Read more about Jack in Issue 14.1 Winter 2022 — release date: Dec. 9, 2021: https://bit.ly/Discover141

Follow Jack at @jackpavlinamusic

Spotify: https://bit.ly/jackpavlina

Episode #73 More Más Marami Arts - Cofounders Marissa Martinez and Matt Casey

In this episode, we speak with Marissa Martinez and Matt Casey, cofounders of More Más Marami Arts. Marissa is a playwright and a creative writer, and Matt is a theatre producer and organizer.

More Más Marami Arts formed in 2019 as a collective of artists united by our faith in the power of theatre to bring people together. Their program produces innovative productions, script readings, open mics, educational workshops, and opportunities for and with underserved communities of San Jose and the South Bay Area. 

In our conversation, we hear about Marissa's and Matt's journeys in the theatrical arts and the purpose and mission of More Más Marami Arts.

Please find out more about More Más Marami Arts on their website

https://moremasmarami.org/

Read more about Marissa's journey in issue 12.1, "Device."

https://www.content-magazine.com/articles/12-1-more-mas-marami

This episode's music is "408" by Jack Pavlina. Read more about Jack in Issue 14.1 Winter 2022 — release date: Dec. 9, 2021: https://bit.ly/Discover141

Follow Jack at @jackpavlinamusic

Spotify: https://bit.ly/jackpavlina

#72 - Suzanne St. John-Crane - ALF

Suzanne St. John-Crane joined the American Leadership Forum (ALF) in March of 2016. She has worked in community media for the last 24 years, serving as the founding executive director for two community television stations in the Bay Area, including CreaTV San José. In addition to her leadership and influence in local media, Suzanne is also a talented blues singer and performs with her and her husband Dave's band, Pearl Alley.

In our conversation, Suzanne shares her passion for music and ALF's mission to join and strengthen diverse leaders in our community, to create and support networks for good.

To find out more about ALF, visit their website at alfsv.org

This episode's music is "408" by Jack Pavlina. Read more about Jack in Issue 14.1 Winter 2022 — release date: Dec. 9, 2021: https://bit.ly/Discover141

Follow Jack at @jackpavlinamusic

Spotify: https://bit.ly/jackpavlina

#71- Rebecca Herman and Mark Shoffner

Rebecca Herman and Mark Shoffner have been artistic collaborators since 1999, creating sculptures and installations incorporating textiles, wood, bamboo, paper, and reclaimed materials. Their recent work draws on art and architecture from different cultures to create new interaction sites and refuge in contemporary society, and can be seen at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles as part of the Artists in Residence program until the end of the year.

We spoke with them about their artistic voice and some of their recent projects, including hats and masks made of fabrics dyed to reflect the Air Quality Index, and creating covers for a collection of political books found in Rebecca's grandfather's library using a process called ice dyeing.

 groupc.org

@artgroupc

This episode's music is "408" by Jack Pavlina. Read more about Jack in Issue 14.1 Winter 2022 — release date: Dec. 9, 2021: https://bit.ly/Discover141

Follow Jack at @jackpavlinamusic (https://instagram.com/jackpavlinamusic)

Spotify: https://bit.ly/jackpavlina