In some ways a podcast is the best way to showcase the people behind the scenes of an anonymous art collective like Vjay Bombs – no need for identifying photos. Banksie-esque and rebellious Vjay Bombs practices the art of video bombing to speak to truth to power across the Los Angeles cityscape and beyond. They project evocative and poingant vigilante type images across buildings, the kind of images that make a quick and meaningful point. In a time of political tumult, VJay Bombs reminds us that protests can change the tide, doing so in an innovative and ultimately healing manner.

As we enter into May, Mental Health Awareness Month, co-founder of Creative Kids, Andrea Gates-Ingle, lovingly expresses her life’s work in providing healing art possibilities to at-risk kids and their families. She lovingly sketches stories about her brother, kids who have blossomed from art, and innovative approaches to healing after the infamous August 3rd shooting in El Paso. And we even worked a an unexpected conversation about Andrea’s ride or die favorite singer, John Mayer, and Avery’s thoughts on his singing.      

Yup it’s a Mother’s Day Edition Re-release of The Arts of Singing and Advocacy: Courtney Santana. A survivor, an advocate, a singer, an amazing woman, Courtney recounts how losing her mom in the same year Courtney became a grandma forced her to reckon with the resulting highs and lows. And Courtney’s newly released album Living Through It All perfectly encapsulates her journey. Interested in other Healing Arts mom stories? Consider re-listening to previous episodes The Art of Sporting: Curtis Clay; The Art of Flowers: Dov Kupfer; and The Art of Food and Hospitality: Marina Ardovino.   

The Ardovino family represents all that El Paso can be: warmth, charm, amazing food and hospitality. Marina Ardovino joins us this week to talk about what it means to be Italian, El Pasoan, a mom, daughter, sister, wife and purveyor of beautiful hospitality. Marina also lovingly recalls her mom: Maria Vincenza Rosaria Dibonito Ardovino’s outsized influence as a community member and mom to all who came into her restaurant and her life continues to resonate.

In many ways, Dov Kupfer personifies the LGTQIA+ experience in the Borderland. A decade’s long mainstay in our community, this conversation recounts how he has negotiated his place in the Jewish faith while living authentically and taking a million photos and changing lives by arranging flowers. Like our Borderlands, Dov defies definition in the most beautifully liminal ways.  

Niko used theatrical rage to heal from trauma. “I think we look at anger as this big, bad emotion. It’s not. And you can have good anger, you can have bad anger, you can have anger that hurts people, you can have anger that hurts yourself.” In a specific angry scene in a recent theater production Niko says, “It was actually a lot harder than I anticipated, because even though me and anger and rage are bed buddies…it was something I never show people. It’s a part of myself that I have kept well-hidden in my 34 years.”

My friend, Stephanie Valle, says it best when it comes to this week’s guest, Felipa Solis: “Ever meet someone who exudes so much energy, you float off the ground a few inches? When Felipa says hello, she says it with her whole self. Her eyes light up, her smile is 1,000 watts…Passion for the arts is in her blood. Have a question about a classic film? Felipa has the answer. What did she think of the latest film in theaters? Felipa watched the screening and has the review.” 

Ready for a great conversation about how Craig Culley does not use art to heal himself? I tend to believe his ability to accurately and creatively craft figure drawings and help students pick up this craft must feed a sense of accomplishment and nurturing that he has in him. But listen to his take on his practice of art and see if you agree with him or me. Oh yeah, and hear whether I have finally convinced Avery that soccer is an art.

Ale’s who are you question included playing electric guitar in her band, Jane Like Fire, running cross-country track and being a young person in a close-knit and supportive El Paso family. “I call myself a sponge to my friends…I feel think right now as a young person it’s my responsibility to just take it all in...Like, I have my school curriculum but it’s also my job to branch out and learn as much as I can right now, because my frontal lobe is growing, right?” Spoiler alert: when I asked about her trauma, she couldn’t identify one and then later off-handedly mentioned she recently fractured her pelvis while running. Talk about a resilient!

The vibrations in his cello have worked their way into Zuil’s core. “The day you can embrace the uniqueness of who you are is the day you no longer have competition. All of us are so different. How we view colors, how we hear sounds. How we register our past. Chemically, our presence. How we register and hope for our future. How we balance all of that. How we accept that all of it is ok. But are awake to flex and fight fear...Everything makes us stronger.” And those vibrations have worked their way into all of us.