Lehigh Valley Arts Podcast

This week, we talk with local musician Seth Witcher. Seth is a seasoned musician described as being "Current, contagious, and in demand" according to Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley Style Magazine. He is the Season 2 winner of FOX 29’s “Spotlight Under the El,” and has also recently been featured on both WFMZ 69 News and the Q Show on FOX 29. Seth is a singer, song-writer, producer, and a luthier who has accumulated over a decade of guitar and vocal experience. His popularity has blossomed over the past several years, averaging just under 200 performances annually. Ultimately, he desires to be heard by as many people as possible, so stay tuned and keep an eye out for when he's performing near you!

You can keep up with him by following him on Instagram @seth_witcher or by checking out his Linktree at https://linktr.ee/SethWitcher.

His new song "We're All Human" comes out on May 20th. Keep an eye out for that new song and make sure you stick around until the end of the episode for a quick surprise!

Seth read the opportunity for the week, which is a listing of all his upcoming concerts! For more information about his upcoming shows, check out the shows tab on his website: https://www.sethwitcherofficial.com/shows.

All the music used in this episode is by Seth Witcher.

This in this episode, we went to the opening reception for Anthony Smith (@ansmithjrnyc) and Doug Boehm's (@dougbohemart)exhibition Sweet Distress at The Art Establishment (@theartestpa). We talked with Ellen Flynn, the owner and general manager of The Art Establishment. and both artists about the show, space, and the exhibited works. We also talked with a few attendants about their experience.

The closing reception for the show will be on Saturday, April 30 (2022) at 2pm. We hope to see you there!

The Art Establishtment's website is https://www.theartestablishmentstudios.com/
Anthony's Website is https://www.anthonysmithjr.com
Doug's Website is https://dougboehm.com/

This week, we kick off our 3rd season with an interview between Elise and Hannah Ehret! Hannah is a local artist and gallery owner who recently found herself back in the Lehigh Valley! She is a visual artist and self proclaimed mud larker with a master's degree in art from Fontbonne University. Currently living in Easton, Hannah is also the owner of Hemlock Art Space & Gallery. You can find her on Instagram either through her personal art account: @hannahehretartist or by following her Business account @_hemlockart_.

Our opportunity for the week is Hemlock's funeral. Hemlock will be closing its brick and mortar location at 9 N 2nd St. in Easton-- but this is not the end! Join Hannah in having a funeral for the physical gallery, to pave way for an exciting new afterlife! The Funeral will be hosted in the gallery, for a fond farewell. Funeral garb is encouraged but not required. Drinks, small bites and an arty little gift bag for the first 20 guests. The event will be on April 24th from 1-5pm.

This week, Ben and Elisabeth talk with Rachel Bell (@rachellbel). Rachel Bell is a mixed media artist living and working in the Lehigh Valley. 

After graduating from Tyler School of Art at Temple University with a BFA in painting and drawing and a minor in art history, she immersed herself in the Lehigh Valley art scene. 

She began working as the front desk receptionist at the Banana Factory and soon after that she started interning at the Allentown Art Museum in the exhibition and collections department. After putting in a year at the art museum, she then went on to work as a gallery assistant at Bethlehem House Gallery. Over the course of 2018 she went back to Temple and became a certified floral designer. Furthermore, in 2019 she started working under a local florist in the Easton, PA flower shop “Bloomies”. 

Her role as a floral designer influenced her contemporary painting style and brought her work into the 3D realm. In 2020, during the pandemic shutdown, she was able to expand her portfolio and create a body of new work, which was on display in the Bethlehem House Gallery’s Holiday Show 2020. The exhibit included many of Rachel’s mixed media paintings & drawings, floral arrangements, installations, and prints. 

Currently, Rachel has elevated her role at the House Gallery to Assistant Director, continues to create fresh floral arrangements at Bloomies, which was rated 2021’s Best Flower Shop in the Valley by LV Style Magazine, and she also manages her art practice in Studio 248A at the Banana Factory.

Our opportunity for the week is the artist reception for  for “Black Vision.”  Femi J. Johnson is the guest curator for this celebration of Black History Month. Femi has chosen three prominent local artists to feature in the show — Berrisford Boothe, Al Johnson and Charles Stonewall. The reception is Thursday, February 3, 5:30-7:30, at ARTHAUS (645 Hamilton St). 

This week, Elise talks with local pet portrait artist, beer can designer for Lost Tavern Brewing, wife, and mother of 2 Gretchen Gross. Gretchen, who goes by @thetwistedplottco on Instagram, was recently had a design of hers voted "Best Beer Can Design in PA" for a can she designed for Lost Tavern Brewing. The can featured a realist depiction of Allen Iverson on the can for Lost Tavern's beer titled “Not A Game.” This beer can design memorializes the famous “practice” rant from Philadelphia 76er Allen Iverson. The 10% NETIPA is dry hopped with Galaxy, Sultana, & Citra with strong notes of candied peach rings and tropical fruit cocktail.

This week, we talk with abstract artist, Abraham Darlington!

Abraham Darlington is originally from Philadelphia, PA. He has always had an interest in art, especially tattoo art; but, was not until he developed a shoulder injury that he began to pursue his artistic interests. Abraham has no formal art training, except for taking a small number of courses at The Baum School of Art at a young age. Everything he creates has been through hard work, experimentation, imagination, and the sounds of rock music.
Abraham's work does not follow a specific style or school of thought when he creates art. He enjoys all styles and mediums, but has a proclivity for street, graffiti, abstract, minimalist, and cubist art. His paintings are typically created spontaneously and quickly being completed within a sitting or two. He uses all types of tools including brushes, palette knives, spatulas, combs, sponges, spray paints, stencils, even his own hands.
Follow Abraham on Instagram @art_enthusiast1986 or visit his website www.punkmetalabstract.com.

Our opportunity for the week is for the newest gallery show at The Gallery at Steel Pixel Studios. Digital Frontier: An NFT Exhibition opens on Wednesday, January 12th and features the work of Tyrone Webb, Michael Lebson, and the "Aww, Rats!" team. The opening reception is on January 12th from 6:30-8pm. The show will run from January 12th - February 25th.

This week, Elisabeth is joined by guest-host and former season one podcast guest Ikechukwu Okorji! At the beginning of this episode, we cover what Ikechukwu has been up to since he was last on and talk about musical inspirations!

This week's special guest is singer/songwriter Stefanie Johnson!

Singing and writing songs since a young girl, Stefanie hails from the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, once home to some of the country’s largest steel manufacturing. Her professional musical experience is varied and significant: performing at Bethlehem’s popular Musikfest, one of the nation’s largest music festivals, and beyond. Stefanie has appeared on local television stations such as WLVT's Steel Sessions, WFMZ’s Music Monday, and Service Electric’s Holiday Concert Series as well as The Mike Zambelli Show. In addition to the local scene, Stefanie has performed at Nashville's legendary Bluebird Cafe and 12th & Porter, and then on to perform at the Rock and Roll of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.

In 2015, Stefanie began recording her album with co-writer/producer Brian J. Anthony who immediately embraced her vision. Brian helped create a sonic landscape by mixing bits of rock, pop and country while not losing the intensity of her voice or deep personal reflection in her lyrics. The result of these tracks gained the attention of some of the area's best-known musicians who all jumped at the opportunity to be part of this project. She released her self-titled debut album, Stefanie, through England's Escape Music label in February of 2017.

To describe her voice, Stefanie has a bold melodic presence, both strong and smooth. Her style ranges from a soaring pop artist to rock singer with a slight country timbre as well. Similarly, her music and songwriting style traverse those same motifs. Stefanie is currently working on a new album with co-writer and producer Brian Anthony. This album will be slightly more blues and country driven with a roots rock feel.

Stefanie has also made her mark in the music licensing business. Her song “In my Shoes” has been featured in the 2018 film Affairs of State. In addition, her song “One Life” will be featured in the upcoming film Red Rocket to be released December 2021. Most recently, her song “Everything You Need” will be featured in Daniel Roebuck’s Hail Mary which is currently in postproduction.

For more information about Stefanie and to see her upcoming shows, check her out on Instagram at @stefanie.johnson (https://www.instagram.com/stefanie.johnson/) or go to her reverbnation page (https://www.reverbnation.com/stefaniejohnson)!

Stick around until the end of the episode for a short and funny musical suprise!

This week, we recorded live at Godfrey Daniels with the Managing Director, Ramona Labarre. 

Ramona is a Texas native who came to Bethlehem in 1985. Looking for music on the left end of the dial, she found Hep Cat’s Holiday - hosted by Dave Fry - on WMUH radio, where she heard that Nanci Griffith would be performing at a place called Godfrey Daniels. She remembers finding and walking into the club one evening to buy tickets. Nanci Griffith at Godfrey’s: an intimate concert with only about 30 in attendance. Needless to say, she caught the magic that night. She answered the call to start volunteering. It didn’t take long to figure out that she could be part of a group of like-minded folks who helped bring live music to the masses.

She was soon enlisted to help behind the scenes. By 1990, she was invited to join the board. In the late 1990s, she joined the conference staff for the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance and International Folk Alliance for 10 years, an important nexus for folk artists, venues, radio, festivals, press and record companies, and others. In 2010, she was recognized as Volunteer of the Year by the Bethlehem Fine Arts Commission, due no doubt to her volunteer time with Godfrey’s, and her years (2003-2009) with the Celtic Cultural Alliance (Celtic Classic festival). At CCA, she was public relations; bookkeeper; volunteer coordinator; festival finance director. The Lehigh Valley music scene is truly a large, generous and open hearted community - very much like a family. The people who I count as my best friends today, she met at Godfrey’s or thru herwork at Godfrey’s.

Godfrey’s partners with several area arts organizations: WDIY; Touchstone Theatre; Celtic Classic; ArtsQuest/MusikFest. The LV Charter High School for the Performing Arts. Godfrey Daniels has been recognized by the LV Music Awards. Godfrey’s is supported financially by a strong membership program; and local foundations such as Martin Guitar Foundation; also the PCA.

This week, we kick off the episode by thanking everyone for coming out to Nina Boodhansingh's artist reception at the Gallery at Steel Pixel Studios. After that, Ben and Elisabeth talk with Marie Jeanna Haba about her artwork. 

Marie Jeanne is an independent artist working and living in Hellertown, Pennsylvania. Her interest in art and stained glass began in 2010 when she first arrived to the U.S. from Guinea Conakry in West Africa. While attending Germantown High School, she distinguished herself by crafting paper birds with intricate feathers and stained glass. One of her feather birds won first place in the Philadelphia School District art competition, kicking off her career as a visual artist.

Upon graduating, she attended Community College of Philadelphia where she continued studying English as a second language. Jeanne then transferred to Shippensburg University where she majored in French language and culture while engaging with many art courses, including art history, 3-dimensional art, and ceramics.

After graduating from Shippensburg University, Jeanne felt torn between pursuing a career as a translator and exploring her passion for stained glass and painting. She made a studio in her basement, a sanctuary where she was able express her creativity, and dedicated herself to making art from an international perspective.

Jeanne’s artworks are inspired by her early experiences in Guinea Conakry, as well as by the West African perspective on life. She draws from the region’s spirituality and the concept of sacred femininity. “Heaven is under the feet of women,” according to Islamic belief—a popular saying across West Africa. With this in mind, Jeanne’s art depicts the female figure. Her work explores the mythology, spirituality, and representation of women in her culture. With her fine art, Jeanne manages to combine her experiences as a young adult in Pennsylvania with her early influences in Guinea Conakry. Although women are considered sacred in West Africa, there is still a taboo around open conversation about a woman’s body.

Therefore, Jeanne’s dream is to introduce a frank dialogue about all aspects of femininity—including the bodily form.

You can view her work at her website, https://www.marie-belle-art.com/, on Instagram at @belleeeart, or by visiting her on an upcoming First Friday at the Banana Factory.

Our opportunity for the week is the "Art (and) History From a Queer Perspective" at the Bradbury Sullivan Center. The next class will focus on Anne Lister (Gentleman Jack) and her era, with a special presentation by “Lister Sister” Michelle Mecham, on decoding Anne’s fascinating diaries.

While it’s sometimes hard to provide solid evidence that a person in the 1800s was actually gay, that is not the case with this fascinating woman. Diarist Anne Lister has been called the “First Lesbian”, because her (literally) 5 million words of eye opening journal entries (circa 1835) describe not only her well-adjusted understanding of her lesbian identity, but graphic descriptions written in code of making love to many women, including Ann Walker, whom she wooed and “wedded." Lister’s and Walker’s in-church commitment has been recognized as the first same-sex marriage in Britain, and Anne Lister’s life is the subject of the show “Gentleman Jack," a BBC TV series. 

In this class, instructor Liz Bradbury, MFA will talk about Anne Lister’s life and a bit about other queer figures in history that were part of her era. Included in this class will be a presentation by Michelle Mecham, a “Lister Sister” who is part of the decoding project of Anne’s Diaries, organized by the Shibden Hall Anne Lister Museum. 

The series is free and open to the public. Registration not required. For more information about the series, contact instructor Liz Bradbury at 610-432-5449 or [email protected]. 

This week, Elise and Ben interview featured artist, Marlow Rodale (@wolram)!

Marlow Rodale paints imaginary landscapes, rich in color and texture, to capture the ephemeral world of dreams.  The surreal color combined with the skewing of perspective and geometric form is an attempt to capture the otherworldly feeling of being in a dream; a world familiar but not confined to logical conventions of our waking reality. The tantalizing surface texture, perspective and color all work together to draw the viewer into the scene and evoke a visceral reaction, while an absence of recognizable objects allows the viewer to create a narrative from their own experience

You can find more about Marlow by following them on Instagram at @wolram or by checking out their website at https://www.marlowrodale.com/.

Our opportunity of the week is for the Opening Reception: "Riot of Life" Works by Terry Stout and Tom Maxfield, a new show by two local artists who interpret flora, fauna, small and large, parts of interwoven, integrated systems that make the wild web of life in two very different ways.

The reception will be at the Nurture Nature Center, located at 518 Northampton St, Easton, PA 18042. It will be held from 6-9pm on Friday, December 3rd 2021.