Minot Arts Podcast: a MAP to the Arts in Small Town America

Justin and Chandell sit down for the season 2 finale with local florist and designer Lexi Clark, owner of Lexi Lou Floral. They discuss Lexi's journey through art, design, flowers, and events, the importance of telling your color story, and her passion for landscaping and community.

Justin and Chandell sit down with local artist Nancy Walter to discuss her experience as both an artist and a museum director in Minot. They talk about the importance of making mistakes, the benefit of collaborating with others, the challenge of reaching new audiences in a small community, and how we can break down barriers to encourage increased arts participation.

Kellie Harvey, of Kellie Photography, joins Justin and Chandell to discuss how her passion for photography developed accidentally as she learned the ropes of social media marketing. Kellie looks back on her experience coordinating the AARP murals in downtown Minot, how she's watched the murals give new life to underutilized spaces, and how they've become important landmarks for her and other local photographers. Kellie discusses her passion for empowering women through her work and about the joy she experiences watching the community come together at different downtown events, like those hosted by her and the crew at Atypical Brewery.

Dr. Erik Anderson, professor of strings and co-director of the MSU String Ensemble, joins Justin and Chandell to talk about the valuable role that creatives play within society, his passion for sharing knowledge and experience through music, and why he prefers playing in community orchestras where connection takes precedence over perfection. He shares his excitement about the upcoming Community Rocks concert and about his involvement with the Minot Strings Academy.

Elizabeth Sund of Sundbakes joins Justin and Chandell to talk about how strategic problem-solving led to her ability to make a living as a food artist. We talk about her creative process, how she decides what's "cake-able," her love of public speaking, and the power of prioritizing peace.

Local artist and graphic designer Roxi Mathis joins Justin and Chandell to discuss her rural upbringing in Amadon, ND and the impact that ranch life and familial influences have had on her artistic journey and her works. Roxi reflects on Minot’s welcoming arts environment, on the value of living in a community with accessible arts experiences, and shares her excitement about her newest projects. 

Executive Director of International Music Camp, Director of the Minot Community Concert Band, Minot Symphony Orchestra musician, and community organizer Tim Baumann joins Justin and Chandell to talk about how his varied work and projects intersect and are propelled by a desire to meet people where they're at and to help our community grow in meaningful ways. We talk about Tim's experiences living and teaching in both rural and urban environments and what he has taken from those experiences to cultivate change-making within the Magic City and beyond. Tim shares with us his excitement about upcoming events and milestones and encourages listeners to be brave in pursuing their interests- even if they aren't very good at first.

Minot State University professor Sarah Honerman joins Justin and Chandell to discuss how her personal background in theatre brought her to teaching at Minot State University and being selected to help revive the MSU theatre program. We discuss the unique collaborative atmosphere that occurs in rural art-making and Sarah shares her excitement about upcoming collaborative programming with Western Plains Opera and shows she’d like to bring to the MSU stage.

Justin and Chandell are joined by MSU art professor and co-founder and co-organizer of NOTSTOCK,  Bill Harbort to discuss his journey from working as a commercial artist in New York City to teaching and creating in Minot, and how that transition has given him increased opportunities to explore making art that is intrinsically inspired. We discuss the ability of the arts to inform and transform our personal perspectives, and the value of increasing access to artistic experiences for rural students, ponder the responsible implementation of AI art in the classroom, and reflect on some of Bill's favorite NotStock memories and some of the impact the event has had on the community and at MSU.

In this episode of the Minot Arts Podcast, Justin and Chandell sit down with Dr. Emerson Eads, composer, conductor and Director of Choral Activities at MSU, to learn about his artistic journey and how he found his passion for creating "sonic spaces". They discuss the impact that invested educators can have on their students, the dedication and personal sacrifice rural communities infuse into their productions, and explore the balance between embracing progress and the value of honoring creative traditions.