Modern Romantic

What happens when students are given the space, time, and encouragement to take their creativity seriously?
Join us as we talk with Anne Johnson from Perpich Arts High School, a one-of-a-kind public arts school where young artists grow, experiment, and discover who they are through creative expression. We dove into the importance of the arts in education and how programs like Perpich can shape lives in powerful ways.

https://perpich.mn.gov/arts-high-school/

We’re thrilled to welcome David Stephens, founder of All Hands Productions, to the podcast!
David is a nationally acclaimed solo puppeteer, storyteller, and banjo player whose imaginative retellings of classic fairy tales have captivated families for over 20 years. His work has been featured everywhere from the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta to Sesame Street!
Join us live as we talk about storytelling, fairy tales, handmade art, music, and what it means to keep wonder alive at any age. Find David online at https://www.allhandsproductions.com

Jason is known for his large-scale murals and his beautifully unexpected altered vintage paintings, where old landscapes and forgotten portraits become home to whimsical robots, curious creatures, and whimsical stories that bridge past and present. His work lives in the space between nostalgia and imagination, blending humor, sustainability, and wonder in ways that invite both reflection and delight.
Find Jason online at https://artistjasonjones.com

Once upon a time (now) there was (is) a group of people who occasionally did unrehearsed script readings (live in front of an audience) of their favorite plays and films. The only rule for each actor was they had to make each character they played their own in whatever way they wanted, and to not actually share that with the other actors. So everyone shows up, ready to go, with no idea what's about to happen.

The Princess Bride

Cast:Wesley – Chris Hunter
Buttercup – Neka Marie
Inigo Montoya - Carlos A. Williams Jr.
Valerie / Mother / Popping Sound in Fire Swamp – Lindsay Stewart
Prince Humperdinck / Grandson / Miracle Max – Josh Maiolo
Count Rugen / The Grandfather / Narrator / King of Florin – Trey Pittman
Fezzik / The Impessive Clergyman / The Albino / Castle Guards / Crowd and Brute Squad Noises – Michael Stewart
Vizzini / Booing Woman / Soldiers at the Castle Gate / Brute Squad Sounds – Laura Packer
Yellin / Brute Squad Member – Emily Kramer

Julie Floro creates dreamlike photographic worlds rooted in nostalgia, memory, and that quiet space between waking and sleep. Her work invites viewers to step beyond ordinary reality and into images soaked in imagination, vulnerability, and wonder, and we're here for every pixel!

Join us as we chat about photography as escape and home, the power of nostalgia, cultivating a community of dreamers, and why creativity is often the place we feel most like ourselves. If you’re a seeker of meaning, magic, or the Narnia hidden inside everyday life… this one’s for you. Learn more at juliefloro.com

Gina Gallina is a crochet artist in Arkansas who fills the world around her with color, texture, and wonder! She had created crochet items that would surprise you! Giant mushrooms a human can fit in, wrapping whole buildings in granny squares, and dressing models for the runway are all part of her crochet designs.

There's no limit to Gina's creativity, and we talk about all of it on the show. Find Gina online at www.ginagallina.com

Best Blues Album winner and Grammy Nominee Glenda Benevides joined us on the show, and what a fun episode this was!

We are excited to share Glenda recently won Best Blues Album for Four Shades of Blue at the World Entertainment Awards!

What an unstoppable force of creativity, heart, and soul.

Glenda’s music invites listeners into stories of resilience, connection, and transformation. With a signature sound and a magnetic presence, she’s an artist who doesn’t just perform... she moves people.https://glendabenevides.com

Ali Williams is an artist, illustrator, and the unapologetically bold founder (along with her husband) of FUMEINK. the adult coloring book company that proves creativity doesn’t have to be quiet or polite.
FUMEINK is where coloring meets catharsis. Their books are packed with sarcasm, dark humor, laughs, and gloriously unboring designs. Think: stress relief with a wicked grin. From “Dark & Creepy” to “Humor & Sarcasm,” from pop-culture tributes to cheeky cocktails, every page is therapy for grown-ups who know life’s too short for bland lines and inspirational quotes that lie.
Ali doesn’t just make art, she builds fun worlds full of attitude, builds community through laughter, and even uses her irreverent creations for good, partnering with organizations like Fayetteville Animal Services through special charity coloring books.

Growing up surrounded by the pioneers (his parents) of the American Studio Glass Movement and the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Alex developed a vision all his own. His pieces blend steel and the luminous fragility of glass, creating sculptures that feel both powerful, modern, and organic.
From teaching at the Corning Museum of Glass to leading the Glass Department at the Worcester Center for Crafts, and now creating full-time in his Asheville, NC studio, Alex continues to shape glass into reflections of resilience, transformation, and grace.

Learn more about Alex at https://alexbernsteinglass.com

This lovely guest really needs no introduction! But we know she'd love one, just the same. It's Mrs. Carol Claus! Christmas Executive Officer of the North Pole, wife to Santa Claus, caretaker of reindeer, baker, crafter, friend of the elves, and so so much more!

Mrs. Claus was also involved with a recent book project, and it's not too late to grab one for yourself or as a gift: "What Would Mrs. Claus Do?" is a delightful book for the season, and really for any season.

This might be our most fun and whimsical episode of the year, and we're sure you'll enjoy it too!

Learn more about Mrs. Claus here: https://mrscarolclaus.com