On this bite-sized Breakdown, Michelle delves into what the word “contemporary” means in the worlds of visual arts and dance. She uncovers the origins of the contemporary spirit and how its unrestrained form breaks from tradition, both on the canvas and through the body. Her spotlight on this genre gives texture and background to the work of previous Cultured guests Juel D. Lane, the contemporary dancer featured in Episode 13, and Tami Katz-Freiman, the contemporary art curator featured in Episode 14.

Artists like Hannah Pearman prove that a canvas can hold much more than just paint. By using fluid (or watered-down) acrylic paints, Hannah brings to life the majestic blue and green hues that found in the rich ecosystems of her native country, New Zealand. Her abstract creations honor the enormity of our surroundings, from the cosmos to our planet’s deep seas (which she refers to as an Earth-bound cosmos).

It’s hard to imagine anything more surreal than the stories Jim Henson Company-trained puppeteer Raymond Carr brings to this episode of The Cultured Podcast. Raised by Christian clowns, Raymond spent his childhood touring the country in a pink 18-foot trailer with his family. Raymond shares how his nontraditional upbringing inspired his career in puppetry, which has since led him to perform everywhere from Madison Square Garden to Iceland.

The magic of the theatre is in its power to suspend an audience’s disbelief ad whisk them away to foreign places in an imaginary world. That imaginary world rests heavily on the shoulders of the stage manager. Freelance stage manager Emma McVey drops by The Cultured Podcast to chat with Michelle and shed light on the talents this essential position requires. Emma explains how every purposeful component of a live production is tracked by the stage manager.

Michelle chats with Plex Boogie and Stevie Zenith of The Spacesuit Junkies about their journey as independent recording artists. From the origins of their duo to their entrepreneurial vision, these two performers break down the commitment and determination it takes to flourish independently. Michelle shares her own experience of trading a corporate career for a more fulfilling, autonomous business and this leads to a conversation on defying the myth of the starving artist.

A symphony of moving parts must cooperate to bring a theatrical production to life. One critical element has the tricky job of uniting those varied aspects into one cohesive experience: lighting. Lighting designer Connor McVey brings his expertise to The Cultured Podcast where he and Michelle break down the fundamentals of lighting design and the unique way it interprets the script.

While most people look past city walls as everyday structures, Monica Campana recognizes them as canvases bursting with potential. As the executive director of nonprofit arts organization Living Walls, Monica spend much of her time jumping through bureaucratic hoops in order to transform once anonymous public spaces into intimate displays of community expression. Michelle and Monica explore the history and purpose of street art while digging into the political and emotional roots behind the genre.

A seasoned stand-up performer, comedy teacher, podcast host, and writer, Joel Byars chats with Michelle about his passion for comedy and the path he’s taken to pursue it full-time. We get insight from their conversation about the power of social accountability and the tools Byars utilizes to sustain his creative output. They also dive into the fear element often associated with performing stand-up.

Once a homeless youth, Malika Whitley now applies that painful experience to generating artistic opportunities for homeless teens across the globe. Through her nonprofit ChopArt, Malika shines a light on a population that's often "invisible," giving them opportunities to express themselves in a safe environment.

Episode 23's guest is actress Taylor M. Dooley, who recently starred in the one-woman show "Throw Me on the Burnpile and Light Me Up," a heart-wrenching and hilarious play written by Lucy Alibar. Throughout the two-act play, Taylor embodies 10-plus characters. She clues us into the painstaking process of developing each character through backstory and movement processes. Taylor then opens up about what it was like to play a character whose father died while her own father was passing away in real life.