The Department of Homeland Inspiration

Art Ranger chews on the question "My California" posed by California Poet Laureate, Lee Herrick. "What is your California?" How do you define your relationship to a state through writing about it? Before tackling the gargantuan topic, a personal narrative ensues which describes the way she first touched the Pacific edge of the continent.

In this episode The Art Ranger works through a question posed by California Poet Laureate, Lee Herrick. "What is your California?" How do you define your relationship to a state, through writing about it? Before beginning a take on the this topic, a personal narrative ensues, describing the way we first touched the Pacific edge of the continent 39 years ago this summer.

Art Ranger sits down with poet, Daniel B. Summerhill, host of an open mic series in Seaside, California. As Monterey County Poet Laureate, Summerhill's leadership includes orchestrating a group poem involving everyone present in the room, whether they've shared at the mic, or not. The results are inspiring to witness, compositions only made possible by the particular people in the room connecting one evening and responding to each other. We thought it would be great to record Daniel reading a few of these poems, as a way to document and share them while celebrating the open mic series @the.hem.nutrition. It is so important for artists to be able to practice, and/or stretch their wings, in an inclusive and open setting. This poet and community have created an ongoing event that encourages such expression, experimentation, and replenishment and we're grateful for the orgainizers and participants who always rise to the occasion.

Art Ranger continues her series of podcasts that celebrate books. "Notes from the Field" are reflections from National Poetry Month as April melted into May, relishing the use of Notes and Voice Memo "apps" as creative tools. Also, If you enjoy literature, learning, and the meeting of minds, here are two excellent podcasts The Art Ranger has tuned in to during the past few years, especially on walks or drives: Commonplace with Rachel Zucker, and Poetry Unbound with Padraig Ó Tuama.

Art Ranger, along with her colleague Michael Sheridan, review "War is a Racket" by Brigadier General Smedley D. Butler. This highly decorated war hero becomes dogged activist and tours the country giving speeches about how he was in effect, a bully for the corporations, then quit.  Art Ranger and Sheridan share excerpts of the text as well as a piece of their minds. Sonic textures provided by our back up band, The Dirty Pens.  Check out Tea With Michael to learn more.

Art Ranger shares a rant-with-reflection from those blurring Pandemic months, while paying more granular attention to the contents of her neighborhood, namely the several Little Free Libraries that reside within a mile radius of her corral.  Some riffs provided by our 2023 virtual band, Dirty Pens.

Art Ranger reads a passage from her great grandfather's book, "Across the Plains" An 1862 journey from Omaha to Oregon by William Smedley. The original palm-sized leather journal currently resides in a Colorado Historical Museum. This emblematic "Go west young man" story quest, contains raw struggles, dicey encounters with "Indians", descriptions of beautiful landscapes, and especially treacherous river crossings, that have never ceased to inspire members of the extended Smedley family.  For the 160th anniversary of his journey, some of his great great grand children arranged a contemporary re-enactment of the crossing - Across the Plains 2022, traversing the very same landscape while contemplating ways that this narrative continues to feel relevant and to shape our family identity.  In the highlighted river crossing, William invokes Greek mythology: "in avoiding 'Charybdis' we encountered 'Scylla'" referring to set of sea monsters living under rocks/ harrowing whirlpools that signify finding the least worst pathway through a tough situation, which he managed to do. 

Adapted from a 2019 performance called, Mad 2 Go, and part of an art show named after the book, "Good and Mad". Now called, Madder 2 Go, the artist grapples with more recent slow-mo gutpunch, and flabbergasted anger and disgust over the churn of events concerning the assault on women's rights. Podcast vocal track is provided by the band, DIRTY PENS, a virtual anonymous set of noise making enthusiasts.  

For this episode, Art Ranger performs a written work by the recently departed Claes Oldenburg. What Beat Poets were doing for the word and the freeing of spirits, Oldenburg and his visual artist contemporaries were embracing a shift toward everyday encounters, away from rarefied and toward a plug or a clothespin. "I am for an art ..." conveys this unmuseum (art is everywhere) enthusiasm that the Art Ranger relishes and interprets for the listener.

A re-introduction to new and continuing listeners. This 3 minute description is Art Ranger's mission statement and quest to share her absurd way of being in the world, through the lens of art.  We compose our audio narratives and interviews alongside a homegrown soundscape. This podcast is attuned to creatives and curious folk who enjoy literature, images, and art making processes.