In this episode of Webchat Wednesdays, the Long Beach Public Library Studio guides talk with Alex Evans and Missy Steele of the Bob Baker Marionette Theater. Alex Evans is the executive director and head puppeteer and Missy Steele is the director of operations of Los Angeles’s oldest children’s theater company. For more information, you can visit their website at http://www.bobbakermarionettetheater.com

Select "community tag" and search “ep12” in the LBPL catalogue for this episode’s book list. Search “WCW” for the list of all our guests’ book and media recommendations.

Watch the Bob Baker Marionette Theater performance on our Long Beach Public Library YouTube channel!

The Long Beach Public Library Studio guides talk with Jeremy Schott in this episode of Webchat Wednesdays. Schott is the owner of The Dark Art Emporium, an art gallery/oddity shop in downtown Long Beach. After being closed to the public during the pandemic, the Emporium is getting ready to open its new space with its lowbrow art and dark art.

Search “ep11” in the LBPL catalogue for Jeremy Schott’s recommendations list and “WCW” for the list of all our guests’ book and media recommendations.

In this episode, the Studio guides at the Long Beach Public Library speak with John Adams, the Deputy Director of Biosphere 2 in Arizona. For over 25 years, John has worked at one of the world’s most unique facilities dedicated to the research and understanding of global scientific issues. Learn about the many different biomes at the facility and what a day in the life looks like at Biosphere 2. For more information, you can visit their web site at biosphere2.org and listen to the “Biosphere 2 Podcast.” 

Search "ep10" in the LBPL catalogue for John Adams's book recommendations list and "WCW" for the complete list of Webchat Wednesdays guests' book recommendations.

Josh Zubkoff and Srikanth Guttikonda are co-founders of Looking Up Arts Foundation, a San-Francisco-based non-profit that creates interactive art installations. In this episode of Webchat Wednesdays, we talk with Josh and Sri about community-driven and accessible art installation and what their (literal and figurative) biggest challenges are, from conceiving the world’s tallest flamingo to installing an LED rainbow bridge in the middle of the Black Rock desert.

Search “ep9” in the LBPL catalogue for Josh and Sri’s book recommendations list and “WCW” for the complete list of Webchat Wednesdays guests’ recommendations.

A self-taught designer, builder, and entrepreneur, Mariah Hoffman has spent years mindfully crafting her tiny house on wheels. From the physical home that she has built to the urban design projects that she manages, Mariah's work engages with intentional space on a personal and community level. 

Micro Modula is a lifestyle brand and tiny house build cultivated by Mariah Hoffman. 

Jorge Mujica is an artist based in Southern California. He is the director and curator of CACTtUS, the Creative Arts Coalition to Transform Urban Space. 

Blanca Diaz is a gardener, teacher, and California native plant expert. They are the native plant coordinator for the Long Beach Office of Sustainability and the manager of Willow Springs Park. In this episode of Webchat Wednesdays, we talk with Blanca about the importance of ethnobotany, opportunities and resources offered through the Long Beach Office of sustainability, and how to incorporate California native plants into your garden or recycled containers.

Search “ep8” in the LBPL catalogue for Blanca’s book recommendations list and “WCW” for the complete list of Webchat Wednesdays guests’ recommendations.

Carole Frances Lung  is a textile artist, performance artist, and a Professor of Fashion, Fiber and Materials at Cal State LA.  Through her work, and the work of her alter ego Frau Fiber, she advocates for fair labor practices + sustainability within the garment industry .

Suzanne Greenberg’s collection of short stories, Speed-Walk and Other Stories, won the Drue Heinz Literature Prize, chosen by Rick Moody, and was a finalist for the John Gardner Fiction Book Award. Her fiction, creative essays and poetry have appeared in a number of publications, including The Washington Post Magazine, Mississippi Review, West Branch and The Sun, among others. 

Her work on teaching creative writing has appeared in numerous publications, including, most recently, in What We Talk about When We Talk about Creative Writing, edited by Anna Leahy, Multilingual Matters, Ltd. She is the co-author of a book on creative writing, Everyday Creative Writing: Panning for Gold in the Kitchen Sink, distributed by McGraw Hill, now in its second edition.

Sayon Syprasoeuth is an interdisciplinary artist, focusing on his personal story as a refugee from Cambodia. He grew up in Thai refugee camp, and emigrated to the United States at the age of seven. His work address past and present issues; triggered by memories of war and trauma, beliefs, spiritual dimensions and life in contemporary time in the United States. 

His work has been shown in Cambodia, China, Berlin and throughout the United States. He received his BFA from Long Beach State in 2003 and MFA from Claremont Graduate University (CGU) in 2007. 

Since 2008 he has involve with Global Hybrid; an arts exchange between artists in Cambodia, Korea and United States. He is currently a curator for GHOSTS, an artist curated project. He currently lives and work in Long Beach, California.