Discover the visionary research and creative practices of VCUarts faculty in this engaging 20-minute podcast series. Hosted by Professor Aaron Anderson, Ph.D., each episode features conversations with a faculty member and a guest that illuminate the choices we make as artists, designers and educators, and the transformative impact of the arts on individuals and communities. With thoughtful dialogue that embraces both successes and challenges, the series invites listeners to gain new perspectives and celebrate the essential role of the arts in shaping culture and society.
Professor of Photography and Film Sasha Waters describes the story behind the documentary Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World, and what it felt like to make Stephen Colbert cry. --- About Sasha Waters Sasha Waters has produced and directed nearly two dozen documentary, experimental, and short essay films, many of which originate in 16mm. Most recently, she is the producer, director and co-editor of Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World, a feature-length portrait of the...
30 Sept 2026
Laura Battaglia
Architect and interior design educator Laura Battaglia and former student Eiman Rasheed discuss an ongoing memorialization project and how empathic design centers the human experience in interior spaces. --- About Laura Battaglia Laura Battaglia is an architect, educator and researcher whose work advances a collaborative, community-centered vision of design—one in which scholarship emerges as an ecosystem connecting communities, students and their physical environments. Her interdisciplinary ...
16 Sept 2026
Stephen Vitiello
Award-winning sound artist Stephen Vitiello discusses the magic of discovering, shaping and sharing soundscapes in art installations, LPs, film, firmament and even through the architecture of the World Trade Center. This episode also features musician, composer and sound artist Steve Ashby. --- About Stephen Vitiello Stephen Vitiello is a professor in the department of Kinetic Imaging at Virginia Commonwealth University. He is known internationally as an electronic musician and media artist. ...
15 Apr 2026
Filipe Leitão
Composer and producer Filipe Leitão describes the art of composing music for cinema and explains that what a director says they want is not always what they really want. --- About Filipe Leitão Filipe Leitão, D.M.A., is an award-winning composer, music producer and educator. He is Associate Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he developed and leads the Media Scoring program. He earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at The University of Alabama, a Master of Fine Arts degree...
1 Apr 2026
Roberto Jamora
Roberto Jamora describes the magic of color, the importance of seeing in critical thinking and the legacy of first generation immigrants in the arts. This episode also features Michelle Yee, assistant professor of Art History at VCUarts. --- About Roberto Jamora Roberto Jamora is a Richmond-based artist and educator. He holds an M.F.A. from the State University of New York at Purchase and a B.F.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts. He is an Assistant Professor in the VC...
18 Mar 2026
E. Gaynell Sherrod, Ed.D.
Dancer E. Gaynell Sherrod, Ed.D., describes the challenges and triumphs of creating the sonic landscape for 350,000, an immersive film installation featured in the exhibition Dawoud Bey: Elegy. This episode also features Valerie Cassel Oliver, the Sydney and Frances Lewis Family Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. --- About E. Gaynell Sherrod Dance educator, choreographer and historian E. Gaynell Sherrod, Ed.D., danced professionally with the Philadelph...
25 Feb 2026
Simone Carena & Marco Bruno
VCUarts Qatar-based international architects and interior designers Simone Carena and Marco Bruno explain the creative power of fresh starts and misunderstandings, the meaning of dub design and why arts research is like riding a motorcycle. --- About Simone Carena & Marco Bruno MOTOElastico co-founders and VCUarts Qatar faculty members Simone Carena and Marco Bruno chat about their Dub-inspired design process. MOTOElastico is an orbiting Space Lab founded in Seoul by Simone Carena a...
11 Feb 2026
John Freyer
John Freyer explains how he came to make art that creates space for people to slow down and have honest conversations with each other. This episode also features artist, curator and educator Sarah Irvin, curator of student exhibitions and programs at the Anderson, VCUarts' premier on-campus exhibition space. --- About John Freyer John Freyer is an associate professor of cross-disciplinary media at VCUarts. Freyer is a Peer Recovery Support Specialist and a founding member of the Inclusive Rec...
28 Jan 2026
Pam Turner
Pam Turner discusses the animus in animation, the power of place, and her extraordinary journey from tenant farm to university. This episode also features Hope Ginsburg, professor of Kinetic Imaging at VCUarts. --- About Pam Turner Pamela Taylor Turner is an artist, writer and educator working at the intersection of animation and emerging media. Her practice—both in the studio and on the page—explores animation as an inventive, interdisciplinary art form, a medium for expressing inner s...
17 Nov 2025
Matt Wallin
Visual effects artist Matt Wallin discusses working at Industrial Light and Magic and Weta Digital, and shares lessons about demystifying the meaning of life through the church of the movies. --- About Matt Wallin Matt Wallin grew up in the Los Angeles suburbs in the 70s and 80s skateboarding and going to the movies. In 1992 he earned his degree in Cinema from San Francisco State University. That same year, Wallin began his career at George Lucas’ Industrial Light and Magic where he worked fo...
27 Oct 2025
Jeannine Diego
Fashion designer Jeannine Diego discusses the intersection of community, punk rock and the self-making performance of fashion that we all do every day. This episode also features guest Kristin Stewart, a doctoral student whose research investigates the historical influence of men's clothing on masculinity. --- About Jeannine Diego With more than 25 years of fashion industry experience in various contexts and regions traversing a broad range of competencies, Jeannine Diego’s creative pra...
13 Oct 2025
Kendall Buster
Kendall Buster shares her fascinating journey from microbiology to sculpture, the realization that all life is architecture, and the unexpected lessons of getting professional praise. This episode also features guest Christiana Lafazani, associate dean for faculty affairs and research at VCUarts. --- About Kendall Buster Kendall Buster is a professor of Sculpture + Extended Media at VCUarts. Equally inspired by the monumental and the microscopic, her large-scale sculptures operate...
29 Sept 2025
Justin Alexander
Percussionist Justin Alexander, D.M., shares his passion for “singing” rhythm and discusses the extraordinary potential of veering from your original plan and letting your interests guide you. This episode also features guest Karen Cubides, a musician, coach and entrepreneur who specializes in helping musicians connect with the calling of their work. --- About Justin Alexander Justin Alexander is Associate Professor of Music and Director of Percussion Studies at Virginia Commonwealth Universi...
28 Aug 2025
Carmenita Higginbotham, Ph.D.
Art historian and dean of VCU’s School of the Arts Carmenita Higginbotham, Ph.D., discusses her unexpected journey to becoming the go-to expert for everything from Edward Hopper to Mickey Mouse. This episode also features guest Christiana Lafazani, associate dean for faculty affairs and research at VCUarts. --- About Carmenita Higginbotham Carmenita Higginbotham is an art historian whose research and scholarship examine 20th century American art, urban art, race and representation, and ...
28 Aug 2025
Tawnya Pettiford-Wates, Ph.D.
Director, actor and educator Tawnya Pettiford-Wates, Ph.D., examines the need for authenticity, the power of African poetic drama and how a single play changed her entire life. This episode also features guest Desirée Dabney, guest musical theatre artist, actor and CEO of Theatre Diva Productions. --- About Tawnya Pettiford-Wates Tawnya Pettiford-Wates, Ph.D., is professor of graduate pedagogy in acting and directing at VCUarts and the artistic director of The Conciliation Project, a no...
28 Aug 2025
Amir Berbić
Amir Berbić reflects on his refugee experience and the power of design to shape identity, foster resilience, and build community, and discusses his work as a designer, educator and dean of VCUarts Qatar. This episode also features guest Christiana Lafazani, associate dean for faculty affairs and research at VCUarts. --- About Amir Berbić Amir Berbić is a graphic designer who works on questions surrounding identities of place. He collaborates on projects with cultural organizations, arts...
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5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
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