A Toast to The Arts

Celebrating Women in The Arts

From Sculptors to Stained Glass Designers to Authors and Singer-Songwriters, this episode of Big Blend Radio's WOMEN MAKING HISTORY Podcast Celebrates Women in the World of Arts, as part of January being International Creativity Month.
FEATURED GUESTS:- SHARON K. KURTZ is a travel writer and award-winning photographer. Hear about the folk artist women she met during her recent visit to Peru, and check out her article about it all, here: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/journeying-through-peru/ * Keep up with Sharon's adventures at https://sharonkkurtz.com/ 
- VICTORIA CHICK is a contemporary figurative artist, early 19th/20th century print collector, and the spearhead behind the Southwest Regional Museum of Art & Art Center in Silver City, New Mexico. Victoria talks about the life and legacy of sculptor Mary Edmonia Lewis. Learn more about Edmonia here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmonia_Lewis * Keep up with Victoria here: https://victoriachick.com/ * Check out her museum project, here: https://www.southwest-art-museum.org/ 
- CHRISTY WOOD is a world champion horse trainer, a winner in extreme trail obstacle challenges, a carded horse show judge, and author of three books. Hear about her new memoir, "Hoofprints Across Time: A Trail Ride to Remember" that shares her adventures on the 13-year progressive Chief Joseph Trail Ride https://wdnhorse.com/  
- KIMBERLY HESS is the author of the biography "A Lesser Mortal: The Unexpected Life of Sarah B. Cochran." Hear about Agnes Northrop (1857-1953), who was a designer at Tiffany specializing in floral stained glass windows. "Garden Landscape," which she designed for Sarah B. Cochran's mansion in Dawson, Pennsylvania, was recently unveiled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art - see: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/899795 * Also watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDVIouHWPFU * And, keep up with Kimberly here: https://unexpectedlifeofsarahbcochran.com/ 
- ELAINE A POWERS is a retired biologist, actor and singer, a conservationist with a passion for reptiles, and the author of over 25 science-based children’s stories and scripts. Hear about her writing career and learn more about her books, here: https://elaineapowers.com/ 
- JOEY STUCKEY is and award-winning blind guitarist, singer, songwriter, composer, producer,  educator, sound engineer, and the music ambassador for Macon, Georgia. He spotlights Georgia singer/songwriter Sue G. Wilkinson. hear her music on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7ui3Cs15jm1jIoK0Z2wfRL?si=4UD_lzjxRDmLE_jSgBi9JA * Keep up with Joey: https://www.joeystuckey.com/ 
 
Big Blend Radio's "Women Making History" Podcast airs new episodes every 4th Wednesday. Follow the show here: https://women-making-history.podbean.com/  
This episode is also featured on Big Blend Radio's "Big Daily Blend" and "Toast to The Arts" channels. Follow Big Blend Radio's Network of Podcasts: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-network/bigblendradionetwork 

The Petroglyphs of Pony Hills in Southwest New Mexico

It's all about the historic Petroglyphs of Pony Hills in remote Southwest New Mexico on this episode of Big Blend Radio's WORLD OF ART Podcast with artist Victoria Chick. Read Victoria's article about Pony Hills, here: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/petroglyphs-of-pony-hills/  
Along with a great discussion about the potential meanings and symbolism behind the petroglyphs, we also chat about the Southwest Regional Museum of Art & Art Center project that she has spearheaded in local Silver City. More here: https://www.southwest-art-museum.org/ 
Also see her stories and podcasts covering:- Prehistoric Rock Art: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/petroglyphs-prehistoric-rock-art/ - Early Pottery of the Southwest: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/early-pottery-of-the-southwest/ 
Victoria Chick is a contemporary figurative artist and early 19th/20th century print collector based in Silver City, New Mexico. Visit: https://victoriachick.com/ 
Victoria appears on Big Blend Radio every 3rd Saturday. Follow the podcast: https://worldofart-victoriachick.podbean.com/ 
This episode is also featured on Big Blend Radio's "Way Back When," "Toast to The Arts," and "Parks & Travel" Podcast Channels. Check out our network of shows: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-network/bigblendradionetwork 

Big Blend Radio 18th Anniversary Show Celebrates Music

Big Blend Radio is celebrating 18 Years of Podcasting! Join us for this 2nd show of three days of celebrating this birthday milestone with mother-daughter hosts Nancy J. Reid and Lisa D. Smith who travel full-time on their Love your Parks Tour while hosting the shows and publishing the digital series of Big Blend Magazines. Hear where and what our guests were up to when they were 18 years old...and, what music they were listening to. 
WHAT MUSIC WERE YOU LISTENING TO AT 18? Let us know in the comments, and we'll add it to our special (and growing) playlist on Spotify which you can listen to here: https://tinyurl.com/bdc3d99d  
FEATURED MUSICAL GUESTS:- Pierre Bensusan - Acclaimed acoustic guitar virtuoso, vocalist, and composer. More: https://www.pierrebensusan.com/ - Lisa Sniderman - Singer, songwriter and playwright. More: https://www.aoedemuse.com/  
SPECIAL MESSAGES FROM MUSICAL FRIENDS:- Joey Stuckey - Award-winning blind guitarist, songwriter, singer, composer, producer, and the official music ambassador for his home town of Macon, Georgia. More: https://www.joeystuckey.com/ - Nicki Kris - Singer, songwriter, and podcaster. More: https://www.nickikris.com/ 

National Parks Arts Foundation Artist Residencies 2025

This episode of Big Blend Radio's 1st Friday "Toast to The Parks & Arts" Show features Tanya Ortega, photographer and founder of the National Parks Arts Foundation (NPAF).
Hear about the organization's unique month-long artist residencies in locations like Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida, and Hawai'i Volcano National Park. Plus, this year's opportunities for park destinations and artists of all genres to be part of their programming. 
NPAF is a non-profit offering unique Artist-in-Residence Programs, Museum In-Loan Programs, and Workshops inspired by our National Parks, National Monuments, and World Heritage Sites. NPAF has supported over 300 programs, over 120 artists, and been the conduit for over a million dollars in artwork donations.  
Watch for Big Blend Radio's NPAF Retrospective, a digital publication featuring 8 years of podcast interviews with artists and park representatives! Keep up with us by getting our newsletter at https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/join-our-newsletter/ 
Learn more: https://www.nationalparksartsfoundation.org/ 

Author Leonce Gaiter - A Memory of Fictions (or) Just Tiddy-Boom

Celebrate National Read a New Book Month with this episode of Big Blend Radio with acclaimed author Leonce Gaiter who discusses his writing and latest book, “A Memory of Fictions (or) Just Tiddy-Boom."
For readers who like their fiction in the grand, old-school tradition comes a jazzy, genre-bending historical fiction/memoir featuring a compelling Black protagonist who presents a fascinating take on 'the Black anti-hero.' "A Memory of Fictions (or) Just Tiddy-Boom" (Legba Books) paints a vivid, wildly entertaining portrait of Jessie Vincent Grandier, the striving African American middle class that shaped him in the 1960s, and a Black man navigating white worlds through the Reagan 80s. More at https://www.leoncegaiter.com/ 

The World of Artificial Intelligence

This Big Blend Radio panel discussion delves into the world of Artificial Intelligence, from how and why it was created, to how it has advanced and is used today as an effective tool in numerous industries, as well as its proprietary dangers, especially regarding the arts.
FEATURED GUESTS: - DR MARSCHALL RUNGE - Executive VP for Medical Affairs at the University of Michigan, dean of the Medical School, CEO of Michigan Medicine, and author of “Coded to Kill: A Techno-Medical Thriller.” More: https://www.codedtokill.com/ 
- JOEY STUCKEY - Award-winning blind guitarist, singer, songwriter, composer, producer,  educator, sound engineer, and the music ambassador for Macon, Georgia. More: https://www.joeystuckey.com/ 
- MATT COST - Author of three mystery series: Mainely Mystery, Clay Wolfe/Port Essex Mystery, and A Brooklyn 8 Ballo Mystery Series. He’s also written historical fiction novels. More: https://www.mattcost.net/ 
 - JW JARVIS - Author of the thriller “Artificial Agent,” as well as the "First Responder" Series. More: https://www.authorjwjarvis.com/ 
- MICHAEL WOLK - Author of the immersive cyber novel “DevilsGame,” playwright, Broadway producer, and film producer. More: https://devilsgame.com/ 

The Prehistoric Art of Petroglyphs

It's all about Petroglyphs on this episode of Big Blend Radio's WORLD OF ART Podcast with artist Victoria Chick. There is hardly a country in the world where petroglyphs do not exist. The United States is rich in petroglyph art, especially within National Park or National Monument boundaries or within National Forests and public lands where they are protected.
Read Victoria's article about Petroglyphs, here: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/petroglyphs-prehistoric-rock-art/ 
Also see her stories and podcasts covering:- Petroglyphs of Pony Hills: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/petroglyphs-of-pony-hills/ - Early Pottery of the Southwest: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/early-pottery-of-the-southwest/ 
Victoria Chick is a contemporary figurative artist and early 19th/20th century print collector based in Silver City, New Mexico. Visit: https://victoriachick.com/ 
Victoria appears on Big Blend Radio every 3rd Saturday. Follow the podcast: https://worldofart-victoriachick.podbean.com/ 

Kevin Moore - Christmas Stories II

Unwrap the magic of Christmas and the Winter Holiday Season with this episode of Big Blend Radio featuring best-selling author Kevin Moore who talks about his new book, "Christmas Stories: Volume II," that shares tales that will warm your heart and spark your imagination.
In this eagerly awaited follow-up to his #1 Amazon bestseller, "Christmas Stories: 7 Original Short Stories," Moore masterfully crafts a tapestry of unforgettable characters and heartwarming narratives that embody the essence of the holiday season. 
Journey with a young boy who creates a profound and mystical Christmas for his community, a woman who stumbles upon a mysterious pink gift card filled with unexpected surprises, and a troubled young man who hears the magical sound of snowflakes falling. Each story invites you on a path of self-discovery, love, and miracles.
With a range of stories from heartbreaking to humorous, magical to everyday, Moore’s protagonists experience profound transformations. They find hope, learn valuable lessons, and uncover the true meaning of Christmas. Perfect for savoring by the fire or during life’s daily journeys, this captivating collection reminds us that the magic of the holiday is real—if we only open our hearts to it.
Learn more at https://kevinmoorepublishing.com/