unchARTed Creative Communities Network

unchARTeDiscussion: Ken Wachsberger - From Underground Press Pioneer to Storytelling Activist What happens when a "good kid" that all mothers compared their sons to becomes a radical organizer who gets thrown in solitary confinement for refusing to sign a form? In this conversation recorded in Ken's Ann Arbor, Michigan backyard (complete with construction sounds, playground kids, and...

Pull up a chair for this honest conversation about knowing when to let go. Tim opens up about his decision to retire Art Around Town after 10 years, wrestling with algorithm fatigue, the toxic cesspool that Facebook has become, and the realization that spending hours daily scrolling for content was no longer serving him or the community he set out to help. We dive deep into the authenticity trap o...

unchARTeDiscussion: Concert Comedowns and Motorcycle Magic It's been a few weeks since Tim and Craig have had a chance to sit down and catch up properly. Tim's been off gallivanting through Colorado with a detour to San Francisco for Dead & Company's 60th anniversary concerts, while Craig's been deep in his "slow down cowboy" world, working on his stuff. And boy, does...

June 25, 2025 Episode What happens when two friends refuse to follow the script everyone else is reading from? Episode Highlights This week, Tim and Craig dive into the phenomenon they're both experiencing: a massive personal purge happening alongside what feels like a collective awakening. Are more people stepping off traditional paths right now, or are we just finally paying attention? What...

Grab your coffee and pull up a chair – we're having one of those conversations that starts nowhere and ends up everywhere, the kind that happens when two artists actually have time to think out loud together. Craig's wearing a white shirt today. Why? Because he's giving himself permission to not get dirty, to not work in his usual way, to just... be. It's a small rebellion that ope...

Ever wondered what happens when vintage comic aesthetics meet local landmarks and cryptid monsters? Join us at the table with Autumn Walsh, the creative mind behind PopWater Studio, as she takes us through her artistic journey from theater kid to digital illustrator with a flair for the delightfully weird. Autumn's work combines Cincinnati landmarks with cryptid creatures in a distinctive vintage...

Join us at the table for our conversation with Bally Raven, the cryptid field researcher who's chronicling monsters one illustration at a time! Ever wondered what happens when scientific curiosity meets folklore? Grab your field journal and join us as we venture into the fascinating world of cryptid illustration with Kristen Cox (a.k.a. Bally Raven). From her meticulously crafted festival boot...

Join us at the table (well, virtually this time) as Tim sits down with Kristin Larsen from Nerd Power Media to unpack the often-mysterious world of digital marketing for artists. Pour yourself a cup of something nice as they chat about how SEO, websites, and online presence can actually become extensions of your creative expression. Ever met someone who could demystify the digital world for artist...

In this episode of unchARTeDialogue, cohosts Craig Tirey and Timothy Wells sit down in Craig's living room and discuss how sometimes it's better to know what you don't want to do than to know what you want to do.unchARTeDialogue is part of the unchARTeD Creative Community Network of podcasts which also include unchARTeDayton, where Craig and Tim have unscripted conversations with visual artists fr...

unchARTeDialogue This series captures Craig and Tim having conversations about life, art, and the podcasts. After weeks of illness forced Craig into a transformative cocoon, he emerges to share profound insights with Tim about creative identity and authentic living. Watch as these two artists discuss how illness can reshape priorities, why their different approaches to life complement each other p...

Ever met someone whose conversation is like a jazz improvisation – weaving through seemingly unrelated topics only to find they were connected all along? That's REN. Starting with the tale of how she moved from her biblical name Rachel to become REN ("free as a bird"), she takes us on a wild ride through the unexpected intersections of life, art, and communication. Hold onto your sea...

Grant Writing with REN of Culture Works In the unchARTeDeepDive series, we offer tips and advice on specific topics of interest to the creative community. This episode features highlights from our conversation with REN of Culture Works in Dayton, Ohio, originally featured in unchARTeDayton. While you can find our complete interview with REN in the full episode, this focused deep-dive concentrates...

Ready for an Adventure? Meet Tom Helbig, the Fun-loving Force Behind Tomfoolery Outdoors! 🚐✨ Get ready to be inspired! We sat down with Tom Helbig, and wow - his enthusiasm for life and adventure is absolutely contagious! This conversation will light up your day and might just inspire you to add more outdoor fun to your life. What's This Episode All About? Picture this: A guy with an incredibly...

Shadow Girls Cult: Where Shadow Puppetry Meets Cinematic Dreams Sit down with us as we chat with Zane and Cass of Shadow Girls Cult, a shadow puppetry duo from Seattle who are crafting immersive visual stories through a fresh, cinematic lens. When most of us think of shadow puppets, we remember casting shadows of bunny rabbits on our bedroom walls. But Shadow Girls Cult takes this familiar medium...

In this episode, we sit down with Ed Dixon, the visionary behind the Edward a Dixon Gallery, to uncover the untold stories and unexpected twists that have shaped his path as an art patron and champion of the local creative community. The gallery's annual "We're Doing It All Wrong" exhibition, now in its fourth year, is a thought-provoking exploration of the societal issues and systemic challenges...

# unchARTeDayton Podcast - S1E14: Reinventing Art in Retirement with Bob Coates Get ready for a wild ride through the imaginative world of Bob Coates in this episode of unchARTeDayton! Bob isn't just an artist; he's a creative powerhouse who expertly works across multiple mediums including painting, drawing, ceramics, and sculpture. Oh, and did we mention he's also an educator with 25...

# unchARTeDayton Podcast - S1E13: A Journey Through Nature's Lens with Ryan Taylor Step into the world of nature photography as we welcome Ryan Taylor to unchARTeDayton. Ryan isn't just a photographer; he's a podcast host, YouTuber, and artist who's carved out a unique niche in capturing the beauty of the natural world. Our conversation with Ryan takes us back to his roots, where a...

The Art of Teaching and Breaking Rules with Robin Dakin In this episode of unchARTeDayton, we welcome artist and educator Robin Dakin, who recently left teaching high school ceramics after 27 years. Episode Highlights: Robin's journey from military family to artist The reciprocal learning process between teachers and students Exposing the boundaries between art, craft, and folk art Robin's...

In this episode of unchARTeDayton, we welcome Australian photographer Kelly Ingerson, who shares her unique journey from Dayton, Ohio to the beaches of Australia. Episode Highlights: Kelly's transition from Dayton resident to returning to her native Australia The 2015 beach photograph that sparked her passion for sand patterns Her experience capturing rare sand formations in Tampa Bay after Hu...

Welcome to another episode of unchARTed! This time, we're thrilled to have Adair from OKO Studio in Dayton join us. In true unchARTed fashion, we dive into a variety of topics right from the start. So much so that we forgot to introduce Adair until the end of the recording—oops! Have you picked up on our unchARTed vibe yet? LOL Adair has a fascinating story. She's turned her home into a ga...

In this episode of unchARTeDayton, we are thrilled to welcome painter and community builder Julie Riley. Julie shares her journey of transitioning her artwork to address social issues, such as mental illness, drawing inspiration from her own life experiences. After a 30-year hiatus working in graphic design and caring for her aging parents, Julie made a remarkable return to the arts. She discusses...

Alcohol ink abstract artist Andi Sanders stops by Slow Down Cowboy studio for an artist conversation. We are joined with special guest co-host Beth, who just happens to be a previous student of Andi's. A serendipitous encounter we've come to expect on unchARTeDayton. Andi is a retired nurse, nursing teacher, and photographer who discovered alcohol ink art as a recovery tool from depression...

unchARTeDayton welcomes Roxanne Grooms to the studio. Co-host Craig wasn't able to join us so it's just Roxanne and Tim for this one. Roxanne does abstract paintings, but brings her experience in design and illustration into her paintings. Sit back and enjoy our uncharted conversation that as usual with us ventures into some uncharted topics. As a bonus, you get to hear two boomers talking...

Peter Benkendorf of Essential Artists Dayton and The Collaboratory Dayton stops by to share his vision of Essential Artists. Peter has been a very active supporter and member of the arts community for years. In this interview, Peter discusses his passion for providing fair opportunities for artists across disciplines. While he may not be a visual artist, his support in providing opportunities and...

Artist Rusty Harden stops by to have an unchARTeDayton conversation. Rusty is well known in the area for her wonderful artwork, giving spirit to the community, teaching, mentoring, and many other contributions. It was a great pleasure spending time with Rusty and talking about art and the role and job of being an artist. Rusty's work is very tied to nature and natural settings and that connect...