Artists of New York

Dovie Lepore-Currin is a pianist at Juilliard in New York City. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Born in New York, family roots at Juilliard (01:42) A lineage of women pianists (03:18) Early childhood music exposure and Baby Einstein (05:10) Games with grandmother: testing musical ear (07:24) First piano lessons and being taught by women (09:32) Seeing Juilliard as an unreachable dream (11:58) P...

Donald Chang is an actor, an improvisor, and a voice-over actor based in New York City. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Born in Queens, Raised Across the East Coast (01:55) Drawn Back to New York’s Energy (04:50) Why New York Beats Los Angeles (07:40) Calvin and Hobbes Sparks a Comedy Path (11:42) The Gifted Program Improv Class (14:35) Childhood Attention and Love of Performing (18:04) From Bu...

Shaina Garfield is a death doula, grief guide, ceremonialist, and the founder of Leaves With You . With her devotion to the sacred continuum of life and death, she extends compassionate support to all beings navigating the dying and grieving processes. Her mission is to cultivate a profound connection with the Earth and the Divine, fostering harmony within the web of life. Shaina’s approach is dee...

Rosalie Smith is a found objects artist based in New York City. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Moving to New York for an MFA at Hunter (01:30) Choosing New Orleans over New York after college (04:10) The turning point: leaving an office job after a cancer diagnosis in the family (06:30) Building a career in New Orleans and hitting a ceiling (08:10) Why New York offers the challenge and energy...

Kyle Lux is a musician based in New York City. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) First impressions of New York City (03:10) The pull of diversity and culture (06:05) Boarding arts high school changes everything (09:15) Dreaming of engineering before music (13:25) SoundCloud releases and the Amine connection (16:45) First LA studio sessions open new doors (19:10) Deciding to pursue music over engi...

Kayla Marcus is a filmmaker based in New York City. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Moved to NYC for Love (02:15) First Impressions of New York (04:10) Growing Up in the Bay Area (05:22) Father’s Influence and Film Obsession (07:34) Childhood Comedy and Sci-Fi Favorites (10:45) The Simpsons, South Park, and Pushing Boundaries (14:30) Realizing Film Could Be a Career (17:05) Lessons from America...

Matty Litwack is a comedian based in Brooklyn, NY. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Growing Up and First Moves (03:12) Delusional Early Comedy Ambitions (06:28) Reality Check in New York (09:15) Moving Back, LA Detour, and Return to NYC (12:36) First Lessons in Humility (16:04) Expectations, Conan, and Industry Dreams (19:45) Avoiding the Club Grind (22:58) The LA Comedy Scene and Open Mics (27:...

Eli Coyote Mandel is a writer and a comedian based in New York City. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Moving to New York for SNL (04:12) Packing in a rush and arriving (07:45) Adjusting to NYC apartment life (10:03) Early Chicago improv and SNL showcases (14:38) Writing discipline and preparing characters (18:27) The big showcase and drinks with Lorne (22:50) Screen testing at SNL and first impr...

Liz Miele is a stand-up comedian based in New York City Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Growing Up Near Princeton and Discovering Stand-Up (04:12) Sneaking Into NYC for Comedy as a Teen (08:17) Falling in Love With Stand-Up’s Freedom (11:03) The Early Obsession With Writing and Performing (14:29) Quoting Comedy as a Sad, Quiet Kid (17:04) A Funny but Dark Family Dynamic (20:11) Dyslexia and Its...

Haley Hepworth is a comedian based in Brooklyn, NY. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Moving from Boise to NYU (02:14) First impressions of New York (05:32) Growing up in Boise, Idaho (08:10) Discovering improv as a teenager (10:44) Early passion for performing (14:05) Shifting from sports to arts (16:38) High school Shakespeare and improv (20:51) Choosing NYU’s acting program (24:39) Life in an...

Nick Hopping is a stand-up comedian and the co-owner of The Flop House Comedy Club based in New York City. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Leaving DC After Patton Oswalt’s Advice (02:04) The Comfort Trap of the DC Comedy Scene (04:18) Reality Check in New York Open Mics (06:40) Starting Over and Producing Shows (09:22) The Turning Point: Ample Hills Bar Show (11:54) Bombing Back in DC and False...

Mia Wilson is a stand-up comedian based in New York City. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Moving to NYC on Parade Day (04:30) Graduate School and Starting a Band (09:10) A Childhood in Dance and Music (13:55) The Dave Matthews Band Epiphany (17:30) Teaching Herself Guitar Over a Summer (21:15) Struggles of Early Songwriting (25:40) Playing Overseas and Building Chops (30:05) Complex Musical Vis...

Soraya Cruz is a model based in New York City and Amsterdam. Instagram and all episodes Resources: Model Alliance : confidential assistance for workers within the fashion industry New York State Fashion Workers Act: establishes responsibilities for model management companies Soraya's recommended and trusted agencies: Wilhelminia, IMG Models, DNA, NEXT, State Management, and Muse Model management (...

Nira Burstein is a documentary filmmaker based in New York City. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Growing Up in Queens (02:41) Everyone Is an Artist (05:13) Discovering Donnie Darko (08:02) Choosing Filmmaking Over Stability (10:49) Internships and Early Career (13:27) Mining for a Story (16:11) Portraying Her Parents (18:46) The Emotional Heart of Filmmaking (21:20) Building Charm Circle Over S...

Jessica Silver is a standup comedian based in Manhattan. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Dreaming of New York City (03:12) Moving From Virginia to NYC (06:20) Late 20s in the City (08:15) Childhood Trouble and Shyness (11:02) College Acting and Comedy Interest (13:40) First Stand-Up Class and Debut (16:25) Overcoming Stage Nerves (19:18) Finding Her Comedy Style (23:05) Writing Challenges and C...

Nira Tarr is a comedian, a DJ, and an actress based in New York City. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Moving to New York in a Pandemic (03:42) LA vs. New York Comedy Scenes (06:15) Anti-Intellectualism and Youth Culture in LA (09:04) Mushrooms, Epiphanies, and the Decision to Move (12:30) Golden Handcuffs and Creative Plateaus (15:11) Comedy Career in LA Before New York (18:46) Starting Stand-U...

Jonah Nigh is a standup comedian based in Manhattan. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Verbal Assault in Harlem: The Moment NYC Became the Dream (02:08) Opera Obsession and the Voice That Almost Was (05:46) Surgery, Silence, and Reinvention (08:11) Sommelier Detour and Bedbugs in Brooklyn (10:43) From Grant Writing to Juilliard (13:10) Always Funny: Childhood Roasts and Comic Roles (15:38) The Ba...

Emily Azrael is a stand-up comedian based in Brooklyn, NY. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Moving to New York (01:56) Odd Jobs and Vodka Marketing (05:35) First Real Job in Advertising (07:50) Realizing a Love for Comedy (10:20) Working at Thrillist and Value Alignment (13:10) Life Coaching and the Comedy Spark (15:05) First Writing Experience and Humor Roots (17:44) 90s Comedy Influences (19:1...

George Olesky is an actor based in New York City. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Almost Moved to Berlin (02:33) Discovering Berlin Theater (04:28) First Taste of Acting (06:50) From Film to the Stage (09:30) Arriving in New York City (12:04) Entitlement and Reality Check (14:56) Auditions, Catering, and Confusion (17:32) Making Ends Meet Pre-Pandemic (20:14) TV Breakthrough and Blue Bloods (22...

Adrian Jusdanis ("New Thousand") is a street performer based in New York City. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Why he moved to New York for love (01:36) Initial resistance to leaving New Orleans (03:45) Discovering New Orleans as an artistic haven (07:20) Addictions and arrested development in New Orleans (10:22) Moving to New York to grow up (13:14) The health scare that led to sobriety (16:00...

Justin Strauss is a musician and DJ based in Brooklyn, NY. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Born in Brooklyn, Raised in Long Island (02:21) Beatles Awakening: Music as Religion (06:47) Finding Glam Rock in a Grateful Dead Town (10:13) Forming Milk & Cookies (13:22) Getting Signed at 17 to Island Records (15:09) Recording in London, Pre-Punk Era (18:17) Subversive Lyrics, Teenybop Look (21:00...

Anthony Rondinone is a painter based in Brooklyn, NY. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Growing Up in the Bronx (03:25) Cultural Exposure and Humor (07:10) Immigrant Neighborhoods and Food (10:45) Early Artistic Spark (14:00) Creative Encouragement at Home (17:25) Discovering Music and Guitar (21:30) Starting the Band Jolly (25:50) Life on Tour and Musical Success (30:35) The Reality of the Grind...

Emma Goode is an actress based in New York City. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Transferring to NYU and Moving to NYC (02:06) Studying Politics, Geography, and Design at Gallatin (03:04) Discovering Acting After a Career in Landscape Architecture (05:01) Facing Fear and Embarrassment Around Wanting to Act (07:50) First Acting Class at 29 and the Meisner Technique (10:15) Early Obsession and Em...

Naderson St Pierre is a painter based in Manhattan. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Haitian Roots & Arrival (02:26) Life in Gonaïves (04:12) Pride and Struggle in Haiti (06:20) Coming to America (08:08) Early Artistic Identity (10:03) From Orlando to NYC (13:02) Homeless, But Creating (15:10) 86th Street Hustle (17:24) Subway Stories & Struggles (20:14) Connection Through Art (23:02) Th...

Michelle Warchol is a sculptor based in Staten Island. Instagram and all episodes (00:00) Childhood Dreams vs. Parental Expectations (02:12) A STEM School with No Art (04:35) Choosing English Lit Over Art (06:22) NYU’s Complex Path to Art (08:31) First Encounters with Life Drawing (11:07) Struggles and Aspirations as a Beginner (13:15) The Pull Toward Painting and Color (15:38) Discovering Sculptu...