Creative Callbacks: CXF Artist Profiles

As we wrap up this series of conversations with Creative Exchange Fund recipients, we reflect on the incredible artistic innovation happening in and around Northwest Arkansas. From musical pioneers to visual revolutionaries, performance artists to cultural preservationists, these episodes have showcased the depth and diversity of our creative community. The Medium in Springdale has been our home f...

Classical musician Theresa Delaplain takes us inside her project "Of Children, Mind and Earth" through her Creative Exchange Fund project. In this intimate conversation at The Medium in Springdale, Arkansas, Theresa shares how she's combining oboe performances with electronic elements to explore themes of social justice and human experience. Plus, she gives us insight into pieces like "Niobe," "Ra...

Cultural advocate Carla Nemec takes us inside her project celebrating Arkansas artist Mary Talbert's centennial through her Creative Exchange Fund project. In this intimate conversation at The Medium in Springdale, Arkansas, Carla shares how she's honoring Talbert's extensive body of work, which continues to be progressive in content and delivery while celebrating Arkansas's people and places. Plu...

Visual artist Breseida "Brioch" Ochoa takes us inside her experimental video art centered on the Cempazuchitl flower through her Creative Exchange Fund project. In this intimate conversation at The Medium in Springdale, Arkansas, Brioch shares how she explores new perspectives through alternative processes in photography and printmaking, often inspired by social issues and her community's environm...

Modern abstract sculptor Timothy Smith takes us inside the creation of his monumental five-foot stainless steel and sandstone sculpture through his Creative Exchange Fund project. In this intimate conversation at The Medium in Springdale, Arkansas, Timothy shares how his piece, featuring a mono-skeletal spine supporting winged ray alarys, transforms The Medium's front courtyard. Plus, he gives us...

Novel Dance Company founder Lyle Oberman takes us inside her mission to make dance accessible to all through her Creative Exchange Fund project. In this intimate conversation at The Medium in Springdale, Arkansas, Lyle shares how her latest production, "It's All a F*king Lie," challenges societal norms through humor and dance. Plus, she gives us insight into her creative process, her move to Long...

Performance artist Jessica Davenport takes us inside her daring exploration of Evangelical childhood experiences through her Creative Exchange Fund project. In this intimate conversation at The Medium in Springdale, Arkansas, Jessica shares how she's transforming Sunday School memories into thought-provoking performance art, complete with oversized puppets, songs, and Bible stories. Plus, she give...

Printmaker Paige Dirksen takes us inside her exploration of the fascinating parallels between woodcut prints and quilting through her Creative Exchange Fund project. In this intimate conversation at The Medium in Springdale, Arkansas, Paige shares how she's stitching together these traditional crafts in innovative ways, fostering community art-making, and turning minimal geometric designs into tac...

Chris Long and Veronica Wirges of Monsterboy Lives take us inside their experimental blend of hip-hop, electronic, and world music through their Creative Exchange Fund project. In this intimate conversation at The Medium in Springdale, Arkansas, they share their journey from personal struggles to musical partnership, how they craft soulful vocals and vintage sounds in their home studio, and the cr...

Hip-hop artist Eddie Canyon invites us into his distinctive southern sound and thought-provoking approach through his Creative Exchange Fund project. In this intimate conversation at The Medium in Springdale, Arkansas, Eddie shares how he weaves tales of battling addiction, thoughts on spirituality, and irreverent social commentary into his lyrics. Plus, he gives us insight into "Off Tha Top," his...

Visual artist Macy Burr takes us inside her ambitious project of transforming Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major into a massive dimensional soundscape through her Creative Exchange Fund project. In this intimate conversation at The Medium in Springdale, Arkansas, Macy shares how she translates musical notes into a visual language of colors and shapes, her journey from 12" prints to 6' x 6' instal...

Fashion innovator Brandy Lee Harris takes us behind the scenes of her spectacular "Fashion Fit For (A) Queen" show, developed through her Creative Exchange Fund project. In this intimate conversation at The Medium in Springdale, Arkansas, Brandy Lee shares how she's transforming unwanted textiles into show-stopping pieces, blending fashion with rock music, and creating immersive runway experiences...

Sound artist Craig Colorusso takes us inside his journey of creating immersive experiences through his Creative Exchange Fund project. In this intimate conversation at The Medium in Springdale, Arkansas, Craig shares how he blends sound and light to create transformative installations, his evolution from touring musician to installation artist, and how he designs experiences that allow people to f...

Musician Patti Steel takes us inside her evolution as a solo artist, from traditional performances to her innovative work with loop pedals through her Creative Exchange Fund project. In this intimate conversation at The Medium in Springdale, Arkansas, Patti shares how she's redefining what's possible as a one-woman band, her journey of artistic experimentation, and how she weaves together technolo...

Folk-rock artist Ashtyn Barbaree takes us behind the scenes of her musical evolution, from recording at John Prine's Butcher Shoppe to her latest Creative Exchange Fund project. In this intimate conversation at The Medium in Springdale, Arkansas, Ashtyn shares the deeply personal experiences that shaped her songwriting, her journey from local venues to European tours, and how she channels both tra...

Welcome to Creative Callbacks: CXF Artist Profiles, a new podcast exploring Northwest Arkansas's thriving art scene through conversations with Creative Exchange Fund recipients. Host Clint Schaff previews what's ahead: intimate talks with innovative artists at The Medium in Springdale, uncovering the risks, processes, and inspirations driving creative projects that are transforming our region. Fro...