Southcoast Artists Index

Music courtesty of www.bensound.com   Welcome painter/art instructor Bob Dec to In-Focus Podcast Number 71. Bob, who is originally from Fall River, Massachusetts,  received his BFA from the then  Southeastern Massachusetts University , today's  University of Massachusetts Dartmouth , in 1975. Bob Dec received his MFA from  Columbia University School of the Arts  in 1977. He concentrated on paintin...

Welcome Carol Way Wood, illustrator, freelance artist, children's book illustrator, and painter. Born in 1948, she grew up in Sudbury, Massachusetts, and moved to Dartmouth in 1970. Carol is a true lover of country life and lived in Colorado from 1992 to 1999. She sold her first painting at 14 years old. That first sale kicked off a career as a freelance artist that has lasted for over 50 years. C...

Welcome maker/dyer and self-described Environmental Alchemist, Rhonda M. Fazio to In-Focus Podcast Number 69. Rhonda is a graduate of art history from the  University of Massachusetts Dartmouth . Prior to attending the University, she studied Professional Craft: Fiber and Clay at  Haywood Community College  near Asheville, North Carolina – an area rich with the influence and philosophy of  Black M...

Welcome artist Margo Volterra to In-Focus Podcast Number 68. She attended The Art Student's League  when she was very young. "The only kid surrounded by adults. Very intimidating," she says. Margo's parents always encouraged her creativity and growing up in New York City certainly offered plenty of opportunities. She majored in painting at Boston University where she received her BFA. While there...

Music courtesy of www.bensound.com   Welcome mentalist Jon Stetson to In-Focus Podcast Number 67. Jon was the inspiration for the CBS hit television series " The Mentalist ". Stetson blends the art of Mystery with the study of Psychology, the predictability of human nature, and the power of intuition. According to Jon, "Imaginations are wowed, stretched, and captured, as thoughts are revealed and...

Welcome art adjacent, art activist, and co-founder of the now fabled U.G.L.Y. Gallery in New Bedford, Jeremiah Hernandez to In-Focus Podcast Number 66.  Jeremiah is also the Community Partnerships Manager at Entrepreneurship for All - EforAll , and the Executive Director at EforAll South Coast . But wait, there's more! Mr. Hernandez is also a Board Member at Superflat NB,  "A creative placemaking,...

Welcome painter/art instructor Filipe Miguel, or Mr. Fil to his students, to In-Focus Podcast Number 65. Filipe was born in France to Portuguese parents. He immigrated from Portugal at a very young age and grew up in Brockton. Filipe Miguel earned his BFA in Painting and Art Education from the  University of Massachusetts Dartmouth  and, his MFA from the  University of Connecticut . He and his fam...

Welcome painter/Artist Index co-founder/podcaster Ron Fortier to Podcast Episode: 64. Ron is a guest on his own show and this episode is hosted by painter/art writer Don Wilkinson who's been our guest on Podcast Episode: 4 and Podcast Episode: 63 as well. He lives and maintains his studio in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. He's a painter who spent decades in his fallback advertising and marketing career...

Welcome back painter/art writer Don Wilkinson to In-Focus Podcast Number 63. Don was one of our earliest guests on Podcast Episode 4 . He received his BFA in Printmaking from the Swain School of Design in 1982, and his MFA in Visual Design from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth in 1991. He wrote the pre-pandemic BART Chat and Art Beat columns for Southcoast Today .  His writings have appe...

Welcome photographer and visual artist Brandon Cabral to In-Focus Podcast Number 62. Brandon works in and around the streets of New Bedford, Massachusetts.   He describes himself as simply a "34-year-old father of three and artist with a focus in film photography."  Brandon grew up in and is intimately familiar with nearly every section of his birth city of New Bedford.   The city is broken up int...

Welcome painter/poet/podcaster Phillip J. Mellen to In-Focus Podcast Number 53. Phillip was born during the Bicentennial year which was dedicated to celebrating the Nation's independence from the Crown of England in 1976.  He lives and works in Taunton, Massachusetts home of the  Liberty & Union Flag .  He received his Certificate in Painting from the  Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Art s. Phill...

Welcome grant writer Ben Jones to In-Focus Podcast Number 60. Ben is an arts adjacent. What does that mean? Ben Jones grew up surrounded by the arts. He had two aunts who worked as professional visual artists and teachers. His parents made sure his brother and he always had plenty of art materials. There were many museum visits. His mom continues her grade school "art lady" duties to this day via...

Welcome painter Nancy Hayes to In-Focus Podcast Number 59. Nancy was a ceramic sculptor for over twenty years. Her work concentrated on organic forms infused with patterns that defined their surface and defined her work. Then, as she relates, "When I turned fifty, something happened, something changed. And then, as if overnight, I made the decision to abandon the clay and find my voice as a painte...

Welcome painter and "recovering adman" and Chicago native Lowell Thompson to In-Focus Podcast Number 58. Lowell began creating ads and commercials for some of America's biggest ad agencies and companies. He was one of the first African Americans hired into a top 10 ad agency following the riots after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968. Lowell Thompson refers to himse...

Welcome abstract painter/art instructor Catherine Carter to In-Focus Podcast Number 57. She earned a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Painting from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.   Her paintings and collages are inspired by calligraphic marks, textile weaves, and lines found in Nature such as roots and vines. Catherine's artwork has been exhibited at galleries and museums internationally....

Music courtesy of www.bensound.com Welcome musician/songwriter/ Beatlemanix  member Jack Maravell to In-Focus Podcast Number 56. Jack is recently retired and resides in Fort Pierce, Florida after decades of pursuing a dream and building a career! As he describes his life, "I played gigs, did shows for over 45 years, and wrote hundreds of songs. I started off small and ended with a bang!" Jack was...

Welcome painter/graphic designer Randy Swamm to In-Focus Podcast Number 55. Randy was raised in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts. He moved to the Southcoast in 1975 to attend the  Swain School of Design . Randy Swann remained and has lived in the  Southcoast  (also spelled South Coast) area since his graduation in 1979 as a Painting major. While at Swain, he studied under David Loeffler Smith, Ben...

Welcome filmmaker Don Burton to In-Focus Podcast Number 54. He owns and operates an Emmy award-winning digital arts studio in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Don produces documentaries, brand content, Indie films, and video installations. Don Burton's work maintains an emphasis on issues of place, community, and identity.  He received his BFA in sculpture from UMass Dartmouth and holds an MFA from the...

Welcome painter/poet/podcaster Phillip J. Mellen to In-Focus Podcast Number 53. Phillip was born during the Bicentennial year which was dedicated to celebrating the Nation's independence from the Crown of England in 1976.  He lives and works in Taunton, Massachusetts. He received his Certificate in Painting from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Art s. Phillip J. Mellen has exhibited both natio...

Welcome musician/songwriter Johnny Gwynn to In-Focus Podcast Number 52. Johnny is residing in Nashville, Tennessee while pursuing a dream and a career!   Johnny is a transplanted songwriter from Cape Cod.  He plays and writes everything from Country to Rock to Pop to Jazz. Johnny Gwynn is a client of Attorney Steve Berger who was featured on In-Focus Podcast Number 11. Steve assists newly emerging...

Welcome art collector Richard Connor to In-Focus Podcast Number 51. Richard is actually Dr. Richard Connor, Evolutionary Biologist! He has recently retired as a Professor of Biology from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Dr. Connor obtained his Bachelor's degree from the University of California at Santa Cruz and his Ph. D. from the University of Michigan.   Richard Connor had post-doctor...

Welcome, Master Illusionist Lyn Dillies to In-Focus Podcast Number 50. It's a milestone for us and we couldn't be happier celebrating this magical number with anyone else!   Lyn has mesmerized audiences of all ages throughout the United States and Canada for over two decades. A Westport native, she has been hailed as the finest female magician in the land.   Her engaging personality, along with so...

Welcome painter Pat Coomey Thornton to In-Focus Podcast Number 49. Pat is one half of a painting power couple! Her husband, John Havens Thornton is also a painter of note. She holds an MFA from Pius XII Institute Graduate School of Fine Arts , Florence, Italy, and a BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art , Boston. Pat Coomey Thornton taught at the School of the Worcester Art Museum before worki...

Welcome actor Earl Lee White to In-Focus Podcast Number 48.  As he self-describes: "I'm an actor. I'm a rapper. I'm a skateboarder. I'm a sponsored Teck Decker." Earl is new to the television and film industry but charging ahead full speed.  At this writing, Earl has embarked on an adventure in N.O.L.A. - New Orleans, Louisiana and is thankful for the many opportunities that have come his way and...

Welcome art educator and painter Ben Martinez to In-Focus Podcast Number 47. Ben is a native of New York City. He is a graduate of The Cooper Union and studied at the Brooklyn Museum Art School and The Art Students League. Ben also taught at the Brooklyn Museum Art School, Boston University, and most especially, the fabled Swain School of Design in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Ben Martinez has exhi...