The Sonoma Community Center Podcast

Join us for a conversation with ceramic artist Ariana Stein (she/they) about Carry It With You, their debut solo exhibition at Sonoma Community Center. Ari shares how their Hungarian-American roots, North Carolina pottery training, and how folk tradition and active conversation of craft all find their way into the work. We  talk about the stories behind the forms they create—from traditional Pálin...

This Trashion Fashion centered episode features Cory Infinite;  a self taught fashion designer from Kansas City, Missouri who creates clothes from recycled materials and sometimes trash. Ever since graduating high school in 2020 Cory has built a following of over 830K across Instagram and Tiktok and has worked with brands and musicians such as: Converse, Ripley's Believe it or not, Erykah Badu, A$...

In this episode of the Sonoma Community Center Podcast, hosts Cat and Gerardo sit down with rising baker Hien Pham for a warm, engaging conversation about food, community, and finding your calling. Hien shares her inspiring journey from a decade in tech to becoming a passionate baker, balancing culinary school, motherhood, and her growing micro-bakery. The trio dives into the art and science of so...

It’s the end-of-year staff podcast party and everyone grabbed a mic. This two-part takeover features quick hits, big wins, and bold previews of what’s coming in 2026. Host, Gerardo Diaz, fills us in with highlights from the culinary department (yes, food talk is mandatory) and host, Molly Spencer, serves a side of Trashion Fashion runway and sustainability highlights. Cat Smith from marketing drop...

It’s the end-of-year staff podcast party and everyone grabbed a mic. This two-part takeover features quick hits, big wins, and bold previews of what’s coming in 2026. Host, Gerardo Diaz, fills us in with highlights from the culinary department (yes, food talk is mandatory) and host, Molly Spencer, serves a side of Trashion Fashion runway and sustainability highlights. Cat Smith from marketing drop...

Join us for the wild ride and electric chat with Rubén Valtierra, the award winning  keyboardist who is best known for his thirty plus collaboration with the legendary "Weird Al" Yankovic . From their serendipitous meeting at the Dr. Demento 20th Anniversary special in '91 to sharing the stage with icons like Stevie Wonder and the Red Hot Chili Peppers to being animated in The Simpsons, Rubén's st...

From punk shows in San Jose, living in New York, cranberry farming  to hand-dug Ozark clay, Melissa Weiss has built a bi-coastal, big-hearted practice rooted in resilience and resistance. The hurricane Helene  flood took out her Asheville studio, but she keeps creating—on the road, in residences, and from 75 wild Arkansas acres she and her husband dig clay from each year. Influenced by ancient for...

Molly Spencer and guest co-host, Cat Smith, sit down with Libby Oberlin—an award-winning Bay Area actor, stage director, and educator whose passion for the stage began at just six years old. From her start as a kid reporter in Springfield, Massachusetts to a rich career spanning Shakespearean powerhouses, opera divas, and comedic clowns, Libby has done it all. We dive into her impressive journey t...

Step into the world where horses heal and community thrives. This week, we’re talking with Becca Knopf, the dynamic program manager behind the magic at Square Peg Foundation Sonoma  —a nonprofit that’s redefining what belonging looks like.  From retired racehorses to neurodivergent youth and adults, Square Peg creates a space where every story matters (tails included).  Becca opens up about her ro...

 In this episode, we catch up with Spencer DeSylva, Sonoma’s own Trashion Icon, who once globe-trotted through the fashion capitals of London and Manchester, earned a degree in Fashion Marketing, and landed a job with, yes- the Philip Treacy. Between a pandemic and Brexit, Spencer found themselves returning to the States wondering what was next.  Enter Trashion Fashion Sonoma. From outreach, educa...

This week on the pod, we sat down with a true community legend: Manuel Merjil,  a connector of many and all-around cultural spark plug. Born and raised in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, forged in San Francisco, and bloomed in Sonoma Valley, Manuel’s journey is anything but ordinary. From teaching citizenship classes, part founder of three magazines, and building community bridges for the latino, LGBTQ,...

It's another KSVY & SCC podcast merge with KSVY radio host Cat Smith and Molly Spencer from the SCC podcast!  We have a chat with Jesse Fernandez, a 17-year stand-up comedian who is instructing a summer course at SCC called Make Them Laugh - A Stand Up Comedy Class!  Jesse, who regularly performs at all the major Bay Area clubs, has been featured in 11 SF Sketchfests, written and produced for...

From humble beginnings with Top Ramen dinners in a big Hawaiian family to becoming a fermentation queen  and thriving business owner, Sam Paone has crafted a unique path through food, music, and business. As the owner of Golden State Pickle Network/Collective Cultures, Sam turns everyday ingredients into extraordinary flavors—think kimchi dressings, bold aiolis, and more. From music school in Denv...

In this episode, we sit down with Anthony Fontaine, a chef, teacher, and beekeeper who brings a touch of Normandy, France, to the heart of Northern California. From Berkeley to  Petaluma, Anthony has not only planted roots but infused his communities with the warmth and depth of French cuisine. Teaching at the Sonoma Community Center, he believes a meal is more than just food—it’s an experience, a...

Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist Christian Moses is the 2025 Sonoma Ceramics Artist in Residence and kicks off the pod with a deep dive into his whimsical world of ceramics, where nostalgia meets New York’s rich cultural history. Born and raised in Harlem and Brooklyn with five siblings, Christian’s ceramics journey really took off in 2020 with his handcrafted, unconventional ceramic design...

Join us for an inspiring episode featuring Tony Gonzalez, the Artistic Director of Transcendence Theatre Company. Tony opens up about his deep-seated belief in the power of teamwork and how it shapes his work in theater, family and life.   From his Ohio roots to the dazzling lights of Broadway, Tony shares his incredible journey as a performer and associate choreographer in the hit musical "Mama M...

Meet Azelia Mazur, the warm and vibrant Sonoma Ceramics studio tech and assistant, as she invites you into her world of creativity and connection. In this episode, Azelia shares her journey growing up with Deaf parents, becoming bilingual in ASL, and how these experiences shaped her unique perspective. From milking water buffalo to creating wild and wonderful ceramics, she blends her passions into...

Meg Billingham, Director of Sonoma Ceramics, co-hosts the podcast and we dive into the immersive creative journey of interdisciplinary artist, Kate Rusek. Kate is based in the vibrant heart of New York City and is currently the Fall 2024 artist-in-residence at Sonoma Ceramics at SCC.  Her upcoming exhibit, Filtering the Feast   will be in SCC Gallery 212 from Nov 23- Dec 23, 2024.   Kate describes...

Kelly Autumn is an American Asian visual artist and multidisciplinary printmaker based in Northern California. Currently, she is showcasing her solo exhibition, "Everything on the Table" at the Center. In this exhibition, Kelly draws inspiration from her unique upbringing in a dome during the 1970s, raised by a free-spirited, DIY, back-to-the-earth family. Her artistic journey has taken her throug...

Hot musical vibes as we sit down with multi talented Sophia De Leon Sanchez,  a flamenco dancer, musician, songstress and beautiful human with a zest for life!  First time podcast moment-  Sophia sings us a soulful version of Cucurrucucú Paloma. We talk about growing up in Chicago with deep multi-cultural roots  and early exposure to dance and music through her family and neighborhood. We also tal...

Eric Jackson stops by Sonoma and doubles up a visit and interview with Molly Spencer of the Sonoma Community Center podcast and Cat Smith of the KSVY 91.3 radio show Hollywood and W. Napa! Eric' is currently Associate Artistic & Outreach Director at Pioneer Theatre Co in Salt Lake City , UT and returns to Sonoma for Trancendence Theater Co. summer production! We know and love him as former Cre...

Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell is living the dream! A multi-talented New Yorker cartoonist, author, comedian, and filmmaker. Her debut memoir, *Murder Book*, snagged the title of Best Graphic Novel of the Year at the 2022 Midwest Publishing Awards, solidifying her spot in the creative cosmos. With a knack for humor and insight, she has illustrated acclaimed books like *Feminist Fight Club* and *Are Yo...

Lee Armstrong is co-owner, producer and puppeteer at Images In Motion Inc.,  a company that specializes in puppetry for TV and film. Hailing from Nova Scotia, Canada, Lee went looking for a job in the Arts and after Canada ManPower shared they did not even have an arts folder- Lee had them create one. Low and behold - one job came through the next day seeking a puppeteer and the rest is history! S...

 Claire shares their magic to living an organic and authentic life! We talk to this "master of disguise" (as Gerardo calls them) and learn all about how they are a born Sonoman with deep Italian roots, and a clinical herbalist and teacher at the CA. School of Herbal Studies. They share their rich past rich in farming with the renowned Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley and a former student/farmer...