Woodmere Diving Board Podcast

Diving Board Peter Paone June 2026 by Woodmere

Explore the rich and sparkling history of jewelry in Philadelphia—from colonial silversmiths to contemporary designers. This episode dives into the stories behind standout pieces in Woodmere’s collection, uncovering the cultural, artistic, and personal significance of adornment through the ages. Take a dazzling dive with us as we trace the evolution of style, craftsmanship, and identity in the Cit...

Get ready for an exciting sneak peek into Woodmere’s upcoming masterpiece! Join Bill Valerio, Woodmere’s Director and CEO, along with Stephanie Marudas from Kouvenda Media, as they take you on an exclusive tour of the Frances M. Maguire Hall for Art & Education. This incredible new space is on the verge of coming to life, and you won’t want to miss the behind-the-scenes buzz about the stunning gal...

In this episode, Woodmere’s Director and CEO Bill Valerio talks with Philadelphia-based, Venezuela-born artist Henry Bermudez and curator Gaby Heit about the exhibition Henry Bermudez in Philadelphia. The conversation takes a deep dive into Bermudez’s rebuilding of his life and career since arriving in the “City of Brotherly Love” 20 years ago.

In this episode, Bill Valerio has a conversation with Adam Waterbear DePaul, Storykeeper of the Lenápe Nation of Pennsylvania, and Shelly DePaul, Clan Mother and Language Director of the Lenápe Nation of Pennsylvania about land recognition, stewardship, and forging community relationships to heal the past, give direction for today, and brighten the future.

Woodmere Art Museum’s Director and CEO Bill Valerio talks with Stephan Salisbury about his career at The Philadelphia Inquirer on the occasion of his retirement. They discuss some of the major events he covered over the years and the future of arts and culture journalism in the city of Philadelphia.

Woodmere has a vibrant past on display in a 19th-century mansion and hosting a robust historical Founders' Collection; in this episode, Woodmere’s CEO & Director Bill Valerio explores the history and future of the museum and its upcoming curatorial directions.

In the spirit of Warren & Jane Rohrer’s collaborative artistic practice, Woodmere’s CEO & Director Bill Valerio sits down with two artist couples: Syd Carpenter & Steve Donegan, and Mariel Capanna & Tyler Goldman. Together, they discuss the characteristics that shape and support their relationships and their artmaking before turning to Warren & Jane’s work, using their personal experiences to guid...

In this episode, Woodmere's CEO & Director Bill Valerio takes us on a behind-the-scenes tour of our newest exhibition, "Don't Feed the Art: Woodmere's Animal Menagerie." You'll hear from four museum staff members as they dive into the creation of an art exhibition. What does a curator do? How can a museum inspire visitors to engage with artwork? How does a museum take care of an art collection? Le...

On this episode, we’re diving into the masterful work of the late Philadelphia artist, Larry Day. He was known as “The Dean of Philadelphia Painters” and was very much the “Art-Historian Artist.” Day lived from 1921 – 1998 and spent most of his life in Cheltenham Township just outside of Philadelphia. Woodmere has been an avid collector of Day’s work, and is thrilled to be presenting "Body Languag...

Welcome to Diving Board. A show about artists, the art they create and the wide range of social and cultural ideas they explore. On this episode, we’re going to dive into the work of artist and poet Roland Ayers, and our latest exhibition of his work called Calligraphy of Dreams.

Syd Carpenter and Steve Donegan discuss La Cresta, the earth sculpture that the artists have been cultivating over the last year on the grounds at Woodmere Art Museum in Philadelphia. This is a work of art about the earth itself and the history of the land on which Woodmere stands.

A group of painters, architects, dancers, and composers came together in 1955 to participate in Group '55, which was dedicated to exploring the new language of abstraction across the sectors of the arts and sharing these ideas with the public. This episode accompanies three exhibitions, Sam Feinstein: Immersive Abstraction, Group '55 and Midcentury Abstraction in Philadelphia, and Sam Feinstein: T...

Host and Museum Director, Bill Valerio, discusses the concept behind the Afrocentric Jazz and Fashion Show — how it’s taking place in the context of the pandemic and our current need to examine the roots and manifestations of racial injustice. The inspiration for this event is Woodmere's exhibition, Africa in the Arts of Philadelphia, on view at Woodmere through September 7, 2020. Guests include W...

This episode of Diving Board launches a new direction for the podcast, revisiting conversations about art, race, and social justice with Ursula Rucker, Jerry Pinkney, Suzanne Burgess, James Morton, Syd Carpenter, and Karen Warrington. The new series is called Diving Board 2020 and we will be asking those speakers we have already heard from, "what has changed and what is different? How do we move f...

Gilbert Lewis (born 1945) is a leading figurative painter in Philadelphia known for his sensitive and thoughtful portrayals of the gay male experience during a time when self-identity and expression required particular courage. Interviews in this episode span close relationships with Lewis throughout his career, including painter, Jody Pinto; model, Tony Rullo; former art dealer and gallerist, Noë...

A journey in Africa and Philadelphia: A conversation with artist Barbara Bullock. This episode is part of a series created for “Africa in the Arts of Philadelphia: Bullock, Searles, and Twins Seven-Seven,” an exhibition on view at Woodmere Art Museum from February 8 through May 17, 2020. Woodmere, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is dedicated to the telling the story of the art and artists o...

Twins Seven-Seven and Material Culture: A conversation with George Jevremović. This episode is part of a series created for “Africa in the Arts of Philadelphia: Bullock, Searles, and Twins Seven-Seven,” an exhibition on view at Woodmere Art Museum from February 8 through May 17, 2020. Woodmere, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is dedicated to telling the story of the art and artists of the r...

Dance and Art: A conversation with Karen Warrington, lead dancer in the Ile-Ife Afro-American Dance Ensemble. This episode is part of a series created for “Africa in the Arts of Philadelphia: Bullock, Searles, and Twins Seven-Seven,” an exhibition on view at Woodmere Art Museum from February 8 through May 17, 2020. Woodmere, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is dedicated to telling the story...

A new vocabulary in the visual arts, Africa in the Arts of Philadelphia: A conversation with Guest Curator, Susanna W. Gold, PhD. This episode is part of a series created for “Africa in the Arts of Philadelphia: Bullock, Searles, and Twins Seven-Seven,” an exhibition on view at Woodmere Art Museum from February 8 through May 17, 2020. Woodmere, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is dedicated t...

Africa in the Arts of Philadelphia: Introduction to the Podcast Series. “Africa in the Arts of Philadelphia: Bullock, Searles, and Twins Seven-Seven” is an exhibition on view at Woodmere Art Museum from February 8 through May 17, 2020. Woodmere, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is dedicated to telling the story of the art and artists of the region.

Among the great figurative painters of the late twentieth century, Edith Neff (1943-1995) was ahead of her time in depicting race, gender, and class in the public spaces of Philadelphia. Community educator, Ebony DeBrest, and Program Director, Nima Koliwad, of the Mount Airy Learning Tree (MALT), discuss Neff’s work with William Valerio, Director of Woodmere Art Museum. MALT was founded in 1980 an...

Eileen Neff, the photographer, installation artist, and art critic, is the juror of Woodmere’s 2019 Annual. In conversation with hosts Bill Valerio and Stephanie Marudas, Neff discusses the ideas that interest her in the contemporary art scene in Philadelphia and the manner in which those ideas emerge in the show. "Second Nature: The Poetics of Re-presentation” is on view through September 2, 2019...

Freedom's Journal: The Art of Jerry Pinkney (Episode 5 of 5): Warren Oree and the Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble interpret “Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman” by Alan Schroeder. Warren Oree, composer, arranger, and bass; Suzanne Burgess, vocals; Adam Faulk, synthesizer, Frank Butrey, guitar, Greg “Juju” Jones, drums, Larry Price, saxophone, and Doug Pablo Edwards, percussion.

Freedom's Journal: The Art of Jerry Pinkney (Episode 1 of 5): Renowned illustrator and watercolorist Jerry Pinkney and Crystal Lucky, Associate Professor of English and Associate Dean at Villanova University, discuss African American history and both visual and literary interpretations of slavery, the Middle Passage, and the Underground Railroad. Their dialogue covers how the terrible legacy of sl...