Zero Empty Spaces Podcast

In this episode of the Zero Empty Spaces Podcast, we sit down with Cara Houser, CEO of the Downtown Berkeley Association, at Zero Empty Spaces Berkeley at 2036 Shattuck Avenue to explore the role of creativity, community, and collaboration in bringing new life to downtown. Cara began as CEO of the Downtown Berkeley Association in August 2026, succeeding John Caner after his 17 years of leadership....

In this episode of the Zero Empty Spaces Podcast, we sit down with Pua Owan, a Berkeley-based mixed media artist and one of the first artists to join Zero Empty Spaces Berkeley at 2036 Shattuck Avenue. Raised on the island of Oʻahu, Pua draws inspiration from Nature and the Creative Spirit, creating work charged with what Pua calls "raw Big Bang energy": an explosion of color, movement, density, e...

In this episode of the Zero Empty Spaces Podcast, we sit down with Lisa Middag, an urban planner and the inaugural Senior Director for Economic Development for the Mpls Downtown Council and Mpls Downtown Improvement District. Lisa works at the intersection of economic development, creative placemaking, public-space activation, and community building—bringing together businesses, property owners, c...

In this episode of the Zero Empty Spaces Podcast, we sit down with Marge J. Buckley, a Minneapolis-based painter, playwright, and founding artist at Zero Empty Spaces at 815 Nicollet Mall. Marge’s multidisciplinary practice moves between painting, drawing, collage, theatrical design, and playwriting. Across these forms, she explores radical systemic change through experimentation, bold composition...

In this episode of the Zero Empty Spaces Podcast, we sit down with Siana Lakhan, professionally known as Sila Art, to explore how Caribbean heritage, bold color, feminine divinity, nature, and emotional healing come together through her painting practice. Based at Zero Empty Spaces at the Design Center of the Americas in Dania Beach, Florida, Siana is a Trinidad-born artist whose work reflects a l...

In this episode of the Zero Empty Spaces Podcast, we sit down with Andrea Bello, professionally known as Miss Bello, to explore how bold color, intentional design, and immersive visual storytelling can completely transform the way people experience a space. Based at Zero Empty Spaces at the Design Center of the Americas in Dania Beach, Florida, Miss Bello is a creative visionary, designer, and spa...

In this episode of the Zero Empty Spaces Podcast, we sit down with Vanesa Miori to explore the emotional, playful, and spiritual world behind her oil, acrylic, and mixed media paintings. Based in Dania Beach, Florida, Vanesa creates work that blends bold color, whimsical details, realist oil painting influences, and layered mixed media techniques. Her art is rooted in emotion, imagination, truth,...

In this episode of the Zero Empty Spaces Podcast, we sit down with South Florida artist Penny Fraser to explore a journey defined by reinvention, resilience, and creative expansion. Before fully stepping into the arts, Penny built a successful career as an attorney. Today, she channels that same discipline and depth into powerful mixed-media portrait work that explores beauty, empowerment, and tra...

In this episode of the Zero Empty Spaces Podcast, we sit down with Emi Subotovsky, a resident artist at our Dania Beach location, to explore a creative journey that proves it is never too late to answer the call to make art. Born and raised in Argentina, Emi was told early on by a high school art teacher that she would go far as an artist. Life, however, led her down a different path. She pursued...

In this Zero Empty Spaces podcast episode, Evan Snow sits down with Miami-based Haitian-American artist Christian Charles (@christiancharles_art) for a conversation on creative beginnings, artistic evolution, and building a visual world that bridges the real and the surreal. Christian shares how he first discovered his passion for art, what his experience at New World School of the Arts has opened...

In this episode of the Zero Empty Spaces Podcast, Co-Founder Evan Snow sits down with acclaimed artist Francesca Azzara, a resident of our Boca Raton Innovation Campus (BRiC) location. Francesca has been an exhibiting artist for over 30 years through out the NJ/NY area. She has received numerous awards including two HEART grants from the Union County Division of Cultural Affairs, and sited in many...

In this episode of the Zero Empty Spaces Podcast, Co-Founder Evan Snow sits down with acclaimed artist Janet Siegel Rogers, a resident of our DCOTA (Design Center of the Americas) location. Known for her evocative use of light, layered textures, and contemplative abstraction, Janet shares her journey through decades of creative exploration, education, and exhibition. Janet opens up about her artis...

Welcome to the Zero Empty Spaces Podcast – where we spotlight the artists transforming once-vacant spaces into thriving hubs of creativity and community. In this episode, we sit down with Frank Papandrea, a visual storyteller whose abstract paintings pulse with color, movement, and emotion. Based in South Florida, Frank’s work explores the unseen—internal landscapes, fleeting thoughts, and quiet a...

In this episode of the #ZeroEmptySpacesPodcast, we speak with Alexandra Komara, Commercial Investment Specialist with Reach Commercial and founder of the arts and sustainability nonprofit Space Swap. In this episode, we sit down with Alexandra to talk about her work bridging the worlds of commercial real estate, arts, and community sustainability. From her expertise in investment strategy to her p...

Welcome to the Zero Empty Spaces Podcast – where we spotlight the artists transforming once-vacant spaces into thriving hubs of creativity and community. In this episode, we sit down with Helen Parchment-Linton, a self-taught artist whose journey spans from Treasure Beach, Jamaica to the Treasure Coast of Florida. With a background in banking and a lifelong love for painting, Helen brings a unique...

In this special episode of the Zero Empty Spaces podcast, we’re joined by Damon Lehrer, founder of the Boston Figurative Art Center (BFAC), for a deep dive into how and why he created one of the Northeast's most respected hubs for figure drawing and classical art training. Damon shares the story behind BFAC’s founding, his passion for preserving the tradition of observational drawing, and why...

Welcome to the Zero Empty Spaces Podcast – where we spotlight the artists transforming once-vacant spaces into thriving hubs of creativity and community. In this episode, we sit down with Jennifer Love Gironda, a powerhouse of artistic energy, daily discipline, and vibrant expression. Based in South Florida, Jennifer is known for her bold commitment to creating a new piece of art every single day...

In this episode of the Zero Empty Spaces Podcast, we sit down with Palm Beach Gardens-based artist Judy Gaggero, a seasoned creative whose journey spans decades, mediums, and continents. From her early roots in watercolor and acrylic to her current passion for alcohol ink, Judy shares how a lifetime of exploration, teaching, and travel has shaped her distinct artistic voice. Now a resident artist...

Welcome to the Zero Empty Spaces Podcast – where we spotlight the artists transforming once-vacant spaces into thriving hubs of creativity and community. In this inspiring episode of the Zero Empty Spaces Podcast, we sit down with Jamie Reed Lapidus, a powerful voice in the intersection of art, healing, and personal legacy. Diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 37, Jamie turned to painting as a th...

Welcome to the Zero Empty Spaces Podcast – where we spotlight the artists transforming once-vacant spaces into thriving hubs of creativity and community. In this episode, we’re honored to feature Elizabeth Vitale, a Collage and Fiber Artist and retired Art Educator based in Delray Beach, Florida. From her early days hand-embroidering tapestries at 17 to her expressive, nature-inspired works crafte...

Nanette Saylor is an ex-hospitality executive turned creativity coach + teaching artist who passionately supports women to create extraordinary lives and have more fun doing it! She is proud to claim herself as a “recovering stress junkie” who harnessed her creative super-powers to fuel a joyful life and creative business. She invites you to join her to reclaim your creative identity, redefine suc...

Tune in to our latest episode with Victor DiPilato from his studio in The Shops At Legacy Place located in Palm Beach Gardens (Palm Beach County, Florida)! Victor DiPilato is a professional artist who resides in South Florida (Jupiter). His painting style ranges from photorealism to abstraction. His unique abstract painting style is called fractured expressionism where the paintings take on a brok...

Tune in to our latest episode with Frank "Javi B" Bolaños from his studio in The Villages At Gulfstream Park located in Hallandale Beach (Broward County, Florida)! You can find more on his Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/javi.b_art At Zero Empty Spaces, we are dedicated to transforming vacant commercial real estate into working artist studios that serve as vibrant hubs for creativity and com...

Tune in to our latest episode with Claudia Yusmila Garcia from her studio in The Villages At Gulfstream Park located in Hallandale Beach (Broward County, Florida)! Claudia's Bio: "Claudia Yusmila Garcia, a Cuban-born fine art illustrator, and painter, was raised in the vibrant heart of Miami. From a young age, Claudia gravitated towards the arts and embraced creative pursuits. As she matured, Clau...

Tune in to our latest episode with Treasure Coast Square Mall resident artist Edwig Constant aka EJC Arts from his studio in Martin County's Jensen Beach! EJC's Bio: "As an established artist in South Florida, my goal with my artwork is to bring thought to life and to tell a story with each piece. I have won awards and developed a completed client base of over 300 pieces with the ten years of expe...