Celebrate Our 20th Anniversary with The Truth In This Art Podcast!
To celebrate Station North Arts District's 20th Anniversary, we teamed up with Rob Lee, host of the The Truth In This Art Podcast, to tell the stories of just a few of the amazing people who make Station North, Station North.
About The Truth In This Art
The Truth In This Art is a podcast interview series supporting vibrancy and development of Baltimore & beyond's arts and culture. This series is a partnership with Station North Art's District, a proud program of the Central Baltimore Partnership.
Episode 1
CJay Philip of Dance & Bmore
CJay Philip, an award winning actress/director/choreographer is Artistic Director of Dance & Bmore, a multidisciplinary Baltimore based ensemble presenting a unique fusion of movement, music, theatrics and spoken-word in their socially conscious and interactive works. Dance & Bmore also designs innovative multigenerational programs that seek to stimulate the imagination and strengthen relationships while building a sense of community and well being. The FazaFam Family Jam focuses on strengthening families though music, movement, and play, Forever Fit & Fun uses memory-based movement, prompts and storytelling to capture the memories of seniors citizens and encapsulate them in spoken-word, music and dance.
Episode 2
Shane Prada & Elliot Keely of Baltimore Jewerly Center
Shane Prada came to Baltimore in 2004 as a Teach For America corps member. In 2010, Shane began taking evening classes at the Maryland Institute College of Art’s Jewelry Center, then a continuing studies program. She fell in love with art jewelry and metalsmithing and the community fostered by the Jewelry Center. In the fall of 2012, MICA announced that it would discontinue the 22-year old Jewelry Center program in 2014. In the spring of 2013, a leadership team comprised of the core faculty and three students from the program was formed. Shane took the lead as the team created a new organization that would continue the legacy of the MICA Jewelry Center, the Baltimore Jewelry Center. In her role as director of the BJC, Shane oversees the administration and strategic plan of the organizations, steers the programming, raises funds through grant writing and fundraisers, manages the organization’s finances, and manages community outreach.
Elliot Keely is an artist and metalsmith from Raleigh, North Carolina. Elliot completed my BFA with a concentration in metalsmithing and jewelry design from Appalachian State University. From 2017-2019, Elliot participated in the two year Core Fellowship at Penland School of Craft. Elliot explores different processes, often incorporating ceramics, drawing, painting, and collage into my work, while maintaining and specializing a practice in metal. Elliot is currently based in Baltimore, Maryland. where he works to manage the Baltimore Jewelry Center, a non-profit jewelry educational space.
Episode 3
Executive Chef & owner of Foraged Chris Amendola
Owner and head chef of Foraged.Eatery, Chris Amendola. Chris takes us all the way back to his childhood days in Florida as he charts his story from a dishwasher to a foraging sous chef, until he finally decided to head back east and set roots in Baltimore, MD. Chef Amendola’s story is a true testament to what one person can accomplish despite the constant hurdles we face in life. Later, Chris answers an array of questions, providing insight on the culinary scene in Baltimore, advice on foraging for yourself, and the proper way to prepare and season a duck. We also get an advanced preview of what’s to come in 2020 for Foraged.Eatery, including a 4th of July BBQ and an early summer Taco Night! This is an episode you don’t want to miss!
Episode 4
Q&A with Director Michelle Faulkner-Forson BIG Improv
Michelle Faulkner-Forson is the Managing Director of The Baltimore Improv Group (BIG).
The Baltimore Improv Group (BIG) advances the art and appreciation of comedy improv in the Baltimore region through enthusiastic participation and education. BIG enhances the quality of, expands participation in, and fosters the appreciation for improv throughout Baltimore.
BIG envisions awareness of, participation in and passion for improv comedy spread throughout the Baltimore region. We similarly envision improv’s infectious culture of support spread throughout the greater Baltimore area, inspiring community and creativity among all.
Episode 5
Q&A with Baltimore-based comedian Ivan Martin
Originally from Jacksonville, Florida he brings characters to the stage that present an outlook on the hardships of life from a gentleman’s perspective. Ivan’s comedy is realistically clever and honest, but also focuses on his experiences throughout his child and young adulthood. Although, he grew up in a house full of sisters, his upbringing is the reason for his “Gentleman Comedy”. Ivan started his comedy career in VA Beach while in the NAVY, after residing in Virginia he relocated to the City of Baltimore where he was quickly embraced by the comedy community. He begun to perform at Comedy Clubs and Colleges around the country. In 2017 Ivan became the founder of the Baltimore Comedy Festival hosting 100+ comedians, domestic and international. In 2019 Ivan was selected for Kevin Hart's "Hart of The City" produced by Comedy Central. Following that accomplishment, he hit the World as a Feature with Norwegian Cruise Lines and performed in over 12 countries. He is also a frequent performer in the DMV area, where he is known as a favorite. In Baltimore he is known for being one of the most diverse comedians on the scene, performing and writing various Sketches while entertaining crowds weekly at his Art of Comedy Showcase/Open Mic Series. (Motor House/SHOWROOM Baltimore).
Ivan is also the founder of the Baltimore Comedy Festival which is in its fourth year and host 100 comedians from all over the world performing at over 20 venues in the city each Labor Day week since 2017. Ivan is also a co-founder of the Washington DC Comedy Festival.
Episode 6
Q&A with textile artists Kenya Miles (Blue Light Junction)
Kenya Miles is the artist and alchemist behind Traveling Miles Studio and founder of Blue Light Junction, a natural dye studio, alternative color lab, retail space, dye garden and educational facility in central Baltimore.
Episode 7
Q&A with Musician/owner William Herman (Station North Sound)
William Herman is a musician, engineer & producer of Station North Sound. William believes in the record and in capturing the musical movement of the soul. Whether he's playing the role of engineer or producer, bringing an artists intentions into reality is the focus of his craft. He works in a variety of styles and genres.
Episode 8
Q&A with Restaurateur Irena Stein (Alma Cocina Latina)
Irena Stein is a photographer, restaurateur, immigrant, sustainability advocate, and humanitarian whose spirit is deeply rooted in humanitizing society. Irena is the Co-Proprietor along with her husband Mark Demshak and executive chef David Zamudio of Alma Cocina Latina.