Artblog | Interviews

March 11, 2022 by Roberta

Kristal Sotomayor on ‘Expanding Sanctuary,’ an Added Velocity Spotlight Interview

Kristal Sotomayor is the subject of our fifth and final Added Velocity 2021-2022 spotlight interview series! Her project “Expanding Sanctuary” was first funded through Velocity Fund in 2020, and now with $15,000 in additional funding through Added Velocity, she will further her 26-minute documentary “about the campaign to end the sharing of the police database with Immigration and Customs Enforcement led by Juntos and the Latinx immigrant community in South Philly.” Learn more below!

March 8, 2022 by Roberta

Diente and Sky Fo on “Choreto,” an Added Velocity Spotlight Interview

Diente and Sky Fo tell Artblog about ‘Choreto,’ their Added Velocity-funded follow-up to ‘Gente de Tierra’ (2020 Velocity Fund Project). ‘Choreto’ will use their $15,000 in funding for community infrastructure, resources, and education, such as community pantries and composting. Learn more in this post!

March 5, 2022 by Roberta

John Jarboe on “The Beardmobile,” an Added Velocity Spotlight Interview

Our third Added Velocity awardee spotlight is here! John Jarboe tells Roberta more about “The Beardmobile,” performance and protest unit on wheels; and their musical performance piece “Rose: You Are Who You Eat,” which they will perform at the Guggenheim in NYC on March 26th at 7:30PM!

March 3, 2022 by Roberta

Yaroub Al Obaidi on ‘Al Mudhif – A Confluence,’ an Added Velocity Spotlight Interview

Yaroub Al Obaidi, speaks with Roberta about their project “Al Mudhif – A Confluence” in this second Added Velocity awardee spotlight! Al Mudhif is a “a traditional Iraqi ceremonial structure made entirely out of phragmites reed.” With the $15,000 Added Velocity award, collaborators Yaroub Al Obaidi and Sarah Kavage will dismantle and document the structure after damage from Hurricane Ida.

March 1, 2022 by Roberta

Ana Cecilia Gonzalez on ‘Alumbra,’ an Added Velocity Spotlight Interview

January 10, 2022 by Deborah Krieger

Kelsey Halliday Johnson leads and advocates for the arts and social justice at SPACE in Portland, ME

Deborah Krieger interviews Kelsey Halliday Johnson, artist and current Executive Director of Portland, Maine’s SPACE (plus former Philly resident/ arts worker/ member of Philly’s DIY-alternative community). Kelsey is enthusiastically dedicated to her role at SPACE, a multi-disciplinary independent maker hub; in particular their grantmaking program, the Kindling Fund.

August 12, 2021 by Ashwin Suseendran

Karen Lauria Saillant, of International Opera Theater and The Fire, believes in unity, peace, and healing through music

Artblog Community Intern Ashwin Suseendran interviews “World Percussion for Peace” event organizer Karen Lauria Saillant. Both musicians, Ashwin and Karen share a heartfelt conversation about the language of music and its healing abilities. Be on the lookout for Karen’s upcoming projects– info in this post!

June 15, 2021 by L Autumn Gnadinger

Conversation with Zoe McCarthy about their hypnotic, uncanny virtual realities, at InLiquid

New Artblog contributor L Autumn Gnadinger interviews Zoe McCarthy, who works in ‘”new media, 3D animation, and mixed reality.’ You can see Zoe’s work in ‘New Now IV,’ a group show of new InLiquid members, through June 19, 2021 at the InLiquid Gallery.

May 28, 2021 by Janyce Denise Glasper

Pandemic conversation, Imani Roach and Janyce Denise Glasper talk about art, life, flowers

Two Artblog favorites, Janyce Denise Glasper, writer, artist and Artblog contributor, and Imani Roach, artist, educator, Vox Populi member and former Artblog Managing Editor, spend some time on Zoom catching up during the pandemic’s Winter surge. Enjoy this time capsule of our lives back in February, 2021.

May 25, 2021 by guest writer

Talking with the moon baby about queer mythologies, the pandemic and their new single ‘Yours Truly-Tom DeBlase remix’

Guest contributor Rami George speaks with the moon baby, Philadelphia-based musician and artist, about their newest single ‘Yours Truly – Tom DeBlase remix.’ In this exclusive conversation, Rami and moon baby discuss everything from collaboration to falling in love.

May 11, 2021 by Roberta

Bryan Warner’s fluid paintings mix life and art with quiet questioning, a conversation

In this 33 minute Artblog Radio interview, Roberta speaks with Bryan Warner about his Japanese heritage, growing up attending a Buddhist temple, teaching art at both the college and elementary school level, and much more. This interview is available in audio, video, and text transcription.

April 28, 2021 by Susan Isaacs

Baltimore artist Jackie Milad on work-life balance, cultural symbolism, and making art unapologetically

Artblog contributor Susan Isaacs interviews Egyptian-Honduran American artist Jackie Milad about balancing life, work, and art; her artistic process; and identity-based art. Jackie’s work can be viewed at multiple current and upcoming exhibitions!

March 12, 2021 by Susan Isaacs

Diane Burko talks about flying with James Turrell, becoming a climate activist, and current work

Artblog contributor Susan Isaacs connects with climate art activist Diane Burko in a Q&A conversation about climate activism, art historical influences, and Diane’s current artwork and upcoming exhibitions.

February 5, 2021 by Corey Qureshi

Musician and Alchemist St. Sol’s aqueous and cathartic EP ‘Amphibian’

Artblog contributor Corey Qureshi delivers a thoughtful and heartfelt review of musician St. Sol’s EP ‘Amphibian’, followed by a short Q&A with the artist themselves where they discuss identity, alchemy, personal transformation, and more!