Strand, the Story of an Artist

Episode 049: Sara Sjol

Sara Sjol (b. Omaha, NE) takes her love of line and color and weaves them together in a vibrant and visual manner that carries through her paper and mixed-media works.In her early years, Sjol’s creativity focused mainly on graphic design and photography. It wasn’t until 2010, when she developed a chronic illness that her visual art began pouring out. Since then, Sjol has created an engaging series of works in which she expresses herself and the world around her.
Sjol’s work is held in collections across the country and has been featured on magazine covers and at Portland International Airport. She is represented by the Rental Sales Gallery at the Portland Art Museum.
www.sarasjol.com
@sarasjol_artist
https://www.pdxstreetart.org 
@portlandstreetartalliance
 
All episodes of The Strand are available at www.kevinwillpaint.com/strand and on all major podcast platforms. Including Spotify, Apple, iHeart, and Amazon.
Produced by Kevin Kirkwood @kevinwillpaint
Image courtesy of Sjol

Episode 048: Runcie Tatnall

Tatnall, renowned for his striking portraits and dynamic boxing paintings, is an artist who currently lives and works in Savannah, GA. He trained in painting and illustration at the University of Delaware, further honing his craft at the prestigious Art Students League in New York City, and earned his MFA in Painting from the University of Miami.
Tatnall’s career as an educator spans many years; he served as an Assistant Professor of Art at Stephen F. Austin State University from 2010 to 2016 and currently holds a professorship at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Through his teaching and his practice, he continues to inspire and challenge others to see art as a means of both personal and universal expression.
Since 1995, Tatnall has exhibited his work across the United States, including notable shows in New York City, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Miami, and Houston.
www.runcietatnall.com                
@runcie_paintings
All episodes of The Strand are available at www.kevinwillpaint.com/strand and on all major podcast platforms. Including Spotify, Apple, iHeart, and Amazon. 
Produced by Kevin Kirkwood @kevinwillpaint
Image courtesy of Runcie Tatnall

Episode 047: Kip Bradley

Kip Bradley is a talented landscape oil painter based in Savannah, Georgia. His work beautifully captures the unique charm and serene landscapes of the Lowcountry, drawing inspiration from the region’s rich history, natural beauty, and the interplay of light and atmosphere. In this conversation, we dive into Kip’s artistic journey, his creative process, and what makes the landscapes of Savannah so inspiring.
Kip exhibits artwork regionally and nationally and is the Studio Programs Manager at the Telfair Museums, teaching and coordinating classes for the community.
www.KipBradley.com
@jkipbrad
@telfairmuseums
www.telfair.org
 
Produced by Kevin Kirkwood
www.kevinwillpaint.com/strand
@kevinwillpaint
 
All images are courtesy of Kip Bradley

Episode 046: Zach Waller

Zach Waller is a self-taught photographer based in Savannah, Georgia, who recently relocated from Minnesota in March 2023. Although he works in logistics by day, photography has always been a central passion in his life, one that has experienced a resurgence after a long hiatus since his high school and college years.
Exploring the world through his lens, Zach is drawn to the raw, beauty of everyday life, particularly in street and portrait photography. He continues to seek out new ways to tell compelling stories through his photography, embracing the unexpected and celebrating the richness of the human experience.
Listen to this, and all episodes of The Strand by clicking the link in the @strandpodcast bio. Or, at kevinwillpaint.com/strand . Episodes are also found on Spotify, iHeart, Apple, Amazon and other major podcast platforms.
@zachwallerphotography
Photos courtesy of Zach Waller
Produced by Kevin Kirkwood. @kevinwillpaint
 
 

Episode 045: Carrie Christian

Carrie Christian is an artist living and working in Savannah. Carrie describes her work as narrative collages that investigate her fears, hopes, dreams, motherhood, love, heartbreak, and every other thing we go through as humans. Carrie is currently getting a masters in art therapy from Syracuse University. She loves to karaoke.
Listen to this, and all episodes of The Strand by clicking the link in the @strandpodcast bio. Or, at kevinwillpaint.com/strand . Episodes are also found on Spotify, iHeart, and other major podcast platforms.
@carrieachristian     @ sulfurstudios    
Photos courtesy of Carrie Christian
Produced by Kevin Kirkwood. @kevinwillpaint

Episode 044: Valerio D’Ospina

Valerio D’Ospina is an Italian born contemporary artist based in Philadelphia since 2014. He obtained both BA and MFA at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence, Italy, graduating cum laude. Only 7 days after his graduation in 2009, he was invited to teach at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania where he taught for 5 years until he moved to Philadelphia and decided to solely focus his career as a full-time artist.
His energetic, unique style of painting cityscapes and industrial scenes has earned him numerous awards and accolades and he has been featured in prominent art magazines, online platforms, has been the subject of art lectures in universities and academies of fine art all over the world and has been published in educational textbooks and prestigious art books.
D’Ospina’s work has also been acquired by significant corporate and private collections as well as international modern and contemporary art museum collections. 
"Signs of Life" now on view at the Stanek Gallery in Philly until November 23
Stanek Gallery - Miami || Philadelphia 
@stanekgallery    https://www.stanekgallery.com/ 
Listen to this, and all episodes of The Strand by clicking the link in the @strandpodcast bio. Or, at kevinwillpaint.com/strand . Episodes are also found on Spotify, iHeart, and other major podcast platforms.
Photos courtesy of Valerio D’Ospina
Produced by Kevin Kirkwood. @kevinwillpaint

Episode 043: Maxx Feist

Maxx Feist is a self-taught artist based in Savannah, GA, originally from Asheville, NC. Their friends and family were deeply affected by Hurricane Helene. The galleries that showcased Maxx's work are currently closed until further notice. If you have the resources to help support Maxx’s Ashville community, please consider connecting with the entities below.
I recorded this episode during the first week of August, nearly two months before Helene’s landfall. During this time, I had the privilege of meeting several talented artists with roots in Asheville. I’ve wrestled with the decision to release these episodes out of respect for those facing challenging circumstances. However, with the consent of each artist I interviewed, I am committed to shining a light on the individuals who inspire me and celebrating their creativity.
Maxx has spent 15 years passionately immersing themselves in the world of art, painting obsessively every day since choosing this creative path. Their work bursts with vibrant, saturated colors and whimsical, chaotic creatures, inviting viewers into a lively, imaginative realm.
Focusing on intricate details and expansive canvases, Maxx’s style draws inspiration from comic art, featuring dynamic line work that enhances the energy of each piece. Their artistic journey is supported by a community of friends, both known and unknown, who have helped turn Maxx’s dream of being an artist into a vivid reality.
Maxx Feist:  https://www.maxxfeistart.com/ @maxx_feist
Horse and Hero: https://horse-hero.myshopify.com/  @horseandhero
The Big Crafty: https://thebigcrafty.com/  @thebigcrafty
Nashville Punk Rock Flea Market : https://nashvillepunk.net/   @punkrockfleamarket_nashville
HollerHouse: https://hollerhousebristol.com/
Brother Wolf Animal Rescue: https://www.bwar.org/   @brotherwolfanimalrescue
Beloved Ashville: https://belovedasheville.com/   @belovedashville
Pansy Collective: @pansey.collective
 
Listen to this, and all episodes of The Strand by clicking the link in the @strandpodcast bio. Or, at kevinwillpaint.com/strand . Episodes are also found on Spotify, iHeart, and other major podcast platforms.
 
Photos courtesy of Maxx Feist
Produced by Kevin Kirkwood. @kevinwillpaint

Episode 042: Jose Barreda

José Pablo Barreda, an artist who was born and raised in Juárez, Mexico, later pursued his passion for illustration at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Over the past few years, he has transformed repurposed wooden chairs into intricate sculptures. His captivating work is currently on display at the Haen Gallery on Biltmore Avenue in Asheville, North Carolina.
@chairismatico_        www.josepablobarreda.com
@thehaengallery             https://thehaengallery.com/  
Listen to this, and all episodes of The Strand by clicking the link in the @strandpodcast bio. Or, at kevinwillpaint.com/strand . Episodes are also found on Spotify, iHeart, and other major podcast platforms.
Photos courtesy of Jose Pablo Barreda
Produced by Kevin Kirkwood. @kevinwillpaint
 

Episode 041: Ben Copperwheat

As a designer, artist, and educator, Ben Copperwheat produces wearable art clothing, fine art, interior pieces, and provides creative print textile design and direction to some of the top brands worldwide. Copperwheat has created textile collections and brand direction for Gucci, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Peter Som, Edun, Pret A Surf, Victorinox Swiss Army, Stephen Burrows, 3.1 Phillip Lim, DKNY, and Daryl K, his work is commissioned by personalities and organizations like Beyoncé and Blue Ivy, Boy George, Liza Minelli, Pat Cleveland, Isabella Blow, Patricia Field and David Collins Studio. Ben Copperwheat graduated with an MA of Printed Textiles from the Royal College of Art in 2001.
@bencopperwheat         
bencopperwheat.com
Listen to this, and all episodes of The Strand by clicking the link in the @strandpodcast bio. Or, at kevinwillpaint.com/strand . Episodes are also found on Spotify, iHeart, and other major podcast platforms.
Photos courtesy of Ben Copperwheat
Produced by Kevin Kirkwood. @kevinwillpaint

Episode 040: Mary Hartman

Mary Hartman is a native of Charleston, WV. She is an artist who currently lives and works in Savannah, GA. Outside of group and solo exhibitions, she works as a commissioned portrait artist.
@maryhartmanstudio                   maryhartman.net
@pwshortgeneralstore
Listen to this, and all episodes of The Strand by clicking the link in the @strandpodcast bio. Or, at kevinwillpaint.com/strand . Episodes are also found on Spotify, iHeart, and other major podcast platforms.
Photos courtesy of Mary Hartman
Produced by Kevin Kirkwood. @kevinwillpaint