Art and Soul of North Texas

Songwriter, Teacher, Pianist Julie Bonk

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 20:54:08 -0500

Julie Bonk has performed with such notables as Bob Hope, Bugs Henderson, The Supremes, The Drifters & Norah Jones, who was also one of her students. She’s been teaching and inspiring students in North Texas for almost thirty years. Today we discuss:

*What inspires Julie to teach
*A powerful vision that came to her through a song she wrote called
“ Oh Ya Ya”
*How playing an instrument can raise your self esteem & feed your spirit
*Julie’s CD, “Different Shades of Blue” and how each song was chosen with a purpose

For more info on Julie, go to www.juliebonk.com

Robyn Lark Wakefield

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:29:21 -0500

Meet Robyn Lark Wakefield . Educator, world traveler, writer and artist, Robyn is the founding director of Urban Goddess, International.

Urban Goddess offers life-affirming classes, programs, and workshops that replenish our interior lives and help us find our purpose in the community and world.

Robyn was an educator and guide in Singapore and Australia and lived among indigenous peoples in the Philippines and Indonesia. She now lives in her birth home of east Dallas. Today we discuss:

*The power of vulnerability
*How men fit into Urban Goddess
*The collective questions we should be asking ourselves
*Robyn’s connection between inner healing and painting

For more information, go to: www.urbangoddess.org

The beautiful music you hear on today’s show is from “Gaia Calling” by previous Art N Soul guest Kim Bold

Singer/Songwriter Kerri Arista

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:19:21 -0600

Today’s guest is the talented singer/songwriter Kerri Arista. Born and raised in Dallas, she has just released her much anticipated second CD “Walk Beside Me”. In this show, we discuss:

*How songwriting helped Kerri be present with, and even work through, deep grief
*The “shift” that happened when she decided to extend her songs to people and not just to her dogs.
*The philosopher Plato...and much more!

Plus, you get to hear songs from her new CD. For more information about Kerri go to www.kerriarista.com

Writer, Engineer, Satya Avatar

Mon, 1 Dec 2008 14:40:04 -0600

Today I talk with Plano author Satya Avatar. His first novel “The Courtesan & the Sadhu”, is set in ancient India just after Alexander the Great’s invasion, and takes the reader through the journey of two seekers.

We talk about:

* The caste system in India and how it originated.
* The importance of confronting inconsistencies in Scriptures
* What inspired Satya to write this book
* The importance of not celebrating or romanticizing war.
* To find out more about Satya, go to www.dharmavision.com

The Indian music you hear on today’s show comes from
Sri Chinmoy, www.radiosrichinmoy.org

Producer, Writer, Moonlady, Amy Martin

Tue, 7 Oct 2008 16:03:31 -0500

Today’s conversation is with Amy Martin. You may know her as “Moonlady” from the free list serve. Educator, farmer, producer, journalist and now author, she has lived a large life, and paid attention to the important details along the way.

Amy has built bridges in our community by bringing people, groups and ideas together through events such as the Winter SolstiCelebration.

We talk about:

* What moved Amy to start Winter SolstiCelebration over a decade ago
* Her new book “Spirit Herbs”
* Why Amy feels the arts are an important part of North Texas’s evolution
* How she herself has been enriched and shaped by the work she’s done

Plus, you get to hear music from the compilation CD “ The Sounds of Earth Rhythms”, featuring 15 different local musicians. Proceeds from this CD benefit Earth Rhythm Events such as Winter SolstiCelebration.

For more information: www.moonlady.com and www.earthrhythms.org

Singer/Songwriter, Lisa Mickelsen

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 13:56:22 -0500

Dallas musician Lisa Mickelsen is emerging as a new voice on the talented Texas singer/songwriter scene. Lisa plays with her duo partner, John Ellis and with band members Mike Geldon and Tom Ellis. Lisa's lyrics paint familiar pictures without sentiment or judgment. Her songs tell stories through the juxtaposition of old and new, good and bad, ugly and beautiful.

Lisa and John recently played at the 60th Annual Ozark Folk Festival in Eureka Springs as well as the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival. They have delighted audiences at several of Dallas' coffee house venues including a regular spot at Dunn Bros. in Addison. They are currently working on their first CD.

Today we talk about:

*Why it’s exhausting to be unauthentic with your creative expression.
*The cathartic power of songwriting
*The Franz Kafka short story, “Josephine the Singer or The Mouse Folk”

To find out more about Lisa and where she’s gigging, go to:
http://www.myspace.com/lisamickelsen

Artist, Richard Ray

Thu, 3 Jul 2008 23:57:32 -0500

Today I chat with Dallas artist Richard Ray.

Deeply inspired by White Rock Lake, Richard takes the memory of a scene home with him and paints from that memory, and has even painted from his dreams. His art is bold, yet subtle, colorful and also subdued.

A few places where his work has been exhibited:

TX Artists Past & Present, Farmer's & Merchant's Gallery, Pilot Point
Red/Yellow Show, North Lake College Gallery, Irving
Studio Tour Art Exhibit, Bath House Art Center, Dallas
Tranquilla Show, Dallas Arts Revue Group Show, Dallas
Critic's Choice, juried exhibition, Dallas Visual Art Center
Juror's Award, Texas Fest Fine Arts Exhibition, Ft. Worth
Artful Objects, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas

Today we talk about:

*Art for entertainment vs. art from inspiration
*What it’s like to “dream paintings”
*Why a person may not be “moved” when they see art
*What art means to Richard

and much more!

To contact Richard, email him at: raystudios@sbcglobal.net
To see his work, visit these links: DallasArtsRevue, Picasso Album

The music played during this show comes from another artist inspired by White Rock Lake - previous Art N Soul guest Marsha Webb. Songs are taken from her CD, White Rock.