The Art Box

Some of the most important conversations we have on The Art Box aren't about painting, music, or writing. They're about the art of being human, the courage to share our struggles, and the extraordinary difference that kindness, compassion, and simply being present can make in another person's life.
In this deeply personal and heartfelt episode, Steve welcomes Linda Rino of the PACT Coalition and Julie Sargent, a woman whose willingness to share her story reminds us why conversations about mental health, suicide prevention, and human connection are so important.
Julie has survived two suicide attempts. With remarkable openness and courage, she shares her personal journey, including some of the most difficult moments of her life. She tells her story not for sympathy, but with the hope that her experiences might help someone else who is struggling. Her willingness to speak openly reminds us that we can never fully know the battles another person may be facing, and that no one should have to face those battles alone.
Linda shares the important work of the PACT Coalition for a Safe and Drug-Free Mesquite, including its partnership with the national suicide prevention initiative Find Your Anchor to bring Anchor Boxes to our community. Supported in part by the Mesquite Regional Community Fund, this thoughtful initiative provides free, tangible reminders of hope and connection, with particular attention to older adults who may be experiencing isolation, depression, or other mental health challenges.
What is an Anchor Box? It's a small blue box filled with carefully selected items intended to offer comfort, encouragement, and emotional support to someone experiencing a difficult time. More than the items inside, each box carries a simple but powerful message: You are not alone. You matter. Your story isn't over.
These free Anchor Boxes are available at several locations throughout Mesquite, including the Mesquite Library, Fire Station, City Hall, Mesquite Works STEAM Center, and Mesquite Senior Center, as well as the Salvation Army and Mesquite Municipal Courthouse. They are there for anyone who might need a little encouragement or who knows someone who does. Availability may vary by location.
Throughout our conversation, we explore the importance of recognizing emotional struggles, breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health, and building a community where asking for help is met with understanding rather than judgment.
At the heart of this episode is a message worth carrying into our everyday lives: Be in the present. Be present for yourself. Be present for the people you love. And perhaps most importantly, be present for someone who may be quietly struggling.
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to Julie for trusting us with her story, to Linda for her tireless commitment to the well-being of our community, and to the organizations and individuals helping make Anchor Boxes available throughout Mesquite.
This is a conversation about vulnerability, compassion, survival, hope, and the extraordinary power of human connection.
Because sometimes the greatest gift we can offer another person isn't something we say or do. It's simply letting them know they are not alone.
Content note: This episode includes a personal discussion of suicide attempts and mental health challenges. If you or someone you know is struggling or experiencing a suicidal crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day. You matter, and help is available.

There are some people who simply make a community brighter, and Bethany Green is certainly one of them. Steve has long appreciated Bethany's friendship, her ever-present smile, her infectious enthusiasm, and, most importantly, her genuine love for our Mesquite community.
In this episode of The Art Box, we welcome Bethany back to discuss her exciting debut as a playwright and director of Santa Unplugged, an original holiday musical presented by Cactus Youth Theatre on December 18 and 19 at Virgin Valley High School.
Bethany takes us behind the scenes of writing her very first play, sharing the creative challenges, unexpected discoveries, casting decisions, and excitement of bringing her own story to life on stage.
Our conversation also explores the remarkable growth of Cactus Youth Theatre and its commitment to providing year-round theatrical education and performance opportunities for our community's burgeoning population of young actors. Through its collaboration with 4-H, the organization is helping young people develop confidence, creativity, and valuable theatrical skills both onstage and behind the scenes.
It's a delightful conversation about friendship, imagination, community, and the magic that happens when someone decides to take an idea and turn it into a Christmas musical.
Join us for Episode 499 as Bethany Green reminds us that the greatest gift of community theatre might just be the opportunities we create for the next generation.
Find out more about Cactus Youth Theatre at: https://www.cactusyouththeatre.com/

For Episode 498 of The Art Box, we take our microphones on the road to one of the Mojave Desert's most remarkable treasures, Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge. I had the wonderful opportunity to join author Christy J. Kendall and our friends from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for a celebration and book signing of Christy's new mystery, Shining Waters.
Surrounded by shimmering water, birds, wildlife, and the extraordinary beauty of this desert oasis, Christy and I sat down to explore her latest book, the imagination behind her storytelling, and the creative journey of bringing a mystery to life. What better place to talk about a story filled with intrigue than a refuge where nature seems to hold a few mysteries of its own?
Join us for a delightful conversation about writing, inspiration, and the wonders of the natural world, recorded in a place that reminds us there is always more to discover when we take the time to notice.
Find out more: https://christyjkendall.com/
 

Sometimes the most fascinating conversations begin with a chance encounter. I had the good fortune of meeting Estephania Solis at the Mesquite Library's Glitter and Gold event, and I instantly knew she would not only be a fabulous guest on The Art Box, but that she had a remarkable story to share with our worldwide listeners.
In this episode, Estephania joins me for a fascinating exploration of the essence of who we are and the transformative power of art, imagination, and self-discovery. Growing up between two cultures, she shares how her heritage, personal experiences, and connection to the natural world have shaped her understanding of identity and the human spirit.
Together, we explore the intersection of expressive arts, psychology, and spirituality, along with the mysterious liminal spaces where transformation begins. Our conversation reminds us that discovering our true essence is not necessarily about becoming someone new, but about recognizing who we have been all along, and finding the courage to embrace who we might yet become.
 
Learn more here: https://linktr.ee/alkehmiaa
 

What happens when a family legend turns out to be true? Author Kimberly Nixon grew up hearing that her grandmother had “robbed a train.” Years later, she discovered her grandmother’s 1925 felony conviction papers, stayed up all night reading them, and immediately began writing the novel Rock Bottom, Tennessee. 
Kimberly joins us for a wonderful conversation about turning family history into historical fiction, the “ache and the triumph” of writing resilient women, and why preserving names and dates isn’t enough, we need to preserve the stories that tell us who we are. 
We also talk about her newest novel, Cutie Pies by the Slice, set during Prohibition and the Great Depression, the idea of chosen family, her unforgettable mother “Look It Up Mary,” and the remarkable real people who continue to find their way into Kimberly’s fiction. 
And yes—we even find time for pineapple pie.
Visit Kimberly's web site: https://kimberlynixon.com/
 

What happens when one teacher sees something in a shy young student that she hasn't yet discovered in herself?
Our guest is Wende Killinger, drama teacher at Virgin Valley High School and one of the founders of Cactus Youth Theatre. Wende takes us back to junior high, where she was painfully shy until a teacher, Mrs. Lloyd, became the catalyst who encouraged her to step beyond small roles and discover the confidence of the stage.
We follow Wende's journey through a teaching career in Wyoming and eventually to Virgin Valley High School, where her greatest reward is watching her students grow—not just as performers, but as people. We also celebrate an extraordinary year for her students: winning Nevada's one-act title and traveling to Indianapolis for the national competition.
It's a conversation about theatre, great teachers, young people finding their voices, and how one person who believes in you can change the direction of a life.

Welcome friends, to The Art Box Podcast and our Harvest of Thought 2026.
Last year, our Harvest of Thought grew into something much bigger than we ever imagined. We gathered so many wonderful voices, poems, stories, and reflections that it took five full episodes to share them all.
Well, this year, we’re doing things a little differently.
We’re packing the entire Harvest into one very special episode.
Now, I’ll warn you it may be a little longer than your typical Art Box episode. But we think you’ll want to stay with us, because the next little while is going to be packed with some truly amazing poetry and essays from voices around the world.
Some will make you think.
Some may make you smile.
Some might tug at your heart.
And perhaps a few will cause you to stop whatever you’re doing and simply listen.
That, after all, is the wonderful thing about the spoken word. A few carefully chosen words, spoken in someone’s own voice, can travel thousands of miles and somehow feel as though they were meant just for you.
So wherever you happen to be listening today, get comfortable.
Settle in.
And join us as we celebrate writers, thinkers, poets, storytellers, and the simple power of sharing our thoughts with one another.
Sit back, open your mind and your heart, and enjoy the spoken word.
Welcome to Harvest of Thought 2026.
Our line up
    1:45 - Lauren Camp – New Mexico Poet Laureate
    3:53 - Ben Larson – Montana
    8:56 - Monique Long – Mesquite, Nevada
    9:48 - Tammy Bendetti – Grand Junction, Colorado
  12:20 - Mike Cullinane – New Jersey
  14:06 - Dawn Amundson Reading an Excerpt from Amy Irvine – Desert Cabal – Mesquite, Nevada
  15:00 - Jessica Schley – Santa Ynez, California
  19:50 - Larry Hilberg – California
  20:37 - Kathy Smith – Ivans, Utah
  23:29 - Steve Dudrow – Mesquite, Nevada
  25:16 - Monique Long – Mesquite, Nevada
  26:55 - Edie Dotan – Las Vegas, Nevada
  34:45 - Steve Dudrow – Mesquite, Nevada
  35:38 - Kathy Smith – Ivans, Utah
  40:18 - Mike Cullinane, New Jersey
  48:22 - Larry Hilberg, California
  60: 24 - Kindall Fredricks – Houston, Texas
  62:03 - Alex Harper – Alaska
  63:08 - Leigh Ratterman – Arlee, Montana
  67:52 - Sarah Kilgallon – Portugal
  71:13 - Summer L. Wilson – Mesquite, Nevada
  72:54 - Mike Walker – New Carrolton, Maryland
  73:57 - Claire McQuerry – Peoria, Illinois
  76:15 - Andrey Aleshintsev – New York
  78:20 - Bob Dewhurst – Goldfield, Nevada
  80:42 - Rayann Hijazzi – Reno, Nevada
  82:13 - Kathy Smith – Ivans, Utah
  85:41 - Ben Crenshaw – Mesquite, Nevada
  90:29 – Daniel Brady – San Francisco, California
  93:52 - Allison Bell – Moapa Valley, Nevada
  94:14 - Roslyn Ellis – Mesquite, Nevada
  94:34 - Allison, Delanie, Axel, Roslyn – UNR-4H Mesquite, Nevada
  99:55 - Christine DeJuliis – Baltimore, Maryland
102:04 - Elizabeth Kuelbs - Lives at the edge of a Los Angeles canyon in California
103:41 - Jessica Schley – Santa Ynez, California
123:08 - Kaylea'Layah Whitefeather  - St. George, Utah
132:55 - Sean Griffin – Reno Nevada – Nevada Poet Laurearte

Artist, writer, and expressive arts facilitator Christine “Sunshine” DeJuliis joins Steve for a thoughtful conversation about creativity as a pathway to healing, presence, connection, and possibility. Through brilliant color, intuitive abstraction, symbols, mandalas, and the simple act of noticing, Christine explores how art can help us see both the world around us and something deeper within ourselves.
They talk about creativity in recovery, the power of making art together, finding possibility through color, and Christine’s belief that creativity belongs to everyone—not simply those who call themselves artists. For Christine, art is more than something we make or hang on a wall. It is a way of listening, connecting, healing, and perhaps finding our way home to ourselves.
Find Christine's art and inspiration at: https://www.sunshinetheartist.com/

Writer and educator Kate McElderry joins us for a wonderfully wide-ranging conversation about creativity, learning, and the many different ways our minds work. Kate shares how childhood days spent exploring outdoors, sketching, journaling, and growing up around her mother’s art studio eventually planted the seeds for her novel Declan Someone.
We explore Kate’s own nonlinear approach to creativity, her work with young people, and Mind Brain Education (MBE), including how understanding the brain can change the way we think about teaching and learning. Kate also tells us how Declan Someone has moved beyond the page into classrooms, libraries, health centers, and her volunteer book and journaling program at the Baltimore City Detention Center. At the heart of it all are themes that emerged naturally through her writing: belonging, self-worth, resilience, and navigating life’s challenges.
It’s a conversation about writing, education, curiosity—and discovering that there really are many different kinds of smart.
You can find more about Kate at: https://katemcelderrywriting.com/
or on Instagram: @katemcelderrywriter
 

Christopher Aguilar has been finding his way onto stages since childhood—although one of his earliest may have been the fireplace at his grandmother’s house.
In Episode 491, Steve sits down with actor, playwright, teacher, and creative force Christopher Aguilar for a conversation about a life spent discovering what it means to truly “own the character.”
Christopher talks about acting as a child, his training and professional journey, his upcoming performance as Hortensio and the Tailor in the Nevada Shakespeare Festival’s The Taming of the Shrew, and even his somewhat complicated relationship with singing, an aversion that, as it turns out, may not be quite as strong as he claims.
But some of the most memorable moments come when Christopher talks about the spaces between the words: learning to own the silence, trusting yourself onstage, and his wonderfully simple advice to actors—“Own the Character.”
We also explore Christopher’s work as an instructor at the Winchester Dondero Cultural Center in Las Vegas, where his Creative Expression and Senior Storytelling classes encourage people to step forward, tell their stories, and discover that the stage belongs to them, too.
From a grandmother’s fireplace to Shakespeare, Christopher Aguilar reminds us that sometimes the most important part of finding your voice is simply having the courage to take the stage.
Credit for the piano piece in this episode: Garrett Tan-Torres.
Visit Christophers IMDB Page - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3024707/?_ssoLoop=1
Visit Christopher Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thechristopheraguilar/?hl=en
Winchester Dondero Cultural Center Senior Story Telling Showcase: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqT22vO1m6Y