The Art Box

The Art Box - Episode 400 - Solid Gold - Meet Gwen Reid

Episode 400 feels like a milestone worth celebrating, and we couldn’t think of a more fitting guest than Gwen Reid, pure solid gold.
Hailing from Placerville, California, Gwen Reid is a cowboy poet whose life has been as full and layered as the stories she tells. A proud mother of nine children, Gwen brings decades of lived experience to the page, crafting poetry that reflects family, faith, grit, humor, and the enduring spirit of the West.
In this special episode, Gwen shares the story of the 49'ers flocking to California to strike it rich.
From ranch life to historical reflection, Gwen’s poems honor tradition while preserving the everyday moments that often matter most. Her voice is steady, warm, and grounded in a deep respect for heritage and community.
Episode 400 is a celebration, of poetry, perseverance, motherhood, storytelling, and the kind of strength that quietly shines. Gwen Reid reminds us that sometimes the richest gold is found in the stories we live and the words we dare to write.
Here’s to 400 episodes, and to the solid gold people who make The Art Box what it is.
In exciting news, Gwen has graciously recorded a very special poem for us that will air on our nation's 250th birthday, July 4, 2026. Thank you Gwen you are an American treasure. 

The Art Box - Episode 399 - Grandma - Meet Gary Sisk

At the 41st National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada, we sit down with Idaho cowboy poet Gary Sisk, a man whose words carry the quiet weight of memory and the warmth of family.
In this heartfelt episode, Gary shares a tender poem about his grandmother, a steady presence in his young life, full of grace, humor, and understanding. With the rhythm of the range and the softness of recollection, Gary tells the story of a time when he probably deserved a little trouble… but instead received mercy. It’s a poem about being “let off the hook,” about unconditional love, and about the kind of wisdom that doesn’t come from lectures, but from lived example.
Episode 399 is a beautiful reminder of the grandmothers who shaped us, the small moments that linger, and the power of poetry to carry love forward across generations.
Settle in, this one will touch your heart.

The Art Box - Episode 398 - Reciting Poetry with Love in Her Heart - Meet Kathy Smith

From memories of Arizona to the wide-open ranges of Utah and Nevada, Kathy Smith carries the West in her bones and in her poetry.
Kathy sits down to share how a fifth-generation ranching upbringing shaped her voice, her grit, and her storytelling. Raised in a world where hard work, heartbreak, humor, and heritage are woven together like rawhide, Kathy draws from lived experience, her own and those of the people she loves, to create poems that feel both personal and universal.
She talks about growing up in a ranching family, the lessons learned under big desert skies, and the quiet strength of women who worked just as hard as any cowboy. With warmth and honesty, Kathy reflects on how she more recently embraced the title of “poet,” not out of ambition, but out of a calling to preserve stories that matter.
Her poems hold both sorrow and joy, the ache of loss, the laughter of family gatherings, the dust of corrals, and the resilience of rural life. At the Gathering, her words land softly and strong, reminding listeners why cowboy poetry remains such a powerful cultural thread in the American West.
Episode 398 is a heartfelt conversation about heritage, identity, and the courage to step forward and claim your voice, even if you didn’t always call yourself a poet.
Saddle up and settle in, this one carries the heart of the range.
You can catch Kathy and her friends performing at the Mesquite Western-Roundup. Show times are Friday February 20th at 7 PM, Saturday February 21st at 1 PM and 7 PM. You can purchase tickets at the Mesquite Community Theatre Box Office located at 150 North Yucca Street or on-line at http://mctnv.com. Admission is $20.
Event sponsors are Desert Gold Reality and the Eureka Casino.

The Art Box - Episode 397 - I Fly With The Raven - Dick Warwick

During the Cowboy Poetry Gathering open mic session, Dick Warwick took the stage and recited his powerful piece, “I Fly with the Raven.” It was one of those moments when the room grew still and the words did the flying.

The Art Box - Episode 396 - Gators, Prose and Why Rhyme - Meet Bridget Hayes

In this episode of The Art Box, we welcome Bridget Hayes, Digital Literacy Specialist with the Sonoma County Library. We first experienced Bridget during the second open mic session and were captivated by the depth and honesty in her poetry.
As an educator passionate about the intersection of people and technology, Bridget shares why libraries are becoming essential spaces for digital awareness and empowerment. She also gives us insight into the innovative programs they’re developing to support learners of all ages in understanding our increasingly algorithm-driven world.
As a special bonus, Bridget recites her poem “Gator Girl,” reminding us that poetry doesn’t have to rhyme to resonate — it simply has to be authentic.
You can follow Bridget on Instagram: @beoutside2writes

The Art Box - Episode 395 - Don't Put Your Candle Under A Bushel - Meet Darrell Holden

In this episode of The Art Box, we sit down with a 5th-generation Utah rancher, devoted husband, father, grandfather, and cowboy poet. He writes the stories of those who came before him and the working ranch families of today, determined to keep their lives, struggles, humor, and grit alive through verse.
Inspired in 1983 after hearing cowboy poet Scott McKendrick recite at his high school, he discovered that poetry wasn’t just something from the past, it was still riding the range. His poems are born after long days in the saddle, cold nights helping heifers calve, or quiet mountain sunrises. Some come easy. Others take the same hard work as ranching itself.
Rooted in the West Desert and Great Basin, his writing carries deep gratitude, fierce advocacy for agriculture, and a willingness to tackle hard subjects, loss, family struggles, and the realities facing American ranchers. “If I do my job right,” he says, “you won’t hear my poems, you’ll feel ’em.”
We talk about stepping outside comfort zones, keeping faith at the center, collaborating with musicians like Brenn Hill and others, and why poetry isn’t a contest, it’s connection. It’s therapy. It’s life.
This conversation is about heritage, humility, and honoring the sacred in everyday moments.
And yes — you’ll feel it.
For Ben's book of poetry drop him an email at: westdesertpoetry@gmail.com
 

The Art Box - Episode 394 - Voices of the Range: Ben Parks & the Power of Cowboy Radio

Our second episode from the 41st National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada features a conversation with Ben Parks of American Cowboy Radio — a familiar voice worldwide to many who follow Western culture, music, and storytelling.
Broadcasting from the heart of the Gathering, we talk with Ben about the enduring importance of radio in preserving and promoting cowboy poetry, Western music, and rural traditions. In a fast-moving digital world, American Cowboy Radio continues to serve as a steady signal across the range, amplifying artists, honoring heritage, and connecting communities.
Ben shares his perspective on the evolution of Western media, the responsibility of curating authentic voices, and what it means to gather once a year in Elko where poets, musicians, and storytellers come together to celebrate a living tradition.
From the airwaves to the stage, this episode explores how stories travel, and why they still matter.
Saddle up as our 41st Gathering series continues.
https://americancowboyradio.com/

The Art Box - Episode 393 - Gathering the First Notes: Jimmy Cantwell’s Elko Debut

Thanks to a generous grant by the Nevada Arts Council and support from The Western Folklife Center, we’re back in Elko, Nevada for the 41st National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, our fourth year attending this remarkable celebration of Western poetry, music, and storytelling.
In this opening episode of our special Gathering series, we set the stage from the heart of downtown Elko, sharing reflections on what it means to return once again to the Western Folklife Center, and what feels different this year. From Open Mic poets finding their voices to the community spirit that fills every venue, the Gathering is already alive with energy.
Our first guest is one of the most talked-about young musicians at this year’s event, singer/songwriter Jimmy Cantwell from Colorado, attending his very first Gathering. There’s a genuine buzz surrounding Jimmy’s performances, and it’s easy to hear why. With thoughtful lyrics, strong musicianship, and a presence well beyond his years, he represents the next generation of Western music.
Jimmy joins us to talk about making the journey to Elko, stepping into a legendary tradition, and what it feels like to be part of a community that honors both heritage and fresh voices.
Saddle up, our 41st Gathering series begins here.

The Art Box - Episode 392 - Threading the World: Travel, Texture & Taking the Leap

In this episode of The Art Box, we sit down with Southern Utah fiber artist Paulette Schermerhorn, whose vibrant fabric collages stitch together travel, photography, and a lifetime of curiosity.
After more than 30 years as a registered nurse, Paulette answered the quiet call of creativity and began exploring fabric as fine art. What started as traditional quilting evolved into richly layered textile works that blend printed photography, hand-dyed fabrics, thread painting, and beadwork. Her pieces celebrate the diversity of people, animals, and landscapes she encounters across the globe, from beloved Bernese Mountain Dogs to the cultural textures of distant countries.
Paulette shares how mentorship, risk-taking, and a willingness to “let the fabric tell her where it wants to go” have shaped her artistic voice. We talk about art as conversation, about being misunderstood in a nontraditional medium, and about finding joy in movement, nature, and human connection.
This is a story about courage, late-blooming creativity, and seeing the world, then stitching it into something others can experience too.

The Art Box - Episode 391 - The Giving Tree - Shannon Garza

In Episode 391 of The Art Box, Steve and co-host Terri Fitzsimmons sit down with Shannon Garza in the Mesquite Works STEAM Center recording studio for a thoughtful and deeply personal conversation about creativity, release, and the quiet rituals that shape who we become.
Shannon’s life and work sit at the intersection of curiosity and expression. Drawn to imagination and problem-solving from an early age, she learned that ideas could be shaped into something real, stretched, tested, and transformed into meaning. Encouraged by mentors to treat creativity as a practice rather than a talent, she has built a life centered on connection: between people, between ideas, and between the inner world and the outer one.
At the heart of this episode is Shannon’s vision for a Traveling Ribbon Tree, an evolving community art project inspired by her childhood in the desert. As a young girl, she would ride her horse to a lone, wind-worn sagebrush and tie ribbons to its branches, each ribbon holding a word or feeling she was ready to release. That simple act became her first lesson in letting go.
Now, she hopes to bring that ritual to communities everywhere. The Traveling Ribbon Tree invites people to write a word on a ribbon, a hurt, a fear, a burden, and tie it to a shared tree. As it moves from town to town, it becomes a living archive of human courage and honesty. A canopy of quiet release. A reminder that none of us carry our stories alone.
Throughout the conversation, Shannon shares her creative process — beginning with listening, moving through reflection and experimentation, balancing intuition with discipline. She speaks candidly about uncertainty, resilience, collaboration, and the evolving role of technology in creative life. Her recurring themes of connection and meaning reveal a worldview grounded in compassion, curiosity, and growth.
Shannon reflects on the importance of presence and inner freedom. She reminds us that growth is not linear, it loops and spirals, and that sometimes the smallest gesture can hold the greatest power.
The Giving Tree is a conversation about release, community, and creative courage. It’s about trusting the process, honoring ritual, and recognizing that healing, like art, is meant to be shared.
And in the end, it leaves us with a simple but profound truth: sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is name what we’re ready to let go, and tie it to the wind.