The Art Box

The Art Box - Episode 372 - Harvest of Thought: Flash Fiction Edition

For this special Harvest of Thought installment, we invited writers from across the country to share original flash fiction, tiny worlds built with precision, emotion, and imagination.
The challenge?Each story had to come in at 500 words or fewer.
Flash fiction is a unique art form, a place where pacing tightens, language sharpens, and every sentence must carry its full weight. These stories don't wander; they ignite, twist, shimmer, or break your heart in the span of a breath.
In this episode, you’ll hear brief yet powerful tales that explore the unexpected corners of the human experience moments of mystery, humor, longing, memory, and surprise.
Some stories whisper.Some snap.A few might leave you thinking long after the final word.
Settle in and enjoy these compact literary sparks, proof that a story doesn’t have to be long to stay with you.

The Art Box - Episode 371 - Harvest of Thought Essays #2

Our nationwide call for short-form personal essays brought voices from many walks of life, each answering the invitation to share a story or insight that could be recited in under six minutes.
In this second installment of our Harvest of Thought: Essays series, we continue to explore the richness of human thought and lived experience. These writers look back with humility, forward with imagination, and inward with courage.
Some stories touch memory.Some challenge us gently.Some shine light on ordinary moments that turn out to be not ordinary at all.
Thank you for listening, reflecting, and welcoming these voices into your day. May these brief essays resonate long after their final lines fade, small offerings with lasting echoes.

The Art Box - Episode 370 - Harvest of Thought Essays #1

Three months ago, we invited insightful voices from across the nation to share original essays for a special Harvest of Thought edition — short reflections filled with heart, perspective, memory, and meaning.
The only request: each essay had to be able to be spoken aloud in six minutes or less — a challenge that pushed writers toward clarity, honesty, and lyrical brevity.
In Part I, we present the first gathering of those thoughtful works. These essays explore personal turning points, unexpected lessons, and moments when life whispered rather than shouted.
Some pieces spark reflection. Others bring gentle humor or quiet awe. All arrive with an open hand, offering wisdom in a small, crafted space.
Settle in and enjoy these compact journeys of experience and insight — proof that sometimes the deepest truths arrive in under six minutes.

The Art Box - Episode 369 - Harvest of Thought Poetry #2

Three months ago, we set an invitation loose across the country:Send us your words. Send us your heart. Let us hear what you carry inside.
The response was extraordinary. Artists from coast to coast shared poems filled with vulnerability, wisdom, humor, and grace. In Part II of our Harvest of Thought poetry edition, we continue celebrating those voices.
Some poems arrive soft as dawn. Others shout with joy or ache with truth. Together, they create a tapestry of lived experience, proof that creativity travels, gathers, and grows when community calls it forth.
Thank you for listening, for supporting the voices that stepped forward, and for making space for language that stretches the heart. We hope these closing poems linger long after the episode ends.

The Art Box - Episode 368 - Harvest of Thought - Poetry #1

Three months ago, we reached out across the nation, inviting talented friends, poets, writers, and creative souls to lend their voices to a special project. What followed was a generous outpouring of words, emotion, and imagination.
Today, in Part I of our Harvest of Thought poetry edition, we share some of those remarkable submissions. These poems explore love, grief, wonder, identity, humor, memory, and the quiet places our hearts go when we sit still long enough to listen.
Please note, this episode includes a few adult words — not for shock, but because some truths arrive raw and unfiltered.
Each piece arrives like a seed, carried from a distant field, planted in shared soil, and blooming through voice and rhythm.
Join us as we begin this lyrical journey. May the words offered here nourish curiosity, stir emotion, and remind us that we are connected through story and sound.

The Art Box - Episode 367 — Mystery in the Gorge: A Conversation with Lana M. Fox

In this episode of The Art Box, host MJ Stiles sits down with friend, mystery and thriller author Lana M. Fox, whose gripping stories unfold in the dramatic landscape of Hood River, Oregon.
Lana is the author of The Truth Will Set You Free, a Colorado Gold Fiction finalist, and the creator of the Hood River Mystery Series featuring Detective Liz Ellisen, with titles My Sister’s Keeper, Through Frozen Eyes, and Her Last Breath. Her work has appeared in Woman’s World Magazine, Murderous Intent Magazine, Writer’s Digest, and more.
Lana reflects on inspiration, travel, and the deep satisfaction of crafting stories that keep readers turning the page long into the night.
Whether you're a mystery fan, aspiring writer, or lover of atmospheric small-town thrillers, this episode dives into the art and craft behind keeping readers guessing.
Grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and step inside the suspenseful world of Lana M . Fox.
Find out more about Lana and purchase her books at: https://lanamfox.com/

The Art Box - Episode 363 - Faces Seen, Voices Heard – A Conversation with Dr. Lena Cavusoglu

If you listen to one podcast all year, this is the one. In this powerful episode of The Art Box, host MJ speaks with Dr. Lena Cavusoglu, professor at Pacific University, about her remarkable art-based research project, Faces Seen, Voices Heard. Blending academic inquiry with visual storytelling, Dr. Cavusoglu’s work explores how society responds to people with visible facial differences—those living with birthmarks, scars, burns, or other variations that often provoke bias and misunderstanding. Through empathy and scholarship, she challenges deeply rooted perceptions of beauty and normalcy that shape how individuals are treated in classrooms, workplaces, and communities.
Dr. Cavusoglu discusses the creation of her four-piece art series, which pairs delicate hand-drawn portraits with the handwritten reflections of real participants. These works invite viewers to literally lift layers of transparent text to reveal each face beneath—transforming the act of seeing into one of understanding. The conversation encourages listeners to examine their own assumptions, discover the humanity beyond appearance, and embrace a more inclusive vision of beauty where every face, and every story, matters.

The Art Box – Episode 366 - “Life Behind the Music: Petty Fever Part III”

In this special three-part series of The Art Box, host MJ takes us home to Oregon for an intimate look at the stories, friendships, and creative spark that drive Petty Fever, the award-winning Tom Petty tribute band beloved across the Northwest and beyond. Through personal connections with the band and their families, MJ explores the music that shaped their lives, the heart behind their performances, and the shared passion that keeps classic rock alive for a new generation. Life Behind the Music goes deeper than the stage—into the people, places, and moments that make the music matter.
In the final episode of Life Behind the Music, host MJ sits down with Oregon native Todd McPherson, whose path has woven together the worlds of rock and business with equal passion. A co-owner of Whitlock’s Sewing Center in Salem, Todd has built a nationally recognized brand known for innovation and education in the sewing and quilting community. But long before becoming a successful entrepreneur, he was a working musician, touring the country with the legendary Kingsmen, the “Godfathers of Garage Rock,” and sharing stages with icons like Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and The Beach Boys.
Joining the conversation is Christian Ostbo, musician, chef, and wellness entrepreneur, adding fresh insight into the enduring bond between art, performance, and creative balance. Together, Todd and Christian reflect on the discipline, joy, and sheer energy that come from a lifetime devoted to craft—whether tuning a bass, a business, or the rhythm of a well-lived life.
Petty Fever: http://www.pettyfever.com
Learn more about Whitlock’s Sewing Center: https://whitlocks.com/

The Art Box – Episode 365 - “Life Behind the Music: Petty Fever Part II”

In this special three-part series of The Art Box, host MJ takes us home to Oregon for an intimate look at the stories, friendships, and creative spark that drive Petty Fever, the award-winning Tom Petty tribute band beloved across the Northwest and beyond. Through personal connections with the band and their families, MJ explores the music that shaped their lives, the heart behind their performances, and the shared passion that keeps classic rock alive for a new generation. Life Behind the Music goes deeper than the stage—into the people, places, and moments that make the music matter.
In this second installment of Life Behind The Music, host MJ sits down with Frank Murray, the heart and driving force behind Petty Fever. Frank has spent decades lighting up stages across the country and abroad, sharing his extraordinary voice and musicianship with fans around the world. His uncanny resemblance to Tom Petty—both in tone and presence—has earned him a reputation as one of the finest tribute performers working today.
Frank opens up about the formation of Petty Fever back in 2009, his lifelong connection to Petty’s music, and the passion that fuels each performance. Through MJ’s conversation, listeners get an intimate portrait of a frontman whose mission goes beyond imitation—it’s about honoring a legacy, building community through music, and keeping the timeless spirit of Tom Petty alive one song, one audience, and one heartfelt night at a time.
Petty Fever: http://www.pettyfever.com

The Art Box – Episode 364 - “Life Behind the Music: Petty Fever Part I”

In this special three-part series of The Art Box, host MJ takes us home to Oregon for an intimate look at the stories, friendships, and creative spark that drive Petty Fever, the award-winning Tom Petty tribute band beloved across the Northwest and beyond. Through personal connections with the band and their families, MJ explores the music that shaped their lives, the heart behind their performances, and the shared passion that keeps classic rock alive for a new generation. Life Behind the Music goes deeper than the stage—into the people, places, and moments that make the music matter.
In the opening episode of Life Behind The Music, host MJ reconnects with longtime friend and PNW native Craig Ostbo, a man whose rhythm bridges two worlds: boardrooms and backbeats. As CEO of Oh! Strategic Branding in Portland, Craig has spent more than three decades shaping the identities of some of the most trusted names in natural and sustainable foods while teaching, mentoring, and guiding the next generation of brand thinkers.
But behind the strategy lies the drummer’s soul. Craig shares how his early passion for music never left him, leading to more than fifty performances a year with Petty Fever, the award-winning Tom Petty tribute band loved nationwide. In this heartfelt conversation, MJ and Craig explore the harmony between creativity and commerce, how rhythm informs leadership, and why the pulse of music still drives him—both on stage and in life.
Learn more about Oh! Strategic Branding: https://www.ceohglobal.com/
Petty Fever: http://www.pettyfever.com