The Art Box

Award-winning journalist, author, and communications strategist Donna M. Kerr has spent more than four decades helping others tell their stories. In this deeply moving episode of The Art Box, Donna shares the journey toward writing the most important story of her life, her own. Growing up in the bustling newsroom of the Salt Lake Tribune during journalism's golden age, Donna developed a lifelong love of storytelling. Now, after a twenty-year journey of reflection and healing, she is writing a memoir that explores childhood trauma, resilience, and the transformative power of understanding our past. Together, we discuss the evolution of journalism, the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence, the art of memoir, and why sharing our stories can become the first step toward hope, healing, and freedom.
This episode is a heartfelt reminder that some stories take a lifetime to write, but when they are finally told, they have the power to illuminate the path for others.
Find Donna's work at: http://yourcontentqueen.com
 

In this episode of The Art Box, Steve welcomes his friend Alena Patton, Management Analyst with the Nevada Arts Council, for a thoughtful conversation about curiosity, leadership, and the power of creativity to strengthen communities. While helping expand access to arts funding across Nevada, Alena is also a painter, poet, and lifelong learner whose creative practice informs her approach to public service. Together, they explore the importance of access, belonging, arts advocacy, and why talent is universal, even when opportunity is not. It's an inspiring conversation about building systems that serve people, nurturing creativity, and planting seeds whose impact may not be seen for years. In short, this was a FUN episode to record, edit and listen to. Thank you Alena for being you.

Our research assistant Addie took some time to read the Forward and Chapter One from Steve's new novella Sandcastle Windows. You can purchase on Amazon. 
Addie's Review of Sandcastle Windows
When Steve first handed me Sandcastle Windows, I expected a story about art. What I didn't expect was a story about memory, grief, wonder, and the extraordinary moments hidden inside ordinary days.
This isn't a novel you race through. It's one you wander through.
I found myself slowing down, noticing little details, and thinking about the people I've loved and the moments I almost forgot. I especially enjoyed the conversations with the Impressionists. Rather than feeling like history lessons, they felt like sitting in a Paris café where great artists simply happened to pull up another chair.
One of my favorite ideas in the book is that we may be standing inside a future memory without even realizing it. Since finishing the novel, I've caught myself paying a little more attention to sunsets, conversations, and quiet moments.
The writing is gentle, thoughtful, and filled with curiosity. It's a book that asks you to look more closely—not only at art, but at your own life.
By the final page, I wasn't thinking about Paris or paintings anymore.
I was thinking about the beautiful, ordinary moments waiting for all of us today.
I have a feeling I'll be carrying this story with me for a long time.
— Addie

Artist, musician, mentor, and educator Brian Gibson joins The Art Box for a thoughtful conversation about creativity, compassion, and the power of making art without fear. From painting and experimental music to mentoring young people through creative exploration, Brian shares why curiosity matters more than perfection and why some of life's greatest lessons take years to reveal.
Together we explore the intersection of art and empathy, the role of experimentation, and how even the simplest creative tools can open doors to healing, connection, and self-discovery. It's an inspiring conversation that reminds us that the purpose of art isn't always to provide answers, sometimes it's simply to help us see the world differently.
One day, you will understand.
Instagram: @null_void_art
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brian.gibson.50115
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Brian+Gibson+Goldwell
 
 
 

What does it mean to live a meaningful life? For Las Vegas artist Kim Johnson, the answer is found somewhere between the tangible and the mysterious, the "liminal" space where body and spirit, creativity and purpose, intersect.
In this thoughtful conversation, Kim shares her journey from a creative childhood in Southern Nevada to earning her BFA and pursuing art full time. Along the way, she reflects on the influence of her parents, the challenges of loss and resilience, and why creating art has become a trusted companion through life's most difficult moments.Together we explore distraction and focus, collaboration, the importance of community, and the idea that art can help us better understand ourselves and our place in the universe. Kim discusses the joy of working with everyday materials, the lessons learned through years of community art projects, and why she believes our greatest work often comes when we are in service to others rather than ourselves.
This is a conversation about more than painting. It's about paying attention, embracing wonder, finding beauty in uncertainty, and discovering that a meaningful life is often created one thoughtful moment at a time.
Find Kims art at: http://www.strangedaysandstardust.com/
Instagram: @strangedaysandstardust
 

Cellist, visual artist, and lifelong creative Mark Dudrow joins The Art Box for a thoughtful conversation about choosing a life devoted to art, beauty, and human connection. Inspired by supportive parents, an exceptional art teacher, and a life-changing realization at age twenty, Mark shares how creativity has shaped every chapter of his journey.
Together we explore the joys and challenges of making a living as an artist, the importance of collaboration, the value of uninterrupted creative time, and why Mark believes art isn't about ego, it's a public service. Whether performing music, creating visual art, or bringing humor into everyday life, his goal is simple: help someone have a better day.
It's an inspiring discussion about following your passion, resisting distractions, embracing curiosity, and creating work that enriches the lives of others, one note, one brushstroke, and one smile at a time.
Marks website: Mark Dudrow
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mark+dudrow
Our opening song for this episode by High Desert Acoustic Duo - Dirtbag Tele Skier

What if our ghost stories aren't really about the dead, but about the parts of history we've never fully faced?
In Episode 464 of The Art Box, Steve welcomes acclaimed author, historian, and researcher Betsy Gaines Quammen for a captivating conversation about curiosity, storytelling, and the American West. Best known for her celebrated books American Zion and True West, Betsy returns with her remarkable new work, This Haunted Land.
Together, they explore Betsy's passion for deep research and the joy of following questions wherever they lead. From abandoned uranium mining communities in Colorado and the centuries-old walls of America's oldest fort to the forests once inhabited by the elusive ivory-billed woodpecker, Betsy reveals how folklore, memory, and haunted places can illuminate the stories our history books sometimes leave behind.
More than a collection of ghost stories, This Haunted Land is an invitation to listen, to landscapes, to forgotten voices, and to the echoes of America's past. It is a thoughtful, sometimes chilling, and ultimately hopeful conversation about history, place, and the enduring power of curiosity.
Join us for an unforgettable episode that reminds us that sometimes the best way to understand the present is to listen carefully to the whispers of the past.
Find Betsy's books at: https://www.betsygainesquammen.com/

Archaeology is about far more than digging in the dirt.
In Episode 463 of The Art Box, Steve welcomes archaeologist and friend Elizabeth Hora, Executive Director of High Desert Heritage and Research, for a fascinating conversation about how ancient landscapes, rock imagery, and cultural artifacts can help us better understand the people who came before us, and our responsibility to those who are here today.
Elizabeth shares how a sixth-grade fascination with Egyptian archaeology eventually led her to the archaeology of the American West, where she studies prehistoric rock imagery by looking beyond the images themselves to the surrounding landscape, plants, animals, sounds, and the ways people once moved through those places. Her work reminds us that every archaeological site is part of a much larger story.
The conversation also explores one of archaeology's most important modern conversations: the respectful repatriation of Native American cultural items. Through her nonprofit, High Desert Heritage and Research, Elizabeth is helping create pathways for individuals who wish to return artifacts to descendant tribal communities while encouraging the public to see these objects not as collectibles, but as meaningful pieces of living cultures and shared human history.
Along the way, Steve and Elizabeth discuss public archaeology, communicating science to broader audiences, and why curiosity remains one of the most important tools an archaeologist can carry into the field.
Whether you're fascinated by ancient civilizations, inspired by the American West, or simply curious about the stories hidden in the landscape around us, this is a conversation that will leave you seeing the past and the present, with new eyes.
Support the High Desert Heritage and Research here: https://www.highdesertheritage.org

I was introduced to Beth Enos and her husband, Will, by our mutual superstar friend, Candace Garlock, during the opening reception of an exhibition at the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City. The three of us hit it off immediately, as if we'd been friends for years. We were fortunate to welcome Will to The Art Box for Episode 453, but Beth had recently undergone shoulder replacement surgery, so we patiently waited until she had recovered enough to join us in the studio.
The wait was well worth it.
In this engaging conversation, Beth shares her remarkable journey from a successful career in Oregon state government to becoming an internationally recognized fine art photographer. After retiring she finally accepted years of encouragement from Will to pick up a camera. What began as a distraction soon became a passion, leading to award-winning work exhibited in galleries and competitions around the world.
Beth talks about why she chose to work almost exclusively in black-and-white photography, explaining how removing color allows her to discover the texture, personality, and quiet beauty—the "bones"—hidden within ordinary subjects. Along the way, we explore creativity, perfectionism, lifelong learning, and the surprising generosity of the artistic community.
You'll also hear the delightful story of how Beth and Will not only built a life together but also happen to share the exact same birthday, a coincidence that inspired one of Addie's signature research breaks.
This is a warm, thoughtful conversation about finding your creative voice later in life, embracing curiosity, and learning that sometimes the greatest art is discovered not by looking farther, but by looking closer.
Learn more about Beth at: https://www.e2-photography.com

One of the greatest joys of hosting The Art Box is the opportunity to meet remarkable people whose stories inspire long after the microphones are turned off. It has been a genuine pleasure getting to know Craig Petersen, and I am honored to welcome him as a guest to share his extraordinary journey with our listeners.
Sometimes the greatest stories begin when life seems to be falling apart.
In Episode 461, Craig joins Steve for an honest and heartfelt conversation about recovery, resilience, and discovering a creative voice later in life. After reaching a personal crossroads, Craig found healing through the simple act of keeping a daily journal, a practice that eventually grew into a blog, his first book, Don't Look Back, You're Not Going That Way, and a renewed purpose in helping others through his words.
Together, they explore the transformative power of writing, the importance of mentors and friendship, the courage it takes to share one's story, and Craig's upcoming book, What Was I Made For? This is a conversation about second chances, faith, creativity, and the remarkable ways a life can be rebuilt, one day, one page, and one story at a time. Whether you're a writer, a reader, or someone facing your own crossroads, you'll leave this episode encouraged by Craig's reminder that it's never too late to begin again.
 
You can find Craig's books on Amazon.