The Art Box

The Art Box - Episode 428 - Rediscovering the Song: Rachelle McMullin on Art, Music, and Finding Your Way Back

In this heartfelt episode of The Art Box, Steve sits down with artist and musician Rachelle McMullin to explore a creative journey that is anything but linear—and all the more powerful because of it.
Rachelle’s story begins with a home filled with creativity, guided by a mother who believed art and music were essential to life. From a cracked violin and an out-of-tune piano to the deep resonance of the cello, creativity was always within reach. But like many artists, her path took unexpected turns, and for nearly two decades, art and music quietly slipped away.
What followed is a story of rediscovery.
Through college classes, van life during COVID, and eventually stepping into open mic nights in Beaver Dam, Rachelle found her way back—not just to creating, but to herself. Today, she paints murals, plays violin by ear, and creates intuitively, trusting the process rather than chasing perfection.
In this conversation, we explore the role of community in creative growth, the courage it takes to begin again, and how a single opportunity—like painting her first mural at the Beaver Dam Bar—can change everything.
We also touch on the small but powerful moments that shape us, like an art teacher playing The Martian Chronicles in class—planting seeds of imagination that can last a lifetime.
Rachelle’s story is one of resilience, healing, and a reminder that creativity is never truly gone—it’s just waiting for you to pick it back up.
So whether your brushes are dusty or your instrument hasn’t been touched in years, this episode is your invitation:
Start again.
Find Rachelle on Facebook here. 

The Art Box - Episode 427 - Ink, Jazz, and Rebellion: The Beat Generation’s Lasting Echo

Step into a dimly lit coffeehouse where the espresso is strong, the saxophone hums low, and the words still matter.
In Episode 427 of The Art Box, Steve sits down with returning guest Dawn Amundson for a deep and delightfully free-flowing conversation about the Beat Generation, what it was, what it challenged, and why it still pulses through today’s creative world. After first scratching the surface months ago, Dawn went all in, diving into research, revisiting the voices, and reflecting on her own personal experiences with Beat-inspired art and culture.
Together, Steve and Dawn trace a line from the smoky backrooms of 1950s poetry readings to the wide-open, boundary-pushing creativity we see today. They explore how the Beats reshaped not just literature, but the very idea of what it means to be an artist, embracing spontaneity, authenticity, rebellion, and a deep search for meaning.
This is more than a history lesson, it’s a living conversation about influence, inspiration, and the enduring spirit of creative freedom.
It’s thoughtful. It’s a little rebellious. And yes… it was a whole lot of fun.
So grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and maybe snap your fingers once or twice… the Beat goes on.

The Art Box - Episode 426 – Archaeoacoustics in White River Narrows with Chester Liwosz

So this episode is a bit noisy as we recorded outside at the Alamo Inn, right on Nevada Route 93, the Great Basin Highway, where we had to contend with AC's and rural traffic.
What if rock art isn’t just something you see… but something you hear?
In this fascinating episode of The Art Box, Steve sits down with archaeologist Chester Liwosz to explore the emerging field of archaeoacoustics—the study of sound in ancient cultural landscapes—through the lens of the White River Narrows Archaeological District in eastern Nevada.
At the crossroads of the Great Basin and the Mojave Desert, White River Narrows (WRN) holds one of the most significant concentrations of petroglyphs in the region. But as Chester shares, these images may not have been created in silence. Recent work by Great Basin and California scholars is weaving together archaeological evidence with ethnographic records and oral traditions, revealing a deeper, more interconnected relationship between landscape, human behavior, and cosmology.
Central to this discussion is the idea of “spirit voices”—phenomena described in oral traditions that point to multisensory religious experiences tied to these sites. The very act of creating rock art—especially through the repetitive, rhythmic process of pecking stone—may have generated intentional sound, transforming the landscape into a kind of resonant instrument.
Chester discusses recent fieldwork conducted at a WRN site, where researchers tested how sound propagates through the canyon walls—echoes, reflections, and tonal qualities that mirror the kinds of sounds produced during rock art creation. These findings suggest that ancient artists may have been engaging not just with imagery, but with sound, space, and spirit in a unified experience.
This conversation opens a door into a world where art is not static, where stone holds memory, and where listening becomes just as important as seeing.
Come along as we explore a landscape that still hums with echoes of the past—and consider the possibility that some of those voices are still there, waiting to be heard.

The Art Box - Episode 425 - Take the Leap - Meet Brian Rouff

Today we head into the bright lights and deeper truths of Las Vegas with author Brian Rouff—a writer who has spent decades exploring the thin line between luck and consequence, chance and choice.
From cult classic novels like Dice Angel to his powerful memoir A Long September, Brian takes us behind the scenes of a city built on probability, and reveals the very human stories that live underneath it all.
This is a conversation about storytelling, survival, and what happens when life doesn’t follow the odds.
This episode pairs well with episode 424 where Addie takes us solo through a book suggested by Brian.
Find out more about Brian at: https://brianrouff.com/

The Art Box - Episode 424 – Down Under with Addie: The Phantom Tollbooth (and the Art of Not Being Bored)

In this special solo episode of The Art Box, our always-curious research assistant Addie takes the mic for the very first time, venturing down a literary rabbit hole with The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster.
After a suggestion from Episode 425 guest writer Brian Rouff, Steve sent Addie off on a mission: read the book, unpack its meaning, and see what wisdom might be hiding behind its wonderfully strange characters and wordplay.
What follows is a delightful and thoughtful exploration of Milo’s journey through the Lands Beyond, where boredom gives way to curiosity, language bends in playful ways, and learning becomes an adventure. Along the way, Addie reflects on why this timeless story still resonates, how it challenges the way we think about knowledge and imagination, and why perhaps the most important lesson is simply this: pay attention.
It’s whimsical, insightful, and unmistakably Addie, equal parts charm, curiosity, and just a touch of down-under perspective.
Learn more about Rian Rouff at: https://brianrouff.com/

Episode 409 - Love the Ride: VW Women and the Art of Seeing with Marla Aufmuth

In this episode of The Art Box, we sit down with photographer Marla Aufmuth for a warm and engaging conversation about the craft, business, and heart behind photography. From her early days in a high school darkroom—watching images come to life—to building a career across music, weddings, events, and portraiture, Marla shares how curiosity and problem-solving have shaped her journey.
We explore her evolving relationship with photography—from film to digital—and her thoughtful perspective on technology as a creative tool. Marla also dives into her powerful project Love the Ride, highlighting women and their air-cooled Volkswagens as symbols of individuality, resilience, and freedom in traditionally male-dominated spaces.
It’s a conversation about creativity, connection, and what it really means to sustain a life in the arts—where passion meets persistence, and storytelling lives in every frame.
Please stop by the peruse Marla's current project passion: Love the Ride at: https://www.vwwomen.com/
 
 

The Art Box - Episode 423 - "Traditions of the Heart" with Vanessa Maciel

In this episode of The Art Box, we sit down in the Red Rock Canyon Conservation area visitors center with the incredible paper-mâché artist Vanessa Maciel, a bright light in the Nevada arts community and someone we’ve been hoping to have on the show for quite some time.
Currently serving as Artist in Residence at the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Vanessa creates remarkable large-scale masks and life-sized figures inspired by folklore, identity, and imagination. But beyond her artwork, it’s her spirit and generosity that truly shine. Through her workshops and outreach, especially with young people, Vanessa is touching lives across Nevada, bringing creativity, confidence, and joy to every space she enters.
In our conversation, we explore her artistic process, the magic of working with humble materials like papier-mâché, and the deep influence of her journey emigrating from Mexico to the United States, an experience that continues to shape the stories she tells through her work.
This is a heartfelt discussion about culture, creativity, and the power of art to connect us, and one we’re especially excited to finally share with you.
Vanessa is also a teaching artist with the Nevada Arts Council:https://www.nvartscouncil.org/directory/teaching-artists/vanessa-maciel-napoles/
Facebook: Mexi Catrina
Instagram: @vanemexicatrina
 
 
 

The Art Box - Episode 422 - She Loves Words - Meet Dawn Amundson

In this episode of The Art Box, Steve sits down with hiker, reader, poet, and lifelong lover of language Dawn Amundson for a conversation that celebrates the simple and powerful beauty of words.
Dawn shares how her connection to reading began almost from the moment she entered the world—a lifelong relationship with books that carried her through careers as a school teacher and librarian, and continues to shape her days today. Whether she’s turning pages, writing poetry, or walking the trails of the Mojave Desert, Dawn brings a deep sense of curiosity and appreciation to everything she does.
A devoted hiker and a thoughtful observer of the world around her, Dawn talks about how nature and language intertwine, how a quiet trail or a desert sunrise can feel like poetry long before it’s ever written down.
When she’s not exploring the desert or immersed in a book, you’ll often find her giving back to the community at the Mesquite Rotary Club Bookstore, helping others discover the joy of reading one $1 book at a time.
This is a warm and reflective conversation about a life shaped by words, the magic of storytelling, and how reading can open doors not just to knowledge, but to connection, imagination, and meaning.

The Art Box - Episode 421 - Serving the Show: Jacqui Thomassen and the Team Sport of Theatre

I absolutely love this episode, Jacqui is such a treasure to our creative communities.
In this episode of The Art Box, Steve sits down with theatre director and technical theatre specialist Jacqui Thomassen to talk about the craft, collaboration, and purpose behind live theatre.
Jacqui shares how what began as a simple bucket-list audition quickly turned into a full-fledged career, eventually leading her to earn a degree in technical theatre and work in a $25-million professional theatre. Along the way she discovered a passion for lighting design and directing, and developed a thoughtful process for building a production from the ground up.
Her approach starts with two powerful questions: “Why this story, and why now?” and “What story do we want to tell the audience?” From there she focuses first on actor relationships and character dynamics before anything else, often finding that once the connections are real, the rest of the performance naturally follows.
Jacqui also describes theatre as “the ultimate team sport,” where everyone, from actors and stage managers to costume dressers and technicians, plays an essential role in bringing a story to life.
It’s a conversation about storytelling, leadership, and the magic that happens when a community comes together to serve the show and create something meaningful for an audience.

The Art Box - Episode 420 - American Nobody: Dreamers, Trails, and the Stories We Tell

In this episode of The Art Box, Steve sits down with filmmaker, entrepreneur, and all-around storyteller Josh Wilson for a wide-ranging conversation that starts with his feature-length independent film American Nobody and quickly wanders into all sorts of unexpected territory.
Josh shares the long road it took to bring the film to life, including building much of his own camera gear when professional equipment was out of reach. From homemade camera jibs and sliders to improvised lighting setups, his story is a reminder that determination and creativity often matter more than a big budget.
But like many good conversations on The Art Box, the road twists and turns. Along the way, Steve and Josh talk about the rugged beauty of the Arizona Strip, exploring trails and public lands, the adventures that come with running a Polaris off-road business, and a powerful near-death experience that shifted how Josh looks at life.
They also reflect on Josh’s first visit to the Virgin Valley Photographic Society, where watching artists at work rekindled something inside him, a reminder that creativity often sparks when we simply place ourselves in rooms where people are making things.
Josh describes himself as both a dreamer and a realist, someone who believes that even when projects are difficult, you still have to find the fun in the process. His advice for aspiring filmmakers? Don’t expect to get your money back, do it because you love the journey.
It’s a lively conversation about filmmaking, resilience, creative curiosity, and the simple truth that sometimes the best stories happen when two people just sit down and chat up a storm.
You can stream American Nobody on Tubu or Amazon Prime.