The Art Box

The Art Box - Episode 432 - The Magic Box: Michael Napper and the Healing Power of Music

In June of 2023, we sat down with Michael Napper for one of our most poignant episodes—Episode 10 of Clouds in the Sand—where he shared his powerful journey as a healthcare worker navigating the challenges of COVID, offering care, compassion, and presence during one of the most difficult times in recent history.
Now, Michael returns.
This time, we step into a different side of his story—one that has been with him just as long.
With over 40 years as an LPN and decades of musical exploration, Michael shares how music—first discovered as a young boy at a hidden piano—became something essential to who he is. From classical piano lessons to rediscovering that spark later in life through the accordion, his journey is one of returning to something deeply personal and profoundly human.
We talk about the accordion as a “magic box”—an instrument that must be embraced, breathed into, and felt. We explore the vulnerability of performing, the discipline of practice, and the connection between musician and audience. For Michael, music isn’t just sound—it’s a universal language, a way to evoke emotion, to connect, and to help people feel.
From the intensity of hospice care to the joy (and occasional chaos) of live performance, this episode is a reminder that even in the most serious lives, there is space for creativity, expression, and a little bit of magic.

The Art Box - Episode 431 - Spring 2026 East Fremont Festival of Arts - Poetry Slam

Spring 2026 East Fremont Festival of Arts | Downtown Container Park, Las Vegas
Sometimes the best episodes aren’t planned—they’re discovered.
In this special on-location episode of The Art Box, Steve heads to the vibrant Spring East Fremont Festival of Arts, hosted by our friend Liezl Siojo of ART BOX, at the ever-energetic Downtown Container Park.
Under a sky full of color, music, and creativity, we set up and invited something simple… and powerful:
Share a poem.
What followed was a beautiful, spontaneous collection of voices—artists, vendors, and visitors alike—each stepping up to the mic to offer a piece of themselves. Some heartfelt, some playful, all real.
Along the way, you’ll hear the hum of the festival—laughter between booths, the camaraderie of creators, music drifting through the air, and the kind of moments that can only happen when people gather to celebrate art.
This episode is a reminder that poetry isn’t confined to books or stages—it lives in conversations, in shared spaces, and in the courage to speak.
So step in, take a listen, and spend a little time with us at one of Las Vegas’ most creative corners.

Episode 430 – The Art of Negotiating: The Journey of Joe Dwyer

In this episode of The Art Box, host MJ sits down with Joe Dwyer, whose life’s work spans from representing workers as a Teamster in Billings, Montana to serving on state boards for three governors as Chairman of the Montana State Fund. Born in New Brighton, Pennsylvania, Joe reflects on a lifetime of service, leadership, and advocacy—before ultimately finding his way to Mesquite, Nevada with his wife of 52 years Kathy. It’s a conversation about purpose, perseverance, and what it means to serve others throughout a lifetime.

The Art Box - Episode 429 - I Saw A Bobcat!!! - or Exploring History with Professor Mills Kelly

In this episode of The Art Box, Steve sits down with Mills Kelly, a retired history professor whose work bridges the worlds of storytelling, education, and public engagement. From decades in academia to creating a podcast on the history of the Appalachian Trail, Mills shares how curiosity, patience, and archival discovery shape his process.
Together, they explore the idea that history, much like a long trail, is something we move through, question, and rediscover along the way. It’s a thoughtful conversation about learning, humanity, and the quiet ways we can all contribute to making the world a little better, one step at a time.
Learn more about Professor Kelly at: https://millskelly.net/
 

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/