Arts
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Is Ai creative? Local composer on making music with Kreg Tool
While AI is an incredibly sophisticated “copy paste” tool capable of replicating patterns, can it close the biological “last mile” of creativity that defines true artistry? Tony Bohnenkamp of The Canary Collective, and former member of The Nadas discusses the creative process of composing original music for Kreg Tool. Music requires emotional depth and intent…
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Iowa Artisan “Vibe Coding” the Future of A Centuries-Old Trade
Riana LeJeune, owner of Renewable Furniture Inc. and the Re-Pinned Workroom, is bridging the gap between a centuries-old skilled trade and futuristic technology. While many perceive upholstery as a dying art, LeJeune argues it is actually an essential industry suffering from a lack of visibility and accessible educational pathways. “Upholstery is a centuries-old skilled trade;…
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Burlington’s downtown is thriving. Was The Capitol Theater the catalyst?
Jeff Poulter, the new director of the Capitol Theater in Burlington, describes the venue not just as a historic landmark, but as a thriving “entertainment complex” that serves as the cultural heartbeat of Southeast Iowa. During a recent interview on the Iowa Podcast, Poulter detailed the theater’s evolution since its 2012 restoration, noting that the…
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Des Moines Symphony 1 of 4 in the country developing young musicians.
The Des Moines Symphony is finishing their Masterworks series and you only have three chances to see it on March 14 – May 10th. Many Iowans don’t understand how unique their approach is to developing young talent, which will be on full display these Masterworks performances. The Des Moines Symphony is one of four in…
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Where are the best eagle watching locations in Iowa?
Want to see bald eagles snatching fish out of the water? Would you like to have a front row seat seeing eagles fight over a fresh meal? Professional photographer Ron Maggard explains how to find the best Iowa locations and what times are ideal. Watch the video to hear his tips and locations! Maggard is an…
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Iowa eyesore becomes iconic spot. Meet the The Ingersoll fixer
The drive down Ingersoll avenue is a juxtaposition of new and trendy, but also rundown and gross. But this month, with the launch of The Ingersoll that brand is finally behind us. Steve Peters, co-owner of The Ingersoll, and CEO of VenuWorks describes the process of saving the building and bringing back to life the…
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A Triple Espresso Actor got sick, but the audience thought it was a joke!
Tell me if you’ve heard this one… three actors walk into a show, one gets sick and goes to the hospital, the others finish the show and the audience thinks it’s part of the show. Patrick Albanese of Triple Espresso reacts to 30 Years, crazy stories, and what surprised him most about “Iowa Nice.”
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Painting mystery locations in Madison County on a time limit?
Audio version: Painters from across the state of Iowa are coming to Madison County for a fascinating real-time art challenge. They will be assigned mystery landscape locations in the area and paint their assigned scene under time constraints all with a live audience. Sarah Pugh, the Executive Director of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce…
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Mysterious veteran-themed art appearing on rocks across Iowa? We found the who, what, and why.
Audio version: Have you seen a massive rock painted with a Veteran theme in Iowa? How about two of them? How about more? Is there something bigger behind the trend? It turns out, the Iowa artist started the project when he was 19 to honor veterans. Now every county in Iowa has one thanks to…
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Grout Museum Captured 2300+ veteran stories on video
The Grout Museum district has a special museum devoted to Iowa Veterans, the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum. The Waterloo museum, to date, has captured over 2300 stories from Iowa veterans to date. Oral historian Pat Kinney explains how oral history project works and shares the Iowa veteran stories that stand out. The Grout Museum…