Art and Soul on WEMU

For 27 years, the Interfaith Round Table of Washtenaw County has held a Celebration of Thanks event around Thanksgiving. This year, they will gather online to honor the connection to nature and to hold an interfaith celebration of thanks and joyful perseverance. WEMU'S Lisa Barry talks with Renee Roederer, director of the Interfaith Round Table of Washtenaw County, about the organization and its upcoming gratitude event.

Focusing on dishes. including Peking Duck, a variety of housemade dumplings, with original takes on sushi and wok-fried rice dishes, "Of Rice and Men" restaurant opened downstairs from the Blue LLama Jazz Club on Main Street in Ann Arbor. WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with Louis Goral, who oversees both restaurants, about their unique Asian offerings and a focus on top-notch service, which he calls "enlightened hospitality."

This edition of "Art and Soul" focuses on the visual arts. WEMU's Lisa Barry and the executive director of CultureSource, Omari Rush, talk with Nancy Margolis. She is an Ann Arbor activist in the process of putting together an event using the transformative power of art to spark community conversations on diversity.

This week, "Art and Soul" is about the performance arts. WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with Ann Arbor artist and University of Michigan lecturer Mark Tucker and one of his students, Nia Rae' Echols. They've been creating light-up, performance-type visual art for a "pop-up" art event Friday night, October 28th in Ann Arbor.

There is a place in Ann Arbor that offers flotation, cryotherapy and salt rooms as a way to reduce stress and increase a sense of wellness. WEMU's Lisa Barry talks to orthopedic surgeon Dr. Mark Kelley and his sister Peg Kelley who operate "The NeuroFitness Wellness Center" hoping to optimize the mind-body connection to reduce stress and boost a sense of well being.

An Ann Arbor woman followed her dreams and pursued her passions by creating "Wonderland Cookies." Using her great grandmother's recipe, Tammy Jones bakes sugar cookies that look like edible works of art. Her cookies will be included in the upcoming Westside Art Hop taking place this weekend in Ann Arbor. She talks with WEMU's Lisa Barry about her cookie business.

This week, "Art and Soul" is about the visual arts. WEMU's Lisa Barry and the executive director of CultureSource, Omari Rush , talk with artist Rashaun Rucker about his current exhibit at the University of Michigan Institute for the Humanities Gallery. It compares the life and origins of the rock pigeon to the stereotypes and myths of the constructed identities of Black men in the United States.

This week, "Art and Soul" is about the art of well being. WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with local teacher, author, and ecotherapist Barbra White , who has written several books and teaches about self-acceptance. She explains how "what we accept transforms and what we resist persists" and how self-acceptance empowers choices to improve our lives.

There's a new restaurant in Ypsilanti located in a refurbished historic building in Depot Town on the site of the old Thompson Block building first built in 1869. WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with the managing partner of the new restaurant called "Thompson and Co.," Disa Brown.

With its last season online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, University of Michigan University Musical Society officials have been planning some in-person performances this coming season. WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with UMS president Matthew VanBesien about their plans for the upcoming season and some in-person performance protocols they expect to be announcing soon.

Well-being is not just about our mental health, but includes our physical health and both aspects combined. WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with Lisa McDowell , director of lifestyle medicine & clinical nutrition at Saint Joseph Mercy Health System, about their new "Lifestyle Medicine Program," which educates people on how to enhance their overall health and even reverse some health issues.

HOMES Brewery in Ann Arbor was a labor of love for creator Tommy Kennedy. He makes and serves novel beers and Southeast Asian street food in the Jackson Avenue location and shares some exciting news in this conversation with WEMU's Lisa Barry.

Joe Levickas created the Creal Microgallery exhibition space located on Creal Crescent in Ann Arbor. It was designed as a publicly viewable, breadbox-sized exhibition space for small works and features contemporary art in a range of media, giving special attention to small moments, playful experiments, and unexpected discoveries. Lisa Barry and Omari Rush talk to Levickas about his miniature art exhibit.

This week, "Art and Soul" is about the local performance arts scene. Lisa Barry talks with a local freelance journalist who specializes in art and culture, Jenn McKee . Jenn details upcoming, in-person theatre performances planned for the coming months after being mostly online during the pandemic.

Mark Nepo says he's always been a heart-centered person. He has written several best-selling books about many things, including having an awakening to having the courage to be conscious and caring. He speaks around the world, encouraging others to be fully awake and fully alive with this one life we have to live. He shares more of his personal journey and mission with WEMU's Lisa Barry.

This week's "Art and Soul" is about the culinary arts. This week, Lisa Barry talks with the owner of the Red Hawk restaurant in Ann Arbor, Roger Hewitt, about the many challenges of staying in business and moving forward as an independently owned and operated restaurant during a global health crisis.

This week, "Art and Soul" is about the art of well being, a conversation about ways to look at and live your life in a more emotionally balanced, peaceful way. This week, Lisa Barry talks with Denise Carbonell, a Reiki teacher and life coach from Dexter Township about the personal energy practice and one of the biggest issues most people grapple with: self-love.

Gary Horton, originally from Ann Arbor, moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1996 to study fine art and design at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh . This is where he developed his unique style and range. He talks with Lisa Barry and Omari Rush about his work from murals to beverage cans that can be seen both inside and outside around Washtenaw County and around the state.

Max Sussman recently returned to Michigan after he and his brother Eli set up a successful restaurant in New York City now operating out of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. He is now running "Pizza Replicator" as a pop-up pizza restaurant around the Ann Arbor area and talks to Lisa Barry about his pizza creations that he makes himself.

Peter Sparling has had a long career as a dancer and dance professor at the University of Michigan, and now, as he approaches his 70th birthday, he is creating moving dance videos and has taken up painting. He talks with WEMU's Lisa Barry about his career and what inspires him to keep moving and creating art in many different forms.

With more than 50 million books in print worldwide , John Green 's acclaimed novels include The Fault in Our Stars, Looking for Alaska, and, most recently, Turtles All The Way Down . Many know him and his brother Hank for their contemporary, thought-provoking YouTube videos , but now he is sharing something new. WEMU's Lisa Barry talks to Green about his latest book explaining his perspectives about many different facets of our lives and how the pandemic has created an even bigger need for hope and the human connection.

A special art exhibit is taking place in Ann Arbor this month, which could be considered a "partially post-pandemic art exhibition." Lisa Barry and Omari Rush talk with the organizer, Anya Klapischak, about what they're calling, "What Feels Real: Art in the Time of Impossible Disconnect."

Known as "Basil Babe," the mother-and-daughter duo work together making Asian dumplings selling and serving them at pop-up events around Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. Lisa Barry speaks with the daughter, Thai Inhmathong, about how the business got started and what she envisions happening in the future.

The University of Michigan Gilbert and Sullivan Society, also known as UMGASS , is the oldest student-run Gilbert and Sullivan Society in the United States, established in 1947. Lisa Barry speaks with two of this season’s directors, Lori Gould and Addy Geenen, about what it has been like to put together two upcoming productions virtually.

Dr. Ethan Kross is a professor of psychology and management/organizations at the University of Michigan and has written a new book called "Chatter." He talks with WEMU's Lisa Barry about how listening to and working with our inner dialogue can help enhance our own sense of well being.

The Ann Arbor Public Art Commission is an advisory body to City Council with the goal of creating public art in Ann Arbor that improves the aesthetic quality of public spaces and structures and provides cultural and recreational opportunities. Lisa Barry and Omari Rush talk to commission chair Allison Buck about public art in the city and the revival of the Golden Paintbrush Award.

Cookie lovers can find a unique cookie variety at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market. Called "Frick'n Good Cookies," they are named after the Frick family who went into business nearly a year ago making and selling cookies with a unique shape and flavor. Lisa Barry talks with Mikayla Frick, who helped create the cookie company using her grandmother's secret recipe and technique.

This week, "Art and Soul" is about the performance arts. Lisa Barry talks with Michigan comedian Bob Phillips about what it has been like for a comedian during this past year of the pandemic.

This week, "Art and Soul" is about the art of well being. Lisa Barry talks with Dr. Tony King, an Ann Arbor psychologist, University of Michigan assistant professor of psychiatry, and researcher into several different mindfulness approaches and practices, about dealing with stress and anxiety, which has increased due to the last year in the pandemic.

This week, "Art and Soul" is about the visual arts in our community. WEMU's Lisa Barry is joined by state and local arts leader Omari Rush and Amina Iqbal of the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation to talk about the art opportunities provided by the foundation and what new opportunities lie ahead as we emerge from the past year in a pandemic.

Even though his great-grandmother died in the flu pandemic of 1918 and his great-grandfather warned him it could happen again, the owner of "York Food and Drink" on Packard in Ann Arbor, Tommy York, said he didn't believe that would ever happen. And now, here he is in the pandemic that began in 2020, doing his best to stay in business and keep the community fed and connected. WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with York in this week's "Art and Soul" about how he has done that and his gratitude for all the community collaboration and customer support.

Even though most in-person musical performances have been paused during the coronavirus pandemic, many local musicians are still staying busy. Lisa Barry talks with Ann Arbor percussionist Pete Siers , who has found joy from performing in his neighborhood park to co-creating with other local musicians and planning more musical performances once the pandemic is over.

There are many different ways to approach well being and living a mindful, well-balanced life. The Diamond Approach is one of those ways that helps you connect with your true nature. WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with Lou Weir, an Ann Arbor teacher of the Diamond Approach, about the personal practice designed to connect us with our more authentic, essential selves.

This week, "Art and Soul" is about the visual arts. Lisa Barry, along with state and local arts leader Omari Rush , talk with Chrisstina Hamilton, director of the Penny Stamps Speaker Series at the University of Michigan.

Ann Arbor Restaurant Week typically takes place in January. But because of the continuing pandemic, some changes were made, and it will now take place in late February. Lisa Barry talks with Sandra Andrade, the executive director of Main Street Area Ann Arbor, about this year's event and supporting the Ann Arbor culinary scene while still enjoying some unique dining experiences.

Despite the nearly year-long pandemic, Ann Arbor's Kerrytown Concert House has continued to provide a variety of online performances to keep local artists working and music lovers an opportunity to enjoy the music they miss seeing in person. WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with Monica Swartout-Bebow, artistic and executive director of the venue, about how they have been able to do that and their dedication to bringing fulfillment and the joy of music to people at this time.

This has been a challenging school year due to the pandemic for Michigan schoolchildren, but there is an Ann Arbor organization that works to bring "mindfulness" to students. In this week's "Art and Soul," Lisa Barry talks with Dr. Rita Benn, co-founder and acting executive director of the "Michigan Collaborative For Mindfulness in Education" about how their program is more necessary than ever bringing tools and support to students and teachers.

This week, "Art and Soul" is about the visual arts. Lisa Barry and state and local arts leader Omari Rush talk with Jenna Bacolor , executive director of Ann Arbor Public Schools Community Division, about the many community arts opportunities provided by the "Rec and Ed" department in the school district.

The Bomber Restaurant was first opened in Ypsilanti in 1936 as the "Baldwin Diner," and its name was changed to the Bomber in the 1940's as it served many transient workers who were living in town making B- 24 bombers at the Willow Run Plant. Johanna McCoy bought the restaurant over 25 years ago and has struggled to keep the doors open recently due to the pandemic. Currently closed, she talks to WEMU's Lisa Barry about her determination to win the war over COVID-19 and keep customers and the community connected through the Ypsilanti restaurant.

This week, "Art and Soul" is about the art of well being. Lisa Barry talks with Dr. Frank Anderson , a Michigan Medicine physician and professor bringing mindfulness techniques to the Ann Arbor area and medical community.

Just a few months into the year, life changed for everyone, including local artists, due to a global health crisis. Lisa Barry talks with Omari Rush, executive director of CultureSource and Chair of the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs , about how that impacted the visual arts community and how that community will be changed in the coming years due to that impact.

After looking for a place to locate in Ann Arbor for several years, master chef of pastries Matt Knio is planning to open a new bakery and restaurant in the next few months. WEMU's Lisa Barry talks to him about the eatery, which will be located on Washington Street in Ann Arbor and called "The Great Commoner Cannelle."

This week, "Art and Soul" is about the art of well being. Lisa Barry talks with the owner of Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tea Room in Ann Arbor, Bill Zirinsky. He talks about how the store has been a source of wellness and inspiration in Ann Arbor for over 30 years and how they can help in our healing as we ride out the current pandemic and other unsettling societal situations.

On the pavement at the intersection of Main and Liberty in downtown Ann Arbor, there is a very large mural as part of an initiative by the Ann Arbor DDA and The Arts Alliance. Lisa Barry and Omari Rush talk to one of the artists who created the mural, Kellie Bambach, who explains that, during this time of uncertainty, they wanted to bring a little bit of "nature" and color to the urban space and remind everyone that we can be #AllTogetherOutside.

Sister Pie started in the kitchen of Lisa Ludwinski’s parents in Milford around Thanksgiving 2012. Since then, the popularity of her unique pie creations has grown and now operates from a corner bakery in Detroit’s West Village on the east side of town. She talks to WEMU's Lisa Barry about her love and passion for pie...just in time for Thanksgiving!

A combination of socially distanced, light-up art on the street and around the Ypsilanti area, as well as some online components, will be included in this year's ypsiGLOW event October 23rd. Lisa Barry talks with Jennifer Goulet and Lynne Settles about the unique public art “light-up” event.

Zingerman's co-founder Ari Weinzweig has written several books and pamphlets in recent years about a variety of topics, mostly having to do with improving ourselves and our perspectives, which can lead to better relationships, whether personal or business-related. WEMU's Lisa Barry talks to Weinzweig about his latest pamphlet called “Humility: A Humble, Anarchistic Inquiry.”

This week, "Art and Soul" is about the visual arts. WEMU's Lisa Barry and state and local arts leader Omari Rush talk with Marie Klopf, founder and CEO of the Ann Arbor Art Center , about how they have been able to survive and even thrive during the current pandemic. There is also discussion about two local art exhibits, both including the work of Ann Arbor artist John Gutoskey .

While many local restaurants are struggling to stay afloat during the current global health crisis, a new restaurant opened in Ypsilanti which has people lined up for food each day and selling out of a popular sandwich almost daily. WEMU’s Lisa Barry talks with one of the co-owners of Bellflower Restaurant in Ypsilanti, Mark Maynard.

As the oldest professor at Eastern Michigan University, Dr. Nelson Amos says it was the current pandemic that finally convinced him it was time to retire. When he leaves his job teaching guitar and music history at EMU next May, he will be 82 years old. WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with the music professor, who is also an artist and owns a storefront in Ypsilanti's Depot Town, about how he has pivoted to teach online due to the current public health crisis and how life has changed since he began his university teaching career in 1975.

When we talk about improving our health, a good way to start is what is happening in your mind and emotions even before getting to your body. WEMU's Lisa Barry talks with Ypsilanti life coach, author, and social worker Cherisa Allen about "manifesting a healthier you" and how even during a global health crisis that is possible.