Strand, the Story of an Artist

kevinwillpaint.com
  • 4.9 (8)
  • Arts
  • Updated Weekly

Strand, the Story of an Artist, is a podcast that explores the intricate motivations and inspirations that drive people to pursue their passion for creating art. Produced by Kevin Kirkwood @kevinwillpaint

  1. 4d ago

    123: Natasha Gaskill

    Kevin Kirkwood sits down with Natasha Gaskill at his studio in Savannah, Georgia. Natasha has led pastry programs at The Grey, Husk and Ardsley Station, while also developing her own A Squad Bake Shop. Her work has earned national attention, including a James Beard Foundation nomination for Outstanding Pastry Chef and features in Eater, Bon Appétit, Vogue, Martha Stewart, and Food & Wine, which named one of her pies the best in Georgia. Today, Natasha is the owner of Sixby, a small bakery in Savannah’s Thomas Square neighborhood. This episode stays close to home. Kevin became interested in Natasha’s story by watching what she was creating at Sixby. He was fascinated by how much she was able to do within such a small space and inspired by watching her build a thriving neighborhood business from the ground up. Their conversation moves from Natasha’s early years growing up in the Pacific Northwest to the people and kitchens that shaped her, and the path that eventually led her to Sixby. They also talk about creativity, taking risks, running a small business, and building something of your own. Follow Natasha and Sixby:  sixbysavannah.com |  @natashagaskill | @sixbysavannah Follow the host: kevin-kirkwood.com | @kevinwillpaint | @strandpodcast Listen to The Strand on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, Amazon Music, and other major podcast platforms.

    123: Natasha Gaskill

  2. Sep 25

    122: Grace Stott

    Kevin Kirkwood sits down with sculptor Grace Stott inside her studio in Charlotte, North Carolina. Working primarily in ceramics and mixed media, and more recently stained glass, Grace creates colorful, playful, and strange objects shaped by decoration, nostalgia, and the everyday. Her work finds value in things we might otherwise overlook, allowing trash to become precious and something beautiful to still be a little ugly. Kevin and Grace talk about the experiences that shaped her as an artist and the ideas and materials that shape her work today. They discuss ceramics, stained glass, craftsmanship, nostalgia, humor, and the objects we collect and keep. They return often to the role of stream of consciousness in Grace’s process. One thought leads to another, an object can trigger a memory, and unexpected connections can become the starting point for something new. They also discuss motherhood, finding time to make, and the creative community Grace has found in Charlotte. Grace is currently the Constellation Artist at the Mint Museum, where her installation, The Artifacts of Being Human, is on view through March 2027. Learn more about Grace Stott: gracestott.com   |   @gracestott The Mint Museum: mintmuseum.org   |   @themintmuseum SOCO Gallery: socogallery.com   |   @socogallery Follow the host: kevin-kirkwood.com   | @kevinwillpaint   |   @strandpodcast Listen to The Strand at the link in bio and on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, Amazon Music, and other major podcast platforms.

    122: Grace Stott

  3. Sep 18

    Episode 121: Maria R. Hooper

    Kevin Kirkwood sits down with Maria R. Hooper inside Bululu Studios in Savannah, Georgia. Maria is the founder and Principal Art Consultant of EMROSE projects, based in Bluffton, South Carolina. For more than 20 years, Maria has worked across contemporary galleries and auction houses, corporate environments, hospitality design, and creative placemaking. Through EMROSE projects, she brings that experience into close collaboration with artists, designers, and clients to develop art collections that respond to the history, culture, and character of a place. In this episode, Kevin and Maria talk about the experiences that shaped her relationship with art and the path that led her to build a practice of her own. Their conversation explores finding and working with artists, developing collections, and the relationships and decisions involved in bringing art from the studio into the spaces we experience every day. At the center of Maria’s work is a belief that art can do more than transform a space. It can connect our daily lives to history, place, culture, community, and one another. Learn more about Maria and EMROSE projects: emroseprojects.com | @emroseprojects Follow the host of The Strand: kevin-kirkwood.com | @kevinwillpaint | @strandpodcast Listen to The Strand on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, Amazon Music, and other major podcast platforms.

    Episode 121: Maria R. Hooper

  4. Sep 11

    Episode 120: Marcus Kiser

    Kevin Kirkwood sits down with Marcus Kiser, a designer and visual artist who lives and works in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Marcus is the driving force behind a collection of elevated UI, illustrative, graphic, and digital works for Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Museum of Design, Jordan Brand, Adidas, Carolina Panthers, and the digitally designed wearable orthopedics innovator, Mign, Inc. Kiser’s tenure as Creative Director at Mign established the incomparable brand identity the company enjoys today. Marcus has participated in artist residencies through the Gantt Center’s Black Carolina Cohort and at the McColl Center. Alongside artist and designer Jason Woodberry, he is the co-creator of Intergalactic Soul, a national multimedia exhibition developed with playwright Quentin Talley and recognized as a leading work within contemporary Afrofuturism. In this episode, Marcus talks about some of the early life experiences that helped shape his practice. He also reflects on the visual languages that continue to inform his work, from classical art and comic books to sport, fashion, and science fiction. Learn more about Marcus Kiser: kisercorp.me | @marcus_kiser McColl Center: mccollcenter.org | @mccollcenter Follow the host of The Strand: kevin-kirkwood.com | @kevinwillpaint | @strandpodcast Listen to The Strand at the link in bio and on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, Amazon Music, and other major podcast platforms.

    Episode 120: Marcus Kiser

  5. Sep 4

    Episode 119: Linda Foard Roberts

    Kevin Kirkwood sits down with photographer Linda Foard Roberts for a conversation about memory, family, loss, and the experiences that shape the way we see the world. Working with 8x10 and 5x7 cameras, Linda creates deeply personal photographs rooted in family, nature, memory, and local histories. She favors old lenses; drawn to their imperfections and the unknown histories they carry. Her images are quiet, metaphorical, and layered, exploring the passage of time and what it means to be human. Linda's first monograph, Passage, published by Radius Books, explores memory, impermanence, and the inevitable movement of time. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and is held in numerous permanent collections, including the North Carolina Museum of Art, The Mint Museum, the Harry Ransom Center, and the New Orleans Museum of Art. In this episode, Linda talks about her relationship with photography, the influence of family on her work, and the experiences that have shaped her creative life. She also discusses Lament, the body of work for which she received a 2020 Guggenheim Fellowship and which became a two-volume book, also published by Radius Books in 2025. Linda lives and works in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is represented by SOCO Gallery in North Carolina and Sol del RIO in Guatemala. Learn more about Linda Foard Roberts: lindafoardroberts.com | @lindafoardroberts Purchase her books; Lament  or Passage through Radius Books: www.radiusbooks.org   |   @radius.books SOCO Gallery: socogallery.com | @socogallery Sol del RIO Gallery: www.en.soldelrio.com  | @soldelrio.gt   Follow the host of The Strand: kevin-kirkwood.com | @kevinwillpaint | @strandpodcast Listen to The Strand at the link in bio and on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, Amazon Music, and other major podcast platforms.

    Episode 119: Linda Foard Roberts

  6. Aug 28

    Episode 118: Sybil Wornall

    Kevin Kirkwood sits down with Sybil Wornall, owner of Shain Gallery in Charlotte, North Carolina, for a conversation about art, collecting, and the relationships that shape a gallery. Born and raised in Charlotte, Sybil has spent nearly twenty years working in the art world. After graduating from North Carolina State University, she moved to Atlanta, where she spent close to a decade working in galleries before returning home. In 2017, she became the owner of Shain Gallery after nearly five years as Gallery Director. In this episode, Sybil talks about what happens behind the scenes of a gallery, from discovering emerging artists and building long-term relationships to helping collectors find work they want to live with. She reflects on how Charlotte's art community has evolved, what she looks for when considering a new artist, and the responsibility that comes with representing someone's work. For Sybil, the gallery business ultimately comes down to people: the artists who make the work, the collectors who support it, and the relationships built between them. Learn more about Sybil Wornall and Shain Gallery: shaingallery.com | @shaingallery Follow the host: kevin-kirkwood.com | @kevinwillpaint | @strandpodcast Listen to The Strand on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Amazon Music, and other major podcast platforms.

    Episode 118: Sybil Wornall

  7. Aug 21

    Episode 117: Kate Schultz

    Kevin Kirkwood sits down with Charlotte-based painter Kate Schultz for a conversation about color, shape, nature, and the experiences that continue to influence her work. Working in acrylic and mixed media, Kate creates paintings inspired by the quiet beauty of the natural world. In this episode, she discusses her current exploration of color relationships, her interest in moving away from conventional ideas of depth, and what it was like growing up in rural Mississippi. She also shares how her flower garden and the wild birds surrounding her Charlotte home continue to find their way into her paintings. Kate earned her BFA in painting from the University of Mississippi and has been creating work professionally for over a decade. Her influences include Paul Klee, Milton Avery, Pablo Picasso, Mary Fedden, and Arthur Dove. Learn more: kateschultzart.com | @katefschultz Shain Gallery: shaingallery.com | @shaingallery Follow the host: kevin-kirkwood.com | @kevinwillpaint | @strandpodcast Listen to The Strand on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Amazon Music, and other major podcast platforms.

    Episode 117: Kate Schultz

  8. Aug 14

    Episode 116: Lilith Rockett

    Kevin Kirkwood recorded this episode a few weeks ago inside the studio of ceramicist, Lilith Rockett.  Lilith is a Portland-based ceramicist who has spent 23 years working primarily in porcelain, creating tableware, teaware, and larger vessels. She spent 15 years collaborating with acclaimed chefs and restaurants. Her work has shown in national juried exhibitions, including the Smithsonian and the Craft Council. She has received the Oregon Arts grant three times. In recent years her practice has expanded into atmospheric wood and wood-soda firings that incorporate wild-foraged ash, clay, and rock. Learn more: lilithrockett.com | @lilithrockett Follow the host: kevin-kirkwood.com | @kevinwillpaint | @strandpodcast Listen to The Strand on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Amazon Music, and other major podcast platforms.

    Episode 116: Lilith Rockett
See All (123)

Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Strand, the Story of an Artist, is a podcast that explores the intricate motivations and inspirations that drive people to pursue their passion for creating art. Produced by Kevin Kirkwood @kevinwillpaint

Information

  • Creator
    kevinwillpaint.com
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    123
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2023 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Strand, the Story of an Artist

You Might Also Like