PERSPECTIVES: Artist Talks with Lavender Studios

Lavender Studios KC
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Performing Arts

Each week we host a visual artist or creator and a musical guest to share their experience in the arts and to showcase their work. In this podcast you can listen to that conversation as well as the musical performances that were held in Kansas City’s favorite DIY Art and Music Venue held in a living room!

  1. 6h ago

    Adriana Nikole

    Meet Adriana Nikole, a Michigan-born singer-songwriter who now calls Kansas City home. Blending ’90s country and pop with a modern twist. Adriana explores feminism, love, loss, and desire through honest, heartfelt songwriting. Daring to dream and pushing creative boundaries, she transforms her emotions and experiences into music that connects with listeners. She also runs a dog grooming business out of her home so shout out to Diamond Dogs! We've included links to her social median and Diamond Dogs, please give her a follow and if you need a clean doggo give her a call. Adriana's Instagram Click here Diamond Dogs Click here Adriana's Facebook Click here Spotify Click here

  2. 1d ago

    Lou Grande

    Lou Grande stopped by the studio to share his art, experience growing up in the church, and life as a trans-masculine man living in southern Kansas. Lou specializes in acrylics but also is dabbling with stained glass! You can see more of Lou's work and submit for commision pieces on his website at the link below. From the artist: Lou Grande is a contemporary trans-masculine painter based in Wichita, Kansas, whose work bridges queer history, pop art, and traditional iconography. Operating as both a cultural archivist and a visual storyteller, Grande builds monumental altars out of modern artifacts, aggressively integrating visibly queer bodies back into the Western art canon. With academic degrees in English and theology—and entirely self-taught in the visual arts—Grande brings a deeply narrative and analytical approach to the canvas. After transitioning at the age of 30, he dedicated his professional life to international immigration and refugee resettlement. This humanitarian background profoundly informs his socially engaged art practice today. Now pursuing art full-time, his work examines the resilience, joy, and “scandalous” beauty of the altered body. Drawing inspiration from 1970s pop art, low-res digital imagery, and sacred archetypes, Grande’s hyper-pop portraiture utilizes heavy acrylics, gold leaf, and found materials. His vibrant canvases serve as a visceral defense of marginalized existence, asserting that gender diversity and queer survival are inherently worthy of reverence. Lou's Website Click here Lou's Instagram Click here

  3. 3d ago

    Jared Horman

    Meet Jared Horman, Kansas City's favorite muralist, graphic designer and artist. From designing murals dedicated to drag queens from the last 100 years in KC, to giving a red headed salute to the midwest princess Chappell Roan. Jared's impact can be felt across the metro. If you've driven downtown we promise that you have seen his work. Check out his website below to see more of his amazing portfolio and give him a follow on his social media to see his work with the Gay and Lesbian Archives of Mid-America. From the artist, "Everything I make starts from the same place: research, concept, and a unique point of view. A wall is really just design at scale, so whether it's a hundred-foot mural or a logo, the thinking underneath is the same. My work is intentional, and it's built for the specific people and place it's for. A decade in Kansas City and a background that's touched nonprofits, healthcare, housing, food and drink, fashion, and government taught me one thing: the good stuff happens when a client's brave enough to get weird with it. A healthcare ball with an '80s circus theme, an adult sports league subverting gender roles with a wink—that's my specialty." Jared's Instagram Click here Jared's Website Click here GLAMA Click here

  4. 5d ago

    Nirvana Hope

    Let us put you on to Nirvana Hope. Nirvana is a singer-songwriter who blends emotional original music with beloved ’90s classics. Growing up in a musical family she became a guitarist at 8 years old and a performer since her teens, her debut release, Unstuck, explores self-discovery, questioning societal expectations, and breaking free from the mold of adulthood to discover who you truly are. We were absolutely gobsmacked by Nirvana's soulful sound and amazing voice sitting on top of poetic lyrics about life, fear, and growing up. You can follow Nirvana at the links below and if you see her playing in your town, we promise it's worth the ticket to go see this amazing performer and you can pick up some of her wonderful homemade merch too! Nirvana's Website Click here Nirvana's Instagram Click here SPOTIFY Click here

  5. Oct 3

    TABOO

    Meet KC local poet and wordsmith, Taboo AKA Kourtney Cunningham. Taboo stopped by the studio to share her poems, her trials and tribulations and her fortitude in the face of adversity. TRIGGER WARNING, In this artist talk, Taboo speaks on growing up with Sickle Cell Anemia, Moyamoya (a rare brain disease,) having a stroke, a miscarriage, sexual assault, childhood trauma, drug addiction and the outright refusal to give up on living the best life that she can. Taboo is a five-time KC Slam Poetry winner as well as the reigning champion in over 20 other slams and poetry contests. You can tell by her message, that she said what she said and she meant every word of it. Click the link below to follow Taboo and throw her some support while you are at it! Taboo's Instagram Click here Kourtney's Link Tree and CashApp Click here

  6. Sep 30

    KE Griffin

    We had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with the busiest woman in Kansas City, the award-winning KE Griffin. We met KE 4 years ago at Englewood Arts in Independence MO, where she was an artist in residence. Since that time, Russ has been a technical producer for KE by helping with lighting and sound designs for her historical re-enactments. KE is a powerhouse in the KC arts scene working non-stop to bring attention to all the amazing people that this city has curated and celebrated in times gone by. When you think of the garment district, or our jazz corridor at 18th and Vine, KE is there. When we are celebrating African-American history and the contributions by black and brown creators, inventors, and adventurers, KE is there. As an artist who dabbles in many disciplines, KE's approach has always been the same, honor the people before you. Artist Statement Karen E. Griffin (KE) creates striking two-dimensional portraits aimed to empower viewers to embrace their unique identities as well as African based abstractions depicting cultural and community narratives. She fuses high fashion with vibrant storytelling of African Diasporic heritage. Inspired by her connection to the diaspora, Karen uses African prints to meticulously render each image, capturing the intricate details of the fabric and the bold energy of the patterns. Her work celebrates the enduring influence of African textiles on contemporary style, inviting viewers to explore the rich cultural narratives woven into every thread. Karen’s work celebrates the rich tapestry of African American culture through the exploration of prints, patterns, and symbols. By incorporating these elements, she aims to create pieces that resonate deeply with the African American community and offer a connection to our ancestral heritage. While we may never fully comprehend the lives of our ancestors, we carry their legacy within us through our fashion, food, culture, dances, and music. Her art serves as a visual expression of this enduring connection. KE's Website Click here Creative Spark Gallery Click here

  7. Sep 28

    Hadiza.

    The incredible Hadiza. stopped by the studio to share their passion and their work for liberation and resistance via songs and storytelling. Joining Hadiza. are Madison Monroe on bass guitar and Christina Silvius on viola. This was an inspiring set that brought attention to the genocides, the wars, and the atrocities around the globe via diaspora gothic! Art is the message. Art is the communicator. Hadiza. is ART! Please follow the links below to follow Hadiza and to support great causes that need your help. Hadiza's Instagram Click here Hadiza's Website Click here Hadiza's Latest Album Click here

    Hadiza.

  8. Sep 19

    KAY IS EVIL!

    Meet the amazingly creative and delightful Kathrine Bridges, AKA Kay is Evil! Kay started out as a dichotomy of cute and evil and stuck with it. As her art and imagination continue to grow she uses advanced techniques in digital illustration as well as sculpture to capture fantastical whimsy and dread. Check out her online store and see all the unique and terrifying designs. Kay's Website Click here Kay's Instagram Click here

See All (75)

About

Each week we host a visual artist or creator and a musical guest to share their experience in the arts and to showcase their work. In this podcast you can listen to that conversation as well as the musical performances that were held in Kansas City’s favorite DIY Art and Music Venue held in a living room!

Information