The Truth In This Art: Stories That Matter

Rob Lee
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The Truth In This Art with Rob Lee is an arts and culture interview podcast connecting arts, culture, and community. Sharing stories that matter through in-depth conversations with artists and creatives — photographers, filmmakers, designers, musicians, chefs, writers, and more. Guests share studio routines, community roots, career insights, and the ideas and choices that shape their projects. New episodes, show notes, and transcripts available here.

  1. Alex Jennings

    3D AGO

    Alex Jennings

    In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Alex Jennings! Who is Alex Jennings: Author, poet, and former standup comedian who lived in New Orleans for nearly 20 years—now working on his second novel from Chicago. You might remember Alex from my New Orleans series where we discussed his book, The Ballad of Perilous Graves, here.  In our conversation, Jennings talks through his new book Dead End Boys—set in an alternate New Orleans where communicating with the dead is the main industry. He connects the project to comedy and digs into how moving from Louisiana to Chicago reshaped his rhythm. As he puts it, the book is "a chance to say something about blackness, about the pandemic and about the creep of fascism." He recalls discovering Henry Dumas and heading back to New Orleans for the Tolodano Comedy Festival. We get into living in one place longer than anywhere else, balancing graduate degrees with novel writing, and how that shift shaped his voice. Be sure to follow Alex Jennings to keep up with his work and future projects. Photo courtesy of subject The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore).  Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production: Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos: Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcast The Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

    51 min
  2. Barry Wright III

    APR 17

    Barry Wright III

    In this episode of The Truth In The Art, the guest is Barry Wright III! Who is Barry Wright III: Baltimore-based improviser, teacher, technology professional, and co-founder (and current board president) of Highwire Improv, launched in 2020. You might remember Barry from his first appearance on The Truth In The Art here. In our conversation, Wright talks about Highwire's origin during the 2020 lockdown, building an improv community in Highlandtown, and making improv financially accessible and sustainable. As he puts it, improv "can be done with absolutely no materials. You truly only need other human beings and space. Chairs are optional." He recalls launching 55 teams from across the world and running shows seven nights a week, all online. We dig into experimenting with programming like dinner-and-a-show, drop-in nights, worker-owned cooperative values, and how collaboration and feedback shape the evolving theater—all rooted in creating inclusive, community-driven arts programming that supports practitioners and connects audiences. For updates, visit https://highwireimprov.com/  Shows at Highwire Improv, 400 South Conklin Street, Baltimore. Photo courtesy of subject The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore).  Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production: Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos: Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcast The Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

    57 min
  3. Cecilia M. McCormick

    APR 15

    Cecilia M. McCormick

    In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Cecilia M. McCormick! About Cecilia M. McCormick: President of MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art) with 33 years in higher education, an art collector who raised three sons now working in the creative field. In our conversation, McCormick talks through MICA's bicentennial year and the vision she's building as the school hits 200. She connects the programming to three themes—illumination, innovation, and entrepreneurship—and digs into new degrees shaped by workforce demand. As she puts it, creativity is "the commodity that cannot be automated, outsourced, or depleted." She recalls the "Fête of Lights" event where students paraded light-inspired wearable art and staged interpretations of colonial life—everything from lanterns to candlelight soldiers. Importantly, students also reimagined a century-old Main Building painting that celebrated Maryland’s founding: rather than repeating its singular narrative, they researched it and layered contemporary interventions to challenge who is centered in that history. It’s a good example of MICA teaching craft alongside critical inquiry. We get into AI's role in the classroom, how MICA is teaching students to use it as a tool while emphasizing "the human mark," and the best lesson she's learned: "know when to pivot." Looking ahead, her focus is on experiential learning and driving Baltimore's creative economy. Be sure to follow Cecilia M. McCormick and MICA to keep up with bicentennial programming and future projects. Join MICA in Celebrating 200 Years of Creative Impact. Photo courtesy of subject The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore).  Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production: Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos: Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcast The Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

    51 min
  4. Jess Owens-Young

    APR 13

    Jess Owens-Young

    In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Jess Owens-Young! Who is Jess Owens-Young: Maryland-based collage and mixed media artist and professor who creates work informed by her experiences as a Black woman, mother, and former athlete, using vintage magazines (Ebony, Jet, Essence) to explore the joy and melancholy of Black life in the United States. In our conversation, Owens-Young talks about her transition from semi-pro soccer player to artist in 2018 and her two favorite series: Oak Bluffs Golf Club (exploring Black leisure and the hidden history of golf) and Hoop Dreams Never Die. As she puts it, "I use sports and our everyday experiences as storytelling vehicles to share our stories about joy, hopes and dreams." She recalls creating in her laundry room studio—"If I am waiting for a load of laundry to finish, like it has five more minutes, I might take out some paint and make papers"—preparing materials in 20-minute sessions so she's ready when inspiration strikes. We get into how motherhood has made her practice more focused, how teaching public health feeds her art, why her initials spelling JOY matter now, working with vintage magazines as time capsules, and why she invites viewers to interpret their own stories within her work. For updates, follow @truthofstrength on Instagram and Threads, and visit jessowensyoung.com. Photo courtesy of subject The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore).  Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production: Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos: Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcast The Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

    1h 7m
  5. Chandler Chavez

    APR 8

    Chandler Chavez

    In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Chandler Chavez. Who is Chandler Chavez: A Los Angeles–based filmmaker, editor, story analyst, and writer originally from Arizona, drawn to complicated characters and stories that test our empathy—especially when they’re filtered through the strange mechanics of online attention. In our conversation, Chandler unpacks his feature debut: a dark-comedy “screenlife” film told entirely through a computer desktop, set inside the “hellscape” of live streaming—where the real-time chat isn’t set dressing, it actively drives the story forward. He talks about arriving at the format out of pure practicality (making something possible with very little money), then spending years refining the cut to make the digital world feel specific and true—not “movie internet,” but the kind of online authenticity you recognize immediately. We also get into the long road from early festival submissions with unfinished materials to a stronger re-approach—new poster, press kit, and a tighter final version—leading to the project’s selection for the 2026 Maryland Film Festival. Catch Chandler Chavez’s feature debut at the Maryland Film Festival, April 8–12, screening at the SNF Parkway Theatre and venues across Baltimore. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore).  Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production: Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos: Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcast The Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

    1 hr
  6. Kenny Riches

    APR 7

    Kenny Riches

    In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guest is Kenny Riches! Who is Kenny Riches: A Miami and Salt Lake City-based filmmaker born in Toyota City, Japan, whose award-winning features explore loneliness, identity, and human connection through intimate, character-driven narratives. With a BFA in Painting and Drawing and a filmography that includes The Strongest Man (Sundance premiere, 2015) and A Name Without A Place (2019), Kenny has received support from Sundance Institute, Knight Foundation, and PBS—and is co-founder of The Davey Foundation, a grant-giving organization for filmmakers. In our conversation, Kenny traces his journey from wanting to make films in the early 2000s when 16mm was still too expensive for a broke college student, to making skateboard videos with camcorders that evolved into short films alongside childhood friend and actor Patrick Fugit. He breaks down how Mouse—his fourth feature screening at Maryland Film Festival April 8–12 at the SNF Parkway Theatre and venues across Baltimore—emerged from pandemic isolation as a meditation on loneliness in the pre-social media early 2000s and a thriller about a lonesome first-generation person in ultra-white, ultra-religious Utah who gets tangled up in pen pal scams and petty theft. Kenny shares the bizarre real-life origin behind the film's scam storyline: a mysterious filmmaker friend he talked to for years without ever seeing his face, whose very existence his girlfriend suspected was an elaborate con—paranoia that bled straight into Mouse. He talks about directing his Japanese mother after convincing her a week before production (his pitch: we'll save money), the difference between Miami's endless weirdness through fresh eyes versus Utah's invisibility after a lifetime there, why he believes 90% of directing is casting, and running relaxed sets where everyone's cracking jokes instead of stressing out. We also dig into why pre-production and script feedback from actual filmmakers—not just your friends—will save your life, the collaborative magic of bringing all your people together to make something, and his advice to forget arbitrary deadlines because nobody cares if you made your first feature at 25. Don't miss Kenny Riches' Mouse regional premiere at Maryland Film Festival—a thriller that's funny, a little thrilling, and quietly cuts to the bone about what it means to look for connection when the world keeps you lonesome. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore).  Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production: Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos: Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcast The Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

    43 min
  7. Ben Baker-Lee & Rassaan Hammond

    APR 6

    Ben Baker-Lee & Rassaan Hammond

    In this episode of The Truth In This Art, the guests are Ben Baker-Lee and Rasaan Hammond! Who are Ben and Rasaan: Ben Baker-Lee and Rasaan Hammond are Baltimore-born filmmakers and co-directors of A Life in Art through the eye of Dr. Leslie King Hammond. Ben, founder of TrueView Film, has been documenting life through a lens since high school, drawn to film's power to capture truthful emotion and lived experience. Rasaan, who grew up immersed in the art world as the son of Dr. Leslie King Hammond (former dean at MICA), gravitated toward audio-visual storytelling early on, working in production, weddings, music videos, and now documentary film. Ben and Rasaan talk about their early influences—from 2001: A Space Odyssey at the Senator Theater to sci-fi classics like Star Wars and E.T.—and how their filmmaking journeys began with video cameras in hand. We dive into the origins of their documentary: what started as a casual request from Leslie to film one of her students evolved into a years-long portrait of a cultural architect and "way maker" for artists of color. They share stories of Dr. Hammond's warmth, humor, and fierce conviction, the challenges of shaping a lifetime of material into a cohesive narrative, and the intimate family perspective Rasaan brings as her son. The conversation also touches on the film's observational approach, the significance of Joyce J. Scott's relationship with Leslie, and what they hope audiences take away from the film. For updates and screening information, follow @Leslie_King_Hammond on Instagram, visit ALifeInArt.net, and catch the film at the Maryland Film Festival in Baltimore, April 2026, where Joyce J. Scott will present the opening night screening. The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore).  Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production: Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos: Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcast The Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

    1 hr
  8. Estéban Whiteside

    APR 2

    Estéban Whiteside

    In this episode of The Truth In This Art, returning guest Esteban Whiteside is back! Who is Esteban Whiteside: A Durham, North Carolina-based artist, Esteban Whiteside creates bold social commentary through what he calls "concrete oppressionism"—work that confronts American cultural absurdities with childlike aesthetics, parody, and irreverent humor. Working across canvas, wood, and sculpture, his art is both therapy and truth-telling, making heavy subjects digestible through wit and visual directness inspired by artists like Jacob Lawrence. Esteban talks about his creative evolution since our last conversation, including his new clock series exploring history and revolutions, and how he balances tackling heavy subject matter with abstract work that lets him breathe. We dive into why he uses humor to shame oppression, the colors that make him happy (brilliant blue, yellow, and emerald green), and how his art reflects his personality—chill in person, but uncompromising when it comes to speaking truth. He shares stories about drawing daily lunchbox notes for his daughter that sparked the clock series, unconventional painting techniques (like writing text upside down or left-handed), and why Jacob Lawrence's Migration Series opened the door for him to become an artist. He reflects on the importance of making art accessible at every price point and staying true to his voice no matter what may come with that. For updates, follow @estebanwhiteside on Instagram and visit estebanwhiteside.com. Revisit Esteban's first interview on The Truth In This Art here. Image courtesy of Esteban Whiteside The Truth In This Art is supported by William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund, the Maryland State Arts Council's Creativity Grant and Mayor's Individual Artist Award - Creative Baltimore Fund (Baltimore).  Host: Rob LeeMusic: Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard and TeTresSeis.Production: Produced by Rob Lee & Daniel AlexisEdited by Daniel AlexisShow Notes courtesy of Rob Lee and TransistorPhotos: Rob Lee photos by Vicente Martin for The Truth In This Art and Contrarian Aquarian Media.Guest photos courtesy of the guest, unless otherwise noted.Support the podcast The Truth In This Art Podcast Fractured Atlas (Fundraising): https://www.fracturedatlas.orgThe Truth In This Art Podcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thetruthinthisart.bsky.socialThe Truth In This Art Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinthisart/?hl=enThe Truth In This Art Podcast Website: https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/The Truth In This Art Podcast Shop: Merch from Redbubble ★ Support this podcast ★

    1h 2m
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The Truth In This Art with Rob Lee is an arts and culture interview podcast connecting arts, culture, and community. Sharing stories that matter through in-depth conversations with artists and creatives — photographers, filmmakers, designers, musicians, chefs, writers, and more. Guests share studio routines, community roots, career insights, and the ideas and choices that shape their projects. New episodes, show notes, and transcripts available here.

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