Arts
The Arts

‘Where Are The Women?’: Uncovering The Lost Works Of Female Renaissance Artists
For centuries in Italy — the cradle of Renaissance masters — women with artistic talent were not allowed to enter academies. And the names of the few female artists from centuries past have mostly faded into oblivion. Continue Reading ‘Where Are The Women?’: Uncovering The Lost Works Of Female Renaissance Artists

You Might Be Ready To Forget 2020. This Short Film with ‘Auld Lang Syne’ Reminds Why You Shouldn’t
Produced by a diverse group of filmmakers assembled by 1504, a studio based in Birmingham, Ala., For The Sake Of Old Times pairs the performance of “Auld Lang Syne” with archival footage from 2020, particularly of the summer’s racial justice protests. Continue Reading You Might Be Ready To Forget 2020. This Short Film with ‘Auld Lang Syne’ Reminds Why You Shouldn’t

‘Brother Robert’ Book Reveals True Story Of Growing Up With Blues Legend Robert Johnson
Blues legend Robert Johnson has been mythologized as a backwoods loner, his talent the result of selling his soul to the devil. Wrong and wrong again, according to Johnson’s younger stepsister, who lives in Amherst, Mass. She tells his true story in Brother Robert: Growing Up with Robert Johnson, a memoir about growing up with her brother she published in June. Continue Reading ‘Brother Robert’ Book Reveals True Story Of Growing Up With Blues Legend Robert Johnson

India’s Female Superhero And Her Flying Tiger Are Out To Fight The Pandemic
Priya’s Mask is the latest installation in Priya, the hit comic book series targeted to Indian children. This time, Priya and her flying tiger Sahas befriend a little girl named Meena to show the sacrifices made by frontline health-care workers — and why it’s important to be courageous and compassionate during the pandemic. Continue Reading India’s Female Superhero And Her Flying Tiger Are Out To Fight The Pandemic

In ‘Soul,’ Jon Batiste’s New Orleans-Inspired Jazz Music Helps Bring Pixar’s First Black Lead To Life
Pixar’s new animated film Soul is the story of Joe Gardner, a middle school school music teacher with big dreams about performing jazz onstage. “Music is all I think about, from the moment I wake up in the morning to the moment I fall asleep at night,” he says. “I was born to play.” Continue Reading In ‘Soul,’ Jon Batiste’s New Orleans-Inspired Jazz Music Helps Bring Pixar’s First Black Lead To Life

Play Us A Memory, Piano Man…And Recycle This Old Instrument
Sure, you’re a good Northwesterner because you recycle your beer cans, cardboard boxes and plastic milk jugs. But what about that dust-collecting piano you have long wanted to unload? It doesn’t fit into the recycling bin. Creative upcycling might be the answer. Continue Reading Play Us A Memory, Piano Man…And Recycle This Old Instrument

Successful, Sentimental And Satirized, ‘Love Story’ Celebrates 50th Anniversary
Fifty years ago, a simple but tragic love story became a global sensation that stunned the entertainment industry. Love Story, the romantic tearjerker starring Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw, broke box office records and the book it was based on was a bestseller that was translated into more than 30 languages. Continue Reading Successful, Sentimental And Satirized, ‘Love Story’ Celebrates 50th Anniversary

‘Traverse Talks’ Episode 10 – Part 2: Ted Tremper On Finding Humor And Accepting Failure
In part two of this episode of “Traverse Talks with Sueann Ramella,” comedy writer Ted Tremper talks about how jokes impact thoughts and beliefs in an accessible way. And he discusses how he implements rules from his mother and advice from his father in his daily life. Continue Reading ‘Traverse Talks’ Episode 10 – Part 2: Ted Tremper On Finding Humor And Accepting Failure

Holiday Rom-Coms Go Beyond Diversity To Center New Christmas Stars
Rare were the Christmas rom-coms with Asian, queer, Latinx or disabled characters. When Black characters started to show up, they generally played sidekicks — or they starred in family holiday movies, not the kind of Christmas rom-coms where Mom’s always there to help with a thorny relationship dilemma, the cider is forever mulled and not a single problem can’t be solved by declaring love under the mistletoe. Continue Reading Holiday Rom-Coms Go Beyond Diversity To Center New Christmas Stars

‘Traverse Talks’ Episode 9 – Part 1: Comedy Writer Ted Tremper On Finding Humor In Tragedy
In part one of this episode of “Traverse Talks with Sueann Ramella,” comedy writer Ted Tremper talks about growing up in the Northwest as the overweight-funny kid. He says his mom’s untimely death while he was in college shaped much of his outlook on life and his career. Tremper has written for “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,”” I Love You, America” with Sarah Silverman, and has written his own episodic comedy called “Shrink.” Continue Reading ‘Traverse Talks’ Episode 9 – Part 1: Comedy Writer Ted Tremper On Finding Humor In Tragedy

‘He Makes Us Love George Smiley:’ The Legacy Of John Le Carré, Master Of The Spy Thriller
NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly speaks with British writer Robert Harris about the legacy of John le Carré, whom he’s called “one of the great post-war British novelists” and who died Saturday at age 89. Continue Reading ‘He Makes Us Love George Smiley:’ The Legacy Of John Le Carré, Master Of The Spy Thriller

No ‘Nutcracker’? Or ‘Messiah’? How Theaters Are Facing A COVID Christmas
In normal times, audiences would be flocking to theaters for Christmas productions right now. But 2020 is anything but normal — especially when it comes to holiday traditions. Continue Reading No ‘Nutcracker’? Or ‘Messiah’? How Theaters Are Facing A COVID Christmas