Rob Lee
The Truth In This Art is an interview series featuring artists, entrepreneurs and tastemakers in & around Baltimore.
Appears in 898 Episodes
#33 – How Shaolin Jazz Redefines Film & Sound | DJ 2-Tone Jones
Shaolin Jazz co-founder DJ 2-Tone Jones—one half of the duo behind the genre-bending brand—returns to reflect on growth, alignment, and his continued love for blending...
#32 – How Do You Choose Stories Worth Telling? | Joe Tropea
Baltimore’s award-winning documentary filmmaker, public historian, and Baltimore City Hall curator Joe Tropea returns to share how personal connection guides his proje...
#31 – Why ‘Irma Vep’ Is a Wild, Campy Celebration at Everyman Theatre | Joseph W. Ritsch
Get ready for a behind-the-scenes look at The Mystery of Irma Vep – A Penny Dreadful at Everyman Theatre, where director, choreographer, and arts educator Joseph Ritsc...
#30 – How Do You Blend Archive and Activism in Your Art? | Isaiah Winters
You know those moments when a photograph or film clip feels like it’s speaking hidden truths? New School professor and interdisciplinary artist Isaiah Winters returns ...
#29 – How to Bring Portraits to Life on Canvas | Monica Ikegwu
You know that moment when a painting feels so real you swear the subject might blink? Hyper-realist portraitist Monica Ikegwu returns to reveal the behind-the-scenes r...
#28 – How Do You Bring Art to the People? | Ky Vassor
You’ve probably admired one of Ky Vassor’s murals without even knowing it—now she’s back to pull back the curtain on how those vibrant public artworks, pop-up workshop...
#27 – How to Master Moving People Through Music | DJ James Nasty
Baltimore’s own DJ and producer James Nasty returns to share how stepping away from substances sparked new clarity, how he built Ecstatic Dance Baltimore into an inclu...
#26 - How Does Art Turn Pain Into Power? | Ayiana Viviana
Abstract neurographic artist Ayiana Viviana shares how reconnecting with Puerto Rico, battling inner struggles, and choosing self-trust transformed her art—and her lif...
#25 - Can Paintings Voice the Feelings We Never Say? | Xenia Gray
Contemporary figurative painter Xenia Gray unpacks how post-Soviet Siberia, spiritual retreats, and life in D.C. converge in canvases that pulse with raw feeling.Growi...
#24 - What Makes FilmFest DC Survive 39 Years? | Tony Gittens
Founder and director Tony Gittens returns with the inside story of steering the Washington DC International Film Festival—now in its 39th year—through last-minute venu...
#23 – How Do Bold Colors Carry Heritage? | Alexi Abi
Visual artist Alexi Abi returns to talk new work, new influences, and what it takes to stay visible in Washington’s competitive arts scene.How her Lebanese heritage an...
#22 – How Do 90s Pop Aesthetics Shape Modern Headwear? | Jerrill Sankey
Designer Jerrill Sankey (formerly “Creative King”) returns to talk evolution—name change, sharper focus, and bigger ambitions.90s music videos and Vogue tear‑outs that...
#21 – Can CultureWorks Philly Turn Shared Resources Into Creative Power? | Ariel Shelton
Co‑Executive Director Ariel Shelton returns to map out how CultureWorks Greater Philadelphia functions as a co‑op for creatives—and why that matters right now.From co‑...
#20 – Can Enoch Pratt Free Library Become Baltimore’s Town Square? | Chad Helton
President & CEO Chad Helton lays out how Baltimore’s flagship public‑library system is reinventing itself for a 21st‑century city.Small‑town roots to big‑city stacks—w...
#19 – How Does The Vibe Room Spotlight DMV Creatives? | Natasha Magino
Founder & editor-in-chief Natasha Magino is back to break down how The Vibe Room spotlights under-represented DMV talent—and why the new art-book series is her biggest...
#18 – What Happens When House Beats Fuel Vivid Paintings? | Terry Thompson
Chicago-raised, Baltimore-based Terry Thompson returns to chart the evolution from his “Alien Conversations” dreamscapes to a bold new series of vein-laced canvases—wh...
#17 – Can Stone Carving Capture Modern Stories? | Sebastian Martorana
In this episode of The Truth in This Art, I welcome back Baltimore-based sculptor Sebastian Martorana. We discuss the evolution of his career over the past few years, ...
#16 – Can Art Fix Our Divides? | Philippa Pham Hughes
On this episode of The Truth In This Art, I'm excited to share my conversation with Philippa Pham Hughes, a social sculptor, educator, speaker, and writer who designs ...
#15 – How Does Sugarcane Magazine Capture Global Black Culture? | Melissa Hunter Davis
In this episode of The Truth in This Art, I welcome back creative entrepreneur Melissa Hunter Davis to the podcast. Melissa is the founder of Sugarcane magazine, a Bla...
#14 – Can Reclaimed Materials Tell Diaspora Stories? | Lex Marie
On this episode of The Truth In This Art, I'm excited to share my conversation with Lex Marie, a DC-based multidisciplinary artist whose powerful work I've been eager ...
