Mississippi Arts Hour

To celebrate the Arts Hour’s twentieth anniversary, we’re sharing some classic shows with you. This one from 2016 features two current MPB hosts. Deep South Dining’s Malcolm White interviews Jim Dees from Thacker Mountain Radio. They talk about Dees’ new book. Also joining them in the studio is the late Ron Shapiro, a legendary Oxford businessman and arts supporter.

This week Larry speaks with Jackson-based muralist Gavin Bird. Bird paints outdoor murals for communities and private companies throughout the state. One of his more notable recent works was a large mural completed in Oxford that features several legendary artists who lived in the city.

Have you ever thought about becoming a teaching artist or wondered how you would even begin the process? This week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, Leslie talks with Amanda Koonlaba and Erin Mulligan. Both members of the Mississippi Whole Schools Team, they discuss their personal artistic journeys and how those paths converge with teaching. Amanda and Erin share valuable resources, practical advice, and unforgettable stories.

Larry visits with sculptor and ceramicist Harold Miller from Brandon. Miller talks about starting into art while growing up in Vicksburg and the influence of the neighborhood on his current work. He also explains how he has built up a clientele through years of exhibiting at art shows around the region.

On this episode, Mississippi Poet Laureate Ann Fisher-Wirth speaks with fellow poet Danielle Sellers about the Walt Whitman poem, “I Saw in Louisiana a Live-Oak Growing.” Sellers received her MFA from the University of Mississippi, where she held the John Grisham Poetry Fellowship. She teaches at Trinity Valley School in Fort Worth, Texas.

Larry travels to Kosciusko to catch up with Reverend Marvin Myles, Sr, the leader of the Myles Family Singers, a traditional gospel group. He talks about growing up in Friars Point, singing with his brothers and how he taught his children to sing together in their family group.

This week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, we sit down with playwright and director Topher Payne to talk about bringing ‘The Attala County Garden Club’ to life on stage at New Stage Theatre. Known for his sharp wit and deep love of Southern storytelling, Payne shares insight into his creative process such as what drew him to this story, how he approaches directing his own work, and the unique dynamics of staging a piece so rooted in Mississippi culture and community. From page to performance, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at how a playwright shapes not just the script, but the entire theatrical experience. Listen by subscribing to the Mississippi Arts Hour podcast through your favorite podcast app, or listen online at http://msartshour.mpbonline.org/

While packing his bags for Venice, Italy, Adam Trest stops to chat with David Lewis on this week’s episode of the Arts Hour. Adam and David catch up on all the many projects Adam has been up to, including a new series of works and the debut of three pieces at the Venice Biennale. They recap the many things that Adam has been up to, from licensing his work for home decor to developing a series based on his father's gardens from his childhood.

This week on the Mississippi Arts Hour, Leslie talks with Belhaven University’s Dean of Fine Arts, Krista Bower. Krista also serves as Professor and Chair of Dance. In our conversation, Krista tells us about her personal journey as a dancer, including co-founding the Mississippi-based contemporary dance company, Front Porch Dance. She also shares information about Belhaven’s artistic offerings for both students and community members.