By Michael J. Solender Ruth Ava Lyons travels the globe to find and depict the underlying beauty in ecosystems that are stressed and suffering from the effects of global warming and human actions. “Most of my work focuses on environmental themes, such as coral reef decay, wildfires, coal ash spills, wetland erosion and monarch migration,” …

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By Michael J. Solender Oil painter Russell Smith has harnessed his love of history, aviation and the American West into an abiding passion for telling story through his artwork. He’s spent most of the past two decades working as a professional oil painter, with a focus specifically on early aviation subjects. His work falls into …

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By Michael J. Solender Martha Connerton has never known a time where dance was not an integral part of her life. “The full 60 years of my life have been spent in the field of dance,” says Connerton, a dancer, choreographer and educator. “Why? Ask a fish why it swims. I was dancing around the …

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By Michael J. Solender Look no further than to Kojo Bey to learn – and experience firsthand – the healing power of African drum and dance. Bey is cofounder of and lead drummer for the Sounds of Afrika Drum & Dance Troupe and founder of Drums 4 Life – two cultural organizations entertaining, educating and inspiring …

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By Michael J. Solender  Readers of Jeff Jackson-authored works are quickly immersed into nuanced character-driven stories where his protagonist’s emotional wounds and fractured souls strengthen their resolve and ironically serve as scabbards in insulating them from the darkly dystopic realms they occupy. “Since college,” says Jackson, “I’ve been drawn to fiction for its ability to …

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