the AP Collection

Eight months after the last submission I've got a good farewell chat for The AP Collection Podcast. Listen to John, Brett, and Donna from The John Riegert Project and check out the show at SPACE before September 4th, 2016!

Chris Williams is an artist from New York but also defines himself as a multi-maker, which he defines as a combination of being both multifaceted and a maker. He has a background in biology, and a lot of his work includes themes of life and environment.  Chris Williams talks about his time in Texas, working for a woman who used robotics to save lives after the tsunami in Fukushima, as well as the time he spent in Turkey, which included being in the midst of protest. In Pittsburgh, he has worked on a wooden audio game for the visually impaired ("Coral"), an installation in Lawrenceville that mimics a pier and uses light patterns that interact and work with the environment ("Ghost Pier"), and a simulation of the experience of listening to an 8-9 hour brass music performance in Turkey ("Pittonkatonk"). He also engages in a conversation about the Black Lives Matter movement. View the links below to see more images from the projects. Chris Williams on the Internet Email him: [email protected] Coral Project Ghost Pier Project in Lawrenceville Pittonkatonk Theme Music by DJ Thermos Twitter: @LikeAThermos Instagram: @amoswolf

Lesley Rains is the woman behind East End Book Exchange on Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield. Before that, Lesley's love of books and the lack thereof in the city drove her to start something new. The exchange started by setting up bookstalls at community public markets around the city.  In this chat, Lesley discusses her journey to opening her own business, her favorite books, and the need for diversity in the book market. Lesley Rains on the Internet www.eastendbookexchange.com Like East End Book Exchange on Facebook Follow @EastEndBooksPgh on Twitter Follow @eastendbookexchange on Instagram Theme Music by DJ Thermos Twitter: @LikeAThermos Instagram: @amoswolf  

Selling yourself, or being a working creative has nothing to do with being the best. I will never be the most talented or amazing painter. I am however, one of the most dedicated and determined people you will ever know in just about any field out there.  The AP Collection has always been a journey for me to figure out what helps me create. As of right now, it's listening to people talk about themselves and drawing or painting responses to that. That simple exchange is inside everything that I as an artist have created.  The next endeavor for my practice is to produce work that connects directly with those that are supporting it. For now the interviews and other free things on this site are all the same and always free but for a small amount of support, there's more for those that want it. Patreon is a way for me to keep drawing—the thing I want to do always. Please check out the site,  pick a level, and help me make more. If you like what I do, share it with others. Below are just some of the things that I've done. I'm stoked to see what's next.

Rachel Arnold Sager is an illustrator and designer. After having her daughter and leaving her job at a design agency to pursue freelancing, she decided to try out new things that scared her, to get out of her comfort zone and take risks. She tried creative writing and improv, to name just a few of the things, and she continues on the path towards the new. Rachel indulges us in her journey navigating through creativity, freelance work, challenging herself, and motherhood. She puts it best when she says (or, quotes Ira Glass), "Your taste level will probably exceed your skill level for a long time." Most recently, she started (and finished) her "100 days" project, consisting of only non-digital illustrations and art works. Rachel emphasizes that the key to growing as a creative is commitment and perseverance––traits she has engrained into her practice. Rachel Arnold Sager on the Internet www.rasager.com/ Follow @rasager on Twitter Follow @r.a.sager on Instagram "100 Days" Project Theme Music by DJ Thermos Twitter: @LikeAThermos Instagram: @amoswolf