Y Arts Podcast

Downtown Frederick Partnership is key to the enrichment of Downtown Frederick, anything from hosting and organizing events, cultivating a community, and providing support and attraction within the area. Kara Norman, Leeann Crews, Jade Dunhour, and Brittany Himber, the team behind the Partnership, join us in this episode to talk about the past, present, and future of their nonprofit organization. You can find more information about the Partnership on their website downtownfrederick.org.

MAD Dance presents “Intentional Terrarium”, a month-long series of performances hosted at the MAD Studio in the Y Arts Center. This episode features an interview with Kitty Clark and Ray C. Shaw, the duo behind MAD Dance.  “Intentional Terrarium” displays a portable greenhouse as its main feature. Different performers, including co-directors Clark and Shaw, add movement, audio and natural visuals creating a collaborative, involving piece. The performance is scheduled each Saturday of April 2024 /episode/index/show/996d08f5-bcd2-4fe7-a73f-c0a67835e4e8/id/32785252

What would you get if you crossed nature, theater, art work, and sustainability? You'd get: Sky Stage. In the outskirts of the heart of Downtown Frederick, sits a living, growing art installation with an open-air theater. In this episode of The Y Arts Podcast, we cover the Sky Stage by attending their last Comedy Show of 2023 hosted by Stacey Axler. We got to talk with Stacy and included some of her jokes and a quick interview. Louise Kennelly, Frederick Arts Council's (FAC) executive director, c /episode/index/show/996d08f5-bcd2-4fe7-a73f-c0a67835e4e8/id/32785257

Rebecca Hargreaves is a self-taught tufting artist who creates fanciful rugs. With a background in fashion and textiles, she has found a true calling towards designing and making your-not-so-average rugs. From teaching yoga at Yogamour, to being a single mom, to working in her garden, Hargreaves continues to live her artistic life. Though it took her a few months to start tufting, she took a step out of her comfort zone and simply just started. Hargreaves has now exhibited her rugs in local shows in Fred /episode/index/show/996d08f5-bcd2-4fe7-a73f-c0a67835e4e8/id/32785262

Even in her 50’s, Lisa May Bennett is chasing her dreams. Bennett has led a successful life, with wonderful friends and family, and even has worked for nonprofit business, National Organization for Women-yet, something about her life felt stagnant. Then one day, Bennett decided to give up drinking and in turn be committed to her writing career. In the last six and a half years of sobriety, Bennett has accomplished her goal to self-publish her first book, My Unfurling, and is on the journey towards her /episode/index/show/996d08f5-bcd2-4fe7-a73f-c0a67835e4e8/id/32785267

Dylan Hyman tackles on both the visual and audio side of life when it comes to creating. In their past, they have produced Keith Haring-inspired black and white digital post cards, focusing on bringing light into the darkness of their work. As a musician, they collaborate with Spencer — forming duo, tee.vee. They talk about their journey with their art, finding their avenues in life, and nostalgic creations. 

Ethan Larsh is a songwriter and musician from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Starting at 7, Ethan learned how to play piano. As he matured into adulthood, he picked up playing guitar and original songwriting. He finds inspiration from The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Flaming Lips, and 70’s country music, describing his own music as “Psychedelic Americana”. Recently losing his job, he now focuses on his music full time. Ethan often finds gigs in Frederick at local bars such as Bushwaller’s and Olde Mot /episode/index/show/996d08f5-bcd2-4fe7-a73f-c0a67835e4e8/id/32785277

On this episode, we feature Jillian Abir MacMaster who’s a full-time artist/photographer based in Frederick. Graduated from Shepard University with a major in Photography, MacMaster experimented with alternative photography in class and utilizes these processes in her current work. We uncover the evolution of her creative process and artistic expression through her series of work and choice of subjects. 

Shelby Newsome is a writer and lead bookseller at local bookstore, Curious Iguana. Writing has been a part of Newsome’s life and this development led her to pursue a career as a flash fiction writer. Through her trials of submissions and years of practice, she is a determined short-story artist who has found and is curating a community also for fellow writers. Not only in aiding folks at Curious Iguana for book recommendations, she hosts meet-the-author events for the Frederick community and started a /episode/index/show/996d08f5-bcd2-4fe7-a73f-c0a67835e4e8/id/32785287

Scott Marceron began his music career at 12 years old as a bass player in his neighborhood. His musical passion led him to learn on his own how to book and play shows, manage his music business, and other behind the scenes challenges musicians face. With this in mind, and inspiration from “School of Rock”, in 2010 he and his wife founded their own school, “Let There Be Rock” in Frederick, MD to provide a hub for musicians and aid them in all said challenges. His school curates a space for each st /episode/index/show/996d08f5-bcd2-4fe7-a73f-c0a67835e4e8/id/32785292

Tad Achey is a musician who is fully engaged with the Frederick community. He talks about his journey as a drummer playing with his band DaMood and performing his own project, “Zootu”. Tad illustrates his recent experience performing on Carroll Creek for Alive at 5 and the collaboration with others during the set. The musician promotes a sense of self and grounding as an artist and human.

Tina Harper is a proud mother and artist local to the Frederick area. With a background in preschool teaching and art, she designed a place for people to tap into their inner creativity and paint! She encourages everyone, even those without a “creative bone in their body” to enjoy the services her business and studio, Dream Free Art, provides. Dream Free Art grants parties a chance to splatter paint on almost any surface-which is open for all ages.