Kevin Kirkwood travels to Decatur, Georgia, to sit down with artist Tori Tinsley for a conversation about process and vulnerability. Born in 1980, Tori Tinsley is an Atlanta-based artist whose practice navigates memory, labor, and lived experience. She earned her BFA from the University of Michigan’s Stamps School of Art & Design, a Master of Arts in Art Therapy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and an MFA from Georgia State University. Her work has been featured in Art Papers, Oxford American, and New American Paintings, and she is a recipient of a Joan Mitchell Painters and Sculptors Grant, the City of Atlanta Emerging Artist Award, and an Idea Capital Grant. Tinsley is currently a Studio Artist at Atlanta Contemporary and is represented by Laney Contemporary and Co-op Art Atlanta. In this episode, we discuss her current body of work, now on view at Laney Contemporary in Savannah through January 10. Learn more:toritinsley.comlaneycontemporary.com Follow the host:Instagram: @kevinwillpaintInstagram: @strandpodcastkevin-kirkwood.com Listen to The Strand via all major platforms. Including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and Amazon.

Kevin Kirkwood shared a conversation with Anila Quayyum Agha. She is an internationally recognized artist born in Lahore, Pakistan and currently based in the US. Anila creates immersive installations that explore global and environmental issues, culture, and social and gender roles. Using Islamic geometric patterns, light, shadow, and steel cut with delicate designs, her work transforms spaces, inviting viewers to reflect while becoming part of the installation. Her projects explore boundaries, balance, and the connections between people, cultures, and ideas, encouraging viewers to notice both harmony and difference in the world around us. Anila earned her BFA from the National College of Arts, Lahore, and an MFA from the University of North Texas. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Kew Gardens (London), Museum of Oriental Art (Italy), and major U.S. museums such as the Crow Museum (Dallas), Bruce Museum (Greenwich), and Cummer Museum (Jacksonville). She participated in the 2019 Venice Biennale collateral event She Persists and has received numerous awards, including the NEA for her 2024 traveling retrospective Interwoven, the Joan Mitchell Award, and multiple DeHaan Artist of Distinction honors. Agha has held the Morris Eminent Scholar Chair at Augusta University and received a Smithsonian Fellowship, collaborating with SAAM and AAA. Her work is collected by prominent institutions and private collectors worldwide.   ANILA QUAYYUM AGHA anilaagha.com Instagram: @anilaquayyumagha   Produced by KEVIN KIRKWOOD kevin-kirkwood.com     @kevinwillpaint     @strandpodcast   Listen to The Strand via all major platforms. Including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and Amazon.  

Kevin Kirkwood traveled to Willow Pond in San Luis Obispo to visit the bright, light-filled studio of contemporary artist Carol Paquet. A South African–American visual artist, Carol works across photography, oil painting, and mixed media, blending analog and digital techniques to create fictional botanical landscapes shaped by memory, place, and imagination. After studying at the College of Art in Johannesburg, she spent 15 years as an art director before fully committing to her studio practice. Kevin and Carol discuss the evolution of her work, the influence of landscape on her creative process, and how she navigates the intersection between the physical and digital worlds. With the stillness of Willow Pond just outside the studio, the conversation offers a thoughtful glimpse into Carol’s contemplative approach to art-making. The episode also highlights upcoming workshop opportunities at Willow Pond, offering painters, digital artists, and multimedia creators the chance to work in a peaceful, immersive natural setting. Workshops for 2026 will feature artists Geoff Allen, Johan Barrios, Jason Hackenwerth, and Gorden Studer.   CAROL PAQUET carolpaquet.com     @carolpatriciapaquet WILLOW POND – San Luis Obispo Willowpondslo.com     @willowpondslo 10 WEST GALLERY 10westgallery.com     @10westgallery MONTEREY MUSEUM OF ART www.montereyart.org      @montereyart SAN LUIS OBISPO MUSEUM OF ART sloma.org     @slomuseumofart Produced by KEVIN KIRKWOOD kevin-kirkwood.com     @kevinwillpaint     @strandpodcast Listen to The Strand via all major platforms. Including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and Amazon. This episode was recorded September 26, 2025 in San Luis Obispo, California.  

Kevin Kirkwood visits the vibrant, detail-packed studio of illustrator and muralist Nigel Sussman in the heart of Berkeley, California. Known for his bold isometric worlds and large-scale murals that transform city walls into playful architectural maps, Nigel has developed a visual style that is instantly recognizable and endlessly explorable. Kevin and Nigel dive into the creative engine behind his work; from the evolution of his signature style, to the hidden stories embedded throughout his dense compositions, to the balance between structure and whimsy that defines his art. Surrounded by sketches, paintings, and the tools of his craft, this conversation offers an inside look at the curiosity, precision, and imagination that shape Nigel’s world.  A special thank you to Victoria Gildersleeve for making this episode possible. @victoriagildersleeve_projects NIGEL SUSSMAN NIGELSUSSMAN.COM    |     @NIGELSUSSMAN  Produced by KEVIN KIRKWOOD kevin-kirkwood.com   |   @kevinwillpaint   |   @strandpodcast Listen to The Strand via all major platforms. Including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and Amazon. This episode was recorded September 29, 2025 in Berkeley, California.

In today’s episode, Kevin Kirkwood brings listeners to the Bayview neighborhood of San Francisco, recording inside the studio of contemporary artist Wanxin Zhang. Widely regarded as a leading voice in the new generation of the Bay Area clay movement, Wanxin is celebrated for his monumental ceramic figures, his experimental formless structures, and his striking bronze works. His sculptures explore themes of globalization, politics, and cultural identity, often infused with unexpected elements of contemporary pop culture. Surrounded by these commanding works and the energy of his studio practice, Kevin and Wanxin sit down for an in-depth conversation about Wanxin’s journey from China to California, the evolution of his distinctive sculptural language, and the cultural forces that continue to shape his approach to making art.   WANXIN ZHANG wanxinzhang.com @wxzhang25   CATHARINE CLARK GALLERY cclarkgallery.com @cclarkgallery   |   @clarkcatharine  |  @exitatccg   |   @boxbluratccg   Produced by KEVIN KIRKWOOD kevin-kirkwood.com   |   @kevinwillpaint   |   @strandpodcast   Listen to The Strand via all major platforms. Including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and Amazon.   This episode was recorded on September 24, 2025 in San Francisco.

Kevin Kirkwood sits down with celebrated artist, critic, and museum professional Hal Fischer for an intimate conversation recorded at Fischer’s home in San Francisco. Known for his groundbreaking Gay Semiotics series and influential writing on photography in the 1970s, Fischer reflects on a career that spans more than four decades and continues to shape contemporary understandings of visual culture and queer identity. From his early days contributing to Artforum and Artweek, to his pivotal role in establishing San Francisco Camerawork, to his long tenure as a museum consultant, Fischer shares personal stories, insights, and the ideas that fueled his creative evolution. The conversation traces his return to the spotlight through recent retrospectives, renewed interest in his photographic work, and the ongoing relevance of his visual language. Recorded among the books, artwork, and personal history that fill his San Francisco home, this episode offers a rare, firsthand look at one of the Bay Area’s most distinctive artistic voices. Tune in for a thoughtful, candid discussion that explores art, community, memory, and the enduring impact of Hal Fischer’s vision.   HAL FISCHER www.gaysemiotics.com @hal.fischer CASEMORE GALLERY Casemoregallery.com @casemoregallery   Produced by KEVIN KIRKWOOD kevin-kirkwood.com   |   @kevinwillpaint   |   @strandpodcast   Listen to The Strand via all major platforms. Including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and Amazon. This episode was recorded September 27, 2025 in San Francisco, CA. Photo: Kurt Edward Fishback  

Kevin Kirkwood spent time with artist Andy Diaz Hope in his San Francisco studio, where Andy reflected on his upbringing on the Bay Area’s peninsula, his academic path through Stanford University, and the moment the Catharine Clark Gallery took interest in his work.   Andy Diaz Hope holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Engineering from Stanford’s renowned joint program in Design; a collaboration between the Engineering and Art departments. His practice is driven by a desire to present alternative perspectives to mainstream media narratives, fostering dialogue, pluralism, and critical thought. Known for mastering new materials and techniques, Diaz Hope continually expands the conceptual possibilities of his work.   He has exhibited internationally, with presentations at the Museum of Arts and Design (New York), the Crocker Art Museum (California), the International Museum of Surgical Science (Chicago), the Museum of Contemporary Art (Colorado), the National Gallery of Victoria (Australia), and the London Crafts Council (England). His work is held in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Museum of Arts and Design (New York), the Palm Springs Art Museum, the Nevada Museum of Art, and 21c Museum Hotels.   ANDY DIAZ HOPE www.andydiazhope.com https://cclarkgallery.com/artists/49-andy-diaz-hope/works/   CATHARINE CLARK GALLERY cclarkgallery.com @cclarkgallery   |   @clarkcatharine  |  @exitatccg   |   @boxbluratccg   Produced by KEVIN KIRKWOOD kevin-kirkwood.com   |   @kevinwillpaint   |   @strandpodcast   Listen to The Strand via all major platforms. Including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and Amazon.   This episode was recorded September 23, 2025 in San Francisco’s Mission District.  

Episode 087: Badri Valian بدری ولیان Kevin Kirkwood sat down with artist Badri Valian in her San Francisco studio in the Design District, where they talked about her upbringing in Iran, the ways those early experiences continue to shape her creative life, and the possibilities she envisions for her future practice. Badri Valian is a San Francisco–based interdisciplinary and social practice artist whose work investigates the relationship between individuals and the manipulated worlds formed by war, ideology, and displacement. Her perspective is shaped by lived experiences of armed conflict, fragmented identity, and political oppression—threads that weave throughout her thoughtful, deeply human approach to making art.   Badri Valian: https://www.badrivalian.com @badrivalian   Produced by Kevin Kirkwoodkevin-kirkwood.com   |   @kevinwillpaint   |   @strandpodcast   Listen to The Strand via all major platforms. Including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and Amazon.   This episode was recorded September 23, 2025 in San Francisco, California.

Kevin Kirkwood sat down with artist and designer Brian Singer for a brief conversation in his San Francisco studio, located in the Mission District. Brian reflected on his upbringing in Silicon Valley, discussed the ideas behind several of his artworks, and shared his thoughts on the evolving direction of his creative practice. Best known for his thought-provoking work, Brian Singer, is a multimedia artist who challenges conventional perceptions of objects and cultural symbols. Singer’s work often delves into the complexities of human connection, communication, and societal dynamics. Some of his more highlighted work, like The 1000 Journals Project and TWIT Spotting (Texting While In Traffic), received international attention. The 1000 Journals Project was turned into a feature-length documentary, a book, and exhibited at SFMOMA and the Skirball in Los Angeles. Singer also had recent solo shows at the Torrance Art Museum and the Thacher Gallery at USF. As a designer, Brian created work for Apple, Facebook, Pinterest, and many others. Recognized with numerous awards and publications, he currently serves on the SECA Council for SFMoMA, and on the board of directors of Southern Exposure.    BRIAN SINGER: www.someguy.is @someguy.is   SOUTHERN EXPOSURE: soex.org @southernexposuresf   THE JACK FISCHER GALLERY: jackfischergallery.com @thejackfischergallery   Produced by Kevin Kirkwoodkevin-kirkwood.com   |   @kevinwillpaint   |   @strandpodcast   Listen to The Strand via all major platforms. Including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and Amazon.   This episode was recorded September 24, 2025 in San Francisco, California.

Episode 085: Abby Zhang Kevin Kirkwood met up with Abby Zhang in Bayview, California at a park just south of San Francisco. Abby Zhang is a Bay Area–based artist working across painting, printmaking, and installation.She holds an MFA from Pratt Institute and has exhibited her work nationally.Currently in residence at Kala Art Institute, she is expanding her printmaking practice through experimental layering and material processes.Her recent projects include presentations at TRYST and Nomad III, hosted by the Torrance Art Museum.As a member of Mercury 20 Gallery in Oakland, she also curates and organizes exhibitions that connect local and national art communities. A special thank you to Regina Durante Jestrow for making this episode possible. (reginajestrow.com) www.apencap.com   |   @abbypencap Kala.org   |   @kalaartinstitute Produced by Kevin Kirkwoodkevin-kirkwood.com   |   @kevinwillpaint   |   @strandpodcast Listen to The Strand via all major platforms. Including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and Amazon. This episode was recorded September 24, 2025 in Bayview, California.

Kevin Kirkwood sat down with Bibby Gignilliat, a Northern California–based artist whose work radiates color, texture, and fearless creativity. They met in her Sausalito studio, a small waterfront town just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Before becoming a full-time artist, Bibby built a thriving culinary team-building business in four major cities. In 2017, she sold the company to dedicate herself entirely to painting. Her mixed-media works have since been exhibited at the DeYoung Museum, Triton Museum, and featured in galleries across the country. She also shares her innovative techniques with thousands of students, both online and in her studio, encouraging others to create boldly and without hesitation. Today, she is represented by the Portland Art Gallery. Their website has a wide selection of Bibby’s available work. If you’re near the San Francisco Bay Area, stop by her open studio on November 15. portlandartgallery.com   |   @portlandartgallery bibbyart.com   |   @bibbygart.kevin-kirkwood.com   |   @kevinwillpaint   |   @strandpodcast Listen to The Strand via all major platforms. Including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and Amazon. Produced by Kevin Kirkwood This episode was recorded October 1st, 2025 in Sausalito, California.    

Kevin Kirkwood recently sat down with Nina Katz, a Berkeley-based painter whose work explores the figure and portraiture. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Hong Kong, Nina studied in Boston before settling in the Bay Area. Largely self-taught, she’s been painting full time for the past 15 years; creating deeply expressive and intimate works. Nina’s latest exhibition, Figures and Fragments, is now on view at Jack Fischer Gallery in San Francisco through November 15. Learn more at ninakatz.com and jackfischergallery.com. "I am motivated by the process of painting and the dialogue that develops between me and the paint.  Over the years my work has moved between representation to figurative abstraction and back again. My work continues to resist categorization. It shifts, evolves, and refuses to settle into a tidy theme or style. I try not to chase what’s expected or popular; instead, I follow the work itself—its moods, its materials, its surprises. I still love to do commissioned portraits as well as revisit unfamiliar topics. This path is not always comfortable, but it is the most honest one I know. I trust the paint and I’m fueled, always, by a little angst—and maybe the occasional nudge from the goddess of creativity." – Nina Katz   Produced by Kevin Kirkwoodkevin-kirkwood.com | @kevinwillpaint  |  @strandpodcast   Listen to The Strand via all major platforms. Including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and Amazon.   This episode was recorded September 28, 2025 in Berkeley California.

Kevin Kirkwood shared a conversation with Fernanda Martínez Gutierrez, an Oakland based painter and muralist; In her work, she incorporates nature elements as themes, organic shapes, bold textures, and deconstructed patterns to develop intrinsic narratives. Recently her practice expanded to sculptures, where she experiments with different materials to translate her distinguishable shapes and mastery in color into delightful 3D pieces. Born and raised in Mexico City, Fernanda moved to the Bay Area in 2015 where she founded La Tinta. Under this name, she collaborated with brands such as Anthropologie, Lulu and Georgia, World Market Plus by licensing her work for a variety of products. Fernanda has exhibited her paintings throughout galleries; she has also created Mural installations at Meta, Google, Unity among other companies. Fernanda’s art and murals can be found across the Bay Area and select online platforms. www.fernandamartinezart.com @tinta_art A special thank-you to @victoriacgildersleeve_projects for making this conversation possible. Produced by Kevin Kirkwoodkevin-kirkwood.com | @kevinwillpaint Listen to The Strand via the link in bio or at www.kevinwillpaint.com/strandAvailable on all major platforms — Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and Amazon.

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to sit down with Fanny Wu, an architect and artist who lives and works in San Jose California. This episode is particularly meaningful to me because Fanny and I spent many afternoons sketching various locations of the communities that we helped design. Fanny is passionate in building and creating spaces that promote creativity and well-being.  She believes architecture surpasses the construction of materials and it fosters inspiring collective memories in one’s heart and brings the best out of the community. During the pandemic she started leading art sessions to help the community heal through art making and story-telling.Living and growing up in three different countries – Taiwan, New Zealand and America, she is constantly adjusting and relearning about her identity.  The more she engages with the community, the more she realizes a healthy environment begins with a healthy mindset. She believes a true sustainable future can be crafted when individuals are empowered to share the richness of their stories and cultures. This has pivoted her focus to the pursuit of Bethel Supernatural School of Ministry (BSSM). She graduated second year in 2025 and is a certified Art SOZO Facilitator. Her heart is to see revival happen through art and healing in one's soul. Produced by Kevin Kirkwoodkevin-kirkwood.com | @kevinwillpaintfannyfjwu.wixsite.com/art-for-the-soul| @fannyfjwu

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to sit down with Lenny Grant, an architect who lives and works in San Luis Obispo, California. This episode is particularly meaningful to me because Lenny played an important role in my early growth as an architectural designer. With over thirty years of experience, Lenny brings a thoughtful perspective to his role as Managing Partner at RRM Design Group. His work—primarily focused on housing—draws inspiration from travels across Europe, Africa, and Asia, reflecting a passion for timeless, community-centered design. Beyond architecture, Lenny is deeply engaged in local initiatives, including the San Luis Obispo Housing Coalition, REACH, and the County Housing Trust Fund. His commitment to both design excellence and community betterment makes him an exceptional leader and voice in contemporary architecture. Produced by Kevin Kirkwoodkevin-kirkwood.com | @kevinwillpaintrrmdesign.com | @rrmdesigngroup

Kevin Kirkwood visits artist Kim Anno in her Berkeley, California studio for a conversation about how her family influenced her creative beginnings, what inspired her to make her collection of films, and her journey to becoming a Guggenheim fellow in 2024. Kim Anno is a painter, photographer, and filmmaker/video artist born in Los Angeles whose work has been collected and exhibited by museums nationally and internationally. Her work is in the intersection of art, science history, and societal dilemma surrounding climate change, and adaptation. She received a US dept of State award for her work: Water Cities, Indonesia, and the Asian Cultural Council NY. In 2023, a monograph and solo exhibition by Anno was presented by Anglim/Trimble Gallery, San Francisco and in 2024 she released her first documentary feature film: “¡Quba!” and “Water Cities, Indonesia." The Strand is produced by Kevin Kirkwood kevin-kirkwood.com  @kevinwillpaint / @strandpodcast Kim Anno: kimanno.com @anno.kim Anglim Trimble: anglimtrimble.com @anglimtrimble Kyung Lee: Kyunglee.com @kiyonle Wild Projects: wildprojects.org @wildprojectsproductions Quba Film Qubafilm.com @qubafilm

Kevin Kirkwood shares a conversation with artist Chase Lanier, recorded live at Westobou Gallery. Together, they explore Chase’s process, his approach to making, and the conceptual ideas that inform his work. Chase is a boomerang native of Augusta, GA, where he teaches art at the Academy of Richmond County. In 2024, he showed at ArtFields in Lake City, SC — the annual competition that brings together artists from across the Southeast. During that event, Chase received the Sumter Gallery’s Southeastern Partners Exhibition Award, which led to his current solo show, “Within the Margin of Error”, now on view at the Sumter County Gallery of Art. Special thanks to Matt Porter and the team at Westobou for their support. Produced by Kevin Kirkwood (@kevinwillpaint / @strandpodcast) www.sumtergallery.com @sumtergallery www.chaselanierart.com @chaselanierart www.artfieldssc.org @artfieldssc www.westobou.org @westobou www.kevin-kirkwood.com @kevinwillpaint @strandpodcast

Kevin Kirkwood chopped it up with David Clifton-Strawn, an Atlanta based fine-art photographer. David focuses his practice on exploring the traditional art of portraiture through a contemporary queer lens.  Clifton-Strawn's work is represented by Alan Avery Art Company and has been exhibited across the United States, Canada and Europe. His work is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia and several private collections. He was the recipient of the 2022-23 City of Atlanta Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs Emerging Artist Award in photography. He currently serves as the Executive Director for the Atlanta Photography Group.   The Strand is produced by Kevin Kirkwood @kevinwillpaint @dacvidcliftonstrawn @atlantaphotographygroup @alanaveryartcompany @kailinart   kevinwillpaint.com davidcliftonstrawn.com alanaveryartcompany.com atlantaphotographygroup.org kailinart.com

Kevin Kirkwood sat down with Craig Drennen at Westobou—one of the South’s standout contemporary art spaces—to talk about his creative practice and his latest curatorial project, The End Space – The First Five Years. This exhibition is currently on view at Westobou through August 2.   Craig is a 2018 Guggenheim Fellow, represented by Brigitte Mulholland Gallery in Paris. His recent solo exhibitions include shows at The Suburban in Milwaukee and Freight+Volume in New York City.   Beyond his own studio work, Craig has made a significant impact as an educator and curator. He’s served as dean at the Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture, teaches at Georgia State University, and runs THE END Project Space, his ongoing curatorial platform—which is also the impetus for this conversation.   A special thanks to Matt Porter and the incredible team at Westobou for their warm hospitality and for making this conversation possible.   Produced by @kevinwillpaint kevinwillpaint.com   craigdrennen.com @craigdrennen @the_end_project_space westobou.org @westobou thesuburban.org @the_suburban_exhibitions brigittemulholland.com @brigittemulhollandparis huntermuseum.org @huntermuseum mariettacobbartmuseum.org @mariettacobbartmuseum

Kevin Kirkwood joined Juliette for a conversation a few weeks ago while he was living in Lacoste, France. This episode captures a fleeting, intimate moment in time and feels particularly special. Because at the time of the conversation, she was pregnant. Just last week, she welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world. This episode offers a glimpse into her life during a profound period of transition. Juliette recently had a solo exhibition at the Reiter Gallery in Leipzig, Germany. The show was titled “If you want, we will love each other.” In this interview, she reflects on the significance of that body of work and shares her thoughts on entering motherhood.   juliettesturlese.com @juliette_sturlese  reitergalleries.com @reiter_galleries   The Strand is produced by Kevin Kirkwood @kevinwillpaint @strandpodcast kevinwillpaint.com   All episodes are available at the link in bio, www.kevinwillpaint.com/strand and on all major podcast platforms. Including Spotify, Apple, iHeart, and Amazon.