Deb Polich

Never someone to sit idly when a call to action is raised, John Gutoskey, local artist, printmaker, and costume designer, has redirected his talents to making much-needed face masks for our local medical facilities.  On this week’s edition of "creative:impact," he joins co-hosts Deb Polich and David Fair how local medical teams are responding to polka-dot, ladybug, and other whimsical masks that can literally save their lives while fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

For 58 years, the Ann Arbor Film Festival has traditionally invited people to pack into Ann Arbor film houses to watch and discuss films made by filmmakers from all over the world.  The 2020 version of the festival was anything but traditional, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Leslie Raymond, director of the festival, joins Deb Polich and David Fair to give her first-person account of the 2020 festival experience on this week’s edition of "creative:impact."

The upheaval of COVID-19 is felt by everyone.  Everything is shifting moment by moment, from a benign format change for "creative:impact" to a devastating life change for an artist who may become homeless.  What doesn’t change is the compunction for artists to create and for art to connect, calm, and keep us human.  Join The Arts Alliance’s Deb Polich and WEMU’s David Fair as they explore these topics week’s edition of "creative:impact."

To help slow the spread of the virus, arts venues were first to cancel events and send artists home.  The ripple effect is devastating for the people and organizations in Washtenaw County that don’t have or qualify for emergency economic relief packages.  The Arts Alliance’s Deb Polich and WEMU’s David Fair discuss the need for creative aid on this week’s "creative:impact."

Jill Stefani-Wagner, a master pastel artist from Saline, travels around the world painting “en plein air,” or outdoors to create landscapes and cityscapes.  She tells The Arts Alliance’s Deb Polich and WEMU’s David Fair about her award-winning adventures on this edition of “creative.impact.”

Change is constant, especially in retail.  After more than 30 years, Hollander’s, known for its beautiful paper, gifts, and paper and bookmaking workshops, is moving to an online format in June when it closes its Kerrytown shop.  Cindy and Tom Hollander join The Arts Alliance’s Deb Polich and WEMU’s David Fair to talk about the next page in the book of Hollander’s on this edition of “creative.impact.”

Ann Arbor native and EMU grad Andrew Cohn loves his hometown so much, he named his company Seven34 Films.  He is bringing a bunch of Hollywood folks who star in his film “The Last Shift” to town, when it screens at the Michigan Theater.  He tells The Arts Alliance’s Deb Polich and WEMU’s David Fair why he knows they’ll love his town as much as he does on this week’s “creative:impact.”

It’s been one year since Paul Hickman made the difficult decision to close his creative business Urban Ashes.  As he did on "creative:impact" a year ago, Paul opens up to The Arts Alliance’s Deb Polich and WEMU’s David Fair about his experiences this last year: his unexpected loss of identity and his journey of retooling and rediscovering himself as an artist and designer.  

The Harold Haugh Light Opera International Vocal Competition does duo duty.  It attracts singers from across the country, and it introduces them to the charm of light and comic opera.  The Comic Opera Guild’s Tom Petiet and John Guidinger co-produce the competition.  They sit down with The Arts Alliance’s Deb Polich and WEMU’s David Fair to talk about managing a competition and the resulting educational impact on this week’s edition of "creative:impact."

Ann Arbor artist Margaret Parker grew up in a home awash in art and creativity.  She tells Arts Alliance CEO Deb Polich and WEMU's David Fair what is was like to be encouraged and inspired by her mother, artist and quilt-maker Pauline Parker, whose exhibition opens at the Milwaukee Art Museum in March.  Hear all about it on this edition of "creative.impact."

The report isn’t even out, but the data is collected.  Deb Polich shares some of the highlights of The Arts Alliance’s Creative Washtenaw Counts Nonprofit report with David Fair on this week’s edition of "creative:impact."  Listen here to find out how many, hold old, and the economic impact of this larger-than-you-expected nonprofit arts + creative sector.

After years as development director at the Yankee Air Museum, Elisa Guyton is charged with taking the Riverside Arts Center in Ypsilanti to new heights.  Guyton began work as the center's executive director on December 2nd of last year and is becoming fully ingrained in the center’s offerings and its potential for the future.  She talks community, engagement, art, and passion in this "creative:impact" conversation with WEMU’s David Fair and Deb Polich of The Arts Alliance.

Deb and David don’t have New Year’s resolutions themselves, but they can get behind The Arts Alliance’s 2020 project goals.  In addition to ongoing programs and services, Deb gives David the highlights on a few projects for the year, including Creative Washtenaw Counts, an Arts + Creative Advocacy Training program, and a Board Matching initiative on this week’s edition of "creative:impact."

The impact of arts and culture can truly be felt during the holiday season, but it can also lead to isolation for those are visiting for a far-away land.  International House Ann Arbor (IHAA) was formed to make such visitors feel more at home in the U.S., and it gives them a chance to spread their own holiday celebrations.  The house's executive director, Lauren Zinn, and one of its current residents, Raju Ahmmed, talk about IHAA's accomplishments for this week's "creative:impact" with WEMU's David Fair and Arts Alliance president/CEO Deb Polich.

A holiday favorite, The Nutcracker Ballet, fills the stage with boys and men dancing in roles as familiar as the music by Tchaikovsky.  What is it like to be a male dancer in the ballet?  On this week’s edition of "creative:impact," David Fair and Deb Polich find out when they chat with dancer and actor Michael Wecht, who is appearing in Ballet Chelsea’s production of The Nutcracker, presented with the Jackson Symphony Orchestra this weekend at the Potter Center in Jackson.

Better yet, let Steve Daut tell you a story about storytelling.  Steve is a member of the Ann Arbor Storytellers Guild.  He knows that there are stories inside of everyone waiting to be told and people always eager to listen.  David Fair and Deb Polich are all ears on this week’s edition of "creative:impact."

Are you someone who claims to do the Sunday crossword puzzle in ink?  That’s impressive, but how about constructing it in the first place?  Meet Peter Collins, a crossword constructor who has had more than 200 crosswords published – 100 in the New York Times.  He joins David Fair and Deb Polich to talk about the creative art of puzzle making on this week’s edition of "creative:impact."

As the owner and artistic director of Motawi Tileworks, Nawal Motawi has been playing with clay and fire for decades.  To this day, Motawi art tiles are still handcrafted.  Hear how she started her business in her garage and sold her tiles at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market and now sells in more than 300 locations across the country and Canada when Nawal joins David Fair and Deb Polich on this week’s edition of "creative:impact."

All was on track to find the next executive director to succeed Mary Steffek Blaske who, after 25 years leading Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra (AASO), was retiring at the end of 2019. Then, unexpectedly, the AASO found itself in search of a music director, too.  Mary tells David Fair and Deb Polich how the AASO has adapted to manage two major leadership changes simultaneously on this week’s edition of "creative:impact."

They set out together to stage a few excellent and accessible children’s theater shows.  One by one, those shows added up to 40 years and the award-winning Wild Swan Theater.  Co-founders and artistic directors Hillary Cohen and Sandy Ryder charm David Fair and Deb Polich on this week’s edition of "creative:impact."

David Gier, Dean of the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theater and Dance, is on the team selected by Mark Schlissel, U-M president, to lead his new arts initiative. The goal?  To make the university a leader in arts research, creation, education and presentation.  Dean Gier tells David Fair and Deb Polich about the vision on this week’s edition of "creative:impact."

For years, the University of Michigan's Penny Stamps Speaker Series has brought in astounding lecturers of all walks of life, from artists to authors to filmmakers.  But what does it take to make these events possible?  In this week's "creative:impact," WEMU's David Fair and Arts Alliance CEO Deb Polich go behind the scenes of the Penny Stamps Speaker Series with its director, Chrisstina Hamilton.

Jodie Randolph joins David Fair and Deb Polich to talk about the art of dance on this week’s edition of "creative:impact."  As the artistic and executive director of Jodie Randolph Dance in Ann Arbor, she is making connections through the power and beauty of dance.

Meet Sophie Grillet, one of the originators of Westside Art Hop .  Twice a year, she and a handful of indispensable colleagues manage to organize one of Ann Arbor’s unique neighborhood-based arts events.  She gives WEMU's David Fair and Arts Alliance CEO Deb Polich an insider view on this edition of "creative:impact."

Noah Kaplan, artist, musician, and creative entrepreneur meets up with David Fair and Deb Polich to talk about Leon Speakers, the Ann Arbor company he founded that is revolutionizing audio technology.  Hear about this group of artists, designers, engineers, and craftsmen who are dedicated to producing the finest quality benchmade American audio on "creative:impact."

There is a whole group of professionals, tradespeople, elected officials, and even stay-at-home parents who transform themselves at night and on the weekends into…MUSICIANS!  David Fair and Deb Polich meet one of them, Alan Harris, vice president and general counsel at Atwell, Inc. by day and drummer and vocalist for the bands Naked Ace, Four Roses, and the Harris Jazz Quartet by night, on this edition of "creative:impact."

Meet Anne Mondro, an artist whose creative practice is at the intersection of art and health and, specifically, memory loss disease.  She talks with David Fair and Deb Polich about how engaging in art can create meaningful experiences for people with memory loss and their caregivers on this edition of "creative:impact."

Susan Guszynski and Greg Mazure are theater production professionals who have seen the world over the last 30 years as members of national theater touring companies.  Join WEMU's David Fair and The Arts Alliance’s Deb Polich to take a trip with this couple to get the behind-the-scenes look at the behind-the-scenes life.

Fashion is cyclical in nature--what is tacky now is retro later.  But what about the fashions from long ago with the flouncy hats and pointed shoes you might see in a Shakespeare play?  Melanie Schuessler Bond, EMU professor of costume design, knows.  WEMU’s David Fair and The Arts Alliance’s Deb Polich talk with her to explore the craft of costume design and her recently published book "Dressing the Scottish Court, 1543-1553 Clothing in the Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland" on "creative:impact" this week.

Ilana Houten and Jessica Tenbusche, two of the three co-founders of Ypsi Alloy Studios, chat about how a business born of each artist’s need for studio space developed into a cooperative and supportive business model serving other “dirty” artists in Ypsilanti.  On "creative:impact,"  WEMU’s David Fair and The Arts Alliance’s Deb Polich  learn about what makes Ypsi Alloy Studio’s model work.