AOTA-231006 - Addison Agen and Ricardo Cortez

Art on the Air is a weekly program that covers arts and arts events in Northwest Indiana and beyond. The episode features interviews with indie folk singer Addison Agen and steampunk sculptor Ricardo Cortez. The spotlight is on the Chesterton Art Center's October exhibit featuring the Dunlin Plein Air Painters and November's exhibit of the Dunlin Photography Club. The episode also mentions upcoming events and classes at the art center. This week on Art on the Air features indie folk singer, songwriter and first runner-up on NBC's The Voice, Addison Agen. Next we have steampunk sculptor Ricardo Cortez sharing his unique work currently on exhibit at South Shore Art Salon Show. Our spotlight is on Chesterton Art Center's October exhibit featuring the Dunlin Plain Air Painters and November's exhibit of the Dunlin Photography Club. Express yourself you art, and show the world your heart. Express yourself you art, and show the world your heart. You're in the know with Esther and Larry, Art on the Air today. They're in the know with Mary and Esther, Art on the Air our way. Express yourself you art, and show the world your heart. Express yourself you art, and show the world your heart. Welcome. You're listening to Art on the Air on Lakeshore Public Media, 89.1 FM, WVLP 103.1 FM and WDSO 88.3 FM, our weekly program covering the arts and arts events throughout Northwest Indiana and beyond. I'm Larry Reckner of New Perspectives Photography right alongside here with Esther Golden of The Nest in Michigan City. Aloha everyone. We're your hosts for Art on the Air. Art on the Air is supported by an Indiana Arts Commission Arts Project Grant, South Shore Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Art on the Air is heard every Sunday at 7pm on Lakeshore Public Media, 89.1 FM also streaming live at lakeshorepublicmedia.org and is available on Lakeshore Public Media's website as a podcast. Art on the Air is also heard on Friday at 11am and Monday at 5pm on WVLP 103.1 FM streaming live at wvlp.org. Our spotlight interviews are also heard Wednesdays on Lakeshore Public Media. Information about Art on the Air is available at our website, breck.com slash aota. That includes a complete show archive, spotlight interviews, plus our show is available on multiple podcast platforms, including NPR One. Please like us on Facebook, Art on the Air WVLP for information about upcoming shows and interviews. And we'd like to welcome to Art on the Air Spotlight from the Chesterton Arts Center telling us all about that the Executive Director, Hannah Hammond-Hagman. And welcome back to here. We have lots of stuff going on and especially with your new October exhibit coming up and some other things. So Hannah, welcome back to Art on the Air. Hi, thanks. It's always good to see you both. Thank you. Aloha, Hannah. Aloha, Esther. Yeah. So we have a phenomenal exhibit up in October. It is a group show of almost 30 local artists, painters who are part of a very close-knit artist collaborative called the Duneland plein air painters. And so we're highlighting a brush with nature, which is going to show all of their works. All the works will be from this past year. What they do is they host almost monthly paint-out sessions where they travel as a group to all these various beautiful locales across the region. So the exhibit will include those paintings in watercolor, acrylic, and oil from those paint-out sessions from 2023. And we're going to have a beautiful reception on Friday, October 20th, which is part of the Chesterton Arts District Third Friday program. So on Friday, October 20th from 4 to 7 p.m., please join us here at the Arts Center. You can meet all the artists, see the beautiful work in the galleries, enjoy a cash bar and some light bites. But I think it's going to be an exhibit that really highlights some of the best talent of the region. And I think it will be a really wonderful opportunity to kind of see our beautiful spaces from their eyes and their point of view. Have you ever painted plein air? No. That's also another reason why I think it's kind of like magical, the exhibit, just the talent that these folks have and the commitment they have. And I know that sometimes the works are not completed on site, outdoors. You know, lots of times they'll come back to the studio and continue to work on those pieces further. But no, I think, you know. I know, the immediacy of it, though, is so cool. I do sketch outside, but it's not necessarily of what I'm looking at. Correct. I like being outside when I work, but. Yeah, and I think what's going to be really cool, what's cool about the show, too, is that you're going to see the same spaces through different eyes. Right. So all the painters are in the exact same locations, but of course they've all interpreted them so differently. Yeah, we all see color so differently. Correct. It's very cool. And I think that there's something really special that happens with these types of group exhibitions where you can kind of start to talk about process and vision. And that'll be evident in all of the work. So, yeah, I'm really excited about it. So, again, they're going to be with us. The show opens October 3rd, and it will run through the whole month through the 30th of October. And the reception, again, is Friday, October 20th from 4 to 7 here at the Art Center. As part of this exhibit, we'll also have our quarterly free Family Art Day, which will be the following, which will be Saturday, October 21st, and that's from 10 to 2. It's a free program where kids and their favorite grownups can drop in here at the Art Center, and there'll be a scavenger hunt through the galleries. And then they get to try their hand at some observational painting and drawing and working on some watercolor landscapes with CAC staff. It's a free program. We ask that folks register, though, on our website, chestertonart.org. You just need to register you and whatever folks you're bringing with you. It's meant for families of all ages. So, yeah, we hope that people can enjoy the exhibit that way as well. Yeah, we've been there for some of the turnout on those, and they're just really wonderful, and they wait to interact. And, again, it gets people sometimes in the door that don't know about us, and that's what's really great about it. Correct. And it's kind of, you know, what we hope is it's just a really lovely way to spend time with loved ones in a creative way, and also a way to kind of spend time with the work, talk with folks about the work and how the work is made, and then get a chance to make your own inspired by it. Excellent. Now, you have a November exhibit, another kind of one that's reoccurring, so tell us about that. Yeah, absolutely. In November, we're going to welcome the Doolin Photography Club for a group show here in the galleries. And similar to the plein air group, this is a group of really dedicated, close-knit folks who get together very often and learn about photography and take photographs together. And so we're going to have a multitude of works in the galleries from them, too. And, again, it's similar. Like, they're working together and traveling together through all these locales around the region, and so we'll get to see photographs of those spaces from them. And that reception will be – that's going to run the month of November, November 2nd to November 28th, and then we'll have a Saturday afternoon reception for the photography club from 12 to 2 on Saturday, November 4th. Excellent. And anything else happening, like, class-wise? I know Jillian's been busy getting that together, but tell us a little bit about outreach and things like that. I know. Isn't she amazing? She is. Teens. Like, mention the teens, if you can. I always will, right? So our teen arts group is up and going. You know, for the school year, we've got a bunch of new kids on board, too, which is always fantastic. So they meet that second Wednesday of every month here at the Arts Center, and anybody who's interested in joining can reach out to us through a website or programs at chestertonart.org. But, yeah, there's always new classes and workshops, so everybody should just check our website for more information about what's going on here. And that website is? chestertonart.org. And everything's there. Or give us a call. 219-926-4711. We look forward to everyone being with us. And you're located where? We are in downtown Chesterton at 115 South 4th Street. Very good. Well, that's coming up very quick. The Duneland Plan Air Adventures Brush with Nature, October 3rd through the 30th. Artist reception on Friday the 20th. Hannah Hagman, thank you so much for coming on Art on the Air. Always good to see you. Have a wonderful time. Thank you. Yeah, you too, Hannah. And a Spotlight Extra. Submissions for the $5,000 2023-24 Dixon Dance for Indiana Dancers aged between 10 and 20 years old are due October 27th. Applications and more information is available at dixonassociate.co. And as a reminder, if you'd like to have your event on Art on the Air Spotlight or have a longer feature interview, email us at aotaatbrek.com. That's aotaatbrek, B-R-E-C-H, dot com. Art on the Air Spotlight and the complete one-hour program on Lakeshore Public Media is brought to you by Macaulay Real Estate in Valparaiso, Ola Patrician, Senior Broker. You're listening to Art on the Air on Lakeshore Public Media, 89.1 FM, on WVLP, 103.1 FM. We are pleased to welcome Addison Agin to Art on the Air. Addison is an indie folk singer-songwriter and visual artist. Now based out of Nashville, she is originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana. Her music is woven together with themes of nostalgia, acceptance, and hopefulness. Her full-length album is When the Morning Comes. At 16 years old, she was the first runner-up on season 13 of The Voice. Aloha and welcome, Addison. Thank you for joining us. Hi. Thanks so much for having me. We're so glad to have you on the show and with low performing you're doing. But we want to talk about your origin story and everything about Fort Wayne and how you got from where you're doing things. I always like to say how you got from where you were to where you are now. So tell us all about Addison. Yeah. I was born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana and grew up with music in the house, in the family. My mom's a music therapist and teaches at the schools there and is also a worship leader. So that's sort of how I grew up getting used to singing in front of people and the confidence behind bringing music to people. My dad owns a record store and is just a huge music nerd and loves stuff like that. So I grew up with it all around. It was something I couldn't not do as a kid and then it just made sense for me to keep doing it. So that's sort of the background of where I came from. Did you work at the record store? I didn't work there. Occasionally I would help out but I didn't technically work there. What's some of your early musical experience like instruments and things that you started on? I started on, I always had wanted to play violin and I did Suzuki school for about three or four years. But there was always a piano around and there was always a guitar around and I never had lessons really for either. We had little stickers on our piano so I wouldn't know what to do for what. But other than that, I guess I went through a couple books when I was really young on piano and my mom helped me. But yeah, just from having it around, I feel like if you just have a household that's inspired and has opportunity for music to happen, it will happen. And so that's sort of how I fell into it. It was just around so much and it was natural. What do your parents play? My parents, so my dad mainly plays bass. I think he can play guitar and drums too but mainly bass. And then my mom is a singer and plays guitar and piano. And she can play a bunch of things. With music therapy, technically you have to be able to get through the college courses. You have to be able to play like, I don't know, ten different instruments. So she can play a lot but she primarily plays piano and guitar and vocals. So with violin, what other instruments did you do beyond piano? Did you start exploring like how you got into guitar or things like that? Yeah, I just picked up guitar. I remember asking my dad. I was more interested in songwriting than actually learning how to play the instrument. So it was just learning enough chords that I could write a song with. So that's about three is all you need. So I asked my dad how to play C, G, and D. And then I was like, okay, dad, I got it. Please lead the way. And then he left and then he always tells the story. I came back and I had a song written and played those chords. So that was my only technical guitar lesson. I was probably like eight or something like that. Or maybe, I don't know, ten, something like that. You wrote Tennessee Rain pretty young, didn't you? I did not. That's actually a song that was written by an artist named Patty Griffin but given to me. So I'm the only artist that has released it. But, yes, that was the single I got to release off of The Voice. And for that they have, most of the time, another writer write it. And then you get to release it as your own single. Well, since we brought up Tennessee Rain, and we'll talk a little bit about it after we play it, why don't we go ahead and take a listen to it right now. This is off your new album that's available on all the major streaming platforms when the morning comes. Here's Tennessee Rain. There was no trace of trouble Now he's giving up more than I can take He said, hold on tight It's gonna be a heck of a night Especially when you hear what I've got to say And when he said, I don't love you The first tear broke through Now it's coming down like a Tennessee Rain Nobody showed me Nobody told me What to do when the story turned out wrong Or how a heart does its bending Without the perfect ending The one I always thought would come along He had his own idea of where this love was going He wasn't leaving it up to the hands of fate He just said, hold on tight It's gonna be a heck of a night Especially when you hear what I've got to say And when he said, I don't love you The first tear broke through Now it's coming down like a Tennessee Rain He said, hold on tight It's gonna be a heck of a night Especially when you hear what I've got to say And when he said, I don't love you The first tear broke through What I've got to say And when he said, I don't love you The first tear broke through Now it's coming down like a Tennessee Rain It's coming down harder than a Tennessee Rain That's Addison Agent's Tennessee Rain from When the Morning Comes that was actually given to her as a song It's the only solo release, sounds great I love the melody and I love the guitar work on it too Yeah, it's a really intricate part And yeah, I have my guitar player play that That's beyond my three-chord knowledge So I think our audience will be interested in the process of how you got on The Voice You were in season 13, you were the first runner-up But tell us about the audition process everything that went in that whole thing Yeah, so it's kind of crazy It's about a year-long process from the first audition, which is not on camera to the very end taping of the show So it was part of my life for a year straight And I auditioned in Chicago It's similar to American Idol where there's about 10,000 people in one room And then they take in about 10 people at a time and you all sing in front of a judge Not a judge that is famous or anything Just a person behind a computer They don't even look at you They try to just type what their thoughts are about you And so I signed up originally because my Spanish teacher in high school signed me up without telling me And then she emailed my mom and said Hey, there's one spot left out of 10,000 spots I just took it because I wanted to get it down My daughter does not have to go but I had sung the national anthem at a volleyball game like a week or two prior And so she knew I could sing and then signed me up And we ended up driving out It was two days away from the time that she told my mom that she had signed me up And so we drove to Chicago together and auditioned with 10,000 other people So it's whittling it down from 10,000 people to then about 100 people actually get to stand in front of the judges and audition Excellent And so then you're in that 100 Continue the process all the way to getting on to the television portion Yeah, so then you audition It's about a month-long process before you even just stand in front of the coaches So you're out in LA You're having wardrobe fittings and picking your song and rehearsals You're with then 100 people in a hotel that you live at for like six months Who's rehearsing with you, Addison? The band Okay So they're behind They're there, but they're behind a screen for the actual show But yeah, so two chair turns and was originally on Team Miley But then there's a battle round where you sing against someone else on your team And I lost that battle round But luckily, there's a part where other coaches if you lose that round can push their button and steal you back So that's what happened And then I was on Team Adam for the rest of the season Very good It's kind of like being the wild card in baseball Yeah, exactly So you're pretty young to going through that process And sometimes when you're young you don't really have time to be scared But tell us about how you felt Like all of a sudden here I'm in LA I'm staying in a hotel and I'm working with these major artists Tell us your feelings about that Yeah, I think you said it really well Yeah, I was almost too young to be scared I definitely was scared But I think there's part of it that you're just I don't know, when you're young there's just a magic to life that you're like, I can do anything which I do definitely believe is true But it's especially true when you're 16 and excited to be singing for people and can't believe this is a real opportunity So I was just taking it by stride And I was definitely nervous I was having so much fun though with the other people There was no competitive spirit really It was just musicians hanging out And I was really grateful for that So that's sort of how I met a huge amount of my musician community was through that show So during that process, with your mom being in music therapy was there anything running through your head to either keep you calm or shore you up during it? Yeah, I mean, I have had a lot of confidence instilled in me just through my mom But yeah, I don't know She was, because I was 16 I got to actually have my mom there since I was under 18 which I was so lucky to get to have that just support system right there And I think that helped a lot just with staying confident Sure, I might not be able to hit the highest note out of everyone here But I can bring heart and I can bring what I have to the table And yeah, that really helps with having confidence That's enough, just bringing exactly what you have Who are some of your musical heroes? I mean, I've seen some of the people on your list that you've performed with like Bob Seger or Gordon Lightfoot and more But who do you really look to with your kind of music which is sort of an indie folk style? Yeah, so I grew up loving Brandi Carlile She's probably my all-time favorite And then I also love people like Ani DeFranco who are a little bit edgier And Anais Mitchell is a new favorite of mine She's also from the 90s with Ani I think they were on the same label for a little while But yeah, I also love Phoebe Bridgers and Noah Gunderson And people like that, Rustin Kelly Those are sort of my top inspirations Joni Mitchell is a huge one Oh, excellent, yes What did you think? So like as we're watching The Voice we can see the judges' faces where you can't when they're evaluating whether they're going to push that button or not So we got to see the faces Now, when you go back and look at the tape were you surprised? I mean, what was your reaction to it? Yeah, that's a good question I remember that there was a part where Jennifer Hudson was like Oh, I almost want to do it Not knowing any of that And you really don't know anything You're almost not nervous because you can't see their faces I'm so grateful that I got to audition for The Voice and not American Idol simply because of that reason It calmed you down a whole lot And yeah, I don't know It was surprising to see just how quickly Adam turned around I remember being shocked and almost crying in the middle of my song But no, I don't remember looking back other than the Jennifer one I was like, oh, you almost should have done it But that was... I often wondered what was it that she was waiting for? You know, because sometimes they're waiting for a particular note or a particular phrasing or something Totally Well, luckily, I mean I can say I got her because during the steal thing for the second round where Adam stole me back she also pressed her button So I can confidently say something in the second song I sang got her which I feel proud of Addison, we wanted to give a chance to listen to Still Yours Set that up and we'll take a quick listen to that before we wrap up here Gotcha Yes, so that's off my new record When the Morning Comes as well And that is actually it's a breakup song and it's just about knowing a place and a person and specifically a drive to someone's house like the back of your hand and even after you've broken up feeling like you can't break the habit of making that drive or like spending that time with them So it's about knowing a place and a heart like the back of your hand So that's Still Yours When the Morning Comes We'll take a quick listen to that ♪ This drive so many times got it memorized like the back of my hand There's many rides for me to ride only three red lights for miles ahead So tonight I drove by just to see your porch light I wish that I could just see through that door and pretend that I am with you like there's nothing wrong anymore Not hard to learn the six times that it takes to get to your place I can't breathe when I drive down Anthony I can't help remembering your face And tonight I drove by just to see your porch light I wish that I could just see through that door and pretend that I am with you like there's nothing wrong anymore Hard not to pick up the phone and call your name Hard not to take back everything I said Hard not to scare away from loneliness Hard to believe that this is truly there So tonight when I drove by I heard so much to see you parked right outside And know that you're right behind that door And all I can do is just pretend that I'm still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours Still yours And that was still yours when the morning comes as an agent, so that's great. You've been doing some things, but locally this past weekend you did something in Valparaiso and also in Chesterton, but quickly tell us a little bit about that and the dates. Yeah, so October 1st and October 2nd I was there, October 1st in Valparaiso. And yeah, it was awesome just singing songs and telling stories for about an hour, hour and a half and connecting with people. It's one of my favorite things to do is get to play shows, so it was a blessing. My dad's actually from Chesterton, so it was good to see the area. That's great. Tell us a little bit about what you've got coming up on your tour. You're pretty busy, but if you can tell us some of the things you've got going even if it's not local. Yeah, so I'll be in Indiana and a couple different places in Fort Wayne and also in Michigan above Detroit and in Wisconsin a couple dates and then we'll be flying out to the West Coast up to Seattle and Tacoma, Portland and then actually for the very first time playing in a different country, playing in Canada. So we'll be up in Edmonton area in Alberta. So got those coming up, super excited. The next month is super busy with all those shows. But you can check that out on my website AddisonAgan.com and then my Instagram is just AddisonAganOfficial, Facebook Addison Agan and I think those are all the things. Oh, Spotify is just my name Addison Agan and yeah, check out some of my stuff if you like what you've heard and hopefully I can see some more people at some shows. That sounds great. Yeah, you can also, you're also on Apple Music and so like most of the platforms there. Addison, we appreciate you coming on the show. The new album is When the Morning Comes. You can hear more of her music there Addison Agan, you know, indie folk singer songwriter and was in NBC's The Voice. Now she's based out of Nashville. She's only 22 years old but has a kind of a raw heartwarming voice that is pleasant for all listeners. Addison, thank you so much for coming on Art on the Air. Thanks so much for having me. Thank you, best of luck. He just said hold on tight It's gonna be a heck of a night Especially when you hear What I've got to say And when he said I don't love you The first tear broke through Now it's coming down Tennessee rain He said hold on tight It's gonna be a heck of a night Especially when you hear What I've got to say And when he said I don't love you The first tear broke through Now it's coming down Like a Tennessee rain It's coming down Harder than A Tennessee rain Hi, this is singer-songwriter Kenny White and you are listening to Art on the Air on Lakeshore Public Radio 89.1 FM and on WVLP 103.1 FM We would like to welcome Ricardo Cortez to Art on the Air. Ricardo is a mixed media sculpture artist as well as a muralist. He has been interested in art since he was a young child. During his 28 years as a combat veteran for the Army, they utilized his many artistic talents in a variety of consistent projects. Thank you for joining us on Art on the Air. Aloha and welcome, Ricardo. Hi. Thank you. Hi. We're so glad to have you on. I've known you for a few years and seen your work through that time like from Ileana Artis and I know a couple other groups that I think we were involved in. Yes. Yeah, but what we want our audience to know is a little bit about you. I always call it your origin story and I like to tee that up is how you got from where you were to where you are now. So tell us all about Ricardo. Well, it started out, I was born in San Antonio, Texas and we moved. I started going to fifth grade up here in Indiana so I was very young and it was raised, grew and raised in Frankfort, Indiana. Great town, great city now and known a lot of people there and they were a big influence on me when I was growing up. There were nothing, two things that were there. Gearheads, which I called gearheads. Guys that are the car enthusiasts that are always working on their cars and they liked having me paint on their cars. So that was a big deal to me. It kept me in practice. In hindsight, it paid off. And then, of course, music and I was either going to be a car mechanic or a musician. Neither one of those, but I like cars and I like the artwork on cars and I picked up the drums and played around with some of the jam with some of the musicians there at parties. So that was a big thrill for me growing up. And the teachers in my high school and teachers in senior high school were, I had a great art teacher and I keep thinking about, I always thought about the sculpture he brought in and coincidentally, it was a set of gears that he had made. Yeah, yeah. Unbelievable. And I got to do the, they had me do our backdrop for our prom, for our senior prom. So that was kind of exciting and that was the first time I picked up an airbrush. So that was very exciting for me. So what did you do? Describe it to us. Oh, it was, the theme was stairway to heaven. So obviously it was clouds and a staircase going up to the clouds. So that was, I thought that was kind of cool. And I was very honored to have done that. Also got a chance to work in the theater painting props. Wow. And I was, growing up with my parents, back then, you know, we were limited to shows and we had black and white. So we, I saw a lot, growing up, I saw a lot of musicals. And a lot of the musicals, they had all those props that they moved around this and that and looked three dimensional. So I got a chance to actually get my hands dirty in painting props. So that was, that was a good experience as well. I'll never forget that. Were you painting the cars artistically as well? Well, yes. And this is stuff I didn't know nothing about. I was young. I was a teenager. And they had me do lettering. They had me do one, a friend of mine, he had a nice black 1957 car. It was beautiful. A Chevy. It was beautiful. And he wanted me to do the gold leaf on his tail and his fin and the back of the car. And I said, I've never done this before. He talked me through it. I did it. And it was simple. I said, wow. You know, some of the things that I've learned over the years, but now with all the technology, it makes everything so much easier, so much quicker. You know, I still take my time doing a project, whether it's a commission project or whether it's a project that I come up with as an idea. But I enjoy that. So that was a big deal growing up in that town. One question I want to hit you on, and we'll continue with your art, is you served 28 years in the military, in the Army. And tell us how you did anything like that in the Army or what you did in the household. Thank you for your service. But tell us a little bit about that and we'll go back to your art. Well, you're welcome. And you happen to mention the military. From day one, from the time I was in basic training, I did one of my first murals there in basic training. And from that point on, every unit I went to, I did something that had to do with art. The military loves artists, which was great for me. And they kept me busy. Additional duties were, titles were like squadron draftsmen, regimental draftsmen. But it's nothing like drafting. It's totally different. It's a little bit of everything. But I did murals. I did signs. And that's where the signs that I was doing back then old school way. Measure everything. Scale everything to the right size. Old school. And so that was very difficult. And when you don't have the technology or the knowledge or the education on how to do all that stuff, I had to do a lot of research. And we didn't have YouTube back then. But over time, over time, I managed to pursue that. And the more I did it, the more I wanted to master the craft. And to this day, I'm still learning. You were also doing dioramas. What were they like? Dioramas were like little scenes. And what I used the dioramas for, I came up with the idea of, because we did a lot of, I was in the combat MOS. So we had to know vehicle and aircraft identification. So I would set up a diorama with the woods and everything and then set up the little matchbox tanks and Humvees and things like that. And then we would take the binoculars and then we would know, we have to know the size and the distance in order to call for fire on the enemy. So that was a big advantage to me and that was using my artistic skills in a different way. So that was a lot of fun. Also, when I was in, when we were in Iraq and we, to enhance our esprit de corps and morale, I did the U.S. Desert Cab stencil on the side of our vehicles. And then each, then after I did that, then they came around, of course, you know, getting the okay from the platoon sergeant and platoon leader. And then I went and all the drivers from all the vehicles came to me and said, hey, can you put this on my vehicle and this and that? The platoon sergeant wanted young guns on there and I had two Colt 45s. And the reason for that is because his crew were all young individuals. I mean, we had 19-year-old kids there. Right. So it was, everywhere I went, I did something that had to do with art. So it really enhanced your artistic career. You had a chance really to be an artist in the military. That's fantastic. Yeah. So you get out of the Army and so what do you pursue? Like, you know, sometimes, I don't know if you jumped right into doing art to make a living or, you know, what else did you do to make a living? Was it murals and things like that or? Well, the, once I got out of the service, that's what I wanted to do. So it was a hit and miss. But I needed work. I needed to support myself. So I did that on the side. And then trial and error, one thing developed into another. And then I managed to get a job up in East Chicago, Indiana, at the steel mill. So that helped immensely because of the funds and I was able to get materials, art materials, art supplies. And then I decided I'm going to do this and I'm going to give it 100%. But I worked up at the steel mill for eight years. But in the meantime, I came across this art gallery in Frankfort where I was raised. And one of the artists had a lamp there and he called it steampunk. So for two years, I did two years of research on this steampunk stuff and started to get to know it. And then I started trial and error. I started putting stuff together. And of course, when it came to that and luckily, coincidentally, I did a lot of remodeling growing up. So I knew about basic electricity and things like that. So I wired all of the lamps. Initially, they were lamps. The steampunk were lamps. And then it went from steampunk to steampunk industrial because I started adding on all the pressure gauges, gears, and things like that. So I started making lamps and trial and error, just putting stuff together. And that went on for two years. And then the third year, I started putting stuff. And they were very basic initially. And I gave them to friends and family and I got some really good positive feedback from that. So then my next step was to go and put these into local galleries up here in Hammond and surrounding counties. Initially, I started in Hammond, Griffith, places like those. And from then on, it just started taking off. I said, wow, people really like this stuff. Well, you might want to tell our audience and in case they don't know what steampunk is, I mean, tell us what you define as steampunk. What does it look like? What is it? Well, steampunk has to do with the Victorian era where everything was steam-driven, steam-operated. And it was funny because I put one of my lamps on the Facebook page and one guy says, well, I can see that power cord. And you know, well, you're not going to, you know. Anyways, but I used a lot of Edison bulbs because they have the nice scroll filaments and then they have the amber colored glass. It makes it look vintage and old. And I started using pressure gauges because there was a lot of pressure gauges involved, gas, lighting, this and that. So I used bulbs that look like a flame. They resemble a flame, so it gives it a more authentic look to it. And everything I do, I make sure I – a lot of my pieces come from antique stores. You know, they're a little pricey. I'll buy a whole thing just to get the one piece that I need for that one piece. And I bought grandfather clocks before just because of the gearboxes, the gearboxes are the ideal scale for a lot of the pieces that I use. And then so from steampunk lamps – and that's another thing. The steampunk Victorian era, everything was very ornate. All the pieces were very ornate, very decorative. So I added a lot of that stuff to it. So a lot of my pieces are very detailed, which is something that I enjoy adding. Anyways, the lamps evolved from lamps to basic lamps to functional pieces like airships. So airships were like the Jules Verne hot air balloons, very different, very unique. And then I started researching some more, and I realized that they have a lot of the airships in movies. So a lot of movies I've been seeing, they come up and they pop up. But airships, I liked airships because the base used steam locomotives, obviously related to the Victorian era. And then they also used Spanish galleon ships, pirate ships. And so one time I came across – and a lot of these are toys. The models are so expensive. I can buy a model, but it has to be the right scale. So I started looking around in Goodwill stores, thrift stores, any place for toys. So I would find some toy ships. I found a Viking ship, and that was a very unique one. And I don't get attached to my work because the reason for that – and you hear a lot of artists say they get attached to their work. I like my work, but I get a chance to see it and enjoy it when I finish it. And once that piece goes away, it encourages me to do another one. It motivates me. So I just don't get attached to my work. You're listening to Art on the Air on Lakeshore Public Media 89.1 FM on WVLP 103.1 FM. I like my work. It sounds like sometimes, okay, you know you're going to do an airship, but have you had times where just the gear or the pressure gauge inspires the piece for you, or do you always go in knowing what you're going to do? Oh, yes. That's what – when I go and look and I see something, I say, that's it. That's what I need right there. And, like, for instance, a base for a table lamp or a base for a desk lamp, which a desk lamp would be smaller than a table lamp in my eyes. And so it depends on the size of the gear would dictate the size of the lamp. Well, you have things on exhibit, actually, in the South Shore Arts Salon Show, and I think one of them is an airship, and I think one of your lamps is also in that current exhibit, I think, running through November. So congratulations on getting into that. The seahorse is fabulous. Oh, yes, it is. So that's how you define steampunk. Are you still doing anything with murals, or is that – now that you're concentrated on this, I mean, it's such a distinct – I know when we met and I saw some of your pieces and I thought, oh, my gosh, this is just so different and unique. But, yeah, are you doing anything else outside of your sculptures? Oh, yes, yes. I have about 40-some canvases I can't wait to paint. I've got three paintings I'm working on simultaneously. I love any medium that gets my interest. And I like painting on canvas, but I do watercolors, I do acrylics, pastels, charcoal. I've even started doing chalk painting on sidewalks. Oh, wow. Yes. And that is very interesting because, actually, in Frankfurt, Indiana, they have a Thursday Thunder, every first and third Thursday, and next month will be the last two events. But they have chalks out there for the kids and this and that. I said, you know, that's a great idea. I want to try that. I've never tried that before. Well, anyways, I did some research and come to find out there's actually chalk festivals, and some of the more professional artists will do portraits, and they'll take up to maybe 10 hours to do one. They're so beautiful. Oh, yeah, yeah, they are. And then another thing I found out, and then I did some shopping around, and chalks, the standard chalks that you buy are too light-colored, like pastels. So I needed some really bright and vibrant colors. So I started doing some checking and started buying some actual chalk that the artists use. And the thing is, some of them use a lot of pastels because the pastels are very vibrant colors. So that worked out. So I've been doing a chalk piece, at least one chalk piece. I go there in the morning, and by the time I get done, I usually try to get done by 3. Because if I were to do it while people were there, I would never get it done. You know, I'd rather have it done and then they could enjoy it. And it encourages the other local artists there and also the kids. They love that stuff. It's because you're very gregarious and outgoing. You almost want to chat with the people more than work on your art at that time. I know you. So I have a question about something that you mentioned earlier, like when you were first starting your, I think it was after the Army and you were looking for, or you were saving money to buy materials. So what were those materials that you were saving for? What were you working on at that point? Oh, my God, that's a good question. And the reason, I go out of my way. Sometimes pricing pieces is very hard because, number one, I like using quality materials. And this reminds me of a movie I saw when I was a kid. And it was in a foreign film, but the kid was an artist. He liked art, and he wanted to enter a contest. So he entered a contest, and he had to make his own brush out of a limb, a tree limb. And he cut it up with a knife, but he didn't win. But the point is, that was very encouraging, and I tell artists, you know, and I'll critique their work. They'll critique mine. I mean, I have thick skin. You tell me what you think. It's fine. I'm not going to be offended. And my point is, if you spend a lot of time and do quality work on an illustration, then take the time and put that illustration in a very nice frame, something that's going to complement the illustration but not take away from it. So I went to the Blick art supply store up in Chicago, and it was like a kid in a candy store. I mean, they had all kinds of stuff, you know. Well, you're doing a lot of things. Is there anything you are looking to explore in art that you haven't done yet? I mean, I know you have the canvases sitting there ready to go, but is there something that – gee, I've never tried whatever that is. Is there something out there that you really like to do? Well, yes, large murals. I've got one in the works right now. It may be another possible mural, which company there in Frankfurt. The whole side of the building, that's going to be enormous. It's probably over 1,000 feet long. I don't know, maybe 20 to 30 feet high. Can you reveal the theme? Yes. He wants the industrial history of the town, and I'm still doing a lot of legwork on that too. But if it's not challenging, then it's not – it has to be challenging for me. Sure. Any project has to be challenging. I can't just do – I mean, logos are simple, easy. You can't mess it up. You can't make any changes. But when you have to incorporate your own imagination to that and design, then it makes it challenging, and I put a lot more into it. Now, do you do commission work, both for your steampunk and logos and everything like that? Is that still on the table? The steampunk is very hard. Some of the stuff is very hard to do commission work for. Fortress, yeah, no problem. But then here's the concerns that I run into. When someone wants a painting of something and then they don't give you enough information, just a vague idea, and then you do it and then you come back and say, oh, I don't like that. I don't like the color. So now – but, again, with the technology, when it comes to murals, I can take my computer, I can take photos of the wall or the trailer, whatever they want painted, and I can draw up a sketch, put it on the computer, put it on that piece, and this is what it's going to look like. Right. So there's no question, no question. And contracts, also. I've been learning a lot about contracts and all the administrative work that goes into all this stuff. But I'm enjoying it. I'm learning a lot. Do you have any exhibits coming up past the South Shore one that's ending in November that you're going into? Yes. One that I have been doing for – this will be the fourth consecutive year, and that's in Frankfort, Indiana, where I grew up. And the Frankfort Library has it. It's an annual art exhibition, fine art exhibition. And they love my stuff, and I like going there because I get to see old friends and I have family there. And then I get to meet – the one good thing is I get to meet artists from all over the state. I mean, I've met people from Arizona and artists from around the state of Indiana. Really, I mean, fantastic artists there. And that's a great library. I know my wife has been out to there, and they have great stuff there when we visited Frankfort. Well, we're about ready to wrap up, and we want to give you a chance to let people know how to get ahold of you, how to find you on the Internet or reach out and tell us about that, where they can get ahold of you. Well, my Instagram, which it was all new to me. I started just the Instagram. I had to get my daughter to school me on this stuff. I'm not a high-tech kind of guy, but it's cool to learn all this stuff, podcasts. That's another thing I want to get into. But anyways, my Instagram is C-O-R-T-E-Z underscore A-R-T, the number two, Cortez underscore R2. And then, of course, I have my Cortez Art Facebook page, and I tell people now, Cortez is a common name. It is. If you bring that up, you'll come up with all kinds of Cortez art. But I tell them, look for the profile pic. It has a blue drum kit on there. And then go under photos, and that's where you'll see the majority of my artwork. And I've been so busy, I've got to update that. I've got to update my Instagram. But, yes, that's two good ways of getting ahold of me. Well, we appreciate you coming on Art on the Air with Ricardo Cortez. And if you haven't seen his steampunk work, it's just absolutely wonderful, plus his other things. Thank you so much for sharing your time with us and your story on Art on the Air. Thank you, Larry. I really appreciate it. It's been a pleasure. It's been a pleasure. Yes. Thank you. We'd like to thank our guests this week on Art on the Air, our weekly program covering the arts and arts events throughout Northwest Indiana and beyond. Art on the Air is heard Sunday at 7 p.m. on Lakeshore Public Media, 89.1 FM, also streaming live at lakeshorepublicmedia.org, and is available on Lakeshore Public Media's website as a podcast. Art on the Air is also heard Friday at 11 a.m. and Monday at 5 p.m. on WVLP, 103.1 FM, streaming live at wvlp.org. Our spotlight interviews are heard every Wednesday on Lakeshore Public Media. Thanks to Tom Maloney, vice president of radio operation for Lakeshore Public Media, and Greg Kovach, WVLP's station manager. Our theme music is by Billy Foster with a vocal by Renee Foster. Art on the Air is supported by the Indiana Arts Commission Arts Project Grant, South Shore Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. We'd like to thank our current underwriters for Lakeshore Public Media, Macaulay Real Estate and Valparaiso, Olga Patrician, senior broker, and for WVLP, Walt Redinger of Paragon Investments. So we may continue to bring you Art on the Air. We rely on you, our listeners and underwriters, for ongoing financial support. If you're looking to support Art on the Air, we have information on our website at where you can find out how to become a supporter or underwriter of our program in whatever amount you are able. And like I say every week, don't give till it hurts. Give till it feels good. You'll feel so good about supporting Art on the Air. If you're interested in being a guest or send us information about your arts, arts-related event or exhibit, please email us at aotaatbrech.com. That's aotaatbrech.com. Or contact us through our Facebook page. Your hosts were Larry Breckner and Esther Golden. And we invite you back next week for another episode of Art on the Air. Aloha, everyone. Have a splendid week. Express yourself you art, and show the world your heart. Express yourself you art, and show the world your heart. You're in the know with Esther and Larry, Art on the Air today. They're in the know with Mary and Esther, Art on the Air all day. They're in the know with Mary and Esther, Art on the Air all way. Express yourself you art, and show the world your heart. Express yourself you art, and show the world your heart. Express yourself you art.