Southcoast Artists Index – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome Diane Conlon, AKA Diane Arlene Conlon, a Swain School of Design alum from Newport, Rhode Island. Graduating from Swain in 1980, she attended S.M.U. – Southeastern Massachusetts University, today the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in pursuit of a Master of Arts in Education. After a year there, she left the program.

In 1989 she was among 20 other Swain alumni founding members of Gallery X and was elected their Secretary. Then, in 1994, she moved to Brooklyn to work on her MFA at Brooklyn College and graduated in 1996. Diane stayed in New York City and worked as an Art Specialist for a Catholic elementary school in Queens until she retired in 2009. She then moved back to Rhode Island and taught drawing at the Newport Art Museum.

She has continued her pursuit of the Arts and Education. Diane has many books on American history and decided to create a collection of American art books. It is reflected in her work and what she feels is meaningful and beautiful. Diane Conlon is currently focused on painting landscapes of the Land Trusts because, as she exclaims, “they are so WILD!”

On this podcast, Diane Conlon speaks with The Artists Index’s cofounder, documentarian, and podcast host, Ron Fortier, about her continuing journey as an artist.  This episode was recorded at our recording studio at Spectrum Marketing Group at Howland Place in New Bedford.

Diane Conlon

Email | Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Other

Please consider donating whatever you can to help and assure us in our mission to continue documenting the legacies of South Coast Artists.

If you would like to be a guest on The Artists Index or have a suggestion, please let us know!

The Artists Index is an AHA! partner and this is the February AHA! episode in our continuing series of livestream podcasts from Play Arcade co-hosted by our livestream partner and friend Adam Katz. This month's theme was: I AM NB - Storytyelling Series.

Thursday, February 13th (from 6 to 7:30 pm.) invited guests joineing podcast host Ron Fortier were Max Wikermayer, The Artists Index's Man On The Street along with friend, returning podcast guest, and South Coast professional storyteller Karen Langford Chace AKA Storybug, Alyssa Botelheo, and Costume designer and our soon to be newest podcast host, Claudia Nagalha in the Living Room at Play Arcade "an old-school 80’s style arcade offering a full-service bar, craft-made drinks, and food..." and over 40 vintage arcade games and a rooftop deck overlooking the working waterfront in the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.

Our guests offered their views on the importance and power of storytelling in its various forms as well as the importance of the phenomenal creative community of New Bedford and the South Coast.

AHA! (Arts, History, Architecture) has presented New Bedford and the South Coast with free arts and culture nights. It celebrated its 25th anniversary this September! AHA! Nights are held every second Thursday of the month to recall and honor the nostalgic late shopping night offered in New Bedford from the 1940s through the 1960s. This revival has brought a new and lasting vibrancy to downtown.

If you would like to be a guest on The Artists Index or have a suggestion, please let us know! The Artists Index records our podcasts at our Spectrum Marketing Group studio. We also use Zoom to accommodate our guests’ schedules or for those who no longer live on the South Coast of Massachusetts. 

The Artists Index provides our listeners and readers with up close and personal conversations with artists, supporters of the arts, and the cultural impresarios of the South Coast's remarkable creative community.

Podcasts are also available on your favorite media app including Amazon Music / iHeart Radio / Libsyn / Podcast Page / Spotify / WebPlayer and APPLE PODCASTS

Email | Website | Facebook | Instagram 

In Episode Five, Dave Reis speaks with internationally renowned, award-winning jazz musician Greg Abate, a saxophonist, flutist, and composer. He's traveled the globe on his musical tours.

After finishing his education at Berklee College Of Music in the mid-70s, Greg Abate went on to play lead alto saxophone for the Ray Charles Orchestra for 2 years.

Abate formed his group Channel One in 1978. It became a New England favorite and offered him an opportunity to play tenor sax from 1986-87 with the revived Artie Shaw Orchestra under the leadership of Dick Johnson. He was recently ranked number three in the Downbeat reader's poll for alto sax. 

The Artist Index's jazz documentarian and Jazz Podcast Series host, Dave Reis, spent nearly 26 years as a Jazz radio show host, among his many other accomplishments. He was one of the original longtime DJs who worked at the former WUSM which became radio station WUMD, 89.3 FM, on the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth campus.

Dave Reis, AKA David Domingo Reis, began as our guest on In-Focus Podcast 154. and In-Focus Podcast 181. He returns once again as the host of our first-ever ten-part jazz podcast series underwritten by the Fiber Optic Center.

There is no better host for this series than Dave Reis, a walking, talking jazz encyclopedia and local legend himself. Dave grew up surrounded by and hanging around with many of the jazz greats he will be presenting his ten-part Jazz Podcast Series underwritten by the Fiber Optic Center.

Welcome, William Kenedy, to In-Focus Podcast Number 119. William is a contemporary artist and graphic designer. With his many years in the design industry, he has developed an impressive portfolio.

William has been designing, both fashion and multi-media art forms, for over 10 years. He has been a part of design and development projects with other talented artists and brands.

William Kennedy was born in Washington DC. His journey of creativity started at a young age. Going back to his roots, the streets of DC later became a focus of his art.

Music courtesy of www.bensound.com 

Welcome musician, bandleader, and photographer, Tom Short to In-Focus Podcast Number 118. Tom grew up in Flint Michigan and graduated from the University of Michigan, Flint with a degree in classical performance.

While in Flint, he was also a bandleader. Tom moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts around 30 years ago. Since on the South Coast, Tom has been a music teacher and performer.

Tom is the leader of two well-known local bands; Pumpkin Head Ted and The Dancing Dogs. Both bands have been performing and recording for over 20 years and have five CDs to their credit.

Music courtesy of www.bensound.com 

Welcome singer, songwriter, and music business writer Sean Robert McCarthy, to In-Focus Podcast Number 117. Sean has spent the last 35 years in journalism.

His self-professed forte is writing about music and the people who perform it. Sean has interviewed and written about a wide spectrum of artists from rock stars to local musicians for local and international publications.

He is currently the publisher and writer for the local music blog, Sonic South Coast, and is also a singer/songwriter. Listen in as Sean talks with The Artist Index’s host, Ron Fortier, and reveals more of his background.

Music courtesy of www.bensound.com 

Welcome, The Jethros, to In-Focus Podcast Number 116. They are the amalgam of:

• • Homer Jethro – AKA, Tom Allen, of New Bedford – guitar, vocals
  • Rufus Jethro – AKA, Rick Smith of New Bedford – horns, ukulele, vocals
  • Boney Jethro – AKA, Jonathan Danforth of New Bedford – fiddle, percussion, vocals
  • Gaston Jethro – AKA, Matthew Ryckebusch of New Bedford – bass, vocals
  • Skillet Jethro – AKA, Greg Motta of Westport – drums, vocals

According to their publicity package, “The Jethros realized their common destiny while collaborating in a backup band for mutual friends. Over the years they’ve become something of a fixture in the folk music scene of New Bedford and nearby places.”

Music courtesy of www.bensound.com 

Welcome, Lean (lee-ann) Camara, to In-Focus Podcast Number 115. Lean is the Director of Strategic Projects at The New Bedford Light, a free digital news outlet providing public service journalism. Although Lean is not an artist, she may now add 'art industry professional' to her resume.

She was tasked with organizing the New Bedford Fine Arts Club - an art marketplace for local artists to share and sell their work to an engaged group of collectors and art enthusiasts. The new club's first Zoom meeting launches on April 20, 2022, and is sponsored by The New Bedford Light.

Lean has worked with mission-based organizations for 20 years, holding various leadership roles at nonprofit organizations. She has launched multifaceted initiatives, directed senior executive planning, and built consensus among diverse stakeholders. All skills that she will apply to the launch of the New Bedford Fine Arts Club which is set to launch on April 20, 2022. Lean has degrees from Ithaca College and the University of Pennsylvania.

Music courtesy of www.bensound.com 

Welcome, Todd Salpietro, to In-Focus Podcast Number 114. Todd is a musician and the Director at the Fall River Arts Academy. The Academy is the largest independently owned music school in the area.

They have won more awards than any other music school on the Southcoast. The school offers private, in-person, and online music lessons in piano, guitar, voice, violin, drums, woodwinds & brasswinds & ukulele all under one roof.

Todd says that he, “searches the area for the best music teachers so you don’t have to.” He’s proud of their proven track record for success based on offering the most goal-oriented music lesson program available.

Music courtesy of www.bensound.com 

Welcome, Scott Bishop, to In-Focus Podcast Number 113. Scott is a New Bedford-based singer, songwriter, and sound sculptor. He’s been creating music under the name Scapeghost since 2016.

He says he’s been, “dipping pops songs in a variety of interesting sounds, from crunchy to dreamy and everything in between.” Scott’s most recent and ongoing project, supported by the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, is NBWaves, which brings the sonic DNA of New Bedford into the music.

NBWaves was made by making field recordings around the city, running them through a sampler, and writing and recording new songs with them. The initial EP, Electronic (First Wave), features sounds recorded at Play Arcade and Buttonwood Park Zoo.

Music courtesy of www.bensound.com