The Artists Index is an AHA! partner and this is the fourth in our series of livestream podcasts. The September AHA! celebrated AHA! @ 25 on Thursday, September 12th from 6 to 7:30 pm. and was co-hosted by our livestream partner and friend Adam Katz, the owner of Play Arcade.

Our September AHA! galaxy of guests included Dave Reis, our Jazz Podcast Series podcast host, Ymelda Rivera Laxton, the Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art & Community Projects at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, artist extraordinaire Kat Knutsen, Christina Maiato Fitz Gerald, our Gallery X Documentation Project Scanner, and the newest podcast host of our newest, soon to be premiered Gallery X Documentation Project Podcast Series, Sean FitzGerald.

They all sat down with The Artists Index's co-founder and podcast host, Ron Fortier, about their contributions to and views on the September AHA! theme - Aha! @ 25 and its impact on the phenomenal creative community of New Bedford and the South Coast. Once again, it was very loud and noisy with all the arcade games but we still had great conversation.

The Artists Index is an AHA! partner and this is the third in our series of livestream podcasts. The September AHA! celebrated 25 years! This podcast was co-hosted by our livestream partner and friend Adam Katz, the owner of Play Arcade. 

Learn more at https://theartistsindex.com/ 

Consider donating, or becoming a sponsor. 

Welcome to our first cookbook author and culinary artist Milena Rodrigues, who was also, unbeknownst to me, my neighbor in Buarcos, Figueira da Foz, Portugal. Yes, a small world indeed! Milena is a first-generation American and daughter of Portuguese immigrants from Figueira da Foz.

Her parents and sisters immigrated to Gloucester, Massachusetts in 1966. In the early 1970s, Milena Rodrigues and her family moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts. Milena always stayed connected to her family's roots. She spent her summers in Portugal since the age of one.

Milena Rodrigues grew up enjoying and loving everything Portuguese, including the food. However, as she states, "I am not a chef and never had any professional training in cooking. I enjoy cooking good homemade food for my loved ones." In 2013 she began sharing recipes on her Facebook page called For the Love of Portuguese Food.

She had always dreamt of writing a Portuguese cuisine cookbook in English because she realized there were very few then. Milena's Facebook page marked the beginning of her writing her cookbook come true, which she published in 2017.

Milena Rodrigues speaks with The Artists Index’s cofounder, documentarian, and podcast host, Ron Fortier, about her continuing journey and mission to share her culinary heritage. They also reminisce about their experiences living in Buarcos, Figueira da Foz, Portugal. This episode was recorded at our recording studio at Spectrum Marketing Group at Howland Place in New Bedford.

Listen to the artists talk about their work, backgrounds, passions, dreams, and accomplishments.  Also featured are those work in or manage the creative community’s economy, promotion, and cultural agenda.

We would love it if you considered making a donation. 

Welcome Drew (Andrew) Furtado, a South Coast Massachusetts Emmy Award-winning visual storyteller. Since 2005, Drew has produced photo, film, and web content for South Coast schools and nonprofit organizations. He currently leads the New Bedford Whaling Museum's communication and marketing efforts.

Drew Furtado has transformed how the Museum reaches its potential audiences through digital platforms. Through his digital work, including films like Restart 2020, photography, and illustrated posters, he champions the positive stories of New Bedford and Fall River.

Before his association with the New Bedford Whaling Museum, he spent 10 years building the media arts program at Fairhaven High School. His students have received over 30 New England and three national student production awards. Many of his students can be seen throughout the South Coast pursuing their careers in film and communications.

Drew (Andrew) Furtado has a master's in Interactive Media from Quinnipiac University and studied at New England Institute of Technology's media arts program.

Drew speaks with The Artists Index’s cofounder, documentarian, and podcast host, Ron Fortier, about his continuing journey in photography, film, and web content. This episode was recorded at our recording studio at Spectrum Marketing Group at Howland Place in New Bedford.

Listen to the artists talk about their work, backgrounds, passions, dreams, and accomplishments.  Also featured are those work in or manage the creative community’s economy, promotion, and cultural agenda.

We would love it if you considered making a donation. 

• In Episode Four, Dave Reis speaks with his friend and jazz-inspired poet Everett Hoagland, "...an inventive and highly politicized poet... driven as much by the rhythms of jazz, as it is by the cultural, psychological, and historical weight of racial division." (1) Hoagland is an emeritus professor of English at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Everett Hoagland was also the first poet laureate of New Bedford, Massachusetts (1994–1998) and is our guest on the fourth of our ten podcast episodes in The South Coast Artists Index Jazz Series hosted by Dave Reis. This first-ever series is underwritten and brought to you by Fiber Optic Center and Whaling City Sound.

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, was our guest on In-Focus Podcast 154. and In-Focus Podcast 181 and 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 new Jazz Podcast Series.

Offering listeners up close and personal conversations with the artists, supporters, and cultural impresarios of our creative community.

Listen to the artists talk about their work, backgrounds, passions, dreams, and accomplishments.  Also featured are those work in or manage the creative community’s economy, promotion, and cultural agenda.

We would love it if you considered making a donation.

The Artists Index is an AHA! partner and this is the third in our series of livestream podcasts. The August AHA! celebrated Summer in the Seaport on Thursday, August 8th from 6 to 7:30 pm. and was co-hosted by our livestream partner and friend Adam Katz, the owner of Play Arcade.

Our August AHA! galaxy of guests included Dena Haden, one of our first podcast guests and the Program Director for the Co-Creative Center in New Bedford, Margo Saulnier the Director of Creative Strategies and Arts-Based Initiatives at New Bedford Creative, Rhonda M. Fazio, a maker/dyer and self-described Environmental Alchemist and the owner/operator of Dyer Maker Studio and Interwoven, and Jessica Bregoli, a sculptor, artist, event planner, the Seaport Art Walk, curator, and landscaper. 

They all sat down with The Artists Index’s co-founder and podcast host, Ron Fortier, about their contributions to and views on the August AHA! theme – Summer in the Seaport and the phenomenal creative community of New Bedford and the South Coast as well as the importance of Art in our lives at the local level. Once again, it was very loud and noisy with all the arcade games but we still had great conversation.

Play Arcade is “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.

AHA! (Arts, History, Architecture) has presented New Bedford and the South Coast with free arts and culture nights. It celebrates 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.

We would love you dearly if you would consider making a donation to The Southcoast Artists Index. 

Welcome Roger Andrews, a South Coast Massachusetts artist and New Bedford native. Roger is a world-class freelance concept artist with over 20 years of experience in freelance advertising art and toy and game product design. His clients have included Hasbro, Google, Mattel, Subway, Puma, Rovio, Wayfair, Sony, Toyota, and Disney.

Roger Andrews also developed an online video media presence with his always informative, educational, and entertaining SketchyGOichie YouTube channel for artists of all ages.  The course teaches drawing techniques, philosophy, and how to improve skills and approaches to art and design.

Roger last visited with us as part of The Artists Index - July AHA!, one of a series of livestream podcasts recorded at our livestream partner, Play Arcade in the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. 

Roger speaks with The Artists Index’s cofounder, documentarian, and podcast host, Ron Fortier, about his continuing journey as a freelance advertising artist and SketchyGOichie. This episode was recorded at our recording studio at Spectrum Marketing Group at Howland Place in New Bedford.

If you would like to be a guest on The Artists Index or have a suggestion, please let us know! The Artists Index also uses Zoom to accommodate our guests’ schedules and to allow them to remain in the comfort of their homes, especially those who no longer live on the South Coast of Massachusetts. 

Offering listeners up close and personal conversations with the artists, supporters, and cultural impresarios of our creative community.

Listen to the artists talk about their work, backgrounds, passions, dreams, and accomplishments.  Also featured are those work in or manage the creative community’s economy, promotion, and cultural agenda.

We would love it if you considered making a donation. 

Welcome Mason Terra, a South Coast Massachusetts abstract oil painter. He was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, and graduated from Westport High School. Mason went on to study archaeology at Bridgewater State University.

Mason Terra's passion since childhood has always been drawing. His architect father was a big influence. Doodling constantly, he created characters inspired by movies and games. Despite not taking any art classes, Mason continued to draw through high school and started researching contemporary painters in his senior year.

Although studying the subject at Bridgewater State University, it was during the pandemic that he realized archaeology was not his true passion. Creating works of art, on the other hand, was! After the pandemic, he switched his major at Bridgewater State University to studio fine arts and has continued to paint ever since.

He has had his work published and has been represented in gallery exhibits. Mason is a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu instructor.  and has been for almost 8 years. He trains every week and finds parallels between painting and Jiu-jitsu.

Mason speaks with The Artists Index’s cofounder, documentarian, and podcast host, Ron Fortier, about his continuing journey as a painter. This episode was recorded at our recording studio at Spectrum Marketing Group at  Howland Place in New Bedford.

If you would like to be a guest on The Artists Index or have a suggestion, please let us know! The Artists Index also uses Zoom to accommodate our guests’ schedules and to allow them to remain in the comfort of their homes, especially those who no longer live on the South Coast of Massachusetts. 

Mason Terra

Westport, Massachusetts 02790

Email | Website | Facebook | Instagram  

Listen in on the Southcoast Artists Index Podcasts and read the Articles for up close, personal, and informative conversations with the makers, performers, supporters, and cultural impresarios of the remarkable creative community of South Coast Massachusetts including New Bedford, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Westport, and beyond.

Welcome to the third of the ten podcast episodes in The South Coast Artists Index Jazz Series hosted by Dave Reis. This first-ever series is underwritten and brought to you by Fiber Optic Center and Whaling City Sound.

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, was our guest on In-Focus Podcast 154. and In-Focus Podcast 181 and 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 new Jazz Podcast Series.

In Episode Three, Dave Reis speaks with his friend John Harrison, local Jazz legend, Berklee College of Music graduate, and retired professor of music at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth - College of Visual & Performing Arts.

The Artists Index is an AHA! partner and this is the second in our series of livestream podcasts. The July AHA! celebrated Kids Rule on Thursday, July 11 from 6 to 7:30 pm. and was co-hosted by our livestream partner and friend Adam Katz, the owner of Play Arcade, "an old-school 80’s style arcade offering a full-service bar, craft-made drinks, and food..."

Play Arcade offers over 40 vintage arcade games and a rooftop deck overlooking the working waterfront in the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. Our July AHA! guests were Roger Andrews the originator of Sketchy GO ichie, his former student and now associate Ashlianna Felix, Tracy Furtado Chagas, and Kris Motta from Dream Out Loud Center.

AHA! (Arts, History, Architecture) has presented New Bedford and the South Coast with free arts and culture nights. It celebrates 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.

Roger Andrews, Ashlianna Felix, Tracy Furtado Chagas, and Kris Motta spoke with The Artists Index’s cofounder, documentarian, and podcast host, Ron Fortier, about kids, young people, and the importance of art in their lives. It was very loud and noisy with all of the arcade games but we still had great conversation. It was totally worth it!

Roger Andrews, Ashlianna Felix, Tracy Furtado Chagas, and Kris Motta spoke with The Artists Index’s cofounder, documentarian, and podcast host, Ron Fortier, about kids, young people, and the importance of art in their lives. It was very loud and noisy with all of the arcade games but we still had great conversation. It was totally worth it!

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.

Offering listeners up close and personal conversations with the artists, supporters, and cultural impresarios of our creative community.

Listen to the artists talk about their work, backgrounds, passions, dreams, and accomplishments.  Also featured are those work in or manage the creative community’s economy, promotion, and cultural agenda.

Welcome Phillip J. Mellen (Podcast Episode 61 and Podcast Episode 53. He studied fine art at Bristol Community College in Fall River, Massachusetts. Phillip later went to study at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia in 1999. He graduated in 2003 and returned to Massachusetts in 2006. He became an active member of the South Coast's creative community.

Phillip J. Mellen is an active both as a poet, and visual artist. He presently resides in Taunton, Massachusetts where he was from originally. In 2011, Phillip started Ahtcast an independent art podcast. He has interviewed many local, national, and international artists. He also exhibits his artwork locally, nationally, and internationally.

Phillip's work is in private art collections in the US and internationally. He also has had his published with Anomaly Poetry and has been published in a collaborative art catalog featuring internationally recognized painter, Sabine Tress.

Phillip speaks with The Artists Index’s cofounder, documentarian, and podcast host, Ron Fortier, along with co-collaborator Kat Knutsen (Podcast Episode 73, Podcast Episode 131, and Podcast Episode 180) about Could Not Have Done It Without You, a 14-member collaborative poetry, music, and art project album. This episode was recorded at our home base and recording studio at Spectrum Marketing Group at  Howland Place in New Bedford.

If you would like to be a guest on The Artists Index or have a suggestion, please let us know! The Artists Index also uses Zoom to accommodate our guests’ schedules and to allow them to remain in the comfort of their homes, especially those who no longer live on the South Coast of Massachusetts. 

Phillip J. Mellen

Taunton, Massachusetts 02780

Email | Website | Facebook | Instagram  | Bandcamp

Listen in on the Southcoast Artists Index Podcasts and read the Articles for up close, personal, and informative conversations with the makers, performers, supporters, and cultural impresarios of the remarkable creative community of South Coast Massachusetts including New Bedford, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Westport, and beyond.

The Artists Index has partnered with AHA! and, kicked off the first of a series of livestream podcasts. The June AHA! celebrated PRIDE Month and was hosted by our livestream partner and friend Adam Katz, the owner of Play Arcade, "an old-school 80’s style arcade offering a full-service bar, craft-made drinks, and food..." Play Arcade offers over 40 vintage arcade games and a rooftop deck overlooking the working waterfront in the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.

Our guests were Andrew Pollock, the president of The South Coast LGBTQ+ Network, who helped us coordinate with our guests which included artist Herby Thompson, farmer Sarah Cogswell, the Co-Founder/Owner at Cluck and Trowel, and chef and horseman, Jim Mercer.

AHA! (Arts, History, Architecture) has presented New Bedford and the South Coast with free arts and culture nights. It celebrates 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.

Andrew Pollock, Herby Thompson, Sarah Cogswell, and Jim Mercer spoke with The Artists Index’s cofounder, documentarian, and podcast host, Ron Fortier, about PRIDE and the contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals to the creative community of the South Coast.

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.

NOTE: Live from PLAY Arcade in New Bedford on AHA! Night was recorded on 06.13.24 - our first live performance on AHA! Night. 

Love the show? Consider making a donation, we appreciate your support. https://theartistsindex.com/donate/