Art More Than Ever

Erica interviews young adult author and VCFA alum Cori McCarthy about writing, revising, and their approach to creating stories and characters. Cori received their MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults in 2011 and will return to VCFA this summer as a visiting faculty member for the program. Cori's most recent book, "Now A Major Motion Picture," was released this April.

In this episode, Erica Heilman interviews MFA in Visual Art Summer 2017 Artist-in-Residence Eshrat Erfanian, an Iranian-Canadian artist who works in a range of media including video, installation, digital photography, and painting. Eshrat talks about how her art has technologically evolved and how her childhood in Iran has shaped what she does today.

Host Erica Heilman interviews recent MFA in Graphic Design graduate Adam DelMarcelle, whose groundbreaking work surrounding the opioid epidemic in Pennsylvania and the East Coast has garnered national attention. Adam, who graduated from VCFA in April 2018, also serves as an adjunct professor at York College of Pennsylvania and Lebanon Valley College, teaching courses in graphic design and printmaking. Adam's project "What Heroin Sounds Like" can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/whatheroinsoundslike

Host Erica Heilman interviews documentary filmmaker Till Schauder, a faculty member with VCFA's MFA in Film program. Till, who has directed a number of documentaries including THE IRAN JOB, talks about his 2017 film WHEN GOD SLEEPS. In this in-depth interview, Till discusses the process of creating documentary films and how he handles working with challenging subjects. WHEN GOD SLEEPS follows Iranian musician Shahin Najafi, who is forced into hiding after hardline Iranian clerics issue a fatwa for his death, incensed by a rap song that focuses on the oppression of women and human rights abuses. Risking his life every time he steps on a stage, Shahin refuses to stop performing. whengodsleepsfilm.com

“Art More Than Ever” host Erica Heilman interviews songwriter, composer, singer, and violinist Carla Kihlstedt, a faculty member in VCFA’s MFA in Music Composition program. In this fascinating conversation, Carla discusses writing music with her songwriter husband, Matthias Bossi, her most recent song cycle, Black Inscription, and much more.

In the premiere episode of VCFA's "Art More Than Ever" podcast, host Erica Heilman interviews poet Matthew Dickman, faculty member in VCFA’s MFA in Writing and MFA in Writing & Publishing program. Dickman talks how he creates his poetry and how a difficult childhood in Portland, Ore. has shaped his work.