The Idle Class
Experience the Italian Renaissance with the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum’s 2025 Fundraising Gala
Saturday, March 29, 2025, 6 – 11 pm ACHE Health & Wellness Center
Meet Living History Artists Botticelli, da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Gentileschi. Western Arkansas Ballet Performance ‘Don Bailey and the Florentine Minstrels’ Jonathan Karrant!
Apertivo | Delizioso Dinner by Uncork'd Silent & Live Auctions
To secure your sponsorship, table, or tickets now, scan the code or visit fsram.org/gala2025
We are a team of production experts who SCAN, PRINT, & FRAME the art you envision.
Open-air workspace working collaboratively to recreate and present your art. Utilizing emerging reproduction technology, MAKR Studio is devoted to Artist support. makrstudio.art hello@makrcomms.com 2028 N Shiloh Drive Fayetteville, AR
TABLE of CONTENTS
WRITING - 6-7
One Million Words + Counting: Eli Cranor talks writing and his upcoming novel
MUSIC - 9
Unsung Heroes: Stephen Koch profiles the Arkansas women who made their mark on music
ART - 10-11
Timeless Talent: Celebrating centenarian artist Mary Talbert
ART - 12-13
Coloring the World: Jessica Jones’ journey of joy and resilience
CONTENT - 15-17
Like & Subscribe: Interviews with some of our favorite YouTubers
CONTENT- 18-19
The Podcast Playbook: Randy Wilburn offers tips on getting your podcast off the ground
CONTENT - 20-21
Meme Nation: An in-depth look at meme makers and their creative process
CONTENT - 24-29
The Art of Influence: Chats with some of our favorite influencers
THE TEAM
Publisher + Editor
Kody Ford
Contributors
Amber Beatty
Stephanie Bell
Lin Elizabeth
Rachel Farhat
Sydney Johnson
Addie Jones
Tom McFetridge
Micky Mercier
Cover
Jessica Jones
Layout Kody Ford
Photos Submitted unless attributed
Contact Us editorial@idleclassmag.com advertising@idleclassmag.com
Online
IdleClassMag.com
Issuu.com/theidleclass
Instagram.com/theidleclass Facebook.com/theidleclass
The Content Issue
BENTONVILLE
Best in Show: Pets in Contemporary Photography Open through April 13, 2025
The Momentary themomentary.org
Wherever photographers go, people will pay them to take pictures of their pets. It’s both a bane and a bounty. Some especially artful and unusual approaches to pet photography are inhabiting an exhibit at the Momentary in Bentonville. Best In Show: Pets in Contemporary Photography features a few hundred pictures, both color and black-and-white. The show, which runs through April 13th, encompasses several galleries at the Momentary.
The Fotografiska Museum in New York City collaborated with the Momentary for the exhibit. The collection intends to celebrate and acknowledge pets for their “presence in Western art and popular culture, and their multifaceted relationships with humans.” Along with the expected snapshots of winsome dogs or cats being cats, some of the pictures are shot and processed to look like fine paintings. One example is a spooky series depicting girls and their dogs by the Dutch photographer Helen van Meene. The photoset employs light and shadow reminiscent of Vermeer.
On the playful side, the show includes a selection of those side-by-side
FORT SMITH
Opening reception: Jeffry Cantu
Friday, January 24th, 5-7 p.m.
Fort Smith Regional Art Museum fsram.org
Join the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum on Friday, January 24, from 5–7 pm for an opening reception of artwork by artist Jeffry Cantu! Cantu studied art at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith and his work draws influences from his Mexican culture and from his period stationed in Japan as a member of the United States Navy. Cantu’s sculptures use repetition, movement, form, unity, organic shapes, and abstraction, as well as a variety of materials, to create intricate and often colorful installations. After opening night, this exhibition will be on view through June 1st.
EL DORADO
El Dorado Film Festival
Feb 26th — March 2nd
South Arkansas Arts Center eldofilmfest.com
portraits illustrating how dogs and their owners grow to resemble each other — shaggy hair, thick jowls and all. Visitors will also encounter an entire wall coated with faux fur. This family-friendly winter show elevates pet photography to a museum-level experience. But it’s not afraid to get down and roll in the folkish themes that sustain the genre’s enduring popularity.
Admission to the exhibition is free. Leashed and domesticated pets will be allowed in the galleries with some restrictions. – Mickey Mercier
EVENTS STATE around the
PINE BLUFF
Pushing Forward: Politics, Social Conflict, and the Racial Divide in the Art of Kevin Cole Open March 14th — Sept. 6th
Reception: Friday, March 14th
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas asc701.org
Since 2014, The El Dorado Film Festival has brought filmmakers together and, in turn, created opportunities for those filmmakers to grow together. Look for regional and national short film blocks and feature films, along with workshops and some special guests. Parties and mixers will take place around downtown El Dorado. This festival is all about building community so that each filmmaker can continue to pursue their dreams. Film lovers and film makers are invited to celebrate a shared love of cinema.
Pine Bluff native and Atlanta-based artist Kevin Cole’s Pushing Forward is a collection of his paintings, prints, and sculptures developed throughout his career. Cole’s works are imbued with symbolism that speaks to the legacy of racial injustice. Debuting at the University of Maryland Global Campus Arts Program, the exhibition makes its second stop at the ARTx3 Campus.
Photo by Tom McFetridge - Courtesy of Crystal Bridges and the Momentary
Work by Jeffry Cantu - Courtesy of the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum
Kevin Cole, “Blue Skies with Purple Dreams,” “Color of Music” series, mixed media on paper, 42” x 62”, 1992
One Million Words + Counting
How Eli Cranor went from calling plays to filling the page.
WORDS / KODY FORD PHOTO / AMBER BEATTY
Harper Lee once said, “Writing is a process of self-discipline you must learn before you can call yourself a writer. There are people who write, but I think they’re quite different from people who must write.”
Drive and discipline can take someone beyond the ability to turn a phrase or craft catchy dialogue. These two skills have helped Eli Cranor level up the last few years, releasing three novels–Don’t Know Tough, Ozark Dogs and Broiler — all within three years. While the books had been written a few years before they were published, Cranor wouldn’t have gotten there without applying a discipline generally associated with athletes, which came naturally for the former Ouachita Baptist University quarterback.
As a kid, Cranor’s father told him to read 20 pages of whatever he wanted. He also handed him a composition notebook with instructions. Once he finished reading, he had to write about it, something he complained about often but kept at through the ninth grade.
Later, at OBU, Cranor majored in political science and English literature. Under the mentorship of his creative writing professor, Johnny Wink, Cranor wrote his first short story for class and became hooked. Wink read his work and offered notes. “Every time I wrote something, I’d slide it under his door before the weekend, and when I came back, he’d have it all marked up. And that audience of one was what I really needed,” Cranor said.
Wink introduced Cranor to Jack Butler, author of Living in Little Rock with Miss Little Rock, who also became a mentor. Cranor sent stories off to Butler, who’d send them back with half of the words marked out — a lesson in brevity that any aspiring writer needs at some point. During these years, Cranor considered getting a Creative Writing MFA at Ole Miss. However, sports intervened, and Cranor got an offer to play American football in Sweden, which he couldn’t refuse.
After playing in Europe, he returned to coach football in Clarksville, a gig he admits wasn’t a high point, given the responsibilities of being a head coach. Two seasons and a 1-19 record later, Cranor decided to leave football behind, a radical life change after 20 seasons of playing and coaching. He returned to writing and adopted the discipline he learned from football. He said, “I read this quote from Ray Bradbury that said you’re not a real writer until you’ve written a million words. So, in those early days, I was just trying to write a million words of prose. I kept a little Moleskine, and every morning, I’d log it.”
A teacher at the time, Cranor utilized his lunch and prep period to hit the goal of 2,000 words a day. He sent stories off to various journals and websites. Around the time he hit his million words, he wrote the lines: “Still feel the burn on my neck. Told Coach it was a ringworm this morning when he pick me up, but it ain’t.” These lines became a story that won a fiction prize from The Greensboro Review, and that story became the opening chapter of his debut novel, Don’t Know Tough, which went on to win an Edgar Award and the Peter Lovesey First Crime Novel Con-
test. However, it took several years to reach publication. During that time, he wrote his other novels, Ozark Dogs and Broiler. All of the books are set in the Ozarks and fall into the crime genre, although Cranor didn’t really set out for that.
One of his major influences has been his favorite writer, the prolific Elmore Leonard. Cranor describes Leonard’s work as “the perfect blend of humor, social commentary and great, sleek action.”
The influence shines through in his works, but Cranor says it is especially evident in his upcoming novel, Mississippi Blue 42. A throwback crime caper set in the world of college football, the story follows Rae Johnson, a young FBI agent who was at the top of her class at Quantico and happens to be the daughter of the University of Arkansas’ longtime football coach. Johnson must investigate a crime at the University of Central Mississippi and delve into a world her father shielded her from growing up.
He said, “What’s interesting to me is everybody’s reading stuff I wrote back in 2018 through 2020. And the thing I’ve been working on since then has been this big idea about college football, which definitely has a shift in tone. So, I’m excited to see if I can bring anybody with me as I make a little jump in a different direction.”
Audiences will get the chance to make the jump with Cranor when Mississippi Blue 42 hits the shelves in 2025.
ELICRANOR.COM
poetry Beach Talks
I am walking with her.
I am walking her with her bright, pink fingertips I am walking her with her gloss stained cheeks I am walking her with her face like the moon.
I am walking her with her hopes unswallowed. I am walking with her roller skate knees. I am walk walking with her and her bubblegum
Laugh and her roller skate knees, man. They’ve out of here, No one can tell her different.
They are rockstar quality. They’re walking out of here with me. I am walking on a beach with her,
Promising with each step to stay walking with her. Keep up the pace, same as hers. Move as she moves—-
She stops to study a shell and It has guts that are an exposed rainbow in the sun, A mirror of it. World of it.
I am walking with her bright, pink fingernails. It’s gut’s slime that make her bubble gum laugh Pop again, carry it with the rollerskate knees and the rainbow inside with her head bouncy.
I am walking the shell and her Just like the guts of the shell promises the rainbows, Delivery is crucial and unpredicted.
I am walking with her roller skate knees, the rainbow inside, promises kept in hand Her rockstar knees are scabbing, promising to protect her and my tiny god hands
The promise of the eternity on the inside of the shell. with her roller-skate knees, man, the sun hot on my back. I am walking with her with the shell with the world inside her hand.
With her — it is not without hope The allowance is bigger than god. We sit and drink milk from coconuts.
— Lin Elizabeth
LThe Heartbeat Is Still There
Poet Lin Elizabeth discusses sobriety, grief and her new chapbooks.
WORDS / KODY FORD
in Elizabeth has been making a name for herself as one of Arkansas’ best up-and-coming poets. The Fort Smith native has recently come on her own as a writer and performer. Earlier this year, she released her debut chapbook, Year of the Rabbit (Hidden Hand Press), and her next release Cherry Spitter will be out in early 2025 by Bullshit Lit. Her poems have been featured in publications like Dream Boy Book Club, Basset Hound Press, Tilted House Magazine and BRUISER Mag The Idle Class chatted with her about writing, grief and sobriety.
Year of the Rabbit focuses a lot on grief and the loss of your mother. How did writing help you cope?
Grief is so, so heinous and weird, man. I wish it wasn’t an emotion that people question if they are doing it right. Like, do people ever ask if they’re feeling happy correctly? I don’t think I have, at least not consciously. My parental grief hit me differently, and this process helped me know grief but know my grief was a different type of wound. My mother had a personality disorder, and she, for better and worse, was the one person I wanted to please. My childhood was striking, and not in the best ways. Never a soft lash. No one ever prepares anyone for losing someone in the nuclear family. It’s weird. It’s a thing you don’t shake. I look in the mirror, and I see a younger version of my mom. My appearance betrays me daily because being like her would hurt more than anything I’ve endured. It helped me look at it from an observer’s point of view — so often, we get caught up in our day-to-day experience, and we do little to reflect at times on how it looks from the outside. I have this beautiful gift to experience emotions very wholly, and I invite grief in, because it doesn’t know any better. It doesn’t know where to go. It’s love bottled up with no shelf.
There’s the myth of the tortured artist who can only be brilliant by drinking themself to death, which is a ridiculous fallacy. You’ve been sober for a few years now. How has getting sober affected your writing?
The tortured artist trope works so well, doesn’t it? It gives way to a perfect excuse to not be present and spiral inward instead of out. I didn’t choose to be a poet; I think it chose me. I also did not choose to be an alcoholic; it chose me. I used to write on bar napkins on Dickson Street. I never divorced the two. Alcohol just became more important than my actual life, somehow. It’s common to transmute pain into something else, ya know? Acknowledging and sitting with pain is not a human’s first instinct when inclined to escapist tendencies.
In sobriety, however, I finally got a clear vision of what my voice could be, what kind of writer I could be. I could be the writer in the ways my drunkenness did not let me. I almost always wrote, and submitted, even at times edited: drunk, buzzed, hungover, blackout. I wanted to be heard. My voice was and still is important. I was always whiny when drinking and submitting. Selfishly, I’m still proud of the places that had gotten accepted when I was drinking. Sobriety helped me see patterns in self-destruction and acceptance of that and made me more present. It’s helped me be a better artist. A better supporter. Getting sober saved my writing...I had a subtle but screaming death wish. When I got sober, that changed considerably. It had to—I didn’t want to die. If I had, I would not be typing this on my home computer, a new artist’s album playing through the speakers. I had to change everything to keep living this life I was given. It’s a very heavy, awe-inspiring, beautiful gift.
What role does community play for a poet?
For people, for poets—it’s essential—that common-speak amongst folks. It gets lost in those who can achieve a higher status in schools, at times. In my experience, academia can sometimes drive a wedge between people. I do think that writers [or] creatives are usually lifelong friends. The way we fit together. The heartbeat is still there; as long as we have language, we will have song, fiction and poetry.
IG: @BORROWEDPOTPOURRI
UNSUNG HEROES
The rich tapestry of Arkansas music has largely been woven by female musicians and songwriters, many of whom have gone unsung. For every Sister Rosetta Tharpe, there is a Zilphia Horton–both influential in their own right but with varied degrees of fame. The stories of Arkansas women in music are now being told by Stephen Koch, host of Arkansongs, the award-winning weekly public radio segment heard by hundreds of thousands of listeners on stations all over the Mid-South including Little Rock Public Radio. He recently released the book From Almeda to Zilphia: Arkansas Women Who Transformed Popular Song on Et Alia Press.
From Almeda To Zilphia showcases creatives from the 1800s through today covering various career achievement levels over a wide array of musical genres. In addition to their portrait and bio, every featured artist has a box listing essential songs so readers can do a deeper dive. Noted musicians include country pioneer Dale Evans, composer Florence Price, opera singer Marjorie Lawrence, indie rocker Beth Ditto and roots musician Iris Dement. One of the more intriguing inclusions is the famed poet Maya Angelou, who was also a calypso singer.
Koch decided to tell these stories because of these women's tremendous, but often unknown, cultural impact. The author credits Et Alia Press publisher Erin Wood for honing the concept. Wood said, "One of the Press's areas of interest is local histories, including preserving and expanding cultural memory in its diversity, especially valuing neglected and alternative histories. While some of the women in the book are well known, others' stories have remained somewhat in the shadows, although their contributions to music are significant…With Stephen's deep expertise in music of the Mid-South and the fun trivia he's provided Arkansongs fans for decades, I knew this was going to make an enticing book for readers and serve as a critical expansion of the historical record."
Arkansongs’ Stephen Koch highlights some of the state’s most influential female musicians in his new book From Almeda to Zilphia.
WORDS / KODY FORD
In the fall of 2023, Wood and Koch recruited artist Katherine Strause to illustrate the musicians. Her work tends to be based on old photographs, so she seemed like a natural fit for the project. The original concept was 30 standard black-and-white illustrations, but Strause knew that wouldn't work. "As soon as we started, I could see they were going to need to be in color to really capture the essence of these artists," Strause said. "My artwork is always about women who are fearless and fierce…[E]ach of these women had to work twice as hard in a male-dominated industry to find their successes."
Strause worked on the pieces from February to June of this year, a tight turnaround she managed well, but not without some hiccups. Koch said that while many of the women had their own moment in the sun, he feels these transformative women should be household names today and their journeys as artists should be known.
He said, "These are largely life stories of creativity, uplift, perseverance, and strength. These are stories of achievement. We need those. [Erin] and I were talking about how this wasn’t conceived as an inspirational book for young women, but that we’re glad it works so well as that."
ETALIAPRESS.COM
Erin Wood, Stephen Koch & Katherine Strause
Timeless Talent
Celebrating 100 Years of Mary Talbert’s
Artistic Journey
WORDS / MICKEY MERCIER
On January 17, 2024 — the morning of her 100th birthday — Arkansas artist Mary Louise Talbert awoke in her small wooden house in West Fork. She began to paint, as she had done countless times in her eight decades as a working artist.
Talbert also rested in anticipation of what she knew would be a busy year ahead. More than 250 friends and patrons honored her at a 100th birthday celebration the next evening. The fête was part of the group exhibition “The Golden Creatives” at The Medium in Springdale.
More accolades followed. On August 15th, Talbert’s one-woman exhibition opened at the Apollo on Emma in Springdale. A solo show was an achievement that she had
long worked toward. On October 13th, a documentary film about her life, “The Timeless Canvas: A Century of Mary Talbert,” debuted at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
Public recognition of Talbert’s painting eluded her in earlier years but was abundant in 2024. “It’s hard to believe this is happening,” she said. “I’m thankful but overwhelmed. My life’s work has been validated.”
Mary Louise Rau was born in Topeka, Kansas, on January 17, 1924 — halfway between World War I and the Great Depression. She grew up in Atchison, Kansas, with two brothers, the daughter of railroad man Frederick John Rau and his wife Pansy, a homemaker.
Mary wanted to be an artist from an early age. “I couldn’t wait for the first day of school because I heard every pupil would receive a watercolor set,” she said.
After graduating from Atchison High School, she couldn’t afford art college. She moved to Kansas City and landed a job folding paper at the Hallmark Cards company in 1942 when it was still named Hall Brothers.
Mary kept asking her bosses for illustration work. She finally got her wish when the company licensed the Bambi character from the Walt Disney Company for a line of greeting cards. Disney sent some celluloid transparencies for reference. In the early days of animation, these “cels” were the Disney drawings for individual frames of motion cartoons.
For the greeting cards, the animals were required to be close copies of the Disney figures, but Mary was free to add scenery such as forests, rocks and ponds. She drew the nature scenes in several layers for color-separation plates.
From then on, Mary was a professional artist with a career spanning 80 years in commercial and fine arts. She worked at Hallmark for two more years, contributing to projects like framed samplers with positive messages.
In 1944, Mary left Hallmark to marry Joe Bruce Talbert from Colorado. She took his last name, and they had three children: John, Gerald and Linda. During this period, she concentrated on raising her family.
However, she still painted for pleasure and earned a little money by drawing pictures of people’s pets. She also contributed to a public art project in Atchison, which had been decimated by a flood. Artists painted pictures on boarded-up store windows to beautify the downtown.
Talbert and her family struggled financially in Kansas. In the early 1970s, they relocated to Northwest Arkansas, where her husband’s family owned land. They tried farming but found it difficult, and their finances didn’t improve much.
Talbert continued to paint in Arkansas. Her paintings sold well at craft shows but were usually rejected for juried competitions. For a time, she and her husband Joe made largescale glass etchings, framed and lighted, for sale to institutions like hospitals. They used the proceeds to buy land.
Mary Talbert attending the “Generations” art show featuring her work at The Medium in Springdale.
Talbert said that one of her early obstacles was a need for more interaction with other artists. Later, she received support and companionship from groups like Artists of Northwest Arkansas and Golden Creatives. She still drives her 2009 Chevrolet Impala to the West Fork Fire Department hall, where local artists gather to work and collaborate every week.
“I always wanted to be good enough at art that someone would buy it,” she said, adding that peer validation is nearly as fulfilling as selling a piece.
Talbert has worked in watercolor, pastel, pencil, acrylic, etching and photography. She has also taken occasional art classes, including ones with the Pastel Society of America and the University of Arkansas.
“I don’t care for oil paints because I’m too impatient to wait for the layers to dry,” she said. Nowadays, she favors pastel pencils, believing they give her the most control since the onset of arthritis.
Among her influences are Monet, the Wyeths, and John Salter, a magazine illustrator from Atchison who specialized in scenes of daily life. Talbert’s strongest work includes acrylic landscapes with precise perspective and bold colors. Her hazy impressionist pastels of people playing and working are especially appealing. The accessible style of a former Hallmark illustrator makes the scenes feel instantly familiar.
PG 11 - Left: Mary Talbert (left) stands next to Hallmark founder J.C. Hall as a Chinese war veteran speaks to the staff while on tour in the U.S. to raise money for the Chinese War Relief fund during WWII.
Stan Dark, president of Artists of Northwest Arkansas, said: “Mary Talbert is a natural, self-taught artist. Her sunsets, barns, pastures, horses, and florals portray a sense of peace and harmony. She paints in acrylics and knows exactly where she is going.”
Dr. Evelyn Jorgenson, former president of Northwest Arkansas Community College and Moberly Area Community College, provided the perspective of an arts educator. She said, “Mary Talbert’s impressionistic yet boldly colorful paintings of people, animals and scenes of everyday life are moving to both the trained and untrained eye.”
Talbert described her approach this way: “The essence of a painting is a story – of a person, place or event that gives pleasure like a parade that your grandson was in. It’s not something that might be lost like a snapshot in the Cloud.”
For a centenarian artist, perhaps the remembered images of a long life exist in an internal Cloud, like cascading layers of paint on canvas.
Carla Nemec contributed to the research for this article.
Scan the QR code below to watch the 19-minute documentary directed by Dennis Figueroa and Craig Pasquinzo for Springdale Public Schools — Don Tyson School of Innovation.
Right: A greeting card Mary Talbert designed during her time working at Hallmark.
Watch “The Timeless Canvas: A Century of Mary Talbert” here.
Coloring the World
Jessica Jones’ Journey of Joy and Resilience
WORDS / RACHEL FARHAT
Whether or not you’ve heard the name Jessica Jones, you’re most likely familiar with her work. Any mural with colorful arrays of flowers or Technicolor animals romping on walls can likely be credited to her.
In her ten years as an artist, Jones has become one of Arkansas’s most prominent muralists, using her art to beautify public spaces and make a broader social impact. For Jones, impact lies at the heart of public art. She sees the inaccessibility in the art world and count-
ers it with love and intentionality.
“Everyone may not feel comfortable stepping into a gallery but can drive past a mural and experience it exactly where they are. I typically enjoy painting joyful art, almost as a way to balance the deep sorrow inevitably tied to our existence — in one way or another — as we journey through life,” Jones said.
Jones is no stranger to sorrow. Her beginnings as an artist were catalyzed by the death of her husband, Monte, in 2017, which put her in the position to make ends meet amidst unprecedented grief. Before he passed, Jones stayed home with their two small children during the day and painted
at night while they were asleep. “[After his death,] I was left reeling from grief and the sudden transition to sole breadwinner/single parent. This was when I decided to lean fully into painting murals as an experiment of sorts to see if I could provide for my family. At first it was a lot of taking jobs where I could bring my kids before I was able to afford childcare. So I suppose you could say hardship was the catalyst that brought me here.”
Compounded with the adjustment to her new role was the reality of being a woman in a male-dominated field. “I have often had work turned away for being too ‘feminine,’ which is a bit wild to me, as if the feminine does not need as much representation in art as
“I have often had work turned away for being too ‘feminine,’ which is a bit wild to me, as if the feminine does not need as much representation in art as any other expression.”
— Jessica Jones
any other expression.”
Given the gender barriers in her field, her work is, in and of itself, a form of resistance. Although progress is slow, Jones looks forward to a future with more prominent female artists.
“Every day, the scales tip as more female artists are picking up a brush or can. More women are making the decision to invest in a mural as more women become business owners. Women breaking all forms of stereotypes and standards. I can spend all day in a scissor lift, spray paint can in hand, and then pick the kids up at four,” Jones says. “We contain multitudes and are no less capable than our male counterparts. I think the key is to realize that we are in a community effort and we
can’t isolate. Supporting each other as artists only further benefits the growth of the art community as a whole. My resistance is in existing in this world exactly as I am and in defiance of other every box someone else made for me.”
She has worked at a fast pace these last few years, and her horizons are only expanding. She is currently exploring gallery opportunities and plans to display her work in upcoming exhibitions. In mid-January, you can find her painting bike tunnels in Northwest Arkansas, with more projects lined up in Central Arkansas.
Jones’s advice for artists is to “just start! Even when you don’t feel like it, you gotta keep showing up. Ev-
ery wall I start has the fear of ‘what if I mess up?’ If I only painted or designed when I felt inspired, I wouldn’t be painting for a living today.
“The inspiration comes when you actively seek it—when you create for creation’s sake, even if it’s ‘bad.’ Being self-critical is normal, but transfer that energy to creating more instead of using those negative feelings to block yourself from trying. What you have to offer may not be what someone else does, and that’s the point, you have something unique to contribute to the fabric of our creative expressions; don’t deny us of it!”
ARTBYJESSICAJONES.COM IG: @ ARTBYJESSICAJONES
Photos courtesy of Jessica Jones
Pushing Forward: Politics, Social Conflict, and the Racial Divide in the Art of Kevin Cole
MARCH 14 — SEPT. 6
RECEPTION: MARCH 14
FEB. 1 — JULY 26
RECEPTION: FEB. 1
APRIL 18 — AUG. 9
RECEPTION: APRIL 18
Blue Skies with Purple Dreams, mixed media on paper
DJ AFROSIA
14K+ Subscribers
How did you grow your viewership?
As of now, I have 12K subscribers and recently surpassed 500,000 views on a mix I posted just a month ago. It was a classic R&B set that captures the vibe I enjoy during Autumn. Many music listeners crave a carefully curated experience they can rely on — something that goes beyond the predictable algorithms of streaming platforms or the generic feel of AI-generated playlists. I spent weeks curating and planning an hour-long set that felt authentic. I think that personal touch resonated with audiences worldwide. More than the numbers, I believe my viewership grew because I offered a genuine slice of nostalgia and stayed true to myself without relying on gimmicks.
Why use YouTube instead of live streaming on Twitch?
I initially started on Twitch, but it was frustrating to see playback videos taken down or muted due to copyright issues. My goal has always been to make
LIKE & SUBSCRIBE
For over two decades, YouTube has been the place to create. These Arkansans are making their mark.
INTERVIEWS / KODY FORD
my mixes accessible to as many people as possible, and YouTube allows for that. While monetization might not always be an option, at least my audience can enjoy the mixes whenever they want, without interruptions or restrictions. Accessibility was my top priority, and YouTube has given me the freedom to share my passion with a wider audience.
Besides this being online instead of live, are there any things you do differently for your YouTube sets?
The main difference is the content’s focus. When performing live, I cater to a diverse audience, often working within specific guidelines depending on the event. Those sets are usually open-format, blending a wide variety of genres over several hours.
On YouTube, I’ve chosen to create more concentrated, themed sets, allowing me to explore niche genres without limitations. My motto, “No Re-
quests. Trust your DJ. Enjoy the Journey,” perfectly captures the spirit of my channel — it’s all about letting go of boundaries and immersing yourself in the music. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.
How do you keep things fresh?
As a true music enthusiast, I’m constantly digging through crates—both figuratively and literally. When modern music feels overwhelming, I dive back into the past. The search for sounds — whether new or old — is key to my process because music is timeless. Sharing my connection to it, especially through nostalgia or memories, allows me to stay authentic. I’ve found that staying true to my taste without forcing trends creates a sense of familiarity that many find refreshing. It’s a reminder that genuine connection through music is always in style.
IG: @DJAFROSIA
NUKAZOOKA
2.34M Subscribers
As someone who’s more of a filmmaker than general content creator, how did you end up on YouTube?
It's hard to be a filmmaker and a content creator. Content creator is a very wide term. There's people who are vlogging. I kind of mix content creation with film…God knows, if I tried to take a camera and film myself in my daily life, I don't think anyone would have cared as much.
All these videos were essentially me with a camera and some knowledge of visual effects and getting my brother or my friend or anyone who can be animated, and just seeing how far I can push it to where we can make it entertaining enough with visual effects. I wanted to basically learn
how to do the whole process, and see how far I could get with it. And we ultimately ended up with three to four minute shorts with a lot of visual effects, usually about pop culture. And so it just sort of led to YouTube because that just seemed like the easiest outlet to just kind of get it out there.
When I started on YouTube, it was the prime time to get started on YouTube because not many people were doing it, at least in the way that I was doing it at the time. I think one of the biggest factors in which the channel took off is because a lot of people hadn't seen that sort of thing on YouTube. They'll see a Mario video with some visual effects, like a Mario guy running and jumping and hitting blocks, and they're like, “Wow, that’s different. I've never seen this before.” You can release that same video today and they’re like, “Give us something different.” But that was a big jumping off point, just separating myself in that respect.
Your videos are so high quality. Do you have investors or a studio backing you?
It's definitely the guerrilla style team with the camera style thing. I stumbled into this whole thing with the YouTube stuff. Like I said, from the start getting that VHS camera from the pawn shop, it was always I just wanted to go out and make stuff and I wanted to learn how to do that myself, which I will admit is a crutch. I did learn that later down the line. Trying to do everything myself kind of sucks. But it was a very handy tool to have though.
What made you get into creating videos for YouTube?
I’ve always been a YouTube lover since middle school in 7th8th grade. On my iPod, that was one of the apps I enjoyed and looked forward to getting on after school. Ever since I was a little girl, my mom used to record my family and the neighborhood daily on her Sony Digital Camcorder and her Kodak Digital camera, creating memories for my family to look back on. Seeing my mom capture intimate moments with her camera and allowing everyone to shine in their own ways was a life-changing experience. When I got older, I realized that creating a community in the midst of learning and sharing daily life experiences would connect with others. They will also see my vision in creative ways that have brought joy to my life.
Why do you like making videos?
I love being a YouTube content creator because I get to envisioning multiple ideas at once! I enjoy creating in different forms because it gives a sense of satisfaction to my life when I’m putting videos together, and it comes out like I envisioned it. Sometimes...it looks a bit sketchy, and you can’t tell what it’s going to be. But once I’m done, it comes out even better than I imagined.
TITAN RANCH
56K+ Subscribers
You bought a decommissioned nuclear missile silo and remodeled it into an AirBnB. That’s a big lift. The place looks great. But one thing you did that was interesting was documenting the renovation process on YouTube. What did you choose that?
Initially, it was just going to be a house for me and the family, and that changed a little bit along the way to make it an AirBnB. It’s got a lot of history. It’s what I call modern archeology. It was all buried, so I decided to dig it up. It’s just an incredible space. I just wanted to bring it to life. I knew it would be important to me, so I decided to document it. I grew up liking doing video. I’ve never been a professional at it, but I’ve always enjoyed it. I started recording the videos in 2010, just knowing that we would probably share them. In 2014, we started publishing the channel. It was a 10-year process to get everything excavated and renovated.
Did the YouTube channel help spur the marketing and get people excited to come and stay at the Airbnb?
Yeah, for sure. We have people that still show up today, and they’re like we saw you guys early on in this process. And so yeah, that drove it. But also other YouTubers. We had a couple stay here.
Tell me about your journey to becoming a YouTube creator. I started out in the YouTube world in 2012 as a part-time editor for the Screen Junkies channel, which was growing thanks to the success of the web series Honest Trailers. At the time, it was still a relatively small channel with around 100,000 subscribers. Starting in 2012 and for the next few years, movie YouTube channels really started blowing up and we eventually ended up at over five million subscribers. For a couple of years, I worked mostly behind the scenes as the editor of all the video content that appeared on the channel.
As YouTube viewers looked for more videos that featured opinions and personalities, a lot of us that worked behind the scenes at Screen Junkies started doing stuff in front of the camera, including me. It started with a show called Movie Fights in 2014, and eventually we branched out into doing movie reviews and entertainment news. I'd always loved reviewing movies, so I jumped at the chance to be the channel's critic, eventually alongside another talented critic named Roth Cornet. I also had the opportunity to start doing weekly box office analysis, another interest of mine.
Entering 2020, Screen Junkies had been bought by a different company who wanted to move away from a lot of the things I was interested in doing, so I decided that the time was right to start my own channel. I left Screen Junkies in March of 2020. Had I known that the pandemic would shut down Hollywood for over a year, I might have adjusted my timing, but I was able to improvise and I now run a channel that I'm proud of and that I use to share my lifelong love of movies.
Tell me about your current channel. My channel is devoted to pretty much everything I love about
Kara and Nate have a pretty large following (YT: @ KaraandNate). In fact, they just celebrated for a million subs. They’re like a travel couple. They’ve been to over 100 countries. They booked to stay here, and I didn’t know who they were. And in February of 2021, they stayed here for their first night in van life. And that video probably gave us 70 percent of our bookings for the next 14 months. But they’re perfectly in our niche—people who like to travel and see unique things. So their audience is just picture-perfect for us. And that wasn’t intentional, but it worked out.
TITANRANCH.COM
180K Subscribers
movies. The anchors of the channel are my weekly box office show, Charts with Dan, and reviews of new movies and streaming shows. I also do a lot of analysis around awards season where I break down the Oscar race, and videos about any topic that interests me, whether it’s my take on a news story or a ranking video of some of my favorite film franchises and directors. It’s really all an outlet for my passion when it comes to movies. I’ve always loved this stuff, and I’m happy to have the chance to make a living doing it.
THE PODCAST PLAYBOOK
Veteran podcaster Randy Wilburn offers expert tips to get your show off the ground
WORDS / KODY FORD
Podcasts are everywhere these days. Whether it’s for murder, finance, movies or history, you can find pretty much any topic you like. The Podcast Index estimates that globally around 330,000 new podcasts were published each month this year alone. So, at this point, what’s it gonna hurt to have another one in the mix? Let’s say you’ve got that brilliant idea that will make you the next Alexandra Cooper or Robert Evans. It’s a long, hard slog to reach the top of the podcasting game, but everyone has to start somewhere.
We chatted with Randy Wilburn, winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Arkast Awards, about what you need to get started with your podcasting career. Wilburn, the grandson of a broadcast journalist, got into podcasting in 2009 through his church and eventually created The Randy Wilburn Show, a general interest podcast, before moving to Northwest Arkansas. In 2019, Wilburn launched his current show, the I Am Northwest Arkansas podcast, which spotlights people, institutions and organizations in the Ozarks. Wilburn started I Am Northwest Arkansas to learn more about the area, which enabled him to hone his focus and identify his audience. He figured people would want to hear the stories of those firmly entrenched in the region. Almost 350 episodes later, his hunch has paid off.
Wilburn is a seasoned pro and has many tips for the aspiring podcaster. First, you must decide why you want to podcast and what you want the podcast to be about. Is it an interview format or a narrative format? The latter certainly requires greater technical skills, while the former requires an inquisitive disposition and active listening abilities. He also
cites monologue-type podcasts as something that can work for those who have a command of the subject matter. Narrative podcasts require lots of research and writing, whether your genre is True Crime or something else. If you want to take a Marc Maron approach and host long-form interviews, you still need to do your homework.
Regardless of which style or genre of podcast you choose, you need to decide your topic. Listening to other podcasts on similar topics is a great way to research what you want to do with your own. Given the vast amount of podcasts in the world, someone somewhere has done something similar. Start there.
Once you’ve gained the necessary knowledge for your podcast, Wilburn says, “You need to go hard in the paint.” You need a game plan to ensure that you can maintain your interest and your listeners. Look for different angles to tell stories. Given the market saturation, you must find a fresh spin on things.
Growing as a podcast requires you to become a student of the craft. Find mentors who can guide you. Listen to other podcasts or watch relevant TV shows. Wilburn used to watch Larry King Live often because he felt the journalist was a master of interviewing his guests. King kept a more conversational style and did not let his guests review any questions in advance. It’s good to have questions or notes written down if needed but beware of that becoming a crutch. You don’t want to sound like a telemarketer doing a survey.
He said, “I tell everybody to focus on giving space for your interviewee to tell the stories that matter to them because that’s how you create an engaging podcast episode. Most people that I run across that are just starting out in podcasting are not going to be able to do that out of the box. It’s going to take time, effort and practice to develop that skill. But the more they do it, the better off they’ll get. It’s like a muscle.”
To get started, you’ll need some tools of the trade. A good podcast mic is necessary, although, in a pinch, you can use an iPhone, especially given the latest iOS update that allows recording phone calls. A USB mic from brands like Yeti can work, or, if you want to go more professional, an Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB Cardioid Dynamic Microphone. Also, a Zoom H6 audio recorder can be used for multiple mics and is portable, something that’s handy if you need field recording for a narrative podcast.
A variety of editing software exists. Wilburn uses Hindenberg, but you can also use Garage Band for Mac, Audacity for Windows, Adobe Audition, or others. Wilburn estimates you can start your podcast with gear and software for less than $500. Also, many public local libraries now have podcasting tools. If you’re in Washington or Benton Counties, you can access the podcasting booth at Fayetteville Public Television. This way, you don’t even need to purchase equipment or software. According to Wilburn, the biggest challenge with podcasting is sustaining the message you want to share. “Pod fade”tends to happen between six or seven episodes when people realize that sustaining a podcast for the long term is challenging. Front-loading your podcast is one vital way of avoiding burnout. Wilburn had 10 episodes of I am NWA in the can before launch. Also, limiting your podcast to a defined season is another way to control your and the audience’s expectations.
Once your episodes are ready, you must get them out into the world. Many platforms exist for distributing podcasts–Captivate FM, Riverside, SimpleCast, Podbean and more. These will cost you some money but aren’t too prohibitive. The hosting websites can also easily get you on platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and others.
Building your audience can be a challenge. Cutting video clips for Instagram Reels or TikTok can also disseminate your work to a broad audience. Also, a little guerrilla marketing goes a long way. Wilburn says you must go out there and talk to everyone about the podcast and why they should listen. He keeps business cards with a QR code handy. This code takes people to a landing page hosted by Captivate, where they can subscribe to the podcast. Landing pages can also allow listeners to sign up for an email list, which can be used to send them links when a new episode drops.
But most importantly, the key to being a good podcast is putting in the time. Wilburn said, “The more you work at it, the stronger you get. And that’s why I always encourage people to be patient with the process…You’ve got to put the reps in to have the success that you hope to find. And it’s less incumbent upon you to have the greatest equipment in the world, more so than it is incumbent upon you to put in the time and effort to practice the craft of interviewing and storytelling so that you make the greatest impact possible with your podcast.”
“The more you work at it, the stronger you get. And that’s why I always encourage people to be patient with the process…You’ve got to put the reps in to have the success that you hope to find.”
— Randy Wilburn
Randy Wilburn, award-winning host of the I Am Northwest Arkansas podcast. (Photo submitted)
MEME NATION
Memes make us laugh, cringe and even rage. But what goes into making them? Some Arkansas creators discuss their love of the meme game.
WORDS / KODY FORD PHOTO / STEPHANIE BELL
Memes have become an ordinary part of our daily lives–a form of communication, flirtation or connection. Richard Dawkins first coined the word "meme" in relation to evolutionary principles pertaining to the spread of ideas and cultural phenomena. But like most things, the Internet hijacked it in the early 1990s. These units of cultural transmission pass from person to person and have the characteristics of creative reproduction, meaning they can be reproduced in a new context or the original material can be remixed.
As the joke goes, "Before memes, dudes just went around shouting Anchorman quotes at each other." Add in lines from Chappell's Show, and you've basically summed up the comedic trends of the early 2000s. Once Reddit launched in 2005, humorous trends began to evolve more in the direction of what we think of as memes today–an image or a GIF with a punchline. Early ones such as "Bad Luck Brian," "Success Kid" and "Hide the Pain Harold" dominated Reddit meme discourse over a decade ago. Still, memes have since evolved into surprising directions (see: dank memes, deep fried memes, etc.) with social media allowing them to be quickly and easily disseminated.
Memes are such a part of our general discourse that we often don't stop to think about who created them. Artists, writers, directors and other cre-
atives are celebrated, but meme makers are far from household names. Arkansas is home to its own meme makers, such as Dispute Denied, which focuses on humor related to life in Walmart Corporate and the world of vendors; GetBent, which makes memes about Bentonville and surrounding areas; and Current Episode, an account inspired by Bravo Reality shows.
So, what inspires someone to begin making memes? The NWA Heretics, the brains behind GetBent, have been at it for a while now. They said, "It's been well over a decade for us. We're naturally creative, and as soon as memes started flooding into social media feeds, we were making them. These were private memes we'd send to friends. It gave us a creative outlet. Just fun, just for the moment. We didn't talk about public meme-making until maybe three years ago, and even then, it took some time to go through with it. But we're so glad we did."
ST, creator of Dispute Denied, had a similar story. "It started as a way for me to create and share funny memes with my friends and coworkers. The Walmart world is a pretty challenging one with a lot of quirks, so it was fun coming up with hyper-specific jokes to make folks laugh."
Cade Bethea of Current Episode found his way there a bit differently. During the 2020 quarantine, he began binge-watching Bravo reality shows at the urging of his friends and discovered a creative fandom. "People watch these shows and do live tweeting [and] live meme-making. Once I started doing that, I really wanted to make something of my own. So, I ended up coming up with the name, Current Episode, and launching that account."
These creators have all found online tools to aid in their meme-making. GetBent prefers SuperimposeV, PhotoShop, and GoDaddy Studio for static memes, while Dispute Denied and Current Episode lean on Canva for video memes. Both GetBent and Dispute Denied use CapCut for video memes.
Much digital content creation revolves around strategy — hacking the algorithms to find viral content. Still, these creators tend to focus more on quality than quantity. The NWA Heretics tend to post mid-evening and maybe 2-3 posts and 10 stories monthly. ST typically shares a few per week. Given Current Episode's niche of being recap content-based, Bethea does stick to a stricter schedule that follows the programming on Bravo. Every Thursday, he creates a carousel roundup "Mentally I'm Here" post that collects the biggest moments in pop culture throughout
the week. These are his most popular content on the Current Episode Instagram.
With the advent of TikTok and Instagram's pivot to promoting Reels, making videos has undoubtedly become one way to get more eyeballs on memes than ever before. Some of GetBent's reels have recently received up to 400,000 views.
Virality is one of the ultimate goals of a serious memer, but the definitions of this can vary. For the NWA Heretics, hundreds of thousands of views in Benton County mean a lot. ST offered up their own metric for success, saying, "I've heard from a number of Walmart employees that the account has been a topic of more than one Walmart leadership meeting."
Given Bethea's niche, influence comes in the form of recognition from Bravo stars, many of whom follow (and sometimes unfollow) him. He also gets invites to the annual Bravo Con to mix and mingle with the reality personalities, which is his biggest thrill. He said, "My favorite moments are when I've run into one of them. They don't know Cade Bethea if I say my name, but when I say Current Episode, they immediately do. And it's always like a shock on their face, and then it's always followed by a hug. So, I love that."
No matter your content strategy, if you want to go viral, you still need something good. The NWA Heretics offered this advice: "The best memes have an unexpected hook that feels really personal to you, something you realize you've felt but never said out loud. And, of course, a layer of humor or absurdity to communicate it. Both are important, and they need to mesh well, but the hook is the most important because that's how you're making that personal connection and building something communal versus one-directional."
So what is it about memes that we love so much — the LOLs, the ease of sharing, the moments of connection they create between friends? Bethea sees convenience as one of their benefits. He said, "They are such an easy thing to send to people, whether you text or DM them. It's just a good way to keep connected."
ST feels that the Dispute Denied memes create a sense of shared experience among those working in the corporate world of NWA. They said, "Memes that come from lived pain always resonate."
The NWA Heretics see memes as a form of cultural conversation.
"Memes can be a way to kick-start a more meaningful exchange," they said. "If someone shares a meme with controversial or nuanced undertones, it's immediately a discussion forum. That might be a little generous for some of the 'discussions' you'll see out there, but memes can still be a pop-up town square in that sense. It's become a channel for sharing ideas in a way we used to not have. Memes connect us because when we laugh together, we bond. And humor can, of course, help us cope, even collectively. So it's all of these things and more."
IG: @GET_BENT_ONVILLE
IG: @DISUPTEDENIED
IG: @CURRENTEPISODE
Left: Cade Bethea of Current Episode. Above: A reel from Get Bent. Below: A meme from Dispute Denied.
How local musicians use social media to reach fans.
From Arkansas to Everywhere
INTERVIEWS / ADDIE JONES
These days, TikTok views can matter more than ticket sales, so new generation of musicians are turning to social media to gain and leverage their stardom. For some local artists, a well-timed video can lead to thousands of new followers, while others rely on consistent content and steady growth. Four Arkansas native musicians — Ashtyn Barbaree (TT: @missashtyn), Moselle (TT: @mosellemusic), Ellen Nicolls (TT: @mosellemusic) and Thoughts on Bowling (IG: @thoughtsonbowling)— shared their strategies for curating social media content and staying authentic while building a digital brand.
How would you describe your artistry and brand?
Moselle: “I’m a singer/songwriter who loves Alice in Chains just as much as Joan Baez. I try to write in a way that disarms the listener and leaves them with a little extra compassion.”
How have you been able to incorporate social media into your music career?
Thoughts on Bowling: "With the modern day Internet, it's much easier to share your music with people over social media than by doing shows around the area or handing out a CD of your music. It was almost a no-brainer to promote our EP through social media."
What platforms have you found to be most successful?
Ellen Nicolls: "I've gone viral on TikTok without trying. But I feel like I'm more consistent on Instagram, especially since you can post multiple types of media there. Really, since video content has become so popular, TikTok and reels are the best places to be."
What is your process for planning, creating, and scheduling social content?
Thoughts on Bowling: "We had a simple idea for our reels, just us playing our instruments in interesting spots around town. We went and had our friend Oliver record us, and from there added subtitles to catch the eye and a caption relating to some stereotype about our music. We try to schedule posts 3 times a week (M/W/F), but may do 4 if we have a show or big thing to announce."
Have you had any particularly successful strategies or posts that went viral?
Ashtyn Barbaree: "In 2020, I met an Instagram Reels curator who recommended using well-lit, vertical videos that grab attention in the first 3 seconds. I had some success with that, but trends change quickly."
How has your Arkansas location influenced your online presence and audience?
Moselle: "Arkansas influences my sound immensely. I grew up hearing folk and bluegrass and super indie rock and metal bands, but nature also shaped my writing."
What advice would you give other musicians about using social media?
Ellen Nicolls: "My advice to those who don't yet have the knowledge or passion for social media, people like me, is to set aside, like, 5 hours just to create content like once or twice a month. That way, you get less burnt out."
How do you think social media is changing opportunities for musicians?
Thoughts on Bowling: "Social media is forcing musicians to put themselves out there. The negative is that doing that hides people who are introverted but incredibly good at their instrument and deserve that support and fame."
How do you maintain authenticity while also being strategic about growth?
Ashtyn Barbaree: "Maintaining authenticity while growing strategically means staying true to who I am as an artist and sharing that with my audience. I focus on content that reflects my music and personality. At the same time, I plan posts around important events, like album releases, and use analytics to understand what's working and try to do more of that."
Thoughts on Bowling
Ellen Nicolls
Ashtyn Barbaree Moselle
THE SOUND OF COMMUNITY
Independent radio is alive and well across Arkansas. We spoke with stations in Hot Springs and Bentonville about keeping the airwaves abuzz.
WORDS / RACHEL FARHAT
In an era dominated by algorithms and streaming platforms, local radio stations stand as bastions of human connection. They offer something that Spotify-created playlists and YouTube channels can’t: a real sense of community. Stations like KUHS 102.5 FM in Hot Springs and KOBV 103.3 in Bentonville are keeping the spirit of local broadcasting alive through creativity, passion, and a commitment to their communities.
HOT SPRINGS: SOLAR-POWERED SOUND + COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
KUHS is a program of Low Key Arts, an arts nonprofit in Hot Springs, and can be streamed 24 hours a day. It is the only solar-powered station in Arkansas, operating out of a brewery and pizza joint and powered entirely by volunteer DJs.
“We get many listeners who tune us in while driving because they want to hear something creative and new instead of the manufactured offerings of Big Radio,” explained station manager Zachary Smith. “Local radio, when it has live DJs, allows listeners to get music and recommendations from someone they can know, just tuning in again next week. Rather than forcing more of the same into a possible purchase, live DJs can bring listeners on a free trip to new musical destinations.”
This spirit of innovation is echoed by the station’s DJs, like the locally be-
loved Lacey Rainbow. Her engaging personal style has made her a local favorite. Rainbow shares stories, laughs with her family on air, and hosts events like holiday sweater showcases. When tragedy struck and her family home burned down, the station and its community rallied to support her, turning a scheduled Low Key Arts event into a fundraiser. The donations from listeners were a testament to the support of the community that KUHS has created.
BENTONVILLE: NO FILLER, ALL KILLER
Bentonville Radio’s motto is simple:
“No filler, all killer.” The station platforms local DJs to play music without interruptions. A standout example is DJ Todd of North America, whose eclectic selections and thoughtful commentary have cultivated a loyal following. Todd sources progressive dance music from across the globe and weaves it into a narrative that resonates deeply with his listeners.
“Todd’s never-ending appetite for music translates into his shows…, commentary on the music and artists he features,” said station representative Michael Abb.
Fundraising is also an integral part of Bentonville Radio’s sustainability. The station hosts dynamic events, such as biannual dance parties, which raise funds and strengthen community ties. “These events highlight station DJs and celebrate our listeners for their
dedication to the station,” Abb said.
THE MODERN ROLE OF LOCAL RADIO
Despite the challenges posed by streaming platforms and digital media, local radio remains vital to these Arkansas communities. Stations like KUHS and KOBV offer something that algorithms can’t replicate — a human touch. Passionate volunteers use local stations to transcend the commercialism that drives the music industry and platform music that’s less accessible on corporate radio.
As Zachary Smith said, “Local radio allows listeners to build a relationship with the programmers of the station. They discover new tunes and ideas they might not have learned about from a prediction algorithm based on what they already do.”
This ethos sustains these stations through challenges like maintaining technical relevancy and juggling the demands of an all-volunteer staff. Radio is thriving, adapting, and enriching the lives of listeners who value the human connection behind the music. It’s a labor of love, driven by the belief that radio is more than just entertainment — it’s a community lifeline.
KUHSRADIO.ORG BENTONVILLERADIO.COM
THE ART OF INFLUENCE
Exploring the Impact of the Natural State’s Digital Tastemakers.
INTERVIEWS / SYDNEY JOHNSON
Marcy Harriell | IG: @marcyharriell | YT: @handmadeharriells
16 years active | 37K+ followers | 45K subscribers
Why do you create content, and how does it connect to your love for fashion & music?
Since I was a kid, fashion has always been my Technicolor armor. Growing up multiracial, there was no one group that accepted me—I was always too little of something to be enough of anything. But my parents taught my brother and me to celebrate what made us different, and I did that through the clothes I wore. I feel ridiculous at times, putting out pictures of Technicolor dresses when the world is on fire, but people need joy. I try to remind myself that when I’m scrolling, I’m looking for something to give me a smile. My hope is that my content is an extension of that! We need joy to get through the rest.
Where do you find fashion inspiration? Does your music influence your style, or do other art forms play a role?
Music influences everything in my life! I don’t ever have a quiet moment in my head. A quiet song, maybe—but never silence. So for sure, music plays a constant role. I’m also
so inspired when people embrace their own style. Friends, family, folks both on and off screen—when I see someone fully express themselves in what they choose to adorn their body with, that’s a huge inspiration.
What have been one of your favorite moments?
My husband and I launched our YouTube in the summer of 2020. Our goal was simple: make people laugh and teach a little sewing along the way. The video that really took off was a cotton mask tutorial, created during the mask shortage. At that point, I’d sewn hundreds of masks for healthcare workers, and was so tired of it I didn’t want to make the video. But we leaned into that frustration, and the video went viral. Our channel exploded as people found humor in the absurdity of it all. In 2021, as live performances resumed, we toured the country, and were amazed by how many people told us our content had helped them through the isolation. We really do think of our viewers as friends.
Todd Belin | IG + TT: @thetoddbelin
7+ years active | 5.6K followers | 1.4K followers
Why do you create content?
I promote my business, Moves In Motion LLC, where we inspire and motivate through dance and movement. I also love sharing positive messages, entertaining dance videos, fashion, and a bit of comedy to engage and uplift my audience!
What equipment do you use?
I normally use my amazing iPhone 14 Pro Max, Gimble, Tripod, and small sound box!
How do you grow your followers?
Consistency and catering to your specific audience target, in my case dancers and entertainers. Whether it’s fashion, dance, interior design, cars etc. “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”
Do you have any tips for hacking the TikTok algorithm?
A nice tip would be, finding the most popular songs or trends and just being consistent with the engagement. Sometimes it’s hit or miss for me! Usually I play with time. Posting randomly and when I see engagement happen quickly, I try and notate the time. Then I usually start posting around that specific time. Like I said, it can be hit or miss!
What have been one of your favorite moments?
Just a few favorite moments are when THE Janet Jackson reposted my video, Ella Mai and Kelly Rowland (R&B Music Artist) commented on a dance video, and my first viral video was New Years 2019. My Uber driver posted a video of me dancing on Interstate 285 in Atlanta Georgia during a car traffic jam.
Hangry Pedaler NWA | Joseph Nguyen
@HangryPedalerNWA
5+ years active | 23.4k followers
Why do you create content?
It started off as just for fun. I used to post pictures of food on my Facebook and people would tell me I should post it all in a dedicated space like a web page or Instagram. I started my Instagram in 2019 right before COVID and during COVID my main objective was to help small businesses advertise. I love spreading restaurant news and I’m even getting paid gigs from time to time.
How did you pick your niche?
I knew I wanted to have a foodie page but then decided to combine my love for cycling as well. There are a lot of foodie pages in our area, so I’m just another foodie that loves content creation
What have been one of your favorite moments?
I recently partnered with Onyx Coffee to create my own Hangry Pedaler coffee blend, even getting paid for it, which was awesome! One of the best perks of being a content creator is getting invited to soft openings and restaurant events to sample food before anyone else. It’s such an honor when businesses reach out to me for these opportunities.
Ebony Mitchell | IG : @ebonymitchell |
2.5 years active | 1.2K followers | 1.5K followers
Why do you create content?
I love connecting with people and showcasing brands that I love. I call my Instagram my “highlight reel” where I can showcase the highlights of my life. Social media can be full of a lot of negative and toxic things, so I love bringing a lighter energy to my feed!
What is your favorite content to create?
I love creating lifestyle content. I also love creating vlogging style content where people can follow along with me!
What have been one of your favorite moments?
I love showcasing non profits, or local businesses. My favorite collab has been with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas. Showcasing what they do and their mission was truly special.
What’s the inspiration behind @datingarkansas?
My best friend Montie and I started Dating Arkansas as a way to highlight the great places Arkansas has to offer. We were already going to them, so we thought, “why not vlog it!” We enjoy showcasing the best our state has to offer everyone who lives here or visiting.
Any advice for getting started?
Just GO FOR IT! You never know what could happen. I fully believe in trying and failing and trying again until you succeed. If this is something you want, go for it!
Shaniya Abrams | IG : @savouringshaniya
1 year active | 15K followers
Why do you create content?
It allows me to share glimpses of my everyday life in a visual way. My life becomes the content, and I get to connect with people who appreciate it, all while supporting and promoting local businesses. It also inspires me to live more mindfully and appreciate the beauty in the world around me. Who wouldn't love that?
What is your favorite content to create?
Content I haven’t created before, that’s sort of the fun in it! As a creative person, it’s so important to try new things! I don’t believe in limiting or putting myself in a box so it’s all my favorite! That’s why I’ve never labeled myself as one thing or another when it comes to my content. I’m just a creator who loves to romanticize life!
What have been one of your favorite moments?
One that immediately comes to mind has to be my Juneteenth “Savouring Rooftop Cinema” event in collaboration with Downtown Little Rock Partnership! The turnout was beyond my wildest dreams. To have so many people, especially ones who look like me, come out and support was unreal. People STILL come up to me saying how great it was, and asking when the next one will be…that’s when it really hit me like, “Wow! This is so much bigger than me.”
Chris Bell-Davis | IG: @chrisbelldavis
9 years active | 7K followers
Why do you create content?
I love sharing my perspective with the world. Content creation feels like an art form to me—you’re capturing moments, piecing them together, and putting them out there. It can be scary, but it’s incredibly rewarding.
How do you define "Joy Influencer"?
To me, a joy influencer is someone who inspires followers to see the bright side, to look for beauty in everyday life, and to create joy if they can’t find it. I believe that finding joy doesn’t have to cost a lot of money—it just takes imagination and, maybe, a little bit of delusion! You have the power to bring light into any situation.
What have you learned along the way?
Social media requires strategy and consistency. There’s room for every niche; you just have to find your lane and navigate it well. Not everyone needs social media, and quality beats quantity. Focus on doing a few things really well to save your energy. Social media isn’t a cure-all—it’s
simply a reflection of a brand and its mission.
How do you schedule your posts?
Since I work in social media marketing and advertising with over 30 clients across various industries, I sometimes end up neglecting my own channels. I use Hootsuite to schedule posts, and I also do social media audits to help people figure out the best posting frequency for their goals.
What have been one of your favorite moments?
Attending NYFW for the first time was incredible. I was actually there as an influencer’s assistant/plus-one, but it was all about the environment! Being surrounded by other creators, sharing so much love, information, and knowledge— it was unforgettable.
Any advice for getting started?
Be curious, be hungry, be quick, and be agile. Use your imagination, and be bold enough to believe that whatever you’re creating is needed, is the best, and is award-winning—simply because you made it. Most of all just START! Start now, start small and just get started. You will figure it out.
Why do you create content?
I create content out of passion, especially when it means supporting small businesses. My focus is on showcasing things to do in Arkansas, and if my content drives people to discover a local business or event, it’s incredibly rewarding.
How many times a day do you post/scheduling?
I don't schedule my posts. I try to post 3-4 vlogstyle videos a week on my TikTok. Quality over quantity is my rule.
How do you grow your followers?
Quality and relatability are key to growing a loyal following. When your followers feel like they're right there with you on your journey, your audience will grow organically.
Any tips for hacking the TikTok algorithm?
Discover your niche and focus on what your audience enjoys most from you — then nurture it. For me, that meant sharing my personality as I explore local businesses.
What have been one of your favorite moments?
My first post after moving to NWA was a trip to an Arkansas Razorbacks football game—it set my TikTok on fire, and I knew I had to keep going. Since then, I’ve had the chance to collaborate with big names like Raising Cane's, as well as local staples like Crystal Bridges Museum & The Momentary. Local businesses in NWA also recognize the impact of creators & I have gotten to experience so many places simply because of my TikTok posts. My tagline, “Hey Bestie,” even inspired merchandise that my followers can buy and wear, which feels incredibly rewarding as a smaller creator. I love the bestie community we've built!
What have been some of your coolest interactions online?
It’s amazing when people message me saying they visit every spot I recommend and appreciate seeing LGBTQ+ representation in Arkansas—it truly makes my day. But what I love even more is when it goes beyond online interactions. People often come up to me and say, “Hey Bestie,” showing just how real the connections we build through social media can be. It’s proof that influencers can create meaningful relationships through sharing their journeys.
Are there any opportunities in Arkansas for influencers?
I always say the opportunities for creators are limitless. So many people tell me, “I wish I could do what you do,” and my response is always, “Why can’t you?” Post content that’s genuine and meaningful to you, and opportunities will follow. That was my experience. Just be real and stay true to what you love - people will recognize that.
Cheap Thrills | IG: @cheapthrillsarkansas
Why do you create content?
It’s all about community. Not only do we want to share the beautiful pieces we have in the store, we want to share the fun we have every day. The posts that we are the most excited about are often the posts our audience is most excited about. We strive to make people feel good.
How many times a day do you post?
Posting on Instagram is a priority, maybe directly under in-person customer service. The store has a hefty demographic of customers from all over the world that are connected exclusively through Instagram. Though we try to post as much as possible, there are many factors that make this process quite free-flowing. How many new pieces do we have, how busy is the store, and how inspired we are feeling. Our posting frequency can range from only a few times a day to upwards of ten.
Walk us through the art of styling an outfit.
The process typically starts with one special piece. Our star. Whether it be a dress, bag, necklace, or otherwise, we let her guide us to inspiration. One of the crew is selected to model (personal style and vibe are just as important as size/ fit), then we combine our brains to refine the look into its strongest, most fashionable form. With joy as a priority, the more eye-catching the better. Building a look is building a
character. We ask: Who is she? Where is she going? What’s her story? After thorough deliberation, we find the most effective environment to place our subject and bring that person to life.
What have been one of your favorite moments?
A recent favorite was a Halloween shoot with Maxine’s Tap Room, where they went all out with Shrek Drag—dragon, onion carriage, and swampy cocktails included. And when a Princess Fiona dress appeared, we couldn’t say no! We love collaborating with local businesses. Honorable mention goes to our viral Moo Deng Fit Check on TikTok, inspired by a baby pygmy hippo. We created a look with Rick Owens, vintage leather, and a custom cabbage bag.
What have been some of your coolest interactions online or in-person?
We’ve had some exciting brushes with stardom — Mason Ramsey reposted us before his show at George’s Majestic, and Lana Del Rey visited the day after her Rogers show, later posting in one of our vintage pink quilted coats. While those moments are unforgettable, it’s the support from our followers, local and beyond, that truly means the most. Cheap Thrills creates connections that extend from our store to the digital world, and we’re incredibly grateful for the love and support we receive.
Resources for Content Creators
FAYETTEVILLE
Fayetteville Public Television Faypublic.tv
Fayetteville Public Television offers camera and audio equipment rental, a television studio, editing software and a podcast booth. Classes include content creation, editing, advanced field production, advanced motion graphics, color correction and more. These resources are free to Fayetteville residents, employees of the City of Fayetteville, employees of Fayetteville-based nonprofits and students of Fayetteville-based educational institutions. Washington and Benton County residents are welcome to use the resources for a $50 annual membership fee.
Center for Innovation at the Fayetteville Public Library faylib.org/innovation-10978
The Fayetteville Public Library’s Center for Innovation empowers the community by providing access to artistic, technical, and job skill-building resources through state-of-the-art facilities and tools to bridge gaps in technology and education. The CFI is open to all ages, but the space requires those under 13 to be accompanied by an adult and is closed on Sundays. Programs are free for library card holders.
Key features include the Audio Production Studio, which offers professional-grade acoustics, a vocal booth, and software for editing and mixing. Other facilities include the Editing Suite, featuring advanced audio and video editing tools, and the Photography Studio, equipped with cameras, lighting options, backdrops, and more for photographers of all skill levels. The Podcast Booth provides a high-quality recording setup for one to two people, while the Video Production Studio offers professional-grade Blackmagic and Avid equipment, including 4K cameras, teleprompters, a green screen, and an audio mixer. The audio and video studios require orientation before use, ensuring users are prepared to make the most of these exceptional resources.
NORTH LITTLE ROCK
Best Buy Teen Tech Center @ the Arkansas Innovation Hub arhub.org/bbttc
For youth interested in content creation, the Arkansas Innovation Hub’s Best Buy Teen Tech Center allows teens to explore their interests in programming, filmmaking, music production, technology, art, and design under the watchful eye of mentors. Teens can utilize the podcasting station, music recording studio and instruments, Canon DSLR cameras, drones, Go Pro cameras, green screen and audio equipment.
LITTLE ROCK
Central Arkansas Library System cals.org
The Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) offers a recording studio on the 3rd floor of the Roberts Library, ideal for capturing audio for podcasts or oral histories. Equipped with a Marantz recorder, professional microphones, studio headphones, video cameras and more, the space provides the tools needed for high-quality recordings. Users must bring their own SD cards for recording devices and can schedule appointments with at least two weeks’ notice. Equipment training is available by appointment to ensure users maximize the studio’s resources.
The new Business and Technology Center at the Williams Library offers a mini-studio with free equipment to support digital content creation, from promotional videos to podcasts, empowering small businesses and creative entrepreneurs.
HOT SPRINGS
Inception to Projection lowkeyarts.org
Inception to Projection (I2P) is a handson filmmaking program that trains participants to write, direct, produce and edit original short films. I2P has a proven track record of creating a path for aspiring filmmakers to make professional short films while preparing
them for a career in the film industry. Emerging filmmakers are paired with professional mentors as they create an original short film. Students have used I2P to develop portfolios for college applications or build their resume for work on professional sets. The students publicly screen their films at the Persistence of Vision Film Festival.
STATEWIDE
Arkansas Cinema Society arkansascinemasociety.org
Established in 2017 by Jeff Nichols and Kathryn Francis Tucker, the Arkansas Cinema Society (ACS) works to build a film community in Arkansas where filmmakers and film lovers can watch movies, share ideas, connect with each other, and nurture the new and existing talent within our state through increased exposure to filmmakers and their art. ACS offers film labs, workshops and classes on writing, directing, producing and acting throughout the year, including at their annual celebration of cinema, Filmland, at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts.
Arkansas Podcast Collaborative arkansaspodcasters.org
Podcasting in Arkansas is thriving, thanks to the Arkansas Podcast Collaborative (APC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering local creators. Founded in 2023, APC helps aspiring podcasters launch their shows and guides established creators to expand their reach. With training, workshops, networking opportunities and community events, APC offers a wealth of resources to support podcasters at every level.
The highlight of APC’s initiatives is ARKAST, an annual festival celebrating Arkansas’s podcasting culture by uniting creators, industry experts, and fans. By joining APC, podcasters gain access to a supportive community committed to amplifying the state’s unique voices and stories. Whether you’re just starting or ready to take your podcast to the next level, APC is there to help.
ESCAPE THE ORDINARY
From unforgettable live music to handcrafted cocktails with friends looking over the Bentonville skyline, the Momentary is the perfect place to get away this season—or get inspired.