Ammon Swenson, Alaska Public Media

When you walk into the International Gallery of Contemporary art in downtown Anchorage, you'll be greeted by a painting of a woman. She's sitting on a chair, wearing nothing but a sheer scarf and hat that says "Art Slut." It's a self-portrait by artist Linda Lucky, inspired by Alice Neel who painted herself in the nude at 80. Lucky's show at IGCA called "Loose Ends" is a journey through a diverse selection of work showing the fun and whimsy of youth, the sophistication of midlife and the nostalgia of looking back.

This week on State of Art we're hearing from artist Scott Clendaniel. He combines his love of the outdoors, beer and positive vibes in his work. In addition to landscapes and other Alaska scenes, when scanning through his collection of paintings, you might find X-wings from Star Wars flying over Denali, an octopus hitting up some fresh powder on skis, or local beers in the foreground of an epic background. You can find his paintings on display at Turnagain Brewing until October 6.

This week on State of Art we're hearing from Jovell Rennie and Young Kim from Akela Space. The local photographers and long-time friends are the driving force behind the spot’s mission to showcase new artistic talent and provide an inclusive community space. We hear about what they look for when collaborating with an artist, past shows and events, and how they want the spot to be a blank canvas of possibilities.

This week on Addressing Alaskans we'll hear how the Anchorage economy has been progressing and what issues lie ahead. Speakers include AEDC President and CEO Bill Popp, Mayor Dave Bronson and University of Alaska President Pat Pitney.

This week on State of Art we're hearing from O'Hara Shipe. She took over as managing editor of the Anchorage Press in March after being a long-time contributor to the alt-weekly. She is also the state director for cannabis magazine Alaska Leaf and has her own photography business Shipe Shots. We discuss her professional hockey career, her work as a journalist and her goals for the paper.

This week on State of Art we're diving into what's been happening at Cyrano's this month. We hear from the theater's Producing Artistic Director Teresa K. Pond about the play "5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche" and how social repression and dread of nuclear war in the 1950s helps influence the period comedy. We also hear from painter Elizabeth Belanger about her work on display in the theater's gallery and how a cancer diagnosis helped her start painting again.

This week on State of Art we're hearing from three creatives that make up August's diverse International Gallery of Contemporary Art exhibits. Rachael Juzeler has a love for rust and incorporating found objects into...

This week on State of Art we're joined by local singer-songwriter Emma Hill who tells us about her project "Park Songs." Hill spent months travelling around the U.S. and Canada visiting national parks, recording notes and melodies along the way. The project is a combination of music, travelogue and advocacy for parklands. In this episode we also learn about Galway Days. Peggy Monaghan from the Irish Club of Alaska tells us about the upcoming celebration of Irish culture.

This week on State of Art we're joined by Salmonfest organizer David Stearns. The music and arts festival runs from August 5 through 7 at the Kenai Peninsula Fairgrounds in Ninilchik. Headliners include Umphrey's McGee, Shakey Graves, Rising Appalachia and California Honeydrops. We learn about the old days, the festival's salmon-centric mission, and what's new this year.

In her collection of essays called "All the Colors We Will See," Patrice Gopo examines her experience of being raised by Jamaican immigrant parents and growing up Black in Alaska. Now she's helping others tell their stories in a free writing workshop.

The salmon-supporting festival runs from August 5 to 7 and features dozens of visiting and local musicians.

Pro snowboarder turned musician Gus Engle releases his second album "Dungeon Master."

Dan McElrath spent the last three decades living and making a name for himself in Alaska through his jazz combo The Dan Mac Band, collaborations with local artists and through is work as the state's premier piano technician.

Wild Shore New Music is a New-York based chamber music collective that features Alaska-raised musicians with a focus on the relationship between art and our environment.

This week on State of Art we're checking out the newest episode of Indie Alaska called "How Running Ultramarathons Saved Carol Seppilu's Life." We'll also hear about one Sitkan's musical fingerprints on the SpongeBob SquarePants cartoon. We wrap up the episode with a track from long-time Alaska musician Dan McElrath who is playing two going away shows this summer.

The show tells the story of toys stuck in a out of order claw machine and what happens when it's turned on. We're joined by "The Claw" director Justin Stewart and music director Annika Merkel to find out about the musical, working with youth and the play's theme of facing the unknown.

On this episode of Hometown, Alaska, Zoryna Lealai, a youth advocate for the Anchorage Youth Task Force, and Julia Terry, co-director of the organization Choosing Our Roots, will be joining the discussion on exposing and combating youth homelessness, while providing a very personal perspective on the issue. What organizations are out there shedding light on, and actively engaging in, the fighting against youth homelessness? 

With a special primary for US representative on June 11 and upcoming elections this fall, representatives from Alaska Division of Elections and Alaskans for Better Elections explain how the voting process works and answer audience questions.

The studio occupies the former Fire Island Bakery Location on G Street in downtown Anchorage and promises memberships, one-off classes and more.

This program was presented by the Alaska World Affairs Council.