1000 Meals with 1000 Artists

A Blue Canoe Retrospective with Andrew Taggart

Mike shares a meal with Andrew Taggart, the former General Manager and Chair of the Board for Blue Canoe Productions. Andrew worked on Blue Canoe from 2006-2018, in a variety of roles and is one of the few people who saw the growth and change of that theatre company for over 11 years. Mike and Andrew share the origins of the theatre company and their thoughts on their time in Kingston creating theatre.

Capturing Life with Tolorunlogo Akinrinola

This week Mike chats with Photographer Tolorunlogo Akinrinola (Toloimages.com), they discuss Tolo's art, going from capturing moments in life to portrait photography, event photography and more.

Art in Allyship with Jennifer Gibson and Robert Vaughn

This week is an "on the road" conversation as Mike chats with Actor / Filmmaker Jennifer Gibson and Filmmaker Robert Vaughn. They discuss Jennifer and Robert's careers and what inspired them to create their current film This Time, a film about the power of connection and the importance of being seen as you are. This Time is finishing a tour of free screenings and is starting to make waves a film festivals across North America.

Adaptive Arts Process with Kristen Loreto

This week Mike chats with Kristen Loreto, an Arts Educator in Ottawa. Kristen is from Timmins, Ontario, where she started in the arts young with dancing, singing, piano and doing summer camps with Lock and Keynote Productions, both as a participant and later as an instructor! Kristen recently choreographed Guys & Dolls for Lost Baggage Musical Theatre in Ottawa, a show Mike directed, and the two discuss her process for choreography, how that differs from teaching and what comes after feeling success after completing a project. 

Music Consulting with Angelo Leo

Mike chats with Angelo Salvatore Leo, a local musician and music entrepreneur who has a consulting business, working with local restaurants to bring in more entertainment and create arts events. The two chat about A. Leo Consulting and Angelo's history with film, visual arts and music. 

We're All Artists with Sasha Lapointe Lawless

This week Mike chats with Sasha Lapointe Lawless a multidisciplinary artist from Ottawa who is currently studying in Montreal. Sasha talks about visual arts, design, film and his current projects as he works towards making a difference and an impact through his art.

A Meal with Benjamin Rusasa

This week, Mike chats with Benjamin Rusasa, a cinematographer and director! As a young filmmaker, Benjamin got the chance to create a short film with CBC and with the Ottawa Youth Film Festival! Now he's onto his next project, getting set for a filming weekend right now as he prepares to enter his next short in film festivals next year. 

A Meal with Zach Porter

Mike shares a meal with Zach Porter, an Indigenous Music Producer, sound designer and engineer who mostly supports projects in Ottawa! Mike and Zach discuss all that goes into music producing and the importance of sound in the performing arts. The two also discuss some challenges facing the Ottawa arts scene.

A Meal with Ellie Floyd

Mike chats with Ellie Floyd over some delicious mac and cheese at the Dreamland Cafe. Ellie is an artist, an educator and an arts educator who recently completed an amazing mural project with a local high school. The two chat about arts education, education in general and why Mike fully believes Ellie should call herself an artist. 

A Meal with Taiya Peckham

Mike chats with Taiya Peckham, an actor and theatre performer who is part of 100 Watt Productions, a unique professional theatre project for youth.