Talk Show Hosts
Welcome Victor Gartner, Host
All of us here at the PFTA Group are excited to welcome our new Talk Show Host Victor Gartner. Victor joined the show just recently and will be continuing the Podcast at the Visual Art Center in Punta Gorda, FL. So Make sure to join us this weekend as we launch the new series as Victor takes the center Chair. Welcome Victor!!!
I’m excited to announce the return of our “Where We Talk Art” Podcast at the Visual Art Center in Punta Gorda, FL. with our new Host Victor Gartner. I have come to know and respect this wonderfully talented and gracious guy over the past few years and have no doubt he’ll bring a lot to the show which airs this weekend.
Victor Gartner, Bio
Since the 1980’s watercolor painting has been Victor’s primary creative outlet. A decade later Victor discovered scratchboard while in Florida. Since then Victor’s artwork has been scratchboards portraits, buildings and science fiction themes. Scratchboard etchings is time consuming, requiring 100’s of hours per board, yet Victor finds it most gratifying. His art has won awards in Massachusetts and Southwest Florida. He is a member of the International Society of Scratchboard Artists, the Greater Gardner League of Artists in Massachusetts, The North Port Art Center, and the Visual Art Center of Punta Gorda, Florida.
I’m excited to be hosting the show I’ve enjoyed listening to for so long, to get a change to continue exploring all the worlds of art.
Dave Bise, Host
Dave is a St. Louis native, an artist, active advocate and philanthropist for the arts, and supporter of many nonprofit organizations. He co-founded and serves as President of Partnership for the Arts Group since 1994 with the mission of supporting the arts and education. He founded and hosted the Partnership For The Arts internet Podcast talk show “Where We Talk Art” in Punta Gorda from 2017-2021. Dave is the current host of Science Fiction Studios, recorded in the Magic City of Birmingham, AL.
Merry Bise, Co-host
Merry co-hosted the “Where We Talk Art” show with Dave and also co-hosted the ‘Taste of the Arts’ show in Punta Gorda, FL. She is currently assisting with web publication of the PFTA Talk Show and Sci-fi Verse Studio Productions Episodes in the Magic City of Birmingham, AL.
Merry enjoys gardenting and experimenting with new recipes with Dave, her husband and host of Science Fiction Studios.
Catherine Lucas, Guest Co-host
Educated in the classical tradition, Catherine works within the time-honored arts. She has always been captivated by the elegant and gracefully rendered images of the Old Masters. Catherine earned her BFA from Hofstra University (NY) and her MFA from the New York Academy of Art, Graduate School of Figurative Art (NY, NY).An award winning artist, Catherine exhibits her art nationally in galleries and museums through national and international juried exhibitions. As an Art instructor she coaches fine artists to bring their artwork to the next level.
Cat left the show in July 2019. She assures us it’s not goodbye… “I will be listening in too, just like I did before I came on the show, and I’ll stop by and say hello and guest co-host when I can… and I might even take Dave up on the offer of being an art correspondent!”
Be On The Show!
Want to be a featured artist on one of our episodes?
Judy Grosvenor, Guest Co-host
Judy is originally from southern California, where she earned her B.A. in Mathematics and an M.B.A. from UC Irvine. While her formal education and professional career were more technical in nature, she has always dabbled in and enjoyed the arts.
“There is no doubt in my mind that the arts have such a positive influence in peoples’ lives. Being part of a program that promotes the worlds of arts is fantastic. I’m honored and really excited to join Dave and the PFTA crew!” – Judy
Chris Fankhauser, Guest Co-host
Chris is a Nebraska native, She has been involved in the performing arts since childhood as both and actor, singer. She became a familiar voice as an announcer on the radio before moving to FL. Chris is the Community Liaison for Helping Hands,a in House Care service provider Based in Punta Gorda FL.
Chris joined the cast and began recording in late May 2019 as Guest Co-Host of the PFTA Talkshow.
Gina Battle, Guest Co-host
Gina Battle is an accomplished contemporary abstract artist who utilizes mixed media. She paints medium to large-scale pieces using acrylics, encaustic, ink, charcoal, epoxy resin, gel mediums, and varnishes. Her work has a lot of texture and bold colors.
Correspondents
Nanette Crist
Having spent her working life as a New York lawyer, Nanette is now a self-proclaimed “culture vulture” focused on exploring Southwest Florida’s vibrant arts scene. She shares her discoveries in her blog: http://nanettesnewlife.blogspot.com/. Nanette is also a freelance writer for Florida Weekly and writes a bi-monthly arts and excursions column during the season.
Sandra
Sandra is our Art Correspondent based in Fort Myers, FL.
Igor
Studied: Kuban State University in Krasnodar. Philologist; majored in German Philology. Teacher at Krasnodar Musical College. Previous: Producer of Project R.U.R., aт alternative psychedelic rock band. Previous: Producer and co-founder at Strangefilm, the Independent Film Studio. Previous: specialist for International Relations at Strangefilm.org; Independent Film Studio Current: producer of ‘Bylina’, ensemble of folk instruments and vocal. Current: producer of ‘Narodny effect’, ensemble of folk instruments and vocal.
Become a Correspondent
Art Correspondents have the important role of informing the world about what the Arts are doing in their community! Wherever you are, if you have your finger on the ‘art pulse’, we want to talk to you…
Crew Members
Steven Tacy, Announcer
So Heeeree’s Steven! Yep, Steven is our announcer at the beginning of the show. We can’t say enough good things about this young man! Sounding Good and Thanks again, Steven.