The Escalette Collection of Art is thrilled to share the third season of “The Artist is Present,” a mini podcast series hosted by Catalyst: A Creative Industries Podcast. In this series, students interview Escalette Collection artists, asking questions about their artwork, career, and interests. You can find “The Artist is Present” wherever you listen to podcasts – just search “Catalyst: A Creative Industries Podcast” on Apple Podcasts, ITunes, Spotify, etc. You can also find them on the Catalyst website. This season includes interviews with artists Virginia Katz and Lorena Ochoa, as well as Bonnie Barrett, a long-time friend and colleague of Escalette artist, Inna Jane Ray. Also included is an interview with Escalette Collections Manager Jessica Bocinski, who discusses the history of the Escalette Collection and its behind-the-scenes operations.

2025 cover for “The Artist is Present,” designed by Cassie Chan (Art History ’25).

This season was hosted and produced by Helene Volk (Art History, Business Administration ’26) during her 2025 Interterm Internship. Vlok commented that she was grateful for the opportunity to be involved in every aspect of the podcast production, stating “From constructing questions to editing and interviewing artists within the collection to selecting the intro/outro music, I have learned that podcasting is equal parts art and science.” Reflecting back on her entire internship experience, Vlok came away with a newfound appreciation for the artwork that we see on campus every day: “I have gained experience that extends beyond the realm of producing… a podcast… I have learned more about art acquisitions, exhibition planning, how to care for different types of artwork, and what it truly means to be part of a ‘museum without walls.'”

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“The Artist is Present” is a special series which is being hosted under the Catalyst: A Creative Industries Podcast of the Center for Creative and Cultural Industries. “The Artist is Present” was developed under the direction of the Phyllis and Ross Escalette Permanent Collection of Art’s Director, Fiona Shen, and Collections Manager, Jessica Bocinski, so that a wider audience would have the opportunity to hear directly from the artists in the Escalette Collection at Chapman University. The Collection is fortunate to include artists from diverse backgrounds whose work fosters new and interesting ways of knowing the world. In listening to these perspectives, we hope that “The Artist is Present” serves as an educational resource and an enjoyable reminder of how art shapes our understanding of the past, present, and who we might become in the future.

We invite you to explore all the works in the Escalette Collection by visiting our eMuseum. 

Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences is the proud home of the Phyllis and Ross Escalette Permanent Collection of Art. The Escalette Collection exists to inspire critical thinking, foster interdisciplinary discovery, and strengthen bonds with the community. Beyond its role in curating art in public spaces, the Escalette is a learning laboratory that offers diverse opportunities for student and engagement and research, and involvement with the wider community. The collection is free and open to the public to view.