Behind the Bower

In this episode of Behind the Bower, Ryan welcomes Lisa Stephen, the Bower Center’s new stained glass instructor. Lisa shares her journey from California to Virginia, her artistic background in photography and quilting, and how a high school project featuring a dinosaur design first sparked her passion for stained glass.

Lisa walks listeners through the stained glass ...

In this episode of Behind the Bower, host Ryan, Executive Director of the Bower Center for the Arts, sits down with Susan, the podcast's original creator and current Director of Development and Marketing. Susan shares her journey from West Virginia to Bedford, Virginia, her career path through journalism, Girl Scouts, and various nonprofits, and her deep passion for community-ce...

In this episode of Behind the Bower, host Ryan interviews Susan, an award-winning fine artist and studio painter at the Bower Center for the Arts in Bedford, Virginia. Susan shares her artistic journey, from childhood influences by her artist mother to pursuing graphic design at Radford University, followed by 20 years in medical transcription before returning to art. She discus...

In this episode of Behind the Bower, host Ryan speaks with Ann, Vice President of the Bower Center for the Arts Board of Directors. Ann shares her journey from growing up near Boston to settling in Bedford, Virginia, after a distinguished career as a U.S. Foreign Service management officer across multiple countries. A passionate artist specializing in mosaics and fiber arts, Ann...

In this episode of Behind the Bower, host Ryan interviews Virginia-based singer-songwriter Akeylah Simone ahead of her free concert at the Bower Center for the Arts on June 13th. Akeylah shares her lifelong connection to music, rooted in a family of musicians, and describes her genre-fluid style blending rock, R&B, pop, and jazz. She discusses her intuitive songwriting proce...