West Texas Talk

West Texas Talk — Marfa Public Radio’s flagship program — made its debut when the station launched and is now a repository of hundreds of local profiles.

The program features discussions about regional issues and topics with residents and experts. Whether looking at immigration on the border, delving into West Texas history, or having conversations about the Big Bend’s changing towns — we hope to explore the topics that matter most to residents.

The show also celebrates the creative spirit of Far West Texas and features conversations with writers, musicians, filmmakers, and artists who both live here and pass through the region. 

Subscribe to the West Texas Talk podcast on Apple Podcasts.

West Texas Talk broadcasts on Thursday at 6 pm and rebroadcasts Friday at 9 am.

The show’s theme music was composed by Andy Stack.

Recently on West Texas Talk:

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014:
R3 Art Show in Alpine

The Big Bend Arts Council is sponsoring a show featuring art based on recycling and repurposing of items that many people consider “junk.” You can see the installations in local businesses this Friday located between 5th and 6th Street on Holland Ave. Jan Moeller and Lori Griffin of the Big Bend Arts Council joined us in studio to speak about the event.

 

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Monday, Aug 25, 2014:
Rebroadcast: Science Studio with Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz

Keith & Russ of Science Studio talk with Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz, Associate Professor of Astronomy & Astrophysics at the University of California at Santa Cruz.  Enrico is a self-proclaimed “stellar mortician” who studies the deaths of stars.  He talks about what becomes of stars like our sun (and larger ones) when they finally collapse and lose their battle with gravity.  Enrico also talks about how the heavy elements came to be created as the universe expanded.  He also share the fascinating fact that humans, on average, have more gold in our bodies than the universe and the sun!

(This show was originally broadcast on April 14.)

Friday, Aug 22, 2014:
Upcoming Exhibit: “Ann Marie Nafziger: Field Notes”

Artist Ann Marie Nafziger speaks with host K. Yoland about her new exhibit Field Notes at Marfa Contemporary, curated by Dr. Natalie Maria Roncone. The exhibition opens Sunday, August 24th 5-7pm.

Field Notes 2014: Desert Bloom, Copyright Ann Marie Nafziger

Field Notes 2014: Desert Bloom, Copyright Ann Marie Nafziger

Ann Marie is a painter based in Marfa, Texas. Her work is influenced by direct experiences with landscape, and is especially concerned with qualities of temporality, instability, and mutation, as perceived in the environment.

A reception will be held Sunday, August 24th from 5 to 7 PM to celebrate the opening, and the exhibit will be on display until October 3rd.

Friday, Aug 22, 2014:
Kay Burnett

Kay Taylor Burnett joins Tom Michael for a conversation about her new book “Ginger Quill.” The book follows Mae Maguire tries to make a life for herself after fleeing her ex-husband. This action-adventure novel takes place in the early-80’s and features murder, treason and the secrets of a World War II prisoner of war encampment.

Thursday, Aug 21, 2014:
Elizabeth Crook On Her New Book

 

Author Elizabeth Crook stops by to discuss her new novel. Titled Monday, Monday, this work of historical fiction starts with the 1966 UT campus shooting and follows the lives of three students caught up in the massacre: Shelly, who leaves her math class and walks directly into the path of the bullets; and two cousins, Wyatt and Jack, who heroically rush from their classrooms to help the victims. 

Wednesday, Aug 20, 2014:
Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival & Old Fort Day

On today’s Talk at Ten we spoke with Richard Alvarez, the Executive Director of Fort Davis Chamber of Commerce, about the upcoming Hummingbird Festival which will take place in Fort Davis starting tomorrow.  Activities during the event will allow visitors to view these wonderful creatures in their natural setting at locations throughout the Davis Mountains. Viewing sites include the Nature Conservancy’s Davis Mountains Preserve, the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens, McDonald Observatory, the Davis Mountains State Park and a host of other locations.  The festival will last through Saturday. We also discussed the Old Fort Day on August 30th.

For further information, visit www.fortdavis.com.

Tuesday, Aug 19, 2014:
Back to School: Speaking With Marfa International School Instructors

School reopens on August 25th for kids attending Marfa International School, so Paige Phelps speaks with MIS instructors, David Sudderth, head of school, Faith Gay, head teacher, and Chris Hillen, outdoor education coordinator, about the upcoming school year.

Monday, Aug 18, 2014:
Norwegian Reporters Birgit Solhaug & Hanna Stoltenberg

marfa_7

On Talk At Ten today, we speak with two Norwegian reporters, Birgit Solhaug and Hanna Stoltenberg, who visited and wrote about Marfa earlier this summer in the magazine Aftenposten K.

They spoke with KRTS about their impressions of the town, the culture of Norway, and even tried mimicking a Texas accent. Stoltenberg had previously interviewed the Norwegian artists Elmgreen & Dragset, who created Prada Marfa for Ballroom Marfa.

Friday, Aug 15, 2014:
Kehinde Wiley: An Economy of Grace

 

K. Yoland speaks with producer Jessica Chermayeff  whose documentary follows the artist Kehinde Wiley.

Famous for his vibrant reinterpretations of classical portraits featuring African-American men, the documentary Kehinde Wiley: An Economy of Grace follows the New York based artist as he steps out of his comfort zone to create a series of paintings of women for the first time. Kehinde finds his models on the streets of New York and enlists Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy to create couture gowns for each woman. The film traces the artist’s process from concept to canvas as he reveals to us another side of black femininity.

 

Thursday, Aug 14, 2014:
Science Studio: Carlos Murillo

In cooperation with our friends at KTEP in El Paso, in today’s Talk at Ten Keith Pannell talks with Carlos Murillo, Associate Program Manager and Program Director, Division of Chemistry, National Science Foundation (NSF).  Murillo is a native of Costa Rica and he talks about the journey from his home country to the US…and back. He also talks about how the NSF evaluates scientific research for funding approval.

 

(This segment of Science Studio originally aired on September 8, 2013 on KTEP.)