Beyond the Blue Wall: Kataneh Vahdani

Beyond the Blue Wall: A Conversation with School of Film/Video Dean, Ranu Mukherjee

This is the second episode in a series of conversations we’re having with the deans at CalArts.  Henderson sits down with Ranu Mukherjee, the dean of CalArts’ largest School Film/Video, who was appointed dean in August 2024. View the slideshow used during the discussion [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E1OC58MMknYceAKJ8XOM18cb_HPiFj99/view?usp=sharing]. Our Season 3 theme music was created and performed by 2018 graduate, Nicolas Savignano. You can learn more about Nico by visiting him on Instagram at @_oknico [https://www.instagram.com/_oknico/] Beyond the Blue Wall is a production of the CalArts Office of Advancement. You can find all of the episodes at https://calarts.edu/about-calarts/newsroom/podcast [https://calarts.edu/about-calarts/newsroom/podcast].

Beyond the Blue Wall: A Conversation with School of Art Dean, Steven Lam

This is the first episode in a series of conversations we’re having with the deans at CalArts.  Henderson sits down with Steven Lam, who has been dean of the School of Art and the Kraus Family Endowed Chair in Art since 2022. Recorded in October 2024, this conversation delves into Steven’s approach to leadership, his perspective on art education, and his vision for the School of Art at CalArts. Learn more about the School of Art [https://calarts.edu/art] Our Season 3 theme music was created and performed by 2018 graduate, Nicolas Savignano. You can learn more about Nico by visiting him on Instagram at @_oknico [https://www.instagram.com/_oknico/] Beyond the Blue Wall is a production of the CalArts Office of Advancement. You can find all of the episodes at https://calarts.edu/about-calarts/newsroom/podcast [https://calarts.edu/about-calarts/newsroom/podcast].

Beyond the Blue Wall: 50+50

50+50: A Creative Century from Chouinard to CalArts [https://50plus50.calarts.edu/] is an alumni and artist-led scholarship endowment initiative launched in 2020, as the Institute prepared to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary. In this episode, we explore this unprecedented project with Associate Dean of the School of Art, Michael Ned Holte [https://calarts.edu/members/michael-ned-holte], and artist, Andrea Bowers (Art MFA 92). The Beyond the Blue Wall theme music (the intro“Lima” and the outro “Salta”) was created and performed by 2018 graduate, Nicolas Savignano. You can learn more about Nico by visiting him on Instagram at @_oknico [https://www.instagram.com/_oknico/].  Learn more about Beyond the Blue Wall on the CalArts website [https://calarts.edu/about-calarts/newsroom/podcast]. Beyond the Blue Wall is a production of the CalArts Office of Advancement. You can find all of the episodes at https://calarts.edu/about-calarts/newsroom/podcast [https://calarts.edu/about-calarts/newsroom/podcast].

Beyond the Blue Wall: Tori Danner

Tori Danner (Theater MFA 19) was born in Benin City, Nigeria and raised in Kuwait. She received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Mass Communications and Media from the American University of Kuwait. Her dream from an early age, however, was to become an actress, so she decided to pursue an MFA in Acting at CalArts. Shortly after graduating, Tori booked a recurring role on the hit CBS comedy series, Bob Hearts Abishola. The Beyond the Blue Wall Season 3 theme music (the intro“Lima” and the outro “Salta”) was created and performed by 2018 graduate, Nicolas Savignano. You can learn more about Nico by visiting him on Instagram at @_oknico [https://www.instagram.com/_oknico/].  Beyond the Blue Wall is a production of the CalArts Office of Advancement. You can find all of the episodes at https://calarts.edu/about-calarts/newsroom/podcast [https://calarts.edu/about-calarts/newsroom/podcast].

Beyond the Blue Wall: Kataneh Vahdani

Kataneh Vahdani (BFA Character Animation 05; MFA Experimental Animation 08) grew up in Iran. She is a director, animation creator, story artist, and educator, and came to the US with her mother and brother when she was a teenager, beginning her journey at CalArts when she was just 16 years old. You can learn more about Kataneh on her website [https://www.katanehvahdani.com/]. Please note this episode contains a discussion about suicide. Please listen with care. If you are thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the 988 Lifeline [https://988lifeline.org/] network is available 24/7 across the United States. The Beyond the Blue Wall Season 3 theme music (the intro“Lima” and the outro “Salta”) was created and performed by 2018 graduate, Nicolas Savignano. You can learn more about Nico by visiting him on Instagram at @_oknico [https://www.instagram.com/_oknico/].  Beyond the Blue Wall is a production of the CalArts Office of Advancement. You can find all of the episodes at https://calarts.edu/about-calarts/newsroom/podcast [https://calarts.edu/about-calarts/newsroom/podcast].