Join the art professor, Ron Johnson (Virginia Commonwealth University) for our debut podcast with recurring guest, Dr. David Cifu to discuss how the brain powers our bodies along with creative ways to help you exercise the mind.

This episode will discuss brain health, physical health, creativity, and even in a story about Jaromir Jagr.

We have been working with Dr. Cifu over the last few years exploring the benefits of daily creative practice with students, athletes, and military veterans.

Join the art professor, Ron Johnson (Virginia Commonwealth University) along with special guest, Percy King from The Ohio State University & the Kansas City Chiefs to discuss his life in football and his current trajectory in the world of art.

This episode will discuss art, sports, music, and life after football. Percy's artwork can be seen in our traveling exhibitions and on display in the Columbus Museum of Art.

We have been working with Percy King over the last few years to inspire student athletes to create as exercise for the mind. He participates and leads workshops on being an athlete and artist, as a creative way to address mental wellness.

Join the art professor, Ron Johnson (Virginia Commonwealth University) along with special guest, Joe Olney (US Army Combat Sargeant) to discuss his life in the military and his current trajectory in the world of art.

This episode will discuss Joe's path to being a professional artist including his time as a combat engineer serving in Iraq.

We have been working with Joe Olney over the last few years to inspire other military veterans to create as exercise for the mind.

Join the art professor, Ron Johnson (Virginia Commonwealth University) along with recurring guest, Dr. Ron Gharbo to discuss the mind and body connection and how it can help us in our daily lives.

This episode will discuss Dr. Ron's wrestling career and his pioneering work researching the mind body connection and specifically the role of heart rate variability.

We are working with Dr. Gharbo over the last few months exploring the benefits of HRV exercises coupled with creative practice with students, athletes, and military veterans.

Join the art professor, Ron Johnson (Virginia Commonwealth University) along with New York Times Best Selling Author, Andrew Maraniss to discuss his life as a writer and his latest best selling book, Games of Deception, about the debut of basketball at the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany.

This episode will discuss Andrew's life growing up in a family of writers as well as his life's journey in the world of sports including his current position as 'Writer In Residence' in the athletic department at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

This episode will venture deep into the impact of sports and especially the story told in Games of Deception. It's a remarkable true story of the birth of Olympic basketball at the 1936 Summer Games in Hitler's Germany.

Enjoy & Share!

Join the art professor, Ron Johnson (Virginia Commonwealth University) to kickoff our second season of podcasts with Ed McLaughlin, Vice President and Director of Athletics at Virginia Commonwealth University to discuss sports, creativity, and dealing with sports in a post-Covid world.

This episode will discuss the impact of sports on society as well as the benefits of creative art exercise with student athletes, and how sports is changing in the post-Covid world we will live in.

We have been working with VCU over the last few years exploring the benefits of daily creative practice with students, athletes, and military veterans.

Join The Professor, Ron Johnson (Virginia Commonwealth University) for our second episode of season 2 with Maurice "Barcodez" Jackson of the band, Photosynthesizers hailing from Richmond, VA. Today's podcast will discuss the origins of this great band, their approach to making music, and how musicians are coping in today's crazy COVID world.

This episode will also discuss the unique musical stylings of the Photosynthesizers, their new album - Apollogy, Maurice's musical influences, and how sports and music can both relate and intersect.

Please check out their new album, Apollogy available on I-tunes, Bandcamp, and other popular music sites. Support your local bands and help them go national!

Join The Professor, Ron Johnson (Virginia Commonwealth University) for our third episode of season 2 with Justin Nelson of Above & Beyond Hockey Development out of Chicago, IL. Today's podcast will discuss his background as a hockey player and his transition to coaching and player development for hockey players of all levels. They will be discussing ways to keep kids engaged and training in today's crazy COVID world.

This episode will also discuss how Justin came to start Above & Beyond, his work with the Chicago Blackhawks training camps, and how sports & life have changed over the years.

Please check out Above & Beyond Hockey Development and all of the camps and programs they offer at:

https://www.aboveandbeyondhockey.com