Below the Surface – Sieglinde Van Damme



In a time of noise, uncertainty, and collective exhaustion, multi-disciplinary abstract artist Sieglinde Van Damme offers something rare: a visual sanctuary to breathe.



Sieglinde Van Damme’s path from economist to full-time artist may seem unconventional, but her work reveals a consistent focus: human behavior. Born in Belgium and now based in California, Van Damme brings a thoughtful, introspective lens to her art—one shaped by systems thinking and lived experience. Her guiding mantra, “Re-imagine what else is possible”™, " informs her process and message.



Working across painting, mixed media, and installation, Van Damme builds her pieces through a slow layering process. Each layer represents a life phase—some joyful, others painful—resulting in textured works reflecting the complexity of personal growth. A recurring element in her practice is the use of white, often applied as a final gesture. For Van Damme, white symbolizes a clean slate: a space to release the past and make room for what’s to come.



Explore more of her work at sieglindevandamme.com or follow on Instagram @sieglindevandamme [https://www.instagram.com/sieglindevandamme].

Featured Artist - Sieglinde Van Damme

Episode #142 - Ha Nguyen - LOLAH Entertainment 



This podcast is also available on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/60RwOw2BeBlOQt1LIsoEEl?si=b3b9d35e74a24f33], Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/content-magazine/id332177962], and YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHm6ouVuLWbp6yQ7T9VwRNw].



Born in a small town in Vietnam, Ha Nguyen was raised with a clear path laid out before her: academic achievement, a professional career, and a life of quiet respectability. For years, she followed that path—studying dentistry for six years at the insistence of her father. But even in the lecture halls and clinical labs, something louder was calling.

Music had always been in her bones. As a child, she played piano, fashioned guitars from broomsticks, and recorded her favorite songs from MTV on cassette. It wasn’t until her late teens that she picked up a guitar and started taking lessons. In her early twenties, she joined an all-female rock band in Saigon, and soon after, she never looked back.

In this conversation, Nguyen is reflective, grounded, and quietly fierce. She speaks of her Buddhist practice not as a performance of spirituality, but as a daily discipline—a reminder to stay present, to stay soft, to stay open. She’s also a mother now, a role that has softened some of her edges while sharpening her sense of purpose. Songs like “Best Thing” reflect this shift—less rebellion, more resolution.



Follow Ha on Instagram @lolahentertainment [https://www.instagram.com/lolahentertainment/] or visit her website at lolahentertainment.com [http://lolahentertainment.com] 



Ha was most recently featured in Issue 17.2, “Connect.” [https://bit.ly/172LOLAH]



Episode #142 - Ha Nguyen - LOLAH

Episode #141 Kris Jensen - Director of the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles



This podcast is also available on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/60RwOw2BeBlOQt1LIsoEEl?si=b3b9d35e74a24f33], Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/content-magazine/id332177962], and YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHm6ouVuLWbp6yQ7T9VwRNw].



Join the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles [https://sj-mqt.org/] on Saturday, August 16, 2025, for a Curator Talk with Melissa Leventon that provides insight into their current exhibition, Kay Sekimachi: Ingenuity and Imagination [https://sj-mqt.org/on-view]. RSVP [https://sjquiltmuseum.app.neoncrm.com/nx/portal/neonevents/events?path=%2Fportal%2Fevents%2F22256].



Kris Jensen, Director of the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, has woven together a range of experiences in taking the helm of one of the Bay Area’s most niche and quietly radical museums. He has decades of nonprofit leadership experience, including as director of development at Alameda County Community Food Bank, Executive Director of Collective Roots in East Palo Alto, and Executive Director of San Bruno Mountain Watch. The same sense of advocacy and inclusion he brought to those roles now shapes Jensen’s mission at the museum.



In this conversation, Kris reflects on his path from food justice to textile arts, the importance of redefining museums as interactive spaces, and how fiber art—often dismissed as craft—has long been a vehicle for social commentary.



Follow the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles on Instagram @sjmqt [https://www.instagram.com/sjmqt?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==] and on the web at sj-mqt.org [http://sj-mqt.org/] 

Episode #141 - Kris Jensen - Museum Director, San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles

Episode #140 - Dan Fenstermacher - Photographer



For photographer and educator Dan Fenstermacher, photography is more than documentation—it is a philosophy of presence, humor, and human connection. From the busy streets of Tokyo to quiet corners of San Jose, Dan captures moments that are layered, unexpected, and deeply personal. His work sits at the intersection of activism, storytelling, and everyday life, always seeking to reveal something authentic, even quirky, in the seemingly ordinary.



Dan earned his MFA in Photography at San José State University and is now Chair of the Photography Department at West Valley College in Saratoga, where he continues to inspire students and document campus life through a lens of curiosity and care. His commitment to capturing the overlooked extends beyond teaching, with ongoing projects and zines; his current zine series is focused on everyday life at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Ultimately, he believes it is about finding meaning in ordinary places.



In this conversation, Dan describes the role of photography in his life as a spiritual and social practice, how teaching students keeps him inspired, and how even something as small as handing someone a Polaroid can foster real connection.



Follow Dan’s work on Instagram @danfenstermacher [https://www.instagram.com/danfenstermacher?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==] or visit his website at

danfenstermacher.net [http://danfenstermacher.net/].



Dan was most recently featured as a 2023 Content Emerging Artist in Issue 15.3, “perform” [https://www.content-magazine.com/articles/dan-fenstermacher-2/]

He was also featured in the Spring 2019 Issue 11.1, “Sight and Sound.” [https://www.content-magazine.com/articles/dan-fenstermacher/]

Episode #140 - Dan Fenstermacher - Photographer

Tasi Alabastro uncovered the definition of “flâneur,” a French word that describes a man of urban affluence who can wander and observe urban life, while working on a play called “Three Days of Rain.” In his own life, Tasi views being a flâneur as walking around his hometown of San Jose, being present, looking at murals, and occasionally running into people he knows. He uses walking as a way to process creative problems or gather thoughts. That ability to be an observer is reflected in his work as an actor, visual artist, writer, and director.

Tasi’s multifaceted career spans acting, directing, stage design, and photography. He was featured in “Yes, We’re Open,” a film on Prime Video where he worked with Perry Shen, an actor he had admired since his early blogging days. Another pivotal role was in a City Lights Theater Company production of “Three Days of Rain,” where he tackled the challenge of portraying two contrasting characters—a neurotic son and his reserved father. These roles were pivotal in helping Tasi grow as a performer and expand his understanding of his craft. Currently, Tasi is working toward creating a graphic novel that combines his interests in theater, illustration, and storytelling.

In this conversation, Tasi shares his unlikely transition from science to the stage, how his upbringing in American Samoa influenced his perspective on community, and his thoughts on fostering inclusion within the arts while embracing his identity as an occasional outsider.

Follow Tasi on his website, tasialabastro.com [http://tasialabastro.com/], and Instagram at tasialabastro [https://www.instagram.com/tasialabastro/]



Join Tasi Alabastro on July 26, 2025, at San Jose Stage for The Contemporary Asian Theater Scene’s (CATS) second annual Playwright Festival. ⁠Get Tickets⁠ [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2nd-annual-aapi-playwright-festival-tickets-1389708849579].

Episode #139 - Tasi Alabastro

Episode #138 - Tomoyo Yoshinaga | Bitterbuck



In this episode, we sit down with co-owner Tomoyo Yoshinaga, who, alongside Cache Bouren, is bringing a unique cafe and cocktail concept to Downtown San Jose's Fountain Alley.



Opening Summer 2025 in Downtown San Jose's Fountain Alley, Bitterbuck will offer a unique experience: coffee by day, Amaro and bitters-focused cocktails by night. Tomoyo shares her journey from competitive judoka to running and co-owning successful San Jose establishments like Haberdasher and Cash Only.



Discover the story behind her approach to bartending and what you can expect from their latest concept, Bitterbuck.



Guest: Tomoyo Yoshinaga (Co-owner, Bitterbuck & Cash Only)



Find out more about Tomoyo's work:

 * Websites: haberdashersj.com | cashonlysj.com | bitterbucksj.com

 * Instagram: @tomobot | @haberdashersj | @cashonlysj | @bitterbucksj

Episode #138 - Tomoyo Yoshinaga | Bitterbuck

Join bassist, composer, and arranger Saúl Sierra and his quintet at the San Jose Jazz Summer Festival [https://summerfest.sanjosejazz.org/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=141009734&gbraid=0AAAAADqdBeKNnLELDFwVWhulCSi84fMcW&gclid=CjwKCAjwmenCBhA4EiwAtVjzmrHdIe3KtWDyFVf5FhaipVMT2GyCZO-IBp8A1Fjx0BsWVVjcktO8mxoCbwAQAvD_BwE] on Saturday, August 10, at 1 PM at the Montgomery Theater in Downtown San Jose for a performance that combines Saúl’s roots in Mexico City, the rhythms of Latin America, and the soul of jazz.

In this conversation, Saúl Sierra discusses his upbringing, the power of rhythm to communicate across borders, and how improvisation keeps his music fresh, rooted in tradition, and free. With material already brewing for two more albums, Saúl remains committed to honoring tradition while expanding its possibilities through music.

Born and raised in Mexico City, Saúl’s early musical education wasn’t found in conservatories—it was shaped by the city. He first picked up the upright bass before switching to electric to play rock en Español and rock covers with local bands. His interests evolved toward Latin music, which was hugely popular in Mexico City, encompassing Cuban, Caribbean, and folkloric styles that would later become an integral part of his artistic voice. Saúl returned to the acoustic upright bass while studying at Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Since moving to the Bay Area after graduating in 1999, Saúl has been ingrained in the Latin jazz scene. A member and co-founder of bands like Vission Latina and El Tren Trio, his collaborators include Carlos Caro (percussion), Julio Perez (percussion), and Marco Díaz (piano/trumpet) —musicians who also perform on his most recent album, Caminos. With experience teaching Latin Jazz and music, Saúl also cites teaching as a source of creative inspiration, deepening his interest in cross-cultural storytelling through sound. His new album, Caminos, supported by a 2022 InterMusic SF musical grant, showcases diverse Pan-American rhythms and blends jazz with folkloric traditions across the Americas.

Creating Caminos was a deeply collaborative process. Saúl laid down bass tracks, then worked with his ensemble, encouraging both structure and spontaneity. While guiding collaborators on his vision of the compositions, Saúl also allowed freedom for personal expression. Ultimately, he believed gathering contributions from diverse musicians would strengthen the tone, rhythm, and authenticity of the project. Whether recording a Cuban changüí with seamless 4/4 to 5/4 transitions or grappling with the complex rhythmic structure of Mexican Son Jarocho, each track reflects a lifetime of listening, learning, and letting go.

Caminos draws influence from rhythms like Venezuelan merengue in ⅝, Joropo, and Peruvian festejo and landó, comparing them to Mexican traditions in both timing and harmonic tension. While he continues to rehearse and adapt Caminos for live quintet performances based on the energy of the performance, Saúl’s musical vision extends far beyond this album, incorporating pieces from Caminos into different sets. As a bassist, he believes it is his role to provide the nuanced foundation that allows these diverse styles to shine.

Follow Saúl’s journey on Instagram @saulsierramusic [https://www.instagram.com/saulsierramusic?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==] and experience his vibrant sound at the San Jose Jazz Summer Festival @sanjosejazz [https://www.instagram.com/sanjosejazz?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==] on August 10, at summerfest.sanjosejazz.org [https://summerfest.sanjosejazz.org/].



Episode #137 Saúl Sierra - Bassist

Originally from Los Gatos, California, Ren Geisick began singing at a young age. She earned an Ella Fitzgerald Scholarship, studied Jazz vocal performance at California State University, Long Beach, and was named an Outstanding Jazz Vocalist by DownBeat Magazine—but her identity as an Americana Singer-Songwriter has long been in motion. With influences like Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline, and Guy Clark, her latest music draws from the outlaw country tradition—authentic, stripped-down, and emotionally direct.

In 2017, she released her debut album, Ren, Love Song, produced by Jesse Harris, marking a significant step toward Americana, which blended folk with jazz sensibilities and showcased her deeply personal songwriting voice. Since then, Ren has leaned fully into Country music. While she doesn’t set out to specifically write country songs, her singing style and focus on honest, lyrical narratives have made Americana a natural fit for her.

Her latest album, The Place I Planned to Go, centers on themes of hope and perseverance, especially in the context of being a musician. The album explores the struggles of progressing in life and music, maintaining optimism in the face of challenges, and finding compassion. It includes songs that reflect on the difficulties of the music industry, like the humorous “15 Cents” and more introspective tracks like “Weakness” and “No Mercy at All.” The title track, “The Place I Plan to Go,” was written during the pandemic and reflects on life not turning out exactly as expected, yet maintaining hope for the future.

In this conversation, Ren gives us a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the production of this record and collaboration with producer Mikey Ross. Ren opens up about the challenges of sustaining a music career today, her reasons for pushing forward, and her connection to the music she creates.

Episode #136 - Ren Geisick, Singer-Songwriter 

This podcast is also available on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/60RwOw2BeBlOQt1LIsoEEl?si=b3b9d35e74a24f33], Apple Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/content-magazine/id332177962], and YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHm6ouVuLWbp6yQ7T9VwRNw].

When Cherri Lakey and Brian Eder first launched Two Fish Design, their plan wasn’t just to continue their graphic design work—it was to build something radically different. Inspired by a yin-yang logo of two fish swimming upstream, the duo adopted the motto: “Those who swim against the stream come to the source.” This philosophy of challenging the status quo and seeing what others overlook became the heartbeat of their now-iconic creative ventures: Anno Domini Gallery, Kaleid Gallery, Phantom Galleries, South FIRST FRIDAYS, and SubZERO Festival.

In this conversation, Brian and Cherri recount their journey from design to street art, their curatorial risks, the birth of SubZERO, and how they continue their hand in shaping San Jose’s cultural ecosystem.

Follow SubZERO Festival on Instagram @subzerofestival [https://www.instagram.com/subzerofestival?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==] and learn more at subzerofestival.com [https://www.subzerofestival.com/]. 

Follow all of their other projects at Anno Domini Gallery, @annodominigallery [https://www.instagram.com/annodominigallery?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==]

Kaleidgallery, @Kaleidgallery [https://www.instagram.com/kaleidgallery/]

Phantom Galleries, @phantomgalleries [https://www.instagram.com/phantomgalleries/]

South FIRST FRIDAYS, @artwalksj [https://www.instagram.com/artwalksj/]


Episode #135 Cherri Lakey & Brian Eder - Anno Domini and SubZERO

Join Jet for the opening of his solo exhibition, "Arbolito" at MACLA/Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana on the first Friday of June 2025, 06/06/25. This exhibition presents new work, drawing inspiration from the rich traditions of his native culture, where ornate patterns and abstract forms are combined to explore the passage of time.

"Arbolito" is on view at MACLA June 06, 2025 - August 10, 2025

Born in Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico, and raised in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Jet [Martinez] is inspired by his native culture’s roots in pottery, weaving, and embroidery. He creates rhythmic patterns in his public artwork, allowing him to bridge the gap between his life in Mexico and his teen years in the United States.

“The creation of a project is the creation of a problem to work on or solve. I think that’s a lot of what artists do—we make problems for ourselves.” - Jet Martinez



Order Issue 17.3, "Perform"bit.ly/173perform

Published by SVCreates

__________________

Article written by Alyssarhaye Graciano

Video by Daniel Garcia

Featured: Issue 17.3, “Perform,” Jet Martinez (Spanish)

Conversations with the South Bay's Creatives. editor@content-magazine.com Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/content-magazine/support

Daniel Garcia

Shows