For EYE ON THE EAST VILLAGE Episode 13, Co-Hosts Alex Carpenter & Maegan Hayward of the East Village Vintage Collective sit down with East Village-based painter, sculptor and art/design star SCOOTER LAFORGE. Living and working in the neighborhood for over twenty years, LaForge's work is "inspired by the old masters, cute fluffy animals, and sometimes iconic cartoons," drawing from a number of pop culture and artistic references, ranging from Disney and Popeye to Keith Haring and Rembrandt, among others. He is internationally regarded for his now-famous wearable designs, and has a line of clothing for Patricia Field. Recorded live at Hi-Note on Avenue B, the conversation goes deep into Scooter's upbringing in New Mexico, how and why he landed in the East Village, his creative process in the studio, collaborating with a rich assortment of super talented artists, and much more - plus a lot of laughs!

In addition to his solo show at HOWL! Happening Gallery in New York, he was the subject of a 2024 mid-career retrospective at Leslie Art + Design in Boston, and his work is in the collections of many prestigious collections around the world, including the Friedrichshof in Vienna and Sweden's Spritmuseum’s Absolut Art Colleection among others. Scooter has recently collaborated with Belgian designer Walter Van Beirendonck and Norwegian artist Bjarne Melgaard, and he was chosen to be a keynote speaker at Montreal’s Fashion & Design Festival. He was commissioned to create garments for Madonna’s performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as well as the Bitch I’m Madonna video off the Rebel Heart album. Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna and Debbie Harry have all worn items from his wildly successful clothing line and he has collaborated directly with Debbie Harry on garments created just for her personal and stage use. He was also commissioned to design a concert T-shirt for Blondie’s last tour. And among many awards, he is a recent recipient of a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant.

The New York Times has described his work as "recalling the Neo-Expressionism that was popular in the '80s, the manic Neo-Surrealism of George Condo, and the comics-to-graffiti-to-canvas style of Kenny Scharf." Pop culture journalist and NYC nightlife legend Michael Musto has called him "my favorite living artist."

Find out how to watch and learn more about Ethan Minsker's documentary "Scooter LaForge: A Life Of Art," at www.ethanminsker.com (and support East Village artists!) You can also learn more about the making of the film in Eye On The East Village Episode 11 featuring Alex and Maegan's in-depth conversation with filmmaker/artist/bon vivant ETHAN MINSKER.

Scooter and NYC writer and artist JASON HAAF created the June 2025 Pride mural "Resist and Persist: A Lover's Story," located off the 2nd Avenue F Stop in Manhattan. Their recent collaboration, the book "Wasteland," will be out soon.

Follow all things Scooter at www.scooter-laforge.com and follow him @scooterlaforge on Instagram

Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to EYE ON THE EAST VILLAGE wherever you get your podcasts, or live & direct on jasoncharles.net Podcast Network TALK Channel.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For EYE ON THE EAST VILLAGE Episode 12, Co-Hosts Alex Carpenter & Maegan Hayward of the East Village Vintage Collective sit down with our special guests from The Lower East Side Girls Club, Studio Director KELLY WEBB aka DJ Baby K, and Girls Club Alum DJ SLID3. Recorded live at Hi-Note Radio/Bar at 188 Avenue B.

Kelly talks about the Studio Program, and the history of the amazing LESGC, and Slid3, now a working DJ around town, talks about how the organization made her the confident and accomplished young woman she is today. They also get into how they originally got involved with LESGC, how and why they inspire young women and gender-expansive youth in the community, the important work the organization continues to do, plus first hand success stories from DJ Slid3, including how the music and DJ programs, specifically, kept her out of trouble. Plus they each give their own hilarious perspectives on memorable Club visit from Michelle Obama, Simone Biles and much more!

In addition to her full-time work at the Girls Club, Kelly is a veteran radio host and DJ, still killing it with her long-running WBAI-FM show "The Sweet Spot," every Saturday, from 10pm to Midnight. You can also listen to the sensational exclusive mix she created for the jasoncharles.net Music Channel series BASS HEAVY here, or wherever you get your music podcasts. Follow DJ Slid3's upcoming appearances and DJ gigs on her Instagram @_slid_3/.

The Lower Eastside Girls Club connects young women and gender-expansive youth of color throughout New York City to healthy and successful futures through free, innovative year-round programming and mentoring.

Since 1996, the Lower Eastside Girls Club has supported young women and gender-expansive youth of color throughout New York City in leveraging their inner power to shape a better future for themselves, their community, and the world. Through free, year-round, innovative programming they connect young people with their passions, celebrate their curiosity, and channel their creative energy. In 2022, they expanded their mission and service population with the Center for Wellbeing and Happiness, which provides free, full-spectrum wellness services for all generations and genders on the Lower East Side.

Every year, hundreds of youth ages 10–23 visit the Center for Community facility where they offer after-school, weekend and summer programming in STEM, Arts, Digital Media, Sound, Wellness, Civic Engagement and Leadership. Their 35,000 sq. ft facility includes a Maker Shop for coding and robotics; Environmental Studies lab for STEM exploration; Alphabet City Art School for visual arts and crafts; Center for Media and Social Justice for digital media, film and photography; Sound Studio for music production and their radio station/podcast, WGRL (Where Girl Radio Lives); Design Studio for fashion and material arts; an expansive and productive rooftop farm; full Culinary Education Center; and 64-seat dome planetarium.

Go to www.girlsclub.org and follow them @girlsclubny on Instagram

Hi-Note Radio/Bar is located in the heart of Alphabet City & East Village at 188 Avenue B between 11th & 12th Street, hosting community radio, featuring live radio sets and original programming, Day and Night. And they serve a range of offerings from coffee, craft cocktails, natural wine, and beer alongside a selection of small plates. Go to www.hi-note.nyc for more information.

Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to EYE ON THE EAST VILLAGE wherever you get your podcasts, or live & direct on jasoncharles.net Podcast Network TALK Channel.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EYE ON THE EAST VILLAGE Episode 11 features an in-depth interview with artist/filmmaker/puslisher/activist ETHAN MINSKER, featuring Guest Co-Hosts Alex Carpenter & Maegan Hayward of the East Village Vintage Collective and recorded live at Hi-Note Radio/Bar at 188 Avenue B.

For the series’ second co-production with our downtown partner Hi-Note Radio/Bar on Avenue B, our Special Guest ETHAN MINSKER, a longtime fixture on the East Village music/art/film/underground scene, talks about his new feature film “Scooter LaForge, A Life of Art,” along with his thoughts and musings about his 20+ year career and life in the neighborhood, including being a founding member of the Antagonist Art Movement, a New York City-based group of artists, writers, and musicians who promoted work by up-and-coming talent between 2000 and 2011. Ethan has written three novels, produced nine feature films, and continues his relationship with artists as a board member and president of Citizens for the Arts, a nonprofit group whose mission is to promote art for kids in underserved communities. He was also the creator and editor-in-chief of Psycho Moto Zine in publication from 1988–2020. For more info go to www.ethanminsker.com and follow him @ethanminsker on Instagram

Hi-Note Radio/Bar is located in the heart of Alphabet City & East Village at 188 Avenue B between 11th & 12th Street, hosting community radio, featuring live radio sets and original programming, Day and Night. And they serve a range of offerings from coffee, craft cocktails, natural wine, and beer alongside a selection of small plates. Go to www.hi-note.nyc for more information.

Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to EYE ON THE EAST VILLAGE wherever you get your podcasts, or live & direct on jasoncharles.net Podcast Network TALK Channel.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.