Articulate with Jim Cotter

Whether on a gallery wall or the side of a car, Kenny Scharf's exuberant cartoons infuse daily life with a dose of whimsy.

The characters in Michelle Cuevas's children's books leap off the page.

On a recent tour, The Havana Lyceum Orchestra showed America that Cuba has a classical music culture to rival that of any wealthy western country.

Wealth, insecurity, and...partying? Articulate's season 3 premieres with Andrew W.

Knowing the rules, then breaking them is common to all Articulate's subjects this week: Caroline Shaw, Lizzo, and Robert Janz.

Do what you love and don't care who likes it. Joyce DiDonato, !

Keeping it real with Ricky Reed, Danzy Senna, and Donn T.

Making lemonade with Do Lab, Cheryl Boyce Taylor, and Julien Baker.

What matters lasts, with Lila Downs, Heather-Dewey Hagborg, Steve Tobin, and Josh Ritter.

Niche definers: Jim Garland, Tank and the Bangas, Ani DiFranco.

The multifaceted, multi-talented Shara Nova, in concert and conversation.

No frontiers limit Shannon Hale, Wu Han, or Banda Magda.

Honest self-reflection is a virtue for Leslie Jamison, Josh Radnor, and Luciana Souza.

The unconventional paths of Heidi Latsky, Gary Baseman, and Bang on a Can.

The complex interior worlds of Jason Reynolds, Alisa Weilerstein, and Ibeyi, explored.

Yannick Nezet-Seguin is one-of-a-kind in the world of conducting.

Pritzker Prize-winning architect Balkrishna Doshi learned a lot about his craft as a bedridden 10-year-old.

On first listen, the music of They Might Be Giants can come across as lighthearted, even glib.

For Helene Grimaud, music has been both a profession and a salvation.

Cellist David Finckel's life is filled with love for his instrument, for his wife and collaborator, Wu Han, and for the music he shares with us all.

For STS, wordplay is a way of life. Moe Brooker has stared down adversity but says he's also been lucky.

These days, flowers mostly say "I love you" or "I'm sorry.

Two artists are helping to reinvigorate the conversation about climate change by presenting its truth more.

JEFF TWEEDY: A ROMANTIC MISANTHROPE? Over a more than three-decade long career, Wilco front man Jeff Tweedy has quietly become an icon of American Music.

MILTON GLASER: DESIGNING THE TRUTH The 90-year old graphic designer Milton Glaser has spent a lifetime creating iconic brand identities.

THE CARTHYS: NON-TRADITIONAL FOLK The Carthy family has been at the vanguard of English folk for decades.

DANIEL BARENBOIM: CONDUCTING CHANGE The world-renowned pianist, conductor and activist Daniel Barenboim is dedicated to making real change in the world through music.

DANIEL LIBESKIND DOESN'T HEAR NO Daniel Libeskind believes that architecture is, fundamentally, an act of optimism and of selflessness.

ANI LIU: DAUGHTER OF INVENTION At a young age, Ani Liu had to disguise her art as science.

ANDREW BIRD: WHISTLING WHILE HE WORKS For the last 20 years, talent has allowed Andrew Bird to mostly write his own ticket.

ARTHUR YORINKS: THE CREATIVE ENGINE For the past 40 years, Arthur Yorinks has been the power behind the throne for many of America's most significant artists.

GREGORY PARDLO: FAR FROM THE TREE Gregory Pardlo's writing is informed both by his unconventional early life and his uncannily keen eye (for observation).

BILL T'LAST Bill T. Jones has lived through tragedy and triumph to become an elder statesman of dance.

THOMAS HEATHERWICK'S EVERYDAY MAGIC Thomas Heatherwick is the wunderkind of large-scale 21st century design.

SARAH RUHL: SHE RUHLS The works of playwright Sarah Ruhl rewrite history, and document tragedies from her own life.

PATRICIA RACETTE: ENCHANTING THE MUSE On the next Articulate, we explore the life and art of Patricia Racette- a supremely talented singer and storyteller.

MARINA BENJAMIN GOES ALL IN Marina Benjamin writes to parse the questions that loom largest in her life.

STEPHANIE BLYTHE: UNCAGED Stephanie Blythe was one of the fastest rising stars in opera when an anxiety disorder threatened to take her down.

KT TUNSTALL: FROM THE ASHES The Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall realized she was becoming a pop music cliche- on top, but unhappy.

CAROLINE SHAW IN CONCERT Caroline Shaw is one of the most original new voices in contemporary music.

AARON SORKIN'S SECOND ACT Aaron Sorkin is best known for his award-winning screenwriting- A Few Good Men, The West Wing, Moneyball, The Newsroom.

JOHN DARNIELLE: FROM SELF-DESTRUCTION TO SELF-CONSTRUCTION John Darnielle has excelled as a front-man, songwriter and author, by overcoming an innately self-destructive personality.

JONATHAN SAFRAN FOER: ILLUMINATING EVERYTHING The best-selling author Jonathan Safran Foer writes to interrogate his own past, and all of our futures.

PERPETUAL ANDREW MOTION Tori Marchiony profiles former U.

BILLY COLLINS: THE PEOPLE'S POET Billy Collins is one of the best-selling poets alive.

ESPERANZA SPALDING'S DISCIPLINE(S) - The highly distinguished musician, Esperanza Spalding does more than just make music, she's trying to change the world.

TOD WILLIAMS AND BILLIE TSIEN: MADE TO LAST - World-renowned architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien are united in vision and practice, in their lives together and in their work, a strong foundation for their partnership and their buildings.

ELIZABETH STROUT: STEADY AS SHE GOES - Before she was a Pulitzer prize-winning author, Elizabeth Strout spent decades finessing her own unique narratives, often using her own upbringing as a touchstone.

MAAZA MENGISTE: WRITING HOME - The award-winning author Maaza Mengiste writes of an Ethiopian home she left behind, dismantling preconceptions and bringing to light some of that country's rich past.

Dan Harmon Segment Title: The Mayor of Harmontown - Dan Harmon is the creator of seminal television shows Rick and Morty and Community.

Ellen Reid Segment Title: Ellen Reid Packs a Punch - Ellen Reid has a lot to say.

Gish Jen Segment Title: The Multitudes of Gish Jen - Gish Jen has spent a lifetime navigating internal cultural conflicts, yet the best-selling novelist has found peace with a personal East/West divide that could serve as a model for all.

Being declared stateless at just six months old did not predict greatness for the celebrated musician Daniel Hope, but the course of his life was changed when his mother began working for the legendary violinist Yehudi Menuhin.

Jason Robert Brown Segment Title: Of Broadway - Jason Robert Brown lives and breathes musical theater.

Poetry, as a literary form, is a relatively recent idea, yet weaving stories and thoughts into a concise structure that uses rhythm and sometimes rhyme is as old as time.

On this Articulate exclusive concert show celebrating Mario Lanza's centenary, tenor Stephen Costello reflects on the life and work of the beloved singer and Hollywood star.

Theater director Kenny Leon and children's author and illustrator Sophie Blackall use real life as fodder for their creations.

Flutist Claire Chase and architect Monica Ponce de Leon are at odds with society's traditional notions of music and design, but they love a challenge to make something bigger and better.

Throughout history and across civilizations, the humble shoe, once mere protection for our tender feet, has evolved new meanings.

At the height of their careers, singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading and painter Horace Pippin were unprecedented, seeding ground for future artists.

In this Articulate special, we explore the life and work of conductor and composer Teddy Abrams.

Making things better is the upshot of making things for architect Doris Sung and singer-songwriter Yuna.

An inevitable part of the human experience, pain is impossible to objectively measure, but felt universally.

Novelist Veronica Roth and pianist Amy Yang see a way forward.

Physical beauty is assumed to be a passport to a better life, but in truth is a transitory visa.

Timothy Showalter uses music to share and survive a tumultuous world.

Bassist Joseph Conyers uses music as a tool for social engagement and community building.

Stories have shaped our knowledge, entertainment, and communication for centuries.

Singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers creates story songs that are wise beyond her years; choreographer Brian Sanders questions received wisdom.

A fatal accident in his teens would come to define life for Darin Strauss.

Singer-songwriter Valerie June has been knocked down but never out by heartbreak, illness, and hardship.

Writer Tochi Onyebuchi and visual artist Stephen Powers are both trying to change the world, one word at a time.

Poet Terrance Hayes and clarinetist Anthony McGill have been resolute in pursuit of their destinies.

Deborah Eisenberg and Shira Erlichman fought inner conflicts in search of personal peace.

Early on, singer-songwriter David Gray and writer Aleksandar Hemon struggled to be heard at home.

Author Yiyun Li and choreographer Miguel Gutierrez make work that fuels-and is fueled by-self-understanding.

Poet Yusef Komunyakaa and writer Jennifer Weiner know that honest work can reveal new truths.

The observations and experiences of poet Paul Muldoon and multidisciplinary artist Daniel Arsham are powerfully rendered in their work.

Yaa Gyasi and Sarah Jarosz were recognized early for their gifts.

Writer Kate DiCamillo and theater artist Ping Chong have navigated winding paths.

Writer Michael Cunningham and poet Joan Naviyuk Kane didn't let obstacles stand in the way of realizing their potential.

Brandon Flowers' faith has helped steer the course for his rock band The Killers.

The most successful works to date of singer-songwriter and playwright Anais Mitchell and writer Douglas Stuart have been decades in the making.

Composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz and writer Susan Orlean have relentlessly inquiring minds, resulting in works of stunning originality.

Singer-songwriter Ben Folds and architect Jeanne Gang have kept their ideas fresh, authentic, and clear of passing trends.

String trio Time for Three and choreographer and dancer Akram Khan have drawn from disparate cultures to create work of uncommon originality.

Singer-songwriter Aoife O'Donovan and landscape architect Sara Zewde have developed creative practices that blend the perspectives of their immigrant families with American cultural traditions.