The Art Store

Since 1998 we have been collaborating, making it happen, and creating across every medium imaginable—pushing boundaries, pivoting with purpose, and building our careers. Welcome to The Art Store, the podcast about navigating the Art world, while balancing family as entrepreneurs on the Southside of Chicago. Hosted by acclaimed artists Pugs Atomz and Damon Lamar Reed, whether you’re an art lover, a maker, or just curious about how art shapes culture, every episode delivers great conversations, and hard-hitting insights into the transformative power of art. Tune in as Pugs and Damon share stories, strategies, critics, and introduce you to the people, and Art events you should know. . Pugs Atomz- Illinois Arts Council Fellow, Painter, Muralist, Designer, Musician, Director, Pugs Atomz is a true Hip-Hop renaissance man. His work has been featured in movies, TV shows, video games, and murals around the USA. It also has been a part of pushing for change in his city, as a Co-founder of the Englewood Arts Collective. A group that is passionate about amplifying and supporting artists and creative engagements that uplift their community. He is a connector and trailblazer, who laid the groundwork for many artists in the area today. He has been able to travel the world through his different creative passions. His inspiration for all this stems from his family growing up in Englewood, where he would witness the performers on the Green Line train and see the murals and Graffiti art in his neighborhood. . Damon Lamar Reed- After graduating from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Damon began his career as an Artist and entrepreneur. To date, he has created over 400 public art projects including: works for Showtime, Gatorade, The American Red Cross, Ticketmaster, Sears and more. His work is highlighted in, Kym Pinders’, Painting the Gospel. Revolt tv news named Damon “Revolutionary of the week” citing the impact of his Still Searching project, where he uses art to raise awareness about missing women. The BBC also did a feature on the impact of Damon’s art; not to mention stories on News Nation, ABC, CBS, WGN and NBC. He is filming a documentary with the same name, backed by Hulu, which was also the subject of a TEDx Talk. Most recently, Reed became the inaugural recipient of Chicago Public Art Groups 2024, “Artist of the Year Award.” Damon is a true believer in the POWER of Art, and he uses it as a catalyst to change the world!