What does it take to go from sketching in your Louisville bedroom to creating visuals for Run the Jewels? Illustrator Ian Klarer sits down with Andrew Crum on It’s 502 Somewhere presented by Surfside, to talk about his creative journey — from early influences and late-night sketch sessions to collaborating with one of hip-hop’s most iconic groups. In this conversation, Ian shares how his passion for art and design grew out of the Louisville scene, how he connected with Run the Jewels and Shea Serrano, and what it’s like balancing creative freedom with commercial work. It’s an honest look at the grind, the growth, and the gratitude behind a career built from the ground up.

00:00 Intro — Who is Ian Klarer

03:10 Growing up in Louisville & finding art

08:25 The early freelance grind

14:50 How Ian connected with Run the Jewels

22:30 Working with Shea Serrano

28:10 Creative process & inspiration

35:00 Reflections on Louisville’s creative community

41:00 Advice for young artists

#louisville #art #illustration

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The State of Louisville is your home for comprehensive coverage of the state of our city, its hometown teams, and its unique culture. Louisville sports culture is deeply woven into what makes this city special, where a pro city feel meets a college town vibe. Delivering the best in Louisville sports, news, and everything in between, we bring unique coverage to an uncompromising city.

In a city where fans are passionate and diverse, yet united as a tight-knit community, we’re committed to providing coverage that cuts to the core of what makes Louisville unique. Whether you’re a lifelong Louisvillian or just stopping by, The State of Louisville is for anyone who appreciates the city’s rich history and fervent sports culture.

The State of Louisville is home to 4 podcasts covering University of Louisville sports & beyond

From The Pink Seats (Louisville Football Coverage)

Starting Five02 (Louisville Basketball Coverage)

3rd & Central (Louisville Baseball Coverage)

It’s 5:02 Somewhere (Highlighting Louisville Legends)

“Louisville is a place with no labels. It’s not the South, it’s not Chicago, and you don’t think of it as you think of New York or LA. It has some Southern romanticism to it, but also a Northern progressivism, this weird urban island in the middle of the state of Kentucky that has always provided a fertile, often dark, bed. For us, Louisville and the surrounding areas are the center of massive creativity and massive weirdness.” –Jim James

Podcast Description

In this episode of "It's 502 Somewhere," host Andrew Crum sits down with Shay McAlister, an award-winning investigative journalist, podcaster, and founder of Shay Informed, to talk about her journey from a young reporter in Kentucky to launching her own independent platform. Known for her coverage of some of Louisville and the Bluegrass region’s most high-profile stories, including the Crystal Rogers case, Shay reflects on the impact of podcasting, the challenges of investigative reporting, and the evolving ways communities consume news. With deep ties to Louisville and a passion for truth in storytelling, she also highlights her commitment to giving back to the 502 and why local journalism still matters.

Chapters

00:00: Introduction to Shay McAlister

01:55: Shay's Journey to Journalism

04:20: The Crystal Rogers Case

07:39: The Impact of the Bardstown Podcast

10:03: Challenges in Investigative Journalism

14:00: Current Status of the Crystal Rogers Case

17:26: Covering Major Stories in Louisville

21:27: The ACE Project and Community Impact

23:51: Transition to Independent Journalism

29:50: Connection to Louisville and Future of News

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https://x.com/PinkSeatsPod

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The State of Louisville is your home for comprehensive coverage of the state of our city, its hometown teams, and its unique culture. Louisville sports culture is deeply woven into what makes this city special, where a pro city feel meets a college town vibe. Delivering the best in Louisville sports, news, and everything in between, we bring unique coverage to an uncompromising city.

In a city where fans are passionate and diverse, yet united as a tight-knit community, we’re committed to providing coverage that cuts to the core of what makes Louisville unique. Whether you’re a lifelong Louisvillian or just stopping by, The State of Louisville is for anyone who appreciates the city’s rich history and fervent sports culture.

Tune in to stay connected to the pulse of the city and all things 502!

The State of Louisville is the home of 4 podcasts covering University of Louisville sports and beyond:

From The Pink Seats (Louisville Football Coverage)

Starting Five02 (Louisville Basketball Coverage)

3rd & Central (Louisville Baseball Coverage)

It’s 5:02 Somewhere (Highlighting Louisville Legends)

“Louisville is a place with no labels. It’s not the South, it’s not Chicago, and you don’t think of it as you think of New York or LA. It has some Southern romanticism to it, but also a Northern progressivism, this weird urban island in the middle of the state of Kentucky that has always provided a fertile, often dark, bed. For us, Louisville and the surrounding areas are the center of massive creativity and massive weirdness.” –Jim James

Lance McGarvey, the voice of Louisville Men’s Basketball, joins It’s 5:02 Somewhere to share his incredible journey from small-town public speaking fears to becoming one of the most electrifying voices in college basketball.

In this episode:

-How fear almost kept Lance off the mic

-Behind the scenes of LouCity’s rise & Racing Louisville

-What it really felt like to replace Sean Moth

-UofL’s resurgence under Pat Kelsey

-His bold take on the Cards’ 2025 football season

Whether you're a Cards fan or just love a great story about overcoming fear and chasing passion, this one is for you.

CHAPTERS

0:00 – The Voice of the Cards: Meet Lance McGarvey

2:00 – Growing Up: Owensboro to Louisville

5:20 – From Fearful to Fearless: His PA Start

9:00 – Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety

13:20 – LouCity Origins & Fan Culture

17:10 – Why He Stepped Away from Soccer

20:00 – Becoming UofL’s PA Announcer

23:30 – Replacing Sean Moth & The “3 Call” Story

29:00 – Bringing Energy During the Lows

34:50 – Pat Kelsey Changed EVERYTHING

38:20 – Favorite Moments from the 2024 Season

40:00 – What Makes Louisville Fans Special

43:00 – Rapid Fire: Crum’s Corner

52:00 – Advice for Aspiring Public Speakers

#Louisville #502Somewhere #LouisvilleBasketball

–

Stay Connected:

https://stateoflouisville.com/

https://www.tiktok.com/@stateoflouisville

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https://x.com/thestateoflou

–

The State of Louisville is your home for comprehensive coverage of the state of our city, its hometown teams, and its unique culture. Louisville sports culture is deeply woven into what makes this city special, where a pro city feel meets a college town vibe. Delivering the best in Louisville sports, news, and everything in between, we bring unique coverage to an uncompromising city.

In a city where fans are passionate and diverse, yet united as a tight-knit community, we’re committed to providing coverage that cuts to the core of what makes Louisville unique. Whether you’re a lifelong Louisvillian or just stopping by, The State of Louisville is for anyone who appreciates the city’s rich history and fervent sports culture.

Tune in to stay connected to the pulse of the city and all things 502!

The State of Louisville is the home of 4 podcasts covering University of Louisville sports and beyond:

From The Pink Seats (Louisville Football Coverage)

Starting Five02 (Louisville Basketball Coverage)

3rd & Central (Louisville Baseball Coverage)

It’s 5:02 Somewhere (Highlighting Louisville Legends)

“Louisville is a place with no labels. It’s not the South, it’s not Chicago, and you don’t think of it as you think of New York or LA. It has some Southern romanticism to it, but also a Northern progressivism, this weird urban island in the middle of the state of Kentucky that has always provided a fertile, often dark, bed. For us, Louisville and the surrounding areas are the center of massive creativity and massive weirdness.” –Jim James