Sugarbush Hill Productions

Sugarbush Hill Productions A homegrown production company created by Michelle Hernandez and Richie Wenzler.

10/06/2026

Today, we're highlighting another one of our interviewees from GRAPHITE & WAR as they share their favorite art piece created by Rick Bartow.

Take a listen to Booker Bartow, Rick's son, as he speaks about the sculpture piece called "Anxiety," how Rick portrayed mental health through his work, and what the piece means to him.

"Anxiety" is currently on view at the Portland Art Museum as part of the "Rick Bartow: Storyteller" exhibit. The exhibit runs through November 28, 2027.

And keep supporting GRAPHITE & WAR on our Seed & Spark page!

https://seedandspark.com/fund/graphite-and-war

We're heading into the one month mark into our campaign and the train is still going!We're currently 65% to our first st...
10/05/2026

We're heading into the one month mark into our campaign and the train is still going!

We're currently 65% to our first stretch goal, which would fully cover color and sound design for the film.

Join us in helping to reach our first stretch goal at:

https://seedandspark.com/fund/graphite-and-war

We're excited to announce the addition of Mads Henry-Ryan, rita carmona, and Shannon Lawrence to the GRAPHITE & WAR team...
10/05/2026

We're excited to announce the addition of Mads Henry-Ryan, rita carmona, and Shannon Lawrence to the GRAPHITE & WAR team!

Mads Henry-Ryan (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Rarotonga) (Colorist) is an Aotearoa based cinematographer, filmmaker and designer working across documentary and indigenous narrative. Occasionally lending his relaxed yet efficient work ethics, adaptability and creative approach into long form narrative and commercial spaces. Mads originally grew up across Te Waipounamu and Rēkohu. He is a cofounder of Māui Studios and holds a Masters of Design in Kaupapa Māori film-making. He is passionate about elevating indigenous stories and making films with other eclectic creatives locally and abroad.

rita carmona (Sound Designer/Re-Recording Mixer) is a passionate sound designer and re-recording mixer that brings together her past as a musician and a community organizer into her current sound practice. Motivated by rhythm and the power of collective story telling, she found her place in ProTools while undergoing her MFA in Social Documentary at UC Santa Cruz. Upon completing her degree, Rita dived in as an independent freelancer and began developing her own skill and style in everything sound: production mixing, foley, field recording, ADR, sound design, and mixing. Then as a Post Sound Experience Resident for Industry Standard, a competitive program supported by Netflix, she spent nine months with Vaudeville Post and Mezzanine Media supporting over 15 projects for studios like A24, Netflix, and more as a sound editor and mixer. As an independent sound designer and mixer, her work has screened internationally and nationally at festivals like LALIFF, NFFTY, Watsonville Film Festival, AAIFF, and more.

Shannon Lawrence (Marketing & Outreach Coordinator) is an LA-based creative working as a Post Production professional in scripted television. Her work includes projects for Netflix, Apple TV, Warner Bros., Hulu, and Starz.

We're so excited to collaborate with them and look forward to working with them in the coming months!

Our Seed & Spark campaign is still live! You can help us at:

https://seedandspark.com/fund/graphite-and-war

In addition to working with oil pastels and graphite, Rick Bartow also counted sculpture as one of the many forms of his...
10/02/2026

In addition to working with oil pastels and graphite, Rick Bartow also counted sculpture as one of the many forms of his artistic expression.

This work, entitled "Bear and Salmon Conversation," is a carving from wood with metal and graphite.

This sculpture is currently on view at The Autry Museum of the American West () in Los Angeles, CA.

Want to keep learning about Rick Bartow and his work?

Share this post and keep supporting our upcoming short documentary, GRAPHITE & WAR, on Seed & Spark!

https://seedandspark.com/fund/graphite-and-war

10/01/2026

In addition to being an acclaimed artist, Rick Bartow's art also deeply touched those who were close to him. We asked some of the speakers in our upcoming film to share their favorite piece created by Rick and what it means to them.

Take a listen to Karen Murphy, Friend of Rick Bartow and the Co-Head Trustee of the Bartow Trust, as she shares her favorite piece.

And keep supporting our film on Seed & Spark at the link in our bio!

09/30/2026

Come with us for a look behind the scenes during the production of GRAPHITE & WAR!

Last July, our team began principal photography on the film where we conducted interviews with our documentary speakers. Later on, Michelle also had the opportunity to explore the Rick Bartow papers at Willamette University as part of our continued research for the film.

If you'd like to learn more about GRAPHITE & WAR, please visit our page and support us on Seed & Spark!

https://seedandspark.com/fund/graphite-and-war

09/29/2026

In October 2023, when Things You Know But Cannot Explain screened at the Santa Fe International Film Festival, Michelle and Richie checked out the Chiaroscuro Contemporary Art Gallery, where they housed and presented some of Bartow's artwork. Take a look!

Click the link in our bio to keep supporting our upcoming short film, GRAPHITE & WAR!

We've just passed the three week mark in our crowdfunding campaign and we are still going strong!We are just over halfwa...
09/28/2026

We've just passed the three week mark in our crowdfunding campaign and we are still going strong!

We are just over halfway to our first stretch goal of $1,000, which would help us completely cover our sound mix and color grading for the film.

You can help us by sharing this post and supporting us at our Seed & Spark!

https://seedandspark.com/fund/graphite-and-war

We're back with another feature of Rick Bartow's art from museums across the country!Our feature piece this week, entitl...
09/25/2026

We're back with another feature of Rick Bartow's art from museums across the country!

Our feature piece this week, entitled "Daydream," comes from Rick's early career in 1979. This drawing in pastel and graphite is part of the permanent collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art () in New York City.

Want to keep learning about Rick Bartow and his work?

Support GRAPHITE & WAR on our Seed & Spark!
https://seedandspark.com/fund/graphite-and-war

09/23/2026

We want to send a huge thank you again to all of our supporters - we've raised our original funding goal for GRAPHITE & WAR in just two weeks!

Your support truly means so much to our film and to our team. We are so pleased that Rick Bartow's story has resonated with so many of you all and has inspired to you contribute.

Our campaign will still be live on Seed & Spark until October 23rd! During this time, we'll be fundraising for some stretch goals:

If we raise an extra $1,000, we'll have enough to cover post-sound and color grading.

If we raise an extra $1,500, we'll have enough to cover film festival submissions and a premiere screening.

And if we raise an extra $2,000, we'll be able to cover a mini film tour.

So keep spreading the word! Every pledge, follow, and share makes a difference!

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