ARTish Plunge

From Communist Romania, through the forests of Transylvania, touching down in San Francisco before settling in Austin, MALINA CIPLEU shares her joy of discovering the art of fused glass. After a career in psychology in Romania, Malina’s role as a mother ultimately opened the door to art, first as a hobby and ultimately to a profession in glass. Malina’s evident love for the art form is infectious;...

Are you willing to put your art out into the world—to put yourself out in the world—knowing that you may not get the validation you seek. My conversation with Southern California abstract painter PRIYA SHARMA ASENCIO digs into the nitty-gritty reality of making the transition from a prior profession (in Priya’s case advertising media) to being a full-time painter, including the highs and lows of s...

Growing up amongst the airbrushed t-shirts and dolphins of Destin, Florida, muralist TAYLOR SHAW learned how to hustle to make the most of the tourist season. Years of hard work in restaurants and side gigs honed many of the skills that have enabled Taylor to make a career creating site-specific murals which have become their own tourist attractions. But how Taylor got out of the kitchen, through...

How to balance online classes, a membership, and thousands of social media followers with the physical creation of a product—in this case, art? Maryland artist KELLEE WYNNE shares her journey from the early days growing up in a creative community and the discipline she learned in the Army to juggling her current online success. On this episode of the ART ish Plunge podcast, Kellee discusses taking...

As Lynne Maphies, former Curatorial Assistant at the Blanton Museum of Art, knows firsthand — for many artists, “day jobs” do more than pay the rent. In this fascinating behind-the-scenes conversation, Lynne shares the 10 year process that Veronica Roberts, former Blanton Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, directed to create the standout exhibit “Day Jobs.” A dialogue with conceptual artist S...

Appreciating the richness of vintage typography and papers inspires both the sublime graphic design work and the whimsical collage art of Connecticut-based artist AMY GORREK. On the way to developing her own design practice, following stints with various design firms including Martha Stewart Living, Amy has perfected the art of appreciating details, instinctively finding the right balance of neces...

How do you see Brahms Symphony No. 4? For Scottish orchestral bassist and abstract painter Kirsty Matheson, music—like days of the week— have color. Kirsty shares how she balances her professional music life with her painting career that took flight during a 100 Day project in 2021. This fascinating conversation allows us to dip into synesthesia, a neurological condition shared by Kirsty and many...

A love of research, words and print materials drives Austin-based, mixed media artist KRISTY DARNELL BATTANI’s textile inspired paintings and forms. The host and founder of the ARTish Plunge podcast discusses her art journey from intellectual property lawyer to full-time artist, her love of research, and her "deep dive" immersion into her source materials as part of an artist talk for he...

A lifelong love of prairie led sculptor and former architect BILL MCBRIDE to the rolling sea of grass and sunflowers that is Matfield Green, Kansas—population 45. Serendipitous introductions to fellow environmentalist, artists and conservation enthusiasts enabled Bill to find a home for his own work and his ongoing passion project, the Prairie Art Path. Initially lacking a road map, Bill “lived co...

Have you ever drawn so slowly that you actually saw the ink soak into the page? Massachusetts art therapist and author Amy Maricle shares the benefits of slow, mindful drawing for artists and non-artists alike. The author of Draw Yourself Calm and numerous online videos, Amy pulls on her experience as an art therapist to show us how to tune into the moment by being aware of our senses as we slowly...

What’s it like to be a “non-traditional” art student at age 55? For Texas-based portrait painter CLIFFORD BUNN, seeking a BFA in Studio Art after a career in law enforcement with the Oakland PD was both cathartic and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.  As a police officer, Cliff worked among “the layers of lives existing around us” that most of us don’t see, but he often felt like his own voice...

What would you give to have a lifestyle that allowed you to “drop everything and have a swim” in the ocean any time the mood struck you? Cornwall painter TARA LEAVER has created that life for herself, finding inspiration in the sensory experience of being immersed in the “magical garden of wonders” in the cold Atlantic waters. A self-proclaimed introvert, Tara has created a “balance in constant mo...

Often associated with haute pate painting, Atlanta-based abstract painter BOB LANDSTROM found his preferred art medium through metaphysics and Southwestern landscapes—hand-colored volcanic rock. After decades juggling a conflicted existence as both an electrical engineer and an evening/weekend painter, Bob’s persistence in getting his artwork seen has paid off. Now, only a few weeks into his new “...

Chilean watercolorist GERALDINE MACKINNON didn’t find her artistic direction in art school. Instead, the defining moment in her creative career occurred while assisting an archeological study on Easter Island, crawling through the caves with her sketchbook and headlamp trying to capture the “truth of the plants.” Fastforward, Geri has developed a sustainable career in the demanding practice of bot...

With her hands in prayer, still life painter MARYAM AMIRYANI begins each day in her studio with the simple request:  The courage to start; the courage to persevere; the courage to finish. From her childhood in Iran to Paris, Washington and New York, Maryam followed a professional career path in and around the arts, helping to show and sell other artists’ work before she finally settled into her ow...

Blacksmith, Metalsmith, Queen of the Forge— all fitting titles for Atlanta-based artist CORRINA SEPHORA. Introduced to welding before she finished elementary school, Corrina crafted an intentional career path in metal that has allowed her to make her living as an artist for over 25 years. In this episode, Corrina shares how she overcame the barriers to entry of her chosen field and how she manages...

How has a small peasant woman with rudimentary art supplies and childlike paintings of fantastical beasts forced the world to acknowledge the absurdity of war? Ukrainian folk artist MARIA PRYMACHENKO  (1908-1997) —dubbed the People’s Artist of Ukraine—produced hundreds of small, colorful gouache paintings of imaginary creatures, flowers and village scenes filled with traditional Ukrainian decorati...

How do you create a sustainable art career over 40 years? New Orleans native ADELE SYPESTEYN shares how paying attention to everything— what’s working, what’s not—and not being afraid to change directions has allowed her to  maintain a successful career as a contemporary artist and educator, including walking away from gallery representation, embracing new venues, Instagram sales and YouTube video...

As in the sea, so in the studio. In this ARTish WORDS episode, Cornwall painter and educator TARA LEAVER shares what the sea has taught her and how it provides a roadmap for the artist journey. Using three simple words “I don’t know” followed by one word “just,” Tara works her way through things that initially seem daunting, as in: “I don’t know” what I will paint today, so I will “just” go in and...

No denying it: there will always be  P-A-I-N  in  P-A-I-N-T. In this ART ish Words episode, Canadian artist Janice Tanton and Washington painter Valerie Collymore address the issue of pain and beauty by reflecting on French Impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s struggle with rheumatoid arthritis and the herculean efforts he made to sustain his art practice during the last twenty years of his life....

Wisconsin-based ROB STANGROOM , a former marine biologist turned intuitive painter, gets a thrill having one foot in the known and the other in the unknown. From tracking whale migration to landscape architecture, Rob has learned to see the “open doors” in life and never hesitates to explore what is on the other side. Inspired by a lifelong love of nature and a persistent desire to work with his h...

What do Winnie the Pooh, Ernest Hemingway, Langston Hughes and Greta Garbo have in common? They all have creative work (but not all of their work) that entered into the public domain this year, thereby enabling all of us to enjoy, use and build upon those works. In this episode of ART ish Words, we hear from Jennifer Jenkins, Director of the Duke Center for the Study of Public Domain, helping us u...

What can an artist learn inside a football huddle? A lot, if you are former professional football player turned watercolorist RICH SAMUEL. A relentless work ethic, persistence and teamwork are just a few of the qualities football instilled in Rich —or “Sweet Feet” as he was known in the day—that have allowed him to create a booming art practice and studio that has grown into an East Austin communi...

As a visual artist with an affinity for words, I know there are a lot of talented artists out there who are also great writers. So to honor the written word and to prove that blogs are not archaic, I am going to alternate introducing you to artists through interviews with introducing you to artists through their words by sharing blogs, articles and other writings with you. With the artist’s permis...

As an up and coming painter and singer-songwriter, Mot hh (formerly known as Adelaide Tai) intentionally shapes her work and identity to match the energy she wants in her life. Splitting her time between Atlanta and Los Angeles, Mot hh ’s artwork is as fluid and bold as her own personal choices. Using enamel, oil, acrylic, and resin, Mot hh creates dreamy, celestial forms. Seeking wisdom from I Ch...