Art Ladders: The Creative Climb

We met Jeannette MacDougall during an exhibition at Calvin College's (106) Gallery at ArtPrize 2015. In this exhibit "Weighing the Landscape", installed by curator Joel Zwart, Jeanette, Armin and I were hanging next to each other. Our friendship began during that time as we all felt our artwork had a very cohesive aesthetic and professionalism. Jeannette now resides in Texas and cont...

We've been creating this podcast over two years and it's fun to check out the rankings. Here we have a replay of our #1 episode to date with UK artist Sally Hirst while we are installing a new exhibition. Sally has boundless energy and you can't help but get fired up for your own art as you listen to this replay. She is an artist, teacher, and mentor. She works in painting, collage, pr...

Art Ladders welcomes artist Sally Hirst to the podcast! This lively interview with Sally is about creating art, teaching and what it means to be an artist in this changing world of technology. Sally is a painter and printmaking who describes herself as a tutor, nomadic, restless, curious, experiential, irreverent, untidy, loud…lol...and we can add that she is a champion for discovering new mediums...

Finding time to create artwork can be a real challenge just for one artist in the family. This becomes even more challenging when others depend on you as a family member, studio group or community. Events appear, marketing needs to be processed, household chores get in the way and the never-ending pick up and drop off of artwork to exhibits. In themselves these are all worthy and even celebratory...

Artist Kenneth Hershenson found his muse in a set of ball and jacks that qualifies him to say, he does know Jack! So much so that he feels he has enough conceptual ideas to keep him painting for another 20 paintings or so. In this episode we hear the many twists and turns he took in his career. Those bends taught him lots about the business of art as well as honed a work ethic that values clean an...

Get ready for a java-sipping chat with Val and Armin in Episode 66! These two art aficionados spill the beans on networking for artists - from schmoozing the room to FaceTiming with fellow creatives. We all know that feeling of stage fright and self-doubt that can hit when we enter a room full of art-world movers and shakers. But fear not! It's all about how we show up and make the most of opp...

Driven by a passion for art and the desire to bring beauty into as many homes, healthcare facilities, and corporate offices as possible, Litsa Spanos opened the doors of Art Design Consultants, Inc. (ADC) thirty years ago. With just two clients and limited space, her ultimate goal was to create exquisite and inspiring environments. Litsa has an uncanny ability to select beautiful artwork and disco...

Art Ladders is excited to announce that 2024 will be guided by the word, prosper. We intend to flourish and thrive by creating new habits that will benefit our art, finances and health. In this episode a review of habits to help us prosper will be examined. We talk about the importance of planning ahead and dreaming big. A practical list of doable habits is attributed to, Ruben Chavez, who maintai...

With over 30 questions collected over that past years of the podcast, Val and Armin draw five specific questions from their sunflower bowl to answer in this end-of-the-year episode. Diving in to teaching and communication styles of artists to keeping a budget, you will learn areas that artists need to know for success. Val and Armin are very honest in what they do best and what they need to work o...

We have spent the last few days working on the exhibit, Contemporary Realism with artists Frits Hoendervanger, Robert Shefman, Todd Burroughs and curated by Armin for Buckham Gallery in Flint. Armin and I work as a team for these major events in our lives. There is framing, marketing, delivery and just overall hard work involved in reaching the deadline. Being under pressure and maintaining a sane...

Buckham Gallery has a rich history with strong connections to working artists. We are joined by executive director, Michele Leclaire and she will tells us about the behind the scenes workings of this art nonprofit that is innovative and artist-centric. She explains how nonprofits can give a voice to artists who are experimental and often cutting edge through grants and foundations designed to show...

Looking within and revealing the personal reasons you create art can be a meaningful way to connect with your collectors, audience and yourself. Art is influenced by so many subtle interactions in our day to day life and it is worth making note of those experiences and weaving them into your story. Armin and I were recently inspired by an Instagram reel we viewed from @SAB.GalleryCollection. It fe...

On Tuesday, October 17, 2023, we had the honor and pleasure to interview author,  ⁠⁠John Seed ⁠⁠ via Zoom from his home base on the Central California Coast. He defines himself as an art writer and we would add storyteller with rich experiences in the world of art that tell all the sides of the art coin. From taking the path of an art student, to MFA, to gallery driver, collector, curator, install...

Val and Armin's experience highlights an important issue for artists looking for work that allows them to pursue their creative passions. While jobs in art-related professions can provide valuable experience and insights into the art world, they can also be demanding and time-consuming, leaving little time and energy for personal artistic pursuits. Here are some additional points to consider w...

Lilongwe, Malawi in Southeastern Africa is indeed a long, long way away and we are happy to travel over the Zoom waves to visit with artist, designer, educator and mentor, Kristen Palana. Valerie met Kristen virtually a few months ago as a student in Kristen's Web Presence and Social Media Marketing class through Mastrius.com. Through Mastius, Kristen, Armin and Val are now colleague mentors w...

Comparing yourself to other artists means that you are evaluating your own abilities, qualities, or achievements in relation to those of artists. This can involve looking at someone who you perceive as better than you in some way, or someone who you believe is worse off than you in some aspect. This type of comparison can have both positive and negative effects on your self-esteem and personal gro...

On a beautiful August afternoon we had the pleasure to talk with artist and mentor, Larry Butcher. This conversation proceeds to tell a story of a young man coming to age on a rural Michigan farm with a father who expected his children to be navigators of inventive thinking and a mother who encouraged her young ones to be makers. Creative thinking and hard work was the norm and from that Larry bec...

We are nearing the time when galleries and art centers announce their exhibition line up for 2023-2024. This process involves not only reviewing proposals sent by artists but also planning logistics such as funding, delivery and installation. Artists can choose different ways to seek out exhibitions but the most common are submitting online proposals, word of mouth, or starting a relationship with...

Creativity, community and mastery are the trio of words that best describe the online community for artists that Mike and Julie deBoer founded along with Victor Lee in Canada. Mastrius is now serving artists in 29 countries through an online mentor program that connects aspiring, emerging and accomplished artists with masters who provide feedback, motivation, and encouragement through online sessi...

Visiting Littlefield Gallery is a highlight in any artist or art lover's time in Maine. It is located in Winter Harbor, a small fishing town on the Schoodic National Scenic Byway. Armin and Valerie had the pleasure of visiting Littlefield Gallery while attending a Golden Apple Residency less than an hour away from the gallery. On the very first visit, they struck up a friendship with Kelly and...

"Hold the Vision, Trust the Process" Author Unknown ...Artists bring artwork into existence with determination, perseverance, and courage. Their original vision can go through many edits and transformation during the process. The day to day studio practice can be fulfilling and stressful all during the same project. Val and Armin discuss their own struggles and joys in being artists. Eve...

Episode 50 is a conversation with artist Audrey Phillips. We learn more about Audrey and her beautiful acrylic paintings and her incredible journey through life that included both dark and light, tragedy and triumph. Audrey received her Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of Florida. Audrey has exhibited in solo and group shows in Florida, where she currently lives, Georgia, North Carolina, M...

Join Val and Armin as they discuss setting intentions to keep your art practice engaged throughout the summer. Setting a few intentions of what you want to accomplish will help you stay focused but still have time to just relax and daydream. The trick is to keep your plans flexible and give yourself a lot of room for improvisation for some spontaneous experiences. These experiences can then pop up...

It is our pleasure to introduce our audience to Kelly Anne Powers. We have listened and enjoyed her Learn to Paint Podcast throughout the year. Val connected with Kelly via Instagram and invited her to interview with us and she accepted! In the meantime, we learned that several of our listeners were already taking full advantage of Kelly's in-depth and practical painting episodes after we had...

In this episode, Armin and Val discuss the close relationship Armin had with his artist and author father. Their bond helped make Armin the artist he is today Stories about art lessons, studio practices and big dreams of art round out this episode and encourage us all to honor the pivotal guides and mentors we've had in our lives. Fritz Mersmann came to this country in August of 1962. He was c...