Art Problems

Artist and accountant Hannah Cole talks about her new book "Taxes for Humans"—your not-boring guide to taxation for self-employed artists. We discuss why tax education is deliberately kept from us, how to fix a messy tax situation without shame, and Hannah's secret agenda to turn artists into activists. Plus: tax-advantaged accounts, disaster relief benefits, and why it's worth investing in your p...

This week I'm extending a conversation I started in my revived Hyperallergic column: do you need a proper studio space to get studio visits? The answer is no—if you handle it properly. But the real question isn't about your space. It's how to network effectively so visits actually happen. I break down the exact timing strategy for outreach, why most networking fails in the follow-through, and how...

This week on the Art Problems podcast interview series "Inside Netvvrk", I'm wrapping up the series with Chris Moss, a painter and the artist advisor who leads all of Netvvrk's studio critiques. Chris has been with Netvvrk for years. He shares what it's like to go from being completely stuck to organizing a neighborhood studio crawl that brought hundreds of people through his door. We talk about w...

This week on the Art Problems podcast interview series "Inside Netvvrk", I'm talking with Brent Showalter, a multidisciplinary artist whose brilliantly colored paintings and photographs transform layered compositions of color and shape into vibrating surfaces. Brent runs multiple businesses and brings that same strategic mindset to his art practice. In doing so, he's able to devote more time to hi...

This week on the Art Problems podcast interview series “Inside Netvvrk”, I'm talking with Ann Marie Auricchio, an abstract painter who creates work at the intersection of psychological and physical experiences. Ann Marie shares what it's like to restart your art career after 25 years in another profession. She talks about why having all your materials ready isn't enough if you don't know how to us...

This week I'm launching 'Inside Netvvrk,' a new interview series with Netvvrk members. First up is Laurie Frick, a data artist and one of Netvvrk's founding members. In this conversation, we talked about what it's really like to invest in your career when you're already mid-career. Laurie doesn't sugarcoat it: Netvvrk isn't cheap, and you need to treat your career like it's worth investing in. But...

This week, accountant and artist Hannah Cole interviews me. As an artist who isn't (yet) a Netvvrk member, she had a lot of questions about how it helps mid-career visual artists. Who is it for? How does it work? What makes it different from a course? Do you really need it? We talk about why I started Netvvrk after years of cobbling together income from adjunct teaching and speaking fees, and how...

Eric Shiner, President of Powerhouse Arts joins the podcast to give artists the skinny on this new organization. This 170,000 square-foot nonprofit in Brooklyn's Gowanus neighborhood is fast becoming one of the most significant resources for artists in New York City. Eric walks me through Powerhouse's seven fabrication workshops (ceramics, printmaking, textiles, wood, metal, and more), their artis...

One of the most common challenges artists face is knowing when—and how—to hire help for their practice. This week, I'm breaking down the practicalities of hiring: from determining if you're ready, to figuring out what you can afford to pay, to managing assistants effectively.   I cover the key tipping points that signal it's time to bring on help, the difference between contractors, assistants, an...

This week we’re talking about how health events affect the lives of artists. Sculptor John Powers joins me as we share our experiences - his traumatic hand injury and subsequent cancer diagnosis, and my own recent double mastectomy. We dig into the specific challenges artists face when medical crises threaten the tools of our trade, how we navigate the US healthcare system, and the mental strategi...

VVrkshop founder Paddy Johnson and artist William Powhida dive into their impressions of the 2025 Armory Art Fair in New York. In this episode, we explore how Frieze's new ownership has changed the fair's feel, from stricter security to the notable absence of mega galleries like Hauser & Wirth and Gagosian. We break down the numbers - more than half of 2024's exhibitors didn't return, LA galle...

What exactly is "art speak" and why do artists continue to use it when we all agree it’s creates a poor reading experience? In this podcast, I break down the inflated language that clutters artist statements—from "liminal" and "corporeal" to meaningless spatial metaphors that make work sound more complex than it is.  Drawing on Alix Rule and David Levine's landmark essay "International Art English...

In this episode, Paddy gives you the skinny on the Guggenheim Fellowship, one of the most prestigious awards for mid-career artists. The talk contains tips and strategies you won't find on their website, including knowing when to apply and how often. You won't find this information anywhere else, so have a listen. Even if you're not planning to apply, this episode will give you strategies for ALL...

Artist Natalia Nakazawa believes this moment of extreme uncertainty is actually "artist time"—when we need to step up as visionaries and fill the voids that traditional systems are leaving behind. This is the second interview in my series on how to find hope through artistic practice. Natalia has built multiple collectives and focuses on long-term sustainability over quick wins. We discuss making...

After feeling demoralized by Trump’s election, artist Julie Peppito researched how to resist authoritarianism and merged her studio practice with street activism—what she calls "artivism." Peppito, who is leading Saturday's No King's protest in NYC, believes artists are uniquely positioned to break through disinformation as messengers and visual communicators.  We discuss her four-part formula for...

When external pressures feel overwhelming and traditional solutions fall short, how do artists move forward? From The Whitney pausing its Independent Study Program to AI threatening brand partnerships, the challenges facing artists today often don't have clear fixes.  Art Coach Paddy Johnson explores why believing every threat is already reality can paralyze us, how social media platforms prioriti...

At the end of 2024, artist Amy Kligman left her executive director role to create her own opportunities by identifying gaps in the Kansas City arts ecosystem. She launched Special Effects gallery to make local artists more nationally visible and the Salon for Possible Futures, an artwork that doubles as a community gathering space. We discuss how Amy navigates risk and uncertainty, measures succes...

In this second part of our two-part series on New York Art Fair Week, William Powhida and Paddy Johnson discuss the standout artworks from Independent, NADA, and Spring Break. Despite the thin crowds and economic challenges explored in Part 1, there were notable works worth celebrating. The conversation highlights vintage game boards at Independent, playful Nancy Drew-inspired paintings at Spring...

Is New York Art Fair Week losing its momentum? This week, artist and critic William Powhida and I spent time at Independent, NADA, and Spring Break—and the energy felt deflated across all three. In this first part of our two-part series, we dig into what went wrong. Thin crowds. Dealers complaining about slow sales. International collectors staying away due to political uncertainty and travel conc...

The Art Problems Podcast is back after a two-month hiatus — and I’m back announcing the biggest update in Netvvrk membership history. The economy’s rough. The art world’s uncertain. And I’m not pretending otherwise. But that does mean that focusing on your career now can give you a leg up.  This episode is about giving yourself that advantage by finding your place in the art world — and actually m...

One of the best ways to solve the problem of not enough shows is to self-organize. No one can launch a show without networking, so it forces network expansion, along with solving the lack of shows thing. For Transcultural Exchange Director and artist Mary Sherman this activity is as routine as breathing. She is the mastermind behind Avenues for Daring, the 2025 International Conference on Opportun...

In which I reveal plans for a game-changing curriculum built from hundreds of artist surveys and 20+ years of industry experience. Plus, get a must-listen podcast recommendation that perfectly captures the creative journey. When Art Problems returns, expect deeper dives into career-advancing strategies.

Doesn't it seem like everyone is talking about crappy things are lately? This starts with the state of politics and extends all the way through to culture. Is culture in stasis? And if not, why does it feel like it is to so many people? On this episode of Art Problems, the artist William Powhida and I discuss the following articles: “Why has culture come to a standstill,” Jason Farago, The New Yor...

In honor of Thanksgiving, I'm reflecting on the professionals I'm most thankful for—those supporting artists. The field is vast; honestly, this list of ten could easily be five times the size. But there's only so much space in one show! This episode is for you if you want to know who is doing good work and supporting your practice. A few quick and dirty links below PLUS don't forget to take advant...

Every artist needs a visibility plan. But if you're anything like me, you may find following a plan INSANELY difficult. There are too many variables at play to stick to a plan. Well, when you establish your starting point, you can set goals, and creating a plan with the flexibility needed to achieve said goals becomes a lot easier. On today's podcast, I talk about the baseline metrics you need to...