Art Problems

Making any sort of career plan often results self-discovery. In this episode, I speak to three Netvvrk members, Jon Laustsen, Karey Kessler and Arden Bendler Browning about what they've learned through the process. Jon talks about how using a typewriter helped him connect to the process better. Karey talks about the discovery that the length of the journey and the goals she original set have shift...

Are you struggling to find time to do every god damn thing? Of course you are. You're an artist. That's why I started this series on goal setting. In this podcast I speak with artist and Netvvrk member Cadence Giersbach about how she sets priorities and gets things done. Giersbach describes the importance of focusing on the things that are within your control—what you can do each day to get tasks...

Have you ever launched an exhibition space and then tortured yourself over whether to include yourself in a show because you know it will look bad? Or struggled over whether to send an email to gallerist or a DM over instagram because someone followed you, but you're not sure if DMing a welcome is friendly or spam?   Welcome to the world of art world taboos, which are both plentiful and entirely u...

In this episode of Art Problems, I take on a vexed topic for many artists: goal setting! Is it even worth setting goals when it's so difficult to know where your opportunities will come from? Short answer: Yes. I talk to artist and Netvvrk member Heather Beardsley about the process she used to set her goals, and how she achieved them. And you know what? It's not rocket science. You can follow Heat...

Last year, I predicted what 2023 in the art world would look like. This week, I take a look back at those predictions, share what I got right and wrong, and make new ones for 2024. Spoiler alert: We've got big structural changes ahead. It's hard to say how those changes will play out, but discuss the benefit of approaching shifts with cautious optimism.   Relevant links: The Internet is about to G...

Do you have an internal ticker tape running tracking one anxiety to the next? Many of us who struggle with fears that our ambitions for our art will never align with our careers find end of year planning stressful. That's why, in this podcast, I invited artist and meditation expert Kristen Jordan to the podcast. (Psst: She also manages the Netvvrk membership support desk.) She tackles all of the a...

Is conventional wisdom shifting? Many believe art fairs and artists shouldn't mix. One artist described it to me as watching your parents have sex. It's not something artists want to do! But not everyone agrees. In this episode I speak to artist Mark Joshua Epstein about his experience at the Miami art fairs and why he believes the stigma associated with artists who attend without exhibiting their...

Is there a way to escape the demoralizing FOMO many artists experience during the Miami art fairs? In this episode of Art Problems, I discuss the ceiling many artists feel during this time of year, how to insert yourself into the fairs, and how not to feel like this whole art endeavor-thing is pointless. Spoiler alert: The whole art thing is not pointless.

This week, I conducted an experiment: I took a survey that identified problems for standard businesses by revenue stages and examined how those problems aligned with the average artist's studio practice. Surprise! The metrics didn't line up. So, I used the framework for the business stages to create my model for artists. This podcast shares what I learned and produced for you! In the process, I cr...

In this episode, I discuss the abundance of triggers liable to make you feel a little more sensitive about your career this time of year including the Miami art fairs, holiday sales, and an art market recession. I also discuss what you can do when you start feeling all the feels. We often get in our own way when we become self-conscious about visibility. This podcast is designed to give you the to...

Do you really need an artist residency? You know it helps a CV, but how much? Will it help other aspects of your career? In this episode, I talk about how to determine if you need a residency and how to find the residencies best suited to your needs. If you've been stressing over whether you should spend time at a residency or how to find one, this podcast will provide an answer to many of those a...

Is your lack of tech literacy stressing you out?   Are you worried you're too old to get the hang of new technology?   Maybe you're not old, and reasonably tech-savvy, but still stymied by constant tech updates?   Today on the podcast I invite my mother, Jacqueline Johnson, to talk about her use of technology.   She is not a master of technology. But, at age 77, she has figured out how to use what...

Is your body not working as well as it did when you were twenty? Is this affecting your studio practice? Welcome to the joys of mid-career!   In this episode of Art Problems, I speak about the importance of seeking out good healthcare so you can sustain your work in the studio.   Try different types of support.   Use what works for you.   Trust your body.   Adapt, adapt, adapt.   Learning to accep...

In this episode, I talk to artists Barbara Nitke, Natalya Kochak, Laurence Elle Groux (goes by Elle) to talk about how they used the Netvvrk membership to help them secure their Chelsea show Mind Body and Soul—a Chashama exhibition at 320 West 23rd Street in New York. We go through the process of how they met, how they got the show, the resources they needed to make the show, and now, what they ca...

Let me guess. You have a million things to do to move your art career forward, but you're only one person, and you're struggling to find time in the studio, let alone do all the other tasks. You need one job, not four. In this episode of Art Problems, I discuss how to get the time you need in the studio. The solutions I have aren't sexy, and some of them aren't even that fun. But you know what is...

Does anyone even read art criticism any more? For years, the prevailing wisdom told us that the art industry needs art criticism to grow. And yet, today, the industry is larger than ever; the number of professional art critics in the country is dwindling, and those writing reviews aren't having them read. So, do we need art criticism? Is art criticism itself the problem? Is it too positive to be t...

In this podcast, Paddy Johnson discusses how you can participate in the art world at the level you want to participate when you are afraid that your work isn't at that level.  What are the symptoms of self doubt? How can simple avoidance behaviors be mitigated? And how can more complex fear-driven avoidance be tackled? The answers to all that and more inside today's podcast.   Relevant links: http...

In this podcast, Paddy Johnson and artist William Powhida discuss the increasing cost of museums, art fairs, application fees, and travel impacting artists and how to beat them. You'll learn: Where to stay when visiting New York that won't cost $500 or more a night How to avoid a large fair entrance fee And how to lower the cost of museum fees

The start of the fall season is upon us! And with all fall events, so too comes feelings of excitement, mixed with overwhelm and sometimes even dread. You might be asking yourself questions like, "How do I get my art seen when there is so little press to cover the five million shows now open across the country?" "How do I network at openings and fairs when no one wants to see my work unless I am t...

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...

In this episode I talk with artist Eric LoPresti about defining success inside an industry that has few markers to gage it. LoPresti talks about his goals for his work, his approach to securing the opportunities he's gained, and a work strategy that identifies artists as either hunters or trappers. Listen to the podcast to learn more!   Relevant links: http://www.ericlopresti.com/

Welcome to the future where down is up, up is down, and email isn't just a spam storage service. In this podcast, I share the news that many artists aren't going to like—email is back, baby! In many ways, it never left us, but in this episode, I discuss the recent media shift to newsletters and why artists should be placing their focus there as well.   If you haven't been building your mailing lis...

A gallery with an incredible curatorial record, a publishing wing, a 90% sales split to the artist AND 5% resale royalties may sound like an artist's fantasy, but it exists! Enter Testudo, a new online-first gallery dedicated to inclusivity, transparency and security. In this episode of Art Problems, I speak with John Dennehy of Testudo, the gallery he co-founded with his partner Kirby Voigtman in...

In this episode, William Powhida joins Paddy Johnson to talk about the changes in the art world, since 2017. Powhida and Johnson focus on Upstate Art Weekend and a recent New Yorker profile of Larry Gagosian to examine these changes, and use Powhida's 2017 show, "After the Contemporary" at the Aldrich Museum of Art, which imagines the art world of the future, as a starting point.    Relevant Links...

Oh, this episode is a doozy! In it, Paddy discusses how Netvvrk artists secured nearly a million dollars in grant funding for artists in just two years. The breakdown is in this episode if you want to know what Netvvrk artists are doing to secure awards like the Guggenheim Foundation Grant, The Pollock Krasner, JMF funding, and more.  The tally, currently at $755,000, represents the dedication of...