Art Problems

Are artists getting the short end of the A.I. stick? Faced with a loss of potential revenue, many artists are questioning the value of A.I. models that train on their artwork to produce artwork for users at no cost. Zero dollars from your labor isn't a good deal. In this episode of Art Problems, I discuss the short comings of using licensing to deal with A.I. companies acting like bullies stealing your lunch money. But, I also talk about which text-based platforms are most useful to artists writing artist statements and show off the results of my testing. No spoilers here, but I'll say this much: An A.I. platform that makes your statement better exists, and it's not ChatGPT! Relevant links: The Verge, The New York Times Is Suing Open AI and Microsoft for Copyright Infringement https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/27/24016212/new-york-times-openai-microsoft-lawsuit-copyright-infringement Hard Fork Podcast, Casey Goes to the Whitehouse + The Copyright Battle Over Artificial Intelligence + ChatGPT https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/casey-goes-to-the-white-house-the-copyright-battle/id1528594034?i=1000633573515 The Ezra Klein Show, How Should I be Using A.I. Right Now? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-should-i-be-using-a-i-right-now/id1548604447?i=1000651164959

One of the great frustrations with the art world is the nonsense terms you have to interpret and apply to your practice. Are you an emerging, mid-career, or an established artist? NOBODY KNOWS. It's different for every application you fill out. What if I told you, I had a solution to this problem? A set of terms where you could easily see your EXACT place within the art world. Well, whatyaknow! That's the subject of this podcast! You'll learn the terms and industry sectors we're identifying behind the scenes at Netvvrk and how to apply them to your practice. READ TRANSCRIPT HERE

Do I really need to read ArtForum? This and other media-related questions on this episode of Art Problems. We dive into: The state of the media and how it effects you and your practice. When you should start thinking about making a catalogue of your work and their purpose. Whether using paid publications like New American Painting is worth your money. And let's just get this out of the way right here: don't pay for advertising. It's not worth it.

In honor of the Whitney Biennial, I'm sharing an episode of Pep Talks for Artists on how to work an opening. In this episode Podcast host and producer Amy Talluto talks with Mandy Wilson Rosen about the book "How to Work a Room" by Susan RoAne to see if it jusssttt might have some helpful tips inside for artists. Spoiler alert: It does. It's chock full of helpful tips for surviving an opening —and Amy even found some cocktail party lounge music for the ep. All music is licensed from Soundstripe. For more support with your career join the vvrkshop mailing list.   Relevant links: Buy How to Work a Room on ⁠Amazon⁠ or ⁠Thriftbooks⁠ Print Hoban Press business cards: ⁠https://hobanpress.com/⁠ (PS: Amy uses "the Stoic" calling card-so thicc!) Visit Mandy's website: ⁠https://mandolynwilsonrosen.com/home.html⁠ Visit Amy's website: ⁠https://www.amytalluto.com/⁠ Visit Pep Talks Instagram: ⁠@peptalksforartists⁠ Support Pep Talks on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PepTalksforArtists

I am back from the LA fairs, hoo boy, do I have some impressions. There was so much to do and see relative to New York’s Frieze week, that I started to wonder if New York would continue to be the economic center for art! In this podcast I discuss the biz, trends, and art so you have all the information you need to know whether participating in the LA Fairs is worth the investment. You’ll also get the skinny on each fair so you get a sense of the flavor of each. By the end, you'll be armed with everything you need to navigate and succeed in the art fair environment. Read transcript here. Relevant links: ART MARKET REPORTS Artnet  Frieze Los Angeles Is Smaller This Year, but Dealers Are Doing Big Business https://news.artnet.com/market/frieze-los-angeles-is-smaller-this-year-but-dealers-are-doing-big-business-2442125 The Art Newspaper, Felix is fun as ever, even as Sales Slow  https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2024/02/29/felix-is-fun-as-ever-even-as-sales-slow Frieze Fair, Felix and more this weekend (paywall)  https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2024-02-29/frieze-los-angeles-2024-felix-art-fair   TRENDS  Heavily patterned paintings that look like rugs. Aydee Rodriguez Lopez at Proyectos Monclova https://www.proyectosmonclova.com/artists/aydee-rodriguez-lopez Laura Owens at Matthew Marks  https://matthewmarks.com/artists/laura-owens Jeff Perrone at Corbett vs Dempsey  https://corbettvsdempsey.com/exhibitions/felix-art-fair-2024/   SPRING BREAK HIGHLIGHTS SPRING/BREAK ART SHOW  https://www.springbreakartshow.com/ Fred Fleisher curates Don Porcella  https://springbreakartfair.com/collections/spring-break-art-show-la-2024/fred-fleisher Cheryl Molnar curates Rachelle Anayansi Mozman Solano https://springbreakartfair.com/collections/cheryl-molnar-la-2024 Fabiola Gironi and Robert Minervini  https://springbreakartfair.com/collections/spring-break-art-show-la-2024/fabiola-gironi Mary Henderson curated by Sarah A Gamble  https://springbreakartfair.com/collections/spring-break-art-show-la-2024/mary-henderson Michael Handley curated by Jack Henry  https://springbreakartfair.com/collections/spring-break-art-show-la-2024/michael-handley   FRIEZE HIGHLIGHTS Frieze LA https://www.frieze.com/tags/frieze-los-angeles-2024 Hernan Bas at Victoria Miro https://online.victoria-miro.com/frieze-los-angeles-2024-hernan-bas/ Jordan Casteel at Casey Kaplan  https://caseykaplangallery.com/artists/casteel/   FELIX ART FAIR HIGHLIGHTS Felix Art Fair  https://felixfair.com/ Kavi Gupta at Felix https://kavigupta.com/events/156/overview/ Sargent’s Daughters  https://www.sargentsdaughters.com/ Michael Kirkham at Harkawik Gallery  https://galleryplatform.la/galleries/harkawik/exhibitions/felix-art-fair-2024

I know, I know. I'm basically promising the answer to life in an eight-minute podcast! Well, it's not quite that, but this week on the Art Problems Podcast I talk about how understanding your goals and audience can give you the answer to pretty much any question you have about artist statements. And I'll tell you this now: The answers won't stop with statements. Not to be cryptic or anything, but I'm going to leave you with this teaser: Your audience might not be who you think!

Almost every artist will need to take an extended break from art making at some point in their career. Whether that be due to child rearing, the loss of a parent, or a significant move, the job of getting back into the game can be just as challenging as the disruptions that took you away from the studio. You're probably worried that... You have visible gaps in your CV that galleries will notice and ask you about. You've lose touch with many of your contacts and art friends and now they're gone for good. Your fear of not being able to get back into the networking game, will keep you from getting back into the networking game. In this podcast, I address those fears, identify the self defeating actions artists often take when in this position, and offer actionable alternatives. You don't have to feel stuck. And this podcast is designed to make sure you feel empowered to take action, rather than feeling mired in fear and self doubt. Have a listen, and let me know what you think!   Relevant links: https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/1137460905/late-bloomers

In this podcast Have you ever exchanged gifts with someone and only to learn that the present you got them is waaaaay more expensive then the one they got you? Awkward! In this Valentine's Day podcast on connection and mailers, I talk about how social currency and exchange works much the same way. If you're asking someone for their email, and you're giving them something in exchange you want it to be roughly equal in investment. Sometimes that's the newsletter itself and sometimes it's a little more.

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 shifted. Arden learns that being shy and introverted don't preclude her enjoyment of talking about her work. What can you learn about yourself through this process? Have a listen and find out!   Let's get this party started! Tonight at 7:30 PM EST I'll be giving my FREE Masterclass on How to Get More Shows without Transforming your Personality into a Marketing Bot! Join me!

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 done. If you want to know more about how to spend less time hustling and more time in the studio, I'm going to do a deeper dive in my live masterclass, How to Get More Shows Without Turning Your Personality into a Marketing Bot Tuesday Feb. 6th at 7:30 PM EST. This class is totally free, so join me!   Relevant links: How to Get More Shows Without Turning Your Personality into a Marketing Bot Tuesday Feb. 6th at 7:30 PM EST  

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 useless in any situation other than the most obvious examples. In this episode I identify a few of the more common taboos that trip an artist up, explain why they exist and how and when you can break them!   You're welcome!   Relevant links: https://wageforwork.com/

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 Heather's method (the Netvvrk method) and do the same thing. Because study after study shows that people who set goals are far more likely to achieve them. So, have a listen and get down to business!

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 Get Weird Again  https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-commentary/internet-future-about-to-get-weird-1234938403/   The Enshitification of TikTok  https://www.wired.com/story/tiktok-platforms-cory-doctorow/

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 anxiety around meditation, the ways it can help us formulate and tackle goals, and even leads is through a mediation at the end of the podcast.   Relevant Links: https://www.kristenjordan.com/ https://www.vvrkshop.art/netvvrk-waitlist

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 work has changed. He got a lot out of his visit, and shares what he gained, who he thinks will benefit, and when it won't help you. And he shares plenty of insider tips to help you if you decide to go!   Names mentioned: Shelter Gallery presents Jaqueline Cedar at NADA https://www.shelternyc.com/   Mrs Gallery presents Nickola Pottinger at Art Basel Miami  https://www.mrsgallery.com/2023-art-basel-miami-beach   High Noon presents Ryan Crotty at Untitled  https://www.highnoongallery.com/untitled-art-miami-2023   County presents Danielle Mysliwiec at Untitled  https://www.daniellemysliwiec.com/exhibitions   To Weave The Sky at El Espacio 23  https://elespacio23.org/2023/10/05/to-weave-the-sky-textile-abstractions/   Noon Projects presents Alex Kerr at Nada  https://elespacio23.org/2023/10/05/to-weave-the-sky-textile-abstractions/   Aysa Geisberg at Untitled  https://www.asyageisberggallery.com/

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 created a downloadable action checklist so you can identify your career stage and what actions you need to take to get to the next level. That link below. THE THREE BUSINESS STAGES OF STUDIO PRACTICE  

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 tools to avoid the behaviors likely to set you back.    Sign up Here for early access to the Vantablack Friday offer!   Relevant links: https://hyperallergic.com/784192/art-problems-dont-make-art-to-sell-do-i-still-belong-in-the-art-world/

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 anxieties.

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 she needs, and reports crying far less often as a result of the computer.   Learn how she overcame her fear of technology and how you can, too!