Art Ladders: The Creative Climb

During our time in Maine this month, we had the pleasure and honor to spend time with artist, gallery director, and visionary Whitney Vosburgh. It was a wonderful experience to meet with him in Columbia Falls and tour Mothers Art Gallery built in 1841 and restored starting in 1970. The building has architectual character that includes weathered timbers, rustic finishes, and art displayed with an aesthetic of authenticity and honor to the history of Maine.

Here is more about Whitney Vosburgh. He has an MA in Religious Leadership for Social Change from the Graduate Theological Union, and a B.F.A. from Parsons School of Design in New York City, his expertise on  the Future of Work has been featured in four books, including a bestseller by Dan Pink. When Whitney is not focusing on business consulting, speaking, and writing, he can be found making art, and growing Mothers Art Gallery into a destination gallery that brings the best of the world of art to Maine and the best of Maine’s art to the world. He does this all in a lovingly restored 1841 barn in the heart of Downeast, Maine. This episode took place inside Mothers Art Gallery on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. Thank you very much to Whitney Vosburgh for his thoughtful conversation and hospitality.

Mothers Art Gallery

Instagram for Mothers Art Gallery

Work The Future: Today

In this episode, Valerie and Armin welcome artist Christopher Kahler to discuss his journey in the art world, the influences from his family, and the importance of relationships in the art community. They explore Koehler's artistic development, teaching philosophy, and the challenges he faced, including personal health issues. The conversation emphasizes the significance of collaboration, the pursuit of art, and the value of education without the burden of debt.

Chris Kahler is the department chair for the art and design department at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois and recently took up the interim role as director of the Tarble Art Center, which is the University Art Museum.

He has an MFA from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, an MA in painting from Eastern Illinois University, and a BFA from Ohio Wesleyan University.

Chris Kahler is represented by Bruno David Gallery in St. Louis, Missouri.

Chris Kahler: Eastern Illinois University Website

Chris Kahler: Represented by Bruno David Gallery

Episode Overview

In this insightful episode, we are joined by Annamieka Hopps, the Product Education Specialist at Artwork Archive. Annamieka shares her expertise on art inventory management and emphasizes the importance of mastering business skills for artists. With her unique approach, she addresses the various organizational styles artists may have, from the meticulously detailed to the creatively chaotic. Her goal is to help artists spend more time creating rather than searching for misplaced artworks.

1. Importance of Business Skills for Artists: Annamieka highlights how business acumen is crucial for artists to manage their careers effectively and sustainably.

2. Customized Organizational Advice: Whether you're highly disciplined like Armin or a free spirit like Val, Annamieka offers tailored advice to fit your personal organizational style.

3. Efficiency in Art Inventory Management: Learn how an efficient art management system can prevent the loss of valuable time and resources.

Annamieka Hopps is not only a Product Education Specialist at Artwork Archive but also a practicing artist and muralist. With years of experience as an arts educator, she brings a wealth of knowledge to her role, helping artists worldwide transform administrative challenges into streamlined processes. Annamieka is known for her engaging and accessible presentation style and has been a mentor and guide through her online programs and "The Art Friend Show."

Don't miss the opportunity to join Annamieka Hopps for a free customized Zoom session on July 8th at 2 PM Eastern, Noon Mountain, and 11 AM Pacific. She will provide an in-depth look at the Artwork Archive platform, offering insights into its cloud-based art management capabilities. Be sure to register through the link in the show notes to take advantage of a special 20% discount for Artwork Archive.

Check out the show notes for the registration link to secure your spot for this exclusive Zoom session with Annamieka Hopps. This is a fantastic opportunity to enhance your art business management skills with guidance from an expert.

We hope you enjoy this episode and find Annamieka's insights valuable for your art career. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review if you enjoyed the show!

Show Notes:

⁠"Studio to Success: Organizing the Business Side of Your Art Career" Free Zoom Webinar: Tuesday July 8, 2025⁠

⁠Sign up for Artwork Archive Newsletter to receive a download of the Guide Book ⁠

⁠20% offer for Artwork Archive ⁠

⁠Annamieka's podcast: The Art Friend Show ⁠

We are celebrating our 100th episode and invited our artist friends to join us. Our opening question was how do art podcasts work for you and the answers we received were thoughtful and relevant to the life of artists. We explored the healing power of art podcasts as well as how art conversations can help artists feel part of a bigger community. Armin and I strived to bring worthwhile content through our interviews with a variety of artists and art professionals. We also "kept it real" with our coffee conversations on topics we have encountered on this journey. This episode was very invigorating for us both and has fueled us with energy to create more episodes moving forward. Thank you to all who listen to our podcast! We appreciate you all.

Special thanks to the artists who joined us today. I've connected links with those who have them.

Interview with Joanne Grabinski on Prose from the Underground

D. Joanne Rummel 

Julie Close

Pamela Hart Ceramics Website

Pamela Hart Instagram

Linda Boyle at LSB Fine Art

Linda Boyle Instagram

Alan Maciag

Alan Maciag Instagram

Karen Bobier

Valerie Allen Website

Armin Mersmann Website

In this episode Armin and I discuss how we work with our artistic rhythm to increase our productivity in our studios. It has to do with developing good habits and attitudes toward hard work. Keeping art a priority in our lives has always been so important to us both, but we often handle the end game differently. Armin has a resolute discipline that has been successful for him and I am much more of a free spirit who embraces the unknown and unpredictable. There are pros and cons to our handling of the art journey. Take a listen!

We would like to invite you to our 100th episode Zoom meeting where we will record a Q and A from the attending audience members and also hear a bit about their artwork.It's a celebration party. The Zoom conversation will take place on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 at 7pm Eastern time. To register for the Zoom session Click Here.

Show Notes

Links to classes this summer.

Art Ladders Class Collection

Val's Abstraction Workshop in Grosse Pointe, MI June 14 and 15

Val's In-Person Printmaking Workshop at her studio. 6/28&29

Armin's In-Person Workshop at Flint Institute of Art 8/4-6

Armin's In-Person iPhone for the Traveler Flint Institute of Art 6/14

Armin's Contour Drawing at Crooked Tree Art in Petoskey 8/14-15

Armin's iPhone Workshop at Crooked Tree Art in Petoskey 8/12-13

We are joined with Emma Golden, executive director of the Sam and Adele Golden Foundation for the Arts. The Golden Foundation was conceived as a way to thank the community of artists for their support, encouragement and friendship. For the Golden family and friends, the Golden Foundation is also a means of celebrating the legacy of Sam and Adele.

Emma paints a story in this episode that honors that legacy by sharing stories of her grandparents, Sam and Adele Golden and her parents, Mark and Barbara Golden as they all embarked on the founding of Golden Artist Colors. From the rich experience that Sam had as a paintmaker working along his uncle Leonard Bocour producing hand-ground oil colors for artists in 1936, she reveals that in retirement Sam and Adele returned to the arts materials world joined by Emma's parents, Mark and Barbara. That was 1980 and the company Golden Artist Colors now manufactures GOLDEN Artist Acrylics, Williamsburg Artist Oil Colors, QoR Watercolors, and PanPastels and is a respected leader in the paintmaking industry.

In 2012, Golden Foundation opened its doors to a one-of-a-kind residency experience to artists around the world. Across the road from the Golden manufacturing factory in New Berlin, New York, a 19th century barn was renovated into spacious studio and living space for artists chosen through an application process.

The artists during their four-week residency have multiple opportunities to meet with paintmakers and experienced material application specialists to learn more about the paints they work with. It is a unique experience that is often not taught or is not accessible to artists and advances each artist's expertise in their field.

Emma explains the application process and informs our listeners on the logistics and timetable of the process. She also lays out the day to day living arrangements for the artists.

Artists with curiosity and a quest for learning are encouraged to apply. The application will become available in June so keep an eye out for the announcement on Goldenfoundation. org.

Thank you, Emma, for this inside look into your foundations opportunities for artists. We are looking forward to staying in touch with you and your residents.

Show Notes:

The Sam and Adele Golden Foundation for the Arts

Golden Artist Colors

Just Paint Newsletter Archive

Golden Foundation Board and Staff

In this episode, we delve into the art and passion of teaching . We explore our personal teaching styles and the profound impact that sharing knowledge has on both the teacher and the student. Teaching is more than just a profession for us; it is a rewarding journey filled with mutual inspiration and motivation.

Key Highlights

• Personal Teaching Styles: Discover how our past experiences with exceptional teachers have shaped our unique approaches to teaching. We discuss the importance of energy, passion, and commitment in creating a dynamic learning environment that encourages student growth.
• Upcoming Opportunities: With summer on the horizon, we are excited to announce a series of workshops and online classes. These opportunities are designed to ignite creativity and foster skill development. Stay updated on these events through our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram, or by joining our email list for exclusive announcements.

Join us in this episode as we reflect on the joys of teaching and the invaluable connections we build with our students.

Sign up for our Newsletter and Email Announcements HERE.

Studio Kroner presents ALL ELSE PALES: 2 —an immersive exhibition uniting artists, scientists, and activists to explore sustainability, climate change, and environmental justice. Join Studio Kroner from April 17 – May 24, 2025, for dynamic discussions, artist talks, and community engagement.

In this episode, Armin and I are joined by artist, designer, and owner, Paul Kroner and two participating artists, Devon Horton and John Sabraw. We delve into the origins of ALL ELSE PALES with Paul. The exhibit built off the first version held in 2022. The exhibit is Paul's invitation for artists to face environment fears and hopes. By doing so, the art displayed is a catalyst for open conversations on the challenge of global environmental sustainability as well as individual introspection on our own awareness into areas we can take action.

The artists Devon Horton, who is also the co-curator of the exhibit) and John Sabraw, who is featured in our episode 78 podcast, brings this discussion alive with insights into their journey of creating work with a universal and global message. for artists and audience alike.

The show notes here will be more extensive than usual as we will list the websites of the participating artists. Please take the time to check them all out. Even better, visit the exhibit in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio at Studio Kroner located at 130 West Court Street. There is a full event schedule listed on the website. Many thanks to Paul, Devon, and John for joining us for Episode 96.

Show Notes:

ALL ELSE PALES: 2 Exhibit Webpage

Studio Kroner

Paul Kroner

Devon Horton

John Sabraw

Julia Orquera Bianco

Albertus Gorman

Stephen Hall

Elaine Olund

Mary Kroner

In this latest episode, Armin and Val discussed the importance of maintaining focus as artists. This can range from adopting simple habits that promote concentration to being fiercely protective of your studio time.

Artists thrive in that magical state of flow, which requires a natural ability to focus. Whenever an artist is sidetracked from their vision, it may take hours, days, or even weeks to regain their momentum.

Time is a valuable resource, and there are moments when artists must make tough choices, such as declining opportunities that could deplete their creative energy.

It is our hope that there will be take-aways in this conversation that artists can use in their own practice.

Here are some links of classes, workshops and events coming up for Armin and Valerie this year.

Armin's Creative Process Online Class starting April 15, 2025.

Valerie's In-Person Abstraction Workshop at Millhouse in the Dallas Area. May 2-3, 2025

Valerie's In-Person Abstraction Workshop at the Grosse Pointe Art Center. June 14-15, 2025

Creative 360's "Creativity Cruise" with Armin and Val . October 11-18, 2025.

What a lovely weekend I had in Texas visiting my Aunt! It was jam packed with artistic and cultural experiences. A very special Friday morning was a studio visit with my Instagram Robin Maria Pedrero. It was our first time to meet in person and we had so much to discuss. On my return to Michigan, I said to Armin that we needed to invite her to be our podcast guest and here we are!

Robin Maria Pedrero creates with skillful use of color and texture to bring to life unique works of art. An award-winning artist, her work appears in museum permanent collections in Florida and Greece as well as corporate collections, publications, and film. 

Her first solo museum exhibition took place at the Orlando Museum of Art followed by the Lake County Museum of Art in Florida. She is an elected signature member of the Pastel Society of America, and in 2012, was awarded Best Artist in Florida by Baterbys’ Art Auction Gallery. Pedrero is listed in Florida International Magazine’s Florida Artists Hall of Fame, and she won an international wine label contest with her art featured on a limited-edition Artiste Wine label in California.  

 Pedrero’s artwork has been selected by Tamara Day for Bargain Mansions and featured on HGTV and Magnolia Network. Her work has been collected around the world in several countries. 

 Currently, Pedrero creates from her studio at Millhouse in the Cotton Mill in McKinney Texas.

Armin and I talked with Armin about her different revenue streams for her art, her beautiful studio in the Millhouse Mckinney complex, and Robin's role as artist and curator for different exhibits throughout the world.

If you are ever in the Dallas area be sure to check out her studio in Millhouse located in McKinney, an arty suburb with a super ambiance of history, art and dining. Check out all the show notes.

Thank you, Robin for being our guest!

Show Notes:

Website of Robin Maria Pedrero

Intagram of Robin Maria Pedrero

Millhouse McKinney

Millhouse Foundation

Cotton Mill Venue

Postcard Art Exhibit

Valerie's upcoming workshop at Millhouse McKinney in May