Art Problems

By Paddy Johnson

Arts

What's Art Problems about?

The VVrkshop podcast for ambitious artists who want more shows, bigger grants, and better residencies.

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Art Problems episodes:

05.17.2024
EP 59: What To Do When You're in a Sales Slump
Are you feeling stuck? Your art isn't selling. Your opportunities are dwindling. You're wondering if it's time to throw in the towel. Let me answer that for you really quick: No. In this podcast, I talk about what to do when sales are down, and...
05.10.2024
EP 58: Emerging Art Sales Return
You know how every other headline for the past year has been about the sinking art market? Well, we're finally starting to see the light. In this week's episode of the Art Problems podcast, I discuss two fairs and an art...
05.03.2024
EP 57: Build Your Confidence in Two Easy Steps
You know what sucks? Feeling like you've been stuck in the same place career-wise for years on end, with no solution insight. You're tired. And you're demoralized. What if I told you I could give you a way to feel better, even if...
04.24.2024
EP 56: An Interview with Artist Career and Legacy Expert Heather Bhandari
Heather Bhandari knows artists. She's spent her 25-plus-year career in service of helping them build their careers. She's written books, organized conferences, put together learning centers, taught classes, and helped manage legacies. And that's why I asked her on the podcast....
04.19.2024
EP 55: The 10 Most Common Art World Contradictions
Doesn't the art world drive you nuts? There are all these rules of conduct you're supposed to follow, but then you're also supposed to know all the times when those rules don't apply. It's like you need the equivalent of a...
04.12.2024
EP 54: Why A.I. Companies Are The Bullies Taking Artist Lunch Money
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...
04.05.2024
EP53: You're More Than a Label
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...
03.26.2024
EP 52: Do I Need to Read ArtForum?
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...
03.11.2024
"How to Work a Room" (or an Opening) w/ Amy Talluto and Mandy Wilson Rosen
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...
03.05.2024
EP 51: Is the Economic Center of the Art World Shifting?
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...
02.29.2024
EP 50: The Answer to Every Art Question Ever
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...
02.21.2024
EP 49: How to Come Back From an Extended Artmaking Break
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...
02.14.2024
EP 48: You've got Mail
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...
02.06.2024
EP 47: When Your Goal is not Your Goal
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...
01.31.2024
EP 46: What to Focus on When You Have Limited Time: An interview with Cadence Giersbach
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...
01.23.2024
EP 45: How to be an Art World Rulebreaker without Accidentally Exiling Yourself
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...
01.16.2024
EP 44: Your 2024 Goal Setting Model to Get Your Art Seen
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...
01.03.2024
EP 43: 2024 Art World Predictions
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...
12.19.2023
EP 42: The Cure for Your Anxiety
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...
12.12.2023
EP 41: How to Art Fair Without Drowning in Despair
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...
12.06.2023
EP 40: Weathering Art Basel FOMO
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...
12.04.2023
EP 39: Why Traditional Business Model Frameworks Won’t Work for Artists
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...
11.21.2023
EP 38: Sales are Not a Measure of Your Self Worth
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...
11.14.2023
EP 37: Your Ultimate Artist Residency Guide
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...
11.01.2023
EP 36: How to Master Technology When You Hate Technology
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...
10.25.2023
EP 35: How to Navigate Health and Change
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...
10.19.2023
EP 34: How Four Artists Got a Chelsea Show
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...
10.09.2023
EP 33: Six Ways to Get More Time in the Studio
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...
10.03.2023
EP 32: Do We Need Art Criticism?
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...
09.26.2023
EP 31: Managing Self Doubt
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...
09.19.2023
EP 30: How to Combat The Rising Cost of Being an Artist
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...
09.06.2023
EP 29: Every Networking Tip You Need for the Fall Art Season
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...
08.29.2023
EP 28: Your Complete Guggenheim Fellowship Guide
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...
08.22.2023
EP 27: Are You A Hunter or Trapper?
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...
08.15.2023
EP 26: The Future of Social Media is Email
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...
08.08.2023
EP 25: The New Gallery Model Every Artist Needs to Know About
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...
08.01.2023
EP 24: How Has The Art World Changed?
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,...
07.12.2023
EP 23: How Netvvrk Helped Secure Close to a Million Dollars in Grant Funding For Artists
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...
07.03.2023
EP 22: Demolishing The Day Job Stigma for Artists
Does having a day job make you feel a little self-conscious about the status of your art career? If so, you're not alone. Prompted by a recent discussion on the VVrkshop Instagram, Paddy speaks with Catherine Haggarty, co-founder of NYC Crit...
06.05.2023
EP 21: Fairs for the Rich
In this episode, artist and critic William Powhida joins Paddy Johnson to discuss the context surrounding an expanded art fair cycle in New York. What once lasted a week now spans two, which, in this year's depressed market, amounted to...
05.29.2023
EP 20: How Does the Supreme Court Warhol Foundation Ruling Affect Artists?
In this episode of Art Problems, I speak with Luke Blackadar lawyer, and Deputy Director of the Arts and Business Council, about the Supreme Court's Ruling against the Warhol Foundation in AWF vs Goldsmith. Amongst the areas of possible impact,...
05.05.2023
EP 19: Where 80 Percent of Your Opportunities Come From — And It’s Not What You Think.
We all talk a lot about artist statements, instagram, going to openings and getting studio visits as a means of securing shows, residencies and grants. The unspoken truth, though, is that if nobody wants to look at your art, the best...
05.04.2023
EP 18: How to Get Shows and Sales from Instagram
The second in my podcast series examining which support materials can get you seen in the art world and the exact process we use inside Netvvrk to create member assessments that allow you to hone those materials. In today's episode, I...
05.03.2023
EP 17: The Mistakes That Keep Curators and Dealers From Contacting You
The first in my podcast series examining which support materials can get you seen in the art world and the exact process we use inside Netvvrk to create member assessments that allow you to hone those materials. In today's episode, I...
04.10.2023
EP 16: How to Avoid the Scams and Pay-to-Play “Opportunities” Targeting Artists
In today’s episode, I’m answering the question that plagues so many artists: How do you navigate all the scams and pay-to-play schemes targeting artists is not easy. They’re everywhere! And if you’re not careful, you can get sucked into something that...
03.27.2023
EP 15: How to Get a Public Art Commission - Extended Version
In this episode, Paddy builds on her latest piece in Hyperallergic, "How to Get A Public Art Commission," by diving into the details. In this tactical podcast, you'll learn everything you need to know about how to get public art...
03.13.2023
EP 14: Five Ways to Give Up Networking Forever
In this episode, I talk about five ways artists can give up networking while building a larger network than ever. Sound too good to be true? It probably is, but you'll never know unless you tune in.
02.26.2023
EP 13: Moving Towards Self Acceptance with Julie Peppito
Can you grow out of self-doubt? In today’s episode, I talk with Netvvrk member Julie Peppito about the trappings of childhood precociousness and how her negative art school experiences impacted her sense of self-worth and even her participation in the...
02.05.2023
EP 12: What All the Most Visible Artists Are Doing
What All the Most Visible Artists Are Doing I spent the last two months reviewing artist work, CV, Instagram, and websites and found that the most visible artists do the same four things. On this episode of Art Problems, distill what I learned...
01.30.2023
EP 11: The Uncanny Valley of ChatGPT
Even when the A.I. chatbot ChatGPT gets everything wrong, it still sounds right. And that's some uncanny valley right there. In this episode of Art Problems, I talk about ChatGPT and the larger A.I. field, some of the ethical issues involved,...

What's Art Problems about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Art Problems episodes:

EP 59: What To Do When You're in a Sales Slump

EP 58: Emerging Art Sales Return

EP 57: Build Your Confidence in Two Easy Steps

EP 56: An Interview with Artist Career and Legacy Expert Heather Bhandari

EP 55: The 10 Most Common Art World Contradictions

EP 54: Why A.I. Companies Are The Bullies Taking Artist Lunch Money

EP53: You're More Than a Label

EP 52: Do I Need to Read ArtForum?

"How to Work a Room" (or an Opening) w/ Amy Talluto and Mandy Wilson Rosen

EP 51: Is the Economic Center of the Art World Shifting?

EP 50: The Answer to Every Art Question Ever

EP 49: How to Come Back From an Extended Artmaking Break

EP 48: You've got Mail

EP 47: When Your Goal is not Your Goal

EP 46: What to Focus on When You Have Limited Time: An interview with Cadence Giersbach

EP 45: How to be an Art World Rulebreaker without Accidentally Exiling Yourself

EP 44: Your 2024 Goal Setting Model to Get Your Art Seen

EP 43: 2024 Art World Predictions

EP 42: The Cure for Your Anxiety

EP 41: How to Art Fair Without Drowning in Despair

EP 40: Weathering Art Basel FOMO

EP 39: Why Traditional Business Model Frameworks Won’t Work for Artists

EP 38: Sales are Not a Measure of Your Self Worth

EP 37: Your Ultimate Artist Residency Guide

EP 36: How to Master Technology When You Hate Technology

EP 35: How to Navigate Health and Change

EP 34: How Four Artists Got a Chelsea Show

EP 33: Six Ways to Get More Time in the Studio

EP 32: Do We Need Art Criticism?

EP 31: Managing Self Doubt

EP 30: How to Combat The Rising Cost of Being an Artist

EP 29: Every Networking Tip You Need for the Fall Art Season

EP 28: Your Complete Guggenheim Fellowship Guide

EP 27: Are You A Hunter or Trapper?

EP 26: The Future of Social Media is Email

EP 25: The New Gallery Model Every Artist Needs to Know About

EP 24: How Has The Art World Changed?

EP 23: How Netvvrk Helped Secure Close to a Million Dollars in Grant Funding For Artists

EP 22: Demolishing The Day Job Stigma for Artists

EP 21: Fairs for the Rich

EP 20: How Does the Supreme Court Warhol Foundation Ruling Affect Artists?

EP 19: Where 80 Percent of Your Opportunities Come From — And It’s Not What You Think.

EP 18: How to Get Shows and Sales from Instagram

EP 17: The Mistakes That Keep Curators and Dealers From Contacting You

EP 16: How to Avoid the Scams and Pay-to-Play “Opportunities” Targeting Artists

EP 15: How to Get a Public Art Commission - Extended Version

EP 14: Five Ways to Give Up Networking Forever

EP 13: Moving Towards Self Acceptance with Julie Peppito

EP 12: What All the Most Visible Artists Are Doing

EP 11: The Uncanny Valley of ChatGPT