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 use them, and how a shoulder injury became the perfect time to invest in herself.

We get into how she went from feeling stuck and isolated in New Orleans to landing her first museum solo show and working with multiple galleries. She also explains how writing exhibition proposals with other Netvvrk members led to actual acceptances—and taught her when to turn down opportunities that don't financially make sense.

We also talk about researching institutions by looking at other artists' CVs and why community matters even when people can be annoying.

If you're restarting your career or feeling isolated in your practice, this conversation will help. It shows what's possible when you get your assets in order and find your people.