I Like Your Work: Conversations with Artists

As we begin a new year, we're revisiting one of our most encouraging conversations on I Like Your Work—my interview with artist, author, and educator Lisa Congdon. Lisa's story is a powerful reminder that there is no single timeline for becoming an artist. She didn't begin pursuing art seriously until later in life, and her career unfolded through persistence, curiosity, and a deep commitment to learning. In this episode, Lisa shares what it was like to start later, how she built confidence in her work, and how she navigated the fears and doubts that often accompany a creative path. This conversation is especially meaningful to revisit in January, a time when many of us are reflecting on where we are, where we want to go, and whether it's "too late" to begin or begin again. Lisa's honesty and generosity offer reassurance that growth happens in its own time, and that showing up consistently matters more than starting early. In this episode, we discuss:

• Starting an art career later in life
• Letting go of comparison and imagined timelines
• Building confidence through practice and curiosity
• Creating a sustainable creative life
• Giving yourself permission to evolve

Whether you're just starting out, returning to your studio after time away, or questioning your path, this episode offers encouragement and perspective for the year ahead.

LINKS:

https://lisacongdon.com/

Follow Lisa on Instagram @lisacongdon

Lisa's books:

Art, Inc: The Essential Guide for Building Your Career as an Artist

Find Your Artistic Voice: The Essential Guide to Working Your Creative Magic (Art Book for Artists, Creative Self-Help Book)

A Glorious Freedom: Older Women Leading Extraordinary Lives

I Like Your Work Links:

Apply to the Chautauqua School of Art Residency Program: art.chq.org

Join Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/ILikeYourWork

Apply for our Spring Open Call: Deadline February 15: https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/submitwork

Pre-order our catalog: https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/resources

Have a question you want Erika to discuss in a mini episode? Email it to [email protected] with the subject "mini eps" Join Erika in Italy at Umbria Contemporary Arts this Summer: https://www.umbriacontemporaryarts.com/product-page/the-symbolic-landscape-instructor

Join the Works Membership! https://theworksmembership.com/

Watch our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ilikeyourworkpodcast

Submit Your Work

Check out our Catalogs!

Exhibitions

Studio Visit Artist Interviews

I Like Your Work Podcast

Say "hi" on Instagram

Artist residencies play an important role in supporting creative development, professional growth, and sustained studio practice. This episode offers insight into artist residencies through the lens of Chautauqua Visual Arts, alongside practical guidance for artists preparing strong, thoughtful applications.

Chautauqua Visual Arts offers two distinct residency experiences, each designed to support artists at different stages and working styles.

The Faculty-Led Six-Week Residency is designed for emerging/student artists seeking an immersive, structured experience. The program features accomplished visiting faculty who lead classes, lectures, and critiques, providing sustained mentorship, professional dialogue, and a cohort-based learning environment. Artists develop their work within a supportive community while engaging in critical exchange and guided exploration.

The Self-Directed Two-Week Residency with Studio Visits supports artists seeking focused studio time within a self-directed framework. This residency offers space to work independently, complemented by studio visits during the second week that provide feedback, conversation, and connection while preserving autonomy in the artist's practice.Both residencies include dedicated studio space, a vibrant community of artists, and access to world-class lectures and performances at Chautauqua—creating an environment that supports focus, reflection, and creative growth.In this episode, I also share practical application insights drawn from my years reviewing applications which includes:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the residency program Strong applications show a clear understanding of the residency's structure, location, and values. Artists are encouraged to apply to programs that align with how they work. For example, artists seeking a city-based experience may not be a good fit for a rural residency, and vice versa. Thoughtful consideration of fit strengthens both the application and the residency experience.

2. Submit strong, well-documented images of your work Clear, well-lit, and accurately documented images remain one of the most important components of any application. High-quality images allow reviewers to engage fully with the work and understand the artist's practice.

3. Treat project proposals as a reflection of studio practice When applications ask what an artist plans to work on during the residency, the question often reflects a broader consideration: whether the artist knows how to work independently, structure their time, and sustain a studio practice. Clear, realistic responses demonstrate preparedness rather than fixed outcomes.

4. Allow adequate time when requesting references When requesting a letter of reference, giving ample notice is essential. Thoughtful timing allows references to write strong, detailed letters that meaningfully support an application.

I Like Your Work Links:

Apply to the Chautauqua School of Art Residency Program: art.chq.org

Join Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/ILikeYourWork

Apply for our Spring Open Call: Deadline February 15: https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/submitwork

Pre-order our catalog: https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/resources

Have a question you want Erika to discuss in a mini episode? Email it to [email protected] with the subject "mini eps" Join Erika in Italy at Umbria Contemporary Arts this Summer: https://www.umbriacontemporaryarts.com/product-page/the-symbolic-landscape-instructor

Join the Works Membership! https://theworksmembership.com/

Watch our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ilikeyourworkpodcast

Submit Your Work

Check out our Catalogs!

Exhibitions

Studio Visit Artist Interviews

I Like Your Work Podcast

Say "hi" on Instagram

We're revisiting one of my favorite conversations from the archive with painter John Walker, an episode that feels just as relevant now as when it first aired. In this conversation, John reflects on what it means to stay with the work over decades, how a painting practice evolves over time, and the quiet discipline required to keep showing up to the studio. We talk about the deeply meaningful realities of a life devoted to making art. As we move into a new year, this episode feels like the perfect reminder that sustainable creative lives aren't built overnight they're built through intention, consistency, and returning again and again to what matters most.Goals Giveaway To celebrate this rerelease and the new year, I'm offering a free Goal Workbook to anyone who joins I Like Your Work on Patreon. The workbook is designed to help you clarify what you want from your creative life this year without burnout, hustle culture, or unrealistic pressure.

Join Patreon to receive the Goal Workbook: https://www.patreon.com/c/ILikeYourWork

Whether you're setting intentions for the year or simply needing encouragement to keep going, I hope this conversation meets you where you are.

LINKS:

https://johnwalkerpainter.com/index.php

https://www.alexandregallery.com/john-walker

I Like Your Work Links:

Thank you to our Sponsor, the 2026 Canopy Program:

Apply by January 14th at thecanopyprogram.com

Pre-order our catalog: https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/resources

Have a question you want Erika to discuss in a mini episode? Email it to [email protected] with the subject "mini eps" Apply to the Chautauqua School of Art Residency Program: art.chq.org Join Erika in Italy at Umbria Contemporary Arts this Summer: https://www.umbriacontemporaryarts.com/product-page/the-symbolic-landscape-instructor

Join the Works Membership! https://theworksmembership.com/

Watch our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ilikeyourworkpodcast

Submit Your Work

Check out our Catalogs!

Exhibitions

Studio Visit Artist Interviews

I Like Your Work Podcast

Say "hi" on Instagram

In this New Year episode of I Like Your Work, I talk about doing the next thing in your art practice by following what genuinely lights you up — even when it means making a change. I share why I chose to refocus my energy on teaching, creating courses, and building spaces for artists, and how that clarity led me to an exciting move to Patreon. This shift makes it easier for more artists to access professional practice support, classes, and conversations in a way that's flexible, affordable, and rooted in real studio life.

I Like Your Work Links:

https://www.patreon.com/cw/ILikeYourWork/home

Thank you to our Sponsor, the 2026 Canopy Program:

Apply by January 14th at thecanopyprogram.com

Pre-order our catalog: https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/resources

Have a question you want Erika to discuss in a mini episode? Email it to [email protected] with the subject "mini eps" Apply to the Chautauqua School of Art Residency Program: art.chq.org Join Erika in Italy at Umbria Contemporary Arts this Summer: https://www.umbriacontemporaryarts.com/product-page/the-symbolic-landscape-instructor

Join the Works Membership! https://theworksmembership.com/

Watch our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ilikeyourworkpodcast

Submit Your Work

Check out our Catalogs!

Exhibitions

Studio Visit Artist Interviews

I Like Your Work Podcast

Say "hi" on Instagram

In this mini episode of I Like Your Work, I talk about why waiting to feel "ready" or confident keeps so many artists stuck and how planning your artistic year while feeling afraid can actually be the most honest place to start. This episode is for artists who:

• Feel overwhelmed when thinking about the year ahead
• Struggle with creative fear, doubt, or perfectionism
• Want to plan their art practice without burning out
• Are ready to make work even when clarity hasn't arrived yet

You don't need to eliminate fear to move forward. You can do it afraid. I share simple, grounded ways to think about creative planning, goal setting, and staying connected to your work—without pressure, hustle, or unrealistic expectations. Whether you're planning a new year, a new body of work, or just trying to show up consistently, this episode offers a steady place to begin.

I Like Your Work Links:

Thank you to our Sponsor, the 2026 Canopy Program:

Apply by January 14th at thecanopyprogram.com

Pre-order our catalog: https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/resources

Have a question you want Erika to discuss in a mini episode? Email it to [email protected] with the subject "mini eps" Apply to the Chautauqua School of Art Residency Program: art.chq.org Join Erika in Italy at Umbria Contemporary Arts this Summer: https://www.umbriacontemporaryarts.com/product-page/the-symbolic-landscape-instructor

Join the Works Membership! https://theworksmembership.com/

Watch our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ilikeyourworkpodcast

Submit Your Work

Check out our Catalogs!

Exhibitions

Studio Visit Artist Interviews

I Like Your Work Podcast

Say "hi" on Instagram

Lydia Jenkins Musco's work has been exhibited in galleries and public spaces throughout the United States. With an MFA from Boston University and a BA from Bennington College, her artistic practice has been shaped by international experiences, including stone carving studies in Italy and participation in art symposia in Norway, South Korea, and China. Musco's work has earned recognition through awards including two Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grants, a Joan Mitchell Foundation MFA Grant, and an Edward F. Albee Residency Fellowship, among others. Her work has been featured in exhibitions including the 43rd Annual Peace Exhibition in Nagasaki, Japan, the International Print Center in New York, and numerous outdoor sculpture exhibitions nationwide. Musco has contributed to the art community through academic roles, serving as a lecturer in sculpture at Boston University and a visiting assistant professor at Davidson College. Musco lives and works in Royalston, Massachusetts.

"I interpret the world into a vocabulary of objects with weight and mass that can be viewed from all sides, that help me explore the connections and intersections of elements. Basic construction materials like concrete and wood — ubiquitous and often used in humble ways we take for granted — offer me a path to honesty through their fundamental simplicity. Two groups of work are currently in progress, Logarithmus and Unconformity. The Unconformity series began as an investigation into perception and place, a reflection of the landscape of the woodlands of Massachusetts. In geology, an unconformity refers to a break in time, a boundary between rocks caused by erosion or a pause in sediment accumulation. Investigating the environmental changes accumulating in the landscape over the course of a year, each sculpture is an unconformity, a break in time, capturing a moment, holding it still, and documenting the changing color, light, and forms of a single place. The Logarithmus series explores navigation, inspired by the Chip Log, an early nautical instrument for gauging speed. The form of these sculptures is derived from the geometry of a circle's quadrant. The resulting shape, somewhat vulnerable due to its accessible interior, becomes an exploration of pathfinding, with all its inherent hope and uncertainties. With the guarantee of detours and missteps, my goal is to keep moving forward with curiosity. These objects are built from the ground up, echoing the process of memory or landscape formation. Like geological strata, each layer both influences and is influenced by those adjacent to it, above and below, side by side. Bound by gravity only, they are built in movable sections that can be dismantled and reconstructed. Each reassembly tells a new story, revealing how intention and environment reshape our understanding, making the familiar strange and the static dynamic."

LINKS:

lydiamusco.com @lydia_j_musco

I Like Your Work Links:

Thank you to our sponsor, Sunlight Tax.

Right now, listeners of I Like Your Work can get this free artists' tax deduction guide by going to sunlighttax.com/ilikeyourworkguide Thank you to our Sponsor, the 2026 Canopy Program:

Apply by January 14th at thecanopyprogram.com

Pre-order our catalog: https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/resources

Have a question you want Erika to discuss in a mini episode? Email it to [email protected] with the subject "mini eps" Apply to the Chautauqua School of Art Residency Program: art.chq.org Join Erika in Italy at Umbria Contemporary Arts this Summer: https://www.umbriacontemporaryarts.com/product-page/the-symbolic-landscape-instructor

Join the Works Membership! https://theworksmembership.com/

Watch our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ilikeyourworkpodcast

Submit Your Work

Check out our Catalogs!

Exhibitions

Studio Visit Artist Interviews

I Like Your Work Podcast

Say "hi" on Instagram

If you've been watching the Miami energy from afar and wondering what it all means for your studio practice, this episode gives you the trends, themes, and takeaways that actually matter for artists.In this episode, Erika covers: • The big-picture trends shaping Miami Art Week 2025: – Institutional validation and residencies becoming more influential – The shift toward sustainable careers and long-term practice – Experiential installations dominating many fairs – Latin American and Caribbean artists in the spotlight – The ongoing market correction and what collectors are looking for • A breakdown of the key fairs: – Art Basel Miami Beach: What's new, what curators are paying attention to, and how residencies fit into this year's programming – NADA: Emerging artists, experimental work, and themes like climate fiction + myth/memory – Untitled Art Fair: Thoughtful curation and a special focus on reflection-based work – SCOPE Miami Beach: Where Erika is speaking this year on sustainable artist careers and the power of residencies – Additional satellite fairs: Design Miami, Aqua, Art Miami + Context, Satellite, Prizm Erika also shares: • How the fairs are highlighting conversations around artist support, sustainability, and community • A grounded takeaway for artists who aren't in Miami: how to move your career forward from your own studio Whether you're at the fairs, following along online, or simply curious about the current art-world landscape, this episode gives you the quick, real insights behind the images.

I Like Your Work Links:

Thank you to our sponsor, Sunlight Tax.

Make Taxes Easier and Stash an Extra $152k in Your Savings Free Class:

sunlighttax.com/ilikeyourwork

Right now, listeners of I Like Your Work can get this free artists' tax deduction guide by going to sunlighttax.com/ilikeyourworkguide

Pre-order our catalog: https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/resources

Have a question you want Erika to discuss in a mini episode? Email it to [email protected] with the subject "mini eps" Apply to the Chautauqua School of Art Residency Program: art.chq.org Join Erika in Italy at Umbria Contemporary Arts this Summer: https://www.umbriacontemporaryarts.com/product-page/the-symbolic-landscape-instructor

Join the Works Membership! https://theworksmembership.com/

Watch our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ilikeyourworkpodcast

Submit Your Work

Check out our Catalogs!

Exhibitions

Studio Visit Artist Interviews

I Like Your Work Podcast

Say "hi" on Instagram

In this episode, Erika explores how observation, travel, and memory shape artistic practice, inspired by her upcoming class in Italy, The Symbolic Landscape. Drawing from Corot's plein air studies and Goethe's Italian Journey, she reflects on how artists discover themselves through what they see—whether in a distant landscape or a simple daily moment. The episode invites listeners to make space for beauty and reflection, wherever they are, and to see art as both a return to the world and a way to transcend it. The Symbolic Landscape- Class in Italy Dates: May 10 - May 24

• Early Registration Discount: A 20% discount applies if Payment In Full is made before December 2nd, 2025.

I Like Your Work Links:

Thank you to our sponsor, Sunlight Tax.

Make Taxes Easier and Stash an Extra $152k in Your Savings Free Class:

sunlighttax.com/ilikeyourwork

Right now, listeners of I Like Your Work can get this free artists' tax deduction guide by going to sunlighttax.com/ilikeyourworkguide Thank you to our Sponsor, the 2026 Canopy Program:

Join an info session with Founder and Executive Director Catherine Haggarty and apply by January 14th at thecanopyprogram.com

Pre-order our catalog: https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/resources

Have a question you want Erika to discuss in a mini episode? Email it to [email protected] with the subject "mini eps" Apply to the Chautauqua School of Art Residency Program: art.chq.org Join Erika in Italy at Umbria Contemporary Arts this Summer: https://www.umbriacontemporaryarts.com/product-page/the-symbolic-landscape-instructor

Join the Works Membership! https://theworksmembership.com/

Watch our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ilikeyourworkpodcast

Submit Your Work

Check out our Catalogs!

Exhibitions

Studio Visit Artist Interviews

I Like Your Work Podcast

Say "hi" on Instagram

Gail Spaien (b. 1958, Hartford, Connecticut) is an American artist and educator based in Maine. Her studio practice centers around the idea that a painting is a site of connection; an object that transmits emotion from one person to another. She is of a lineage of artists who think craft and beauty shape and build a more relational world. Spaien has been the recipient of numerous fellowships, including the Ucross Foundation (2024), Varda Artist Residency Program, Djerassi Foundation Resident Artists Program, Millay Colony for the Arts, and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. She has received grant funding from the Lillian Orlowsky and William Freed Foundation, the Maine Arts Commission, and the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. Her work has been featured in solo exhibitions, including Taymour Grahne Projects, Dubai, UAE(2025); Mrs. Gallery, NY (2025); Nancy Margolis Gallery, NY; Taymour Grahne Projects, London, UK; Ogunquit Museum of American Art, Ogunquit, ME; Ellen Miller Gallery, Boston, MA; and Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, ME. Group exhibitions include Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, CA; Taymour Grahne Projects, London, UK; Center for Maine Contemporary Art, Rockland, ME; 1969 Gallery, NY; studio e, Seattle, WA; Provincetown Art Association and Museum, Provincetown, MA; University of New Hampshire Museum, Durham, NH; Institute of Contemporary Art, Portland, ME; Portland Museum of Art, Portland, ME; and the DeCordova Museum, Lincoln, MA. Spaien received her MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute and BFA from the University of Southern Maine. After thirty years as faculty at the Maine College of Art and Design, she is full-time in the studio.

"Inspired by my geographic location and the landscape that surrounds me, the images in my paintings are of observed and imagined places where one can be in relationship with others, the world, and the self. They celebrate the beauty of everyday acts and the quiet rhythms of daily life. They are compact reductions of lived experiences and permeable arenas of contemplation. The way I make my work is a performance of slowness. Created through repetitive handcraft, marked by decorative patterning, flattened space, and subtly skewed perspectives, my paintings reflect the intimacy of their making. Blending still life with landscape, often depicting a unification between the interior and exterior, spectators of my paintings become inhabitants of a world in slower motion. Composing an idealized counterpoint, I suggest that slowness and attention to the rhythms of an ordinary day is a form of quiet resistance and renewal. My source material ranges from the animated movies of Hayao Miyazaki and Walt Disney to the symbolism of Dutch Still Life paintings. I reference quilts, samplers, mourning paintings, Japanese embroidery, early American wooden furniture, wooden boats, and the architecture of simple cottages. The meditative and precise quality of paint-by-numbers, which I did as a child, also informs my work, as well as my admiration of early American folk artists, the Pattern and Decoration movement, Intimism and the ancient artists of Ukiyo-e. My paintings are places, and I approach them as such. As a painter, I turn my back on the external world and enter the world of the painting. I hope a viewer might do that too. When people say, "I want to go there," I feel I have hit the mark in some way."

LINKS:

gailspaien.com @gailspaien Artist Shout out: A shout out to my colleagues who are showing with Taymour Grahne Projects: Amy Lincoln https://www.amylincoln.com/ @amyplincoln Matthew F. Fisher https://www.matthewffisher.com/ @matthewffisher Sarah Mceneaney https://taymourgrahne.com/artists/sarah-mceneaney @sarahmcinerney Samira Abbassy https://www.samiraabbassy.com/ @samira_abasy Katia Kamali https://taymourgrahne.com/artists/katia-kameli @kamelikatia Faycal Baghriche https://taymourgrahne.com/artists/faycal-baghriche And a VERY small few of my Maine colleagues: Philip Brou https://philipbrou.com/home.html Honour Mack https://honourmack.com/home.html @honourmack Tessa Greene O'Brien https://www.tessagreenobrien.com/ @tessagreeneobrien Grace Hager https://gracehager.com/ @gracemakes Hilary Irons https://hilaryirons.com/home.html @h.irons.h Brett Bigby https://www.alexandregallery.com/artists-work/brett-bigbee#tab:thumbnails @brettbigby Rose Marasco https://rosemarasco.com/ @rosemarasco

I Like Your Work Links:

Thank you to our sponsor, Sunlight Tax.

Right now, listeners of I Like Your Work can get this free artists' tax deduction guide by going to sunlighttax.com/ilikeyourworkguide Thank you to our Sponsor, the 2026 Canopy Program:

Join an info session with Founder and Executive Director Catherine Haggarty and apply by January 14th at thecanopyprogram.com

Pre-order our catalog: https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/resources

Have a question you want Erika to discuss in a mini episode? Email it to [email protected] with the subject "mini eps" Apply to the Chautauqua School of Art Residency Program: art.chq.org Join Erika in Italy at Umbria Contemporary Arts this Summer: https://www.umbriacontemporaryarts.com/product-page/the-symbolic-landscape-instructor

Join the Works Membership! https://theworksmembership.com/

Watch our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ilikeyourworkpodcast

Submit Your Work

Check out our Catalogs!

Exhibitions

Studio Visit Artist Interviews

I Like Your Work Podcast

Say "hi" on Instagram

In this episode, I'm diving into open calls including what jurors look for when reviewing applications, and why the description box is crucial for providing context about your artwork. I'm also sharing practical tips on how artists can use detailed descriptions to make their submissions stand out and highlighting resources for artists to improve their application process.

I Like Your Work Links:

Thank you to our sponsor, Sunlight Tax.

https://www.sunlighttax.com Apply for our Winter Exhibition: Deadline is November 15: https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/submitwork

Pre-order our catalog: https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/resources

Have a question you want Erika to discuss in a mini episode? Email it to [email protected] with the subject "mini eps" Apply to the Chautauqua School of Art Residency Program: art.chq.org Join Erika in Italy at Umbria Contemporary Arts this Summer: https://www.umbriacontemporaryarts.com/product-page/the-symbolic-landscape-instructor

Join the Works Membership! https://theworksmembership.com/

Watch our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ilikeyourworkpodcast

Submit Your Work

Check out our Catalogs!

Exhibitions

Studio Visit Artist Interviews

I Like Your Work Podcast

Say "hi" on Instagram