Join us on AART the Podcast for an inspiring conversation with Kristin Calabrese, acclaimed painter and curator. In this biographical interview, Kristin shares her journey through the world of contemporary art, exploring the inspirations behind her evocative paintings and her experiences curating thought-provoking exhibitions. Discover how Kristin blends creativity, technique, and storytelling in both her own artwork and in her role as a curator, highlighting the transformative power of visual art. Listeners will gain insight into Kristin’s artistic process, her challenges and triumphs in the art world, and her advice for emerging artists. Whether you’re a painter, art enthusiast, collector, or simply curious about the stories behind the canvas, this episode offers an intimate glimpse into the life of a modern artist who is shaping today’s art scene.

Keywords:
Kristin Calabrese, painter, curator, contemporary art, art podcast, artist interview, biographical podcast, painting techniques, art inspiration, creative process, visual storytelling, emerging artists, art exhibitions, AART the Podcast

BIO
Painter and curator Kristin Calabrese was born in 1968 in Mountain View, a suburb of San Jose, CA and spent her childhood moving back and forth between Massachusetts and Arizona. Her father, Bill, was an engineer and her mother, Karen, a housewife. Kristin has a younger brother Greg and they grew up in the 70s in a middle-class white American suburb with an abundance of children in the neighborhood. However, Kristin’s childhood was not easy; her father was an authoritarian and she was bullied by children in school. She says her family environment was very sexist and she vowed to live a very different life to her mother’s. In 1995, Kristin graduated with a Bachelor in Fine Arts from the San Francisco Art Institute and Master of Fine Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1998. She found her way as an artist after exploring a variety of mediums in college, venturing into graphic design and creating websites before eventually concentrating on oils. She says: “My paintings speak plainly, make jokes, and are irreverent. I paint to make my thoughts, feelings, and experience into monuments that mark my small and large, personal existence.” The focus of Kristin’s work includes psychology, humor, politics and formal issues of composition and representation, primarily through painting. Since the mid 90’s, Kristin has held numerous shows in the US and Europe. Solo exhibitions include Gagosian Gallery in Los Angeles, Brennan & Griffin in New York, and Michael Jansen in Cologne. She has also curated many group exhibitions, including at the Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions and Honor Fraser Gallery. Her work is featured in numerous collections, including Saatchi and The Armand Hammer Museum. Together with her husband, artist Joshua Aster, they have a small business for art supplies, such as canvases and framing, and then they spend the evenings painting. Kristin says that she is now in a happy place as an artist and curator at home in Los Angeles. 

Women artists whose work Kristin admires:
Mary Weatherford
Susanna Coffey
Michelle Grabner
Anne Harris
Deb Sokolo
Lucy Bull
Lauren Quin

Kristin’s Playlist
“I don't listen to music in the studio. I listen to podcasts and books on tape. Once I recognize a song, I find it annoying and distracting, so I listen to podcasts and books on tape. I'm pretty interested in history right now, stuff I never learned in school like the 30 Years War, The Reformation, even more current American history, like J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI. I play podcasts all day long, need it to sort of distract myself from being antsy, they help me focus on the painting.
Here are some or my current podcast faves:
American Prestige
Background Briefing
Know Your Enemy
The Majority
Report Chapo
Trap House
The Tom Hartman Show
Left Reckoning
Letters and Politics
AndI've adopted a couple astrology podcasts:
Chani Nicholas Astrology of the Week Ahead
Anne Ortelee weekly weather
Also some comedy podcasts, here's one: Thought Spiral".

Kristin's website: https://kristincalabrese.com/
Instagram: @only_future_thing

Host: Chris Stafford
Produced by Hollowell Studios
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