Willy (Wilamina) Russo

Phoebe Moonyean Gander is an English born mixed media artist living and working in New Zealand. She's also hilarious. Follow her on instagram and you're bound to get a giggle. Finding her flow in the whirlwind of life that is a young family and dealing with her ADHD, Phoebe's compelling abstract works are an active meditation of sorts. 

Our conversation today is a meandering walk through art, mental health, family and life in general. Because let's be honest, those things all go hand in hand. 

If for some bizarre reason you don't already follow Phoebe, do yourself a favour and head on over to @phoebeganderart.

Miranda Skoczek may not be the best book club member, as you’ll find out, but she’s a damn fine painter. Miranda has been consistently exhibiting over the last 15 years. Doing 2 and sometimes 3 shows a year. She moved her studio back home this year after years spent working offsite. And it’s exciting to see what the change in energy will do to her work. You see home isn’t just Miranda floating around painting at whim. Mirand is a single mum to her son and the ring master of a menagerie of pets.

Miranda and I chatted earlier in the year for this episode, and in that conversation we talk about a range of things including:

the poor struggling artist story and why it doesn’t have to always be that way,

how she remains inspired and the important of having a process,

and where she’d love to focus her energies over the next couple of years.

If you don’t already, head on over and follow her on Instagram @mirandaskoczek

Giorgia McRae graduated from the National Art School in Sydney in 2020. She creates beautiful sculptures with steel and blocks of sandstone and has her very first solo at Saint Cloche in Paddington later this year. We chatted all things art school such as the highs and lows, and what actually happens when the study is over and the students are thrust out into the real world. 

Follow this rising star on Instagram at @giorgiamcraeart.

Chances are if you live in New York and are in the art world, you’ve probably seen Matthew Israel speak at function, host a panel or read his writing. The curator, writer and art historian is a well known and well respected figure in the scene.

I first came across Matthew via his book, A Year In the Art World, an insiders view, and it quickly became one of my top three books for 2020. 

I caught up with Matthew in April to talk about a number of things including his observations of the pandemic on the New York art scene, whether or not the push into digital in the art world will continue at the same rate, and his thoughts on the stand alone artist vs the traditional gallery pathway.

If you haven’t already, read his book and follow him on Instagram @matthewisrael

Ces McCully is a deep thinker, a lover of words and currently obsessed with olives. She also paints all the phrases you say in your head, but dare not utter out loud. 

Among many things we talk about her discovery that different languages have different colours, the inspiration for her true selves project, and the importance of celebrating female artist who are also mothers. Ces sent to me two interesting articles that look at various gender topics in the art world. I've linked them below.

The Representation of Female Artists in Britain in 2019 and Is Gender in the Eye of the Beholder? Identifying Cultural Attitudes With Art Auction Prices.

Follow Ces on Instagram at @cesmcccully for her art and @trueselvesproject for juicy stranger confessions.

Frances Belle Parker started her career with a bang, winning the Blake Prize at age 18 in 2000. This year she had another major highlight. Her artwork titled Angwirri, was projected on to the sails of the Sydney Opera House on the 26th of January. A proud Yaegl woman from Yaygirr Wadyarr, or the Maclean region, in Northern New South Wales, Frances has been creating for over 20 years. In today’s episode we talk about that iconic moment in January this year and the deeper significance around it, her experience at art school, and the vision that inspired her award winning painting for the Blake prize.

Head over to Instagram and follow Frances @francesbelleparkerart 

Enjoy meeting the lovely Frances Belle Parker.

Wanda Comrie is getting on with painting and selling her vibrant botanical works. Having found her groove and a market (hello, The Jealous Currator and Ashley Longshore!) Wanda's works are in collections all around the world. Today we chatted about art prizes, the admin and logistics of selling your own work and why Instagram requires more than just a few follows and likes to build a network. 

Head on over and follow Wanda @wandacomrie for a hit of colour to lift your spirits!

Enjoy meeting the talented Wanda Comrie.

Arguably one of the most successful Australian school-run art shows, The Grammar Art Show in Toowoomba Queensland, gets bigger and better each year. Rebecca Statton is one of the volunteers who works behind the scenes to make it all happen. This year they showed over 290 artists with over 1000 pieces of works. It's a HUGE show. 

Bec joined me to talk about why the show is so popular with collectors and artists alike, what the plans are for the show in the year to come and Bec's advice for both emerging artists and first time collectors.

Follow them on Instagram @grammarartshow 

If you're an artist and want to be included in the show, email the crew at [email protected]

Kian Mosharaf is a Dallas born, Barcelona based artist working in the field of illustration. Winning a place in the 2019 Slow Down Studio competition saw Kian's creative career move in the direction of product development. In today’s episode, Kian and I explore the difference between an illustrator and an artist, how he decided on Spain over New York, and how his definition of success has changed over the years.

Head to Kian’s Instagram @kianmosharaf to see his captivating works.

Samantha Dennison was a high school art teacher for 16 years. Along came three children and the need to be flexible with her time, so Samantha picked up the brush and began to paint full time. That was seven years ago now and over that time, she has developed a style that is calm, refined and quietly oh so beautiful.

On today’s episode Samantha and I talk process, continual learning and the line between copying and inspiration. 

We mention a number of great artists, but one in particular is Lisa Congdon and her artist manifesto.

Head on over to Samantha’s Instagram @samanthadennisonartist to follow her work. 

Enjoy meeting the wonderful Samantha Dennison.