Pure Inspiration
You don’t always need advice. Sometimes what you crave is a story that reminds you why you do this work.
These posts and episodes of The Art Biz feature wide-ranging conversations with ambitious artists, alongside curated lists of novels and documentaries that put art and the creative life at the center.
This artist turned 5 partnerships into a sold-put gallery show with Meredith Nemirov (262)
Getting buy-in for an ambitious exhibition idea means giving people a reason to say yes before you walk in the door.
In this episode, Colorado artist Meredith Nemirov shares how she built a sold-out show by approaching a national nonprofit before she called her gallery, giving collaborators options rather than demands, and activating the show across multiple events. The result was six invested partners and a show that sold out by the end of the summer.
Community, kinship, and career stability with Malene Barnett (242)
Artist and activist Malene Barnett draws from her Caribbean and West African heritage
to guide her multidisciplinary practice.
In this conversation, she shares how she balances clay, textiles, and other mediums
while trusting the creative process. Malene also talks about designing work that holds memory, the role of community and kinship, and why artists should share their process as a way to connect.
35+ Novels with art and artists (2026 update)
Have you heard that reading complex works of fiction isn’t just enjoyable, it can also combat dementia? As long as we’re reading novels, why not look for ones with art and artists at the center?
This updated post, which is as much for me as it is for you, has 7 personal recommendations plus 28 that others have added to the list. Add yours!
Married to a single art project forever with Michelle Fung (227)
Big ideas take time. This episode looks at how one artist has stayed connected to a single, evolving creative project for over a decade—by following joy, embracing personal obsessions, and giving herself permission to revisit old fascinations.
You’ll hear how a vivid dream sparked an expansive interdisciplinary project, and how clarity, planning, personal obsession, and embracing multiple mediums can fuel momentum—even when the work feels overwhelming or the payoff isn’t immediately clear.
Beauty, rigorous research, and purpose with Noelle Phares (224)
After leaving a career in science, Noelle Phares brought the same research-driven mindset to her art practice. In this episode, we talk about how she structured her early projects, the story behind her museum exhibition Tracking Time, and what she learned working with curators and institutions.
This is part one of a 2-part conversation about clarity, purpose, and building an art career that reflects your deepest values.
7 Essential verbs for artists to embrace (170)
Action builds confidence, and you need verbs for action.
Look back on how your confidence as an artist has grown over as a result not only of reading about something or hearing about it, but of actually doing it. Making more art. Having more shows. Submitting to more opportunities.
With this in mind, I have 7 verbs to embrace, which you might not normally associate with your art career.
Focusing on the art, not the art business with Rebecca Welz (133)
This is the first episode of The Art Biz with a guest who admits to not being interested in the art business. But don’t leave!
My conversation with Rebecca Welz centers around how she sees her art as part of the continuum, and how she encourages her students to think holistically about their careers. We invite you to do the same.
Being an artist with Geoffrey Gorman (124)
To know what a real artist’s life looks like on a daily basis, you have to study and talk to those artists. Short of visiting their studios, you read their biographies. Watch their videos. Listen to them on podcasts, like The Art Biz.
That’s what this conversation is about. Geoffrey Gorman talks about how he approaches his work and the rapidly-evolving art market.
19 Art documentaries you shouldn’t miss
I watch a lot of art documentaries from sources like Kanopy, YouTube, and the Louisiana Channel.
And there are more than ever! What started as a list of major features has become my list of most meaningful documentaries. These are the ones that I believe will inspire you, show you how artists work, and give you some historical background.
