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Lisa Solomon is a studio artist that moonlights as a college professor and illustrator/graphic designer. Profoundly interested in the idea of hybridization (sparked from her Hapa heritage), Solomon's mixed-media works and large installations revolve thematically around domesticity, craft, and personal histories. She often fuses "wrong" things together--recontextualizing their original purposes, and incorporating materials that question the line between ART and CRAFT. She also is focused on bridging the gaps between being creative, living creatively, and making a living as a creative.She received her BA in art from UC Berkeley and her MFA from Mills College. She has exhibited and works with galleries both nationally and internationally, is in numerous private and public collections, and is continually tweeking artworks in her backyard studio. She resides in Oakland, California with her husband, a teenager, two kitties, a three legged pit-bull, a dachshund mutt and many, many spools of thread. She is the author of - A Field Guide To Color - a workshop work-a-long watercolor journal on color theory and the follow up The Color Meditation Deck, a historical book on Crayola crayons, Knot Thread Stitch, the Illustrator for 20 Ways to Draw a Chair and Draw 500 Everyday Things. Her latest book is Art, Craft, Color is published by HardieGrant. She is also an instructor on CreativeBug.    LINKS: www.lisasolomon.com   @lisasolomon       Artist Shoutout:  publisher @hardiegrantusa https://publishing.hardiegrant.com/en-us Bridget Watson Payne * @watsonpayne https://bridgetwatsonpayne.com Christine Buckton Tillman * @christinebucktontillman www.christinebucktontillman.com Libby Black * @libblack www.libbyblack.com Jen Hewett * @jenhewett www.jenhewett.com Risa Iwasaki Culbertson * @Risa_Iwasaki_Culbertson Ana Bianchi * @analovescolor www.analovescolor.com Sonya Philip * www.100actsofsewing.com Robert J. Bosscher * @rjbosscher www.risaculbertson.com Jen Duffin / Nova Mercury Design * @novamercury Robert Mahar * @robert_mahar www.robert-mahar.com Crystal Bodven / Crystallized Cookies @CrystallizedCookies www.crystallizedcookies.com Dana Williams-Johnson @callmedwj www.yardsofhappiness.com Kanako Abe * @abemanatee www.kanakoabe.art Rashida Coleman-Hale * @iamrashidacolemanhale www.rashidacolemanhale.com Twinkie Chan * @twinkiechan www.twinkiechan.com Courtney Cerruti * @ccerruti www.courtneycerruti.com e bond * @eisroughdraft www.ebondwork.com Kim Nguyễn * @blackslipbabes Carissa Potter Carlson* @peopleiveloved www.carissapotter.com Jenifer Lake * @jenifer_lake www.jeniferlake.com Anne Weil * @flaxandtwine www.flaxandtwine.com     Thank You to our Sponsor Rise and Repaint:  riseandrepaint.com/ilyw   Thank you to our sponsor Creativity Matters Coaching: The Brave Creator Project https://www.creativitymatterscoaching.com/brave-creator-project     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 to be a Studio Visit Artist: 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 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  

Kyle Hackett's paintings explore race, class, and social standing through approaches to self-representation and the constructed image. Hackett (b. Still Pond, MD) earned his MFA from the LeRoy E. Hoffberger School of Painting at Maryland Institute College of Art and his BFA in Fine Arts from the University of Delaware. He has received numerous honors and awards, including the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Artist Fellowship, the Civil Society Institute Fellowship at the Vermont Studio Center Residency, the Ruth Katzman Scholarship at The League Residency in New York, and Best in Show at the 2014 Bethesda Painting Awards Exhibition. His work has been featured in publications such as New American Paintings, The Washington Post, HuffPost, Aesthetica Magazine (UK) and is published in the British Library. Hackett received a Mayoral Salute from the City of Baltimore for his solo exhibition "Rate of Contingency." Recent exhibitions include The Ruth Borchard 2025 Self Portrait Prize (UK); The Herbert Smith Freehills 2024 Portrait Award Exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery (London, UK); "Revisit/Reimagine" at the Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum (Annapolis, MD) and "Circular Narratives" at Vinegar Projects (Birmingham, AL). Hackett's work is represented by Goya Contemporary Gallery (Baltimore, MD). His work is part of collections at Ethan Cohen Gallery (New York) the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Capital One Lounge at Washington Dulles International Airport, the Soho House Art Collection, among others. Hackett is Assistant Professor and co-director of the MFA Studio Art Program at American University (Washington, DC). "My work explores race, class, and social standing through approaches to self-representation and the constructed image. Inspired by nineteenth- and twentieth-century portraiture and precarious modes of depiction, I deconstruct ideas of secure identity and fixed painting techniques through subtexts of the staged, self-aware portrait. Referencing contraptions, braces, or postures from early photography that might objectify and hold a sitter in place, I relate image-making, inflection, and fixedness to concepts of double consciousness. A connected body of work involves vanitas still-life paintings created from discarded self-portrait reference photographs. Quickly compressed, twisted, fixed, bound, doubled, and hung, the discarded images take on new forms. Meanwhile, the slower process of making each painting becomes a living record and reflection on the initial need to discard the reference. Within this process, my work combines the power dynamic and politic of the picture plane. I examine how authenticity, self-referential source materials and painting methods can articulate systems of identity, representation, and contemporary power structures within and against the conventions of historical genres, such as portrait painting. I highlight how constructing images can construct new relations to serve as a framework for institutional and personal identity-making. Often using indirect glazing to layer an image, I consider how content exists in between spaces, subjects, and beneath painted surfaces. How can slowing down the viewing process challenge the conditions between the image, surface, and material? At the same time, how can this reveal insights into the painter's psychological state and the painting? By emphasizing conflicts between inner and outer, I hope to foster simultaneous ways of being understood beyond position and as human."    LINKS: kylehackettstudio.com   " aria-disabled="true">@kylehackettstudio         Artist Shoutout:  Charles Mason III: www.cmason3.com @tarem3  Tim Doud: www.timdoud.net @timdoud_art   Thank You to our Sponsor Rise and Repaint:  riseandrepaint.com/ilyw   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 to be a Studio Visit Artist: 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

Beck Lowry (New Haven, Connecticut, 1980) is a mixed-media artist whose intricate, wall-hung abstractions explore themes of protection, labor, and lineage. Lowry's work has been exhibited at Yossi Milo and Morgan Lehman Gallery, New York, NY; Elijah Wheat Showroom, Newburgh, NY; Headstone Gallery, Kingston, NY; Fred Giampietro Gallery and Ely Center for Contemporary Art, New Haven, CT; and Delaware Contemporary, Wilmington, DE. Lowry was a 2024-25 resident of the Sharpe-Walentas Studio Program, Brooklyn, NY; and has participated in residencies at Interlude, Kingston, NY; and Millay Arts, Austerlitz, NY. Their work has been covered in Artforum, New American Paintings, Maake Magazine, Art Speil, Galerie, and Two Coats of Paint. Works by Lowry are held in the public collections of Southern Connecticut State College, New Haven, CT, and Gateway Community College, New Haven, CT. Lowry holds a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and a Certificate in African Studies from Smith College, Northampton, MA. The artist lives and works in Connecticut. Installation of a large sculpture with Deanna Evans Projects for Main Window Dumbo. On view 24/7 from the sidewalk until March 22nd at Main Window Dumbo, 1 Main Street, Brooklyn. Closing Reception: Sunday, March 22 from 1-3pm.-- NADA NYC with Morgan Lehman Gallery (May 13–17) -- The Aldrich Decennial (large group show of Connecticut artists) at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, June 7, 2026 to January 10, 2027  LINKS:     becklowry.com     @becklowry   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 to be a Studio Visit Artist: 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

Richard Raiselis is a Boston-based painter known for his perceptive urban landscapes that explore the act of seeing within everyday environments. His work frequently focuses on the city of Boston—its rooftops, streets, power lines, clouds, and architecture—often viewed from unusual vantage points such as high windows or rooftops. Through careful observation and subtle shifts in perspective, Raiselis transforms ordinary scenes into meditations on light, structure, and visual perception. Raiselis is Associate Professor Emeritus at the Boston University College of Fine Arts, where he taught painting for over three decades before retiring in 2025.  His long tenure at Boston University shaped generations of artists while allowing him to develop a studio practice deeply rooted in observation of the surrounding city. His paintings have been exhibited widely and are included in exhibitions at institutions such as the National Academy of Design in New York, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Butler Institute of American Art, and the New Britain Museum of American Art, among others. Working primarily in oil on linen, Raiselis approaches painting as a form of visual reporting, capturing the subtle drama of light, weather, and shifting urban space. His work demonstrates how sustained attention to ordinary places can reveal unexpected complexity and beauty.  LINKS:     gallerynaga.com   " aria-disabled="true">@rraiselis       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 to be a Studio Visit Artist: 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

Dion Johnson (b. 1975, Bellaire, OH) is based in Los Angeles, CA. Johnson received a BFA from The Ohio State University and an MFA from Claremont Graduate University. He has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions across the United States. His solo exhibitions include: Scott Richards Contemporary Art, San Francisco, CA; L.A. Louver, Venice, CA; Contemporary Art Matters, Columbus, OH; Western Project, Los Angeles, CA; Bentley Gallery, Phoenix, AZ; and Stux Gallery, New York, NY. His group exhibitions include: Roberts Projects, Los Angeles, CA; L.A. Louver, Venice, CA; PRJCTLA, Los Angeles, CA; Holly Johnson, Dallas, TX; and De Buck Gallery, New York, NY. He recently curated "excite" an exhibition of Southern California abstract painting at Peter Mendenhall Gallery, Pasadena, CA. His work has been reviewed and featured in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Artnews, and Artforum, among others. Johnson serves as Assistant Chair of Foundation Studio at Otis College of Art and Design. Dion Johnson's paintings synthesize his experience of Southern California's natural and urban landscapes, architecture, lifestyle and the region's exciting history of influential visual art movements. In a recent interview with Ed Schad, Curator at The Broad in Los Angeles, Johnson reflects "Sometimes, my paintings are like abstract places informed by personal experiences. Layers of colors may allude to my view of the San Gabriel Mountains bathed in magenta light at sunrise, and aerodynamic shapes in a composition may suggest my peripheral perspective during a bicycle ride."  LINKS: http://www.dionjohnsonstudio.com   " aria-disabled="true">@dion_johnson_ " aria-disabled="true">  " aria-disabled="true">Contemporary Art Matters - https://contemporaryartmatters.com  " aria-disabled="true">Scott Richards Contemporary Art - https://www.srcart.com  " aria-disabled="true">L.A. Louver - https://lalouver.com   Artist Shoutout:  June Edmonds @juneeecee Heather Gwen Martin @heathergwenmartin Christopher Pate @chrispate Kristopher Raos @kristopher_raos Michael Reafsnyder @michaelreafsnyder Phillip K. Smith III @phillipksmith3 Liat Yossifor @liatyossifor     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 Join Erika in Mexico: https://www.chq.org/groups/chautauqua-travels/colors-and-canvases-in-oaxaca-with-erika-b-hess/ Join Erika in Italy at Umbria Contemporary Arts this Summer: https://www.umbriacontemporaryarts.com/product-page/the-symbolic-landscape-instructor   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 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

Jared Linge received a classical education in Drawing & Painting and Art History at the Laguna College of Art and Design. After eight years of experience working in contemporary art on both coasts, he founded High Noon in New York's Lower East Side in 2017 with an interest in exhibiting under-represented artists. He has curated over 70 exhibitions throughout his career, focusing on work that is grounded in art historical context with an emphasis on craft and hybrid practices. In addition to his work as a gallerist, he is a regular faculty member at the NYC Crit Club, a collaborative alternative to academic art programs, centering peer dialogue and mentorship within an inclusive artist community. High Noon advocates a gallery model that is collaborative and artist-centered. Today, the gallery's roster is comprised of emerging talent as well as established artists collectively belonging to major collections such as MoMA, the Broad, LACMA, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and others. In the fall of 2024, the gallery moved to a new permanent location in New York's TriBeCa neighborhood.    LINKS:   highnoongallery.com   " aria-disabled="true">@highnoongallery   https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/product-page/the-way-we-re-not-winter-exhibition-catalog-2025     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

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