A Gift of Podcasts & Posts to Inspire & Inform

The support and feedback of my fellow art lovers inspires me everyday. So in the spirit of holiday giving, here are some sources of art and inspiration for you to enjoy.

Below are some of the art and marketing writings that I check out each morning as well as podcasts to listen to while painting. Most of these are free, all are worthwhile. As the artist/entrepreneur/publisher Eric Rhoads says - we should always be learning.

Podcasts can be accessed via the iPad app but you can also subscribe through iTunes or view on webpages where images and links to related subjects are available. There's a smorgasbord of art info on the world wide web. Think of these as small plates to enjoy at your leisure - don't let them eat up your time to create!

• Gently Does It is a podcast wherein John Dalton interviews professional artists around the world discussing their work and their process as well as fears and foibles. John's interview style is down to earth, humorous, sensitive and enlightening. Links to related topics are included in his "show notes".

from The Studio podcast, American Sappho ©Graydon Parrish

• Danny Grant is a classical realist painter whose podcast The Studio is a forum for interviews and discussion with other representational artists from schools like Water Street Atelier and Grand Central Academy. His webpage includes beautiful images of work by such artists as Graydon Parrish, Danny Ferland and Todd Casey. 

• The Clark Hulings Foundation produces  The Thriving Artist where artists of various genres discuss marketing, process and project management. The Foundation provides grants to artists and the interviews follow up with grantees.

• Your Creative Push is hosted by Youngman Brown (his pseudonym, I don't know why). Leaving aside the pseudonym question, it's a great, positive podcast that does exactly what it purports: providing a creative push to inspire artists and would-be artists to get moving. Interviews with successful artists confirm the not-so-secret reality that all artists deal with doubts, insecurities, and confidence issues.

I flip between these podcasts and a few others because each has it's own "voice" and some days I might need more energy than soulfulness. Also, some tend to be sprinkled with 4-letter words, so you might not be in the mood for that. Clear evidence that they're au naturale and not scripted ;)

Blogs or newsletters are also sources of art information and inspiration. They have the advantage of being visual so possibly more memorable for us visual types. (Of course you can't paint or drive while reading a newsletter, so there's that.) Here are a few I like to peruse.

• Underpaintings, by Matthew Innis, is one that requires a paid subscription. Matt puts a ton of research into his newsletters so it's reasonable that he charges a little. His posts are actually mini art history lessons as well as descriptions of exhibits across the globe. He includes many beautiful images of the artwork as well. So much information! I learned about the fascinating film Tim's Vermeer through Underpaintings and recently bought a book on Emile Friant (in French, from Amazon.fr) because I was so impressed with Matt's review of the Friant exhibit.

• Howard Rehs, of Rehs Contemporary Gallery in New York, writes Comments on the Art Market about everything from recent art discoveries to recent art scandals - plus the state of the stock market! It's thoroughly informative with a serious side and a dose of humor as needed. Rehs also has a feature called Rehsing Artists with advice for up-n-comin' artists.

• John Weiss is an artist/author I discovered through the FASO newsletter (Fine Art Studios Online). A retired police chief, John is both an artist and a sensitive writer. His poignant art-and-life related stories are well-written, inspirational and down to earth.

• The aforementioned Fine Art Studios Online (FASO) puts out Fine Art Views newsletter. Established by Clint Watson, FASO hosts websites for artists, provides marketing assistance and hosts the popular Bold Brush contests. Their newsletter features guest writers expounding on myriad art related topics as well as pithy advice from Clint himself.

• Finally one of my first, and favorite, newsletters is The Painter's Keys. It was started by Robert Genn, a successful artist, gifted writer and sensitive human being. Since his death the spirit of the newsletter has been carried forward by his daughter Sara, an equally talented and sensitive writer who intersperses her publications with past issues of her father's timeless missives. Always informative, inspirational and oh-so tender reads.

  

  Detail of Omnibus by Anders Zorn via The Painter's Keys

So there you have it - my Christmas gift to artists and art lovers. Check out a few posts or podcasts when you're in the mood to feed your creative spirit. If you have other favorites, please share.

Enjoy. And pass it on...'tis the season.

May your holidays be filled with family and all that warms your heart.