Here we are, 77 episodes into “Art For Your Ear”, but today is something a little different. Yep, this was recored at a live event in Portland! Artist/illustrator Lisa Congdon and I showed up at a gorgeous shop called Hand-Eye Supply. But we weren’t alone, oh no, we had an amazing live audience there too! Lisa and I decided to sort of interview each other (really it was just a good excuse for me and Lisa to talk… which by the way we could do for HOURS.) I think my favorite part was at the end, when the audience asked questions. They were tough, but oh so good! You can listen right up there under the lovely Lisa, or you can subscribe on iTunes.
Alright, first up. Where were we? Right here:
Hand-Eye Supply is such a beautiful, creative space! This looks like me talking about when I started working on “Your Inner Critic Is A Big Jerk”… I had dinner with Lisa in Oakland about a week after I signed the contract, and to be totally blunt, I was freaking out. I have a feeling this was me saying, “Um, how do I write a whole book, Lisa!? You just wrote “Art, Inc.”, so TELL ME WHAT TO DO!” And no surprise, she had fabulous advice.
Next up, flowers, patterns, and Lisa finally being ready to put her own work on her own body:
Yes, there it is {photo taken today!} Her brand new tattoo, on her drawing arm no less. She has lots of tattoos, but this is the first one that is her work. I love the story around this, so if you’re not listening yet… hit play!
We were talking about showing “in progress” work, and I always love an excuse to post images from an artist’s studio, so here you go:
Ah, gorgeous! So happy and filled with life… much like Lisa herself!
Ok, here we go. Some of my collages because we talked about them and so I’m gonna show them, no matter what ‘Arlo’ has to say:
Oh, that wasn’t so hard. The titles of these three (because, for me, the titles are a huge part) are:
- “saturday’s jazzercise class had, like totally, transformed candace both physically and, like, spiritually.”
- “another saturday night, and without fail, margot left it ALL on the dance floor”
- “they always said she had a real flare for fashion”
And finally, once the recording was over, we all headed back into Hand-Eye’s main shop area for chattin’ and book signin’:
Sigh. It was such an amazing night. I want to do lots and lots of live recordings now! Who’s in?
Ok, thank yous are going to pour out of me now… Thank you so much to Lisa for always being up for whatever I ask her to do; giant thanks to Hand-Eye Supply for hosting us and to their fabulous in-house go-to-guy, Matt, for doing the recording; thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone that showed up to hang out with us even though there was a protest/riot going on that very same night (?!) ; thanks to Saatchi Art for supporting this episode; thanks to audible.com for making my new book into an audio book – it’s officially available now – and of course, thank YOU for listening. There will be more art for your ear next weekend. xo
Other links:
- Your Inner Critic Is a Big Jerk (book)
- Art, Inc. (book)
- Lisa’s new online course!
- Girl Crush Vancouver, Feb 25th, at THRIVE
- Sarah Gee Miller
- Jessica Bell
- Lisa Golightly
So great!! Im calling mine doris with a small d! Its interesting if our inner critic is male or female…
Thank you for another great listen!!
Yours and Lisas work kind of combines nicely too x
i know… i think about that too! wondering if it comes from where your ic originated (mine was a male teacher)
I absolutely loved this, and I love the great “live” feel. I hope you take the podcast on the road some more! Thanks so much, Danielle and Lisa, for sharing your stories and for being so inspiring. And also, I am currently showing in Portland OR – my show “The Spectacle and the Specter” is currently at Duplex Gallery in Old Town.
oh! i wish i’d realized that… i could have popped over there! xoxo
Your collages are beautiful!! Thank you for showcasing great artists. Your blog and podcast inspires me endlessly. I’m a mom of two young children, and art and process have changed for me- and it’s wonderful to hear everyone’s unique creative path. Thank you!
My pleasure, Moriah! I wish I’d known that when I was home with my son… could have saved me some anguish ; )
Hi Danielle! I just listened to your (audio)book in one sitting in my studio last weekend while I was art making. Brava! Now your are not only An Artist but An Author too! Well done!
This morning I listened to your interview with Lisa Congdon- very great and informative. I have great respect for her work and the rate in which she turns it out.
Buuuutttt….. I really feel the need for other advice. I’m not scared of the blank page and I don’t think I ever have been (though I’ve had plenty of times I’ve felt I messed it up. Being a collage artist (“mixed media”) and owning a big bottle of gesso I’ve always felt I can try again. As a matter of fact some of my painting have been going on for years. I don’t really need prompts, I usually just start drawing. No, not all my stuff is good but I’ve been working daily and really think I’m getting somewhere. Because I draw a lot (non realism… out of my head) I’ve been kind of leaning towards illustration. It seems fine art and illustration have really overlapped in the last several years (I grew up in Westport, Ct, the home of the American Artists School – or whatever they called it. Are you too young to remember the matchbooks that said “can you draw this turtle? Then you can be an artist! Come to the American Artists School!)
Anyway… I segue… I see so much advice about getting over the fear of the blank page — but THEN what do you do? I have always wished I could have someone look at my art and say “___” this market is the one you should approach. How do you find that??
I’ve been sharing my art, on and off, for years on Flickr and other online groups and have gotten tons of compliments- but no direction. Granted my style segues from one look to another, but many have said it is unmistakably my style.
Years ago I started an online group called Art Erratica. We had over 500 members from around the world. We did collaborations and exchanges – but although everyone was proficient, we didn’t judge on style. I didn’t feel it was “MY tribe”. That’s what hit me the most about your book. I need a tribe, preferably in person, but in the Northwest Hills of CT I’m having a hard time finding one. There is a lot of art stuff happening in this town but it’s just not My kind of stuff….. Any advice?. If you’re interested I am mmhubbell on Flickr
XOX Melissa
hi melissa! well seriously, i have to tell you … you’re much further ahead then lots of us! 🙂 i totally know what you mean. i was lost until i found my tiny little tribe. i tried to find you on flickr but your name didn’t come up. could you send me a direct link? are you on instagram? i’d love to check out your work so i could try to connect you with similar artists. lemme know 🙂
Great episode! I totally had tears in my eyes when you guys talked about Lisa’s tattoo (which is beautiful). I have a BFA in photography but I had a rotten time at school and consequently didn’t make art for years and years. I had a successful career as an art director and I totally felt like an impostor the whole time. I finally quit because I realized that I hated every minute of every day doing it, and I was never going to feel like I’d made it, even though on paper, I had totally made it. I’m now a mostly self-taught painter, “emerging” in my mid-40s. My inner critic is named The Ugly Bitch, and even though I totally own my identification as an artist, she gets to me by making me think that no one except me will ever like my work. She’s such a bullshit artist! Anyhow, this whole episode was a great insight into how you both work with this, and your sharing is much appreciated.
that’s so exciting kim! good for you… don’t listen to the ugly bitch. clearly, she has her own issues to deal with ; )
Great talk! I just ordered all your books on Amazon and the Inner Jerk one on audio book. I am looking forward to them and have become quite obsessed with all your podcasts. Great job at keeping it authentic, it can be hard to be so brave and vulnerable at the same time. I’m so glad you exist.
oh, wow – thank you so much janae : )
I’m listening to this talk in my office while making wall labels for the next exhibit at the arts center I work at with Inner Critic and Art, Inc. sitting on the shelf behind me, not even realizing it’s the same Lisa Congdon. Both are wonderful books that I look at on a weekly basis for inspiration, along with listening to these podcasts! So thank you!
so funny! thank you! 🙂
You are so funny and fun! I really love listen to this podcasts while Im painting and drawing it motivates me more and also I laght like crazy alone :D, is great what you mention the “say thank you” part coz I have learn this leason at age 12 when the typical perfect-blond-popular girl in school told me that I was pretty, so I got nervious and started a lot of excuses like “but my hair ,and my nose, and my…” etc and when I finish she say “that is funny, when someone say Im pretty I just say ´thanks´” O_O ! that was a life leason, 20 years after I still remeber this as the most assertive response for any complement, no “buts” no excuses 😉
THANK YOU DANIELLE!
Hi Danielle,
I’m really enjoying listening to this, it’s my first of your podcasts and it’s great inspiration, I’ll have to have a read of your books too.
I am an illustrator and although I’m finding some success in that I’m wanting to branch out into more handmade art based stuff like murals and paintings, so it’s great to hear Lisa Congdon talk, she and you are both really encouraging.
I’m trying to get my new projects together to finally share with people, it never feels like the right time or like it’s good enough yet, but I’ve just decided to go ahead and do it! Fingers X someone out there might like it.
Thanks again 🙂
Natalie