noseyAF: Conversations about Art, Activism, and Social Change

Stephanie Graham

Want to hear how real artists actually make it work? noseyAF skips the glossy bios and gets into the messy, human, creative parts of building a life in the arts, and using that life to change the world. Hosted by artist, filmmaker, and professionally nosey person Stephanie Graham, each episode goes deep with working artists, filmmakers, organizers, and culture-shifters about what's actually behind their work: the decisions, the doubts, the money stuff, the pivots, and the "how do you keep going?" moments. No hustle propaganda. No gatekeeping. No pretending it's easy. If you love peeking behind the curtain, noseyAF gives you the honest, energizing conversation you didn't know you needed.

  1. Introducing: The Art Biz | Why Titling Your Artwork Matters

    14h ago

    Introducing: The Art Biz | Why Titling Your Artwork Matters

    Introducing: The Art Biz with Alison Stanfield Today's feed drop comes from a podcast that has had a meaningful impact on how I think about building a sustainable art practice: The Art Biz with Alison Stanfield. If you've ever struggled to title your artwork—or wondered whether titles matter at all—this conversation is for you. In this episode, Alison Stanfield sits down with artist, writer, and educator Fran Gardner to explore why titling artwork is much more than an administrative task. Together they discuss how titles help artists understand their own work, deepen their connection to the creative process, and communicate more effectively with viewers. One idea that stayed with me is Fran's belief that a title is the first step toward a work's independence. Long after a piece leaves the studio, its title continues to carry meaning, offering viewers a way into the work when the artist isn't there to explain it. As someone who loves titles and thinks of them as containers that give shape to ideas, I knew I had to share this conversation with the NoseyAF community. In this episode:Why titling artwork is a creative practice, not an afterthoughtHow titles help artists better understand their own workThe relationship between writing and visual artDeveloping a personal process for naming artworkWhy artists should resist outsourcing titles to AI or social mediaThe role titles play in communication, marketing, and audience connectionHow thoughtful titling can strengthen an artist's professional practice Notable Quotes"A title is the first step toward your artwork's independence.""The writing is your studio work.""Your artwork is going to have a life beyond you."About Alyson StanfieldAlyson Stanfield has spent more than two decades helping artists build sustainable, professional creative careers. Through coaching, classes, writing, and The Art Biz podcast, she helps artists develop the systems, confidence, and visibility needed to thrive. Links referenced in this episode: artbizsuccess.com/essentialsartbizsuccess.com/spotlightfrangardnerart.comFran Gardner's Artists Will Find a Way book series affliate link Chapters: 00:08 - Introduction to the Podcast05:27 - The Importance of Titling in Art18:26 - The Process of Creating and Understanding Art28:20 - Understanding Personal Symbols in Art34:51 - The Importance of Titling in Art44:41 - The Interconnection of Creativity and Teaching Connect with Alyson: Website: artbizsuccess.com Podcast: https://artbizsuccess.com/podcasts/ Connect with Fran: Website: frangardnerart.com Instagram: @frangardnerart

    54 min
  2. Artistic Commitment: Sheri Rush on the Lifelong Path of Creativity (noseyAF Classic)

    May 26

    Artistic Commitment: Sheri Rush on the Lifelong Path of Creativity (noseyAF Classic)

    Ep #114: Sheri Rush — a life in art, big paintings, and staying creatively alive (noseyAF Classic) Summary This one's for every artist who's ever wondered how to keep the fire going — through decades, through doubt, through life just getting in the way. Chicago-based painter Sheri Rush has been making art since childhood, and she brings a rare honesty to this conversation. We get into what it actually looks like to sustain a creative practice long-term, the residencies that changed her, how nature shows up in her work, and what's coming with her enchanted forest exhibition. Chapters: 00:39 - Introduction to Memorial Day Weekend10:33 - Exploring the Artistic Journey19:40 - Transitioning Artistic Perspectives28:06 - The Impact of Art Residencies on Artistic Growth40:15 - The Upcoming Art Show and Its Themes45:34 - Exploring Liminality and Transformation in Art What We Talk About How Sheri has kept a painting practice alive from childhood all the way through a full careerWhat artist residencies actually do for you — and why they're more than just a studio vacationHer upcoming exhibition centered around enchanted forests (yes, it's as magical as it sounds)The art of taking critique without losing your voiceWorking big: the logistics and the feeling of large-scale painting All about Sheri Rush You're gonna love Sheri — she's a Chicago-based painter and total force of nature who's been deep in her craft her whole life. Her work lives at the intersection of landscape, memory, and big feelings on even bigger canvases. Sponsor Shoutout 💖 This episode is brought to you by Artist Admin Hour Connect with Sheri Instagram: @sherilrushWebsite: sherirush.comhttps://www.thomasmccormick.com/ More ways to connect: Subscribe to the noseyAF DispatchCheck out my work: http://missgraham.comFollow me on Instagram: @stephaniegrahamListen to more episodes: http://noseyaf.com Support & Feedback noseyAF is listener-supported — thank you for being here. 💛 ⭐ Rate & Review the Show — it gives the show street cred and helps new listeners find it 📣 Share noseyAF with a friend who needs to hear this: https://www.noseyaf.com/follow/ Episode Credits Produced, Hosted, and Edited by Me, Stephanie Graham (teaching myself audio editing!) Lyrics: Queen Lex Instrumental: Freddie Bam Fam Cover Art: Emma McGoldrick

    1h 2m
  3. Doing Both: Art, Film, and Building Worlds with Aaliyah Shae

    May 13

    Doing Both: Art, Film, and Building Worlds with Aaliyah Shae

    Thank you for listening to noseyAF! So happy to have your ears! Join the noseyAF Dispatch 📬 At the end of the month, your inbox gets a little happier — all the month's noseyAF episodes sent straight to you. → Subscribe to the noseyAF Dispatch This conversation was recorded Live at Lumpen Radio on Saturday May 9th, 2026 Ep #113: Doing Both: Art, Film, and Building Worlds with Aaliyah Shae Summary This episode is for everyone who's ever looked at a film set and wondered who put that there, and why it matters. Aaliyah Shae is a Chicago-based production designer, photographer, and painter whose work is all about building worlds that feel lived in and deeply human. We talk about production design, what it actually means to create a "false reality" on screen, and how the small details, a hair tie on a nightstand, height markers on a door frame, are what make a story real. We also dig into Aaliyah's community work with the People's Panther Party, a Pilsen-based mutual aid organization she helped launch just before Halloween, and what it looks like when art and activism melt into one. Chapters 00:00 — Introduction to the Episode 00:36 — Exploring Design and Creativity 20:33 — The Art of Storytelling Through Design 33:55 — Community Engagement and Activism 53:16 — People's Panther Party Updates & Free People's Press Launch What We Talk About How Aaliyah figured out she could do both : design and film and why "pick a lane" is not the only way to build a creative career What production design actually is and why every single thing on a film set has been accounted for (yes, even the books on the shelf — don't judge the books) "Life layers" — the small details that make a set feel real — hair ties, kids' drawings on the fridge, height markers on door frames How travel sparked her design eye — from a high school architecture program in Kentucky to France and Barcelona with her French class The film Portrait of a Lady on Fire — Aaliyah's go-to visual inspiration and why she says just Google the images Working in indie film vs. studio projects — and why she encourages every filmmaker to just write something and design the heck out of a room How the People's Panther Party got started — collective exhaustion, a plane ride back to Chicago the day before Halloween, and the realization that some kids were going to sit inside while everyone else trick-or-treated What they've done in just a few months — reverse candy drive, holiday grocery deliveries to 30 families, a bi-weekly grocery program, a grant win, and now the launch of Free People's Press, a quarterly community newspaper Her advice for anyone who wants to start showing up for their community — it starts with listening, not with having it all figured out Pilsen as a neighborhood — why she loves it and what it gets right about community The crossover between film and activism — and how craft nights became a sneaky good way to build community Things We Mentioned People's Panther Party — Pilsen-based mutual aid organization Free People's Press — their new quarterly community newspaper, available at Foxglove Coffee in Pilsen Foxglove Coffee — woman-owned coffee shop in Pilsen Aaliyah Shae's Website Portrait of a Lady on Fire — French queer period film, Palme d'Or winner at Cannes; Aaliyah's visual inspo pick CUSP — Chicago United Solidarity Project — organization that helped People's Panther Party secure a grant Pilsen Arts & Community House — one of the few free creative spaces in Chicago Aaliyah mentions Liberate Your Business — book by Becky Mollenkamp All about... Aaliyah Shae You're gonna love Aaliyah Shae — she's a world-builder in the truest sense. A Chicago-based production designer, set decorator, photographer, and painter, Aaliyah creates spaces on screen that feel like real people actually live in them. She also co-founded the People's Panther Party, a Pilsen-based mutual aid org doing bi-weekly grocery deliveries, community events, and now a neighborhood newspaper — all born out of the belief that you don't have to be a professional organizer to show up for your community. She started making outfits out of paper for her little brother. She hasn't really stopped creating since. Connect with Aaliyah Shae Instagram: @aaliyahshae Website: aaliyahshae.com People's Panther Party Instagram: @peoplespantherparty People's Panther Party Website: peoplespantherparty.org More ways to connect Email: stephanie@missgraham.com Subscribe to the noseyAF Dispatch Check out my work Follow me on Instagram @stephaniegraham Listen to more episodes Support & Feedback noseyAF is listener-supported — thank you for being here. 💛 ⭐ Rate & Review the Show — it gives the show street cred and helps new listeners find the show 📣 Share noseyAF with a friend who needs to hear this Episode Credits Produced, Hosted, and Edited by Me, Stephanie Graham Lyrics: Queen Lex Instrumental: Freddie Bam Fam Cover Art: Emma McGoldrick

    1 hr
  4. Mutual Aid Isn't Charity with Eric Von Haynes (noseyAF Classic)

    Apr 14

    Mutual Aid Isn't Charity with Eric Von Haynes (noseyAF Classic)

    Thank you for listening to noseyAF! So happy to have your ears! Join the noseyAF Dispatch 📬 At the end of the month, your inbox gets a little happier — all the month's noseyAF episodes sent straight to you. → Subscribe to the noseyAF Dispatch Ep #112: Mutual Aid Isn't Charity with Eric Von Haynes (noseyAF Classic) This is a noseyAF classic — a conversation originally recorded in 2024 with Eric Von Haynes that was edited and reshaped to air live on Lumpen Radio (WLPN Chicago 105.5 FM). Eric is a printmaker, designer, publisher, and co-founder of Love Fridge Chicago, and he brings real clarity to what mutual aid actually means — and what it doesn't. We dig into how it differs from charity, why reciprocity is the whole point, and how his community fridge network Love Fridge Chicago puts those values into practice across the city. Plus we get into his art, why print is a political act, and why he believes the strongest groups — not individuals — survive. What We Talk About What mutual aid actually is and what it's NOT (hint: posting a Venmo link is probably just fundraising)Reciprocity as the heart of real community care, and why transparency mattersHow Love Fridge Chicago works, what it takes to maintain a fridge site, and why community buy-in is everythingThe difference between mutual aid and charity — and why Love Fridge isn't a nonprofitHorizontality, anarchist philosophy, and why Eric believes no one should be a billionairePhotographing people receiving food and why that's straight-up otheringPrintmaking as a democratic and political act — especially as a Black man in AmericaFlatlands Press and why getting ideas into physical multiples mattersThat time a yoga studio started leaving flyers at a fridge site 🙄 Things We Mentioned Love Fridge ChicagoFlatlands PressMutual Aid by Dean Spade (affiliate link)Artist Admin Hour (Stephanie's sponsor shoutout)Tiger Strikes Asteroid Chicago (where Eric had a exhibition)The Joan Flasch Artist Book Collection Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to Eric Von Haynes and Love Fridge02:21 - The Power of Mutual Aid20:29 - Exploring Mutual Aid and Community Support29:58 - The Importance of Community Engagement in Resource Distribution38:26 - Exploring the Differences Between Mutual Aid and Charity49:50 - Creating Diverse Spaces for Black Voices All about... Eric Von Haynes You're gonna love Eric he's a printmaker, designer, publisher, community builder, and co-founder of Love Fridge Chicago. He's also the president of the Chicago Printers Guild and the founder of Flatlands Press, where he creates and publishes artist books and printed matter for artists he believes should exist in the world. His work is rooted in anarchist philosophy, horizontality, and a deep belief that the strongest groups survive not the strongest individuals. Sponsor Shoutout 💖 This episode is brought to you by Artist Admin Hour. It's a weekly Zoom session (Wednesdays, 7–9 pm Central) for artists to tackle the admin stuff they've been putting off — grant apps, residency applications, budgets, invoices — with body doubling, structure, and real community. Plans start at $65–$95/month, but if that's not doable, email Stephanie because getting this done matters. Check them out here: artistadminhour.com Connect with Eric Von Haynes Website: flatlandspress.comLove Fridge Chicago: thelovefridge.comEric’s Instagram: @manny_suena More ways to connect: Email: stephanie@missgraham.comSubscribe to the noseyAF DispatchCheck out my workFollow me on Instagram @stephaniegrahamListen to more episodes Support & Feedback noseyAF is listener-supported — thank you for being here. 💛 ⭐ Rate & Review the Show — it gives the show street cred and helps new listeners find the show 📣 Share noseyAF with a friend who needs to hear this Episode Credits Produced, Hosted, and Edited by Me, Stephanie Graham (teaching myself audio editing!) Lyrics: Queen Lex Instrumental: Freddie Bam Fam Cover Art: Emma McGoldrick

    58 min
  5. What We Owe Each Other: Season 7 Reflections (22 Conversations Later)

    Mar 31

    What We Owe Each Other: Season 7 Reflections (22 Conversations Later)

    Ep 110: What We Owe Each Other: Season 7 Reflections (22 Conversations Later) Summary Season 7 of noseyAF is officially wrapped — and what a season it’s been. In this reflection episode, host Stephanie Graham looks back on 22 conversations with artists, activists, filmmakers, educators, and community builders and the themes that kept showing up again and again. From redefining success and practicing care as infrastructure, to documenting the people and stories that matter, this season became something bigger than expected. In this episode, Stephanie reflects on the biggest lessons from Season 7, shares how these conversations sustained her through a difficult year, and explores why the season ultimately became a meditation on what we owe each other — in art, community, and creative life. What We Talk About The five big themes that emerged across 22 conversations this seasonRedefining success and building creative lives on your own termsWhy care is structural — not softArchives, storytelling, and who gets rememberedEnvironmental grief, creativity, and community workThe messy middle of making art and showing up anywayWhat hosting Season 7 taught me during a challenging year Chapters: • 00:11 - Closing Season Seven • 01:24 - Reflecting on a Challenging Year • 10:50 - Exploring the Themes of the Season • 15:27 - The Importance of Care in Community • 24:52 - Theme Exploration: What We Owe Each Other • 26:59 - Reflecting on the Journey Things We Mentioned Lumpen Radio — 105.5 FM ChicagoThe Change Collective FellowshipAvalon Park Film House (the micro cinema project I'm dreaming up)Black Business Month (coming up in Season 9 👀) More ways to connect: Email: stephanie@missgraham.comSubscribe to the noseyAF DispatchCheck out my workFollow me on Instagram @stephaniegrahamListen to more episodes Support & Feedback noseyAF is listener-supported — thank you for being here. 💛 ⭐ Rate & Review the Show to give the show street cred and helps new listeners find the show. 📣 Share noseyAF with a friend who needs to hear this Episode Credits Produced, Hosted, and Edited by Me, Stephanie Graham (teaching myself audio editing!) Lyrics: Queen Lex Instrumental: Freddie Bam Fam Cover Art: Emma McGoldrick Segment Music By: Matrika “**On Vacation:”** Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/matrika/on-vacation License code: QGILSAQGSFMCX3KU

    30 min
  6. Neighbors, Strangers, and the Stories Between Us with Ann Rosen

    Mar 24

    Neighbors, Strangers, and the Stories Between Us with Ann Rosen

    Ep #109 : Neighbors, Strangers, and the Stories Between Us with Ann Rosen Summary: It's our season finale, y'all! 🎉 We made it to the end of Season 7 of noseyAF — AND we crossed 100 episodes! I still can't believe it. None of this happens without you, so thank you for being nosey right along with me all season long. I am so grateful. In this episode, I sit down with Ann Rosen, a Brooklyn-based portrait photographer and activist whose decades-long practice sits at the intersection of art, social justice, and human dignity. We talk about her evolution from abstract portraiture to her current project On Being Seen — an ongoing photography and writing workshop series with women in New York City shelters and transitional housing programs. Anne opens up about her own personal struggles, including surviving addiction and emotional trauma, and how those experiences shaped her deep empathy for the women she photographs. If you've ever wondered how art can truly serve a community — and what it means to really see someone — this one's for you. Topics discussed: Ann's artistic journey from abstract photography to intimate portrait work, including her In the Presence of Family series documenting diverse NYC families at street fairsThe On Being Seen project — photographing and collecting the stories of women in NYC shelters, and how the diptych format combines portraits with the subjects' own handwritingAnn's personal history with addiction and trauma, and how it informs her empathy-driven approach to social justice photographyThe ethics and logistics of photographing vulnerable populations — model releases, privacy, and consentWhat photography can do that other forms of activism can't, and advice for photographers wanting to do community-centered work Chapters: • 00:24 - End of an Era: Season Finale • 01:26 - The Journey of Ann Rosen: From Painting to Photography • 15:40 - Empathy Through Photography: A New Perspective • 28:33 - Understanding Homelessness and Resilience • 37:51 - The Journey of Recovery and Art • 45:50 - The Importance of Community and Neighborly Relations All About Ann: Ann Rosen (b. Brooklyn) is a New Jersey-based artist known for her social justice projects using portrait photography as a tool for empowerment and empathy. In Rosen’s current project, Being Seen, she teaches art and photography workshops with women from marginalized communities such as shelters, formerly homeless Veterans, recovering addicts, formerly incarcerated. Rosen graduated from SUNY at Buffalo (BFA) and the Visual Studies Workshop (MFA), studying with Nathan Lyons, Joan Lyons and John Wood. Her influences are stark B&W and color portraits by Irving Penn, Paul Strand, and Catherine Opie. Resources mentioned in this episode: Housing Plus — organization supporting women experiencing homelessness and those transitioning out of incarcerationFive Myles Gallery, BrooklynCEPA Gallery, Buffalo, NY — upcoming solo show in NovemberBrooklyn Arts Council — grant funding source for Ann's workVisual Studies Workshop, Rochester, NY — Ann's graduate school Noteworthy quotes from this episode: "I think that everybody has the right to be seen and everyone has the right to be respected." "Photography is a universal language. You don't need to know English or any other language." "I realized I was giving to others what I had experienced the joy of gaining after a traumatic lifestyle." "Nobody wants to be sitting on the street. But the gestalt of seeing a person who is homeless — they're going to harm me? No, they're not going to harm me." Connect with Ann Instagram: @annrosenphotography Website: annrosen.com Connect with Stephanie Instagram: @stephaniegraham Email: stephanie@missgraham.com Check out my art and projects Enjoy my work? Join my studio newsletter More Episodes at noseyaf.com Please leave me feedback or send me a message: Support the Show Rate and Review the show: Share noseyAF with your friends: Buy a pin Buy a print Join the noseyAF Dispatch Episode Credits: Produced and Hosted by Me, Stephanie (teaching myself audio editing!) Edited by: Risha Brown Lyrics: Queen Lex Instrumental: Freddie Bam Fam Cover Art: Emma McGoldrick

    49 min
  7. Your Calm Calendar: Rest, Burnout Recovery, and Resisting Hustle Culture with Nicole Havelka

    Mar 17

    Your Calm Calendar: Rest, Burnout Recovery, and Resisting Hustle Culture with Nicole Havelka

    Ep # 108: Your Calm Calendar: Rest, Burnout Recovery, and Resisting Hustle Culture with Nicole Havelka Welcome back to another episode of noseyAF on Lumpen Radio!! We have Nicole Havelka joing us, a burnout recovery coach, mindfulness teacher, former pastor, and host of the podcast Just Rest: Burnout Tips for Everyday Radicals — to talk about what it actually takes to stop running on empty. Nicole gets into how she went from a self-described "recovering grind culture addict" to building a whole business around helping high-achievers and everyday radicals reclaim their time and energy. She introduces her Calm Calendar Club, a program built around planning your life in a way that actually honors your energy — not just squeezes more out of it. If you've ever felt like you're dropping the ball, this conversation will remind you: you're not dropping balls, you're just carrying too many. What We Talk AboutOkay, so pull up a chair — this one goes places. How Nicole went from overachiever to burnout recovery coach (and what growing up in Omaha, Nebraska had to do with it)Why hustle culture is literally designed for you to fail — and why that's not your faultBurnout in ministry and why being "on call 24/7" is just not humanWhat COVID quietly taught us about the power of saying noThe seven types of rest from Sacred Rest by Sandra Dalton-Smith — sleep is just ONE of themHow planning your calendar with your values first changes everythingWhy ADHD and neurodivergent folks need planning systems that actually work for their brainsThe Calm Calendar Club: what it is, how it works, and who it's forWhy "you're not failing the system — you're just trying to do too much"The radical act of rest as resistance, especially for Black women (shoutout to Tricia Hersey's Rest Is Resistance)Doing your part in activism and community work — without burning yourself all the way down Things We MentionedCalm Calendar Club — Nicole's program for planning your life around your energy and values → defythetrend.com/calm-calendar Just Rest: Burnout Tips for Everyday Radicals — Nicole's podcast Rest Is Resistance by Tricia Hersey (affiliate link) Sacred Rest by Sandra Dalton-Smith (the seven types of rest: physical, mental, sensory, creative, social, emotional, and spiritual) (affiliate link) Artist Admin Hour — Stephanie's weekly co-working session for artists tackling the admin work that makes the work work → artistadminhour.com Chapters: • 00:33 - Introduction to noseyAF Conversations • 04:36 - The Pressure of Hustle Culture • 13:21 - The Challenge of Self-Care in Ministry • 16:54 - Navigating Burnout and Community Engagement • 23:50 - The Culture of Exhaustion • 29:50 - The Importance of Rest and Reflection • 37:30 - Addressing Time Management Challenges • 44:55 - Planning for Success: Reflecting on Your Values • 47:03 - Exploring Priorities and Planning Strategies • 54:45 - Exploring the Importance of Rest • 01:01:21 - Finding Balance: The Importance of Rest and Hobbies All About... Nicole HavelkaYou're gonna love Nicole — she's a burnout recovery coach and certified mindfulness teacher who spent years in ministry before turning her hard-won lessons into a whole business helping people resist hustle culture and build sustainable lives. Her whole thing is that rest isn't lazy — it's the foundation for everything. More about Nicole: Nicole Havelka is a burnout recovery coach, mindfulness teacher, clergy person, and recovering grind-culture addict who helps people and organizations resist hustle and reclaim rest. A clergy person turned entrepreneur, she brings bold honesty and a healthy dose of play to help changemakers prevent burnout and build sustainable lives and workplaces. Nicole hosts the podcast Just Rest: Burnout Tips for Everyday Radicals and leads a community of Rest Rebels on Substack. → defythetrend.com | defythetrend.substack.com Sponsor Shoutout 💖This episode is brought to you by Artist Admin Hour The admin work that makes the work work. Every Wednesday, 7–9pm Central, artists show up on Zoom to tackle residency apps, grant applications, budgets, invoices — whatever you've been avoiding. Body doubling, no shame, real community. 25–45/month, but email Stephanie if that's not doable. → artistadminhour.com Connect with Nicole Havelka Website: defythetrend.com Calm Calendar Club: defythetrend.com/calm-calendar Podcast: Just Rest: Burnout Tips for Everyday Radicals Substack: https://defythetrend.substack.com/ More ways to connect: Email: stephanie@missgraham.com Check out my work Follow me on Instagram @stephaniegraham Listen to more episodes Support & Feedback Share noseyAF with friends Rate & Review the Show Buy Pins & Prints | Shop Art Episode Credits Produced, Hosted, and Edited by Me, Stephanie (teaching myself audio editing!) Lyrics: Queen Lex Instrumental: Freddie Bam Fam

    1h 5m

Trailers

5
out of 5
31 Ratings

About

Want to hear how real artists actually make it work? noseyAF skips the glossy bios and gets into the messy, human, creative parts of building a life in the arts, and using that life to change the world. Hosted by artist, filmmaker, and professionally nosey person Stephanie Graham, each episode goes deep with working artists, filmmakers, organizers, and culture-shifters about what's actually behind their work: the decisions, the doubts, the money stuff, the pivots, and the "how do you keep going?" moments. No hustle propaganda. No gatekeeping. No pretending it's easy. If you love peeking behind the curtain, noseyAF gives you the honest, energizing conversation you didn't know you needed.