Art Problems

Paddy Johnson
  • 4.9 (135)
  • ARTS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The VVrkshop podcast for ambitious artists who want more shows, bigger grants, and better residencies.

  1. 13H AGO

    EP109: Less Human: Reviewing the New Museum’s Inaugural Show

    Artists Tommy Riefe and Lexa Walsh join me to discuss the New Museum expansion and show, New Humans: Memories of the Future curated by Massimiliano Gioni and Gary Carrion-Murayari. We discuss the success of the building itself and then move onto the show’s major themes—the history of the human body as mediated by technology.    Additional Resources:  Tommy Riefe Lexa Walsh  The New Museum, New Humans: Memories of the Future Jeffrey Deitch, Post Human, 1992   Boris Groys, Art Power, 2008 Jason Farago, The New Museum Reopens Asking: “What is Human?”, 2026, The New York Times   Artist guests:  Tommy Riefe  Riefe earned his BFA in Art History and Sculpture from the University of Northern Iowa in 2014, and later received his MFA from the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis in 2017. He has been in numerous group exhibitions and has public sculptures in the collections of Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Ashburn, VA (2022) Fort Dodge, IA (2021) Lakewood, MN (2019), Iowa State University (2018), Minnesota State University (2018), Laneken, Belgium (2018), Cedar Falls, IA (2017) Rock Island, IL (2016), and Sioux City, IA (2016).   Lexa Walsh Lexa Walsh is an artist, cultural worker and experience maker.  With a background in both sculpture and social practice, Walsh makes site specific projects, exhibitions, publications and objects, using an array of materials including ceramics and textiles, employing social engagement, institutional critique, and radical hospitality to question hierarchies, power and value.   Walsh founded the experimental music and performance venue the Heinz Afterworld Lounge, and co-founded and conceived of the all women, all toy instrument ensemble Toychestra.  Walsh worked for many years as a curator and administrator at CESTA, an international art center in Czech republic, whose team created radical curatorial projects to foster cross-cultural understanding. She founded Oakland Stock & Soup for Social & Racial Justice, and the Bay Area Contemporary Art Archive. She is a graduate of Portland State Universitys Art & Social Practice MFA program and was Social Practice Artist in Residence in Portland Art Museums Education department. She was a recipient of Southern Exposures Alternative Exposure Award, the CEC Artslink Award, the Gunk Grant and was a de Young Artist Fellow. Walsh has participated in projects, exhibitions and performances at Apexart, di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, FOR-SITE, Grand Central Art Center, Kala Art Institute, Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, NIAD, Oakland Museum of California, SFMOMA, Smack Mellon, Walker Art Center, Williams College Museum of Art, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and has done several international artist residencies, tours and projects in Europe and Asia.

    38 min

  2. APR 3

    EP 108: Will the A Corp Change the World?

    The art world has no HR department. There's no employer to set up health insurance, no emergency fund, no retirement plan. If you’re a freelance artist, that means you’re on your own. Today's guest, Yancey Strickler, co-founder of Kickstarter and founder of Metalabel, thinks that can change with a new business designation called the A-Corp. The A-Corp is Strickler’s answer to that problem: a new business structure built specifically for artists that comes with legal protection, fair ways to share ownership with collaborators, and eventually, a path to group health insurance. It’s currently a bill before the Colorado Senate — and if it passes, Colorado becomes the template for the rest of the country. Strickler walks me through how it works and makes the case that we’re only at the very beginning of something much bigger.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​   RELATED LINKS Artist Corporations Metalabel The Creative Independent TED Talk: Forget Hustle Culture. Behold the Artist Corporation New Creative Era podcast — Yancey's podcast with Joshua Citarella Artist Corporations: New Podcast and Early Traction — the episode where Yancey first laid out the A-Corp in detail

    48 min

  3. MAR 20

    EP 107: The 2026 Whitney Biennial—What Can Art Do Now

    Artist William Powhida and Netvvrk Operations Director Penny Retica join me to discuss the 2026 Whitney Biennial, curated by Marcela Guerrero and Drew Sawyer. We walk through the show's major themes—human-animal relationships, infrastructure, economic critique, and the handmade.   Our conversation explores the possibilities brought forward by the biennial. Does it represent a search for art’s utility in a moment of uncertainty? Is its focus on feeling over confrontation, a curatorial choice or a broader retreat? What are the consequences of omitting collaborative work and art showcasing decentralized resistance?  Like all good conversations, this one doesn't offer easy answers. We examine what the biennial reveals about the current moment, and in a time that feels directionless, that critical work can feel grounding. Guests: William Powhida, artist Penny Retica, Netvvrk operations director Additional Reading: Ben Davis, The Whitney Biennial Just Wants you to Feel Something, Artnet, 2026  Aruna D’Souza, The Polycrisis Sublime of the Whitney Biennial, Hyperallergic, 2026 Jenny Wu, Whitney Biennial 2026 Review: The Revolution Will Be Cute, Art Review, 2026 Anna Kornbluh, Immediacy, or The Style of Too Late Capitalism Art Problems Podcast, Episode 85: What is Killing the New York Art Fairs, Part 2 We want to hear from you. Email us at support@vvrkshop.art Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

    1h 7m

  4. FEB 23

    Bonus Episode: From Treading Water to Landing Commissions in One Year with Yuko Oda

    What does it feel like to work professionally as an artist for 23 years but still feel like you're treading water? In this episode of Art Problems, I speak with Boston-based artist Yuko Oda about joining Netvvrk just over a year ago after graduating from RISD in 2002 and spending two decades feeling confused about her trajectory. She was saying yes to everything, spreading herself too thin, and missing opportunities she should have seized—like a group show in Tokyo where she wasn't happy with the work she submitted. In just over a year, Yuko sold her first major piece directly to a collector, secured a three-piece commission for a downtown Boston high-rise, exhibited work in Rome that she calls her best art experience ever, and learned to set boundaries that protect her momentum. We talk about overcoming hesitation to invest in yourself, how accountability groups helped navigate everything from invoices to artist-consultant contract splits, and what it feels like to finally know where you are on your career path instead of floating like a bubble. Free Info Session: How to Become a Biennial Artist - Wednesday, February 25th at 7pm EST Register here.  Yuko Oda: Website: https://www.yukooda.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yukooda75 Education: Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): https://www.risd.edu Institutions Mentioned: UMass Lowell: https://www.uml.edu Harvard Entomology Club: https://hmnh.harvard.edu New York Institute of Technology: https://www.nyit.edu Grants & Programs: Guggenheim Fellowship: https://www.gf.org Artists Mentioned (Commission Advice): Laura Fayer: https://www.laurafayer.com/ Adria Arch: https://www.adriaarch.com/ John Laustsen: https://www.jonlaustsen.com/ Mary Lynn Burke: https://www.marylynnburke.com/ Kristin Cronic: https://www.kristinraecronic.com/ Kristi Kun https://www.kristykun.com/

    39 min

  5. FEB 22

    Bonus Episode: How to Transform Your Grant Applications with Kimberlee Koym-Murteira

    What does it take to level up your documentation and grant applications when you're deeply insecure about your writing?   In this episode of Art Problems, I speak with Bay Area artist Kimberlee Koym-Murteira about joining Netvvrk three years ago, knowing she needed support to win more grants. She'd seen firsthand that when she had help, she was successful—but she didn't know how to get that consistently. Through constant feedback, mentorship from members, and building relationships in accountability groups, Kimberlee transformed her applications so dramatically that she won many and went from avoiding certain opportunities to applying for the Guggenheim.   This conversation breaks down what it looks like to use a creative community—getting feedback within hours when you need it, why AI tools help but can't replace human editors, and how focusing on your own path instead of competing locally creates sustained hopefulness even when six major galleries in your region close. If you've ever wondered what the practical day-to-day of career growth looks like, the details are all in this podcast.   LINKS AND RESOURCES Free Info Session: How to Become a Biennial Artist - Wednesday, February 25th at 7pm EST. Register here. Kimberlee Koym-Murteira: Website: https://www.kimberleekm.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimberleekm/ Tools & Resources Mentioned: Grammarly: https://www.grammarly.com ChatGPT: https://chat.openai.com Bay Area Context: California College of the Arts (CCA): https://www.cca.edu

    20 min

  6. FEB 20

    Bonus Episode: How to Re-Enter the Art World After 25 Years

    What does it feel like to return to your art practice after a 25-year break? In this episode of Art Problems, I speak with visual artist Shae Nadine about navigating an art world that had completely transformed in her absence. When Shae joined Netvvrk two years ago, she was figuring out basics like digital documentation and artist statements. But through accountability groups and community support, she went from feeling lost to landing a NYSCA grant, a SuCasa residency, and curating a four-month public art exhibition in Chicago. This conversation gets into the unglamorous parts of building an art career—like why Shae's accountability group toasts their rejections, how to know when you're actually ready to apply for major grants, and why sometimes the best thing you can do for your relationship is stop asking your partner to read your artist statement. If you've ever felt like an outsider in the art world, I recommend listening to Shae’s story.   Links: Free Info Session: How to Become a Biennial Artist - Wednesday, February 25th at 7pm EST Register here. Shae Nadine || SubtleFlux: Website, Instagram Grants & Programs Mentioned: NYSCA (New York State Council on the Arts): https://arts.ny.gov Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC): https://lmcc.net Sukasa Grant: https://www.skowhegan.org/sukasa Manhattan Graphics Center: https://www.manhattangraphicscenter.org Pollack-Krasner Foundation: https://pkf.org Guggenheim Fellowship: https://www.gf.org Resources: Powerhouse Arts (mentioned in episode): https://powerhousearts.org Westbeth Artists Housing: https://westbeth.org

    50 min

  7. FEB 6

    EP 106: Going from “I Can’t Do This” to “I Can Do This” with Artist Maggie Hinders

    Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information out there to help artists? In this episode of Art Problems Netvvrk member Maggie Hinders shares how the Netvvrk Navigator assessment transformed her artistic experience of this reality from "I can't do this" to "I can do this." Maggie talks about moving from using Netvvrk primarily for community connection to finally tackling the curriculum with clarity. We discuss how the assessment organizes information into a clear path forward, why understanding what different career levels actually look like matters, and how developing an artistic narrative helps you communicate about abstract work. If you've ever felt like your brain works like a web and you need help pulling out that first thread, this conversation is for you.

    20 min

  8. JAN 27

    EP 105: How to Do Fewer Things

    80% of artists struggle with the same problem: getting seen by curators, gallerists, and collectors. And solving this problem is like slaying a multiheaded Hydra—the tasks are endless. In this episode, we talk about how to conquer the Hydra. I break down the reasons artists get stuck, even when they're working hard. You'll learn why the order you tackle things matters more than the tasks themselves, and how one overwhelmed member went from "30 things to do, doing none of them" to making real progress in six months. I'm also announcing the Netvvrk Navigator—a new assessment tool I built with artist William Powhida that shows you exactly where you are in your career and what to work on next. Plus, a special offer for the first 10 annual members that's only available once. If you've been working hard without seeing results, this episode will show you exactly what to do next.

    13 min
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4.9
out of 5
135 Ratings

About

The VVrkshop podcast for ambitious artists who want more shows, bigger grants, and better residencies.

Information

  • Creator
    Paddy Johnson
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2022 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Art Problems

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