Artists in Offices

In this bonus episode between seasons 1 and 2 of the podcast, I talk to Lennon Michelle Wolcott Hernandez, a Boston-based interdisciplinary artist who works in graduate admissions. Originally from Michigan, Lennon is a Latinx artist who speaks better Japanese than Spanish, is named after a Beatle, and comes from a family line that signed the Declaration of Independence. She completed her Bachelor of Fine Art at Michigan State University. After leaving the Midwest, Lennon attended the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University for the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate (2015) and Master of Fine Arts (2017) programs. In early 2020, Lennon will present a workshop at the Michigan Indian Educational Council Conference, where her work “Mother 2017” will be featured. In "All Work and No Play", a solo exhibition at Gallery 263 in Cambridge, Lennon explores how having a full-time job impacts artists’ time for creativity and practice. Office supplies inspired by her day job are used as materials for the work. This exhibition, which also features patterns and symbols of the artist's multicultural American heritage, serves as a self-portrait broadly defined. In this episode, we talk about her work in this show, as well as her experiences leading up to it, both in the studio and beyond. Additional Links: You can learn more about Lennon’s work on her website and follow her on Instagram.  As always, podcast music is provided by Mr. Neat Beats.

In this bonus episode, I check in with Laura Torres, the second artist I interviewed for season 1 of the podcast. About a month after our initial interview in December 2018, Laura quit her full-time day job in higher education fundraising to focus more time on her circus arts training and everything else that supports her creative practice. This bonus episode was recorded in March 2019, a couple of months after Laura left her job. Since then, Laura reports that she is meeting a lot of her tightwire goals, though like all art objectives, everything takes much longer than initially anticipated. She has her own rig, she co-created and performed her first duo act, and participated in a wirewalking workshop at NECCA (New England Center for Circus Arts) in VT. She's also halfway through Karl Marx's Capital Vol. 1, which she reports is a challenging but worthwhile read. You can follow Laura's progress on her Instagram. To listen to our original interview, look for episode 2. Music, as always, is provided by Mr. Neat Beats.

In this bonus episode, I check in with Elizabeth Amento, the first artist I interviewed for season one of the podcast, who has since left her day job in San Francisco and moved to New York City. This bonus episode was recorded in late June 2019, a week before she started her new job, and about three months after she made the move. Elizabeth was born in Boston, MA, and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She returned to the East Coast to attend Boston College for Studio Art and Psychology, Brandeis University for a Post-Baccalaureate in Studio Art, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts/Tufts University for her Masters Degree in Fine Arts. Elizabeth’s work has been exhibited in Mighty Tieton Gallery, Washington, Baton Rouge Gallery, Louisiana, Arena 1 Gallery, California, Modified Arts, Arizona, Melvin Gallery, Florida, Boston Young Contemporaries, Massachusetts, among others. Her work is featured in Index Book’s Cut out for Collage. She currently resides in Brooklyn, NY. Links: In the interview, Elizabeth mentions taking a woodshop course at Makeville Studio in Brooklyn. For more information about Elizabeth and her work, please visit her website and Instagram. As always, podcast music is provided by Mr. Neat Beats.

In the final episode of season one, I speak with Mike Rothfeld, an artist living and working in Oakland and San Francisco. He received his MFA in Fine Art and MA in Visual and Critical Studies from California College of the Arts (CCA) and his BFA in Photography and Imaging from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University (NYU). Rothfeld’s lo-fi, seemingly clumsy sculptures serve as set-pieces and props for the partial science-fiction and fantasy narratives he imagines while working in the studio. His sculptures display a dedication to play, campiness and the absurd along with an underlying sentiment of melancholy and doom. Concerned by an inability to imagine new and viable alternative futures, while still wanting to locate hope for a better tomorrow, Rothfeld makes work that references an era of visual media effects that required viewers to heavily suspend their disbelief to immerse themselves in an imagined reality. Rothfeld’s work has been displayed at The Contemporary Jewish Museum, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Southern Exposure, the Wattis Institute for Contemporary Art, Alter Space Gallery, and San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA; the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, CT; Jan Larsen’s Xpo, Brooklyn, NY; the Beacon Artist Union, Beacon, NY; and the Institute of Contemporary Art, London, England; among other venues. His writing has appeared in Art Practical and show take-aways for Stairwell’s exhibitions. Additional Links: In the interview, Mike mentions working with artist, author, and curator Deb Willis while studying at NYU. She she later introduced him to the graduate programs at CCA. Between undergrad and grad school, Mike attended the Haystack Mountain School of Craft Residency. Finally, Mike and I discuss his participation in the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts’ ‘Bay Area Now 7’ exhibition, a project that was curated by Stairwell’s. You can learn more about Mike’s work on his website and follow him on Instagram. As always, podcast music is provided by Mr. Neat Beats.

In episode 9, I speak with Nicole Kita,  a visual artist living and working in Northern California, who works as an educator and advocate for artists with developmental disabilities. As an educator, Kita has taught artists of diverse ages, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, as well as individual behavioral and learning needs. She currently works as a full-time teacher at The Studio, a non-profit arts organization in Eureka, California, that provides an inclusive studio environment for artists of all abilities to foster an authentic art practice and professional growth.   As an artist, Kita explores the visual language of signs and symbols. Her practice is informed by anthropology and the history of print media: artifacts of the history, folklore, and cultural heritage of North America. Links: In the interview, Nicole mentions traveling to Chicago to screenprint with Dan McAdams at Crosshair. Learn more about Nicole on her website, visit her Etsy shop, and follow her on Instagram. As always, podcast music is provided by Mr. Neat Beats.

Em Meine makes drawings, paintings, and sculptures as a means of exploring collective memory, storytelling, natural history, and anthropomorphism. The works are often figurative representations of imaginary objects or landscapes. She considers her artistic practice to be a ritual for contemplation and self-care, which enables her to experience a sense of connectivity and communion with everything beyond her self. Em’s process is meditative, allowing her to disengage from the external world, and to instead explore an internal universe. More recently, Em has been making drawings that articulate vulnerable ideas based on her own experiences with anxiety or grief. With this work, she is exploring how very personal, unique emotions can become relatable and relevant to other people. Em is a member of CTRL+SHFT Collective, an exhibition and studio space located in West Oakland. As a group of cis-women, trans-spectrum, gender non-conforming, queer, and PoC members, CTRL+SHFT interrogates what it means to build and be a part of a community. Through workshops, exhibitions, and other community engagements, CTRL+SHFT focuses on providing a platform for their ever-growing family, which includes writers, artists, thinkers, performers, curators, allies, agitators, organizers, activists, and teachers who are people of color, women, queer, trans-spectrum, and gender non-conforming folks. Meine received a BFA in General Fine Arts at Maryland Institute College of Art and her MFA in Fine Art from California College of the Arts. She has exhibited in New York, Texas, Chicago, and California, including shows at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Southern Exposure, and The Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. Em lives and works in Oakland, CA. Links: Learn more about Em on her website and follow her on Instagram. As always, podcast music is provided by Mr. Neat Beats.

Gabriel Martinez specializes in political art and Visual Cultural design. Gabriel has an eclectic history of being an artist whose works span the spectrum of being displayed on Bay Area gallery walls or finding their way directly to the hands of people for political empowerment. He has even had his portrait displayed at the de Young Museum. Gabriel's work unifies art and design. The discursive style elements in Gabriel's work have been inspired by the graphic works of lowbrow art, political cartoons, and culture jamming. Thus, Gabriel has always been comfortable creating with a stylus and a ruler. He realized his knack for doing straight forward graphic design when he enlisted himself to create communication material to promote his art. Working as a graphic designer has allowed Gabriel to be around other creatives and to work for organizations with an emphasis in social justice. Links: In the interview, Gabriel mentions studying with mural artist Juana Alicia at Berkeley City College. We also discuss “instagrammable” art and how artists and museums are utilizing this new tool with the example of Masako Miki who recently exhibited at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. Learn more about Gabriel on Linkedin and Behance. Keep up to date on Gabriel's art musings @sfavc_web on Twitter. As always, podcast music is provided by Mr. Neat Beats.

In this mini bonus episode, Los Angeles area artist & museum preparator's assistant Christopher Thomas Ford discusses the decision to attend the Museum School's post-baccalaureate program before pursuing his Master of Fine Arts degree. If you'd like to hear our full conversation, look for episode 6 of this podcast. Music provided by Mr. Neat Beats.

In episode 6, I speak with Christopher Thomas Ford, an interdisciplinary artist from the Boston area who relocated to Los Angeles in 2016. He received his MFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts/Tufts University. In Dorchester, Massachusetts, he co-founded the Howard Art Project artist space and artist collective. He has taught at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and the Lesley University College of Art and Design. His work has been exhibited across the United States. In addition to maintaining an active studio practice, Christopher works as a Preparator’s Assistant at a contemporary art museum in southern California. Links: In the interview, in addition to past teaching experience, Christopher mentioned working for another art podcast. For more information about Christopher and his work, please visit his website and Instagram. As always, podcast music is provided by Mr. Neat Beats.

In Episode 5 I speak with Brooklyn-based artist and archivist Janine Biunno. About three years ago, Janine decided to go back to grad school, having previously attended for art, to obtain a Master’s degree in Library Science. In this bonus mini-episode, Janine and I discuss her experiences the second time around and the similarities and differences between the MLS and the MFA. If you'd like to hear our full conversation, look for episode 5 of this podcast. Janine Biunno is a visual artist and archivist based in Brooklyn, New York, whose work is focused on analyzing and interpreting the semiotics of the built environment. As an archivist, Janine is focused on research and collections at the intersection of the fields of art, architecture, and design. Links: For more information about Janine and her work, please visit her website, Tumblr, and Instagram. As always, podcast music is provided by Mr. Neat Beats.

Janine Biunno is a visual artist and archivist based in Brooklyn, New York. Her work is focused on analyzing and interpreting the semiotics of the built environment. Janine's artwork addresses the subjective practice of understanding and representing the architecture, infrastructure, and density of urban space, and how our general perception of those physical spaces is altered due to the increasing influence of the digital realm. She has exhibited at International Print Center of New York, Tiger Strikes Asteroid and Transmitter Gallery in Brooklyn, Satellite Art Fair, Miami, The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and ACRE Projects in Chicago. As an archivist, Janine is focused on research and collections at the intersection of the fields of art, architecture, and design. She currently works as the Head Archivist at The Noguchi Museum in Queens. Links: In her interview, Janine discusses the work of Agnes Martin and creative advice from Werner Herzog. For more information about Janine and her work, please visit her website, Tumblr, and Instagram. As always, podcast music is provided by Mr. Neat Beats.

Helena Hsieh was born and raised in Long Beach, California. She received her BA in English Literature from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 2004, her BFA in Painting from the San Francisco Art Institute in 2008, and her MFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston/Tufts University in 2012. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally in Vancouver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Boston. Hsieh has received a number of awards and recognition including being an Artist in Residence at Emily Carr University of Art + Design, an Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant, and a Post-Graduate Teaching Fellowship from SMFA. Her work has been featured in publications such as Fresh Paint Magazine, Studio Visit Magazine, Art Business News, and New American Paintings. Helena juggles her studio practice with adjunct teaching and part-time museum work. Links: Helena sells prints of her work on Society6. For more information about Helena and her work, please visit her website and Instagram. As always, podcast music is provided by Mr. Neat Beats.

In episode three, I talk to San Francisco-based artist Lisa Jonas Taylor, who works by day in the field of art and design higher education. Lisa’s studio practice is grounded in various mediums, primarily painting, sculpture, and installation, as well as project-based collaborative work. Her work has been exhibited at Good Mother Gallery and City Limits Gallery, Oakland; Studio 110 Projects, Sausalito; Southern Exposure, Bass & Reiner Gallery, and the Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco; Berkeley Museum of Art and Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley; Shoshana Wayne Gallery, Santa Monica; among others. Collaborative work includes a performance by New York based artist Phoebe Osborne, God Sees Everything, part of San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s Fertile Ground at the Oakland Museum of California. She received her MFA from California College of the Arts and her BFA from CSU Long Beach. Links: For more information about Lisa and her work, please visit her website and Instagram. As always, podcast music is provided by Mr. Neat Beats.

In episode two, I speak with Laura Torres, a multi-disciplinary artist who has worked in sculpture, installation, film, and performance. She is a former member of the Atlantic Works Gallery in Boston, MA. Now based in Chicago, IL, Laura focuses on tightwire training, performing and coaching beginning wirewalkers. At the time of our interview, in December 2018, Laura was working in non-profit fundraising in the field of art and design higher education. She has since quit that job in order to focus more time on her creative practice. Look for a bonus episode later in summer 2019. Links: In the interview, Laura mentions Aloft Loft, where she trains. We also discussed Jerry Saltz's 33 Rules for Being an Artist. For more information about Laura and her work, please visit her website and Instagram. As always, podcast music is provided by Mr. Neat Beats.

In episode one, I speak with Elizabeth Amento. In her work, Elizabeth explores relationships, between people, between colors, and the play between both. At the time of our interview, in November 2018, Elizabeth was working full-time in an accounting firm in San Francisco, making her work in the evenings and on the weekends. Elizabeth has since quit her day job in San Francisco and moved to New York, where she’s already signed up for a woodshop basics course at Brooklyn’s Makeville Studio. Look for a bonus episode with Elizabeth in summer 2019. Elizabeth was born in Boston, MA, and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She returned to the East Coast to attend Boston College for Studio Art and Psychology, Brandeis University for a Post-Baccalaureate in Studio Art, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts/Tufts University for her Masters Degree in Fine Arts. Elizabeth’s work has been exhibited in Mighty Tieton Gallery, Washington, Baton Rouge Gallery, Louisiana, Arena 1 Gallery, California, Modified Arts, Arizona, Melvin Gallery, Florida, Boston Young Contemporaries, Massachusetts, among others. Her work is featured in Index Book’s Cut out for Collage. She currently resides in Brooklyn, NY. Links: In the interview, Elizabeth paraphrases Bay Area career coach Marty Nemko, host of a podcast about, well, work. For more information about Elizabeth and her work, please visit her website and Instagram, where you can see new sketches for future sculptures. As always, podcast music is provided by Mr. Neat Beats.

Artists in Offices is a podcast that explores, through interviews with working artists, the idea that "the work you do for pay supports the work you do for love"...or does it? Hosted by Oakland-based artist Rebecca Bird Grigsby, Season 1 of the podcast launches on May 1, 2019, with the first 5 of 10 interviews conducted with artists across the U.S. between November 2018 and March 2019. Look for a new episode each week after launch through early June, plus a couple of bonus episodes later this summer with artists who have either quit or changed day jobs since their initial interview. Music is provided by Mr. Neat Beats. Additional resources mentioned in the trailer: Artists in Offices by Judith Adler Your Unfulfilling Day Job Might Be The Best Thing That Has Ever Happened To You by J. Maureen Henderson