Art Dealer Diaries Podcast: Recent Episodes
Mark Sublette
See the art world through my eyes as an art dealer with thirty years in the business. Interviews of unique and interesting individuals that collect, deal and find art as compelling as I do. Learn the pitfalls of the art world and the interesting cast of characters that are a constant thread of entertaining commentary. Pull up a chair with me, Mark Sublette and the Art Dealer Diaries.
In this episode of the podcast, I am joined by the brilliant contemporary American visual artist Eric White. We spoke for over 3 hours, so the interview is going to be cut into two parts.
Eric is widely celebrated today for his intricate, cinematic paintings that effortlessly blur the lines between reality and surrealism. In our conversation, Eric takes me back to his early days as an artist. He sheds light on his formative experiences, the pivotal moments in his schooling at Rhode Island School of Design, and his early years as a professional illustrator.
We dive deep into his artistic journey, discussing how his unique visual vocabulary developed over the years, the inspirations that shaped his signature style, and what it was like finding his footing in the competitive art world. Whether you're an avid collector, a fellow creator, or simply fascinated by the origins of great art, this podcast offers an intimate glimpse into an exceptionally creative mind.
This is Eric White part 1 on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 407.
This episode is a recording of a lecture I gave at the 2026 Scottsdale Art Week event where I talked about a recent book I published and the exhibit that I curated, both titled "Ed Mell & Maynard Dixon: Icons of the West." This was a project of mine where I compared and contrasted the lives of artists Ed Mell and Maynard Dixon in a way that was interesting to me, because I had never really thought about that comparison in such a granular form.
You see, I had done a show featuring Ed's works alongside the work of Maynard Dixon in the late 90s, but that project was much, much different and more based on the visual aspect of their respective art. It wasn't the same as thinking about them historically and how their paths were paralleled in many ways. After Ed passed away, I looked at the comparison of the two artists a little differently. This time I looked at it not just as a comparison between Maynard Dixon and Ed Mell, my friend, but rather Ed Mell, the historical figure and important artist.
The best way to to view this podcast is on YouTube because you can see the slides of my presentation and the images that I talk about. That being said, you can just listen to me talk about these two icons and it will be just as informative and entertaining.
Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this lecture I did this past March on Ed Mell and Maynard Dixon at Scottsdale Art Week and I'm glad to be able to publish it as an episode of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
I had Brad Kahlhamer on today and it was fantastic. I went to his studio in the Lower East Side of New York City, and he's got this really interesting place where he creates his monumental works of art.
It's in the heart of the city and you're near Bowery St. and it's crazy. You know, frantic activity, a lot of murals, there's just so much energy. We start outside then we go into this building and downstairs into a place of artistry. We show all of this in the YouTube version, we show the entire studio and all of the items he surrounds himself with for inspiration, which are so important for an artist to have. It's an absolutely sacred place. You can see some of the things that he shares with us that I'm sure may have never shared before.
Brad is just an incredibly important artist. So this was one of those very unique, fun opportunities to visit an artist in their place of creation. This is a tour of Brad Kahlhamer's studio on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 405.
I had Gloria Martinez-Granados on the show today. I was fortunate to meet her at Earth Maker Gallery, which is Thomas "Breeze" Marcus's Gallery in Phoenix, and get the chance to talk to her.
I was just fascinated with how she makes her art, the intensity she works with, and the time it takes. One of the pieces that she did took over 210 days and it was made of 48,900 individual stitches. As you can imagine it's a very labor intensive undertaking.
As interesting as her art is, she is equally interesting. Gloria has this long path that lead her to where she is today. She came over with her parents as an undocumented child at the age of eight. That journey of finding her place in America is fascinating as is how she reflects on being an artist in America. On her journey, Gloria got a nursing degree, and then eventually went back and got an art degree at ASU. Fast forward to today, and she has numerous award and has been a part of major museum shows.
I really had a great time on this podcast, and I can always tell when I'm having fun on a podcast when time literally stops. I couldn't have told you if it was 5 minutes or 2 hours. It was a great to listen to her journey and witness her enthusiasm in person. I encourage you to watch it on YouTube if you can, just to see her beautiful smile, because she's there's such a genuineness to her and to her art and the creativity that comes through in her work.
I hope you enjoy this podcast as much as I did. This is interdisciplinary artist Gloria Martinez-Granados on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 404.
This podcast with Daniel Akaka, Jr. (or Uncle Danny) is an audio only podcast, but the video version shows the footage I recorded at the King Kamehameha the Great Celebration, which is on June 11th every year in Hawaii. So if you watch it on YouTube, you can see this special event that consists of dancing, music, the decorating of the King Kamehameha statue with hand-made leis, a parade, and all of the other activities that went on in that very special day.
Danny Akaka ,Jr. is just one of the most interesting people I've met, quite frankly. He's the cultural ambassador at the Mauna Lani Auberge Resort, and he gives talks, and he allowed me to to record this talk and put it up as an episode of the podcast.
He spoke at length on King Kamehameha the Great, the leader who unified the Hawaiian islands. We learned about Kamehameha's origin and the circumstances behind his birth and how a prophecy and Halley's Comet led to his concealment as a child.
Danny also touched on his personal history as well. His uncle Abraham Akaka was a reverend, and the individual who first called Hawaii "The Aloha State." His father Daniel Akaka, Sr. was the first Native Hawaiian United States senator. He was a senator for 36 years.
They call him Uncle Danny for a good reason. It's because he's a person that just clicks with everyone. I'm grateful he has allowed us to share this presentation and I can't wait to speak with him again.
I went to Manaus, Brazil recently and I visited a lot of different places that tried to capture the sense of Manaus and the surrounding area. This included going to Museu Do Indio (Indigenous Museum) and the Palácio Rio Negro (Governors Palace). I also paid a visit to Teatro Amazonas, which is an insanely beautiful opera house that was built in 1897.
One thing I did while I was in Manaus that was very special, was I got to see a ceremony performed by the Tuyuka Tribe. The tribe is known as the "children of the stone snake" and they did some beautiful dances wearing traditional handmade garments. I was privileged enough to meet and interact with these amazing people and further my understanding of the indigenous people of the region. If you have the opportunity to arrange something like this this, I highly recommend it doing it because it was a truly enlightening experience.
The last thing I got to do in this video was see the meeting of the waters where the Rio Negro and the Rio Solimoes come together to actually form the Amazon River. It's one of the most unique places in the world. In fact, the two rivers don't combine for over 30 miles because of their difference in temperature and sedimentary makeup. Visually, it's an insane looking conglomeration of water. The only way to really understand what I'm talking about is to see it for yourself, which you can do through the video component on my YouTube channel.
Hopefully just watching the videos and hearing me, you might get a sense of what this region is like. So if you want to know what the Amazon feels like and Brazil feels like, you might want to watch / listen to this podcast.
In this episode of the Art Dealer Diaries, I went down to the Amazon rainforest because I wanted to get to know more about the region and its biodiversity.
While I was down there I went and visited with a man named Michael Rich. Now, Michael was down there to do some fishing and I joined him to be able to see the animals do some fishing myself. I was also as interested in just getting a sense of what it's like to be in the largest ecosystem in the world.
And Michael is a very interesting guy. We did this podcast literally after we had been on the river for probably five hours. We recorded under a tree at about 95 degrees in the shade. It looks like I've been laying in the Amazon for a long time, but it was a very unique take in a way, to talk to somebody about fish biology, which he is very interested in.
He is part of a nonprofit to try to help the menhaden, which is called "the most important fish in the sea." It's what feeds all the other big predator fish as well as osprey. There are companies that are coming in and devastating the stock of these small little silvery fish to make into cosmetics and pet food and all these things.
Anyways, I think I came away from this trip different in the way I saw the world and my own role in it.
I had David Griffin on today and he's a unique individual in so many ways, not only as an artist but as a person as well. I'm fortunate to be able to represent David's work. I'm also fortunate to have gotten the time to talk to him and understand the path he took to get where he is today.
His story starts in Lubbock, Texas, which is not an area known for its art production of artists, and coming from a family where father was actually a very sophisticated entrepreneur who came from nothing. You can imagine if you're a young person growing up in Lubbock and your dad runs and develops truck stops, that they may not understand the creative juices that someone has. David just didn't give up what was obviously his path, his road from being a illustrator to an artist, to really capturing some major awards at museum shows.
I love podcasts that just kind of go at their own pace, and this was one of those. It took two hours basically. So it's a part one / part two, and it took that long because that's where the story went from understanding his process to really making a major discovery of who he is as an artist and as someone who hears music in his colors in a way that I don't think he was even aware of.
So it was fascinating as somebody who's doing an interview and I think it was a great experience for him as well. So this is a wonderful discussion that we had, and I hope you take the time to listen and also go to YouTube and just see the paintings we talk about.
I had David Griffin on today and he's a unique individual in so many ways, not only as an artist but as a person as well. I'm fortunate to be able to represent David's work. I'm also fortunate to have gotten the time to talk to him and understand the path he took to get where he is today.
His story starts in Lubbock, Texas, which is not an area known for its art production of artists, and coming from a family where father was actually a very sophisticated entrepreneur who came from nothing. You can imagine if you're a young person growing up in Lubbock and your dad runs and develops truck stops, that they may not understand the creative juices that someone has. David just didn't give up what was obviously his path, his road from being a illustrator to an artist, to really capturing some major awards at museum shows.
I love podcasts that just kind of go at their own pace, and this was one of those. It took two hours basically. So it's a part one / part two, and it took that long because that's where the story went from understanding his process to really making a major discovery of who he is as an artist and as someone who hears music in his colors in a way that I don't think he was even aware of.
So it was fascinating as somebody who's doing an interview and I think it was a great experience for him as well. So this is a wonderful discussion that we had, and I hope you take the time to listen and also go to YouTube and just see the paintings we talk about.
I had the good fortune to go and interview the Grand Canyon Superintendent, Ed Keable, and at the time, I was also allowed to do a tour of the Kolb House. This is a very special place and the story is amazing. It really is a story made for a movie. In fact, I'm surprised it hasn't been mad into one yet because it tells the story of these brothers that came to Arizona in 1901 and 1902, and they set up this photography studio, right on the edge of the Grand Canyon on the South Rim.
It's still there, and we were given access to the property and to get to see and view how they lived in their house from 1904 until Emory dies in 1976. Inside is the photography room, the areas where they would have parties, and some of the most amazing views you've ever seen of the Grand Canyon.
Part of the house is open as a museum, but part of it isn't. And we're going to show you the part that isn't. That's what's special about this and why I wanted to make it into a podcast. This is one of those that I highly recommend watching on YouTube.
It's a pretty compelling story, and I think it's one of those places that you may never get to visit in person. Hopefully this tour via my podcast/video will give you a sense of what it's like and what it would have been like at the turn of the century in Arizona.
This is the kind of podcast I enjoy making the most. It's one of those in the perfect location that's just off the cuff. You see, I went to artist Shonto Begay's studio in Flagstaff. We were picking up some paintings, and it was just a great opportunity to spend some time with him talking about his work, his studio, and things that affect his life. It was actually a very moving interview, and I think you'll feel the same.
Artist studios are sacred places. Shonto's studio is no different and in some ways even more sacred than usual. He shared a couple of extremely personal pieces that are in his studio. Paintings that not only show how he sees the world, but how he views the healing process.
So it's a great video to watch. I know it's a podcast, but if you have the chance, watch it on YouTube. Not only is it a treat to be teleported inside an important artist's studio, but it's so real and in the moment.
At one point he even goes, "oh no, I gotta go put some money in the meter!" We just run down to the street to put money in the parking meter while we were filming because that's what he has to do every day where his studio is. He had been at the studio all day getting his paintings ready for me. I felt so bad I was even prepared to pay his parking ticket.
So this is a very interesting and beautiful podcast with Shonto Begay.
I had a very interesting conversation with Ed Keable, who's Superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park. The setting was unbelievable. We literally sat at the Kolb House overlooking the Grand Canyon. Ed was so fascinating though that I could really only focus on his story, and so the canyon just kind of melted away.
He's has a very unique position with an immense amount of responsibility. He had a somewhat unexpected journey to get to be Superintendent because his training was as a lawyer. He worked for the Department of Interior for 23 years before becoming the Superintendent.
He took the job at the beginning of Covid, so he was dealing with big problems from the very beginning. We talk about that, as well as other issues he faced such as the recent Dragon Bravo fire that swept across the North Rim and the ecological trouble facing the Colorado River. In fact, Ed is responsible for 277 miles of the river that passes through the Grand Canyon. He's on three different committees related to the Colorado River. Yet with all of these troubles he's facing, he clearly loves his job, and is clearly very good at it. It is the kind of profession that requires you to do a lot.
I was enthralled for an hour listening to Superintendent Keeble, who is a very sharp, interesting human. I must say, I feel very lucky that we have someone of this quality in charge of such an important place, the Grand Canyon.
I had Wendie Martin on my podcast today, and she's co-owner of International Artist Publishing along with Adolfo Castillo. That's the media group responsible for magazines such as Western Art Collector, Native American Art, American Art Collector, American Fine Art Magazine, and International Artist. So she's got her hands full.
We talked about her magazines, sure, but we mostly spoke about the process of how she got where is she is today. When i do these podcasts I want to know how people became what they became and their journey. Wendie's journey is a very interesting one.
Her father was a car racer and somebody who was a specialist in fixing and rebuilding motors and we learn about how that affected her trajectory. She's still involved the automotive world and at one point became an auctioneer that specialized in auctioning classic cars.
Wendie is just this very interesting person who's quite important in the world of Western & Native arts because of her magazines and their influence. She gets it. She loves collectors, she loves what she does, and this passion comes across in this podcast.
That's why I do these things. To try and learn and to understand somebody like Wendie Martin. Someone who is really interested in, not only artists, not only collectors, but the entire business of art. That's a big component of what this podcast is all about.
So enjoyed it a lot. This is Wendie Martin on episode 395 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
Sometimes you do podcasts not only because you're interested in the person, but you're also interested in just history, right? In this case, it's the history of Skip Andrews, his own personal journey as an artist, as well as his relationship with the iconic Arizona artist, Ed Mell.
Skip and Ed were friends in high school and ended up working together in New York City in the late 60's and early 70's. They started a company together called Sagebrush Studios and did some really great work together. I got to hear stories about Ed and Skip and their antics and see artwork that I would have never guessed was done by Ed Mell.
We see plenty of work by Skip as well who is a highly regarded illustrator, designer and airbrush artist. He did magazine covers for National Lampoon and Arizona Highways, worked on ad campaigns for Coca-Cola and Dickies, and showed us many other incredible works of commercial art.
So this is probably the kind of video that is best taken in through YouTube, because you can see the images that we're talking about, and there's just something about seeing Skip's face as we discuss one of his closest and dearest friends.
I found to be very interesting. I learned a lot. I had a great time. We filmed this in Ed's studio, which was a just a treat to be able to to do that, feel the energy of Ed and all the great paintings he had done alongside one of his best friends.
This is Skip Andrews on episode 394 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
In March 2026, the Scottsdale Art week had some discussions which were really informative. I really enjoyed this part of the programming and I wanted to share it with you.
We had a booth there and I gave a lecture on Maynard Dixon and Ed Mell, but there were some other lovely panels/lectures that we recorded, and one of them included Diné weavers, Naiomi and Tyler Glasses. I've been fortunate to get to know them and I'm just so impressed with their creativity.
They talked about their upbringing and the influence their grandmother had on their path towards becoming weavers. They speak on the connection between traditional Navajo weaving and contemporary fashion, and how blending utility and beauty is nothing new for the Diné.
During the panel we hear about the origin of Naiomi’s collaboration with Polo Ralph Lauren and how she was able to bring her brother on to help with a subsequent venture with Ralph Lauren Home. It's really interesting to get their take on how they've grown as a brother and sister team looking at fashion through the eyes of their own culture.
So, I felt it was a really insightful discussion and something that you would have missed were you not in Scottsdale during the show, but luckily we are able to bring it to you today. This is Naiomi Glasses and her brother Tyler Glasses on the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 393.
I recently gave a lecture called "Ed Mell: A Closer Look" at the Phoenix Art Museum and I wanted to share it with all of you as an episode of my podcast.
It was an interesting experience for me for two reasons. One, I knew Ed very well as a friend. Two, I represented him for almost 30 years. So with this lecture, I got to think and speak about him how an art historian would. The friendship element was part of the lecture, no doubt, but the talk is filled with the other more analytical art world components as well.
For example, I talk about the difference between a 1980 Ed Mell and a 1981 Ed Mell. I analyze the kind of subject matter that he did and when he did it and why he did it. If you love Ed Mell you will probably find this talk that I did to be very interesting and maybe even compelling. I thought it was a really enjoyable from the speaking perspective.
The Phoenix Art Museum just has such a beautiful collection and they have an exhibit called "Ed Mell: In the Studio" in their all new James K. Ballinger Wing. The wing is going to be closed for a renovation from now until mid September 2026, but it'll be open again after Labor Day. Once it opens back up, the Ed Mell exhibition will be up through April 2027. Most of the work in the exhibit came right out of his studio, including some very early pastels and small oil studies. It's a very cool setup and it was curated by Chief Curator Olga Viso, who I interview at the end of the podcast about the show.
So if you love Ed Mell, you might want to watch this one. Keep in mind the YouTube version will have all of the images I discuss, as well as the bonus interview at the end that shows parts of "Ed Mell: In the Studio."
I love a podcast that's a little different. Today, Shonto Begay showed up with four new paintings and they're all terrific. One of them however was incredibly important because it explores Shonto's experience at an Indian school and how that affected him. I mean, he's 72 years old and this is something that still affects him to this day and I completely understand why.
You see, he's able to make that world different in his own mind through the catharsis of painting. In this painting I'm referring to, he explores that and lets the viewer see it how they want to see it, but the story of the painting is there for everyone. If you go to the YouTube version of the podcast you'll be able to actually see the painting we're talking about.
So we talk about the four paintings he brings in for about half of the podcast, and then we move over to the Maynard Dixon and Native American Art Museum where we talk about a couple of his other paintings that are a part of the exhibition "Native Voices: 75 Years of Creativity."
One is called "Helpless," which is a monumentally important painting and a marker for Shonto's art career. It was done in 1996, and I've owned it for at least 15 years. It happens to be a very important painting in my life as well.
Shonto is somebody that I respect and appreciate very much. You can hear the passion, the wisdom, and the energy that he breathes into the world as he speaks. He's just a remarkable individual, not only as a painter, but as just a human being. I'm grateful that I get to show his work and to call him my friend.
This is Shonto Begay on episode 391 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
Today's podcast was a panel that I was a part of alongside artists Kim Wiggins, Martin Grelle, and my son, Charles Sublette, moderated by Tim Newton. We talk about Western art, the future of art in general, how the world perceives what we happen to specialize in.
With the artists on the panel, we had two different but equally qualified individuals. There was Martin Grelle being on the traditional side and Kim Wiggins who is more of a modernist. They talk about how they see things in their world, from their perspectives as creatives.
Then on the other end of the spectrum you have myself and my son, Charles. I was invited to the panel because of my 35 years of experience as an art dealer specializing in Western art, having worked with museums like the Briscoe on many occasions. Charles on the other hand, sees things in a different light because he's much younger and in tune with a completely different audience.
So it's a good mix of how we see the world of Western art and where it's heading. It was fun to do and it lasted about an hour. We had some good Q&A afterwards. You can watch us on YouTube if you want to see how we just kind of talk and interact, which I think is always interesting.
I'm typically surprised when I go and do one of these things, because you just don't know what's going to come up, or how others see what you see differently. That being said, Tim Newton did a lovely job of moderating all the different aspects and voices and it was a great time.
So hope you enjoy this panel at the Briscoe Western Art Museum on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 390.
I recently attended and exhibited at Scottsdale Art Week, which was the third week in March. They had a lovely series of lectures, and one of them was with photographer Cara Romero. She's a terrific artist that I have in my personal collection.
The Phoenix Art Museum has a big show of her work on display through June 2026 called "Cara Romero: Panûpünüwügai (Living Light)." It's a terrific show and I have been up there twice since it opened. It's very well curated and it's an immersive experience.
In this lecture, Emilia Mickevicius, the Norton Family Assistant Curator of Photography at Phx Art, speaks with Cara about the exhibit and about the works in the First American Girl series, Indigenous Futurism series, and her most recent photographic works. They discuss the themes of survivance, activism and ecology, and how Cara weaves these into each and every photograph she takes.
Cara has her own gallery in Santa Fe and I highly recommend you go see that as well. It was a wonderful lecture. I really enjoyed it and I'm glad I get to upload this talk. This is photographer Cara Romero and curator Emilia Mickevicius on the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
This podcast is a very interesting podcast, because we get to talk to Curt Walters about his retrospective exhibition "Curt Walters: Resilience" at Western Spirit: Scottsdale Museum of the West. We walk through the exhibit and hear about his life as he speaks on his magnificent landscape paintings.
Curt was born in 1950 and he lived in Farmington, NM and this is where his artistic journey really begins. It was so interesting to do this walk-and-talk with Curt through the museum. To be able to see and speak with him and understand what he's done in life in front of some of his most monumental works of art.
I hope people come to see the show Western Spirit and I also hope you watch this on YouTube so you can really get the sense of what we were talking about. It's great as an audio-only experience, but there's something about actually seeing the paintings when he's describing them that is just wonderful.
Anyhow, I'm glad to have had the chance to record this and I hope you enjoy. This is master Grand Canyon painter Curt Walters on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 388.
If you didn't get to come to our Thomas Blackshear opening and hear this lecture, well, you're in luck, because we recorded it and it was really a wonderful event. Basically, it was Thomas Blackshear and myself talking about the show "Neon Cowboy Posse, The Ten Most Wanted Plus One," and how the whole series began. Questions like, "what was the impetus to do it?" We talk about the characters that Thomas came up with, and how I wrote the short story styled after a pulp fiction magazine to accompany the show.
It's a very interesting lecture and i'm glad Thomas was so open to talking at my gallery. I really loved the fact that I got to be part of the creative process for the show. It's a rarity for art dealers. We usually get to come up maybe with an idea or the way we set things up, but to be actually part of the creative process was a real joy.
As an added bonus, at the beginning of the talk folk recording artist Eli Blackshear (Thomas's son) sang two songs for us. We included that in the podcast as well and are so glad to get to share his talent with our audience.
And so that's what this is all about. I hope you enjoy Thomas Blackshear, Eli Blackshear and myself on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 387.
When you get to go to an artist's studio, it's literally a sacred place. That's just the best way I can describe it, because it's where creativity begins and ends and inspiration is found there, too. In this case, it was Thomas Blackshear II and his studio.
To be able to see the things that made his career. Seeing the relics that he's held on to in addition to the WIP early stages of the show that is going to open here at Medicine Man Gallery on March 13, 2026. That second part was the main reason I was there. The show is called "Neon Cowboy Posse: The Ten Most Wanted Plus One" and I wanted to go to his studio to see how it was going. It's something we've been working on for almost two years and you get to see those early images of the pieces before they were completely finished.
This studio tour was done like six months ago. You also see his props, his library and an insight into other sides of his life, which are the figurines that he's very well known for. I'd recommend watching this on YouTube, because I think it'll have so much more impact to be able to visualize everything we discuss.
So this was a very special podcast because I'm in that inner sanctum and you get to be as well. This is Thomas Blackshear II on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 386.
See the show online:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/collections/march-6-2026
I had Jeremy Winborg on and what a wonderful person he is. I really enjoyed our talk. You know, he's just a classic artist in the sense that everything he's done in his life has been related to creating and making art.
It might be a genetic thing. His father, Larry C. Winborga, is a well-known illustrator and fine artists and his daughter Swede Winborg is an up-and-comer on the Western Art scene.
We had this discussion about how all of that affected his journey and how hard he still has to work on this journey. I mean, he really didn't hit his stride until he's in his late 30s and he's 46 now. So it's not one of these things where you you feel like, oh, he's just an overnight success. But was he actually? The answer is no.
Being an artist is a very difficult journey. Jeremy typifies that journey and we talk about that. So he's just a lovely guy. Jeremy Winborg on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 385.
This episode of the podcast is a recording of the lecture that Billy Schenck gave to collectors and friends at the Maynard Dixon and Native American Art Museum in early February 2026. The lecture centered around Schenck's prints and the many types of works he's reproduced over the past 55 years. Billy also discusses his iconic career, going into depth about his contemporaries and how he has been influenced by the ever changing cast of artists in his life.
The lecture serves as the end point in a trilogy of podcasts filmed over the last 3 years. These three episodes of the podcast revolved his hugely successful 55-Year Retrospective exhibit and sale that opened at Medicine Man Gallery in Tucson, AZ on February 6th, 2026.
Billy Schenck is a pioneer in the pop-western art movement and we are extremely grateful to have hosted such an important show. His work is on display in dozens of museums across the country, and will someday be housed in his own museum near Santa Fe, New Mexico.
This lecture was not only educational, but very entertaining and I'm glad we were able to record it. This is Billy Schenck on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 384.
I had artistic polymath Joel Oppenheimer on the podcast today who has recently retired from being an art dealer. He was the former president of Oppenheimer Gallery in Chicago, IL with his son David officially taking over last year.
It's a wonderful gallery. There are many different components to Oppenheimer Gallery. One of them is art conservation, which is how I've gotten to know Joel over the years. Hands down the best paper conservator I've ever had the pleasure of working with.
They also have a renowned art printing component. They make and sell prints of the works of ornithological artist J.J. Audubon. In fact, much like how I am known for my expertise on the artist Maynard Dixon, Joel is most likely the world's leading expert on Audubon and his prints. He's done a couple of different books on Audubon that showcase his knowledge as well as his commitment to achieving the highest quality reproductions possible.
Anyhow, it was a long podcast, we talked for almost two hours, but it was very, very interesting. His life is definitely unique and he's a very wise individual.
He's also an artist. Joel basically started as fine artist and navigated through the art world from expertise to expertise, and now with retirement, he's going back to his original love, painting and pastels.
So this was very unique story of a very successful art dealer and I had a great time. This is Joel Oppenheimer part two.
I had artistic polymath Joel Oppenheimer on the podcast today who has recently retired from being an art dealer. He was the former president of Oppenheimer Gallery in Chicago, IL with his son David officially taking over last year.
It's a wonderful gallery. There are many different components to Oppenheimer Gallery. One of them is art conservation, which is how I've gotten to know Joel over the years. Hands down the best paper conservator I've ever had the pleasure of working with.
They also have a renowned art printing component. They make and sell prints of the works of ornithological artist J.J. Audubon. In fact, much like how I am known for my expertise on the artist Maynard Dixon, Joel is most likely the world's leading expert on Audubon and his prints. He's done a couple of different books on Audubon that showcase his knowledge as well as his commitment to achieving the highest quality reproductions possible.
Anyhow, it was a long podcast, we talked for almost two hours, but it was very, very interesting. His life is definitely unique and he's a very wise individual.
He's also an artist. Joel basically started as fine artist and navigated through the art world from expertise to expertise, and now with retirement, he's going back to his original love, painting and pastels.
So this was very unique story of a very successful art dealer and I had a great time. This is Joel Oppenheimer part one.
So Billy Schenck and I have been working on a two year project. It's a retrospective, a 55-year retrospective, and we did a catalog. This podcast was filmed a year ago at Billy's studio where we talked about this project at length.
Now, you get to actually see what we've been working on. To put all this effort in and to get to see them all together is exceptionally gratifying. I'm sure it's gratifying for Bill because this is a big deal, but it's a big deal for me too.
On top of all of his important works that make up the museum show, Billy has has been putting away new works for two years for this show. Large format photographic prints that have never been shown before, as well as some of his caption pieces and a beautiful group of his landscapes.
It was quite interesting to try to set this up because we're looking at his life's work (his serigraphs and foundational paintings) in combination with the result of a life of working on art (his newest body of work). The museum show has a good portion of his serigraphs paired with his early paintings. Trying to figure out that balance from a curatorial standpoint was an interesting experience.
If you're listening to the podcast, go to YouTube, go check out the show, not only the gallery show, but the museum show. We have included a preview of the show in this version of episode 377 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
So this podcast that you're listening to is the culmination of all the work that we did over the last two years to get to this point. It was an exercise in storytelling, telling the Billy Schenck story, and I think we've done a beautiful job of it.
I had a podcast today with Erika Victor, who's this just unique individual who I had originally met at the Far West show in Austin, Texas. I had followed her on her Instagram because I liked her work. I just thought it was very unique. It has a sensibility that's different from most other people, and that's what I'm looking for in an artist.
Erika came by my gallery in Tucson to record this episode and I had no idea that by the end of the podcast I'd be showing her work. I truly didn't expect to have that happen. After seeing her work in person, getting to speak to her for an extended period of time, all of that really solidified my idea that this is a person that has what it takes to succeed as an artist and is committed to her craft.
She's from Kansas, and she got her degree in photography, but nowadays she teaches art in Zuni, New Mexico. Not everybody can make the transition to a place like Zuni. It's beautiful, I love the place and the people, but it's very isolated. Erika moved there for her job, but picked Zuni specifically over a handful of other options because of the landscape (something she absolutely loves to paint). She loves painting people too and her paintings of Native American people exhibit a contemporary approach to a classic western art theme.
Anyhow, I enjoyed this podcast a great deal and I hope you like this podcast as much as I did. This is our newest represented artist as of January 2026, Erika Victor.
View available works by Erika Victor here: https://www.medicinemangallery.com/collections/victor-erika
I had a wonderful podcast today with Sean Michael Chavez. If you are anywhere in the Western art world in 2026, you will have heard his name and more than likely seen his artwork.
Chavez really exploded onto the scene over the last eight years, but like everything good in this world, it took a long time to get there. It definitely didn't happen overnight, though sometimes it might seem that way. Sean will be the first to tell you that he's a 30 year overnight success.
We talk about his journey of growing up in New Mexico and how he found his path in the arts through graphic design, evolving into a traditional artist after many lived experiences. To him, it was clear he was an artist from the get-go.
Teasing out these little moments and stories from his life that show how he got to where he is today was a great experience for me. It's a real joy for me to listen to somebody and to be able to follow that journey in real time.
I think this was a beautiful interview. I enjoyed it and I think you will enjoy it as well. This is Sean Michael Chavez on episode 380 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
Got to meet with Len Chmiel today. He's one of my favorite artists. He's just incredibly gifted and I've always been a huge fan of his work. We were at the Coors Art show in Denver and we found a little hidden conference room, and we sat down and talked. In fact, at the end of the the show that we were doing, the music was playing and it was kind of beautiful.
Len is just such a creative individual. There's people that you meet in this world who think very deeply about their craft. From the smallest details of lighting to the canvas and how he finds the inspiration.
We talk about inspiration, the things that make you want to make a painting in the first place. Len and I agree, you can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it every day as a true artist, which he does.
After the interview was over he said, "oh yeah, I lived in this place in Redondo for two years. I just kind of boarded up the windows and lived on a couch and did my artwork. That's just how I had to do it and just live there." He as barely making a living but for him it was just part of the road he was on. It was part of his journey.
You know, the journey of an artist is one that is filled with struggle. That being said, there are great rewards if you can do it. Len has and I highly encourage you to go follow him on Facebook and see what he's done.
If you're at any of the shows that he exhibits at, make sure you go and see his work. He's terrifically important and this was very fun and enlightening to speak with him. This is Len Chmiel on the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 379.
What a wonderful podcast I had with Marilou Schultz. She is a master weaver and a math teacher who grew up in Leupp, Arizona on the Navajo Nation.
She has been teaching her entire life and is justs now going into weaving full-time. There's good reason for that too. You see, Marilou's weavings are very in demand. She has a waitlist that includes the Basel and MoMA collections.
What she has done is interpreted various computer chips through the lens of a traditional Diné weaver. It's just an amazing story. She got a commissioned by Intel to do a rendition of the Pentium chip in 1994. She's a fourth generation Navajo Weaver and she uses her background in mathematics to create these incredible textiles.
I was fortunate enough to get one of these ordered a year ago, and she brought it to me today. I got to see it for the first time during this podcast and you can see my eyes light up as she unravels this masterpiece.
I highly recommend that you watch this on YouTube because you will be able to see her interact with the textile, as well see her tell her story, which is quite remarkable.
This is one of my favorite podcasts that I've done. I hope you enjoy it. This is master Diné weaver, Marilou Schultz on the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
One of the things I love about doing this podcast is that I get a variety of people that come through my life. In this case it's Bill Healey, who I've known probably 25 plus years. His role, his part of the art ecosystem is different than many of the other people I've had on, and that is of a collector. He's a true collector who has this unique history, which I went into and I found very, interesting.
How he went from economics, to commercial development, to then retiring and devoting his life to art. First Western art, Russells, Remingtons, etc., followed by an epiphany when he was at the Heard Museum, seeing images of the Native American boarding schools. I remember that exhibit very well. I have one of these images in my own collection hanging in my own office. I look at it all the time just to help keep me grounded. Well, that image really set him off on a new odyssey to understand Native art and history in a different way. He then sold off the majority of this Western material, and focused on collecting Indigenous American art.
Bill has built this huge collection, part of which he donated to the Saint Louis Art Museum. They did a beautiful book on the collection and he's going to continue to give away pieces that he's collected to museum institutions to help tell the story of indigenous artists ranging from 1920 to today.
It's a fun ride of through his life and over 60 years of collecting. I think it's a real gift that Bill shared it with us.
You know, one of the great things about going to an artist's studio is you get an inside look at how they make art, how they create, how they see their world. With Maeve's work in her studio, you really get a glimpse of that process.
If you ever get the opportunity to go to an artist's studio, take it for sure, because it allows you to feel that what they feel, how they get to where they get artistically.
Maeve's studio is quite remarkable. The way that she has things set up, and how she visually transfers things from paper to the acrylic that she works on. It's just so complex and impressive to see in person.
So I highly recommend this podcast if you can watch it on YouTube, just because you'll get to live inside the studio for 40 or so minutes. It's brings it all to life. How she creates, how her world comes to be. For me, that's a real gift.
With so many of these individuals I interview, art is really the only thing they see themselves doing in life. Oil painter Raj Chaudhuri on the other hand was a very successful software engineer before committing to art. He could have gone that route and been hugely successful, especially considering the timeframe he was doing it. But no, he HAD to be an artist.
You see, Raj has been drawing since he was a little boy. He'd even won contests in school and at his university when he wasn't even an art major. He grew up in, India, and we get to talk about that whole component of his life. Eventually he moves to the United States from India and goes to Ole Miss to become an economist of all things. He was actually working on a PhD when he finally said "I've got to do what I love." Thankfully he did because he's an excellent artist.
We met in Denver during for an event put on by the Coors Western Art Show, a special kind of summer preview with lectures, all getting ready for their January exhibition. They have some lovely art, and it's really just a fun time. One of the highlights for me was speaking with Raj. One thing led to another and next thing you know Raj was on a flight to Tucson to see my gallery and record this podcast.
What makes an excellent podcast to me is when I come away learning things and getting a new sense of what it means to be an artist. This was very easy in talking to someone like Raj. It was very insightful and fun. So I hope you enjoy this podcast as much as I did.
I had the great pleasure of going to Ezra Tucker's studio and doing a podcast with him. It's so interesting to go in these sacred places that artists create, and it changes your perspective. To just feel the intimacy and the importance of these spaces... It really can't be overemphasized.
What happens in these areas of creation, and how somebody like Ezra spent the time, the thought, the energy, and the money to make it a place that really works for him.
I think a great takeaway from any artist that's listening to this is that your space is important. Don't underestimate the importance of having a place that you can create and feel comfortable doing so. For Ezra, this truly is a space that he's developed, much like a piece of art.
It's a real gift to me to be able to go in and for him to share something like this, because it is such an intimate thing. So I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. This is Ezra Tucker's studio on the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 373.
The best kind of podcasts sometimes are the ones that you weren't planning, and that's the one I had today with Ernie Lister. He is a silversmith and is an incredible master of his craft. There's no doubt about that.
I've known about Ernie for a very long time. I've talked to him, but only at Santa Fe during Indian market. Things move very fast at that event and you can't really have this sort of conversation. So he came into the gallery today and I said, hey, how about a podcast? And he goes, sure, I'd be happy to.
And it's a very interesting podcast. You get the sense of what it means to take your art form seriously, which he does. For him, It comes from a different place. A place of heritage. If you really want to understand what it means to be a master Diné silversmith, then look no further. I mean, this is a guy who shows his work around the world. He has a huge following in Japan.
This podcast was to me a really a gift from the gods to be able to spend time with this man and hear about what he does and how he does it. So I hope you enjoy it as much as I had fun doing it.
I had Steve Weil on the podcast today. It was a really a fun, interesting interview because it wasn't done in the studio. It was actually done at Rockmount Ranch Wear Headquarters in Denver. I highly encourage you go to this store (and bring your wallet) because there's some really great things inside. I definitely walked away with a few Western and Hawaiian shirts.
You see, Steve is the third generation owner of this company. That's a really, really rare thing these days. His brand has been a staple in the realm of Western fashion for 80 years. His grandfather started it 1946 and he was the first guy to do a "snap" western shirt. Not to mention that everyone has worn this brand. Elvis, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Robert Plant, and more.
I found it all absolutely fascinating. I knew the store was there, and I had been in it before, but to actually get to hear the man himself speak about how it all came to be was awesome. We get a behind the scene tour of the building, the museum area showing the history of these shirts and his family, and even a look at the garage where he keeps his vintage automobile collection.
It a very interesting podcast and I hope you can take the time to watch it. If you find yourself in Denver do yourself a favor and visit Steve's store. I think you'll find it just as cool as I did.
I love spontaneous podcasts. That's what happened today with Randy Barton. He's a Diné (Navajo) artist and is just a very interesting man and a very unique and important artistic voice.
He has a great story. He moves from the reservation to Winslow, AZ and gets into hip hop culture and graffiti at a very young age. He runs with this, and it becomes the story of his life. Randy lays it all out in our conversation.
This is one of those that you should watch on YouTube. Granted, this is an ART podcast, so they're all better with added visuals, but also because he's just such an animated individual. It's fun to be in his presence. He has a magnetism that you just can't put into words, but you know it when you feel it.
I got to watch Randy do a live painting this summer and it was amazing to see. He's just so multi-dimensional in his creativity, from traditional art, to graphic design, to fashion, to dance, to music, to filmmaking.
It was a really fun, interesting, and overall dynamic podcast that just happened out of thin air. After speaking with him for an hour or so, I like to think that's how Randy's life is. Things are naturally spontaneous for him and he's the type of person that - when he feels something, he just does it.
So anyway, I had a great time, and I think you will too. This is Randy Barton on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 370.
I had the very dynamic Knox Kronenberg on today. He's a fine art photographer and he's got a really interesting story. He's pushing the envelope and he's only 27, but it feels like he's 40.
Knox has really found his niche. We're talking about major endeavors. It's like doing directing a movie. I mean, he can spend up to $70,000 on a single shot. He has a clear vision, especially for as young as he is.
It's really interesting to see how utterly and completely focused a guy like Knox can be. He sees who he is and what he wants to forge his legacy. I think when you're that driven at that age you're going to be successful.
Looking at some of the shots that he shared with me, it's just beautiful, amazing work. He's a classic artist in that he lives to create. He is a storyteller who also happens to be a fine artist with a camera.
So yeah, I like Knox. He's a very nice, animated, gifted individual. I genuinely think he's one of those that you'll look back at this podcast and go, oh, yeah, that was an important guy and he was young when he did that. That's how it felt for me at least and I'm glad I get to be a part of that history.
Anyhow, this is storyteller Knox Kronenberg on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 369. I hope you enjoy.
Today's podcast is a little different because it's a panel that was done at the Coors Western Art Show Collectors Roundup in September 2025. They have a show that's in January 2026 and this is kind of a preview get together with collectors, artists, and other key figures in the Western art world.
This particular event was a panel that was part of the programming for this preview event. The panel featured Kevin Doyle, the Director of the Jackson Hole Art Auction, Josh Warren, who's the Associate Publisher of Western Art & Architecture Magazine and myself. Joshua Rose was the moderator and asked us questions about Western Art and what to expect in the future of the genre.
I think it's a fun and interesting discussion and there were some things that came out and you go "yeah, I agree with that," and other stuff where you're saying "maybe I don't agree with that." Regardless, it was a fun and unique conversation and I thought you might enjoy it as an episode of the podcast.
My favorite podcasts are the ones where I get to go to the person's studio and/or house, sit in their environment, and talk to them. It gives me such a deeper understanding of that person and where their creative juices come from.
I got to do that with renown sculptor Star York. We've been working on a 50 year retrospective, and this was part of that project. We recorded this interview in August in preparation for her Retrospective show here in Tucson on October 24th.
It's a two part podcast. The first part is us sitting and talking on her front porch and part two is the two of us going into her studio and doing a deep dive on what she does, how she does it, and why she does it.
Part one and part two are very different types of podcasts. One is more from the personal background standpoint. The other one, really more of what's happening today.
Anyhow, this is Star York part two on the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast. I hope you enjoy.
My favorite podcasts are the ones where I get to go to the person's studio and/or house, sit in their environment, and talk to them. It gives me such a deeper understanding of that person and where their creative juices come from.
I got to do that with renown sculptor Star York. We've been working on a 50 year retrospective, and this was part of that project. We recorded this interview in August in preparation for her Retrospective show here in Tucson on October 24th.
It's a two part podcast. The first part is us sitting and talking on her front porch and part two is the two of us going into her studio and doing a deep dive on what she does, how she does it, and why she does it.
Part one and part two are very different types of podcasts. One is more from the personal background standpoint. The other one, really more of what's happening today.
This is Star York part one on the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast. I hope you enjoy.
I had Jeremy Lipking on today and he is such a wonderful artist. I've always been a fan of his work. You know, it's not a far stretch to compare him to somebody like John Singer Sergeant or Joaquín Sorolla. He has this strong sense for posing figures, highlighting their emotions and body language. The way he sees these images in his head and then is somehow able to translate them to the viewer is quite remarkable.
In early September 2025 our schedules lined up and I finally had the opportunity to record a podcast with him. We had been talking about doing this for quite a few years, but I wanted to do it in person as opposed to recording over Zoom. We actually got together during the Far West Show here in Austin and recorded on the balcony of my hotel room with the beautiful backdrop of the Austin skyline in the background.
Like all these podcasts, I came away with something unique. In this case, it was the essence of who this individual is and his humbleness, quite frankly. I found out something unique that I had never even considered.
You see, Jeremy is a quarter Native American, and it's not something that he's really spent time talking about or exploring so much. So for me, that was quite interesting, to say the least, to hear about that component of his life. That's the thing. You have to take your time when interviewing people so you can hear their story in full. Jeremy was very generous and let everybody get to hear about his world.
So I had a great time with this really important artist. He's got a retrospective that's going to come up in April 2026 at the Booth Museum that you don't want to miss. This is Jeremy Lipking on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 365.
I had a great interview with Starr Hardridge and he's just an incredible artist. He's Muskogee (Creek) and is known for his pointillism paintings that he does primarily of Native imagery. He also does some abstract artwork, which I really like as well.
It's a very unique style and takes an insane amount of time to do it. We even talk about how he does it, which usually I get more into the story of the person rather than the process. His style is just so unique and it's worth listening or watching this deep dive into it to find out how he does it.
He has this incredible journey like so many artists that I've interviewed. It is not an easy path to get to the promised land, and I do believe Starr is at that point. In fact, I ended up winning a draw to buy a piece of his art from the Eiteljorg because I really wanted one for my collection.
I had a great time talking to Starr. We did this at the Eiteljorg Museum and we got a room setup and just podcasted. I learned a lot about him and that's the great thing about this podcast, and not just for me, but other people that get to hear this, you get to get this inside view of the individual.
So this is Starr Hardridge on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 364.
Doing podcasts can be such a joy and it was with Jordan Sprigg. This is the beauty of social media and the internet. My son and I found images of Jordan's sculptures online and we both gravitated to the man's work. It's just so interesting. He uses found material to build these beautiful sculptures of wildlife. Fish, ibex, rhinoceroses horses, etc.
He seemed like a really creative and genuine person on his Instagram account so we reached out to him in Australia to do the podcast. He lives over by in Perth (Or at least not too far from Perth) and he said, sure, I'll do a podcast with you.
You can feel the joy in this man's work. I recommend watching it on YouTube, just because you can see the smiles and the wonderment of how he became the artist that he is today.
He was a kid that drew and played with Legos, but he went to university for psychology and that's where he thought he was going end up. You see, he's a fourth generation farmer, in Australia. Then one day he art world finally opened up to him when he visited a sculpture exhibit on a beach in Australia.
He was able to show his work through Instagram, and his account blew up to over a million followers. So and we talk about that, what is that like to have so many followers and how he deals with all of the attention.
Jordan even had one video that had over 50 million views. So I had to ask him what's it like to go viral, you know? You might be surprised about his thoughts on something like that. I know I was.
That's what this whole podcast is about. Identifying those unique voices in the world. In this case, it's an artist who creates because he must create. So I hope you enjoy. This is Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 363 featuring Jordan Sprigg.
Barry Walsh, who's a specialist in Hopi Kachina, did a lovely presentation talking about different types of the kachinas and, as he refers to them, as katsinam. It was uniquely interesting because he's got, you know, decades of research and understanding of the kachinas themselves and has close ties to the Hopi.
He says in his lectures, he's not a expert. That 'an expert' could only be one of the Hopi carvers. That being said, Walsh has interviewed countless Hopi kachina artists and scribed numerous books on the topic.
This is a good podcast to watch on YouTube because we use all his slides from his presentation. If you ever wanted to really get a good sense about kachinas, the different types, and where it all began, this is a very good lecture.
Santa Fe Indian Market is such an interesting event and should be on every art lover's bucket list. This is the 103rd market and it's always the third week in August. They have a big ceremony to kick the weekend off and it's when they judge all the different art that comes in from all the artists.
Medicine Man Gallery and the Sublette Family Foundation for the Arts provide the funds for the Best of Show award, so we get to attend this exclusive event. I wanted you to be able to experience the event and if you watch it on YouTube, you can actually see the artist win and the pieces that won them the awards.
For these artists, winning can be such a life changing event. The winners have their name called up as the best of their respective classification, whether it's pottery, jewelry, weaving etc. then they allow the judges to decide who is the best of all. Santa Fe Indian Market Best of Show is an extremely rare accolade to have as an artist. This year is no different than any other.
I am soooo happy I was not a judge. It would have been very difficult to determine who was the best of the best. I was a surprised when they announced the winner and was somebody who was participating in Santa Fe Indian Market for the very first time. To be honest, it was a remarkable piece that won and there's no question it was among some of the toughest competition in years.
It's so much fun to hear and to see the artists and their families and how they react to winning. The joy you can see on their faces is second to none and well deserved. So I hope you enjoy this podcast. This is the Best of Show award ceremony for the 2025 SWAIA Santa Fe Indian Market.
Billy Schenck's 55 Year Retrospective will open February 6, 2026 at Medicine Gallery, and over a year ago, I came out to Billy's studio to talk to him about what we're planning to do. It's been a year since then, and with the show coming up next year, that makes it a two year project. So you get to see Billy's studio (if you're watching on YouTube) and be able to hear the thought process behind what's required to do such a comprehensive show.
I mean, it's going to be his life's work, from his serigraphs to his older paintings to new paintings as well. We'll be using the entire gallery, as well as the Maynard Dixon & Native American Art Museum for this exhibition. This podcast will give you a taste of what's coming and the explain the basic requirements for an artist and a dealer to pull off a show of this magnitude.
There's a lot of moving parts, two years worth, for that matter, and there's a companion art book that Billy put together and I had the privilege to write the introduction for it
So I hope that you enjoy the podcast, but I also hope that you put into your databases the February 6th, 2026 date for this show. It's going to be important and it's going to be a party. There's going to be a lot of work there spanning the entire career of the legend, Billy Schenck.
I had Daniel Gerhartz on today. What a pleasant, lovely human being that he is. I've always been a fan of his work. It's emotionally driven. For me, when I see it, I feel things.
This is a man who has taken his work seriously since really junior high and started showing in galleries when he was 25 years old. In fact, this year was his 35th Prix de West. He's 60 now and he's had quite the journey so far.
I think for artists, especially the end of the the part of the podcast is very helpful. Dan gives some really helpful tips and shares his perspective on on the art world. This information is really helpful if you're a young artist, trying to break into the business, and trying to be that person who maybe follows in the same footsteps as Dan.
This was a really enjoyable conversation and it's really why I do these podcasts. Getting to spend an hour with somebody who's a remarkable artist that you respect and really get to talk about what makes them tick. For me, it was a gift and I'm grateful. This is Daniel Gerhartz on episode 359 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
You can see work by Daniel on his website:
www.danielgerhartz.com
I had Marc Sternberg on today, and it was a very interesting podcast, a little different than what I normally do. Marc contacted me, wanting to interview me for the documentary he's working on titled "Cowgirls: The Women of Western Art."
Marc had seen a show that was about cowgirl art at Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West, and he was wondering why an exhibit focusing on women was separated from everything else. He just didn't understand why it had to be an entirely separate exhibit. That experience led him down this rabbit hole of women in Western art and he jumped in head first as any inquisitive creative person does when they get that nugget of information that really makes them invested in something new. Marc goes "Well, I think maybe I should do a documentary on it." So he's working on this film now and he's interviewing some of the top women in the Western art space.
Like I said, it's a little different because he wanted to interview me and I wanted to interview him. So we just kind of interviewed each other. You get this great talk about the film and what he's doing and what he's hoping to accomplish. Then I flip it on it's side and let him interview me on questions that he has that are pertinent to his documentary.
So it's an interesting podcast that covers a lot of ground. Not only cowgirl art, but women artists in general. But I had a great time, very fun and, you know, I think if you are interested in this dialog, you will find it fascinating.
Watch the trailer for "Cowgirls: The Women of Western Art" here:
https://vimeo.com/1100188514
I recently visited the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum for the 2025 Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition & Sale. They have this event every year in June and it's a wonderful gathering of some of the very finest Western and Native American Artists. It's basically all sculpture and paintings, and you have very traditional art, but you also have very contemporary art as well.
I interviewed five different individuals for the podcast while I was there. They were all very gracious to give me their time to talk about their paintings and what they're currently doing. So it's a little less in-depth on the journey, but much more heavy on the process, which I like. It's interesting for me because that's usually not my thing as much as trying to figure out why individuals create art the way they do.
So there's, a group of these podcasts and I'm going to have them come out once a week. This is the final episode in the series and it features a true master of contemporary portraiture, Scott Burdick.
I recently visited the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum for the 2025 Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition & Sale. They have this event every year in June and it's a wonderful gathering of some of the very finest Western and Native American Artists. It's basically all sculpture and paintings, and you have very traditional art, but you also have very contemporary art as well.
I interviewed five different individuals for the podcast while I was there. They were all very gracious to give me their time to talk about their paintings and what they're currently doing. So it's a little less in-depth on the journey, but much more heavy on the process, which I like. It's interesting for me because that's usually not my thing as much as trying to figure out why individuals create art the way they do.
So there's, a group of these podcasts and I'm going to have them come out once a week. This episode features Montana-based landscape painter, Josh Elliott.
I recently visited the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum for the 2025 Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition & Sale. They have this event every year in June and it's a wonderful gathering of some of the very finest Western and Native American Artists. It's basically all sculpture and paintings, and you have very traditional art, but you also have very contemporary art as well.
I interviewed five different individuals for the podcast while I was there. They were all very gracious to give me their time to talk about their paintings and what they're currently doing. So it's a little less in-depth on the journey, but much more heavy on the process, which I like. It's interesting for me because that's usually not my thing as much as trying to figure out why individuals create art the way they do.
So there's, a group of these podcasts and I'm going to have them come out once a week. This episode features legendary cowboy artist, Howard Post.
I recently visited the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum for the 2025 Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition & Sale. They have this event every year in June and it's a wonderful gathering of some of the very finest Western and Native American Artists. It's basically all sculpture and paintings, and you have very traditional art, but you also have very contemporary art as well.
I interviewed five different individuals for the podcast while I was there. They were all very gracious to give me their time to talk about their paintings and what they're currently doing. So it's a little less in-depth on the journey, but much more heavy on the process, which I like. It's interesting for me because that's usually not my thing as much as trying to figure out why individuals create art the way they do.
So there's, a group of these podcasts and I'm going to have them come out once a week. The first episode in the series features Eric Bowman and Brett Allen Johnson. I hope you enjoy.
It's fun sometimes to get out of my studio and actually go to the place of work of the people that I interview, and in this case, I was able to do that with Jack Becker who is the Executive Director and CEO of the Joslyn Museum in Omaha. He's been there since 2010 and he's a very interesting man.
I love the fact that at every point really, he points out that it is an effort by not just himself. In fact, he emphasizes that the staff really makes things happen. I think that's always a sign of a great leader.
Jack also has a very interesting background. He has an incredible resumé of working with so many incredible institutions but he also goes to Alaska and works in a fish processing facility for a year.
I had a great time talking with Jack, but I also to had the opportunity to look around and see the collection of the Joslyn Art Museum. It's such a beautiful museum. They recently opened a 42,000 square foot expansion in 2024 and it has put this museum on top of many lists as one of the top museums in America.
Personally? I couldn't agree more. You should go see this museum if you have a chance. It might seem like it's a little bit off the beaten path, but I fell in love with Omaha, and I fell in love with the Joslyn Art Museum, and I think you will too.
This episode features (in order of appearance) artists Amery Bohling, Barbara Van Cleve, Donna Howell-Sickles, and a lecture snippet from Maynard Dixon's American West by Dr. Mark Sublette.
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I'm going to be doing some podcasts on the road and I thought that for the next couple of weeks I’d republish parts of some of the favorite podcasts that I've done over the last eight years.
With 351 podcasts so far, I have plenty of individuals to choose from. These people that have come into my life that I find interesting, those that are really important to what I do, and to how I see the world.
So I hope you enjoy these next few highlight episodes of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
This episode features (in order of appearance) artists William Haskell, Whitney Gardner, Mathieu Nozieres, and Jon Flaming.
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I'm going to be doing some podcasts on the road and I thought that for the next couple of weeks I’d republish parts of some of the favorite podcasts that I've done over the last eight years.
With 350 podcasts so far, I have plenty of individuals to choose from. These people that have come into my life that I find interesting, those that are really important to what I do, and to how I see the world.
So I hope you enjoy these next few highlight episodes of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
Every once in a while, you get the honor of doing a podcast with someone who you know is an important part of history. That's what I got to do today with Abe Jacob. Now, Abe is a sound designer. If you don't know what that is, well, I didn't really know either, but he's actually known as "The Godfather of Sound."
He's had this remarkable life and career starting with his first gig that he did when he's right out of college at 22 years old in that 1966-1967 timeframe. This job ends up being The Beatles' last live concert. Shortly after he gets a job working with a band called The Mamas and the Papas. He tours with them and Peter, Paul and Mary, even winding up at the Capitol during a huge Vietnam protest concert. His list of accomplishments just goes on and on and on, having worked intimately with Jimi Hendrix until his death.
What's so interesting is that Abe works with all of these legends, but he doesn't earn his nickname until he moves to theater. He is critically important to all the major plays of this time, including Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Pippin', and he does A Chorus Line and Chicago at the same time. I mean, he works with legendary choreographer Bob Fosse. He becomes great friends with legendary actress Lauren Bacall. He has had an amazing and very interesting life.
You can see why I'm excited having Abe do my podcast. It's exactly what I'm looking to accomplish. To document these important voices in art and Abe is most definitely an artist. Quite frankly, I would pay to interview Abe. He was that good.
So I hope you enjoy. This is the Godfather of Sound, Abe Jacob, on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 350.
This podcast is a little different because it's actually an artist panel that I recorded at Scottsdale Ferrari Art Week, a show that I was a part of back in March 2025. It was such an important presentation that I thought it needed to be captured and preserved. It's all about contemporary Indigenous art and where it stands today.
The moderator of this panel is David Roche, Executive Director of the Heard Museum, and it features three incredible Native American artists. You have multimedia artist Tony Abeyta (Diné), weaver Melissa Cody (Diné), and finally, Phoenix based muralist Thomas "Breeze" Marcus (O'odham/ Ponca).
I have talked to Abeyta and Breeze on previous podcasts so you can listen to those episodes if you would like to go deeper into their backgrounds and I hope to have Melissa and David on someday as well.
So I hope you like it. I think it's a really important group and something that I'm beyond happy we were able to record and now publish for everybody that loves Indigenous art.
I had Thomas "Breeze" Marcus on the podcast today. He goes by Breeze and in fact, his name is really kind of synonymous to the type of imagery that he does in his fine art paintings.
This guy is just so unique. I had such a fun time with this podcast because it was one of those where it's a full conversation, not just an artist's biography. It made me think about where we're going and about things that I may never have even thought about in regard to art and when that happens I find it extremely enjoyable.
It just scratches that itch, you know? The itch that I get when trying to understand someone as complex as Breeze. From being a graffiti artist and what that entails and where that world catapulted him, to doing murals for big cities and big museums. He did one for Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West that is tremendous. I recommend people go and visit this mural as its an ode to his people (O'odham) but also a tribute to Ed Mell, who he respected and was mentored by.
This podcast that might change the way you look at graffiti art and murals and even Native art as a whole. Breeze is a very unique person, an important artist, and you'll be hearing a lot more about his work in the future.
I did the Scottsdale Ferrari Art Week in March and they had a wonderful panel about the legendary art dealer Elaine Horwitch featuring Josh Rose, Julie Sasse, and two artists, Billy Schenck and Tom Palmore. Schenck and Palmore showed at Elaine Horwitch Gallery, which was in Santa Fe, Scottsdale, and Palm Springs and Julie was her gallery director.
It's important for history to capture voices like this. Elaine showed some really famous artists such as Fritz Scholder and Louise Nevelson. She was clearly an important individual. That whole time frame was unique. I remember parts of it as I was getting in the business myself in 1992.
If you get a chance next year, they're going to have the show again, the Scottsdale Ferrari Art Week. I recommend that you mark your calendars for the third week in March. They had some amazing lectures and it was not only full of great art, but it was a very educational experience as well.
So I hope you enjoy. This is the most comprehensive talk on the legacy of art dealer Elaine Horwitch on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 347.
I had Susan Tarman on today and it was just a joyful conversation. I've known Susan professionally for 30 years, going into her galleries and getting appraisals from her. She's very, very smart and her story is all about what Santa Fe was like in the early 80s all the way through today.
She talks about a guy named Vic Hansen who was this very interesting character that I never had the chance to meet, but keep hearing stories about him even today. So she goes into detail about how instrumental that man was in her life and ultimately how she bought his gallery and made it her own.
Fast forward to today and, though her gallery closed, Susan is still one of the best appraisers in the business. So if you want to get a great sense of what the Santa Fe art world was like in the 80s, who the players were, and what her role was and is in our field, than this is an excellent podcast to listen to.
This podcast is a recording of a special presentation given by contemporary fine art photographer Cara Romero (Chemehuevi) at the Tucson Museum of Art on April 16, 2025.
A big thank you to Cara Romero and to our host, Senior Curator of TMA, Christine Brindza for letting us record and publish this talk for our listeners (and viewers). If you are interested in learning more about Christine, be sure to listen to Art Dealer Diaries Podcast #81.
I hope you enjoy. I'm a collector and a big fan of Cara's photography. If you are unfamiliar with her work, you can find it on her website: cararomero.com
Once in a while you come across somebody and you realize in that moment they're an important figure in art history, and maybe their story hasn't been told yet. In this case, I don't think it really has.
You see, my guest today is Shahrokh Rezvani and he's a very interesting man to say the least. What makes him so interesting is this journey that he's had with people like Fritz Scholder and Dale Chihuly and working with them to create monotypes, cyanotypes, and all sorts of different kinds of prints.
He came to my booth at Scottsdale Ferrari Art Week and I could see him looking at the work by Fritz Scholder that I was showing. I could tell there was a connection, and not a connection in the way you might see with a collector or an acolyte even... but a different kind of connection.
I approached him and asked if he knew Scholder personally. He said back to me: ”oh, yeah, he was a great person. I knew Fritz and I knew him well."
I said “okay, well, tell me about it.” After that he spoke to me all about Fritz and their working relationship from 1977 to 1993.
Fast forward to today and Shahrokh is at that age where health can be a problem. I said, well, I want to come up to your house and I want to hear the rest of the story, hence this podcast. Now you'll get to hear the story of this wonderful journey of this man's life as an artist and as a master printmaker.
He makes wonderful art himself and I hope that this podcast is as intriguing for you as it was for me. I think this is the type of interview that's going to be used when people tell the story of Fritz Scholder and that connection and collaboration, that he had with Shahrokh.
So I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Shahrokh Rezvani on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 344.
I had Ray Dewey on my podcast today. I had him on a couple of years ago (episode 259) and we went through his life story, from his childhood up until he closed his gallery in Santa Fe, which was one of the best Southwest art galleries of all time.
Well, he happened to be in Tucson today so I asked him if he'd do another podcast and he obliged. Ray loves Maynard Dixon just like I do so we always have plenty to talk about. In fact, he had a Maynard Dixon and Ed Mell show in 1985. Really the first Dixon/Mell show that was ever done like that. He was a great friend of Ed's and had represented Ed for years.
So in this podcast we talked about the people that have come in and out of Ray's life. There's a variety of interesting people and artists from R.C. Gorman to Allan Houser to Louise Nevelson to Charles Loloma. We also spoke about his relationship with Nat Owings, who was one of these great art dealers of Santa Fe and someone that we hope to have on the podcast sometime soon.
I can't not mention Ray's wife, Judy, who worked in the gallery for 20+ years running the backend of the business (just like my lovely wife Kathleen does for Medicine Man Gallery) which is so immensely important. We don't succeed without the Judys and Kathleens in our lives.
So, you know, if you really want to know the backstory of the Santa Fe art scene and the players that made it happen, then you have to listen to Ray Dewey on episode 343 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
When people that I'm interested in talking to come into my gallery, I want to grab them and take them to my studio and talk to them. Well, lucky for me, Robert Sommers walked into my store today. He's a long time friend, a very knowledgeable art dealer, and the owner of Blue Heron Gallery.
I had recorded a podcast with him seven years or so ago, but we'd always talked about doing another one, and this one was a completely different podcast than our first one. Robert's background is covered in that one, and sure we touch on his origin story a little in this one too, but I just kind of wanted to find out the path that he's been on since the first podcast and how he's seeing and interpreting the art world in 2025.
He's been doing this for 50 years so it was a good conversation - definitely less of an interview when compared to a typical episode of the podcast. We talked like two old friends do, rehashing our lives, what we've done professionally and how we've intersected through the years.
Robert is just such a unique, brilliant individual. He's a very talented writer, an awesome photographer, and a storied art dealer. He's just one of those people that you want to talk to and spend time with. I don't even know how long we talked, I just had an enjoyable conversation with somebody who's knowledgeable, loves what he does, and hopefully you'll enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
I had Kathryn Haigh on the podcast today and she is the President and CEO of the Eiteljorg Museum, which is one of my favorite museums in North America. The reason being, for one thing, it's a beautiful building inspired by Ancestral Puebloan architecture. It was founded by Harrison Eiteljorg in 1989 and he put this magnificent collection of Western and Native Art together.
I'm happy to say the museum has continued Harrison's mission. It's a large museum on seven acres in Indianapolis, and they have an incredible Indian market every year in June. They also have an event called Quest for the West, which is a Western fine art show that takes place in September of every year. I've gone to those events and they're terrific.
And Katie's story, of course, is fascinating. She's a creative and intellectual person who grew up in Cincinnati, and was propelled into the museum world at an early age. She worked her way up the ranks at the Cincinnati Art Museum, followed by the Fine Arts Museum in Indianapolis, and now she runs the Eiteljorg. So she's quite experienced to say the least.
Needless to say, the Eiteljorg is definitely a bucket list museum. To get to speak with the person in charge of such an institution and to really understand how their operation works, and what they're trying to accomplish... It was excellent. There's just some really amazing things in the works over there.
So I found it fascinating. Just understanding the path of a museum director and what one does with that level of responsibility. I've spoken to many people in positions of leadership in the museum word but this interview was very unique. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. This is Kathryn Haigh on episode 341 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
I had Bob Melet on today. He's an old friend that I've known him for 30+ years. When people ask me what Bob does, I always say that I'm not 100% sure. I am sure however that he has this unique gift of looking at objects of all types, all cultures, and then using them in a fashion where individuals can get inspiration, primarily in the field of fine dress and clothing.
Clothing isn't the only space where Bob's professional interests lie. He also works in theater, traditional art, antiques, you name it. If you're a creative person, you could probably benefit from Bob's wonderful eye. It's one of the best you'll ever see. He absolutely knows how to assemble an aesthetic and what it looks like when things make sense together.
In fact, I told Bob "you know, you're a dealer, but you're really not. You're a creative person whose creation has to do with how you see the world and letting people into your vision."
So he is just a truly interesting individual. I enjoyed this podcast immensely, and I think you will too. This is Bob Melet on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 340.
This podcast is a little different because it was filmed on location at Scottsdale Ferrari Art Week 2025. Tony Abeyta is a famous painter, jeweler, and curator, and he assembled all of these modernist voices together for the exhibit "Modernism in the Desert." The artists include: Fritz Scholder, Charles Loloma, Michael Kabotie, Lloyd Kiva New, Paolo Soleri, Ed Mell, and more.
There's a group of individuals that all connect to the same time frame of about 1950 to 1970 and they have relationships with Arizona, whether they were born here or the worked here. Tony was kind enough to walk us through the exhibit and speak on the individual works.
You see, Tony is such a wealth of information when it comes to art. The exhibit he put together took a lot of time and effort and I'm not sure anything like this has ever been done before, and I don't know if it'll ever be done again.
One of the reasons I started the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast was to capture these important voices of artists, dealers, collectors, writers, and photographers. I wanted to preserve the stories of all of these individuals that have come into my life or that I've been aware of whose voices I felt needed to be captured. Jeff Aeling was one of those important voices and he just recently passed.
Jeff was a good friend, and I represented him for 25+ years. It's interesting when you look back at a career of an artist and an art dealer, all of the things that you go through, the good times, the bad times... But every time Jeff and I were talking to each other, whether it was business related or just personal - we would always have these intimate talks about creative writing, art, and cinema.
Jeff passed this past week, and I wanted to make sure that people had the opportunity to listen to this unique voice who changed the way I saw things.
Rest in peace, Jeff. Thank you for everything.
Originally Published Dec 12, 2018:
Renowned landscape painter Jeff Aeling shares his circuitous road from musician to a theatrical stage production to finding his love of painting. Jeff discusses what skills are required to become an artist and the three types of landscape paintings. He also speaks on the time and influences required to make a successful painting and how to pick the right subject matter to stimulates your creativity.
THE RUSSELL AUCTION • March 20-22, 2025 • Featuring over 125 historic pieces, including more than 20 iconic works by Charles M. Russell. Visit cmrussell.org to learn more.
I had Duane Braaten on today and he's a very interesting guy. It just goes to show that when you grow up in an art community like Great Falls, MT it can affect you and it certainly affected Duane. I think in a way it may have affected him more than he even realizes.
You see, Duane goes to pharmacy school, but he discovers his love for the creative world, art, and art museums. What happens is he works as a security guard at the school art gallery. This alters his trajectory a great deal, and he winds up at the Charlie Russell Museum as a preparator, eventually becoming the Director of Art and Philanthropy and he's been there since 1996.
The big event we talk about in this podcast is the auction that the C.M. Russell Museum puts on annually called "The Russell." It's the main fundraiser for the C.M. Russell Museum, which is typically the third week in March.
If you haven't gone to that event, believe me when I say that it's a fantastic experience. It's really worth doing. You have all of this interesting art that you can purchase and see, both contemporary and historic. I think 25 Charles Russell works will be for sale, that again, all help the museum, which is an important institution.
So very interesting to talk to Duane about his life, about his career at the C.M. Russell Museum, and the annual auction that is happening March 20, 21, and 22 happening in Great Falls, Montana and online at the link below:
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/auctioneer/1115/the-russell-a-western-art-experience/
Oreland Joe came by my gallery today. He's such an interesting individual. I've always admired his sculptures and his paintings. He’s also a silversmith and his son Bo Joe (who I interviewed on episodes 249 and 250), is a master silversmith himself.
He's gone through a lot of different things in his life and is still just pushing forward creatively. He’s currently working on a commission that's coming up in Durango, which is a massive mural for a hospital, as well as working on a film about a prolific ancestor, Yellow Nose, a warrior who captured the seventh cavalry flag on June 25th of 1876 at the Battle of Little Bighorn.
There's history thrown in with creativity and how he got to where he is today and what he's working on. So it's a really interesting, unique take on life, and he shares it with us. I am very happy he did and I’m even happier I get to share it with you.
This is Oreland Joe on episode 336 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
This iteration of the Masters of Drawing podcast was very interesting because I interviewed all of these artists, one after another, in a single day. Featuring Francis Livingston, Jill Carver, Dennis Ziemienski, Greg Newbold, Roseta Santiago, and Jordan K. Walker.
You see, I was having a show that focused on drawing and had invited 47 artists for what I called "Masters of Drawing." These individuals are who I consider to be the very best in that field. They're all artists that primarily do paintings, but I wanted to really focus on that basic structure of most fine art, which is drawing.
It's the thing that you do when you're a kid regardless of whether you're an artist or not, when you're three and you first get a crayon or a pencil. These individuals not only got that crayon and pencil, but they kept using it and using it. If you watch this podcast on YouTube, which I recommend, you can literally see them talking about drawing, speaking with their hands as if a pencil or pen was in their hands. It's really fascinating to watch because you can see each of these people's minds just go to that moment in time.
So I hope you enjoy the third and final Masters of Drawing group podcast. This is episode 335 of Art Dealer Diaries hosted by Dr. Mark Sublette.
This episode is different than the usual format. I was having a show that focused on drawing and I had invited 47 artists for what I called "Masters of Drawing." These individuals are who I consider to be the very best in that field. They're all artists that primarily do paintings, but I wanted to really focus on that basic structure of most fine art, which is drawing.
It's the thing that you do when you're a kid regardless of whether you're an artist or not, when you're three and you first get a crayon or a pencil. These individuals not only got that crayon and pencil, but they kept using it and using it. If you watch this podcast on YouTube, which I recommend, you can literally see them talking about drawing, speaking with their hands as if a pencil or pen was in their hands. It's really fascinating to watch because you can see each of these people's minds just go to that moment in time.
So I learned a lot personally about drawing, and I think you will, too. These are three individuals on this first podcast that really have, you know, at 100 years of drawing underneath them or more.
I have Chuck Pyle, Ezra Tucker, and Thomas Blackshear, the Masters of Drawing.
Mathieu Nozieres is a name you're going to remember... I say that because I can just see something in this young man. His trajectory and the way he looks at art... his commitment to Western art specifically is incredible. He actually immigrated from France to Los Angeles with his wife, who's also a wonderful artist as well.
You see, Mathieu has this unique story of being a comic book artist going into fine art, traveling and studying all over the world. From Romania to Belgium, India, China, Russia, all these different places, searching for knowledge to become a better artist and then finding Western art and going, "oh... that's it. Here's my lane. I love art history. I love the West. This is where I'm supposed to be."
So it's a fun ride. Just hearing where he's mentally at this point in his career is a treat. We'll look back someday, you know, 20, 30 years from now and you'll go, oh yeah, that was the first time he stepped on the scene. That was who Mathieu Nozieres was when he started his legendary Western art career.
So yeah, I enjoyed this podcast a great deal and I hope you do as well.
This is the only podcast I've ever done where I put six different individuals in one episode, all talking about one subject. Drawing.
It's such an important part of being an artist because when you are just a little kid, you pick up those crayons, you pick up the pencils, you start drawing and - the people that get excited and somehow get turned onto that? Well, those are our artists.
I wanted to do this major show with all these artists and I've got 47 in this show called Masters of Drawing, where they get to show that expertise that they've had ever since they were little kids. I wanted to interview different artists and see what they had to say about the process.
So it's really a focus on drawing and about the show. The individuals in this episode include Josh Gibson, Kathryn Stedham, William Haskell, Whitney Gardner, Howard Post and Jim Woodside. They all have the same thing in common. They are Masters of drawing.
I think you'll find this fascinating. I know I did.
I had Susan Lyon on the podcast today. What a joyful person she is. I had never met Susan, but I'm very familiar with her work and her husband Scott Burdick's work and we had a great time. We talked about her life and how she got where she is today as an artist.
We speak about how she found her voice not only as an artist, but as a teacher. Which she does through her own website and through Patreon, which she feels is as much her calling as the art. So people can hear those types of things that she teaches and does, and then you can take that and go and see and learn and even sign up for classes so you can work with a master.
And she is a master and her drawings are amazing. We talk about a show that I'm doing, which is called Masters of Drawing that opens on February 15, 2025. She's a part of that show and it was fun just to discuss everything that goes into her drawings.
So I had a great time. I think anyone who listens or watches this will realize what an immense gift that Susan Lyon is to the world of art.
Unique podcast today because I'm actually being interviewed by Michael Clawson, who's the editor of Western Art Collector and he has his own podcast, which is the American Art Collective. So you'll be able to listen to this podcast on either platform.
He wanted to come down and talk to me about Maynard Dixon and interview me. And I said, well, why don't you just use my studio and we can do it together? You know, you interview me just like you would any other guest, and I'll tell you whatever you want to know. And we did that. I talked on Dixon for a very long time, for about an hour and 15 minutes.
It was a very interesting podcast, because when I do a lecture, it's more of a chronological, you know, follow along, connect the dots kind of thing. This really was more of a question/answer format type of podcast.
Michael specifically wanted to do this interview because I have a new Maynard Dixon and Native American Art Museum that opened next to my gallery here in Tucson, Arizona. He wanted to let his listeners and readers know about this museum, which is kind of a lifelong conglomeration of all the things that I've collected and learned about Maynard Dixon.
So It was very kind of him to have me on his podcast to do that and to talk about Dixon while we celebrate his 150th birthday. If you like Maynard Dixon, I think you'll find this podcast very interesting.
I had Bob Ashley on today and what an interesting guy he is. I really enjoyed this podcast because it speaks to something that I've always enjoyed, which is herpetology. As a child I was fascinated with reptiles and I'm still fascinated with them. Anybody who knows me has probably seen me move rattlesnakes off the road because I don't want them to get hurt. If you like herpetology, you're going to love this podcast (plus it's the year of the snake). If you don't like herpetology and snakes, then you may not find it as interesting as I did.
Bob has the Chiricahua Desert Museum, which is right on the border of New Mexico and Arizona off the I-10. It's not that far from Tucson and it's not only a museum of desert animals, but a museum that preserves and displays Apache material called the Apache Museum and Geronimo Events Center.
He really is one of the top people in this field and a ton of different research gets done as a result of his commitment to herpetology, but he loves Native American art, specifically Apache because he lives and operates his museum in that region. He's very close to the point where Geronimo surrendered to the U.S. government. The museum has lots of different things that you can see and the whole history of that region from an indigenous standpoint, from Mimbres on up.
Unique podcast, unique individual. I hope you do listen to it and I hope you go and visit it, which is at the Chiricahua Desert Museum, because it's a very interesting place to go. That's what this podcast is all about and that's what Bob Ashley is all about. He and I have, a similar love for snakes, herpetology, and Native American art.
Artist William Haskell speaks on his art and life at the Mountain Oyster Club in Tucson, Arizona for the Friends of Western Art.
I did a different type of a podcast today. Maybe something I'll do more of, if I find a certain topic really interesting. That's the thing for me. If I'm going to talk or try to share stories, generally I am talking to a guest, I'm interviewing somebody and listening to their story.
What happened was I went to see "A Complete Unknown," a movie with Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan. As I'm watching the movie, I'm thinking, you know, T.C. Cannon is so inspired by this guy, and you can see correlations. I can, because I understand and feel the relationships that T.C. Cannon had to Dylan’s music. So I did a little bit of a deep dive just to find out a few things about them and how they connected and why and the things that would affect them, specifically, T.C. Cannon.
I think it might give you a sense of who this person was, especially when you look at T.C. Cannon's paintings and his drawings because his drawings are some of the most personal, as they often are with his own writings, his own poetry, in some cases, even Dylan's songs and lyrics.
In fact Cannon does a couple of paintings that are directly related to Dylan's lyrics. So before you go see the movie “ A Complete Unknown” you might want to listen to this podcast and just got a sense of Cannon and how he was affected and might make the viewing experience a little different for you. I know it did for me when I was watching it. Terrific movie, by the way.
I had Erin Hanson on today. She's such an interesting person because she’s a terrific artist. I love her artwork, and I show it in my gallery. Erin is also a great businessperson and she's an innovator in the art space.
Today we focused in on this process of 3D printing that she does with her paintings. She’s really one of the only people that’s doing such a thing. Understandably it’s expensive, costing upwards of half a million dollars just to get the machines, not to mention the specialized highly skilled individuals required to do this process.
Erin has also amassed a huge social media presence and she's done it organically, which is not an easy task. I think her Instagram is at 300k followers at the time of posting.
So I hope you enjoy this. I think it's a very good, podcast for artists to learn and to see something new and interesting that really only Erin Hanson is doing.
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Use code "MedicineMan" on www.erinhanson.com for 20% off Erin Hanson 3D textured replicas.
I had Rachel Brownlee on today and she has such an interesting story. You have this individual who had never identified herself as an artist until several years ago, and now she's and award-winning artist.
Growing up, she was homeschooled with her seven siblings, living life as a fifth generation Nebraskan rancher (she still is actually). But she finds her voice as an artist and just kind of had this insane, meteoric rise from 2021 until now where she wins the best of show award from the Mountain Oyster Club and starts getting invited to all of these different shows and being represented by important galleries across the West.
Fast forward to today and Rachel is this kind of phenomenon in the art world, working with charcoal like nobody has before. A person who had no training in art other than her own ambition to learn and to create like crazy.
This is a great story. I mean, it's shows that if you're committed to what you want to do in life, you can absolutely do it with enough hard work. She has two kids, she's married to a rancher and still works the ranch to some extent, but really is now a full-time artist, spending eight plus hours a day drawing in the studio.
We go through this whole story of how she got where she is now and what she's currently working on. I myself am very excited that Rachel is going to be a part of my Masters of Drawing Group Exhibition in February 2025.
So there you have it. Really interesting story. I hope you like it. I had a great time talking to Rachel Brownlee on episode 325 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
This is a really interesting and fun lecture that I did along with Dennis Ziemienski. It's to celebrate his 50th anniversary of being an artist, and we're having a retrospective at our gallery for those who might be listening to this sometime in the future (this was in December of 2024).
I talked about Maynard Dixon and his illustrations and Dennis speaks on his own illustration career. It turns out there is a lot of very interesting parallels. For instance, they both went to New York at 33, hey both started doing fine art at about 45, 50, and when they first started their commercial art careers, there were serious economic events happening. For Dixon, it was the bank panic of 1907. For Ziemienski, it was the 1980, 81, bank crisis where we had the worst recession since the Great Depression with 11% unemployment.
So those correlations come from my part of the lecture and then Dennis talks about his life as a commercial artist and all the illustrations that he did for things like the Olympics, Academy Awards, Kentucky Derby, Super Bowl and those types of things.
I hope you watch this on YouTube, because I think that is really the way to get the flavor of this podcast. Also, thank you to the Western Art Patrons (WAP) for being such a great crowd.
A wonderful way to spend an afternoon is finding two people that walk into your gallery (or in this case my new Maynard Dixon & Native American Art Museum) who are authorities on Charles Lummis. Christian Rodriguez, who is the curator of the Lummis House (AKA El Alisal), and Kim Walters, who was the archivist for there for decades are both experts on this bigger than life individual. The three of us discuss this man's life and just go back and forth sharing a massive amount of information on a person that was critically important to an artist that I specialize in, Maynard Dixon.
It's really fun because it's just we're all beaming in on what was important or how we saw it. I saw Lummis in a particular light based on my understanding of his and Dixon's relationship. The truth is he was such a complex and nuanced person in many different ways. He's still important to California and to the story of the West as a whole. In fact, he was one of the individuals responsible for the Southwest Museum in Los Angeles, which opened in 1907 and was absorbed by the Autry Museum in 2003.
I just found it so fascinating and the conversation went on for two hours. There were things that I came away with going "okay, I didn't know this" or "I definitely want to learn more about this." Now I plan on doing some follow up research because all of these good answers lead to better and better questions.
My question to you is - do you want to just see how individuals who really love what they do interact, talk about their expertise, and contemplate the inner-workings of one singular individual? Well in that case, this is the one for you.
I'm here at the Saguaro Theater in Wickenburg, AZ to give a presentation on my newest novel "Broken Promises: A Westin Blackwood Art Detective Mystery." This event was setup and hosted by my dear friends at the Desert Caballeros Western Museum.
The museum itself is a wonderful place so I hope everyone can come out and visit them. I've been here dozens and dozens times. They have one of the greatest collections of Western and Native American art.
This podcast is partly an art history lesson since I talk about the events that inspired my fictional novel. The aforementioned events are very interesting and are tied not only to where I grew up, but also to the city I call home.
Broken Promises is available on my website in hardcover:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/products/broken-promises-a-westin-blackwood-art-detective-mystery-by-mark-sublette
**Also available on all eBook platforms.
I had Maeve Eichelberger on today and I really like to call her just "Maeve." I think that's a good way to just brand her name, but maybe you'll hear that on the podcast. I don't remember if I talked about it in the podcast or if it was just in private, but that's the fun thing about podcast is you never know what's going to come out.
Maeve and I talked about the new show she's having with Jordan K. Walker, Josh Gibson, and Whitney Gardner which is the New Young Gun show. It was fun to just kind of catch up with her on what she's doing. We talked about her new studio and some of her relationships with individuals like Barbara Van Cleve and it's always unique to discuss art with individuals that see the world differently. Maeve really does see the world in her own way on so many levels, not only the way she makes her art, but the types of media that she uses as well.
She uses acrylic for her saddles and now she's making clothing based sculptures which are really interesting and something I think will be sought after when people find out what she's doing. I always have a great time talking to Maeve and I'm so happy she was able to take the time to come and do this podcast for our group exhibition, New Young Guns.
Whitney Gardner brought in new paintings for the New Young Guns Group Show, which opens in a few days so we decided to record a podcast at my studio in Tucson. The show features Jordan Walker, Josh Gibson, Maeve Eichelberger, and today's guest, Whitney. Now, she's been on the podcast before, which we filmed in November 2022, the same day I began representing her in my gallery. Two years and 100 episodes later, Whitney sheds light on what she's been up to the last couple of years.
It's really quite interesting to speak to an artist at the beginning of their career, and then again while they are on the rise. You can feel it. It's wild to watch that cascade of interest pool up in smaller circles and eventually overflow into the Western art world at large. That's pretty much what's happened with Whitney since I've known her. She's won all these awards in the last two years and been picked up by another reputable gallery in Santa Fe, McLarry Fine Art. They had a show for her which did well, extremely well actually.
These kinds of things begin adding up and next thing you know you're in museums, articles are being written on you in major magazines, and your art career is no longer a dream but a template for the next up-and-coming artist.
I think all of these artists that make up the New Young Guns will feel that in some form or fashion. That's what you want as an artist. To be recognized by people for your hard work, dedication, and what you have to say. That being said, there are all-new responsibilities and considerations that come with having a shiny new platform like this.
People tend to think "oh, fame is so great," or "wow, selling art is easier than ever." Well sure, it can be, but it also has the other aspects that go along with it. It becomes a duty of sorts to continue and produce work that resonates with people... and if it doesn't, well then you may not be able to pay the bills.
Anyhow, this podcast was so fun. It's been a privilege to get to see Whitney's journey over the last two years. This upcoming show, which is going to be a really terrific will put her skills and the skills of her peers on full display. I genuinely hope you can make it.
I had Barbara Van Cleve on the podcast today and she is just incredible. Barbara spent her entire life as photographer, getting her first camera in 1946 at age 11. She has a photograph that is still being printed and published to this day that she took in 1950 when she was 15 while on a camping trip with her father. We talk about her life and how she managed to go from being a fourth generation rancher to the celebrated photographer she is today.
Her family gets to Montana in 1889, years before Montana was even a state. Her love of the ranch, of horses, of cattle, of being a true Montanan fueled her early days of photography. To many people, Montana is a very special place. She is extremely proud of that heritage and has been the recipient of many, many awards from not only Montana, but from all over the place.
Barbara and her work has been featured on CBS , CNN, and more. There's a documentary that's just finishing just on her life too. She's really important and we're very fortunate to have her in our gallery, thanks to Andrew Smith, who represented her for 40 years.
When Andrew closed his brick and mortar gallery, we were fortunate to be able to open a new door and begin representing her at Medicine Man Gallery. For me, even more importantly, is getting the opportunity to begin a friendship with this person who's a very important artist, both personally and historically.
That's what makes this podcast so much fun. I mean, those are the kind of podcasts that I just devour because it's real and she is so open and spontaneous. Real talk, if you don't like this podcast, you're probably not going to like any of my podcasts.
Anyway, we had a lovely to talk and went for about two hours. So I'm going to make this into a part one and part two. So this is part two of western photography legend Barbara Van Cleve on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 319.
I had Barbara Van Cleve on the podcast today and she is just incredible. Barbara spent her entire life as photographer, getting her first camera in 1946 at age 11. She has a photograph that is still being printed and published to this day that she took in 1950 when she was 15 while on a camping trip with her father. We talk about her life and how she managed to go from being a fourth generation rancher to the celebrated photographer she is today.
Her family gets to Montana in 1889, years before Montana was even a state. Her love of the ranch, of horses, of cattle, of being a true Montanan fueled her early days of photography. To many people, Montana is a very special place. She is extremely proud of that heritage and has been the recipient of many, many awards from not only Montana, but from all over the place.
Barbara and her work has been featured on CBS , CNN, and more. There's a documentary that's just finishing just on her life too. She's really important and we're very fortunate to have her in our gallery, thanks to Andrew Smith, who represented her for 40 years.
When Andrew closed his brick and mortar gallery, we were fortunate to be able to open a new door and begin representing her at Medicine Man Gallery. For me, even more importantly, is getting the opportunity to begin a friendship with this person who's a very important artist, both personally and historically.
That's what makes this podcast so much fun. I mean, those are the kind of podcasts that I just devour because it's real and she is so open and spontaneous. Real talk, if you don't like this podcast, you're probably not going to like any of my podcasts.
Anyway, we had a lovely to talk and went for about two hours. So I'm going to make this into a part one and part two. So this is part one of western photography legend Barbara Van Cleve on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 318.
I had Dennis Ziemienski on today, and I've known Dennis for a long time, represented him for about 20 years, and we're doing a retrospective for him on December 6th in Tucson. He's going to turn 77 in May, and he's been working on this for over a year. There's a new on Dennis that just came out and we're going to have over 60 paintings in the show.
It's a big deal for artists to have their lives celebrated. Dennis definitely needs to be celebrated because he's a remarkable artist. As an illustrator he did some things that were gigantic. The Super Bowl, Academy Awards, Olympics, Kentucky Derby, you name it, he did it. Then after being a successful illustrator, he transitioned into fine art and succeeds in spades.
He loves to create. Every time I talk to him, he's excited and happy to be talking about the art that he's painting and what he's doing. So for me, it's a thrill to have his retrospective at our gallery this year (again, December 6, 2024).
To see all that work together is going to be so compelling, I have no doubt. Not only will it be the fine art, but we're doing something in our new Maynard Dixon and Native American Art Museum, which will be a show of illustrations juxtaposed against Maynard Dixon's commercial art.
So we just talk about it, right? We just talk about his life and how he got into art in the first place. I really wanted to focus on the paintings in his book and the retrospective, and I think we got it. I think it's a great podcast, and it will be one of those that's noted, when people are doing research is an important one because you can see his life laid out just as you'll see it in his retrospective coming up, Dennis Ziemienski.
Purchase the new book "The Art of Dennis Ziemienski"
I had Allyson Scheumaker on today, and we talked about the A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art, of which she is the Executive Director. It's a very interesting museum with some amazing illustrators that Mitchell had traded with. So it's a unique kind of podcast, understanding how a smaller museum can not only survive, but thrive.
They have illustration shows, they have shows related to the photographs that Mitchell took, and of course, A.R. Mitchell was a very interesting guy. He did over 150 covers for magazines between 1927 and 1942. He's born in like 1889 and dies in 1977 so he lived a long, interesting life.
All of this is in Trinidad, Colorado... A place that you may have never heard about. I've never been, but I plan to go. I've had conversations with artists and clients alike and they've all been impressed with the art that is in this museum. So, I hope you enjoy episode 316 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast featuring the Executive Director of the A.R. Mitchell Museum of Western Art, Allyson Scheumaker.
I had Jon Flaming on today. I'm a big fan of his work, I love it. I think he's so unusual and has a very personal, unique take on Western art.
It comes from a place that is deeply ingrained in him because he is a true Westerner. His family owned ranch in Kansas. His grandfather's father was from that area, but Jon's been in Texas since he was five years old. Clearly, he's a Texan through and through.
His art is a modern synthesis of what the West can be through the eyes of somebody who sees things differently. He had a design firm of his own, which helped him understand the concepts that he wanted to bring to fine art, which he's done beautifully.
One of the things I loved about this podcast, which is a two parter, is that he doesn't pull any punches of what it takes to do it and how you can succeed if you are committed. He speaks on the types of elements that you have to have to succeed and the kinds of people that he would like to work with.
Jon is one of these rare individuals who can not only make his work, but also sell and market it himself and he does it very well. So I had a great time talking to Jon. I think he's a terrific individual and his art just as outstanding and fun. So this is Jon Flaming on the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast, part two.
I had Jon Fleming on today. I'm a big fan of his work, I love it. I think he's so unusual and has a very personal, unique take on Western art.
It comes from a place that is deeply ingrained in him because he is a true Westerner. His family owned ranch in Kansas. His grandfather's father was from that area, but John's been in Texas since he was five years old. Clearly, he's a Texan through and through.
His art is a modern synthesis of what the West can be through the eyes of somebody who sees things differently. He had a design firm of his own, which helped him understand the concepts that he wanted to bring to fine art, which he's done beautifully.
One of the things I loved about this podcast, which is a two parter, is that he doesn't pull any punches of what it takes to do it and how you can succeed if you are committed. He speaks on the types of elements that you have to have to succeed and the kinds of people that he would like to work with.
Jon is one of these rare individuals who can not only make his work, but also sell and market it himself and he does it very well. So I had a great time talking to Jon. I think he's a terrific individual and his art just as outstanding and fun. So this is Jon Flaming on the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast, part one.
This podcast is a recording of a lecture that renowned jewelry artist Sam Patania gave at the Mountain Oyster Club in Tucson, AZ.
Lecturing on his family of silversmiths to a crowd of Western jewelry collectors, Sam provides background on the techniques, tools, and wisdom passed down from his grandfather (Frank Patania, Sr.) to his father (Frank Patania, Jr.) and then to him.
I was honored to have introduced him, and I hope you enjoy the story behind this legendary family tree of silversmiths. This is Sam Patania on Art Dealer Diaries episode 313.
(This lecture was given to promote the release of the book "Legendary Patania Jewelry: In the Tradition of the Southwest, by Kim Messier and Pat Messier" available here: www.medicinemangallery.com/legendary-patania-jewelry)
I had Amery Bohling on my podcast today and I really enjoyed this one. You get the sense of who she is both as an artist and as a normal human being. She's such a bubbly, fun person and at the same time very a serious artist.
Amery is most well-known for her Grand Canyon paintings and I've been very familiar with her work for over a decade. She's had her own studio/gallery in Scottsdale, at the heart of Main Street and now she's being represented by a couple of new galleries, Parsons Gallery in Taos and my gallery, Medicine Man Gallery in Tucson.
It was lovely to get to talk to her about art, but also to get to know her as a person. She speaks on her background, her artistic process, what motivates her, and how she got to where she is today.
So, again I really enjoyed this interview and it was very interesting to learn about Amery. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. She's a lovely person, and an incredible painter. This is Amery Bohling on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 312.
I had artist Jerry Jordan on the podcast today. No surprise, it was a really great talk (My god, this guy is so deep).
I've always been a fan of his paintings. The way he moves paint, the way that he looks at his subject matters, all of it. After talking with him for almost two hours I could understand where all this beauty comes from and it's from a deeper place. He just has this very personal, organic approach to painting.
Jerry's story is an interesting one. It takes a bunch of twists and turns... From not being able to make it as a painter, to making it in the country music world, being comedian of the year. So many different paths that you wouldn't even think about.
This struggle to get where he is today and that journey as a whole is just incredible. Jerry doesn't hold back anything in this interview and I love podcasts like that. The real and they have the capacity to be deeply profound. You can feel it, right?
Like I said, It's a really wonderful podcast and it's going to be a two parter. This is part two of Jerry Jordan on Art Dealer Diaries episode 311.
I had artist Jerry Jordan on the podcast today. No surprise, it was a really great talk (My god, this guy is so deep).
I've always been a fan of his paintings. The way he moves paint, the way that he looks at his subject matters, all of it. After talking with him for almost two hours I could understand where all this beauty comes from and it's from a deeper place. He just has this very personal, organic approach to painting.
Jerry's story is an interesting one. It takes a bunch of twists and turns... From not being able to make it as a painter, to making it in the country music world, being comedian of the year. So many different paths that you wouldn't even think about.
This struggle to get where he is today and that journey as a whole is just incredible. Jerry doesn't hold back anything in this interview and I love podcasts like that. The real and they have the capacity to be deeply profound. You can feel it, right?
Like I said, It's a really wonderful podcast and it's going to be a two parter. This is part one of Jerry Jordan on Art Dealer Diaries episode 310.
I thought I would do something a little different with today's podcast - It's a lecture that I did for the Nevada Museum of Art. They recently had a large Maynard Dixon exhibit and there's a great book that goes with it on Dixon's Nevada pieces.
So this is an hour long lecture on just Maynard Dixon and the West. You know, the whole story. Basically from when he was born to when he dies. It starts in the Gilded Age and goes all the way through to the Nuclear Age.
You might find this episode more interesting to watch it on YouTube vs. listening to it, as I have all the images that I actually talk about in a powerpoint that I used for the presentation.
So, I hope you enjoy this episode 309 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast and the lecture that I gave on Maynard Dixon's American West.
This is one of those podcasts that I recommend watching on YouTube so you can see all of the amazing art.
The 2024 Santa Fe Indian Market Best of Show Award Ceremony was an incredible experience and I'm so glad to have sponsored the award for the last two years. We look forward to platforming and celebrating the incredible Native American artists for years to come.
I've known Michael Higgins for 35+ years and he was actually one of the first dealers that I met in Tucson when I moved here. You see, Michael has been actively buying and selling Native American arts since 1972.
Michael got out of the military after serving in Vietnam, and went directly into the buying and selling of Native American art. His area of expertise ranges from the contemporary to historic Native American art, especially beadwork.
It was wonderful to get to actually spend some time talking to Michael. We live in the same town, but life gets in the way. We get busy. We don't get to see each other as much as we'd like to. Regardless, he's a unique individual with a unique approach to Native American material. He's seen a lot, and this podcast is all about his backstory and about the core components of this business.
So it was interesting to hear his stories and about the things that he's done and how he sees his role in the arts. I had a great time. This is Michael Higgins on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 307.
I had Ron Munn on today. Ron's been in the business for 60+ years. He started his first gallery in 1968 and ran a very successful auction for decades. I've known him for over 30 years and he's always been one of the individuals I wanted to have on the podcast, because he has the longevity. He's known all of the players and he's seen the art and the art business over the past 60 years which it gives him a very unique perspective that other people don't have.
He's still active too. He'll be showing in Albuquerque in early August 2024 at the 25th Annual Great Southwestern Antique Show. In fact, it's really fun to hear about the early days of this business because it's so much different than it once was.
I was on the tail end of it. I started 35 years ago and the unfortunate truth is that most of the big time dealers from back then have all passed on. Luckily for us, Ron is able to pass their wisdom and stories on just like this podcast will pass Ron's and even my own stories on to the next generation.
So this is a podcast that offers a unique perspective into the world of Native arts. Native American artwork as seen through the eyes of an early dealer and auctioneer. Ron Munn on episode 306 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
I had Terry DeWald on today. I've known Terry for over 30 years. He's a magnificent person and he's a dealer, but he's also an expert in Native American basketry and textiles, specifically Navajo. He's spent his entire life working with the Tohono O'Odham basket makers and knows them all very intimately and are a big part of his life.
I've been trying to get him to come for a long time because he has so much to say. He knows so many people. He did so many interesting things, from being a professional baseball player to a teacher to again finding his way into the Native American art field.
He's what we refer to as an Indian art trader. That's what all these guys were kind of referred to as in the early 70s, late 60s up until today. I've been trying to interview these individuals while they're here. Unfortunately we've lost a few, and we're going to lose a lot more.
It's a subculture that's very unique in the whole of Americana. A group of non-Native individuals who dedicated their lives to Native American arts. Most of them work directly with different individuals, contemporary native artists, but also having this great love for historical material and really understanding it like very few can.
So it was a real gem of a podcast. I think you'll really enjoy this one with Native American art expert Terry DeWald.
Stephen Datz gave a wonderful lecture for the Western Art Patrons at the Tucson Museum of Art and, you know, it's one thing to actually see paintings up-close and in person, and it's another to actually hear the artist talk about his journey and where those paintings fit in to the greater story. This was the first time Stephen has given a lecture like this and he did a fantastic job.
So we wanted to share this lecture with you and I think it's much more enjoyable if you watch it on YouTube vs. listening to it, but at the same time it's a great to hear an orator like Stephen talk for over half an hour. I really enjoyed watching and hearing what he had to say and I'm sure you will too.
I had photographer Scott Baxter on today and I enjoyed this interview a lot. I was listening to this man's life unfold in front of me and it came out so fluid and easily digestible. He's a loquacious individual but he's also just really interesting.
You see, Scott gets a degree in history and just goes: "I'm not going to be a teacher, I'm going to be a photographer - and furthermore, I'm not going to be just a commercial photographer... I'm going to be a fine artist." And the projects that he's worked on are incredible. 100 Years, 100 Ranchers was such a pivotal exhibit. I remember seeing it at the Tucson Museum of Art and the individuals, the ranchers that he had interviewed and taken photos of were there.
It was so captivating then and now to be ten or so years later, getting to interview him about that project was really rewarding for me. Sometimes in this podcast world that I inhabit, there are certain connections that happen. I interviewed Ed Mell and I interviewed Jay Dusard, both individuals affected Scott's life a great deal.
This podcast came about because he wrote me this beautiful letter and said: "I just want to thank you. I really enjoyed these podcasts, and they meant a lot to me." I read that and thought, I've always wanted to interview this guy, and I love the project he did... Let's see what happens. So it was a very special podcast.
You should definitely know who Scott Baxter is, and if you don't this is the perfect entry point. He's a terrific photographer. We included images in video version, but to get the entire scope of his work you can go to his website.
I'm a fan. I really am. The podcast was so compelling that we actually went a little long, which I love, because that means there's a two parter here. So this is part two of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast with photographer Scott Baxter.
If you're interested in seeing Scott's work including pieces he spoke about in this podcast, visit his website: www.scottbaxterphotographer.com
I had photographer Scott Baxter on today and I enjoyed this interview a lot. I was listening to this man's life unfold in front of me and it came out so fluid and easily digestible. He's a loquacious individual but he's also just really interesting.
You see, Scott gets a degree in history and just goes: "I'm not going to be a teacher, I'm going to be a photographer - and furthermore, I'm not going to be just a commercial photographer... I'm going to be a fine artist." And the projects that he's worked on are incredible. 100 Years, 100 Ranchers was such a pivotal exhibit. I remember seeing it at the Tucson Museum of Art and the individuals, the ranchers that he had interviewed and taken photos of were there.
It was so captivating then and now to be ten or so years later, getting to interview him about that project was really rewarding for me. Sometimes in this podcast world that I inhabit, there are certain connections that happen. I interviewed Ed Mell and I interviewed Jay Dusard, both individuals affected Scott's life a great deal.
This podcast came about because he wrote me this beautiful letter and said: "I just want to thank you. I really enjoyed these podcasts, and they meant a lot to me." I read that and thought, I've always wanted to interview this guy, and I love the project he did... Let's see what happens. So it was a very special podcast.
You should definitely know who Scott Baxter is, and if you don't this is the perfect entry point. He's a terrific photographer. We included images in video version, but to get the entire scope of his work you can go to his website.
I'm a fan. I really am. The podcast was so compelling that we actually went a little long, which I love, because that means there's a two parter here. So this is part one of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast with photographer Scott Baxter.
I had Mary Platt on today. It was a really fun talk because we were at the Hilbert Museum of California Art at Chapman University in Orange, CA and she did a walk and talk of the Disney material, and that's her expertise. In fact, she's done a book on that specific area. So this is a great podcast to watch on YouTube because you can see the paintings and what we're talking about.
We just had a wonderful conversation in the museum, talking about the main animation related exhibit they have at the moment which is on Disney artist and animation pioneer: Mary Blair.
So very interesting, enlightening talk with Mary Platt, Director of the Hilbert Museum of California Art.
I had Tim Peterson on today, and it was really a wonderful podcast. He's an individual I've wanted to have on for very long time. I've had many conversations with him over the years and he's been on the podcast recently, speaking on exhibits at the Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West, but this time I wanted HIS story.
This is an individual who is a very serious collector. He's done around ten or so major exhibits on the different items he collects and they're always phenomenal exhibits. There's a multitude of them, Native American objects of art and Western paintings. The breadth is shocking and wonderful. Every time I go to the Western Spirit, I make sure to go see the permanent exhibit he curated: Courage and Crossroads.
In this case, on this podcast, I learned about a painting that I've talked about before, which is a Herman Wendelborg Hansen, but I didn't realize it was the first really significant piece that he had ever collected.
So it's a very unique podcast. You hear how somebody goes all in on collecting and giving back, because Tim's not just collecting for himself, it's just the opposite. He collects to build a story and he's giving it to the world to take it as is.
We owe a debt of gratitude to people like Tim Peterson and I'm grateful he took the time to be a part of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 300.
Had a nice talk with artist Bob Coronato today, and it went on for a long time. We went over two hours so it's a two parter for sure. Bob's lived an interesting, unique life. He's been in Wyoming for most of his life at this point, but he actually grew up in New Jersey.
In part two, we hear the story of Bob and a very special portrait of Russell Means. Now, for those who don't know who Russell Means is, he was a Lakota activist, writer, and actor, and he was highly involved in the AIM protest at Wounded Knee in 1970. Well, Bob had the privilege of painting this individual's likeness and the story behind this painting is quite compelling (spoiler alert - it winds up in the Smithsonian).
We handle his etchings on occasion when I get them and he's just a super nice guy. So I hope you enjoy. Art Dealer Diaries Podcast epi 299 with Bob Coronato. This is part two.
Had a nice talk with artist Bob Coronato today, and it was went on for a long time. We went over two hours so it's a two parter for sure. Bob's lived an interesting, unique life. He's been in Wyoming for most of his life at this point, but he actually grew up in New Jersey.
We hear the whole story of how he managed to get out of New Jersey and wind up at the Otis Institute of Fine Art in Los Angeles. after a bit he moves to Wyoming where he meets and works with cowboys, and it's just domino after domino of these life events that make Bob into the Western artist he is today.
So we had this lovely talk about his life and this first part is all about his becoming an artist and really the early days of his career. Part two has a lot to do with his painting of Lakota activist Russell Means that currently hangs in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.
We handle his etchings on occasion when I get them and he's just a super nice guy. So I hope you enjoy. Art Dealer Diaries Podcast epi 298 with Bob Coronato. This is part one.
I had Donna Howell-Sickles on today, and I think she's probably one of the more recognizable Western multimedia artists. So today's podcast was fun for me on many levels. First off, Donna is iconic and paints iconic imagery and second, she was a leader in the field early on. On top of that, I just love her story. I mean, she grew up on a ranch that was hit with a terrible drought, but they managed to hang on to it. After all of that, her parents became teachers.
For Donna, it was really a struggle to get where she wanted to be as an artist. You know, she had to go against the grain and in so many ways. Not only from facing her family who felt that she would need a job that can pay the bills and that art wasn't going to cut it, but simply existing as a standout woman artist in a very male dominated space.
Anyways, she's a lovely individual. I guess I just really enjoyed this podcast. Donna Howell-Sickles on episode 297 of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
It's always fun to go someplace new. In this case, it's the Hilbert Museum, which is part of Chapman University. It's a museum that opened in 2016, but it's just recently reopened with two major wings and some incredible art.
I had the fortune of walking, talking, and interviewing Mark Hilbert, who is the person who really designed and gave all the art and money to develop this museum. He had been collecting art for 50 years and he had a vision wanted to share it with the world. It's just full of amazing, important paintings.
You have a variety of paintings from some of the top California artists, work from famous illustrators, a collection full of Disney artists. Even a show that's on transitional Navajo eyedazzler blankets.
So we just kind of did a walkthrough of this Museum and spoke about the pieces. This is a great podcast to watch on YouTube, just so you can see the artwork and also just the passion in his face for these pieces.
It was a wonderful afternoon in Orange City, California, and I hope everyone goes out and sees this museum. It's a real gem and it's just now open right next to the train station. Mark Hilbert on episode 296 of Art Dealer DIaries Podcast.
Today's podcast is a little different because I went to the Western Spirit in Scottsdale and we filmed Dr. Larry Len Peterson give a lecture. He just released his new book, "Edward Curtis:Printing the Legends." It's a great book, and he took us through Curtis's life for over an hour.
I would recommend watching this one so you can see the different slides and things that he's talking about on YouTube, but also you can just listen to it. He's got a great voice.
It's very interesting and he has an encyclopedic knowledge on the West and not only about Edward S. Curtis, but how the people in his orbit all fit in. So it was wonderful to be able to watch it live and hear it and I wanted to share it with my audience. Dr. Larry Len Peterson on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 295.
I did a podcast with Mark Winter a while back (Episodes 37 and 38). This was maybe 3 or 4 years ago, and I wanted to have Mark on again because we didn't get to talk about his vast knowledge of Saltillo Sarapes.
If you really want to immerse yourself in the depth of that subject, you have to go through Mark, because he is THE expert in the field. There are a few other experts of note, sure, but Mark is clearly one of the leading experts in the world.
So we had a wonderful talk. We went through the the ins and outs of Saltillo Serapes and Rio Grande blankets. It's more technical talk, but at the same time, it's the stories and how he got there and why he started collecting in the 1970s.
And it's a two parter since we had a lot to talk about. So this is part two of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast with Mark Winter.
I did a podcast with Mark Winter a while back (Episodes 37 and 38). This was maybe 3 or 4 years ago, and I wanted to have Mark on again because we didn't get to talk about his vast knowledge of Saltillo Sarapes.
If you really want to immerse yourself in the depth of that subject, you have to go through Mark, because he is THE expert in the field. There are a few other experts of note, sure, but Mark is clearly one of the leading experts in the field.
So we had a wonderful talk. We went through the the ins and outs of Saltillo Serapes and Rio Grande blankets. It's more technical talk, but at the same time, it's the stories and how he got there and why he started collecting in the 1970s.
And it's a two parter since we had a lot to talk about. So this is part one of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast with Mark Winter.
Really interesting podcast today with Stephen Datz. You know, most of the podcasts are more about the history of the person and trying to figure out that journey. And in this case, it was really more of an educational understanding of the process of how Steven does his work and how that translates to our show, which is we're having a show and there will be opening very shortly (Friday April 26, 2024).
It's interesting because I know a lot of the things about Stephen, and as an art dealer, you get to understand your artist, how they tick and what works for them and doesn't work for them. Just like you were a family member. I know certain things about Stephen, but after hearing about his process, it really hones in on who he is and how he has to do things to make it work and also allows me to understand what I have to be aware of when he's going to do a show and the things that he has to deal with himself from a creative point of view, because he's a perfectionist.
This drive for perfection makes him slower than normal artist in the sense that his production can't be that big. He just has to have it a certain way before it ever leaves his studio. If you look at the show, you can see why. I mean, it's just a beautiful show, but it also relates to his color sense and how he sees the world through his eyes.
He has unique eyes because he's, synesthetic. It allows him to see colors and hear music and just perceive things a tad different than the normal human. It's a rare thing to have where a color can be a number and a shape.
I think anybody that wants to get inside the brain an artist. How their methods and creativity work, and what it requires for them to create. They'll enjoy hearing this one. This is Stephen Datz.
I've been wanting to do a podcast with Dominik Modlinski for a very long time. I've represented him for over a decade. He is just such an interesting, unique human being. Not like any other artist I've met actually. I represent him at my gallery not just because a skilled creative soul, but he's also just this, wanderlust incarnate-type person who has to go to the most interesting places on the planet to survive He immerses himself in these places for months at a time to capture the essence of wherever he is.
Sometimes he goes on these long sojourns where he's on a motorcycle for months at a time, paintings and riding through backwoods and boondocks. He just got back from Mexico and he brought us some Mexico pieces and he also was just down in Ecuador. He was there for like nine weeks while they were going through major protests, kind of a "the country is closed down" type of scenario.
He has a very unique unique story too. He comes from Poland initially, but he emigrated to Canada at 16 where he attended Art school. He's a fine artist that's academically trained and could be a very successful studio artist, but he just loves to travel the world.
So a unique human, that paints beautiful paintings. I really had a great time on this podcast. I think everyone will enjoy listening to such an interesting and well-traveled human being. This is Dominik Modlinski on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 291.
View Dominik Modlinski paintings here:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/collections/modlinski-dominik
One of the great things about this job is that sometimes these things come in that are just wonderful gifts. One of those gifts happened to come in today, and her name is Karen Schmidt. Karen's grandfather was Albert Schmidt, who was a very famous Santa Fe painter.
She came in with a large collection of paintings that she found in Albert's house after her grandmother passed in 1989. The house is not just any old house either. it's a house that was built and designed by artist William Pennhallow Henderson. It’s an important house. In fact, it’s a historical landmark and it's in Tesuque, NM.
So she comes in, I’m looking at the paintings and I’m thinking, wow, this is amazing. These paintings came with her grandfather’s house, and they somehow end up with me. Now I get the opportunity to sell this segment of the Albert Schmidt estate and it’s a very unique and rewarding thing that can happen as a dealer.
It's sort of a dream situation when you have that opportunity and I thought I would share it. So we sat down together for a little bit and recorded the conversation. It’s not a very long podcast, but it’s meaningful and just know that when you’re seeing this, it is in the moment of when I’m meeting her for the first time and seeing these paintings for the first time.
I knew who Albert Schmidt was. I’ve had his paintings. I love his paintings. So it’s a nice little inside scoop of how this collection became available and how it got to Medicine Man Gallery. Anyhow, I just wanted to share it with you and I hope you enjoy. This is Art Dealer Diaries Podcast featuring Karen Schmidt, speaking on the paintings of her grandfather, Albert Schmidt.
Usually my podcasts are about the lives, the history, the particular path of creativity one takes. With Jill Carver, it's always interesting because this is my third podcast with her and each time it's fresh and unique.
In this podcast - we're talking about her show "Land of Song - Grand Canyon Variations" which she's been working on for the last year and a half. That whole process of what it's like to go, "okay, I'm going to do a major show for a gallery and I want it to be fresh and different - and by the way, I'm going to do a subject that I've never done before, the Grand Canyon."
The Grand Canyon... That's a tough one to take on for any artist. Hell, Maynard Dixon didn't paint it until the very end of his life. It's no easy subject matter. There's just so much to look at. That's what this conversation really focused on and I think this is a great podcast for artists and for collectors alike to get an inside look at what's involved in not just making a painting, but an entire show. I think it's one of those podcasts that people can used as a reference.
Anyway it's a wonderful interview. I really enjoyed this podcast with Jill Carver and I hope you do as well.
See Jill Carver's work on our website:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/collections/carver-jill
I had Amy and Andy Krane on today, and they own the magazine Art of the West. It's a longstanding magazine that has been around more than 36 years. The Krane's bought it in 2019. Since then, I have seen them at almost every show that I've gone to, and I've been at a lot of shows the last couple of years.
I was really glad to see them in Tucson and to get a chance to speak with them about what they do. It was interesting to hear about the magazine business and some of the hurdles that they had to overcome. Buying the magazine right before the pandemic was a huge one. I mean, the price of paper and ink shot up 40% above what it had been.
Luckily, Andy had experience running a very successful company before so he knew that steps he had to take to stay the course and stick it out. I think one major component was getting his family involved. The Kranes love art and it shows when they show up to all these events.
I hope you enjoy this podcast and check out their magazine. It's a beautiful magazine with really great images and it's printed on great paper with a focus on color accuracy. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 288 with Amy and Andy Krane.
Recently I've been interviewing artists at various shows in front of various paintings for use on my podcast and for social media videos as well. I must admit, the information that flows from these creative minds while in front of their respective works is really amazing and different from what you'd hear from a normal podcast of mine. This episode follows this format and then some. With that in mind, I highly encourage you to watch the YouTube version if you can.
You see, the first half follows western artist Howard Post through his retrospective exhibit "Western Perspectives" at the Desert Caballeros Museum in Wickenburg, AZ. Howard speaks on some of his greatest paintings, sharing information about technique, inspiration, and just artistic insights in general from across the board. It was really great to journey through Howard Post's artistic career with him beside me narrating and guiding me from painting to painting.
The second half of this podcast is completely different, and a real treat. Howard and I went down the road to a roping event, also in Wickenburg. This part is great because Howard is a decorated rodeo athlete. He explained so many of the rules and the more nuanced parts of the event. Howard is a real cowboy painting real cowboy paintings and it's amazing to see this side of him up close in personal.
Howard is an amazing artist and friend. This whole experience was such a joy, and being able to share it with you made it even better. This is Howard Post on Art Dealer Diaries episode 287.
I had "Ranger of the Lost Art" Doug Leen on today. Very interesting, man, not only for what he's done for the arts, but just as much for what he's done for American history.
He starts out as a park ranger, and even before that, he's in Vietnam Ultimately he gets involved in Kent State after he gets back from the war and meets with Nixon and talked to him about the his opposition for the war.
It's also a story of discovery. You see, Doug finds this poster when he's in his mid-twenties, working as a park ranger. He makes this discovery and then decides that there's more to it and that he needs to figure it out. He keeps this poster his whole life. It goes with him from place to place and finally decides to solve the riddle he stumbled upon all of those years ago.
That's what this podcast is really about. The story of the missing National Parks posters that were done by WPA artists between 1938 and 1941. Doug has a book he just put out about his journey to uncover the missing pieces called "RANGER OF THE LOST ART–REDISCOVERING THE WPA POSTER ART OF OUR NATIONAL PARKS". To learn more about the book and to see various posters he found, visit his website: rangerdoug.com
So anyways, unique, fun, and interesting story. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Douglas Leen on episode 286 of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
I love my job because it allows me to interact with artists in a way that other people don’t get to. And in this case, it was with William Matthews at his show, which is called Decades, and it’s at the Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West. It’s running through the fall of 2024.
It’s all there on the walls, no matter what part of his life you’re going to see, Williams is there to talk about it. We walk through his show and discuss it. This podcast really is one that would be best seen on YouTube versus just listening to it, but I’m sure it will still have great interest even that way.
I talked to William about three or four years ago in episodes 86 and 87, so you can go back if you want to hear his back story. But this particular podcast really is at the show, and you’ll see his books, his illustrations, his album covers. He’s really done some amazing album covers. This is, again, just a small little part of his life.
He’s also done major murals. Once you go through this show, you can see the variety of things that have created the excitement for him to go to all these creative places. And sometimes it’s really interesting, like these big, huge ties that he’s made, which are in museum collections like the Booth.
So again, I hope you can watch it on YouTube. It’s a beautiful show. Go see it if you can. It’s up through the fall of 2024. This is William Matthews on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast Episode 285.
When I decided to do this podcast seven years ago, one of the main reasons for doing it was to capture the voices of artists, dealers, collectors, art curators, all of the components that make up my world as an art dealer and how they affect me. That's why the project is called the Art Dealer Diaries.
One of the biggest personalities to impact my life was a man named Ed Mell. He was a good friend and such an important artist. It was interesting to listen to and watch this podcast. I know he knew he had a place in the legacy of art, but he felt that he needed to let his art speak for himself and not make it so much about himself, the person.
He was just a very humble guy. It took a long time for me to get him to do this podcast.I had to work on it for three or four years. I had so many guests that talked about Ed and how important he was in their lives and I kept saying "Ed, you know, your life is intertwined with all these different artists and curators and that we really need to hear your story. Finally, he relented and said "okay, okay, I'll do it."
We had a great time because it's just two friends talking, right? That's what this can be sometimes, you know, every once in awhile you get lightning in a bottle. For me, this podcast was one of those times.
I got to spend time with my dear friend and hear things that I might not have heard, even after 30 years of friendship. You really get to know a person pretty well over that amount of time, especially when you are lucky enough to spend birthdays together, or Christmases, or whatever it might be.
So Ed shared this time with me and and now we have this record. I really want people, if they have the chance to listen to all of this or watch it on YouTube and you can see and hear a giant among giants speak. I hope you enjoy listening to my good friend, Ed Mell.
Original Description:
Ed Mell came by the studio today and I was thrilled to be able to record a 2-part podcast with him. Honestly, I've been trying to get Ed on the podcast for three whole years. I've had so many people on Art Dealer Diaries talk about Ed Mell in their own podcasts... I think it's probably up to about a dozen people now. It's just one of those things, you know? It's hard to get together sometimes especially when a pandemic gets in the way.
Out of all the podcasts I’ve done recently, Ed’s was a podcast I really wanted to do in person. I've known him for 25+ years and for me just being able to sit across the desk from him and have a wonderful discussion about his life, all of his accomplishments, the people that have influenced him throughout his life and made him who he is and what he is, was a gift for me. He's just such an interesting guy, definitely not the type of person that you get to meet every day.
Ed’s artwork is really important to me and to many, many other people as well. I collect his artwork and have since I've represented him. I personally own numerous Ed Mell works of art including his oil paintings, bronze sculptures, lithographs, and display them in my home.
We recorded for two hours.The first hour is kind of an origin story for Ed. How he got to become an artist and how he found his way in the world. The second hour goes into a bit more detail about the people that influenced him and what he’s been up to recently.
From sculpture to flowers, to figurative works, this is one that everyone needs to listen to. Put it on your hit parade, Ed Mell on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
This podcast is different than most because it's really a visual podcast. So I highly recommend watching the YouTube version so you can see the imagery that we're talking about. Not that it isn't interesting to listen to, but the imagery will really add to the experience.
I had the opportunity to go and spend the afternoon with Tim Peterson, who curated the Tom Gilleon Retrospective at the Western Spirit: Scottdale's Museum of the West, as well as Courage and Crossroads, an exhibit of Peterson's personal art collection that has been on display at the museum since it opened. Tim spoke with me at length about both exhibits and the incredible look into western art that they both provide.
The first exhibit was all about the art and career of the amazing contemporary western painter, Tom Gilleon. I was really blown away at the sope of the work and the many pieces on display that highlight Gilleon's contribution to the world of western art.
The second, Courage and Crossroads, is a compilation of early Native American art as well as Western art, all the way from the earliest Catlins all the way through to the Taos founders and Maynard Dixon.
It's really an amazing collection. I've probably seen the collection 50 times, and I still find things that I didn't know about. It's a great place for learning and absorbing the history of the American West and I was very fortunate to have Tim take the time and go through the entire collection.
I hope you enjoy it. Again, I think you'll find it more interesting if you watch the YouTube component, but either way, it's great to hear someone as knowledgeable as Tim Peterson speak on the art we all love so much.
The different voices I get to hear on the podcast keeps it fresh and interesting for me and make me want to continue doing it. This is my seventh year and doing the Art Dealer Diaries and I'm always amazed that there's still something that I haven't heard / some person that I haven't met that fills in the gaps. So today I had Alvin Yellowhorse and he's a silversmith. I like to think of him not only as a silversmith but also as a very creative artist who works in metal. He not only produces great work but also teaches classes to inspire and spread his gift to others.
I've had his work in my gallery but I've never actually met him and I never had the chance to purchase things directly from him. So he called me and set up an appointment and I got some great work as a result. I was thrilled to be able to buy some and I got to hear his story.
He took the time to share his path in life, which is like almost all artists, is filled with twists and turns you can't see coming. Alvin grew up close to Gallup and a little town called Lupton and he still has a store there and his family has owned and operated the Yellowhorse stores there for decades.
One thing I noticed about his jewelry, even before we met, was that he will use different types of stones that you just wouldn't expect. He uses meteors, for instance, and the highest-grade stones he can find. You can tell his work is all about uniqueness, quality, and most importantly, creativity.
It clearly shows in this podcast. He's a humble guy, and he's one of the best. So I had an interesting and really fun time getting to know Alvin, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
I ad Scott Burdick on today. What an interesting man. We had a very long talk and the reason it was so long was we went over a lot of subjects. It wasn't just a podcast about a painter talking about painting. I would say painting was something we discussed the least.
We went deep into his belief system, how he sees the world, and how his creativity flows through different fields, not just traditional art, which is what most people know him for. He's also a writer and he works in film, making documentaries. He's so much more than just an artist so it was great to explore that side of him. Scott Burdick is just a really deep, profound person.
It's a fun interview. I highly recommend taking the time to listen to both episodes. You can see what life can be like if you let creativity take over. So I had a great time and the two and a half hours flew just like that. So this is part two of Scott Burdick on episode 281 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
I had Scott Burdick on today. What an interesting man. We had a very long talk and the reason it was so long was we went over a lot of subjects. It wasn't just a podcast about a painter talking about painting. I would say painting was something we discussed the least.
We went deep into his belief system, how he sees the world, and how his creativity flows through different fields, not just traditional art, which is what most people know him for. He's also a writer and he works in film, making documentaries. He's so much more than just an artist so it was great to explore that side of him. Scott Burdick is just a really deep, profound person.
It's a fun interview. I highly recommend taking the time to listen to both episodes. You can see what life can be like if you let creativity take over. So I had a great time and the two and a half hours flew just like that. So this is part one of Scott Burdick on episode 280 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
I had Dr. Larry Len Peterson on today, and we're discussing his new book "Edward S. Curtis, Printing the Legends: Looking at Shadows in a West Lit Only by Fire" it's a terrific book. I read this whole book and I'm going to read it again. There's just so much information, not only about Edward Curtis, but about that whole time frame from 1860 to 1945. All the big players, whether it's J.P. Morgan or Buffalo Bill or Custer, and even the Indian boarding school systems. If you're interested in Curtis, this podcast is a must-listen.
The other component that makes this project so important is the array of beautiful reproductions within the book. Did I mention he only printed 1,000 copies? It's not going to be available for long and it's going to be one of those great collector items.
Dr. Peterson is uniquely positioned to write a book like this. He's a great author. He's won dozens of awards and he is a former physician who has written and published many research papers in his previous area of expertise. He's just one of these polymath individuals that you're lucky you get to meet and have in your life.
Fortunately, I was lucky enough to be able to meet Dr. Larry Len Peterson and have been working with him on occasion. I'm glad I had the opportunity to spend time with this book and delve into the subject of Edward Curtis with an expert.
So I hope you enjoy. It's a two-parter. This is part two. Dr. Larry Len Peterson on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 279.
I had Dr. Larry Len Peterson on today, and we're discussing his new book "Edward S. Curtis, Printing the Legends: Looking at Shadows in a West Lit Only by Fire" it's a terrific book. I read this whole book and I'm going to read it again. There's just so much information, not only about Edward Curtis, but about that whole time frame from 1860 to 1945. All the big players, whether it's J.P. Morgan or Buffalo Bill or Custer, and even the Indian boarding school systems. If you're interested in Curtis, this podcast is a must-listen.
The other component that makes this project so important is the array of beautiful reproductions within the book. Did I mention he only printed 1,000 copies? It's not going to be available for long and it's going to be one of those great collector items.
Dr. Peterson is uniquely positioned to write a book like this. He's a great author. He's won dozens of awards and he is a former physician who has written and published many research papers in his previous area of expertise. He's just one of these polymath individuals that you're lucky you get to meet and have in your life.
Fortunately, I was lucky enough to be able to meet Dr. Larry Len Peterson and have been working with him on occasion. I'm glad I had the opportunity to spend time with this book and delve into the subject of Edward Curtis with an expert.
So I hope you enjoy. It's a two-parter. This is part one. Dr. Larry Len Peterson on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 278.
Wow, I had a great time with this podcast, Mike Brainard. He is a writer, an actor, a podcast producer, and a woodworker, just to say a few of the things that he's accomplished in his life. He does a podcast called The Ernie Pyle Experiment!, which is a 13-episode podcast that actually came in second, I believe, for an Audie Award, which is like the top award that you can get in audio-based production. I've listened to a portion of it, and I highly encourage you to listen to it. You can get that on any podcast platform.
There's a really deep kind of discussion about what your life can become and things that happened in your life. For Mike, one of the things was that he was very famous when he was younger as an actor on soap operas. He was an actor for All My Children and Santa Barbara. So it was fascinating to hear that trajectory. People often think, Oh, I want to be famous. Well, you know, fame is a double-edged sword.
I think it was a very deep, interesting conversation and the kind of conversation that I enjoy and one of the reasons I do this podcast is to learn and to see the human condition in all forms of creativity, which he has lots of. So I hope everybody enjoys it as much as I do. He really was interesting. Mike Brainard on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast Episode 277.
Listen to the Ernie Pyle Experiment! Here:
https://indianapublicmedia.org/erniepylepodcast/
Shonto Begay joined me today for a special podcast right before Christmas. I've had Shonto on before. In fact, he was my guest on the second podcast I had ever done. I've known Shonto for over 20 years and have been collecting his art as well as selling it. You know, he just is unique. He's unique in so many forms and fashions. It's almost hard to describe.
Shonto shared some of the things that are, you know, very deep and moving to him and how he creates. He speaks on the trauma that he had to go through in his life as an artist and as a kid growing up on the reservation and being forced into boarding school when he was nine years old.
I asked Shonto before we even started the podcast because I think it's an important part of his paintings and who he is today if we could talk about these traumatic experiences. I don't want to trigger him or make him feel bad in any way. He obliged and that's the heart of today's podcast. Shonto provides a very unique perspective of somebody who's lived through this system, a system that was devastating for Native American culture.
We also have an upbeat talk about creativity, spirituality, and painting. Shonto talks about where this insight comes from. It was very enlightening. I learned things that I didn't know, which is always fun for me when it's a podcast where I know the guest quite well.
That's what I love about doing these podcasts and being able to share these stories with the rest of the world. This is one of those that I would recommend watching on YouTube. The reason is that he shares his Etch-A-Sketch abilities, which is something he picked up during his time in the Indian school system.
He's the most talented person in the world when it comes to doing these Etch-a-Sketch drawings. They're amazing. We recorded it during the podcast because it was so compelling. When you hit the few areas of dead sound there, it's just because, quite frankly, I'm enthralled by what he's doing.
I'm very thrilled that I get the opportunity to deal with artists and learn about the many different forms of the creative process. Shonto Begay is one of these individuals who adds to the dialog in a different form and fashion than almost anybody can.
So I hope you enjoy this podcast as much as I did, and I did. Trust me.
Moira Geoffrion joins host Mark Sublette to talk about her show "Pods, Plants, and Parts." The show has 144 new paintings of the botanical structures that can be found throughout the Sonoran desert.
Opening with the artist is Friday, December 29 from 12 - 2 PM at Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery in Tucson, Arizona.
View the Show Online:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/collections/december-20-2024
Numerous important bills signed in Congress between 1869 to 1925 set the stage for the Osage Reign of Terror in 1920's Oklahoma. David Grann’s book “Killers of the Flower Moon” and the 2023 Martin Scorsese movie by the same name serve as the backdrop for this deep dive and historical overview. This is unlike any of my previous podcasts so I hope you enjoy Art Dealer Diaries Episode 274.
I had artist Danuta Tomzynski on today. She's such an interesting human being. You know, just starting we went right to the heart of it by talking about her parents. They were both Polish and were in Poland during World War II. Her father fought in the war after being taken to Siberia by the Russians and her mom was taken from Poland to Germany to be a servant. What they had to do to make it out and to get to America was extraordinary. Without their struggles and their stories, she doesn't exist.
She is an artist, but she's done so many things with clothing design and different types of creative endeavors. She finally found her way back to what she was supposed to do, at least at this point in her life, which is painting. She does these realistic still-life paintings, which are quite beautiful. She's starting to win awards and starting to get that kind of attention and for her, it's a little later in life, which is fantastic.
I'm sure somebody will hear this podcast and go, "Oh my gosh, I need to have her in my gallery." So she has that kind of talent, which is nice to see and fun to recognize. So I had a great time with the Danuta Tomzynski on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast number 273.
This had to be one of the more interesting podcasts I've done. It's with Helen and Richard Shull, and they own Esmeralda Turquoise Company in Nevada. They had come into my gallery and we were talking about what they do. It turns out they're miners/gemologists and they own turquoise mines that are scattered through northern Nevada.
After a brief conversation I asked them to come on the show and they gave this wonderful talk about how you find mines, and what it means to be a miner in 2023. They clearly love what they do. I mean, these are very intellectual, savvy individuals.
Richard's a gemologist and Helen is a botanist, but they just love turquoise.
I wrote a fiction book called Stone Men. That was kind of the ethos of what this was like. To have these two actual stone people who have dedicated their entire lives, eating, breathing, and living turquoise on the podcast, well, it made for a phenomenal episode. Richard and Helen Shull on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 272.
Paula Baxter was on the show today and she's very interesting, as most of our guests are. All of our guests have a similar thread of the arts running through their lives in some form or fashion. In her case, it was 1986 when she was in Santa Fe and bought a piece at Ortega's on the Plaza. It was like an epiphany for Paula. She needed to be more aware of this material.
Paula has worked as the head curator of art and architecture for the New York Public Library, she worked at MoMA, and she was a humanities professor. She held these significant positions, but at the end of the day had always wanted to be a writer. I think that's what her gift is to the world.
She's done these wonderful books on Native American jewelry. Her most recent book "Navajo and Pueblo Jewelry Design: 1870–1945," is a really great book. In fact, it's been at my bedside for a long time because the material is wonderful, the photos are beautiful, and the timeline she inserted is very helpful. The amazing photographs were taken by her husband, Barry Katzen.
So I think this podcast is one that follows the journey of somebody's life, you know, and how they get to where they get and why they're on planet Earth. Palua is clearly here to spread the word and to educate. To tell people that Native American jewelry is such an important art form. It is a form of art that is very close to my heart and it's a privilege that I can wear and appreciate every single day.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the podcast. I know I did. Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 271 with Paula A. Baxter.
I wanted to re-air John Morris's podcast. I had him on episode 11 back in 2018. John recently passed and was such an interesting human being and I'm so happy that he took the time during Indian Market in 2018 to come talk to me about his life.
You know, John was a guy who was intimately involved in the 1969 Woodstock show. He booked all the people he worked with, all the acts. You know, he was if you look at the Woodstock movie. He was a unique man who had multiple interests and never took himself too seriously. He had all these interesting people like Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison or Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, all of these musicians he knew and worked with.
I knew him for 15 years before he even discussed the Woodstock. The only reason he did is that I saw the movie and I saw him on the TV. His real gift to our culture and the Native American world was that he loved Native American material and tribal art and he, along with Kim Martindale, promoted shows.
They promoted different shows that were the objects of art shows, both in San Francisco as well as in Santa Fe. ohn did one in Seattle as well. So, you know, it's sad when you lose somebody of his magnitude, but I wanted to replay his podcast so we could all bask in the wonderful beauty of John Morris.
I had a wonderful podcast today with William Haskell. We had done a podcast together two years ago in the middle of the pandemic, but it was really nice to actually spend time with him in person.
Instead of focusing on how got to where he is today (since that story was told in epi. 129), I wanted to find out about his new show that he's doing for us. He's going to have 15+ paintings in a one-man show this coming January. We delve into not only the show and the paintings but at the more technical aspects of his painting process. It was a very introspective podcast and it was amazing to hear him speak on his process and how he solves the problems that he encounters at the easel. We also go into AI-generated art and discuss the ramifications artists are going to face down the road.
So that's the kind of podcast it is and the kind I enjoy doing the most. We get to have a nice back-and-forth and explore what's happening in his world and the world of art as a whole. It was a really fun podcast and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Art Dealer Diaries episode 269 with fine artist William Haskell.
Visit Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery in Tucson, AZ for a show and sale of new works by William Haskell. Opening night is Friday, January 12, 2024, from 5 - 7 pm, (artist in attendance).
I had Bill Alther on today and wow, he's such a unique individual and has a great story. He's an individual who always knew he was going to be an artist. He just didn't know what kind of artist.
He started painting in high school and after college, he began carving wooden sculptures of birds. He was successful and made a living doing it, but it just wasn't fulfilling. At some point, he said enough was enough. At the time, he was a drummer in a band called 'The Shades' which he did for ten years. After that, he was a wildlife biologist who worked at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science for another ten or so years. Finally, he said, "Okay, I have to go all in on what I'm meant to be," which was an oil painter.
I actually met Bill and got to see his art for the first time at the Woolaroc Museum, which is a great museum in Bartlesville. I was so impressed with what he was doing that I just felt that I needed to introduce him to my viewers and listeners.
Bill is truly unique, and I encourage you to see his paintings in real life. So I had a wonderful time and he's a very interesting artist. Bill Alther on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast number 268.
I always have a good time with Barry Friedman and he was my guest on the podcast today. Barry's specialty is trade blankets. These range from the traditional Pendleton to a variety of different types of blankets that were made commercially from 1892 up to today. The Pendleton company is still making wonderful blankets as we speak.
I've done a podcast with him in the past (episode 15), where you can hear his whole backstory. It's extremely interesting because he was a professional writer for comedians and the whole of Hollywood for around 30 years. He's funny... really funny, actually - which is why I enjoy having him on the podcast so much.
This time around we wanted to talk about the new Martin Scorsese movie Killers of the Flower Moon with Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone. It's about the Osage tragedy of 1921 and, while it's a great read, It's a terrible, traumatic story. Much of America's history with Native culture, and the atrocities that occurred are not dissimilar from the events told in this film.
As far as the podcast goes, Barry provided all the trade blankets for the movie. He sold them over 60 pieces. We talked about the process of how he got involved and what that meant for him. It's an interesting story involving a guy who has spent his entire life loving this kind of blanket and has become the world's expert on the subject. We had a great, fun time. And I think this is a really interesting and unique podcast with Barry Friedman.
I took the Art Dealer Diaries on a little road trip this week to northeastern Oklahoma, in the heart of Osage Country, to get an inside look at this blockbuster movie by Martin Scorsese called Killers of the Flower Moon. The book was by David Grann and the story is a tragic one for the Osage people.
The Osage call it the reign of terror. It took place from 1921 to 1926, and at least 25 Osage were murdered by this cadre of white opportunists trying to cash in on the oil boom, which was partly taking place in the Osage Nation. The Osage themselves owned the mineral rights, and those allotments were handed out to the members.
We were very fortunate to speak to an Osage woman who grew up in the area, Billie Ponca, and we had a discussion at Water Bird Gallery. She spoke about what it's like to be an Osage woman today and about the real-life events that inspired the film, which she was part of. Her home was one of the backdrops in the movie and she was asked to be an extra in some of the scenes as well.
Billie liked the movie. She saw it in Tulsa when they had a special opening, not only for the Osage people, but the stars showed up for this screening as well, which was a big deal and something that usually doesn't happen.
It was very interesting to get her take on what it's like to live in a house in Fairfax now, the movie, and the process of how the movie was created. It was delightful she was delightful. Hopefully, this podcast will add this additional layer of depth when you see the movie and help communicate the story and theme from a Native perspective.
There's nothing better than the third week in August at Indian Market in Santa Fe. I took this entire weekend to film interviews with artisans and people running the event to give you a sense of what it's like.
We went to the SWAIA presentation of Best of Show, which we were fortunate enough to be able to sponsor for the next four years. So you kind of get a behind-the-scenes of what it's really like for the artists as well as seeing people peruse the market and experience a tidal wave of indigenous art.
So it's a bucket list item for anyone who loves Native American material in Santa Fe. I hope you enjoy listening or watching, however you want to take this in. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. The 101st Indian Market in Santa Fe.
I had Jordan K. Walker on my podcast today. I've had Jordan on before and last time (Epi. 239) we talked about his life and all the things that made him who he is today. This time around, we're having his first one-man show, Deep Time, opening on October 7, 2023.
I thought it would be helpful for individuals out there who are artists to hear what that took to get there because you only get to have your first exhibition once. It's that one time in your life you get to go, here I am. This is what I'm doing. It's kind of like a wedding in a way, in that this is where your life changes course.
I think that'll definitely be true for Jordan. He's exceptionally talented. I can see it in his work, his work ethic, and how he approaches what he does as a professional. And he's very professional, which is, you know, unusual to have all those components at such a young age. He's only 29, but he's been painting for 11 years, so it takes a while to get there.
I had a wonderful time talking to Jordan and just listening to his thoughts and how he approached his show Deep Time. It's quite a remarkable podcast, in my opinion. Art Dealer Diaries Podcast Episode 264, featuring Jordan K. Walker.
I had Victoria Adams on today and wow, what a delightful person she is. She's such an upbeat, happy person. I've been very familiar with her work for probably two decades, and she always exhibits at prominent Indian Market events. Victoria is known for her beautifully designed jewelry and she makes custom handbags that are to die for.
This year at SWAIA Indian Market, she won the best of class for the diverse arts category, which is a big, big deal. Her entry was very unique mixed-media sculpture that included a tripod with glass containers. It was a piece of three-dimensional art that really meant a lot to her and we talked a lot about it.
We talk about the importance Indian market, her career, and how she went from really not being in the arts to being a powerhouse in the world of - not only native arts - but just arts, period. So this was a very fun and enjoyable podcast. I really did have a great time with Victoria Adams.
I had Victoria Adams on today and wow, what a delightful person she is. She's such an upbeat, happy person. I've been very familiar with her work for probably two decades, and she always exhibits at prominent Indian Market events. Victoria is known for her beautifully designed jewelry and she makes custom handbags that are to die for.
This year at SWAIA Indian Market, she won the best of class for the diverse arts category, which is a big, big deal. Her entry was very unique mixed-media sculpture that included a tripod with glass containers. It was a piece of three-dimensional art that really meant a lot to her and we talked a lot about it.
We talk about the importance Indian market, her career, and how she went from really not being in the arts to being a powerhouse in the world of - not only native arts - but just arts, period. So this was a very fun and enjoyable podcast. I really did have a great time with Victoria Adams.
So many of the podcasts that I do deal with Western art, but rarely do I have an artist that epitomizes what it means to be a "Western artist" the way that Teal Blake does. Teal was raised in Montana and he's been in the West his whole life and currently lives in Texas.
Not only does he have the credentials of being a Western individual, but he was a professional cowboy for seven years as part of the rodeo circuit. To take that life experience and translate it into how he paints and sees the world, provides an authenticity that you rarely see in the average Western artist. Teal has said authenticity in spades.
He also has a father who is a very interesting guy, Buckeye Blake, a well-known artist who does, not only illustrative type art but sculptural works that live in front of some major museums. His mother is very artistic in her own right and was friends with Richard Avedon, who was such an important photographer.
So a unique story, no doubt, and one that I think you'll find very, very compelling. I know I did. Art Dealer Diaries Podcast number 261 with Teal Blake.
I do this podcast because the people I meet in my line of work are really interesting. That's a lot of it. John Bell is exactly the kind of podcast I love doing because he's not somebody you can just throw into a typical mold and say, oh he's an artist or he's an art dealer. You know?
John is an Academy Award-nominated individual who's worked on movies like Back to the Future Two, Men in Black, and Jurassic Park. All are culturally significant, yet they'd be incomplete without the influence of John Bell.
That's not all he's done, however. John also worked for Atari, General Motors, Nike, and Electronic Arts. You know, just a few small companies.
So it's the story of perseverance to some extent, and how you can start off as one thing (in his case a car designer) and end up in a completely different area. that being said, they have this unique kind of symmetry and rhythm that becomes clear on his journey and in his artwork.
This is a great podcast documenting the very interesting journey of artist and designer John Bell.
You can see most of the work referenced in this podcast at https://www.johnbell.studio
I had a great time talking with Ray Dewey. It's a podcast that I've been wanting to do for quite a while and it's just taken a while for us to get together. He's a really busy guy so I finally said: "Fine, I'll come up to Santa Fe." I knew Ray would have a great story, and he did not disappoint.
Ray was an instrumental figure in the Native American art business, especially from the 1970s through the 1990s. He still buys and sells paintings, so it's not like he's not out of the scene, but he was just so pivotal as the owner/operator of Dewey Fine Art. I remember going into his gallery and just being in awe of all the material and the way he had it displayed. He ran a first-class business and was always keen on educating anyone who wanted to learn.
I would come in as a young guy in my 30s and I didn't have much money but he would still spend the time to talk to me. That's the thing that great dealers do. Ray is one of those great dealers. Not to mention, he was really the first person in the Southwest to deal in the paintings of one Ed Mell. Ed and I have been friends for a very long time, but Ray gave him his first show in 1985. Of all things, it was a Maynard Dixon and Ed Mell show, which was pretty groundbreaking at the time.
It's a fascinating tale and it's really important to know who the groundbreaking individual was who had so much to do with enhancing the Native American art scene in Santa Fe. I really enjoyed it. Ray Dewey on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast number 259.
I think the reason I do these podcasts is for guests like the one I just had on, which is Roy Talahaftewa. I have to say, he is such a genuine, wonderful person, artist, and someone that I think everyone should get to know if they don't already.
For one thing, just on the silversmith part, he's won best of show at the Indian Market events the Heard Museum, and the Museum of Northern Arizona, but also at the Santa Fe Indian Market. I could be wrong but don't think anybody has accomplished that before. The one at the Museum of Northern Arizona was this year, so 2023.
We just talk about a lot of things. About his life, about where he's been and gone, the process of becoming an artist and what that requires, whether you're a Hopi silversmith or, you know, someone dealing in contemporary art or Western art.
Roy is clearly a dedicated artist and also just a genuinely kind person. So I had a great time. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Roy Talahaftewa on episode 258 of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
So one of my favorite times of the year is the third week in August, because that's Indian Market weekend in Santa Fe. it's a remarkable event. You have a thousand different artisans show up in this big mix of culture and artwork.
You have contemporary, you have traditional, all of it's made by the artisans. They all come together for this one weekend in Santa Fe. It's such a special event. I've been doing it since the early nineties and I would always bring my kids. Each of the children would get to pick out a piece to add to their collection.
I highly encourage people to go and visit at least once. It's not only a special time for the collectors, but the artisans too. It's part of a tradition for so many families from across the country, Native artists that come and get to interact with collectors directly, which is wonderful because it's hard for them often because they may be living in remote areas.
I've done a lot of podcasts over the last six years, and during those times I've interviewed lots of native artists that have participated in the Santa Fe Indian market. It's been a big part of their life and their family's life, so I figured it would be a great time during Indian Market weekend to rehash and take another look/listen to some of these different artists that we've had on the podcast over the years.
I usually don't do podcasts that are in the moment. I like to do podcasts that'll be relevant during any time frame. In this case, I would like people to be able to go and visit these artists at Indian Market.
The episode features (in order of appearance):
• Jamie Schulze: Executive Director, SWAIA
• Bo Joe: Navajo/Uté Silversmith (Booth # LIN W 757)
• Barbara Teller Ornelas: Navajo Weaver (Booth # LIN W 774)
• Jared Chavez: San Felipe Silversmith (Booth # FR N 306)
• Russell Sanchez: San Ildefonso Pueblo Potter (Booth # LIN E 711)
• Kathleen Wall: Jemez Pueblo Pottery Artist (Booth # PLZ 78)
• Marla Allison: Laguna Pueblo Artist (Booth # LIN E 730)
• Mateo Romero: Artist and Activist (Booth # LIN E 739)
• Duane Maktima: Hopi/Laguna Silversmith
• Susan Folwell: Santa Clara Pueblo Potter
• Tony Abeyta: Navajo Oil Painter
So it's a wonderful kind of review of what Indian Market and Santa Fe as a whole is to so many different artists. We're also very blessed to be able to sponsor the Best of Show Award award for the next five years for SWAIA. I hope people go out and get to do what I've always done and love doing - connecting with and supporting amazing Native American artisans.
We invite members of the media and influencers to take event photos and post them using the hashtag #santafeindianmarket.
I had Christine Mollring on today. For those who don't know who she is, you need to. Christine is one of the backbones of Western art. She started her own gallery early on in the 1970s and owned Trailside Gallery until about 94.
Think back on what kind of individuals were running Western art galleries back in that era. They were pretty much all men. We talked about it a little, not a lot, because she felt like it was just what she had to do. It didn't stop her from becoming the best of the best. Christine represented some real heavy hitters back then too. People like Charles Loloma who was a very important Hopi artist and silversmith.
So I think you'll have a great time. I really enjoyed it. Christine is a remarkable person and we're so fortunate to have her in the world of Western and native art. Christine Mollring on episode 256 of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
I had a very interesting talk with Jim Rea today. Jim helps run the Masters show at the Autry Museum along with his wife, Jodie. Getting the whole story of - not only the Autry show and how it began - but of how Jim, who started out in accounting, ends up being a critical component in this very important art show at an important museum.
Jim is a guy who really liked art but wasn't trained in art. Just the opposite. He's a numbers guy. That being said, he sees the world change before his very eyes as he gets exposed to more and more to great art throughout his life. From 1998 until now, Jim and Jody have managed to put together a collection of 150 works, most of them contemporary masterpieces.
So even without his commitment and affiliation to the Autry, he's an important collector. His story is one that gives hope to all those out there just starting their own collections. There's a message you can take away from the podcast and it's that you can go from not having anything to do with the art world, to actually being a leader in the field. So this is Art Dealer Diaries Podcast #255 with Jim Rea.
Had a wonderful podcast today with Curt Walters. He's always been one of my favorite painters. He is known as a Grand Canyon painter, but he paints all sorts of things of all shapes and sizes, painting a giant canyon one day, and water lilies the next.
It was fun to be able to listen to his journey as it was not an easy one. Curt grew up in Farmington, New Mexico and he was dyslexic. As a kid, he was having issues dealing with a learning disability that most people just didn't understand at that point in time. People would just assume that he didn't have the capacity for schooling.
Fast forward 60 years and Curt has won more than a dozen awards from all over the West. Almost all of his paintings sell as soon as he finishes them. He is iconic in what he does and who he is. It was a very fun and interesting time. Curt Walters on episode 254 of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
I had Jamie Schulze say today, she is just a terrific individual and I just love her upbeat, happy demeanor. You can just feel in her something that is giving. She's the perfect person to be the executive director of SWAIA.
Jaimie is someone who really cares about the artists and understands the process. She has the responsibility of promoting not only the art, but the cultural sensitivity of participants that represent over 200 different tribes. So it's a big organization to control and this is her first full year doing it. We talk about some of the upcoming things that will happen at Santa Fe Indian Market, which is this year during the third week of August. It was interesting to hear her backstory growing up on the reservation in Montana, as well how she ended up at SWAIA and her commitment to the organization.
Medicine Man Gallery is going to be sponsoring the best of show award for Santa Fe Indian Market for the next five years, which is a big deal because I've been going to the event for over 30 years and I feel a strong connection to the artisans there. To be able to give back to that community is very rewarding on a personal level.
All that being said, it was very fun to get to talk to Jamie Schulze and I hope you enjoy the podcast as much as I did.
I had Mark Rossi on my podcast today and we had a really wonderful talk. I've known Mark for almost 30 years and he's been in my gallery almost that long as well. He's known for his sculptures of animals. He's focused primarily on the animals of the Sonoran Desert, but because he's involved in so many museum collections as well as zoo collections, he's gotten to do a lot of exotic animals as well.
If you're in the world-famous San Diego Zoo, you're going to see a Mark Rossi. If you're visiting the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum here in Tucson, you're going to see a Mark Rossi. The Houston Zoo, the Minnesota Zoo, and the Philadephia Zoo - all of these places have Mark's work. So it's fun to go and find out about his story, especially for his father, Paul Rossi, who was a very well-known sculptor and painter and was the director of the Gilcrease Museum.
We talk a lot about the Gilcrease, as well as Frank Waters, who was a novelist that wrote 26 different books on Hopi and Taos, and the foundation that Mark operates to preserve Frank's legacy. He was an important guy in the middle of the 20th century.
This was a very interesting podcast with an individual that I've known for a very long time. It's so much fun for me when I get to crack the nut a little bit and see somebody that I've known in a new light. I got that today with Mark Rossi.
I had a Russell Case on the podcast today. I'm such a fan of his artwork. He captures the Southwest in a way that few others do.
In this podcast, we delve into what it means to paint and how he tries to paint like how a musician makes music, which is a very interesting concept to me. We cover the struggles that he had to go through to get where is today and how all of these experiences, while difficult, made him a better artist.
Russell will be the first to tell you that it doesn't happen overnight. We had a long discussion about what it takes to become a professional artist. I think Russell's words in this podcast are valuable to painters of all skill levels and I enjoyed it a lot. Russell Case on episode 251 of Art Dealer DIaries Podcast.
I love the type of podcast where I get to go in-depth with the person I'm speaking to, so much so that I begin to feel a connection that's hard to describe. Well, I had that experience with Bo Joe. He's an amazing silversmith and an incredibly interesting person. I've known his father, sculptor and painter Orland Joe for many tears, but I hadn't really had the opportunity to talk to his son, especially not on this kind of level.
Bo was a successful sound engineer for some big names in the music industry such as The Smashing Pumpkins, who he worked intimately with. We talk about that component of his life, working with these really famous people and he was really one of the best at what he did. That being said, it wasn't fulfilling for him.
One day, Bo realized that it was stones, metal, and the forming of both elements into wearable art that was his true calling. Fast-forward to today and he's become an exceptional, respected silversmith. He has a major gallery that represents him and he's doing incredible things.
You can feel Bo's inner struggle as he speaks on his journey from one art business to the next. Towards the end, he really kind of lets it go and you see his genuine love for the craft on full display. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Bo Joe Part 2 on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
I love the type of podcast where I get to go in-depth with the person I'm speaking to, so much so that I begin to feel a connection that's hard to describe. Well, I had that experience with Bo Joe. He's an amazing silversmith and an incredibly interesting person. I've known his father, sculptor and painter Orland Joe for many tears, but I hadn't really had the opportunity to talk to his son, especially not on this kind of level.
Bo was a successful sound engineer for some big names in the music industry such as The Smashing Pumpkins, who he worked intimately with. We talk about that component of his life, working with these really famous people and he was really one of the best at what he did. That being said, it wasn't fulfilling for him.
One day, Bo realized that it was stones, metal, and the forming of both elements into wearable art that was his true calling. Fast-forward to today and he's become an exceptional, respected silversmith. He has a major gallery that represents him and he's doing incredible things.
You can feel Bo's inner struggle as he speaks on his journey from one art business to the next. Towards the end, he really kind of lets it go and you see his genuine love for the craft on full display. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Bo Joe Part 1 on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
Cathy Smith joined us on the podcast today and we had a delightful talk. She is a world-renowned costume designer and has worked on major motion pictures and in television.
Her big break was 'Dances with Wolves,' a movie that dramatically changed Native American representation in film. Cathy went on to win an Emmy and is honored in the Cowgirl Hall of Fame for her contributions to Western media.
Even with all of these accolades and accomplishments, she really struggled to begin with. It took her a long time to break into what became her claim to fame. Fast-forward to today and Cathy is a leader in set design and period-accurate Native American clothing. These days Cathy has a museum that she owns and operates up at the Nambe Trading Post just North of Santa Fe.
This was a really fun podcast and I think you'll enjoy Cathy's story. Cathy A. Smith on episode 248 of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
This podcast was particularly interesting and fun for me because I knew the person that I did it with pretty darn well. I've known Anne Gartner and her husband, Jeffrey, for almost 20 years. They're, wonderful collectors, and I wanted to talk art, which of course this is what this podcast is all about, but also the fact that she was in the military.
Anne was a Navy nurse in Vietnam on one of the ships out of Danang. As many people have heard, there's a constant thread throughout a lot of my episodes, and that thread is the war in Vietnam. I think it was a monumental event for so many in our generation and the ramifications can still be seen to this day.
You can hear it in Anne's voice at certain points throughout the podcast. The resurgence of thought regarding some of the things that happened brings her to tears. It was a difficult experience, but one that also shaped the woman she is today. Anne ends up serving in the military for almost 40 years and ends up as a captain in the Navy (and that was just one of her careers).
We also talk a lot about art and how one can become part of the culture. A culture of people that are very interested in art, and her case, Western and Native Arts. Anne and her husband Jeffrey took participating in the arts very seriously and it has evolved into them having an excellent collection and also fostering the preservation and education of art throughout their community. Anyhow, Anne was a wonderful guest and I think you will enjoy her story as much as I did.
I had oil painter Summer Spitsbergen on my podcast today. She is a young and upcoming artist that I happened to have met last summer at the C.M. Russell Museum. They have their big show every third week of August (which you should all go to). It's a great show and while I was up there I fell in love with her work.
Summer is a self-taught artist, hyper-focused on what she wants to achieve with her painting. When you're doing that as an artist and you have great talent, you can go very, very far. She's a real cowgirl too, living on a ranch with her husband raising Wagyu cattle as well as chickens. Summer does all of this while raising her three kids and somehow finding the time to paint every single day.
We talk about what it takes to succeed with such a full life. You know, what's that magic serum that allows you to break free and be creative while successfully making it your profession?
I think there's a lot to be learned from this podcast, especially if you're a younger artist and you're trying to figure it out. Well, she definitely figured it out. Summer Spitsbergen on episode 246 of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
Summer Spitsbergen's Available Paintings:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/western-fine-art/southwestern-contemporary-painters/spitsbergen-summer
I had Ann M. Wolfe on today, and she is the chief curator and associate director of the Nevada Museum of Art. One of the first things we did is made sure everybody knows what the word is. "Nuh·vada" not "Nuh·vaw·da".
She really is an interesting person. You can tell Ann has this great dedication to her job and what she does and that there's a big vision for what they're trying to do up at the Nevada Museum of Art. It's a self-proclaimed museum of ideas (that's really a trademarked and copyrighted term that they have for the museum) and they're doing just that. They're exhibiting land art, they work with the 28 tribes in the Great Basin region, and they're doing a show on the ichthyosaurs that used to live in the area.
On top of all of that, opening in 2024 is a Maynard Dixon exhibition called Sagebrush and Solitude, which is the first time that they've actually done a show for Maynard Dixon that's just on Nevada and the surrounding Great Basin/Eastern California region. So that'll be very interesting. We talked a little bit about that. The exhibit is also going to have Don Haggerty writing part of the book that is going to come out with as a companion to the show itself.
So again, very interesting person. I think you'll enjoy it and anyone who hasn't gone and visited the museum - they should. Put this on the top of your list because even the building itself is a work of art and they're really doing some interesting things there.
I had David Meikle on today, which was really wonderful. I've had David on my podcast in the past, but today we are talking about something that is just so interesting and different from the previous episode.
You see when you're an artist, sometimes you get these opportunities that come out of nowhere. In this case, David had a unique opportunity to work with one of the best directors of all time - Wes Anderson. They worked closely together to come up with the poster for the movie, as well as some of the art featured in the film itself. David and I talk about the process of how an artist like himself contributes to a film like "Asteroid City" and how it came about.
Sometimes you get to do very creative work alongside other very creative people. Wes Anderson is clearly one of those people. He's done some of my personal favorite movies and he has a following like no other, let's just put it that way.
Anyhow, we recorded this episode back in December 2022 and were just recently given the greenlight to release it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. David Meikle on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 244.
Had a wonderful podcast today with Sarah Webber. I've known Sarah for over 20 years and she's a very interesting person. Sarah brings a unique perspective to the podcast because she's an individual who's not only been an artist for over 20 years, but was in art sales, working for various art galleries.
As a result, she has this component that allows her to look at the world that she inhabits (which is as an artist) but from a different viewpoint that involves the business chops that are required to succeed.
As I mentioned, this is a very unique podcast featuring a wonderful voice in the world of art. I really had a great time with this interview. Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 243, with Sarah Webber.
I had fine artist and Illustrator Keith Batcheller on the podcast today. He went to ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, got his BFA, and worked with all these interesting folks afterward, including Bob Peak, Mark English, and Bernie Fuchs.
When Keith became a professional illustrator he worked with big firms in New York, Chicago, and L.A. He eventually started working for Walt Disney Productions and did artwork for massive animated films like Pocahontas, Beauty and the Beast, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, and my personal favorite - Lilo & Stitch.
Disney still uses Keith's illustrations to this day for all sorts of different reasons, whether it's for a Hercules toy or a Star Wars celebration event. It's just a fascinating ride. Keith also worked on the promotional art and packaging for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures that took the country by storm in the late 80s/early 90s. Fast forward to today, and he's moved on from his highly successful illustration career (like many of the artists that I've interviewed have) and is focusing on fine art.
We talk about the switch from illustration to fine art and explore the concept of beginning your journey on one very specific path, only to arrive at a completely different destination after decades of hard work and dedication to said path. I think the only way you can do that as an artist is that you have to be able to pivot. Keith? Yeah, he's done that quite successfully if you ask me. Keith Batcheller on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 242.
One of the great things about this podcast is I get to go down memory lane with people that have these insane historical interactions and today that person is Beverly Miller. Her father was Clay Lockett. Now, Clay is this amazingly complex, interesting man who was an archeologist, had a doctorate in anthropology, and was a well-known Indian trader. He ran the Museum of Northern Arizona's trading post inside the gift shop from 1965 until his death in 1984.
Lockett also owned Cloud World by Maynard Dixon, one of the most important works Dixon ever painted. He knew Jimmy K, the Hopi Carver, and painter Harrison Begay. I mean, it's just a litany of histories, important individuals that dealt in Native American art or associated with the Museum of Northern Arizona.
Beverly herself has an interesting backstory. In this podcast, she shares memories of meeting Maynard Dixon and other important figures in the Western/Native American art scene during her childhood. Beverly and her late husband also played a big role in real estate development in Sedona in the early seventies and eighties.
I've been wanting to have her on for the longest time because she has a wealth of knowledge and these things can be fleeting. With that in mind, I tried to discuss some of the things that could be important down the line.
You'll love this podcast. I know had a great time. Beverly Miller on episode 241 of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
Had one of my favorite people on the podcast today. Bill Robertson. I've known Bill for more than 30 years and he worked for me for at least 15.
Bill's got an amazing story. He moved to Albuquerque in 1950, and he was an English teacher for 30 years He even taught a young Bob Gallegos, a native arts dealer who's also been on the podcast so that tells you how long Bill's been around.
He started collecting pottery in the early sixties, and knew all these amazing people like Charles Loloma, Garnet Pavatea, Lucy Lewis, Maria Martinez, and even rented a house from Helen Naha, also known as "Feather Woman." In 1968 where he spent an entire summer in Hopi working on many different academic projects.
So this was a very interesting conversation with a wonderful human being. Bill Robertson on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast Episode 240.
I had artist Jordan K. Walker on today and it just so happens that he's the newest addition to Medicine Man Gallery. I don't get to take new artists on very often, especially younger artists (he's only 28, but he paints a lot older).
You see, Jordan trained at the Rhode Island School of Design and then came out to the West after he graduated. He was already a naturalist, but since moving westward he's really just fallen in love with the plants, animals, and the landscape out here.
We're going to have our first show for him later this year (October 2023) and this podcast provided a wonderful opportunity to get to really know Jordan. There are going to be a lot of great things that come from this kid. I say "kid" because he is, as far as I'm concerned, a kid in the world of Western art. That being said, this young man is all in and he's got the skills now that most artists need decades of time and effort to develop.
The thing is, Jordan has this old-school feel to him and you can sense it right off the bat in the podcast. I recognized it and it's not just me. Others can see it as well, from storied artists to experienced art collectors. I know for a fact if you pay attention to the world of Western art, you'll definitely be seeing him around. Jordan Walker on episode 239 of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
View Jordan K. Walker's work:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/western-fine-art/southwestern-contemporary-painters/walker-jordan
I had Laura Worthington on today and it became one of the most interesting podcasts I've ever had because I know so little about this field, even though it's an art form.
Laura makes fonts. She comes from a calligraphy background and it's so unique because at a very young age, she knew exactly what she wanted to do. She was focused and completely obsessed with the written word.
Laura is one of probably 1500 people in the world that actually makes their entire living from designing fonts. It turns out that she's done fonts for everything. In fact, in my gallery, one of the fonts on the wall for Shonot Begay's work is one of hers. The movie 'Joker' with Joaquin Phoenix has some of her fonts in it as well.
You can almost go down just about any road and see her fonts, either on billboards or on your newspaper and so it's a fascinating world she lives in. It's technical too, but that's the interesting part - trying to understand (for me, somebody who is really a neophyte with all of this) what you do to curate and create fonts and just the technology and the language of what it is to be somebody who does this for a living.
I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did. She's very dynamic and I would recommend watching this on YouTube if you can because she is very animated and that just adds to the whole joy of the podcast. So Laura Worthington on episode 238 of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
I had Francis Livingston on the podcast today. I'd had Francis on probably three or four years ago and we talked about his life and the backstory of how he became an artist. This time, he's here for a show that we're doing, 'Forests and Beyond' and I thought I would really like to spend a little time just talking about the nuance of his place in the art world.
This podcast is a two-parter. In the first part, we start to talk about modern art and how it relates to what he does today. He also speaks on how he sees his own paintings today and the way that he attacks the canvas to reveal forms and color.
The second part is all about Illustration and the history of illustration, where it started, where it went, and how he was involved. then Francis goes on to talk about the future of the illustration industry, relating art directors hiring digital artists over traditional artists back then, to a.i. systems replacing digital artists in the near future.
So this is Francis Livingston, part two, on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 237.
View 'Francis Livingston: Forests and Beyond' online:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/medicine-man-gallery-antique-native-american-western-art-collections/march-10-2023
I had Francis Livingston on the podcast today. I'd had Francis on probably three or four years ago and we and talked about his life and the backstory of how he became an artist. This time, he's here for a show that we're doing, 'Forests and Beyond' and I thought I would really like to spend a little time just talking about the nuance of his place in the art world.
This podcast is a two-parter. In the first part, we start to talk about modern art and how it relates to what he does today. He also speaks on how he sees his own paintings today and the way that he attacks the canvas to reveal forms and color.
The second part is all about Illustration and the history of illustration, where it started, where it went, and how he was involved. then Francis goes on to talk about the future of the illustration industry, relating art directors hiring digital artists over traditional artists back then, to a.i. systems replacing digital artists in the near future.
So this is Francis Livingston, part one, on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 236.
View 'Francis Livingston: Forests and Beyond' online:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/medicine-man-gallery-antique-native-american-western-art-collections/march-10-2023
I had Duke Beardsley on today. He's something else. I just love his energy. When that man walks into a room, he has a presence, and if you look at his art - it's the same thing. These big, beautiful works with a modern sensibility, cowboys, and Western life. He's got his own voice, which again, is what I love in an artist and what I look for in my own artists that I represent.
Duke has managed to find a lane that no one else has and he's been doing it for quite a while now. He's academically trained at the L.A. Art Center and he has this unique background of being a fifth-generation Coloradan who grew up part of the time in Denver, but the other part he's on a family ranch riding a horse, doing the things that you do if you have a ranch.
So Duke is the product of this mix of experiences growing up and living the life of a Westerner. He's found a unique voice and I'm a big fan. This was a really fun podcast. Duke Beardsley on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 235.
I had Travis Humphreys on today, and he owns Gold River Gallery in Cedar City, Utah. Travis is such an interesting guy. He surprised us at the gallery, delivering a group of hand-carved frames that he made for two of my artists, Dennis Ziemienski and Josh Gibson. So I asked him, "Would you like to do a podcast?" I only kind of knew his backstory before this podcast. It's an interesting story because he's an artist who turned into a framer. Travis is responsible for the Mark Maggiori frames and several other huge names in Western art as well. I was thrilled when he was like "Yeah, sure, I'll do it."
We both just got to talking for almost an hour about how you get into the framing business. We spoke about the obstacles you face when making frames, what the future holds for the framing business, as well as what do you do if you're a young artist trying to figure out framing.
Framing is a very important component of what we do. If you have art that is collectible art, not just decorative art, things that are going to last hopefully for generations - you want to get the frame right. So it's important to have somebody in your corner like Travis. Someone that can give us sage guidance and a great product.
I really enjoyed talking to Travis and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
So this was a different interview for me. My guest was John Hallett. He's a unique guy because he's a veterinarian who has just always been in love with the arts and probably should have been an artist off the bat. But he went a different route, which many artists do. He pursued a professional life with guaranteed income and stability and then toward the end of that career, they start the next one.
He's actually been extremely successful already with sculpting. So he contacted me and said "You know, I would like to ask you some questions if you don't mind." He wanted to come in and just set up on time to ask questions about getting into the art world and the things he needs to do to get gallery representation as he's getting his MFA right now in Wisconsin.
I said "Why don't we just do a podcast? The difference is that I want to have you ask me the questions that you need to know as far as being an artist and what's involved and the questions you have when you're going out into this world." So it's kind of a unique thing.
The first half is on his life and the second half of the podcast is him interviewing me about the art world and things that he needs to be aware of and the kind of things that are going to happen when you go into it headlong.
This is one of those podcasts that will be highly useful for people that are in the art world that are just starting out. John Hallet on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast Episode 233.
Had Mick Doellinger on today. Wow. He has got an interesting life. At 18 months old his family experiences an extremely traumatic event when the ship that his parents are taking to emigrate from Germany to Australia sinks in the Indian Ocean. So that's where it starts, folks.
It's clear to me when I listen to this man talk that he was always meant to be a sculptor. He had to find his calling by wading through the different trials and components of a life where staying afloat is the main priority. He was a taxidermist. He worked the rodeo. He was a butcher. All of these jobs and experiences contributed to forming an oddly specific skill set and ultimately he found his calling as a wildlife sculptor.
Mick is one of the foremost wildlife sculptors out there. He's in many of the top museums and galleries in the country. So he's a very interesting indivudual. I had a great time with Mick Doellinger on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 232.
You can see Mick's work in the Masters of the American West show at the Autry Museum of the American West.
https://masters.theautry.org/search?q=mick+doellinger
Some people are just meant to be artists. John Fawcett is one of those individuals. He has a great story and I had a wonderful time talking with him.
You see, John was a veterinarian before becoming a full-time artist. He worked with small animals and big animals alike and loved horses since he was a kid, having bought his first horse at age ten.
For a long while, John was committed to building a respected veterinary practice, but at his core, he was an artist. Finally, he got to the point where all that pent-up creativity couldn't be held back any longer. Fast-forward to today and he's been an artist longer than he was a vet. John took the plunge in 1992, painting and selling artwork when he could. Now he's a renowned watercolor and oil painter of the West, focusing primarily on Native American subjects, horses, and cowboys.
This was a really fun podcast. John is an interesting guy, and I've always been a fan of his work. Please enjoy Western Oil and watercolor painter John Fawcett on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 231.
You can see John Fawcett's paintings at the Masters of the American West Art Exhibition and Sale at the Autry Museum of the American West through March 23, 2023.
I had Andrew Walker on today and he's the Executive Director of the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. Andrew was kind enough to fly out to Tucson to do this in person at my studio and wow, it was really worth it for me and I think for him as well. Also, the podcast went for 2 whole hours so we're going to make this into a two-part podcast.
The thing that's unique about this podcast is that we really got into what it means to be a museum. The things that you have to look out for in the future and how things are changing, both culturally and from the way you collect. It seems to me that the Amon Carter is really on top of this and doing some amazing exhibitions. They've got one that focuses on indigenous photography, as well as how they approach the way that they see their community in Fort Worth, but also as a national kind of exhibit, a museum that really sets itself apart from others. One of the things that I didn't know is they have probably (if not close to) the largest collection of photography in the country right up there with Getty, maybe more than Getty.
So that kind of thing comes out when you get the chance to spend time and really understand what an institution does and more importantly, what I'm interested in is how Andrew got there and why, and his role as an executive director of a major Western museum. Just how do you get that right? How do you end up in that position?
Andrew has a unique and interesting story, as so many of the people that I get the opportunity to talk to have. Andrew didn't disappoint. Andrew Walker part two on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
I had Andrew Walker on today and he's the Executive Director of the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. Andrew was kind enough to fly out to Tucson to do this in person at my studio and wow, it was really worth it for me and I think for him as well. Also, the podcast went for 2 whole hours so we're going to make this into a two-part podcast.
The thing that's unique about this podcast is that we really got into what it means to be a museum. The things that you have to look out for in the future and how things are changing, both culturally and from the way you collect. It seems to me that the Amon Carter is really on top of this and doing some amazing exhibitions. They've got one that focuses on indigenous photography, as well as how they approach the way that they see their community in Fort Worth, but also as a national kind of exhibit, a museum that really sets itself apart from others. One of the things that I didn't know is they have probably (if not close to) the largest collection of photography in the country right up there with Getty, maybe more than Getty.
So that kind of thing comes out when you get the chance to spend time and really understand what an institution does and more importantly, what I'm interested in is how Andrew got there and why, and his role as an executive director of a major Western museum. Just how do you get that right? How do you end up in that position?
Andrew has a unique and interesting story, as so many of the people that I get the opportunity to talk to have. Andrew didn't disappoint. Andrew Walker part one on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
Very interesting podcast today with an illustrator who's done illustration for 50+ years, Robert Rodriguez. He was dropping off a piece for our upcoming exhibition: Rodeo de Tucson (opening Feb. 3) and we figured why not record a podcast while he's here.
Those that illustrate are such unique people. They really are. You know, they're driven. They have to be driven because they're on deadlines all the time. The individuals that I have worked with either in my gallery or just interviewed - they all seem to have this desire at some point to go, okay, done that, made a good living, but I really want to be a fine artist.
And that's the same case with Robert. Even though he considered starting to do Western and native artwork back in the 1980s, it really wasn't until about 2 to 3 years ago that he flipped the switch and said "Nope, I'm done with illustration. I've done that. I want to do my own thing." And so this is the story of how he got there.
Robert's done some interesting things. He's done a couple of Super Bowl posters, like 19 postage stamps, the poster for City Slickers 2. You know, all these interesting projects over his lifetime. But I think he's really having the most fun of his life right now. I met him in the Russell Museum this summer when he was doing a show there and I was like, wow, this guy can really paint and I don't even know who he is.
Now he's going to be showing one of his pieces in an upcoming show that I have (link below) for the rodeo show. So just a really unique guy. and he has a long history of making art, living art, and he's an important artist. Robert Rodriguez.
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/medicine-man-gallery-antique-native-american-western-art-collections/february-2023-rodeo-show/robert-rodriquez-ride-em-cowgirl-plv91884a-0123-001.html
Wow, what a fun podcast I had today with Ezra Tucker. He's just a unique human being and a joy to get to talk to and to get to know.
He spent most of his career in the illustration world doing all sorts of things, working for Hallmark for four years, going to Hollywood and working there for 20 years, and doing some amazing movie posters. You name it, he probably did it in L.A. in terms of advertising for big-time companies, whether it's Coca-Cola or Anheuser-Busch, Ezra worked across the entire illustration world.
Then we get to where we are today. This is a two-part podcast and the second part is about how he reinvented himself basically around 2001 and goes into what he had been interested in doing for years - which is fine art.
That whole journey was a treat to hear about, as well as Ezra's efforts to bring to light the African American involvement in Western cowboy culture. It's huge and it gets breezed over so easily but Ezra's efforts have not been in vain. It's an incredibly important part of who we are, of the West, and how the West was built.
It was a wonderful podcast and I enjoyed every moment of it. We talked for over 2 hours, so this is a two-part podcast. Ezra Tucker part two on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 227.
Wow, what a fun podcast I had today with Ezra Tucker. He's just a unique human being and a joy to get to talk to and to get to know.
He spent most of his career in the illustration world doing all sorts of things, working for Hallmark for four years, going to Hollywood and working there for 20 years, and doing some amazing movie posters. You name it, he probably did it in L.A. in terms of advertising for big-time companies, whether it's Coca-Cola or Anheuser-Busch, Ezra worked across the entire illustration world.
Then we get to where we are today. This is a two-part podcast and the second part is about how he reinvented himself basically around 2001 and goes into what he had been interested in doing for years - which is fine art.
That whole journey was a treat to hear about, as well as Ezra's efforts to bring to light the African American involvement in Western cowboy culture. It's huge and it gets breezed over so easily but Ezra's efforts have not been in vain. It's an incredibly important part of who we are, of the West, and how the West was built.
It was a wonderful podcast and I enjoyed every moment of it. We talked for over 2 hours, so this is a two-part podcast. Ezra Tucker part one on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 226.
I had such a fun podcast today with Maeve Eichelberger. I like to call her simply "Maeve" because it's just such an interesting, unique name and sometimes you have one of these iconic-sounding names where the entire thing can just be one-word. In my opinion, her name and her personality are equally interesting because she's so full of life and has an exciting presence.
Maeve happens to be at an interesting point in her career. A point that is fun to watch as an art dealer. She's in her mid-thirties and has really hit her stride. She works in a unique medium, which, as far as I know, nobody else does, which is acrylic sculpture. Maeve's art consists of acrylic saddles, chaps, and other things too, but it's these examples of western imagery presented in a media that is not something you would expect in the Western art world. You have these unique acrylic sculptures in the shape of saddles that have etchings and photographs collaged on them that relate beautifully to what Western art is, while simultaneously embodying what it can be.
I found Maeve on the internet when I was working on my Rodeo de Tucson show (which is coming up on February 3rd) and I thought, wow, this is great. Her art is a great example of unique contemporary art that fits exactly into what I see as 'Western'. Maeve grew up around horses while living on a ranch in Colorado. The 'West' is something that's second nature to her.
I think you will really like this podcast. Especially those who are artists that are really trying to find their way. Maeve gives the story and how she found hers (and she's definitely found it). Art Dealer Diaries Podcast 225 with Maeve Eichelberger.
I had Thomas Blackshear on today... What a fun podcast. He's such an animated, interesting human being who's had a unique story from day one. Thomas was meant to be an artist. He's done things as varied as doing plates for collectibles. He was also intimately involved in a series of black figurines - sculptures in the collectible world, the series being a number-one seller for like 20 years.
Thomas has had to face difficulties as most of us do in life. Sometimes we have obstacles that are larger than others and he's managed to find his path and stay true to himself as an artist. At times he's had to reinvent himself and you'll hear in his story, if you really are "all in" as an artist, you will find a way to succeed.
That doesn't necessarily mean you're going to be rich. In fact, you probably won't, but you will succeed artistically if you stick with it. For Thomas, what he's doing right now is the most important, which is really having fun and enjoying his God-given talents.
You see, Thomas burst onto the Western and Native American art scene with his paintings in 2017. So he's only been in this arena of art for five years. The thing is - he's got like 45 years as a serious player in the world of illustration. I'm a serious fan of his work, I collect his work, and I encourage you to listen to this podcast so you'll understand Thomas Blackshear, the person. This is part two of two.
I had Thomas Blackshear on today... What a fun podcast. He's such an animated, interesting human being who's had a unique story from day one. Thomas was meant to be an artist. He's done things as varied as doing plates for collectibles. He was also intimately involved in a series of black figurines - sculptures in the collectible world, the series being a number-one seller for like 20 years.
Thomas has had to face difficulties as most of us do in life. Sometimes we have obstacles that are larger than others and he's managed to find his path and stay true to himself as an artist. At times he's had to reinvent himself and you'll hear in his story, if you really are "all in" as an artist, you will find a way to succeed.
That doesn't necessarily mean you're going to be rich. In fact, you probably won't, but you will succeed artistically if you stick with it. For Thomas, what he's doing right now is the most important, which is really having fun and enjoying his God-given talents.
You see, Thomas burst onto the Western and Native American art scene with his paintings in 2017. So he's only been in this arena of art for five years. The thing is - he's got like 45 years as a serious player in the world of illustration. I'm a serious fan of his work, I collect his work, and I encourage you to listen to this podcast so you'll understand Thomas Blackshear, the person. This is part one of two.
Today was fun. I had Lisa Danielle on and we've been trying to arrange a podcast for about three years. One day and she's down here in Tucson and she came in and we just had a great talk.
I've represented Lisa for almost 20 years or maybe even a little bit longer... but we've never had an in-depth conversation about her backstory. You see, that's one of the beautiful things about this podcast, is that through interviewing these individuals, I get a deeper sense of who the person is and why they do what they do. All too often there's this storyline that isn't all peaches and cream.
It's incredibly difficult to get to the point of being able to make a living as an artist. Lisa even speaks about times where she couldn't get things sold and she's having to work at a nursing home. At the end of the day that's what you do if you really want to be an artist. You absolutely must be willing to put yourself in those positions to allow you to continue to create art.
Lisa Danielle is one of those people that did it. So, it's a fascinating interview. In fact, it went for over 2 hours and it was like a time warp because I didn't even realize it had gone that long, which is always wonderful. So this will be a two-parter and this is part two of Lisa Danielle on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 222.
Today was fun. I had Lisa Danielle on and we've been trying to arrange a podcast for about three years. One day and she's down here in Tucson and she came in and we just had a great talk.
I've represented Lisa for almost 20 years or maybe even a little bit longer... but we've never had an in-depth conversation about her backstory. You see, that's one of the beautiful things about this podcast, is that through interviewing these individuals, I get a deeper sense of who the person is and why they do what they do. All too often there's this storyline that isn't all peaches and cream.
It's incredibly difficult to get to the point of being able to make a living as an artist. Lisa even speaks about times where she couldn't get things sold and she's having to work at a nursing home. At the end of the day that's what you do if you really want to be an artist. You absolutely must be willing to put yourself in those positions to allow you to continue to create art.
Lisa Danielle is one of those people that did it. So, it's a fascinating interview. In fact, it went for over 2 hours and it was like a time warp because I didn't even realize it had gone that long, which is always wonderful. So this will be a two-parter and this is part one of Lisa Danielle on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 221.
So, the title of my podcast is Art Dealer Diaries, and I named it that because it's all about the people that come through my life coincidentally and also by design. Well, today happened to be one of those special coincidental days. An artist happened to come into the gallery to poke around the Maynard Dixon Museum and it was like, "Oh, I love your material."
I'd never known her, never met her. I wasn't familiar with her work, but when I saw a portfolio of one Whitney Gardner, it just resonated greatly with me. I said, "Yeah, let's show your work if you want us to." And she was like, "Great." So that's how I met Whitney. She's quite unique and has her own voice that you can see when you look at her paintings.
Whitney's been living in and painting the Mojave Desert for 12 years. That's a hard subject to try and tackle and she's done a beautiful job. So then I said, "Let's go record a podcast if you want to?" And she said, "Yeah, let's do it." So it was very fun, and spontaneous, and I'm just thrilled to have her on board at the gallery.
So please enjoy, Whitney Gardner on episode 220 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
I had Norah Diedrich on today, and she is going to be our new executive director running the Tucson Museum of Art, which we're very excited about. She's an interesting lady who has followed a unique and interesting path, as so many guests on this podcast have.
When she was first involved with art, she thought she would be a fine artist. At one point she was showing her photographs in galleries, but ultimately found the path she has been following for most of her life, which was through the museum world.
Fast forward to today and Norah's been the executive director of the Newport Art Museum in Newport, Rhode Island, for almost eight years. Now she's going to move to the Southwest and she's very excited about the potential and about what she can add to the museum. She understands just how important the diversification of a museum is, as well as the impact the interpretation of the art museum can have on the community.
I'm very excited to welcome her to Tucson. This was an interesting and uniquely Art Dealer Diaries conversation about her journey and what we're going to get to expect from Norah Diedrich.
I had Kevin Chupik on the podcast today and wow, what an interesting guy. I love this podcast on so many levels because, you know, he's had this really tough road to get where he is and not just from a point of just trying to make it as an artist.
It's always a hard road. But Kevin was a very active, athletic individual who was doing guided trips, you know, teaching biking and mountain biking and really spending lots of time in the back woods. Then he had a major accident and crushed his T-12, which caused him to be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
He didn't let that stop him. In fact, he used it as a motivator to really become who he is today. So when you hear something like that, you've got to just go, wow, that's the kind of person I want to meet.
And his paintings are wonderful. I had no idea about his accident until actually last night. You know, I found his work on Instagram and was so impressed with his concept of how he wants to show the West. So I invited him to be part of my Rodeo de Tucson show, which is coming up on February 3rd, 2023.
It was wonderful to get to spend an hour with Kevin. I think he is a unique, gifted individual who will see a lot more of in the future. Kevin Chupik on Art Dealer Diaries episode 218.
I had Thomas Minckler on today and he is an art dealer, historian, book aficionado, photograph expert, you name it, he's probably an expert on it. He really is erudite in those fields, which is one of the reasons I've enjoyed spending time with him, though I haven't spent as much time with him over the last 30 years as I have recently.
It's amazing what you can learn if you spend time with your colleagues. It's my main takeaway from doing this podcast. That it's important to spend time with the people that are in your field – not just talk about work and those kinds of things but actually talk about some of the deeper issues that we all deal with.
You see, Thomas has been working on a seven-year project for the history of the state of Montana. He's amassed a huge collection of very important historical documents about Montana that's over 11,000 in size, including one of the most important documents relating to Custer and one of the very first and only maps that we know of Montana and Idaho when the territory was first divided in 1864.
So there are all these interesting stories we talk about. It went long, which I like, and it didn't seem like it, but it really was a long podcast. So I'm going to make this into a two-part episode. The first part is more about Thomas's background and what is going on in his life.
The second part is more about his current task of finishing a very important manuscript that he's been working on for a while, which will be out in press by January or February of 2023. So this is Thomas Minckler on the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast part two.
I had Thomas Minkler on today and he is an art dealer, historian, book aficionado, photograph expert, you name it, he's probably an expert on it. He really is erudite in those fields, which is one of the reasons I've enjoyed spending time with him, though I haven't spent as much time with him over the last 30 years as I have recently.
It's amazing what you can learn if you spend time with your colleagues. It's my main takeaway from doing this podcast. That it's important to spend time with the people that are in your field – not just talk about work and those kinds of things but actually talk about some of the deeper issues that we all deal with.
You see, Thomas has been working on a seven-year project for the history of the state of Montana. He's amassed a huge collection of very important historical documents about Montana that's over 11,000 in size, including one of the most important documents relating to Custer and one of the very first and only maps that we know of Montana and Idaho when the territory was first divided in 1864.
So there are all these interesting stories we talk about. It went long, which I like, and it didn't seem like it, but it really was a long podcast. So I'm going to make this into a two-part episode. The first part is more about Thomas's background and what is going on in his life.
The second part is more about his current task of finishing a very important manuscript that he's been working on for a while, which will be out in press by January or February of 2023. So this is Thomas Minckler on the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast part one.
I had Howard Post on the podcast today. We're talking about his new show "From Above" which opens on October 22nd here at Medicine Man Gallery in Tucson and It'll run through the first couple of weeks in November.
Howard is just such an interesting guy. I love his work and his dedication to being an artist. I've represented him for 25 years and he has an amazing story.
I mean he's a real rodeo guy. Howard was all-around rodeo champion in high school, he competed in college and even went on to compete on the pro circuit. The thing is, he always wanted to be an artist. It wasn't really seen as something you do if you are in the rodeo world, and since his dad owned a feed store here in Tucson there wasn't a great deal of support behind Howard making it as a painter.
So, this podcast is just an interesting look back at Howard's life, our relationship over the last 25 years, as well as his new show "From Above" which is all about Howard's take on the West from the signature aerial perspective that he's known for. It's a really interesting body of work that he's done for us and I can't wait for the opening on October 22, 2022.
Again, he's an interesting guy and I really enjoy having Howard as both an artist I represent and a friend. Howard Post on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast 215.
View the show online:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/medicine-man-gallery-antique-native-american-western-art-collections/october-7-2022
I had Peggy Judy on the podcast today and she was just delightful. I love this kind of story where you have someone who's an artist, they're born with that special knack for art, but because of the way things play out in life, they don't end up getting into the fine art world right away. In Peggy's case, she worked as an illustrator, sort of orbiting a world in which she'd eventually be a fixture.
You see, Peggy got her BFA in illustration, but she put it on the side and worked with horses, raised her family, and then after a while she had the classic 'I should be making art' epiphany. She sold her house and went all in and she's done extremely well as a result. Peggy has been doing this now for about eight years and she's currently represented by a slew of galleries. In fact, she just had a major one-person show at a museum and she's going to be exhibiting in our gallery at my upcoming Rodeo de Tucson show in February.
Actually, I was looking for artists for the aforementioned Rodeo show when I stumbled across Peggy's art for the first time. I didn't know who she was, but I immediately gravitated to what she was doing and said: "Yeah, this person really has something." Once you get her backstory you'll understand why I find her so interesting.
I think you'll enjoy this one. I know I did. Peggy Judy on Art Dealer Diaries episode 214.
I had plein air painter Linda Tippetts on the podcast today. I actually met Linda at the C. M. Russell Museum when I was there giving a lecture on Maynard Dixon during their annual group show. There must have been close to 100 artists, if not more. It's a really fun experience and anybody who has not gone to that show should plan for next year. It’s typically in the third week of August, and when I went to visit the weather was beautiful and all the exhibits were amazing.
I walked into Linda’s exhibit space and I was met with a group of beautiful paintings, but there was one that was just incredibly moving for me. I had heard Linda's name come up before but hadn’t seen her art yet.
When I finally met Linda I could tell that there was a story there. She's a person that grew up on a ranch in Montana and had to fight tooth and nail to get where she is in the art industry today. Sometimes it's a real struggle to make it to the promised land.
It wasn't easy for Linda. She was constantly moving from one place to another. She would put her job in jeopardy trying to get into gallery shows, living in a little trailer so she could travel around the country and paint.
Linda put in her time and she put in the effort. So anybody out there who says to themselves “I'm going to be an artist someday” - while you listen to her life story, you’ll come to realize what sacrifices are necessary to get there. If you have the gumption and sense of “this is what I'm going to do…” Well, then you can be a Linda Tippetts.
I had Lance Laber on the podcast today. He's the Executive Director for the Ted DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun and he's been working with the museum for 40 years, the last 20 as the Executive Director. The DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun has been around since the 1980s and is in the same general area as Medicine Man Gallery in Tucson's Catalina Foothills.
Ted DeGrazia was a very well-known artist and at one time Ted would say that he was the best-known artist in the world because of cards UNICEF produced featuring his painting "Los Niños." With that said, Ted DeGrazia was much more than the UNICEF campaign that made him a household name. I mean, he was an individual that worked with artists like Diego Rivera and Olaf Wieghorst.
It was really fun to learn more about Ted DeGrazia, the studio, the gallery, and the museum - but also about Lance's early years in Tucson and his connection to the DeGrazia family. It's a really interesting podcast for anybody in Tucson and I enjoyed speaking with Lance a great deal. Lance Laber on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 212.
Learn More about Ettore "Ted" DeGrazia:
Degrazia.org
Today's guest was Shiloh Thurman and he's the Museum Director of the Woolaroc Museum in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Now, might have not heard of this museum, but it's always been a personal favorite of mine. The Woolaroc is a hidden gem of a museum up in northeastern Oklahoma, an hour out of Tulsa and I encourage you, if you're in that area, to go see it as it's not your run-of-the-mill educational institution.
I don't say that in a bad way at all. It's not normal because it has herds of regional animals surrounding the museum including (but not limited to) bison, elk, and water buffalo. They are a big part of the experience, as well as the old cabin that oil tycoon Frank Phillips used as his home. It's filled with great J. H. Sharp paintings and antique textiles and it's just an amazing thing to see. The museum itself has a great collection of Frank Tenney Johnson and William R. Leigh paintings, as well as some amazing first-phase, second-phase, and third-phase chiefs blankets.
Shiloh has got a story to match. Here's a kid who grew up in Bartlesville and basically did every single job in the building in order to work his way up the ladder. He eventually became the director/curator and has been thriving ever since. It's a fun and interesting story.
Plus, I want to promote this museum because I happen to like it. Shiloh Thurman on Art Dealer Diaries episode 211.
I had artist Tom Gilleon on today, which was wonderful. He has such an interesting story. From being in the Navy to finding his way to Disney and becoming an important component in the Disney illustration world. He worked with Disney for many, many years and did some amazing work with Disney, eventually transitioning to digital illustration in 1998, selling his entire beadwork collection to get his hands on a high-powered computer.
The quintessential Tom Gillleon painting is that of a tipi, but the new reality is that his digital work, and I've seen it live, is an interesting take on western landscapes in the 21st century. Oh yeah, did I mention he just turned 80?
Personally, I think it's a very interesting podcast, especially for artists. To listen to an individual who had the foresight to gauge where the art world was headed and defied the uneasy feelings of uncertainty and fear to successfully push his art into a parallel but separate arena. It's just amazing. Tom even says to those listening to not be afraid to take chances as taking chances resulted in his biggest opportunities.
And he's absolutely right. if you don't take a chance, you know, you're not going to be sitting in front of me recording a podcast about your success. So sometimes you have to do that in life and it's scary, it's hard, but it can also be the most rewarding thing in the world. So I think everyone will enjoy this podcast with a very important artist, Tom Gilleon.
Bid on Tom Gilleon's painting 'Fort Mountain' here:
https://www.wildlifeart.org/news/35th-annual-western-visions-art-show-sale-with-new-live-auction-component
Learn more about Tom Gilleon here:
https://www.tomgilleon.art/
I had Barbara Teller Ornelas on the podcast today. I've known Barbara for a very long time. She's a Diné weaver who's won Best of Show at Indian Market in Santa Fe twice which, as far as I know, has never happened with any other weaver.
Barbara is an amazing individual, an artist that is completely dedicated to her art form. She does Two Great Hills tapestry weavings, typically 80 inches and greater. Her heritage is that of Edgewater Clan and The Waters Flow Together clan.
We sat down and spoke about her journey, how she learned to weave, and the things that have gone on in her life. Things like boarding school, which was really problematic for a lot of Native American people. We also talk about COVID and how devastating it was for her family.
This is a terrific podcast especially if you want to learn about one of the greatest living weavers (Seriously, she's the Michael Jordan Navajo weaving). Barbara is amazing and I had a great time. Barbara Teller Ornelas on Episode 209 of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
I had Roger Eiteljorg on the podcast today. I've known Roger for a very long time and this is a unique podcast because we spoke not only about Roger and his background but also about his father.
You see, Roger's dad was Harrison Eiteljorg, an American philanthropist and businessman who founded the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis. It's an amazingly difficult thing to start a museum and actually have it function let alone succeed for an extended period of time. After 3 decades the Eiteljorg Museum has earned its spot among the premier Western/Native American art museums east of the Mississippi. Throughout the podcast, you get a sense of what it's like to grow up with a father who had the ambitions that Harrison Eiteljorg had and how that would impact someone like Roger.
Roger lives in Taos these days and he's involved in the Taos Art Museum as well. This is a very fun and interesting podcast, Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 208 with Roger Eiteljorg.
I had Stephen Datz on the podcast today. It was interesting because this is not the normal podcast where I talk about somebody's life as I've done that with Stephen before (Epi. 43 & 84). This podcast is about a show he had worked on for seven years in the Grand Tetons. It was a prestigious plein-air show that he had helped start.
Well, the show was canceled suddenly in 2019 and Stephen didn't get closure with this body of work. He wanted to show all these paintings, and enhance some of the ones he really hadn't finished yet. So he spent the time and energy to not only finish the paintings but to write an article about each one and then put it in book form.
From a standpoint of "Is this a financially smart thing to do?" I'd say maybe not. But from a creative standpoint, from an emotional, you know, seeking closure standpoint, it's exactly what art is about. He shows what he did, how he did it, why he did it, and he finished the paintings that never got finished.
So it's a wonderful show. This is kind of a dated podcast in a weird way because it's really talking about a show opening on August 19, 2022, here at my Tucson gallery. This show happens to be getting memorialized in a book as well. It's always going to be out there as long as the books are out there and we go and talk about it all.
Stephen C. Datz on episode 207 of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
Eveli Sabatie... that is a podcast that I think will be one of my favorite that I've done in the last 5 years. She's just a unique human being that has a story like no other so strap in and enjoy this one.
It's a rollercoaster ride in a way. You're talking about this individual that was born in Algeria, grew up in Morocco, goes to Paris, has a moment where she knows she needs to come to America and she ends up in Hopi working with Charles Loloma. She lived at the Pueblo for 3 years and becomes this amazing silversmith/jewelry artist whose work is now in major museums.
In fact, she had an amazing show several years ago at the Wheelwright Museum in Santa Fe. She hasn't made jewelry for 20 years, but her legacy of over 40 years of master silver work with these incredible, intricate pieces are still there for viewing.
Eveli has a book coming out and that's the main reason we had her on the podcast, but really, I wanted to get deep into how she became this amazing silversmith and of course, working and having a relationship with Charles Lama for three years is just icing on the cake. So she's a very important artist and a wonderful, sweet human being and I think it comes out in this podcast.
I believe this is one of those that you really should watch on YouTube because she is so animated and it adds a great deal to the experience. That's what this is really. It's an experience. It's the reason that I do this podcast. Eveli Sabatie on episode 206 of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
I've known Leroy Garcia of Blue Rain Gallery for 30+ years and his trajectory and my trajectory are very similar. He opened his gallery in Taos and then moved to Santa Fe, having had another location in Scottsdale at one point as well. My gallery is in Tucson and was also in Santa Fe for a time. We share some of the same artists in our stable, as well as the way we do business. Leroy and I are both pro-artist, pro-Native American, and pro-Hispanic art.
You see, Leroy is a mover and shaker in the field and I've always felt that he's one of the best marketers out there. He has a great sense of what needs to be explored as far as how you go about showing and selling art, as well as who you represent in your gallery and the ecosystem a varied array or artists can create. He also has his own podcast, the Blue Rain Gallery Podcast, which I listen to and is a very interesting, unique, artist-centric podcast.
I think if you want to learn about the art world from the viewpoint of the established art dealer, this is a really great podcast to listen to. It's different than most of the other podcasts I've recorded because we talk about what it is to be a gallerist, the things that have to, do and the problems that you encounter, especially in the modern day and age of social media and the rising frequency of direct artist to client relationships.
So I think you'll really enjoy this. I know I did. Leroy Garcia of Blue Rain Gallery.
Priya Gore. Wow, what a joyful person. I had so much fun with this podcast and I hope people that listen to it can hear the joy not only in her voice but in mine as well.
If you are an artist and wondering: "how do I go about doing this? should I take that leap? Is it worth it? Can I do it?" Well, let me tell you. Priya did it. From growing up in India with 20+ cousins (essentially brothers and sisters) that are all doctors except for the one telecommunications engineer, progressing through that industry and ending up in Australia, to eventually becoming an extremely talented full-time artist. She just has wonderful abilities with a paintbrush.
This is one of those insightful and uplifting podcasts that you rarely come across but when you do, it's such a joy. Priya is definitely a unique and interesting human being and I think everyone who listens to this will have a great time. Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 204 with Priya Gore.
Every one of these podcasts I do is unique. I never know exactly what kind of flavor person I'm going pull from the box. In this particular case, I got chocolate (which is my favorite). You see, I've represented Carol Alleman for more than 15 years and I knew some of her background, but I didn't know the entire story. Not even close.
Carol is somebody who struggled to become an artist. As a kid, she had to approach art and creativity through her life experiences, ultimately having an extended family member give her a push in the right direction. After her initial exposure to art and the years that followed, Carol found herself on the winding road of life eventually getting a degree in art education.
She had to bypass hurdle after hurdle, eventually becoming a professional artist in her early forties. A professional artist that was represented by nine of the best galleries in the country, no less.
And, you know, her art is amazing and I encourage people to go look at it on our website. You can see her sculptural identity in full force and the attention to detail she puts into all of her pieces. Carol is unique in her approach and each one has a story, a poem that expresses Carol's feelings on any particular piece. In fact, Carol stated a piece of hers is not complete until the story or poem is complete as well.
A very unique individual and a wonderful podcast. Art Dealer Diaries episode 203 with Carol Alleman.
Fred King is an interesting guy. I've known him since 1990 but he started dealing in Native American material back in 1967. He's one of the earliest individuals to have had a Native American art gallery in San Francisco. It's interesting to hear about the early days and what it was like to be in the bay area back then participating in both the music and art scenes.
When it comes to music and movies specifically, Fred is quite erudite - plus, he loves early British motorcycles. It shows you the type of people that go into our business. People that have a wide array of interests.
Even though Fred could have done a lot of things in his life professionally, whether it was the music industry or showbiz in general, he chose to stick with Native American art. He knows a lot about the art and the industry, especially Navajo textiles. So very interesting interview with one of the earliest players in our business, Fred King.
I had Steve Elmore on the podcast today and I've known Steve since about 1995. He's an interesting guy with a unique story.
You see, Steve grew up about 100 miles away from where I did in Carlsbad, New Mexico. He had an intimate relationship with Carlsbad Caverns, which, if you haven't ever been to, is this immense natural wonder of the world. It's not unusual that he ends up specializing in Pueblo pottery years later (you know, clay, earth, all that good stuff)
Steve's journey from teacher, to photographer, to art dealer is this classic circuitous route that so many in our profession have done. I think it comes down to the love of the many types of people in the art industry and most importantly the art itself. Most people think that we just want to buy and sell things to make as much money as possible. In reality, myself and the people that I associate with and consider to be colleagues would argue it's a lot deeper than that.
I think this is very evident with Steve and his appreciation for the art he displays in his gallery, namely the Pueblo pottery of Old Lady Nampeyo of Hano (of which he's a specialist/expert). So a unique and interesting, fun podcast rife with wonderful information on the Pueblo pottery market and one of the greatest potters to ever live.
I must admit the audio and video were a little problematic with this podcast, but that's the way it goes when you rely on technology as heavily as we do these days. Sometimes it doesn't want to work with us and today was one of those times.
I had Logan Maxwell Hagege on the podcast today. He's such an interesting person and a wonderful artist. I think you'll really enjoy this podcast as it's my 200th podcast. It's appropriate for Logan to be my guest on this milestone episode just because of the ride we've had together and how I’ve had the pleasure of watching him mature as an artist over the past 20 years.
I remember him when he was in his early twenties. You could see there was a mountain of talent there, but he was struggling to find his voice at that particular point in time. Flash forward to now and he's one of the top artists in America.
His work is very recognizable and when you listen to him speak on his journey, he makes it evident that people don’t/can’t become great artists overnight. It takes struggle and it takes evolution to get to that next level. Logan’s drive and desire to bring a unique voice to the art world helped him overcome the adversity that every artist faces. He's a perfectionist when it comes to his work. He only wants the best stuff out there.
It was a really fun podcast and I think you'll really enjoy it. Logan Maxwell Hagege on the 200th episode of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
Logan Maxwell Hagege - Close to Home (Serigraph)
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/catalog/product/view/id/68866
I had Matt Fitzsims on the podcast today and he wrote a wonderful book called 'The Counterfeiters of Bosque Redondo: Slavery, Silver and the U.S. War Against the Navajo Nation.
I read this book twice, actually. There's so much in-depth history. I feel like you can actually hear the voices of the people sharing their perspectives of these dark times. Truth is, it was a devastating time for the Navajo people from 1849 to their release from Bosque in 1868.
The book not only tells the story of the tragedy but also dives into the actual origin of Navajo metalworking. The book really enlightened me on just how early the Navajo people started working with silver and other metals.
This was a great podcast and Matt is a wonderful human being. I enjoyed our conversation a great deal and I encourage everyone listening to buy the book. It's available July 25th, 2022 but you can preorder on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Matt Fitzsimons on episode 199 of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9781467151429
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/counterfeiters-of-bosque-redondo-the-matt-fitzsimons/1141347192
https://www.amazon.com/Counterfeiters-Bosque-Redondo-Slavery-Against/dp/1467151424/
I had Jeff Mitchell on today. I've known Jeff for around 27 years and he's a really interesting guy and a very sweet man who loves art and has a unique background like so many art dealers do. This podcast tells the story of how Jeff became a leader in his field, primarily dealing in art by deceased artists, with a specialty in Maynard Dixon, which is an area that he and I have in common.
We hear about the constant evolution in Jeff's life, from joining the marines to being a construction worker a couple of times, going to school for design, becoming a museum director, then a gallery owner, and finally a private dealer. He illustrates just how that happens–how somebody like Jeff has their professional life unfold like that over 45 years.
When you get the opportunity to just sit down and talk with somebody in a very intimate situation where you can learn about the things that they went through, it's always unique and exciting. This is no exception and I enjoyed this podcast a great deal. Jeff Mitchell on Art Dealer Diaries episode 198.
I had Philip Garaway on the podcast today. I knew it would be a very interesting podcast and I also knew it would also go very long (which it did). It was over two hours so we're going to break this into two episodes.
Part 2 of the Philip Garaway interview is about his transformation into a leader in the field of Native American art. He started selling items in 1975 as a 23-year-old and even had a show at the gift shop at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Philip goes on to discuss the gallery that he owned in Los Angeles, as well as his well-known friends and clients such as artists Tony Berlant and Billy Schenck, senator and silversmith Ben Nighthorse, and comedian George Carlin.
I've known Philip for over 30 years. In fact, he was one of the first people I bought pottery from when I was still in the military in Los Angeles in 1988. So a very long history of who the players were in the Native American art field and how he was involved in forming it into what it is today. It's quite fascinating. Philip Garaway part two.
Watch the Ethnic Arts Council of LA's documentary "LA Collects!"
https://vimeo.com/354284476
Watch The ONWARD Project Presents… Philip Garaway!
https://www.onwardproject.org/blog/the-onward-project-presents-philip-garaway
I had Philip Garraway on the podcast today. I knew it would be a very interesting podcast and I also knew it would also go very long (which it did). It was over two hours so we're going to break this into two episodes.
Episode one is about his early life and how he became who he is spiritually and emotionally from a walkabout in India for a year to living on a kibbutz in Israel and just all these interesting components of his life that make him who he is. We also speak on the Vietnam War and how that affected him and his family. Philip shares some stories that he hasn't shared publicly before and they are not only interesting but quite moving.
I've known Philip for over 30 years. In fact, he was one of the first people I bought pottery from when I was still in the military in Los Angeles in 1988. So a very long history of who the players were in the Native American art field and how he was involved in forming it into what it is today. It's quite fascinating. Philip Garaway part one.
Peter Nesbit came by today and we actually recorded on a Sunday (something I never do). I did that because I really wanted him on this podcast and sometimes you have to work around a person's schedule to capture important stories from important people. Anyway, Peter was in Tucson and I thought: "God, I got to have Pete on my podcast."
Peter is just a really interesting individual. I've known him for 30 years, but you don't know somebody until you sit down and have an intimate talk about how they got through life accomplishing all the things they've accomplished.
This podcast was uniquely Pete Nesbit. From his time in the Navy on a ship that was involved in a major ship-to-ship collision during Vietnam and how this moment affected how he sees things, to just his whole world view and how he wants to be remembered as a painter.
It's clear that he puts that personal history and his place in the broader history of the world on a very high pedestal regarding what he does and why he does it, which is really trying to make an impact in every painting that he does.
I think you'll find it very unique. I know I did. I was really happy to have him on and I think you'll enjoy it as much as I did. Art Dealer Diaries episode 195 with Pete Nesbit.
I had Tom Figarelle on the podcast today and he's the Executive Director of the C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, Montana. This podcast is unique because we get to hear the extent of Tom's love for his hometown which is Great Falls, MT. It's where he's from, where his parents are from, and where he lives and works to honor a historical figure that loved Great Falls just as much. The idea that a Western artist who died in 1926 can have such an impact on the world of art, but also have an immense influence on the state of Montana where he's kind of a superstar... It's mind-boggling stuff.
You see, I'm very fortunate in my personal, most recent connection to the C.M. Russell Museum. I was actually invited to go and lecture there on August 20th of this year (2022) at this massive Charles Russell show that they have. There's a major auction component to the show and they give out an award, the Western Heritage Award, which I'm very fortunate to be the recipient of this particular year. I encourage everyone to listen to this and if you can come out and see the show in August, it sounds like it's going to be an amazing event.
I guess what really amazes me is that in some parts of the world, in some parts of America, there are artists that can break through and we can really see how important these people are. So I was thrilled to talk to Tom because he really could talk about this in a very intimate and personal way, having grown up in Great Falls and really kind of ended up with his dream job of being the executive director of this museum.
Learn more about the upcoming show and auction at the C.M. Russell Museum:
https://cmrussell.org/
https://cmrussell.org/experience/upcoming-events/
406-727-8787
info@cmrussell.org
I had Krystii Melaine on the podcast today. She was born and raised in a very small town in southeastern Australia called Bairnsdale and followed her love of art up and down, trying to find her path. Eventually, she found her way into America and started painting Western art, which was a thing she didn't even know existed.
Fast forward to today and she's one of the top artists in America painting wildlife and western figurative realism. She's done Native American subjects as well as cowboy subjects and is in more than 25 museum collections.
It's just really fun to just hear how somebody from a little town in Australia can have a dream that a lot of us in the art world have/ had and pursue it so successfully. That's a big deal, right? To leave your country, leave your family and friends, follow your dream, and find success and security from your passion.
Krystii will tell you her motto is: "How hard could it be?" Well, let me tell you, achieving what Krystii has achieved is incredibly difficult. It's something to be applauded. So if you're anything like me you'll find this podcast very interesting. I had a great time listening to her, she's just so upbeat, fun, and authentic. Krystii Melaine on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast Number 193.
I had Kim Wiggins on the show today and, wow... He's such an interesting guy. It's fun to be able to have such an erudite and wonderful artist that has such a unique story.
He's from a ranching community in southeastern New Mexico (really close to where I grew up, actually). His father was a photojournalist, a very well-received photojournalist and he started his own paper. He had his own gallery and wrote books on Alfred Morang, Emil Bisttram, and William Lumpkins. Kim was around some of these great artists from time to time. Alexandre Hogue worked with Kim, and I think they did five shows together.
Kim's also a wonderful storyteller. You'll see this in his paintings, too. I think it's really important to look at Kim's work when you listen to this podcast because it gives you a sense of where he's coming from. He believes, and I wholeheartedly agree with him, that he is telling the story of his New Mexican/cowboy culture where he grew up and the life he knows. In today's world, I think it's important to have something where you can go: "This is mine." And Kim feels that way about the West and about the ideas and emotions he projects through his paintings.
It's a fun podcast and again, he's an interesting individual, so it ran a couple of hours. I'm going to make this two-episode podcast, and this is episode two.
I had Kim Wiggins on the show today and, wow... He's such an interesting guy. It's fun to be able to have such an erudite and wonderful artist that has such a unique story.
He's from a ranching community in southeastern New Mexico (really close to where I grew up, actually). His father was a photojournalist, a very well-received photojournalist and he started his own paper. He had his own gallery and wrote books on Alfred Morang, Emil Bisttram, and William Lumpkins. Kim was around some of these great artists from time to time. Alexandre Hogue worked with Kim, and I think they did five shows together.
Kim's also a wonderful storyteller. You'll see this in his paintings, too. I think it's really important to look at Kim's work when you listen to this podcast because it gives you a sense of where he's coming from. He believes, and I wholeheartedly agree with him, that he is telling the story of his New Mexican/cowboy culture of where he grew up and the life he knows. In today's world, I think it's important to have something where you can go: "This is mine." And Kim feels that way about the West and about the ideas and emotions he projects through his paintings.
It's a fun podcast and again, he's an interesting individual, so it ran a couple of hours. I'm going to make this two-episode podcast, and this is episode one.
Juraj Skalina was my guest on the podcast today. I've known Juraj for.. gosh.. 25, almost 30 years? I started using him as a framer in 1996 and I think it's so important (when we talk about the business of art and the world of art) that we don't forget it's not just artists and art dealers. It's also people that work to optimize art for display in homes, galleries, museums, etc. such as framers, a critical component of our business. The craftsmen and craftswomen that work in framing often get overlooked.
As for Yuri, he's a really interesting human who came from Czechoslovakia. He emigrated during a Russian-led invasion of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic for the purpose of suppressing political liberalization during a period of time known as the 'Prague Spring (a situation that is eerily similar to what's going on now in Ukraine). Basically, this is the story of a refugee who ended up in art school, ended up being in the military in Israel, owned an art gallery in New York City on the Upper West Side, and finally landed in Tucson, AZ, where he became a framing legend.
I really enjoyed listening to him talk and learning his incredible backstory. Even though I've known this man for a very long time and he's framed a lot of things for me over the years... I've never dove into the intricacies of his life and getting to sit down for an hour and just have an intimate conversation was incredibly rewarding.
I think you'll enjoy this podcast very much AND It's an especially valuable resource for artists looking to understand the value of a great frame, or better yet, a great framer.
I had Mike Fox on the podcast today and we spoke for almost 3 hours. I knew that was going to be the case when I started because he's a very unique individual with a rich background in the arts. He's had a lot of different jobs throughout his life, and when I say jobs I mean they were all museum or nonprofits type jobs.
Mike has done great work for the likes of the Heard Museum, Museum of Northern Arizona, the Muhammad Ali Museum (an institution that he helped start in Louisville, Kentucky), and Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West. The last one is a fantastic museum and it's where I met Mike. I encourage people to go to it as I really believe in it and personally, I support it. Mike brought that museum to the forefront of the Western art museum scene and did a great deal to develop the museum in its infancy.
Mike doesn't like to take credit for a lot of these things, but he is the impetus. It is an undeniable fact that he was a major player for many an institution, in Arizona especially. Not to mention he's met unique and interesting people along the way, like Sandra Day O'Connor and Muhammad Ali.
I think you'll find this podcast very fascinating, especially if you've been to any of the museums that Mike was involved in forming/leading - or if you just enjoy museums in general. I know I did. So much so that, again we spoke for a long, long time. So it's a two-parter. This is Mike Fox part one on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast Episode 188.
I had Mike Fox on the podcast today and we spoke for almost 3 hours. I knew that was going to be the case when I started because he's a very unique individual with a rich background in the arts. He's had a lot of different jobs throughout his life, and when I say jobs I mean they were all museum or nonprofits type jobs.
Mike has done great work for the likes of the Heard Museum, Museum of Northern Arizona, the Muhammad Ali Museum (an institution that he helped start in Louisville, Kentucky), and Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West. The last one is a fantastic museum and it's where I met Mike. I encourage people to go to it as I really believe in it and personally, I support it. Mike brought that museum to the forefront of the Western art museum scene and did a great deal to develop the museum in its infancy.
Mike doesn't like to take credit for a lot of these things, but he is the impetus. It is an undeniable fact that he was a major player in for many an institution, in Arizona especially. Not to mention he's met unique and interesting people along the way, like Sandra Day O'Connor and Muhammad Ali.
I think you'll find this podcast very fascinating, especially if you've been to any of the museums that Mike was involved in forming/leading - or if you just enjoy museums in general. I know I did. So much so that, again we spoke for a long, long time. So it's a two-parter. This is Mike Fox part one on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast Episode 188.
Jan Mapes dropped by the studio today to give us some paintings and a new bronze that she's recently produced. Luckily, I managed to wrangle her into the studio to do a podcast (which is not easy because she lives out in the middle of nowhere in eastern Colorado).
Jan is a professional sculptor and painter and is very successful having shown in many museums and galleries, and is represented by my gallery here in Tucson. Her most recent museum show (at the time of recording) was the Briscoe Museum Night of Artists 2022 in San Antonio, TX.
She was a rancher before taking the plunge into the art world, having operated a ranch with her husband doing hard ranching-type jobs for a number of years. Whether it was herding cattle, branding them, or doing what you do when you run cattle, Jan was surrounded by the subjects she chooses to sculpt and paint to this day. She lets us into that world during the podcast, which I particularly enjoyed hearing about.
Jan is living proof that you can sometimes live two lives concurrently and shows just how important it is to find things that define you as a person. This podcast is worth listening to for more than just the artistic insight Jan provides, but also so you can experience the story of someone that refused to be denied the lifestyle she wanted to live.
It was a really wonderful podcast. Art Dealer Diaries number 187 with Jan Mapes.
Oil painter Matt Ryder is my guest on the podcast today. He flew 23 hours from the U.A.E. to get to Tucson that's a commitment for your art. Matt reached out to me after hearing a podcast I had done with Eric Rhodes for his Plein Air Podcast, and now I represent him in my gallery, sometimes it can be that simple or hard if you are the one doing the flying.
I love his work. He's gifted, as you can see when you look at his artwork, he's got the drive and that's what it often takes to succeed. I don't care what you do in life, you have to have a drive and believe in yourself and he absolutely does. Unlike many out there, however, he can back it up with what he's doing painting-wise.
We discussed his early painting career doing caricature and illustration and the story behind how he ended up traveling from Dubai to Tucson to become a represented artist for Medicine Man Gallery. Matt also speaks on what it's like to be an artist making a living in Dubai and the many similarities between painting two deserts a world apart from each other.
So anyone who's out there who says, I just don't know if I can do it, but I love it, I want to do it. Listen to this. Maybe you'll gain some knowledge that'll help you on your journey. So I had a great time. Matt Ryder on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 186.
View Matt Ryder's available paintings here:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/western-fine-art/southwestern-contemporary-painters/ryder-matt
One of the reasons I do podcasts is not only to understand the guests I have on, or the art world for that matter but also to gain insight into my own creativity and who I am. Jill Carver really brought that home for me today because she was willing to share her incredibly personal journey leading up to her 2022 exhibition "The Wild Southwest, Forces and Form"
She had to go through some major uncertainty, and quite frankly, some really scary stuff. She had been diagnosed with breast cancer during the time she was painting for this show and had to deal with all the medical implications and mental anguish that goes with something like that. Through all of this, she found a way to cope with the circumstances and managed to produce what I believe to be her best work to date.
When you listen to this podcast, you'll be immersed in that component of going through a traumatic diagnosis. Toward the middle portion of the podcast, Jill gives valuable insight into her and many other women's battles and how she came out on top.
That's exactly the kind of thing that I hope to provide my listeners and viewers. An honest look behind the canvas, so to speak. So enjoy, this is Jill Carver on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast Episode 185.
Today's podcast is a little different. Instead of me doing the interviewing, I am actually going to be one of the people on a panel. The panel consists of myself and Davison Koenig, who is the director of the Couse-Sharp Historic Site in Taos, New Mexico. It's a great museum and I highly recommend going and visiting it. The moderator is Michael Clawson, who is one of the editors at the Western Art Collector, as well as Native American Art Magazine.
It was a really fun and interesting discussion that centered around the intersection of Western and Native American art in museum and private collections alike. We talk about where Western art is headed and where Indigenous art is making inroads, as well as some other relevant topics of discussion.
We run the gamut of what's going on, not just as I see it as a gallerist, but as Davison sees it as a museum director, and then how Michael sees it as a writer and editor of, not one, but two leading publications in the field. I hope you enjoy it, and you can thank Michael Clawson for putting it together.
I'm always amazed when I do a podcast and somebody I've known for 25 years or longer like Veryl Goodnight manages to surprise me, and not just surprise me, but enchant me.
Her enthusiasm for what she does and her love of animals is and has always been the driving force for her creativity, from childhood to now. So, artists out there who are wondering, you know, "How do I make a living or what can I do? Or How do I find my passion?" Just listen to this podcast and you're going to see passion on a different level.
It's real. It's palpable. It shows through in her sculptures and in her paintings, and she's always willing to try something new, something different, whether it be horses busting through the Berlin Wall, or working on renditions of sled dogs and the whole history of the relationship between those human and canine counterparts. She looks for things that are interesting, that captivate her imagination, often tied to, I'd almost say, always tied to history in some form or fashion.
She's 75, and I guarantee you the last day of her life, she's going to have either a paintbrush in her hand or clay underneath her fingers. So enjoy this one. Veryl Goodnight on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 183.
I had Charles Fritz on today. He's such an interesting person, not just as a painter, but also as a guy who really loves the outdoors. Charles not only likes to hunt and fish, but he's also an individual that really believes in conservation. He believes that you have to get out and do plein air paintings to be able to capture what you hope to capture in the studio and this shows in his paintings and the major projects he takes on.
One major project began in 1998 when he was camping along the South Bank of the Missouri River. He came up with the idea of rendering segments of the Lewis and Clark expedition and capturing all of that history in paint.
So he fills the next six years of his life doing this. Something that was going to start out as a twelve painting series grew all the way to 100 paintings. Fritz having since published a book about them and created a show that travels periodically from museum to museum. In fact, right now, the Lewis and Clark paintings are on display at the Wonders Of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri.
Charles is a solid artist with a great reputation and somebody that I've known for years and have collected his work for probably 15 to 20 years. I have quite a few of his works in my home, so I really enjoyed just getting to sit and talk with Charles Fritz.
I had painter Sue Rother on the podcast today. Sue is married to oil painter Francis Livingston, and, you know, they're a dynamic duo of artists. Both of them started in illustration almost 50 years ago and moved into fine art over the last 20 years.
It was fun to talk to Sue about her trajectory and how she made her way through the illustration world, especially in the timeframe of the early and mid-seventies. During that time she had to compete for jobs in a primarily male-dominated industry. So we talked a little bit about that, but also just what it's like to be married to another artist.
Sue is a unique human being, and I've known her for a long time, so the conversation was very animated and laid back with lots of laughs. Sue Rother on episode 181 of Art Dealer Diaries.
Today's guest was Mark Hilbert, and he has his own museum. That alone is a very unique and amazing thing. This is an individual who started his career in engineering and invented a module that made climate control devices more energy efficient. He was able to patent the technology and then ultimately sell the company, helping him establish a commercial real estate business in California. As you can tell, Mark is a very entrepreneurial individual. Lucky for Southern Californians, he's also a guy who loves art (and I mean, truly loves it).
He was deeply inspired by art when he was in fourth grade, going to the Southwest Art Museum in Los Angeles. That initial museum visit served as the first domino in a line of many that set in motion something that will help other people for generations, The Hilbert Museum of California Art.
You see, Mark started collecting pottery, baskets, and textiles, eventually moving into paintings. He got to the point where he had this tremendous collection of paintings. Paintings that were primarily the California genre, as well as native arts. After a while, he said: "Why can't I do a museum? You know, I want to make a place where I can show what I'm interested in and what probably other people are." So he did it. He had spent the time and energy to be on other museum boards and really came to understand what was necessary for a museum to survive in this day and age.
Mark was able to establish his museum at Chapman University in Southern California. It's amazing for someone to have the foresight, the ability, the time, the money to do something like that, and it's going to be there in perpetuity for other generations, serving over 3 million people in that region. I haven't been to the museum yet, but I am definitely going soon. It's on my list to-do and I can tell it's a really well thought out and curated museum just from the way Mark describes it.
So this is a fun, interesting, unique podcast talking to somebody who's taken their life's work and energy and money and forges it into something for the rest of us. A very generous, philanthropic something to ignite other people just like he was ignited in fourth grade.
Today was a two-for-one. I had Pat and Kim Messier on and it was fun because I had them in-house in the studio and we sat side by side and really just had a discussion about their history and how native arts have affected their lives.
Pat is a native Tucsonan who first started working with native arts in 1949. So she's been in the trade and has worked for 60 years with the early Tucson Indian art dealers and knows all the players and is undeniably an authority in the field.
Pat's daughter Kim, who has followed in her footsteps, is really a researcher and a writer at heart. Between the two of them, they have written books on Pueblo and Hopi tiles, a monumental book on jewelry hallmarks (which we use in the gallery), articles for Native American Art Magazine, and a book on the trading post Garden of the Gods. So they have lots of things that they've written, and they have a new book coming out on the Patania family jewelry somewhere in the fall of 2022. We'll be having a show for the Patania family and a book signing as well.
This is an educational podcast especially in regard to Native American jewelry and Tucson. Art Dealer Diaries episode 179. The Messiers.
I had Miriam Shulman on today. Miriam is such an interesting human being and she had to overcome some serious adversity to get where she is today.
Miriam got an art history degree, but because of the way things sometimes go in life, she ended up doing other things. You know, I was a physician who became an art dealer. Well, Miriam was a Wall Street banker and hedge fund associate, but she really needed to be an artist because that's what she was on the inside.
Ultimately, she found her path, but it took some trauma to get there. 9/11 was the incident that pushed her over the top to go and do what she really wanted to do, much like we see today in the pandemic with people going: "I don't think I want to do what I did. I don't want that commute. I don't want to do this. I want to paint. I want to draw. I want to write." So she has a wonderful story of how she went from Wall Street to being behind a canvas.
Nowadays she's a person who has a very successful podcast (The Inspiration Place Podcast) and teaches other artists how to sell, how to work on their careers, and how to be a successful artist in general.
It's really an interesting podcast just because we talk about this what she does for a living, and what she does for a living happens to be very interesting. She's been very successful as an artist and now as a person who helps other people gain the confidence the tools and skills in marketing to sell and make a living from their art. So, anybody who's an artist out there, who or somebody who wants to become an artist, this is a must-listen podcast.
I had Michael Clawson on the podcast today. I've known Michael for quite a while, he's the executive editor of "Western Art Collector" and "Native American Magazine" and the editor of "American Art Collector" and "American Fine Art Magazine".
You don't hear the backstories of the publishing world or the art world unless you do the sort of deep-dive we did in this episode. I wanted to find out how he became executive editor versus becoming a film critic, which is really something he loved doing and did for many years.
I had a fun interview with Michael and I got caught a couple times talking about myself because he's very good at flipping the conversation and becoming the interviewer. He too is a host of a podcast, the American Art Collective which is an interesting show. You can hear him interview me on his podcast recently, listen to that episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/american-art-collective/id1559396390
Again, it was a fun time and an enlightening episode. I think you can learn some interesting things from a person like Michael, let alone all the unique information you'll learn about the publications that exist within the sphere of art.
Today's guest on the podcast was Jay Dusard. He's one of the best known Western photographers of the 20th century (not to mention a Guggenheim scholar winner) who I've known for quite a long time. I've had the pleasure of seeing his work in numerous museum shows spanning several decades and I was really thrilled that he took the time and effort to come down and join us for an episode of Art Dealer Diaries.
Jay's book "The North American Cowboy: A Portrait," released in 1983, showed the life of the cowboy and cowgirl that was not only artistic, but earnest as well. A level of representation achieved by someone that was a real life cowboy for many, many years.
That's one of the ways that Jay was able to capture the images he's known for. When you look at the individuals in his photographs, the unfiltered cowboy lifestyle pours through the lens of someone that was able to not only relate, but more importantly translate that very sensibility into black and white photographs.
We discuss Jay's career as well as his early life as a prospective architect. The discussion also covers where the art of photography is headed now that everyone carries a capable imaging device in the form of a cell phone.
So please enjoy. Jay Dusard on Art Dealer Diaries #176.
Today I had contemporary Western artist Josh Gibson on the podcast. I've known Josh since he was five years old and he's the youngest artist I represent at my gallery. He's almost 29 and was professionally trained at the California College of the Arts in the Bay Area. When Josh first cracked into the art scene, he was more of an illustrator/animator than a fine artist. He's done some very interesting projects already, including working with the Jimi Hendrix Estate.
Ultimately, Josh is an Arizonian that understands the desert more than most. Throughout his relatively young painting career, he's already transitioned from a traditional Western realism into modern Western sensibility and it's really taken off. His work is unique and has a unique voice. To see where he's come from and where he is now and where he will end up... It's just incredible. It's been enjoyable from a gallerist perspective seeing the entire artistic journey of somebody succeeding and doing amazing things in his life.
This is an especially interesting podcast for other artists. Mostly because we talk about what it's like to be a young artist and the hurdles you have to be concerned about, whether it's framing, or picking a signature, or just how you go about making a decent living behind an easel.
Let me tell you, Josh has succeeded and he's going to continue to make his vision seen. So this was a very fun, intimate podcast for me with Josh Gibson.
I had artist Mark Bowles on the podcast today via zoom.
One interesting component of doing this podcast is that I never really know what I'm going to learn about my guests. That's one of the reasons I like doing them so much. You know, the discovery aspect of it all.
In this episode, Mark and I went down some of the deeper, darker holes of life. Things like how the way a parent treats you can effect your life tremendously. In this case, we learn that Mark had a very tough father.
Sometimes it's hard to go there (especially publicly) and sometimes you don't want to share those kinds of things, but when you do, it really gives those who know you perspective. They get a sense of what makes you who you are as a person and when you're an artist, it shows people how those experiences inform your creativity.
And so Mark was really straightforward in sharing these details of his life. What he's had to overcome while maintaining such a unique and successful painting career. He's a really great artist and I've always loved his stuff which is evident in the fact I've represented him for almost 20 years.
Enjoy. Mark Bowles on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 174.
It's always fun when you get to talk to somebody that you haven't spent time with on an intimate level and he's the guest today, Dr. Jerry Smith. I've known Jerry for 25+ years and we've had lots of conversations over the years, just usually in a museum setting.
Here is an individual who was literally moving boxes on the night shift for almost ten years in his twenties and when he turned 30 he said "I've got to do something else" and had this epiphany. We talk about that epiphany and how a single image, a single painting, could change the way you see the world. There's nothing wrong with moving boxes, and thank God we have people that'll do it, but if there's a gift there that hasn't been explored and gets to be explored as it did in Jerry's case, I mean, now that's a special show.
So this is a very fun and interesting podcast. He's a very animated individual and loves what he does, and rightly so. He's good at it.
I had gallery owner Bill Rey on the podcast today and we spoke for quite a while, so this will be a two-part interview. This is part two.
Bill is a very interesting guy who I've known for over 20 years. He's been in the art gallery business for almost 40 years, having started when he was 18 working with a Squash Blossom Gallery in Aspen, Vail, and Denver.
This is a fun interview - especially for those people who're really interested in the history of the art business, dealers, and artists alike because Bill has an encyclopedic recall of all these artists that he's worked with and the places he's gone with them. We learn about Bill's background before art and go in-depth about Bill's relationships with the likes of Jim Reynolds and Robert Lougheed (both of which are amazing Western artists).
It was a very fun time and Bill's such a character that he even had a Medicine Man Gallery shirt made to wear during the podcast. That's just the kind of guy Bill is.
I had gallery owner Bill Rey on the podcast today and we spoke for quite a while, so this will be a two-part interview. This is part one.
Bill is a very interesting guy who I've known for over 20 years. He's been in the art gallery business for almost 40 years, having started when he was 18 working with a Squash Blossom Gallery in Aspen, Vail, and Denver.
This is a fun interview - especially for those people who're really interested in the history of the art business, dealers, and artists alike because Bill has an encyclopedic recall of all these artists that he's worked with and the places he's gone with them. We learn about Bill's background before art and go in-depth about Bill's relationships with the likes of Jim Reynolds and Robert Lougheed (both of which are amazing Western artists).
It was a very fun time and Bill's such a character that he even had a Medicine Man Gallery shirt made to wear during the podcast. That's just the kind of guy Bill is.
View Bill Anton's newest painting "Stirrup Deep" here:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/bill-anton-stirrup-deep-plv1341.html
Now, I've done a long-format podcast with Bill, but you know, he brought this painting in that we just got for the gallery and it's such a fantastic painting. It's one of those really inspirational works that when you stare at it long enough it just grabs you and pulls you in and boy did this painting grab me.
So I thought, you know, let's just go do a podcast and see what happens. Talk about the painting, talk about what's going on in Bill's life, stuff like that. Surprise, surprise - It turned into a wonderful conversation. We spoke about all different types of artists, from Maynard Dixon to Jim Reynolds to Matt Smith to Josh Elliott.
This is more technical in some respects because we really talk about composition and how somebody goes about turning a study into a fully formed painting, which is what Bill did with the painting that brought him to the gallery in the first place.
He's such an animated individual and loves what he does. I would encourage you to watch this one on YouTube if you can because just watching his body language, how he gets excited about what he does, and why he does it, in turn, makes you excited.
I had Joan and David Wenger on today, and it was really it was a great time. In the first part of the podcast, I really go into detail with David about dye analysis of Cochineal, Indigo dyes in serapes.
There's some technical information in there as well, which is great to know and we talk about serapes, early Navajo textiles, and the meaning of dating. We also talk about his life as a biochemist and what all he's done and how he ended up in the Native American area.
Then we pivot to his wife, Joan and they've been together since they were 15. She talks about being a collector and then a dealer, and now she's been dealing with this material for over 50 years and really is one of the earliest dealers that we have in the profession.
So it's fun. It's interesting to hear how they dedicated their lives not only to the profession but just to the arts in general.
I had a really interesting podcast with Lyn Fox today, who owns Lyn A. Fox Fine Pottery in Santa Fe. I've known Lynne for probably since the day he started dealing in Pueblo pottery (his specialty) over 20 years ago.
Lyn is a very kind human being who's really considerate in what he does as a dealer and how he looks about buying and selling art. I think there's a lot of commonalities in the way that we both do business and, quite frankly, how we see the world.
Throughout this episode, I found some things out that I didn't know anything about when it came to his earlier life and what formed the businessman/art expert he is today. I think the early interactions that we have with our parents and with world events can mold the way we see ourselves and how we grow.
It was really interesting to pull at all these different threads and I think people will enjoy this podcast as much as I did. To me, it was just like having an interesting chat over a cup of coffee with an old friend and that's the best kind of podcast conversation in my opinion.
I had Glenn Dean on the podcast today. He came to my gallery in Tucson to film this podcast and was a fun podcast. You know, the zoom podcasts are great and they make being able to see and talk to people from a variety of fields much easier, but I must admit - sitting next to somebody and having a meaningful intimate conversation is a whole different ball game, and we did just that.
You see, Glenn is a private person, and recording a podcast is probably not a thing that he's most comfortable with. That being said, the result was wonderful. It was just a great talk and very genuine, and it seemed like he was having a good time too.
Glenn has had a very interesting life. He's self-taught and I've always felt he's one of the most gifted artists that I represent, especially his ability to capture landscapes. Nowadays Glenn is doing more figurative work and it's a step above so many of his contemporaries. The guy just knows how to lay paint down.
It was a great experience getting to learn where his passion originated, he was a boogieboarder (a really good one) and was competing professionally. That could have been his career, but as I'm sure you've figured out by now, he chose a different route.
So for all those who've been waiting to hear Glenn talk about how he got where he is today OR if you're an aspiring artist, this is the podcast for you.
View available painting from the show here:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/medicine-man-gallery-antique-native-american-western-art-collections/glenn-dean-new-works
So enjoy. Glenn Dean.
I had Bruce Hartman on today, which was so much fun. He's a natural, gregarious, happy individual, and he's always been that way. I've known him for 20 plus years and any time I've ever seen him at a show (which is usually where I see him) he's always laughing and giggling and just having a great time. You see, Bruce absolutely loves art and is a very knowledgeable former art professional having just retired after 30 years as Executive Director and Chief Curator at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art.
At first glance, you may get the impression that contemporary art was Bruce's main focus at the museum, but don't let that fool you. He knows an incredible amount on the subject of Native American art. His father and mother collected prehistoric and then historic Indian art, which got Bruce's artistic entanglement going very early in life, resulting in him becoming one of the foremost authorities on Native American paintings, from both historic to contemporary - as well as Zuni fetishes.
It was a longer interview than normal, not because of any particular reason other than Bruce is such an interesting individual. I just couldn't stop listening and, you know, those are the best interviews as far as I'm concerned. As a result, this podcast will be split into two parts. This is part two of the Bruce Hartman podcast.
I had Bruce Hartman on today, which was so much fun. He's a natural, gregarious, happy individual, and he's always been that way. I've known him for 20 plus years and any time I've ever seen him at a show (which is usually where I see him) he's always laughing and giggling and just having a great time. You see, Bruce absolutely loves art and is a very knowledgeable former art professional having just retired after 30 years as Executive Director and Chief Curator at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art.
At first glance, you may get the impression that contemporary art was Bruce's main focus at the museum, but don't let that fool you. He knows an incredible amount on the subject of Native American art. His father and mother collected prehistoric and then historic Indian art, which got Bruce's artistic entanglement going very early in life, resulting in him becoming one of the foremost authorities on Native American paintings, from both historic to contemporary - as well as Zuni fetishes.
It was a long interview than normal, not because of any particular reason other than Bruce is such an interesting individual. I just couldn't stop listening and, you know, those are the best interviews as far as I'm concerned. As a result, this podcast will be split into two parts. This is part one of the Bruce Hartman podcast.
I had Museum Director James Burns on today. James is an interesting guy because he's done so many things. He is a curator, a director, an individual who has always loved history and art. It's a fun ride because we get to see what it takes to get in that world, to be in the world of being an executive director for a museum.
You can tell from his story that it's not easy. He's gone through many different ideations and iterations of who he is and what he is to finally get to the pinnacle of his career. It's a wonderful thing to do, to be able to actually find your way in life, to do what you want to do.
He's going to be the new director of Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West, taking over for Mike Fox on October 16th. It's a big job. There's a lot to do and there are a lot of moving parts. We got to talk quite a bit about his new position as well as the opening that they'll be having on October 16th.
I've known James for 20 years, as he pointed out during the interview, and have followed his career closely. As a fan of what he's done for the museums that have had the privilege of having him on staff, I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, he is going to do great things for Scottsdales' premier art museum.
I had Andy Nettle on the podcast today. He is the owner of Back of Beyond Books in Moab, Utah; I met Andy when I was in Moab the summer hiking the Canyonlands and Arches National Monument.
Moab is amazing - both geographically and archeologically. There are so many unique early petroglyphs and pictographs from all time frames. Signs of human civilization ranging from 4000 years ago, Barrier Canyon people all the way up to Pueblo and Ute artwork only a century old. It's just a special area to spend time and get back to nature.
If you happen to find yourself in Moab, there’s a good chance you’re going to come across one of the best bookstores I've ever been into - Back of Beyond Books. Andy Nettell is focused on antiquarian books of all types, especially Western/Native American books with an emphasis on nature.
Andy was a ranger for the National Park Service for 15 years. So he really understands the naturalist sensibility that many people visit Moab for. It's a fun ride to listen to how someone can go from being a park ranger to owning a music store, then a successful bookstore. He clearly has a lot of the skill sets that are needed to do this, including business sense, but also love and a passion for education and preservation.
I think you'll enjoy this podcast if you are an enjoyer of nature or books. If nothing else, just learning about the antiquarian book business was extremely interesting to me. I do buy and sell old/rare books on occasion, but it's definitely not my specialty. Andy however is a specialist and hearing his story and about his love for antiquarian books was very enlightening.
I had Erin Hanson on today. She's a very interesting person and I've always been a big fan of her work. In fact, I represent her work. I don't get a lot because she has her own galleries, but I do get some great things occasionally.
She is a unique human being in many, many respects. She's not only extremely talented as an artist, but she has the same skill set when it comes to business and marketing. Some people might go, “well, you know, that's really not part of the art world,” but it's a critically important part of the art world.
You see, Erin is very driven. When you have somebody who's driven like she is, both as a creative and as a business person, it makes for somebody who's successful. Clearly, Erin is a successful individual, not only in the way that she paints but also in the way she's able to sell her artwork.
We also had a nice discussion towards the end on NFTs (non-fungible tokens) which is a new way of selling art and is going to be an important part of the art market in the future. There's just no doubt about it. Especially western, native, or contemporary western art. I don't think it's something the majority of people would understand just yet, but it's coming folks.
So it's a fun podcast for me because I love to talk about the business of art as well as just, you know, looking at art and talking to creative people. She understands the business of art and where e the market is heading.
(Sometime in the near future, I will be having guests on the podcast to talk about blockchain technology and non-fungible tokens, because the next generation is going to be buying more at more art on digital platforms than off of physical gallery walls. I know it's hard to believe, but it's true.)
View Erin Hanson's available works here:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/western-fine-art/southwestern-contemporary-painters/erin-hanson
Today's podcast is a special one because I'm actually the one who's being interviewed and I'm not going to lie, it's kind of different to be on the other side of the mic, so to speak.
This is for Eric Rhoads' program Plein Air Podcast (which is a wonderful podcast by the way), having done over 200 interviews and it's a historically artist-centric podcast so for me to be on it was really quite an honor. Eric wanted to get a sense of what it was like from my end, handling artists, how a dealer thinks and how I approach the art business as a whole. We speak at length about what artists should expect if they're looking to get represented by an art gallery and what the expectations are for the artist, from the gallery's perspective.
I enjoyed speaking with Eric and you can hear this all on my podcast, clearly, or you can go listen to it on the Plein Air Podcast with Eric Rhoads. Either way, I hope you enjoy and I encourage all of my listeners to give Eric's podcast a go.
Three years and 150+ podcasts later I figured it was time for a small break. Until new episodes return this Fall, I'll be posting compilations of some of my favorite Art Dealer Diaries moments.
Part seven features (in order) Western plein air painter Bill Gallen, Associate Director of the BYU Museum of Art Ed Lind, master San Ildefonso potter Russell Sanchez, Western sculptor Susan Kliewer, contemporary Navajo weaver Marlowe Katoney, and art critic and museum curator Elaine A. King.
Three years and 150+ podcasts later I figured it was time for a small break. Until new episodes return this Fall, I'll be posting compilations of some of my favorite Art Dealer Diaries moments.
Part six features (in order) Western landscape painter Jill Carver, gallery owner and former president of ATADA John Molloy, celebrated Arizona artist Ed Mell, master Santa Clara potter Susan Folwell, legendary silversmith Frank Patania Jr., and publisher, painter, and podcast host Eric Rhoads.
Three years and 150+ podcasts later I figured it was time for a small break. Until new episodes return this Fall, I'll be posting compilations of some of my favorite Art Dealer Diaries moments.
Part five features (in order) chief curator of Tucson Museum of Art Julie Sasse, Western painter Bill Anton, Hopi katsina expert Barry Walsh, modern landscape painter Deladier Almeida, modern landscape painter William Haskell, neuroendocrinologist & author Dr. Seymour Reichlin.
Three years and 150+ podcasts later I figured it was time for a small break. Until new episodes return this Fall, I'll be posting compilations of some of my favorite Art Dealer Diaries moments.
Part four features (in order) Native American jewelry hallmark expert Bille Hougart, museum director and curator Tricia Loscher, 3rd generation silversmith Sam Patania, Western painter and sculptor John Coleman, Jemez Pueblo potter and sculptor Kathleen Wall, and comedy writer/trade blanket expert Barry Friedman.
Three years and 150+ podcasts later I figured it was time for a small break. Until new episodes return this Fall, I'll be posting compilations of some of my favorite Art Dealer Diaries moments.
Part three features (in order) artist and TV personality Lynette Jennings, plein air painter Matt Smith, international art show producer Kim Martindale, Hopi/Laguna silversmith Duane Maktima, Native American basket expert Natalie Linn, and Montana landscape painter Josh Elliott.
Three years and 150+ podcasts later I figured it was time for a small break. Until new episodes return this Fall, I'll be posting compilations of some of my favorite Art Dealer Diaries moments.
Part two features (in order) Navajo artist, educator and author Shonto Begay, producer of Woodstock John Morris, Executive Editor of True West Magazine Bob Boze Bell, master silversmith Tim Yazzie, owner of Toadlena Trading Post Mark Winter, and plein air painter and author Kevin Macpherson.
About 10 years or so ago I decided I wanted to capture the voices of those in my profession. At the time I was thinking of the dealer community - mostly because, let's face it, we're getting older. I figured if I captured these voices somehow, their stories wouldn't be lost forever. When I eventually started the podcast, the project evolved into one that would document all of the various segments of Southwest art. Artists, critics, writers, editors, collectors, and more.
So three years and 150+ episodes later I figured it was time for a small break. Until new episodes return this Fall, I'll be posting compilations of some of my favorite Art Dealer Diaries moments. Part one features (in order) western artist Mark Maggiori, executive director of SWAIA Kim Peone, Rolling Stone Magazine's first photographer Baron Wolman, Diné artist Tony Abeyta, pop western artist Billy Schenck, and sculptural installation artist Leonardo Drew. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
Ed Mell came by the studio today and I was thrilled to be able to record a 2-part podcast with him. Honestly, I've been trying to get Ed on the podcast for three whole years. I've had so many people on Art Dealer Diaries talk about Ed Mell in their own podcasts... I think it's probably up to about a dozen people now. It's just one of those things, you know? It's hard to get together sometimes especially when a pandemic gets in the way.
Out of all the podcasts I’ve done recently, Ed’s was a podcast I really wanted to do in person. I've known him for 25+ years and for me just being able to sit across the desk from him and have a wonderful discussion about his life, all of his accomplishments, the people that have influenced him throughout his life and made him who he is and what he is, was a gift for me. He's just such an interesting guy, definitely not the type of person that you get to meet every day.
Ed’s artwork is really important to me and to many, many other people as well. I collect his artwork and have since I've represented him. I personally own numerous Ed Mell works of art including his oil paintings, bronze sculptures, lithographs, and display them in my home.
In the second part (Epi. 153), we go into a bit more detail about the people that influenced him and the types of things he's doing these days. From sculpture to flowers, to figurative works, this is one that everyone needs to listen to. Put it on your hit parade, Ed Mell on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 153.
Ed Mell came by the studio today and I was thrilled to be able to record a 2-part podcast with him. Honestly, I've been trying to get Ed on the podcast for three whole years. I've had so many people on Art Dealer Diaries talk about Ed Mell in their own podcasts... I think it's probably up to about dozen people now. It's just one of those things, you know? It's hard to get together sometimes especially when a pandemic gets in the way.
Out of all the podcasts I’ve done recently, Ed’s was a podcast I really wanted to do in person. I've known him for 25+ years and for me just being able to sit across the desk from him and have wonderful discussion about his life, all of his accomplishments, the people that have influenced him throughout his life and made him who he is and what he is, was a gift for me. He's just such an interesting guy, definitely not the type of person that you get to meet every day.
Ed’s artwork is really important to me and to many, many other people as well. I collect his artwork and have since I've represented him. I personally own numerous Ed Mell works of art including his oil paintings, bronze sculptures, lithographs and display them in my home.
We recorded for two hours. The first hour (Epi. 152) is kind of an origin story for Ed. How he got to become an artist and how he found his way in the world. In the second part (Epi. 153), we go into a bit more detail about the people that influenced him and the types of things he's doing these days. From sculpture to flowers, to figurative works, this is one that everyone needs to listen to. Put it on your hit parade, Ed Mell on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast episode 152.
This is part two of a two-part podcast.
I had a wonderful talk today with Santa Fe-based oil painter Kathryn Stedham. Kathryn is a very unique human being, to say the least. It's interesting when people are made to be artists, right? Not everyone finds their voice quickly, but it's clear that Kathryn found hers at a very early age.
There were a few foundational aspects of her past that we talk about, from rock climbing and backpacking adventures to spontaneous solo sailing trips down the coast. She also shares stories about her grandfather and her father and how she grew up in this unique situation living on a boat for a good chunk of her childhood.
With all of this going on you can still tell from the way she speaks that her true joy, who she is, and how she relates to the world, all revolves around art. Because of this, Kathryn's paintings have an intrinsic emotional pull. You can easily tell she's a free spirit from looking at her work.
It was so fun talking to her and we went for quite a while so I made this into a two-part podcast. Kathryn Stedham on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast #151.
Stay tuned after the podcast to see additional examples of Kathryn's artwork.
See more of Katheryn's work:
https://www.kstedham.com
* This podcast is not sponsored by any entity and is solely a product of Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery. That being said, Kathryn Stedham encourages any artists listening to try Holbein Artist Materials if they haven't already.*
This is part one of a two-part podcast.
I had a wonderful talk today with Kathryn Stedham for our 150th episode of the podcast. Kathryn is a very unique human being, to say the least. It's interesting when people are made to be artists, right? Not everyone finds their voice quickly, but it's clear that Kathryn found hers at a very early age.
There were a few foundational aspects of her past that we talk about, from rock climbing and backpacking adventures to spontaneous solo sailing trips down the coast. She also shares stories about her grandfather and her father and how she grew up in this unique situation living on a boat for a good chunk of her childhood.
With all of this going on you can still tell from the way she speaks that her true joy, who she is, and how she relates to the world, all revolves around art. Because of this, Kathryn's paintings have an intrinsic emotional pull. You can easily tell she's a free spirit from looking at her work.
It was so fun talking to her and we went for quite a while so I made this into a two-part podcast. Kathryn Stedham on Art Dealer Diaries Podcast # 150 🎉🎉🎉
See more of Katheryn's work:
https://www.kstedham.com
I thought you might enjoy my Zoom interview with David Meikle recorded for our virtual opening for Desert Elements. This event took place on December 4, 2020, and shows David's new body of work featuring recognizable imagery encountered during his travels across the southwest.
Meikle created the images that are seen on the "Welcome to Utah" billboards found at all major entry points to the state. His paintings are included in the permanent collections of the Springville Museum of Art and Salt Lake County, as well as many private and corporate collections. In 2011 David was named by the Springville Museum of Art as one of Utah's 100 "Most Honored" artists.
View David Meikle's work here: https://www.medicinemangallery.com/western-fine-art/southwestern-contemporary-painters/meikle-david
I had Navajo artist Shonto Begay on for his second episode of Art Dealer Diaries.
I love Shonto because he's not only a wonderful artist that I've collected for a long time in my own home, but also because he's a truly mystical individual. Shonto has this innate ability to channel the earth and his heritage into his work, and then infuse his own creative sensibilities, producing these elaborate, colorful scenes and stories.
This is the first interview I've actually had in person in over a year. We're both vaccinated so it was really wonderful and different when compared to the last 50 episodes, almost spiritual in some ways...
We've got a show coming up for Shonto in late April 2021 with a group of new paintings and we're also celebrating his major retrospective at the Wheelwright Museum which opens April 24 and runs through the remainder of 2021 into 2022. I've loaned paintings out of my own personal collection and Shonto sent paintings he had hanging in his studio. I highly recommend going and seeing the Wheelwright show if you get the opportunity.
This is Shonto Begay on episode 148 of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
This episode was recorded during our virtual opening / Q&A event held on April 2nd, 2021
First-time "three-peat" guest Billy Schenck joins us for the 147th edition of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast. It's always fun to have Billy on my podcast because no two interviews are the same. It doesn't matter how much I know about him, I always learn something new. In this case, we were fortunate to have had a virtual opening and Q+A for Billy's "New Works" show so we took that opportunity to make it into a podcast episode.
In this episode, Billy and I went and reviewed bits and pieces of his artistic origin story. We hear about Billy moving to New York City, eventually working with the likes of Andy Warhol, as well as his time in Santa Fe, working with legendary art dealer Elaine Horowitz and Native American artist Fritz Scholder.
Afterward, we dive into his new body of work, piece by piece. Billy goes in-depth on the inspirations behind his new series of "Descanso" paintings and gives us some insight into the locations and figures he's put on canvas during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We wrapped up the virtual opening with a Q&A session with Billy getting to answer some great questions from those in attendance. I highly encourage you to watch this podcast on YouTube if at all possible. It's fun to listen to, but if you get a chance to experience the video version you'll actually be able to see all the paintings we’re talking about as well as the enthusiasm and spirit Billy pours into each yarn he spins.
This is Billy Schenck on Art Dealer Diaries.
View the show online:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/medicine-man-gallery-antique-native-american-western-art-collections/billy-schenck-new-works-opens-april-2-2021
This episode was recorded during our live zoom opening / Q&A event held on March 19, 2021
Celebrated Western painter Dennis Ziemienski joins us on Art Dealer Diaries for a special episode discussing his new show "Grand Canyon State" with works celebrating Arizona's natural wonders and unique tourist destinations.
Dennis goes in-depth about his background in illustration, recounting a few amazing stories while showing some of his most famous illustrative works. We hear about his illustrious contributions to National Lampoon, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and his ability to predict the winner of the Kentucky Derby through paint with his official poster for the event.
Mark and Dennis go on to discuss the individual pieces in "Grand Canyon State" and the personal stories tied to each of the works in the show. We get to see a few of the behind-the-scenes characters as well, including Dennis's wife Anne and the editor of the podcast, Patrick.
Towards the end of the podcast, Dennis answers various questions submitted by those in attendance, including: "which is harder to paint - the Joshua tree or the saguaro?"
The answer may surprise you.
This is part two of a two-part podcast.
In the second part of the Kristin Atwell Ford podcast, we elaborate on the involvement of Ed Mell on the production of "Riders of the Purple Sage" and discuss the films Kristin filmed earlier in her career. This includes a film produced for the Salt River Project narrated by Peter Coyote which received an Emmy - in fact, she has two Emmys for her projects - and she explains how that project came to be. This is an individual who's donated her entire life to making documentary films and of subjects that aren't the normal topics you might think commercial. Kristin also discusses her influences and the individuals that are important in the field of documentary films, such as the celebrated Ken Burns and his impact on documentary filmmaking as a whole.
Kristin's current project "Riders of the Purple Sage: The Making of a Western Opera" revolves around the making of a Western opera and highlights the artistic visions of all involved, including Medicine Man Gallery represented artist Ed Mell. Due to the covid-19 pandemic, the wide-release of this documentary was delayed a year and is being released in 2021 instead. One of the reasons that we're having her on the podcast is for a fundraiser for actors. It's important to be able to support actors and to support those people that are in the arts that really can't make a living during a pandemic.
From March 25th – April 18th, 2021 you can see Kristin's movie from the comfort of your own home, with half of all proceeds benefitting The Actors Fund, a human resources organization that provides a safety net for all entertainment professionals - onstage and backstage, in film, theater, television, music, opera, radio, and dance. It's available for $10 (link below) and is a tax-deductible project helping people in need. I hope that you enjoy this two-part episode and please visit http://watch.ridersoperafilm.com to learn more.
Watch the trailer for “Riders of the Purple Sage: The Making of a Western Opera” here:
https://vimeo.com/233606538
This is part one of a two-part podcast.
I had Emmy-winning filmmaker Kristin Atwell Ford on the podcast today. Kristin has an interesting connection to the world of Western art. One thing you'll notice when you listen to my podcasts is that I love to go through the backstories of my guests. I've found that if I can get a better understanding of where they came from and their influences, then I can get a better sense of where they are as a person today. This podcast is no exception.
Kristin's parents were very unique. Her father was a historian and her mother was a businesswoman that dealt with a great deal of hardship and eventually found massive success. She was clearly a guiding force in how Kristin does what she does and why she does what she does which is love history and theater. Kristin's abilities and interests converge in her ability to tell a story and communicate historical/artistic significance to any viewer.
In part one we're going to discuss Kristin's backstory and her current project "Riders of the Purple Sage: The Making of a Western Opera." This film revolves around the making of a Western opera and highlights the artistic visions of all involved, including Medicine Man Gallery represented artist Ed Mell.
Due to the covid-19 pandemic, the wide-release of this documentary was delayed a year and is being released in 2021 instead. One of the reasons that we're having her on the podcast is for a fundraiser for actors. It's important to be able to support actors and to support those people that are in the arts that really can't make a living during a pandemic.
From March 25th – April 18th, 2021 there is going to be a way to see her movie from the comfort of your own home, with half of all proceeds benefitting The Actors Fund, a human resources organization that provides a safety net for all entertainment professionals - onstage and backstage, in film, theater, television, music, opera, radio, and dance. It's available for $10 (link below) and is a tax-deductible project helping people in need. I hope that you enjoy this two-part episode and please visit watch.ridersoperafilm.com to learn more.
Watch the trailer for “Riders of the Purple Sage: The Making of a Western Opera” here:
https://vimeo.com/233606538
At the time of recording, Bill Anton was slated to have an exhibition at the Desert Caballeros Museum in Wickenburg, AZ. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the exhibition has been postponed until December 2021.
I've probably said this on more than one occasion, that this is a podcast you absolutely have to listen to, but I'm going to say it again. BILL ANTON IS A PODCAST YOU MUST LISTEN TO. This is especially true for artists because he lays out the road map of what it's gonna take if you want to succeed. It's not an easy road, but if you have the passion and the confidence to follow what Bill has done you will have a good life and succeed. This is a man who is extremely passionate about what he does. I'm a fan of his work and I think he has a skill set that very few have achieved. He is a wonderful landscape painter and his horses are amazing.
If you want to get motivated and you think you're going to be an artist, listen to Bill Anton. He gives some very strong advice about what you need to do to succeed and if you follow his words of wisdom you'll end up on the right flight path.
Part two of a two-part podcast.
I had Star Liana York on the podcast back in December and we had a great chat that went long enough that I decided to make it a two-part interview. Star York is an amazing sculptor and an interesting human being. It's a fun podcast because you get the sense of how full of life and joy Star is and how it translates into her sculptures. When you see her bronzes, you'll see the curiosity and the fun that comes through, especially with her horse and animal sculptures.
Star also creates Native American sculptures and we discover how she came to the southwest and get to hear her story of growing up in Maryland but really finding herself, her creative spirit, and her place of refuge in Santa Fe in the 1980s. There are a lot of people that find that place - whether it's Santa Fe, Tucson, or anywhere for that matter - that they really just fall in love and immediately go "I should have been here from day one."
View Star York's sculptures here:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/western-fine-art/southwestern-contemporary-sculptors/york-star-liana
Part one of a two-part podcast.
I had Star York on the back in December and we had a great chat that went long enough that I decided to make it a two-part interview. Star York is an amazing sculptor and an interesting human being. It's a fun podcast because you get the sense of how full of life and joy Star is and how it translates into her sculptures. When you see her bronzes, you'll see the curiosity and the fun that comes through, especially with her horse and animal sculptures.
Star also creates Native American sculptures and we discover how she came to the southwest and get to hear her story of growing up in Maryland but really finding herself, her creative spirit, and her place of refuge in Santa Fe in the 1980s. There are a lot of people that find that place - whether it's Santa Fe, Tucson, or anywhere for that matter - that they really just fall in love and immediately go "I should have been here from day one."
View Star York's sculptures here:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/western-fine-art/southwestern-contemporary-sculptors/york-star-liana
Part two of a two-part podcast with Gary Ernest Smith
This is the second episode of Gary Ernest Smith's artist story, we discussed his field paintings and how they resonate with not only myself but with others. This is a wonderful podcast to watch as Gary shows some of his paintings. He's been painting his entire whole life and he tells us some very interesting stories including how he got represented by Ray Johnson at Overland. Gary discusses the positive and negative of having mainly one gallery represent one's work.
Gary has incredible words of wisdom about how to be successful in the arts. Gary even says that there were some things that he would have done differently that didn't work out how he expected. For any of those artists out there who might be in that same type of boat that Gary was in, this podcast will prove to be very helpful and full of insight. Gary Ernest Smith is just a tremendous artist and I'm happy to have him on this two-part episode of Art Dealer Diaries.
See Gary Ernest Smith's paintings here:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/western-fine-art/southwestern-contemporary-painters/smith-gary-ernest
This is part one of a two-part podcast.
Part one of a two-part podcast.
Now Gary Ernest Smith is a guy who has been painting basically his whole life and he tells us some very interesting stories, not only of how he got to do what he did in life, but also how he became the successful western landscape painter he is today. I love that about doing a podcast by the way. I get to be a part of that moment in time when an artist decides "this is what I have to do."
Early on in his artistic journey, Gary was drafted into the Vietnam war. He ended up becoming a war artist for the army, working as a teacher at a military school, and finally just came to the realization that he had to create amazing pieces of art.
Gary has incredible words of wisdom about how to be successful in the arts. Gary even says that there were some things that he would have done differently that didn't work out how he expected. For any of those artists out there who might be in that same type of boat that Gary was in, this podcast will prove to be very helpful and full of insight. Gary Ernest Smith is just a tremendous artist and I'm happy to have him on this episode of Art Dealer Diaries
Dr. Tricia Loscher and I did a podcast back in December, I've been fortunate enough to be a co-curator with Tricia on the major Maynard Dixon exhibit "Maynard Dixon's American West" and she wrote the foreword for my Dixon book. That Maynard Dixon exhibit is hanging at the Scottsdale Museum of the West and will run through August 2021. If you haven't visited the Scottsdale Museum of the West, just know it's a great museum and has a wonderful collection of artistic and anthropological material.
It was really interesting to hear about Dr. Loscher's love of museums and her desire to be a curator at age 7. She was also involved in art and could've gone that direction if the circumstances were slightly different, but culture and curation were what she was ultimately called to study. You don't get the opportunity to find somebody who is so honed in on their profession very often so this podcast if you're interested in curation and want to know what the museum world is all about, gives us a nice insight into the inner-workings of one of the best Western museums in the country. Dr. Loscher clearly loves what she does and she was a joy to work with as a co-curator on the Dixon exhibit and to have as a guest on this edition of Art Dealer Diaries.
Kevin Macpherson took time a month ago from his painting schedule to Zoom with me on the podcast. He's a renowned painter and author who has written four instructional books and was one of the very first artists to start writing these types of books in the early 90s. Kevin also had a PBS show that lasted for two years with 26 episodes - and he's an amazing painter, I've always been a fan of his work.
Kevin paints with an impressionistic plein air style that he does so well it's become iconic. When you see a Kevin Macpherson painting you know it can't be anyone else's work. Now he's doing other things that are very interesting including portrait paintings, (which I would have never thought he would go that route) sculpture, etc. but you know he's an artist, and when you are an artist you look for those components in your life that are unique and different that excite you.
These days Kevin produces videos aimed at teaching the fundamentals of plein air painting on location while simultaneously doing these wonderful small stone sculptures that beauty lies in their simplicity. Kevin also operates a foundation for children and the arts, he's clearly a very deep, and kind individual. Come to think of it, I've never seen Kevin without a smile. It's a wonderful passion that he has for his profession.
Dr. Larry Peterson joined me for a podcast in November. He's a fascinating, interesting man and you know every once in a while you meet somebody and you say to yourself "this guy's done a lot more than I have" and in this case he really has.
Dr. Peterson is a dermatologist that published numerous medical research papers before pivoting at the age of 56 to focus on his writing ability in the world of art. He's written books on the artist Phillip Goodwin, the photographer L. A. Huffman, he wrote a major book 700-page opus called "American Trinity", another on John Fery, and two books on Charlie Russell, ane one on John Clark, a person I didn't know about until I started doing research on Dr. Peterson for this podcast and was an interesting western woodcarver, Dr. Peterson has a sense of what the West is and what his role is in the West.
I highly recommend listening to the entire podcast. It was fun for me and sometimes when you get somebody you really find interesting and unique you just don't want it to end. You just keep going more granular wanting one more tib bit of information. I understand that people might feel a little exhausted after almost two hours of two former medical professionals talking about Western art, but if you like art history, if you like to hear how somebody is able to be a very accomplished individual - not only in their own field - but in another disparate area, then this is the individual that you will want to listen to.
Had a great time with Eric Rhoads. Eric is the publisher of Fine Art Connoisseur as well as PleinAir Magazine. He does live interviews on his Facebook and his Youtube every day at noon for an hour, as well as two podcasts - The Art Marketing Podcast and Plein Air Podcast. Eric is very committed not only to his own artistry but to the art community as a whole.
This was much fun and is part two with Eric who shares the backstory of his early life and road to the art world. Eric can spin a great yarn and worth listening to this podcast just for the stories, but if you're a serious artist I think this podcast has some valuable nuggets that could help those with a creative bent, regardless of skill or stature, market their work to the broadest audience.
Whether you're an artist, an art dealer, or somebody who's just interested in art, you will find Eric's story of how someone can pivot in life and do something completely different fascinating. Eric Rhoads will go down in history - not for producing AM radio, but being a pillar of the art community, and that's a big deal.
Read Sunday Coffee with Eric Rhoads:
https://www.coffeewitheric.com
Had a great time today with Eric Rhoads. Eric is the publisher of Fine Art Connoisseur as well as Plein Air Magazine. He does live interviews on his Facebook and his Youtube every day at noon for an hour, as well as two podcasts - The Art Marketing Podcast and Plein Air Podcast. Eric is very committed not only to his own artistry but to the art community as a whole.
This was so much fun; it is a two-part podcast; this is part one and reflects on Eric's life as it is today with the pandemic and how his radio production experiences led to a life creating and disseminating art media.
This is one of those podcasts that, whether you're an artist, an art dealer, or somebody who's just interested in art, will find Eric's story of how someone can pivot in life and do something completely different. Eric Rhoads will go down in history - not for producing AM radio, but being a pillar of the art community, and that's a big deal.
I had Forbes and Essential West writer Chadd Scott on the podcast today. Chadd is such an energetic person that it's hard not to get revved up when I get to talk to someone that is even more enthusiastic about art than I am, and it's hard to find because I really love art. Whether it's collecting, seeing art, or being around artists. Chadd has that, right? He has that in spades!
Chadd was involved in the sports world working for ESPN, in all these major sporting areas as an announcer, as a writer, and then got the art bug, something I can relate too. He fell in love with art and had to follow his passion and let me tell you he's following his passion. I think he's an important person in our community and somebody to really follow closely to see what he's doing. If you want to see what you can do and what you can become if you love art -then listen to Chad Scott.
Follow Chadd's journey through the art world here:
https://www.seegreatart.art
I had Martha Braun on the show today. You know this is an interesting podcast for those who are into interior design. Martha was a world-class interior designer who had her own company in San Francisco for 25 years. She also built high-end spec homes and sold them in San Francisco but really found her calling in being an abstract painter. We get a different sensibility of somebody who's painting - not from a realistic standpoint - but a nonobjective one. I think anyone who likes art, whether it's traditional or contemporary, can take something away from this podcast about how you can find success and have a very successful career as an abstract painter. Her work has hung next to a Rothko and Georgia O'Keeffe painting at the University of Arizona Museum collection where one of her paintings is in their permanent collection.
View available Martha Braun paintings here:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/western-fine-art/southwestern-contemporary-painters/braun-martha
I had David Michaels on today. He is one of the more unique guests I've had quite frankly, an artist with a background probably like no other. David Michaels has produced and directed some of the largest sporting events for television. Think the Olympics, the Tour de France - he has like 14 Emmys so he's extremely gifted in that field and he's done documentaries as well. However, when you hear David's account of the path he took in life, you'll know as well as I did that this individual was always supposed to be an artist. He just took a different track and that happens to a lot of us in life, right? We think we're a doctor and then all of the sudden we're an art dealer. David lets us into his life and explains how this whole new world opened up for him and when it did and that it was an epiphany. It was an epiphany for him to do the Olympics in 1976 and it was an epiphany to start creating when his wife bought him watercolors to start painting for his 50th birthday. Anyone who's out there who thinks "I don't have what it takes" or "I want to do it but I can't, I just don't have the confidence" listen to this podcast and you'll get the confidence to go out there and get your brushes, get your paints and start painting. If you really have that drive you know what? You're going to succeed. Very fun podcast with a unique and interesting guy, David Michaels.
I had New Mexico landscape painter Bill Gallen on the podcast today. He's such an interesting guy and his heart and soul are poured into every painting he does. We get to hear his story about struggling to find a path in the art world. Bill had an encounter with an artist during an art fair, and after seeing this artist's painting that resonated with him to an immeasurable extent, and BOOM, everything changes. After nearly fifteen years as a contractor, Bill Gallen traded in his house painting brushes for an easel painter's tool.
Life can be like that, especially with art. I've seen this over and over again and the lesson I've learned is that art in just about any capacity can change a person completely. It can make a doctor become an art dealer and lead a construction worker to become an artist and Bill details the later route in today's episode.
For those out there who want to be an artist, art dealer, curator, etc. Just give this podcast a listen. It might provide a roadmap to a life filled with creation and beauty. A path that Bill Gallen and I both found and never looked back.
View Bill Gallen's Available Paintings:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/western-fine-art/southwestern-contemporary-painters/gallen-bill
I had William Haskell on the podcast today and it's interesting - all of these podcasts I do have common threads running through them which you can pick up, in this case, it happens to be one that I hear from many artists. Somewhere early on in their lives, they had an art teacher or mentor that affected them greatly. William find's his own commonality which helped him find his artistic voice.
William took an off-the-beaten-path approach to become an artist, working in graphics and illustration for 15 years before deciding he was ready to become a full-time painter. For him, it was the tragedy of September 11th, 2001 that made him have that 'aha' moment.
We talk about what's to come for William as well as the wisdom he has for other artists struggling to break into the art world. I'm thrilled to also represent William Haskell who has a unique sensibility and style that no one else really paints. I think you'll find this podcast to be especially interesting if you're an artist trying to break into the field but have yet to take that jump- that leap of faith yet. William Haskell took it and if you listen to this podcast, maybe it will encourage you to do the same.
Register for our live Q&A with artist David Meikle on Dec. 4th at 2 pm (MST) here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZElc-mrpzoqHdF4JjTcpGNUC5ZqZFPRIblI
David Meikle was my guest on the podcast today and I just have to say that I love doing these interviews over a Zoom call. Initially, I thought that the personal process of listing to someone's life story was a process that I'd only want to do in the studio. After recording a few of these long-distance Zoom podcasts with artists in their studios, I've noticed that when the person being interviewed is in a comfortable and familiar setting they are much more relaxed and often get a better insight into their art and life. Today, we get the pleasure of seeing David's studio full of brand new paintings that are going to be in his upcoming show Desert Elements at Medicine Man Gallery, opening this December 4th.
David is a very interesting guy who had his own unique way to achieve his goal as a fine art painter. He's is one of the great Southwestern landscape painters working today with a unique route coming from a design and illustration background and still works at the University of Utah designing graphics such as the logo for the 2020 Vice Presidential Debate. David is a very hard-working artist and is an artist's artist. I think anyone who is trying to make a living off of their talent and artwork will really enjoy this episode and the possibilities that await if you put in the time, effort, and emotional capital into becoming an artist.
I had John Coleman Cowboy Artist of America on the podcast today. John is just such a deep, interesting human being. John is one of the most successful artists of his generation but believe it or not, he didn't start out as an artist even though he knew he had this innate artistic talent inside him.
John had to go through finding that artistic voice, which isn't an easy process. His earliest path was one of success as a business person, but it just wasn't the type of fulfillment he sought. Becoming a world-class sculptor and painter of Native American subject matter involved triumph and failure of many varieties, ultimately resulting in the man we get to hear from today.
This podcast was an enlightening roadmap of perseverance. If you're an artist who says to themselves: "I don't know... I want to be an artist, but... do I have what it takes?" Well, maybe if you listen to this podcast, you'll see what it took for John to become the artist he is today. Quite frankly, it takes a lot of effort, but more than effort, it requires the emotional investment to transform into that particular version of yourself. John Coleman put it all together, and I'm glad he joined us to tell his story.
I had Josh Elliott on the podcast today and what a fun and interesting individual to interview. I’ve been fortunate enough to join Josh on a couple of painting trips to observe his painting acumen and you can learn so much as an art dealer when you get to actually see what an artist does with their skill set in the field. It helps one understand the process and there is something to be said about comprehending the process. I'm an artist in the sense that I'm a writer and photographer, but I’m not a painter and there's a big difference watching someone like Josh paint. Josh and I talk about his early days and his evolution into the artist he has become, as well as his personal philosophy on painting from telephone poles and windmills to the rationale to omit them entirely. We go a little more in-depth about the artwork than we usually do with painters in this episode as I found his process so interesting. I’m just so intrigued by Josh's work as not only a gallery owner that represents him but as a collector of his work having upwards of 12 or so Josh Elliotts in my personal collection. I admire Josh, not only as an artist - but also as a person and after watching this podcast I think you'll understand why.
I had the Director and CEO of the Tucson Museum of Art, Jeremy Mikolajczak, on today. Jeremy is a unique individual who has run the gamut in life. He was not only a world-class swimmer in high school and college but was an artist as well. He went the BFA route and then worked in the gallery circuit, but it was running his first museum where he really found his stride in life. He's run a couple of different museums, including significant ones, and has been our the director at Tucson Museum of Art for the last four years (having done a seriously impressive job so far, I might add). He's really interesting, fun to listen to, and quite adroit in the world of art. We discuss the Kasser Family Wing of Latin American Art which is both ancient and contemporary, as well as the future of Tucson art and how our Museum is steadily pushing ahead in the art world despite a global pandemic.
I had landscape painter Matt Smith on the podcast today. He's such a good plein air artist and I was a fan and collector long before I ever representing him in my gallery. It took me 20 years before I was lucky enough to get Matt Smith to show in my gallery and it's fun to hear the story of how he got to be one of the best western painters in the country. He's renowned for not only his studio paintings and plein paintings but for his workshops where he shares his expansive skillset with others. If you're a painter and you want to paint outdoors, this a good one to absorb. Matt discusses the difficulties to succeed as a professional artist and what is required if you want to try to create for a living, especially as a plein air painter. Matt Smith on episode 124 of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
See Matt Smith's Available Paintings Here:
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/western-fine-art/southwestern-contemporary-painters/smith-matt
I had Mark Magggiori on today. Wow, really an interesting human being. He's one of the best Western artists working today and I'm a big fan of his artwork. This is a Western artist who has 150,000 Instagram followers. Yes, you read that correctly. Having that many followers is kind of unheard of in the Western art game but there's a definite reason though and that's that this guy has an amazing background and can paint.
He's the front-man for the French band Pleymo which was signed in 1997 by Sony records when he was only 20 years old and has sold over 100,000 albums. He was a rockstar, but he followed his dream which was to become a Western artist. He had this colossal epiphany which is amazing when you think about it. Someone who's trying to find their way, and they've been very successful mind you, and then all of a sudden seeing one painting in the Western Heritage Museum in OKC, Cowboy Hall of Fame makes a lightbulb turn on. This majestic Jim Reynolds painting started Mark Maggiori on an all-new journey into the depths of Western art.
Mark is a very animated guy, quite a few little curse words here and there, but if you don't like that... well, you're going to miss out on an amazing podcast. When you have somebody that's passionate about what they're doing - it shows. For Mark Maggiori it DEFINITELY shows. This is one of those great podcasts that emphasizes why I do what I do.
View available Mark Maggiori paintings here: https://www.medicinemangallery.com/western-fine-art/southwestern-contemporary-painters/maggiori-mark
I had artist Julia Arriola on the podcast today. She is a new artist for us and our gallery-artist relationship has developed into one of those special situations where you get a new artist and their work really resonates with you as a collector and as an art dealer but is also immediately recognized by clients and collectors alike. Julia is of Mexican-Mescalero Apache descent who does these wonderful ledger drawings that have steampunk motifs incorporated into traditional Native American stories and imagery, and the story behind her mixing of these clashing ideologies is almost as interesting as the art itself. Ever since we’ve started receiving these wonderful drawings we just can’t keep them on the walls. They sell out almost immediately, usually within a day. Aside from her ledger drawings, Julia is also a very interesting person with an incredible story of how became the artist she is today. Even though she was always interested in art, Julia had to take a circuitous route to get recognized. From being a navy aircraft signaler to working in factories, to finally getting back to her love of art and getting a BFA and Masters in art - hers is a story of perseverance. If you are a struggling artist and go “Gee, I don’t think I can do this...” Listen to Julia’s story. It might give you some perspective on the uncertain, long road to becoming an artist and the payoff when you finally make it.
I had Laura Finlay Smith, the curator for the Tia Collection on the podcast today. The Tia Collection is a unique gathering of paintings and sculptures including top-notch Contemporary and the best of the best Western and recently Native American artwork as well. Laura has been curating for the Tia Collection for the last 8 years building this fantastic collection of artwork This collection tours throughout the country and pieces are routinely loaned to museums across the United States. Any of you museum directors out there listening - you're definitely going to want to absorb this podcast. It's going to give you insight into an immense resource where you can find wonderful important artworks that are free to borrow for your institutions. Laura is an interesting individual and the history behind her curatorial expertise provides for a very interesting interview. Please enjoy curator Laura Finlay Smith on episode 121 of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
What a fun podcast I had with Jill Carver. Jill grew up in England and has been living in the Southwest since 2002. She had this circuitous road to becoming the well-respected painter she is today, beginning with her education in the UK and the thought of becoming a finance professional, getting a degree in history, to finally following her heart as an artist. Along the way, she gets a position at the National Portrait Gallery in London and works there for 12 years. Jill ends moving across the pond and now she's one of the foremost landscape painters of America. I'm very fortunate and proud to have her as one of my artists. This is a really great episode and I hope you enjoy this edition of the Art Dealer Diaries featuring Jill Carver.
To see more of Jill Carver's artwork visit: https://www.medicinemangallery.com/western-fine-art/southwestern-contemporary-painters/carver-jill
I had Utah artist Greg Newbold on the podcast today. I've represented Greg for only a couple years and, believe it or not, I found him on Facebook. For those artists out there that wonder: "how do I get into a great art gallery," people like myself look on social media from time to time and we find the artists that have a voice and unique sensibilities about their artwork. When I came across Greg's work, I immediately said "WOW! Who is this guy?"
Greg is an interesting individual and we discuss his early days as an illustrator and his time teaching at BYU. During all of this, Greg had the desire to be a fine artist in the back of his mind and as of late he's blown away any doubt that he was meant to be a fine artist. He's one of those artists that keeps you hooked as you watch their reputation unfold in front of you. I think he's at that point now where when we look back ten years from now, we'll go "Oh my gosh, I could've had a Greg Newbold and it was actually affordable!"
I ended up speaking with Greg for more than an hour and twenty minutes and it was effortless as he's just a fun guy to talk to. He recorded his portion of the zoom call in his studio and I think being able to see an artist discuss their artwork makes it a little more granular. This is a great podcast for everyone (especially artists), enjoy this episode of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast featuring Greg Newbold.
To view Greg Newbold's work visit: https://www.medicinemangallery.com/search/?q=greg%20newbold
I had Davison Koenig on the podcast today who is the Director/Curator of the Couse-Sharp Historical Museum in Taos, New Mexico. This Northern New Mexico museum is a wonderful experience as I've been there a couple of different times. I've visited the Couse residency before it was ever a museum and was amazing then and now it is spectacular. It was fun to hear the story of how someone falls into a position like Davison's as a director of such a unique museum. The path, in this case, begins with Davison working in a bronze foundry and leads to a side-job cutting trees where he meets his wife Susan Folwell who happens to be one of the premier Santa Clara potters of today. Towards the end of the podcast, Davison takes us on a guided tour through the museum and gives us some very enlightening bits of information regarding the great painter E.I. Couse, J. H. Sharp, and their family. This is a fun and interesting interview and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
I had the award-winning Santa Clara potter Susan Folwell on the podcast today. She followed up a podcast that I recorded with her husband, Davison Keonig, the director of the Couse-Sharp Historic Site in Taos, NM. I loved this interview because I got to hear Susan's backstory in great and entertaining detail. Susan's mom, the famous contemporary potter Jody Folwell an important figure pueblo pottery. Jody Folwell was the ceramist who popularized asymmetrical pottery and inserting social commentary onto her pottery in the 20th century. Susan is one of the great pueblo potters in her own right plotting her trajectory of having a famous mother potter and the fact she really didn't want to go into pottery at all (she really wanted to do photography) and how all of that led up to what she's working on now. We discussed her recent and future exhibitions and how she's continued to be a figurehead in the pueblo potter community through all of the turmoil in 2020. This is a wonderful podcast and Susan was very delightful to speak with. Sit back and relax, and enjoy this episode of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast with Susan Folwell.
Big thank you to Charles King Galleries for supplying images of Susan's recent artwork
I had Jared Chavez on the podcast a silversmith I carry and a person that I really respect as an artist. His father San Felipe silversmith Richard Chavez who I started buying his work 20 years ago whose work graces numerous museum collections. Father and son have done collaborative work but their styles are different and very unique. Jared experienced an interesting upbringing in that he's a San Felipe kid that ends up going to Georgetown for his undergraduate BFA, later working in San Francisco learning new jewelry techniques. Jared has brought all of this together, his education, work experience, heritage, to form his own unique aesthetic. We talk about his art and about how he got where he is today, and of course about his famous father that recently had a major retrospective at the Heard Museum. This podcast is for anyone that likes Native American jewelry or likes to see how a person can succeed and become a well-known jewelry artist. I don't think Jared would think of himself as famous, but in my eyes, he fits the description of success at a high level. He's part of a new generation of New Mexico artists and I'm excited to see what's in store for Jared's bright future.
Had a wonderful discussion with the contemporary pueblo potter Russell Sanchez of San Ildefonso pueblo. I've known Russell Sanchez for at least 30 years and we had a nice talk about what it means to be a potter and how pottery became his chosen field, including his tutelage from the famed pueblo potters Rose Gonzales and Tony and Anita Da who influenced him. It was interesting to get the sense of what it takes to be a Pueblo potter as a profession and how he's approached being one of the best in the field. If you love Pueblo Pottery, Russell Sanchez is one of the best, and this a podcast you can't afford to miss.
Kathleen Wall is a vibrant individual and well known Jemez potter who creates her figurine pots at Jemez New Mexico. She does wonderful figurines and masks, some of them being very large pieces. Kathleen explains her journey as a potter and how she got to where she is today and what it took to get there. It's a long hard road to be a potter especially when you're trying to do things that are unique and less traditional pueblo pottery, but Kathleen has triumphed. In fact, Kathleen was recently awarded the Living Treasure Award for New Mexico at MIAC (The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture) and was supposed to have a one-person show for this great honor. Unfortunately, it opened in April of 2020. Clearly, with all that's been going on with COVID-19, the show has been put off through 2021. Pandemic aside, Kathleen has mastered her art and I think anyone that enjoys raw passion and creativity will love Kathleen Wall.
I had the pleasure of interviewing the contemporary artist Marla Allison today on Art Dealer Diaries. Marla is full of energy, creativity, smart, and was a very interesting guest. We discuss growing up in New Mexico at the historic Laguna Pueblo, and what it's like being Laguna, Hopi, Jemez, and Anglo, and what those cultural elements provide to your art and perspective. Laguna is a small community and she goes from a small pueblo community to being IAIA trained and a School for Advanced Research fellow in Santa Fe, to accepting fellowships in Bahrain, and Bristol, UK, and participating in exhibitions in the United Arab Emirates and residencies in Saudi Arabia. Marla Allison has been a lot of different places and imbues this life experience into her art, with her heritage and sensibilities of historic pueblo pottery designs with a contemporary style. I enjoyed this podcast a great deal and for fans of contemporary art and historic pottery, I can assure you that you will too.
I had Mateo Romero on the podcast today. He is a fantastic painter and interesting individual and this interview is one of the more unique podcasts I've had the pleasure to record. On the Art Dealer Diaries, we generally talk about art but with Mateo, we gravitated to the topic of the current racial divide in the United States. Mateo has been involved in a lawsuit for 20+ years against the Washington Redskins organization to change their name so we had a chance to discuss all of the recent developments in that arena, as well as the obelisk monument in the center of the Santa Fe Plaza and what could be done to replace, or more importantly, recontextualize a monument that refers to Native Americans that lived in the region as the "savage Indians of New Mexico". We also spoke at length about Mateo's artistic process and the life experiences/academia that got him where he is today. This is longer than the usual podcast but is well worth the effort to listen to the entire podcast and was one of my favorite interviews.
I had Kim Peone on the podcast today who is the newest Executive Director of the non-profit organization SWAIA (Southwestern Association For Indian Arts). Every year SWAIA's banner event the Santa Fe Indian Market brings in millions of dollars for Native artisans and acts as a huge boost for the local economy. The event is always in the third week of August and I myself have had the privilege of attending for the past 30 years. Well, this year the event got canceled. For the first time in 99 years, there will be no Indian Market on the Plaza due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. You can imagine the chaos Kim has had to deal with since taking her current position in April. Regardless, Kim and I had this wonderful interview. She speaks on her early years having grown up with two different tribal backgrounds (Colville and Eastern Cherokee) and the road that ultimately led her to Santa Fe. This is a terrific interview and Kim is clearly going to do an exceptional job as Executive Director.
There's going to be a virtual Indian Market event held August 1st - 31st. More information can be found on SWAIA's website SWAIA.org.
I had Dr. Michael F. Brown on the podcast today and he's president of the School for Advanced Research in Santa Fe, NM. I've been a long time supporter of this museum and institution and I highly encourage people to go to their website which is sarweb.org. The school supports native causes and various research projects in the region. It started as an archeology museum in 1922 and it's an amazing place with a huge array of pottery and artifacts, as well as some of the finest contemporary native art.
Michael is a fascinating person that has done much in his life. From working in Peru to doing an interview with a gun pointed at him, he definitely has a story that needs to be told. The granulation of this story really adds to his passion and why he wanted to be in charge of this museum and what the museum is doing today.
I had originally planned on traveling to Santa Fe this week to interview Michael and several other esteemed Native American artists and historians, even going so far as to set-up a temporary studio in the School for Advanced Research. These plans were put to a screeching halt by the mandatory 14-day quarantine on all inbound travelers installed by the governor of New Mexico. Ultimately, we decided to maintain our interview schedule and do them remotely, socially distancing at an effective 500+ miles. For the next few weeks, the podcast will be focusing on SAR and some of the Native American artisans involved in this wonderful organization.
With all of that in mind, please enjoy this socially distant edition of the Art Dealer Diaries featuring Dr. Michael Brown president of SAR.
I had Jim Jacobs come to the gallery today to join me for an episode of the Art Dealer Diaries that is unlike any other so far. Jim is a realtor in Tucson, actually the BEST realtor in Tucson and someone that I've bought quite a few houses from over the years. He has great instincts about what architecture and art mean to a home and a homeowner. His backstory involves 20 years of fashion industry expertise in Atlanta and New York City before ever becoming a realtor as well as working at the Playboy Mansion in his early days valeting cars for stars like Johnny Carson. In my opinion, there are so many correlations between art and real estate and the way you conduct business ethically in both of these disciplines. I loved this interview and I feel that many people will find it very intriguing and if you're interested in Tucson real estate it might even inform your next home purchase.
Frank Patania Jr. owner of the Thunderbird shop of Santa Fe and Tucson, and the son of Frank Patania Sr. tells the second half of his 87-year story in this edition of the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast. Frank and I spoke for almost 3 hours so this is a two-part podcast with the first portion of the story appearing in episode 107. Part two focuses on Frank Patania Jr's own career and the process behind some of his most important works. We hear about Frank using styrofoam to cast a 9ft tall cross in aluminum and passing the literal and figurative torch to his son Sam the third generation Thunderbird silversmith. I wanted to explore Frank Patania Jr's career and life experiences in Santa Fe and Tucson and the influence he had on the Patania family legacy and what is considered now to be Southwest jewelry. If you are a Patania collector or someone who's very interested in the history of southwest silversmithing, particularly in Santa Fe and Tucson, this podcast is one you will definitely enjoy.
I had an important historical figure on the podcast today, Frank Patania Jr. original owner of the Thunderbird shop of Santa Fe and Tucson, and the son of Frank Patania Sr. tells the story of the lives of three generations of silversmiths. I had Sam Patania, Frank Jr's son on an earlier podcast which you might want to listen to as well. Frank and I spoke for almost 3 hours so this is a two-part podcast with the remainder of the story appearing in episode 108 which is part two. Part one focuses on Frank Sr and their time in Santa Fe. We talk about how Frank Sr. got into the jewelry business, the opening of the first Thunderbird Shop in 1927 in Santa Fe, the second shop in Tucson in 1937, and finally the historic figures orbiting both shops in the mid 20th century. I really wanted to get into the weeds in part one as it's important for people to have this information for future use considering the sizable legacy of the Patania family. If you are a Patania collector or someone who's very interested in the history of southwest silversmithing, particularly in Santa Fe and Tucson, this podcast is one you will definitely enjoy.
Associate Director of the BYU Museum of Art, Ed Lind stopped by the gallery today to share his fascinating story. Ed is somebody who was born an artist, but his career path just didn't let him go that direction. He was involved in computers very early on in the '80s, realized he wanted to follow his passion, and then went back to school when he was in his 30's and received a fine art degree. He eventually got a call from Brigham Young University to be a part of their museum administration, becoming an associate director. This podcast is a must for all the people who love Dixon. This is THE podcast. BYU purchased 85 paintings from Dixon himself in 1937 for $3,700. The dean of the business school at the time, Harold R. Clark made this amazing deal with Maynard Dixon, and thus in 1937 BYU became one of the largest depositories of Maynard Dixon's work. We have a great dialogue about Maynard Dixon and what he represents, where his legacy is headed, and how relevant he is to current events happening right now with the strife that's going on in America and the rest of the world.
Billy Schenck came to deliver some paintings and wound up in the Medicine Man Gallery Studio for this episode of the Art Dealer Diaries. There's no reason why I can't grab somebody for another podcast that's already done one, especially if it's Bill Schenck. I wanted to get an update on Billy and how he's doing, and it turns out he's has had some pretty traumatic stuff going on in his life recently, namely a heart attack and being in the hospital in the middle of a global pandemic. We also talk about the show at the Tucson Museum of Art titled Southwest Rising: Contemporary Art and the Influence of Elaine Horowitch, curated by the great Dr. Julie Sasse. Bill was an important part of Elaine's stable of artists and a part of this show as well as the companion book. The show is unfortunately not open because of the pandemic, but will be most likely resume in August, maybe late July. The show provides the backstory of what was going on with Horwitch's gallery back in the '70s and '80s. Later on in the podcast, we talk about his home becoming a museum and how he sees himself and his legacy. I think you'll really enjoy this podcast, it was a spur of the moment interview and those my friends are the best types of interviews.
Shirley Wagner was on the podcast today. She is a three-dimensional artist specializing in modern sculpture inspired by the great Louise Nevelson. An interesting podcast for any artist who is in the struggle to find a way to create and make a living in the difficult field of art. To live a full life while trying to follow your vision when life doesn't want to let you go down that alley is exactly what Shirley Wagner faced. Whether it was her mom dying as soon as she graduated from art school or her husband Marius passing in 2017. This podcast addresses the obstacles that keep can stop the creative process and how to push through it. Shirley was very candid about her struggles and was really fascinating to hear her story and I hope it will be for you as well.
Sam Patania took the time to come to the Medicine Man Gallery Studio for this episode of the Art Dealer Diaries. We've been kinda slow, hunkering down through quarantine, so it was wonderful to spend an hour and talk face to face with an actual human being. One of the best silversmiths in the business, Sam's has an amazing family history. He's a third-generation silversmith whose grandfather, Frank Patania Sr, opened the Thunderbird Shop in 1927 in Santa Fe and not long after that in 1937, came to Tucson. His grandfather was an immigrant with a third-grade education who came from Italy and ended up being friends with Georgia O'Keeffe and having dinners at La Fonda with Robert Oppenheimer. So for the people listening that are really into Patania jewelry or silversmiths in general, this will be very interesting for you all as we go through a lot of the Patania history, types of hallmarks used during different time frames, and the artistic process of one of the best silversmith's in the business.
This episode was taped In early March right before Heard Museum Native American show and sale when Peter Miller came to Tucson to visit and before Covid19 had closed down the country. Peter is a collector who I've had the pleasure of selling to and during these brief visits we've always had wonderful conversations not only surrounding the art he collects, but also his world as an entrepreneur working at MIT. He was educated at MIT and was involved in several different software companies that he helped found and run. We went through the process of what it is to be in the business world as an executive and as a mentor, going over how those of skills correlate with any business, whether its a gallery, or an artist, or a large software company with over 1100 employees. Of course, we talked about collecting and his interest in art and how this developed which is a passion he and his wife share together. Peter is a remarkable person who was kind enough to share the backstory of his life from being a successful business person to his joy of collecting art. He's also a fan of the Charles Bloom Murder Mystery series and after this podcast was kind of enough to proofread of my next book "The Candy Man" another skill set he possesses.
Jeff Timan stopped by the gallery today for this edition of the Art Dealer Diaries. A special individual, Jeff is one of the owners of the world-famous Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch Resort founded in Tucson in the 1920s as well as one of the founding members of the group SculptureTucson.com. We had a wonderful discussion about Jeff's life in Tucson and the evolution he's seen take place since 1958, what it's like to run a resort in the middle of a pandemic, and finally how he feels about art in general and the positive effect of lacing sculptural works throughout an entire community.
*SculptureTucson.com is doing a drive through sculpture show at Hacienda del Sol through May 31st a part of each sale goes to the purchase of sculpture for Tucson. Works by world-renown artists like Otto Rigan and Curt Brill (both of whom are represented at Medicine Man Gallery) are on display and if you drive through the show and happen to fall in love with one of the works you can buy it right there, from your car.
Jim Ballinger, an important figure in the Arizona art world and my 100th podcast guest, provided one of my more fascinating interviews. Jim Ballinger is the former director of the Phoenix Art Museum for 40 years, a curator for 7 years, and the director for 33. Working for the Phoenix Art Museum was his first job and turns out his last, spending an entire career taking the museum from a small regional entity to a major institution in American Art. Jim's early life, including being a tennis athlete to becoming one of the youngest museum directors at the age of 31. Jim shares a story of ending up on the front page of the Kansas City newspaper and not for what you might think. The interview ends with some fascinating information (and historical footage) about a subject Jim has a deep fascination, the art of the Hoover (Boulder) Dam a project he is working on for a major book on the subject.
Hope you enjoy our anniversary interview number one hundred with Jim Ballinger.
Deladier Almeida discusses his life story of growing up in Brazil and starting as an architecture student, graphic artist, and illustrator before gravitating to fine art, first starting as a portrait painter inspired by a book on John Howard Sanden's work before becoming a landscape artist. Del shares his method and motivation giving me insight into how he creates his work, how his architecture with city planning influenced his landscape paintings, not only from a technical standpoint, but from an emotional standpoint as well. Del moved from Brazil to California where he studied under such luminaries as Wayne Thiebaud, Roland Peterson and Roy Dean Deforest at UC Davis. This podcast details an interesting journey from São Paulo all to Davis, California, and everything in between. I think you'll really enjoy this interview, I know I did and am thrilled to be able to represent his work at Medicine Man Gallery.
Art expert and critic Elaine A. King found her way to the Podcast studio, mask and all. This was filmed during the coronavirus pandemic with social distancing, shortly after Arizona governor Ducey issued a stay at home order. Elaine's story as a professor, historian, critic, and curator was enlighting. King was a tenured Professor at Carnegie-Mellon University in Art History & Theory and has curated over 50 art exhibitions. We had a lively discussion on the nuances of what it means to be an art critic and curator; a field I didn't really understand fully until our podcast. It was freeing to discuss art in such a trying time as a lockdown pandemic as art holds importance in our culture, listeners and in my own life. This art podcast was a deep dive into contemporary art, and I hope you' find it as interesting as I did.
This was a long-time-coming podcast as I finally got Ray Roberts to stop by the Medicine Man Gallery Studio to discuss his life and the painting world he orbits. Ray Roberts was the first contemporary artist I represented at Medicine Man Gallery (beginning in 1995 ), Ray is a wonderful teacher and well respected in his field for his teaching abilities. I refer to Ray Roberts in my gallery as a Painter's Painter as so many artists look up to Ray for inspiration and admire his painting technique.
Ray reflects on his life as an artist and the obstacles he has had to overcome to pursue a career in the arts. This episode on the Art Dealer Diaries Podcast gives insight into the struggles required to become a professional artist detailing first-hand the obstacles and perseverance it takes to succeed to become one of the top Western artists painting today.
Tucson artist Fred Borcherdt came by today, I've been trying to get Fred on the Podcast show and finally found time. I've represented Fred for 15 years and own his sculpture in my personal collection. Borcherdt trained at the University of Arizona and got his master's of fine art at the Chicago Art Institute, where he would eventually teach 3D design for 5 years. Fred takes us through his art career chronologically, specifically how sculpture came into his life and how traveling the world on a sculpture scholarship influenced his artwork, including time in Australia and the Pacific islands looking at Polynesian art.
Fred speaks on what it's like to be a sculptor that works with very difficult and unforgiving mediums such as steel, hardwoods, and stone, what life can be if you dedicate yourself and focused energy to your creative side, and what it's like being artist hitting 80 years of age and where his art will go from here. An interesting look at Tucson in the 1970s and building his home above Ventana Canyon.
https://www.medicinemangallery.com/search/?q=fred%20borcherdt
This podcast was recorded before Arizona went to a shelter in place.
Jim Woodside who was painting in self-isolating deep in the Sonoran Desert checks in for a follow-up podcast (Episode 53) on the Art Dealer Diaries. Jim teaches art and lives in Boston which is currently near the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. Woodside arrived in early March just before the full Covid19 meltdown. An interesting discussion on isolation and his love of painting and what people can do during this difficult time as an artist and the relationships as a teacher and the importance of art. A wonderful podcast for artists and students thinking about going into the arts and what we value in our school system regarding art education.
I had the pleasure of having Charles Geoffrion on the podcast today. A very interesting and knowledgeable man, Charles is the Vice President of the Pima County Board of Health and is on the Board of Directors for Allied Bioscience. On top of all that - he's married to an artist, Moira Geoffrion, who we've done a podcast with and represent at Medicine Man Gallery.
The first part of this podcast is all about the coronavirus, where it's going, what we should do, what's happening in Arizona as well as the world. The second half is more along the lines of a typical episode of the Art Dealer Diaries, as we dive into Charles and Moira's time in the Peace Corp, and what life is like for a research professional married to an artist/art professor.
As many of you probably know, I was a physician before I got into the art game. I wanted to put the medical professional hat back on for an hour to provide some insight from a Health expert, Charles Geoffrion into the COVID19 pandemic, especially to our Tucson listeners, be also to those listening around the globe.
A timely interview with 96-year old world-renowned neuroendocrinologist and researcher Dr. Seymour Reichlin who discussed the role stress has on disease and the issues surrounding psychosomatic disease as well as briefly discuss the 1918 Pandemic flu, Babe Ruth and the deployment of the Atomic bomb.
Dr. Reichlin joins our host, Dr. Mark Sublette who takes off his art hat too discuss medicine and early Navajo life in the 1950's and the medical treatments and lifestyle at that time as well as collecting Native Arts. This is part one of a two-episode interview.
In part two, Seymour discusses his involvement in the research taking place on the Navajo Reservation and the barriers that he dealt with relating the concept of stress to a culture that did not have a word for headache. Seymour goes on to speak on his mentorship of the famous advocate for alternative medicine Deepak Chopra, his understanding of consciousness and departs after leaving us with an Art Dealer Diaries first - a musical performance!
A timely interview with 96-year old world-renowned neuroendocrinologist and researcher Dr. Seymour Reichlin who discussed the role stress has on disease and the issues surrounding psychosomatic disease as well as briefly discuss the 1918 Pandemic flu, Babe Ruth and the deployment of the Atomic bomb.
Dr. Reichlin joins our host, Dr. Mark Sublette who takes off his art hat too discuss medicine and early Navajo life in the 1950's and the medical treatments and lifestyle at that time as well as collecting Native Arts. This is part one of a two-episode interview.
In part one, Seymour discusses his early years growing up in a depression-era New York to immigrant parents. We hear about Seymour's father and his involvement in WWI, along with Seymour's own participation in WWII, and how these would both contribute to his interest in studying chemical systems in the brain.
Museum President and CEO Dr. Michael Duchemin stops by the Medicine Man Gallery Studio to share his insights into the daily operations of the 6-year-old San Antonio Briscoe Western Art Museum. Michael discusses his early interest in the perception of American culture as well as his experience in the museum circuit and his ascent to a top post in Western museum operation. We get a breakdown of how Michael plans and exhibits some of the nation's top Western artists and the process behind converting an art collector relationship with a museum into a functioning philanthropic symbiosis. All of this and more on this week's episode of the Art Dealer Diaries.
Western sculptor Susan Kliewer pays a visit to the Medicine Man Gallery studio and discusses her long and difficult road to becoming an artist with host Dr. Mark Sublette. Susan chronicles the wonderful story behind her ascent to finding her artistic footing including (but not limited to) winning her first art show at age 9, declining a scholarship to a prestigious LA art school, and smashing gender barriers working in an Arizona foundry in the 1970s and 80s. We hear about Susan's time on the Navajo reservation and how working at a trading post led to the adoration and appreciation seen in her bronze sculptures of the Navajo people. From Orange County to Sedona, Hawaii to the Royal Order of Jesters in Indiana, this is one episode of the ART DEALER DIARIES if your struggling as an artist you won't want to miss.
Painter and former U of Arizona professor James Cook stops by the Medicine Man Gallery studio for an enlightening interview with our host Dr. Mark Sublette. James dives into the interview discussing his early years in a talented household and how they shaped his approach to art. We hear about the business that happens beyond the (large) canvas and the stress an inexperienced gallerist can put on an artist. Jim goes on to discuss the pitfalls of launching a career in fine art and how confidence is only half the battle, citing the success and failures of those closest to him. All of this and more on episode 89 of the Art Dealer Diaries.
Landscape painter and former professor of the arts at Maine College of Arts Glenn Renell sits down with our host Dr. Mark Sublette to share his story of how he became the remarkable landscape painter he is today. Unbelievably, Glenn started his painting career as an abstract expressionist painter, a vast departure from the atmospheric landscapes he's now known for today. From being on an aircraft carrier during Vietnam to living on the reservation at Chinle and painting Canyon de Chelly, Glenn covers a lot of ground in a very insightful and fascinating episode of the Art Dealer Diaries.
Watercolorist extraordinaire William (Willy) Matthews stops by the Medicine Man Gallery studio for a special two part interview with host Dr. Mark Sublette. In part TWO, the esteemed Mr. Matthews discusses his time in Europe forging relationships by knocking on doors and playing music, eventually leading to a job at The Museum of Modern Art, Oxford (now Modern Art Oxford). After William returns to the US, he leads a graphic design studio in 1980's Denver for a short period of time, eventually opening his own studio shortly after. Willy's career develops into that of a full-time fine artist, culminating in the owning of his own gallery/studio William Matthews Studio in Denver, CO and leading to the painting of "Los Caballos." The process behind the 63 ft-long mural crowning the newly built Dickies Arena in Ft. Worth, TX and much more in part TWO of this two part interview on the Art Dealer Diaries.
Watercolorist extraordinaire William (Willy) Matthews stops by the Medicine Man Gallery studio for a special two-part interview with host Dr. Mark Sublette. In part ONE, Mr. Matthews looks back on the early days of his 50+ year career as a professional artist. We get a glimpse into William's early life in San Francisco and what is like to grow up in such a talented family of creatives. Hanging around Haight-Ashbury in the late 1960's, carrying a 40 lb portfolio around L.A. in the 1970's, and working with the likes of Graham Nash (Crosby, Stills, and Nash). William's trajectory as an album cover artist and much more are present in part ONE of a two-part interview on the Art Dealer Diaries.
Tim Newton is the publisher of Western Art & Architecture, a photographer, art collector, renovation expert, minister, dog catcher, and renaissance man. He shares his love of art and the unusual life path art has taken him. From starting a church in New York to founding the American Masters Exhibition, Tim details his fascinating life as an art collector. Tim's continued dedication to the Salmagundi Club in New York City, of which he's been the chairman and CEO for 8 years is evident as he speaks on the history of the organization, as well as the club's future. All of this and more in this edition of the ART DEALER DIARIES.
Steve Datz's second visit to the Art Dealer Diaries; on this special episode we discuss what it takes to be an artist and pull off a major art exhibit. Stephen's first interview (Epi. 43) delved into his backstory and what led him to pursue painting full-time. This time around, Stephen and Mark go in-depth about the lifestyle of the modern landscape painter. We hear about the choices that have to be made beyond the canvas to have a successful exhibition in a southwest gallery setting, and how being a "precisionist" can both help and hinder your art career. A great insight into the mind of an artist, and an episode you can't afford to miss.
Michael John Nolan the Head of the Design at Pima Community College sits down with our host Dr. Mark Sublette to discuss life as both a painter and an educator. We hear about Michael's early days growing up in Tucson and how taking the right classes (and teaching them) turned Michael into an artist,. Illustrating comic books, novels, and painting which Michael refers to as "couch paintings". The exhibition, sale of paintings, and choosing the right gallerist are all touched on in this comprehensive interview. A great roadmap for young artists watching and listening to an important episode of the Art Dealer Diaries for any artists considering the creative roadmap of life.
Master woodworker Terry Evans stops by Medicine Man Gallery studio to speak with host Dr. Mark Sublette about his lifelong commitment to art and working in wood and leather. Leatherwork, farm work, and ultimately woodworking are all discussed, with an emphasis on education and the persistence necessary to succeed as a traveling artist in today's art fair market. From teaching for 40 years as a high school art teacher in Kansas City to being represented by Medicine Man Gallery, Terry's interesting story continues to unfold in this episode of the Art Dealer Diaries.
Christine Brindza, the James and Louise Glasser curator of art of the American West at Tucson Museum of Art stops by Medicine Man Gallery to discuss the role of museum curation and the path she took to in becoming a western art curator. Christine shares her upbringing and early years as a historical editor at the Whitney Western Art Museum in Cody, Wyoming. After a decade of working for some of the finest western museums and curating exhibits exploring our western roots, Christine took a position at the Tucson Museum of Art where she is currently working. Christine discusses the issues of being a female curator in an area that historically has been dominated by men. An interesting art podcast for anyone interested in Western art.
Seasoned landscape painter and geological aficionado Merrill Mahaffey sits down with our host Dr. Mark Sublette to revisit the defining moments of his career as a painter and as a professor of the arts. Merrill tells of uranium mines and working as a cowboy in 1950's Colorado, as well as the various characters he met through his skill with the brush including (but not limited to) Fritz Scholder, Greg Kondos, Eric Fischl, Wayne Thiebaud, and Elaine Horowitz. We hear about his Grand Canyon paintings and the ways in which Merrill orchestrates the cliffs and stone in his landscape paintings. All of this and more on this episode of the Art Dealer Diaries.
Plein air painter Gregory Hull stops by Medicine Man Gallery to explore the psychology of on-site painting. Greg shares stories of his youth, including a traumatic train crash that he and 7 others walked away from, as well as his days as a machinist assistant working for the railroad. Greg Hull is known for his Grand Canyon paintings both from deep inside the canyon to the rim and how an early life filled with camping and adventure led to the traveling nature. Excellent podcast for plein air painters and for those who are thinking about entering the world of fine art painting as a career.
Terry Williams (Deixh Teexli), discusses his early life growing up in Seattle and having Bill Gates in his cub scouts. Terry is the owner of Inside Passage Arts in Skagway, AK, and sits down with host Dr. Mark Sublette to discuss the Inuit carvings that he has devoted his life to preserving and their future. We hear about Terry’s time as an artist resident in the Alaskan wilderness as well as his involvement in the silversmithing trade of the ’60s and ’70s. Terry goes into depth about the complicated legality of the Alaskan ivory trade and the influence of prehistoric mammals such as mammoths and mastodons. From Seattle to Skagway and Bali to Tucson, this is an episode of the Art Dealer Diaries that you won't want to miss.
Native arts expert and gallery owner Al Anthony takes an hour out of his busy schedule to chat with his old friend Dr. Mark Sublette in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We get an inside look into Al’s days as a nuclear engineer for the USAF and how being stationed in New Mexico led him to Wright’s Trading Post in Albuquerque where he bought his first Maria Martinez bowl on layaway for two hundred dollars. Al recounts weekend trips to the New Mexico Pueblos and encounters with the most famous potters of our time, eventually developing his collection into the longstanding Adobe Gallery on Canyon Road. Along with dealing and collecting Native American art, Al has published many books and even republished historic catalogs such as the JB Moore Crystal Trading Post catalog. All of this and more on this episode of The Art Dealer Diaries.
Bob Kapoun, the owner of the historic Shop of the Rainbow Man in Santa Fe New Mexico, discusses the factors that led him down the path of dealing in Native American art. His interest in taking pictures during the Vietnam war led to an appreciation of photography and cinema, ultimately leading to a degree from Southern Illinois University and connecting Bob to the world of renowned photographer Edward S. Curtis.
Bob details his obsession with the culture and history of the Native Americans of the Southwest, the foundation lends to the authoring of books on Trade blankets and Cochiti pottery. Bob's reputation for contemporary Native art and trade blankets makes for a fascinating interview on this week's episode of the Art Dealer Diaries.
Long-time Native American art dealer Chris Selser sits down with Dr. Mark Sublette during Indian Market in Santa Fe to reflect on 50 years of being involved in the Antique Native Arts industry. Selser discusses his upbringing and how several key events changed his trajectory into becoming an expert in Navajo weavings and jewelry.
We hear about the romanticizing of Woodstock, and the proliferation of Native jewelry into the New York department stores in the 1970s. Chris discusses his 1981 New York City Native American Art Gallery and its demise from the 1982 recession. Chris now is focusing not only on Indian art but as a farmer in the Santa Fe area.
Appraiser and author Scott Hale sits down with our host Dr. Mark Sublette to discuss his background in education and cinema, becoming a curator of private art collections, and finally the growing interest in authentic Native American items among millennials.
Scott explains how his Grandfather ran a Native American art store at Hoover Dam in the 1930's and 40's. His mother Cindy Hale (also an appraiser) helped him carry the family torch and love for Indian arts. From analyzing Native Americans in cinema to Pueblo pottery in the city of Santa Fe. A wonderful interview to understand the current state of appraisal in Native American Art.
Jim Jeter Native American dealer shares his amazing life story of forgery, war and redemption in the second episode of a two-part interview with Dr. Mark Sublette
Well respected antique Indian Arts dealer Jim Jeter tells the story of his love of Native American art and Hispanic weavings. The son of a well-known actor James Jeter was raised in Southern California when a single arrowhead sparked the love of antique Indian art. Jim shares the intimate story about how he became a specialist in antique Indian jewelry and how this gift lead him down the road of forgery and forgiveness. This is an amazing two-part episode that Jim shares including hitchhiking across North Africa to his combat mission as an intelligence officer in Vietnam and the difficulties he experienced after the war.
Well respected antique Indian Arts dealer Jim Jeter tells the story of his love of Native American art and Hispanic weavings. The son of a well-known actor James Jeter was raised in Southern California when a single arrowhead sparked the love of antique Indian art. Jim shares the intimate story about how he became a specialist in antique Indian jewelry and how this gift lead him down the road of forgery and forgiveness. This is an amazing two-part episode that Jim shares including hitchhiking across North Africa to his combat mission as an intelligence officer in Vietnam and the difficulties he experienced after the war.
Michael Ettema, a former museum director for the Henry Ford Museum and Desert Caballeros Museum in Wickenburg shares his journey from training at Winterthur Museum to becoming a museum art director to gallery manager and finally art appraiser. He is the owner of Art Appraisals of Santa Fe.
Dallas based trader Michael McKissick sits down with host Mark Sublette during the Antique American Indian Art Show in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This episode of the Art Dealer Diaries covers a nearly 60 year long native art dealing career that begins with a pair of moccasins bought at a rodeo in the 1960's and continues to this day. Formerly a cryogenic systems designer, McKissick established a collection of Native American art that became his initial inventory after opening Waterbird Traders in the 1980's. Michael goes on to discuss the journey that the love of Native American art has taken him on and what's in store for the future of the industry.
Michael Haskell Indian Art and Spanish Colonial furniture dealer discuss his life story of how he got interested in the field fifty years ago, he's a third-generation Santa Barbara resident. Interesting story about the painter Don Perceval, Maynard Dixon, and Clay Lockett as well as buying old pawn off the Navajo reservation.
Amazing story of how Michael Haskell tried to buy the C.G. Wallace collection.
Tad Anderman shares his life story of growing up in the Southwest and his love of Indian Art. How he turns his passion for looking at Native American art at the Denver Art Museum into a profession. Tad takes us on his journey to Sydney Australia to open one of the first Native American Art galleries and the challenges involved in selling Indian Art in another country. Besides selling Native American Art Tad Anderman also has one of the largest collection of early Hopi Tiles and a family collection of Papua New Guinea art.
Historian Jeff Hengesbaugh sits down with host Mark Sublette to discuss recreating his journey of being a current-day mountain man and fur trader into a Native American and Antique dealer. Mark and Jeff discuss his path from a self-taught anthropologist and the many trials he endured to make a living selling antique goods. Jeff's insight into the history of mountain man is not to be missed.
Jan Musial sits down with host Dr. Mark Sublette to discuss his love of Native American Art and how he became a dealer in the Indian art trade. Jan goes into depth about how being married to a Navajo woman changed his perspective on the art he had been collecting and selling. Jan worked as an LA County firefighter before transiting into Indian Arts. Jan explains his relationship with some of the best known Navajo painters including Harrison Begay, Shonto Begay, Gerald Nailor, Beatien Yazz and Ha-So-De.
Kim Martindale, producer of such art shows as the LA Art Show and the Objects of Art and Antique Native American Show in Santa Fe sits down with our host Mark Sublette to discuss his life and career dedicated to the arts. Kim has been collecting Native American Art his entire life and gradually moved from the dealer's world to that of major art show promoter. The LA Art Show is one of the largest art fairs in the world.
Artist Kevin Kehoe discusses life growing up in New England and how his professional journey led him through Boston, Providence, Utah, Seattle, San Francisco, and New York, ultimately leading him back to Utah where he lives today. Kevin recounts his time conjuring up ad campaigns for the likes of automotive manufacturers like Saturn and how his design career helped shape his artistic process.
Celebrate Woodstock's 50th anniversary with legendary Rolling Stone and Rock n' Roll photographer Baron Wolman in this intimate interview with host Dr. Mark Sublette. Baron's journey from his teenage years, crossing police lines and eventually into a stint of espionage on behalf of the US government in East Berlin. His life-changing moment comes after meeting twenty-one-year-old Jann Wenner founder of the Rolling Stone Magazine and becoming their first photographer and working as the chief photographer for Rolling Stone Magazine at THE WOODSTOCK MUSIC & ART FAIR 1969. Baron Wolman shares stories of Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and other greats in the 1960 and 1970's rock world he lived. Pioneering aerial photography, the Oakland Raiders, F1 Racing and the rise of the American counterculture are all discussed in this extended episode. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the grooviest episode of The Art Dealer Diaries to date.
Historian and Museum director Steve Friesen takes a detour from his appearance at the Western Writers Association to drop by the Medicine Man Gallery studio. Mark and Steve take a fascinating journey into the life of the Western legend Buffalo Bill Cody and the many characters that would orbit the showman in his lifetime. Interesting and outright surprising details about the worldwide phenomenon "The Buffalo Bill Wild West Show" come to life with Steve illustrating the impact these traveling vaudeville performances had on the West as a whole. From the Pony Express to the 1893 World Columbian Exposition in Chicago, this episode is one that history buffs and art collectors alike can't afford to miss. Including discussions of Andrew Wyeth, Molly Brown and a cadre of Western historical figures.
Tim Yazzie stops by the Medicine Man Gallery studio to discuss his upbringing in New Mexico and the journey that led him to Tucson, Arizona where he lives today. Tim indulges us in the hardships of being a Native American silversmith (half Santo Domingo, a quarter San Felipe, and a quarter Navajo) in the 21st century and tells the story of his first job working with silver and turquoise inlay. From the Army to the Pueblo, this episode covers a lot of ground. For collectors and creators of jewelry alike, this is an episode of The Art Dealer Diaries you can't afford to miss.
Executive Editor of True West Magazine shares his life story and his love for history and western art since he was a kid. His amazing ride from radio host, cartoonist, and writer for the counter-culture magazine New Times for ten years. Bell discusses his art show and book on Billy the Kid.
Native American antique art dealer Michael Bradford travels to Tucson, Arizona to sit down with host Mark Sublette and talk about his experiences traveling the country searching for and selling Native American art and antiques. Michael discusses his time in the United States Navy and how a few life-changing moments turned a bull rider from a rodeo junky to a traveling antique expert. Family, native antiques, fine turquoise jewelry and the great art of barbeque are all topics on this episode of The Art Dealer Diaries. A great episode about one of the early Native American Art dealers.
Expert framer and art dealer Michael Collier stops by Medicine Man Gallery to discuss his personal journey through the art world. Michael shares his connections with important artists including photographer Dan Budnik, painter/muralist Edith Hamlin, and the legendary Arizona artist Ed Mell (whose frames come directly from Collier). Michael also discusses how to design the perfect frame to fit each painting, as well the importance of preserving the legacies of master painters like Maynard Dixon and Lon Megargee. From Georgia O'Keeffe to Jasper Johns, if you are interested in framing and what it takes to survive as an art gallerist then this episode of The Art Dealer Diaries is not to be missed.
Highly regarded New York artist, Leonardo Drew discusses his latest work 'Navajo' and how he became an artist growing up in the projects. Leonardo explains his process of how and why he titles his art pieces using numbers and how his pieces form in his consciousness, then come to fruition. Anyone who is interested in art, more specifically contemporary sculpture, will love hearing from one of the top American artists working today.
Johnny D. Boggs shares his life story as an aspiring sportswriter and newspaper editor before finding his true calling as an author of historic fiction. His journey from the Carolinas to New Mexico is in itself a tale of westward expansion. Johnny shares what it takes to be an author of Western novels and his methods behind an award-winning career in the world of historical fiction. Johnny Boggs is an 8-time Spur Award-winning western writer, a record that won't soon be beaten. If you ever wondered if you could be a professional writer then this is a must listen to episode of Art Dealer Diaries Podcast.
Santa Fe, Italy, San Francisco, Phoenix, Central California, all are stops along the way for the modern sculptor. Otton Rigan explains shaping tons and tons of stone and the peril of working with 800lbs sculptures This is an enlightening interview for artists and collectors alike to understand the circuitous road to becoming a world-class artist.
Mark and Murray Arrowsmith, sons of the remarkable and influential trader Santa Fe Indian Art Trader Rex Arrowsmith, reflect on their father’s lasting contribution to the Native American art community. Story after story, these two unique individuals share the fantastic details of their upbringing in Santa Fe Native American art scene in the 1960 and '70s and how Rex help shape Santa Fe into the art market of today. From trading with famous San Ildefonso potters Maria Martinez and Popovi Da, to having dinner with June Carter and Johnny Cash. Cherry orchards and deer farms in New Zealand. Entertaining the King of Rock n’ Roll himself Elvis Presley and selling jewelry to the likes of the biggest movie star of his day, the legendary John Wayne. Rex Arrowsmith left a clear and enduring imprint on the Native American art scene and Mark and Murray Arrowsmith followed in their father's footsteps. You will find this episode of The Art Dealer Diaries is one of the most fascinating to date.
James Woodside painted a series of landscapes in Antartica upon receiving a grant from the National Science Foundation. Mark Sublette saw them in an issue of American Artist and knew he was destined to show this artist in his gallery. 15 years and countless paintings later, Woodside stops by Medicine Man Gallery to share his story with host Mark Sublette. In this episode you'll learn about the New York art community in the early 1980s, the artistic merit of being an educator, and the practice of painting through means beyond eyesight. This episode is one you can't afford to miss.
E. I. Couse's granddaughter Virginia Couse Leavitt discusses her recent release of E.I. Couse's biography, her life in Taos, and how she has made her life's mission to document E.I. Couse's art and life story. Virginia and her late husband Ernie's vision was to make the Couse house a museum, which is now open, the Couse-Sharp Historic Site.
Seth Hopkins Executive Director of the Booth Museum shares his life story of becoming a Museum curator and executive director for a major western museum. Seth went from sportscasting, cable T.V. before falling into a career of art. An amazing story of how art entered Seth life and changed how he saw his world. Seth discusses his involvement with Andy Warhol and his interest in the West making his 1987 Cowboy and Indian Series.
The creative force of nature, Jeff Bursey, discusses his interests in art and all things associated with his world. Jeff discusses how he deals with synesthesia and the effects of having a multisensor stimulus firing in his everyday world. In his twenties, Jeff goes on a wanderlust to meet artists, writers, and musicians. Jeff tells of being working as an artist assistant for Fritz Sholder and how he makes objects that support and display various works of three-dimensional art.
Bille Hougart, whose books on Native American silversmith and Mexican jewelry hallmarks are the gold standard for the industry, stopped by to record a podcast today. If you want to learn about the origin of Native American signatures on jewelry, the many different types of hallmarks, and timeframes of when these hallmarks were being used, this is the podcast for you.
Andrew Smith discusses growing up in Santa Fe and how his interest in anthropology lead to being fascinated with imagery and the history of the Southwest photographs. Andrew explains how he goes about evaluating photographers and placing them in museum, libraries, and with die-hard collectors. The history of how the Edward S. Curtis collection ended up in Santa Fe and how Curtis's project 1904-1930 developed. A fascinating interview with one of the top photographic dealers with lots of early history of Santa Fe's gallery scene.
Wes Cowan is an anthropologist, auctioneer, and appraiser of antiques. He is an owner of Cowan's Auctions, Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cowan is a licensed auctioneer in Ohio and received a B.A. and M.A. in Archeologist from the University of Kentucky, and a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Michigan.
Cowan has been a regular in the PBS series Antiques Roadshow and History Detective. Wes Cowan explains what it's like to be an appraiser on the Antiques Roadshow and eleven seasons on the History Detectives, including one of the best items he appraised over the last 15 years.
Western Artist John Moyers, discusses his life growing up in New Mexico and how the Southwest influenced his early collecting and artwork. John Moyers is the son of William Moyers one the earliest Cowboy Artists of America and his wife is the famed Western artist Terri Kelli Moyers. Moyers shares his method for painting and his artistic influence the famed Western Artist Robert Lougheed. John also speaks about going to Cal Arts and his classmates Tim Burton and John Lassiter.
Terri Kelly Moyers cannot recall a time when she didn't want to be anything other than an artist. She drew animals as a child, and consistently directed most of her time and energy toward pursuing that goal, with her studies at the Alberta College of Art.
Terri spent her early years making her living as a pet portrait artist until she was able to break out of this mold and find her passion for Western Art. Terri Kelly Moyers is the wife of John Moyers, Terri discusses trying to survive to support herself as an artist in the 1980s and being rejected for membership in the Cowboy Artists of America, and the hardship of being a woman artist.
Terri Kelly Moyers also believes she has been fortunate to be able to study with a number of fine artists, including Robert Lougheed, Bob Kuhn, Kenneth Riley, and Howard Terpning. She also has studied with Ned Jacob, Clarence Tillenius and William Moyers, the noted cowboy artist who is her father-in-law.
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Tony Abeyta acclaimed Native American artist who grew up in Gallup New Mexico, his father a traditional Navajo, WWII code talker and artist Narcisco, Ha So Deh and his mother a Quaker ceramist were Tony's earliest influences. Learn about Tony's earliest influences at Institute at the American Indian Arts in Santa Fe including his instructor Otellie Loloma, and artists T.C. Cannon, Fritz Sholder, Harry Fonseca and roommate Diego Romero.
Tony Abeyta discusses his artwork and how he applied his creativity toward jewelry and the challenges he faced and the silversmiths that influenced.
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Landscape artist Stephen Datz discusses his life story of growing up in Colorado and his struggles to become an artist, the son of a philatelic dealer. Stephen explains his path of becoming an artist first in plein air art before turning his art style into a more modern aesthetic. A must-listen for any artist that wants to make art as a profession.
Ted Trotta shares his experience working as a specialist in Antique Indian Art for PBS's Antique Roadshow. Ted Trotta early life with the Vietnam war and his struggles and finding his way as a contentious objector. He explains how he started as an antique dealer before falling in love with Native American art. How Tony Berlant shared his knowledge of how to tell bayeta yarn in early Navajo blankets. Trotta-Bono, Ted Trotta's company which he shares with his wife Anna has been dealing in Native American antiquities art for nearly 40 years.
Artist Billy Schenck worked at Andy Warhol's Factory in 1966 after Kansas City Art Institute becoming a Pop artist. Schenk the artist is also a world champion rodeo cowboy and discusses how he wears both hats of rodeo and western artist. Schenk discusses his time at Elaine Horwitz starting in 1976 along with Fritz Scholder and Louis Jimenez.
Paige Williams, New Yorker Magazine staff writer, discusses her new book "The Dinosaur Artist" her in-depth 7-year odyssey uncovering the history and hidden world of the high-end fossil trade. The book travels from the Land of Lakes, Florida to one of the most remote places on earth, the Gobi desert in Mongolia. She follows the story from high-end auction house sales to the final consequences of dealing in illegal dinosaur bones.
A fascinating podcast of how Paige became interested in the fossil trade and followed every lead no matter where it lead or how long it took. Understand the tenaciousness and serious reporting required to publish a significant book on a unique and compelling subject.
Art collector and forensic psychologist Jon French, Ph.D. shares his love of fine art and ethnographic art. Jon takes on his life's journey hanging out with the manager of the Grateful Dead and writer Allen Ginsberg and the 1967 Summer of Love in San Francisco to become one of the top forensic psychologists in California. Jon worked with dangerous criminals helping to diagnose serious psychiatric disorders, working with actual psychopaths on a regular basis. Jon goes on to speak on how his love of tribal art guided him in his professional arena and helped him to better understand the human mind. A must-listen podcast for anyone wanting to understand the mind of the criminal.
Part 2 of Mark Winter's interview. Mark discusses how his life turned in a way he never expected when he started to collect Two Grey Hills rugs ultimately becoming the trader for the Toadlena Trading post near Newcomb New Mexico. Mark Winter explains how he learned about Two Grey Hill weavings and the different types of weavings produced during certain time frames in the 1940s and '50s, '60s, and '70s and the weavers producing these amazing textiles. A must listen to for anyone interested in Navajo weavings or Toadlena Two Grey Hills textiles.
Mark Winter Native American Art Dealer tells his stories of how he fell into selling Native American art while making leather work in 1969. His first love was Native American jewelry and explains how became a trader selling Indian jewelry to Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, and Sony and Cher before falling into Navajo rugs and blankets. Mark begins his career in Pagosa Springs working with Jackson Clark and how they develop one of the most comprehensive collections of Navajo weavings, the Durango Collection. In Part 2 Mark turns his love of antique Navajo weavings into running the Toadlena Trading Post.
Victoria Roberts, Los Angeles native and New Mexico transplant, stops by to discuss her life and art including working for the musician Steven Stills and getting a music contract with Barry White. She has worked professionally in a variety of arts including animation, graphic art, wood and ceramic sculpture, and assemblage. In the early 70’s, Victoria learned the art of hand-painting animation cells working with Disney and had the opportunity to study art at Sir John Cass College of Art in London, learning the foundations such as life drawing, printmaking, still life drawing and painting. By the 1980’s, Victoria was introduced to and fell in love with the idea of using found objects in art, studying under Assemblage artist Ron Robertson in Santa Barbara.
The 90’s found Victoria branching off in another direction—she started a business selling art and antiques, and eventually managing major art shows including the Los Angeles Art Show, American Indian Art Show Marin, The Great Southwestern Antique Show, and Brian Lebel’s Old West Shows. After years of working in the antique and art business, her focus turned to assemblage art. Her current works are infused with her lifelong devotion to art, with the inspiration she gained from her experience in both the art and antique worlds.
World renown illustrator Dennis Ziemienski discusses his distinguished career as an illustrator and fine art painter. Growing up in San Francisco Ziemienski receives a degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the California College of the Arts. His knack for composition paired with his eye for color gave him a distinctive look and he was able to establish himself as an illustrator in San Francisco. Wanting to explore more opportunities as an illustrator, he moves to New York in 1980. While there, he flourished as an artist, which eventually led him to a successful career as one of the nation’s top illustrators. His compelling poster images include the NFL Super Bowl XXIX, the 2006 Kentucky Derby, National Lampoon, New York Magazine. His paintings were featured on many well-known book covers including, the Tales of the City series by Armisted Maupin, and several covers for authors Elmore Leonard and James Lee Burke. Dennis was the featured cover artist for Hemispheres, United Airlines in-flight magazine, the National Lampoon and, more recently, Western Art Collector, American Art Collector, Southwest Art, and the Jackson Hole Traveler.
Click here to see available works by Dennis Ziemienski
Western born artist, Francis Livingston was one of the top ranks of American illustrators, including the book cover for "Dances with Wolves". Francis Livingston's paintings have been exhibited in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York. Livingston was awarded both Gold and Silver Medals from the New York Society of Illustrators, San Francisco Society of Illustrators, and Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles.
Francis Livingston first studied at the Rocky Mountain School of Art in Denver before moving to San Francisco in 1975 to attend the Academy of Art. He has been an instructor in the illustration and painting department for 25 years. Influenced by Sargent and Whistler, Francis Livingston painted primarily in a monochromatic style until he began to study the work of the Bay Area Figurative Movement, including Richard Diebenkorn, Wayne Thiebaud, and others. That led to experiments with color and a fondness for the California and French Impressionists.Livingston is now one of the top western artist focusing on Native and Southwest imagery whose inspiration included the Taos artists and Maynard Dixon
Brian Lebel has been in the western art business since opening his Old West Antique gallery in Cody, Wyoming over 30 years ago. His childhood was spent on the east coast dealing antiques, then made his way to Cody, Wyoming to try life as a real cowboy. Brian founded the Cody Old West Show and would go on to acquire the High Noon Show in Mesa Arizona. Brian has sold Roy Rogers' saddle for $162K and a Billy the Kid photography for $2.3 Million.
Native American Art dealer Charles King shares his life story of growing up in a pottery dealer's household and his love for Pueblo pottery. Including discussions about Tony Da, Maria Martinez, and Richard Spivey – the Maria Martinez biographer.
John Krena shares his life story of going from working in the steel mills of West Virgina for six year,s to becoming a world-renowned dealer in Native American art. John has been working as an Indian Art dealer in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania for almost 5 decaded. A must-hear podcast.
Jewelry designer and former psychologist Dana Busch shares her story of getting five degrees in the health care field including a Ph.D. in psychology and struggling with severe scoliosis, before returning to her true love of art and making custom jewelry.
Native Californian Eric Bowman shares his love of art and his story of working as a comic illustrator, motorcycle illustrator, and New York illustrator, before finally switching over to a full-time fine art painter.
Kansas Art Institute graduate Jeff Aeling shares his circuitous road from musician, to theatrical stage construction, to finding his love of painting. Jeff goes into detail about the effect Robert Kenndy and the Cuban Missle crisis had on his early childhood as well as his love of surfing.
Jeff discusses what abilities are required to become an artist and the types of skills that are involved to become a landscape painter. He also speaks about the three types of landscape paintings that can be produced.
Duane Maktima shares his stories of growing up in two worlds one of the Hopi and the other at Laguna Pueblo and the difficulties of trying to fit into separate cultures. Maktima speaks on his long journey from carver and painter, to world-class silversmith, and the issues he encountered along the way. His family history includes Hopi relatives being sent to San Quentin Prison for not sending their children to Indian school.
Award-winning artist Marlowe Katoney discusses his life and how he learned to weave Navajo rugs from his grandmother who worked in a traditional Ganado style to his own contemporary interpretation unique to the media. Marlowe's life was changed by the artwork of Charles Loloma.
Lynette Jennings produced, directed and starred in her own design show by the same name on the Discovery for 18 years, blazing a path for all the shows we now take for granted. Her life includes owning a major architecture firm before following her passion to become an artist working in oil. Follow how she made the transition from walking the red carpet to a studio artist.
How one art collector becomes completely engrossed with collecting and how it affects his life and understanding of what it means to be an art collector. Art Hitner shares his story of baseball cards, law, and WPA artwork.
Fred Fellows the longest active member of the Cowboy Artist of America of fifty years shares his story of saddle maker, cowboy, illustrator to a professional western artist. How Fred Fellows became the art director for Northrup Aircraft in the 1960's and transitioned to one of the best known western artists in America.
Deborah Copenhaver-Fellows shares her life stories of growing up in rural Idaho at the top of a mountain and the obstacles she faced to become a world renown sculptor. From the daughter of a Rodeo Champion Bucking Bronco rider to being married to Cowboy Artist of America Fred Fellows. Deborah explains the struggles it took to make it in a profession dominated by men and to excel. Including producing two Vietnam War Memorials, a Korean Memorial and the larger than life-size Barry Goldwater sculpture now in the rotunda of the Whitehouse. A touching podcast, one not to be missed.
New Mexican Bob Gallegos shares his 40 plus years buying and selling in the antique Antique Native American business. From first buying reproduction arrowheads to building a million dollar collection, how Bob Gallegos turned his passion into a lucrative business and became a leader in the field. The 1972-1974 Native American Art Craze and how he started collecting antique Native American jewelry and worked with C. G. Wallace. Bob collection of 33 Cochiti large opera singer figurines and how he build the market and got Virgil Ortiz interested in the antique form and turned it into his own style. What's happening in todays Antique Native American Art Market and with the repatriation of sacred objects.
Indian basket expert Natalie Linn discusses her life experience and passion for Native American baskets. How she left teaching to buy and sell Indian baskets and Plateau bags for a living. Natalie shares history on baskets, pricing and what to look for in baskets and early cornhusk bags. Learn about the best basket makers of the early 20th century: Dat So La Lee, Lucy Teller, and Lina Dick.
Tribal Art Dealer Mark Blackburn shares his life as one of the most successful coin dealers starting at 14 years old trading and buying some of the world's most expensive coins, including a 1804 Silver dollar now worth millions. Mark transitions into the oriental rug business before becoming one of the top tribal art dealers. This incredible wanderlust trading adventure includes climbing an active volcano and commuting between Hawaii to Santa Fe and Afghanistan to China. Writing the first book on Hawaiian art and a book on Polynesian Tattoos. Mark Blackburn specializes in Hawaiian and Oceanic art, Polynesian post cards and antique Native American Art and is one of the most unique dealers you will ever listen to.
Native American Art Collector and Historian Jerry Freund shares his life experiences as an avid collector and student of Native American culture. Growing up in Dodge City Kansas ingrained in Jerry a sense of history and a respect for Native people and their art. A four-year stint as a Titan airman gives you a sense of the uncertain 1960's and what it was like to be one step away from a nuclear button, that could destroy the world. A must hear for all that want to understand why a generation of kids growing up with the Gunsmoke and Western movies found Native culture so compelling and how one painting by Woody Crumbo changed Jerry's life.
John Molloy the president of ATADA discusses the future of the Antique Tribal Arts Dealer Association and how it pertains to collecting early Native American Art and what is being done to help fight the trade of culturally sensitive objects. John shares his life story of getting into the Indian arts profession and how he now deals in contemporary art in New York City along with the antique Native Material. Interesting discussion on Marshal McLuhan and his influence on John's life.
Buffalo Barry, Hopi Kachina expert, and Mental health expert discusses the kachina culture of the Hopi including how to determine a genuine Kachina doll's age, through paint, style, and costumes as well as how to spot knock off fraudulent kachina dolls. Understand what characteristics makeup early Hopi dolls and the best contemporary carvers working today. Learn what characteristics are found in historic Hopi dolls and better understand the characteristics of some of the early carvers like Wilson Tawaquaptewa and Jimmy K. This episode is sponsored by Medicine Man Gallery and The Charles Bloom Murder Mystery Series.
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Comedy writer Barry Friedman shares stories of his days as a cub writer for the New Times to a well-known writer in the comedy world and his interactions with some of comedy's biggest stars, including Rodney Dangerfield, Phylis Diller, Bob Hope, Arsenio Hall, Garry Shandling, and his lifelong friendship with comedian Richard Lewis and how a joke on Carson still stings. Listen to how Barry transitioned from Hollywood to Phoenix and began selling Native American designed inspired Pendelton Blankets and Trade Blankets cumulating in a two-book series"Chasing Rainbows American Trade Blankets and Camp Blankets" A unique interview of how a passion for art can transform one's life in unexpected ways. This episode is sponsored by Medicine Man Gallery and The Charles Bloom Murder Mystery Series.
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Wolfgang and Gabby Irle share their international perspective on Native American Art and the importance of Indian Art in their lives. From Deutschland to Navajo Lands, and back - the Irle's reflect on their years of travels to the American Southwest, the path that led them to founding an Indian art gallery in their home country of Germany, and how a 19th century German writer Karl Friedrich May influenced scores of young Germans to become entranced with Native American culture and changed the perception of Native Americans in Western Europe even though the writer never set foot in America. This episode is sponsored by Medicine Man Gallery and The Charles Bloom Murder Mystery Series.
An extremely challenging childhood and the chance encounter with a Navajo Sandpainting in Gallup lead Robert Sommers down the road to Native arts which ultimately became his calling in art and antiques. His journey included becoming a millionaire California Real Estate Developer and going bust to then finding his true passion for art, writing, and photography. This episode is sponsored by Medicine Man Gallery and The Charles Bloom Murder Mystery Series.
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Terry Etherton explains how a move from San Francisco to Tucson Arizona changed the trajectory of his life to becoming a leader in twentieth-century photography. How he developed the skill sets needed to open and successfully run a top-notch photography gallery in a city primarily known for western and Indian art and how his stable of world-class artists developed over time. Terry discusses his personal relationship with late sculpture Luis Jimenez and having Jimenez first Tucson show. This episode is sponsored by Medicine Man Gallery and The Charles Bloom Murder Mystery Series.
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John Morris shares his experience of being in his twenties booking The Who, Grateful Dead and The Doors and managing Woodstock in 1969. How the expected crowd of 50,000 people swelled to half a million and how he dealt with the bands and crowds. Dragging The Doors John Morrison off stage after overdosing to an Emergency Room and paying Jimi Hendrix $35,000 to close Woodstock, managing Paul McCartney before chucking it all to become a promoter of Indian Art shows in the West are only a few of the stories told in this most interesting interview. John Morris lived a hundred lives in one, an amazing recount of the music scene in the 1960's. This episode is sponsored by Medicine Man Gallery and The Charles Bloom Murder Mystery Series.
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Joshua Rose editor of American Art Collector, Fine Art Collector, Western Art Collector and Native American Magazine discuss how as a student in Wales he became entranced with art studying 18th century English poet and artist William Blake before returning to Phoenix to start his own magazine Shade. Josh shares the inner workings of the magazine he publishes and how he sees the art world growing in the future. This episode is sponsored by Medicine Man Gallery and The Charles Bloom Murder Mystery Series.
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Howard Post discuss how his third-grade Tucson art teacher submitting a drawing to the newspaper propelled him in the direction to become one of the top western artists in American. The all-around high school rodeo champion in Arizona had tough decisions to overcome including fulfilling his Morman mission or going to the national rodeo competition and what kind of artist he wanted to become if any. Howard overcame family expectations of becoming a world-class rodeo competitor to follow his dreams of painting art for a living. Howard now has work in most of the major western art museums including the Denver Art Museum, Phoenix Art Museum, Tucson Museum of Art and the Smithsonian. A retrospective of Howard's paintings is finishing up a three Museum tour, currently at the Desert Caballeros Museum in Wickenburg Arizona and a retrospective at the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis in September.
David Adler takes us on his lifelong journey of buying and selling antiques and art. From working as a gopher in an auction house to owning a premier rug and antique gallery in Scottsdale. David shares how he ended up in the business and some of the deals he made during forty years in the art business. Learn how the trade has change and the importance of the designer in the high-end rug business.
Mel Smothers, a successful New York City artist, shares his experiences finding his unique voice as an artist during a midlife change of careers. Mentoring by famed pop artist Wayne Thiebaud allowed Mel to achieve his lifelong passion of being a professional artist. Mel takes us through his life journey as a drag racer, a commune hippie during the Summer of Love, a forest ranger, and fiddle player to finally find his voice as a professional artist.
Moria Geoffrion, has exhibited in more than 200 museums and galleries in the United States,European countries, Australia, and Russia. Moria received her BFA from Boston University School of Fine Arts and served in the Peace Corps Corps in Sierra Leone. Learn the struggles of being a woman heading two major art departments and the struggles of women in art during the 1960-80 period
Julie Sasse discusses her journey ascending the ranks of the art world, traveling from her Illinois roots to Arizona in pursuit of her dream of being a leader in the art field. Julie worked with some of the most distinguished Native American artists including Fritz Scholder and was the gallery manager for the cutting edge Elaine Horwitz gallery in Santa Fe, Palm Springs, and Phoenix. Julie left the retail world in the early 90's, earned a Ph.D. and became the chief curator of the well respected Tucson Museum of Art. Julie has curated nearly100 exhibits including shows on Henri Mattise, Deborah Butterfield, and Ai Weiwei.
Larry Cansler is world renowned composer who enjoyed a long career in the Hollywood studios. Larry is an Emmy award nominated composer, arranger, conductor, musical director, and pianist. He has worked with artists like Michael Jackson, Michael Martin Murphy and Kenny Rogers and his symphony, “Mojave”, was performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. Among his musical credits is composing the music for his gold record hit classic “Wildfire”. Another lifelong passion of his has been art and he started drawing at an early age. In the last few years, he has turned this interest into a full-time pursuit. He moved to southern Arizona in 2001 and started to study painting with artists like Randall Sexton, Ray Roberts, Gabor Svagrik, and Colley Whisson. He loves painting Southwest landscapes and cloudscapes as well as California and Hawaiian beach scenes. Enjoy Larry Cansler's Ed Mell composition at the end of the video. This episode is sponsored by Medicine Man Gallery and The Charles Bloom Murder Mystery Series.
David Wasserman is a full-time picker, making a living by his wits. You'll find him zigzagging from coast to coast--from Brimfield Antique show to the Pasadena Rose Bowl, to Daytona and Valdez. Always scouting for the best, including old motorcycles, folk art, advertising, coin-op, mechanicals and Americana of all sorts. David shares his fifty years experience knocking on doors and picking American's backcountry for hidden treasures, This episode is sponsored by Medicine Man Gallery and The Charles Bloom Murder Mystery Series.
Shonto Begay shares his experiences of being a Native American growing up on the Navajo Nation and the art he has produced over the last thirty years. From Santa Fe, to Tucson to Berkely, Shonto has had a distinguished career with multiple one-man museum shows. His artwork is in the permanent collection of the Heard Museum, Tucson Museum of Art, and Museum of Northern Arizona to mention just a few. This episode is sponsored by Medicine Man Gallery and The Charles Bloom Murder Mystery Series.
From Los Angles to Tokyo to Albuquerque. Mark Sublette interviews Terry Schurmeier about the Antique Indian art world and how its changed over the last thirty years and where the field is heading. Terry and Mark discuss the ever-evolving Native American art business and the roles they play and what the future has to offer for this eclectic field. Not to be missed episode for those who love American Indian Art. This episode is sponsored by Medicine Man Gallery and The Charles Bloom Murder Mystery Series.