Art Talk Podcast: Recent Episodes
Karin Merx
The Art Talk Podcast where I discuss the stories that help us accomplish to be better artists as well as better art entrepreneurs.
In episode 87 of Art Talk, I had the pleasure of having a conversation with Shirley-Ann O’Neil, director of the VAA (Visual Artists Association)
After their book Good Art Doesn’t Sell Itself (which I highly recommend), they have now written a book about Securing Representation: Galleries, Agents & Artists. The book is divided in sections with very valuable information from industry experts, the do’s and don’ts tips and summaries. It is a true guide for the professional artist.
- Buy the book at Amazon
- Buy the book via the VAA
- Support Art Talk
- Contact Me
In episode 86 of Art Talk, I have a conversation with Jessica Agudelo. Jessica is a psychologist specialising in mental health. She has a wealth of experience and is an exceptional trainer (and I know, we met at a training at UK Black Pride, and I have been in one of her workshops) and she is a great listener. She currently has a program Building The Power Of Us, which we will discuss in our conversation.
Following the podcast/interview, Jessica mentioned that if anyone is experiencing symptoms that are having a negative impact on their physical and emotional health, to seek professional help or talk to someone they trust.
Some helpful tips:
-physical activity and movement
-connecting with nature or noticing things around you
-Mindfulness practice, breathing techniques or meditation
-Sleep and a balanced diet
-connecting with others through conversations/talking and/or activities/hobbies
- Website
- Link to Brochure
- Contact Me
- Patreon Art Talk
In episode 85 of Art Talk, I have a conversation with Janet Sternburg. She is a photographer and made a book called Looking at Mexico and Mexico Looks Back.
Janet Sternburg has written eight successful books, taught at CalArts, and exhibited her photography in gallery shows in Los Angeles, New York, Berlin, Mexico, Seoul, Milan and Bombay.
- https://www.janetsternburgphoto.com/
- https://janetsternburg.com/
- https://www.distanz.de/en/janet-sternburg/looking-at-mexico-mexico-looks-back
- https://www.amazon.com/Looking-Mexico-Looks-Back-English/dp/3954765780
- https://www.instagram.com/janetsternburg/
- https://www.facebook.com/janet.sternburg
- Consider support for Art Talk on Patreon https://patreon/karinsarttalk
- Contact Me
In Episode 84 of Art Talk, I have a conversation with Alison Dollery. Alison is an artist and curator who uses her body as a canvas in multilayered projects. We discuss her projects that are based on very personal experiences and evoke many positive responses from her audience.
- Alison Dollery Website
- Please consider supporting Art Talk
- Contact me
In episode 83 of Art Talk, I talk about art and grief. In January, after a massive stroke, I lost someone very close to me; my partner. With that, I experienced a numbness. Also because I walked on adrenaline when it happened. I was actually with him and was quicker than anyone could be. Unfortunately, the damage was severe. On January 23 he passed away peacefully.
- Please, Consider supporting Art Talk on Patreon
- Contact me
In episode 82 of Art Talk, I give a book review of Thunderclap. by Laura Cumming. The full title of this stunning book is Thunderclap: A Memoir of Art and Life & Sudden Death. Laura Cumming has been the art critic of The Observer since 1999. She was the arts editor of the New Statesman Magazine, literary editor of The Listener, and deputy editor of Literary Review. She is a former columnist for The Harold and has contributed to the London Evening Standard, The Guardian, l’Express and Vogue.
Follow Laura Cumming on Twitter/X @lauraCummingArt
- Please consider supporting Art Talk on Patreon
- Thunderclap is available on Amazon
In episode 81 of Art Talk, I have a conversation with Helga Stentzel, she is a guest I had on my Wish list for a long time.
Helga is Siberian-born, living in the UK, London. For a long time, she lived seeing the world in black and white trying to be perfect. This was inspired by a poem by Vladimir Mayakovsky What is Good, What is Bad. Helga definitely found her way in this world by actively listening and actively looking around without judgements or expectations. Her world is colourful and filled with humour and beauty. If you feel watched whilst entering her website, you are right, go look for yourself.
- Website
- International Exhibitions:
Korea in March,
Canada Toronto April 9-12,
Bazel Switzerland and
Brooklin, USA.
In episode 80 of Art Talk, I have a conversation about AI with my artist friend Maggie Sloan. We both are artists who prefer to paint and draw from life. AI is now used by many people who never had any education at all in the arts, have no skills or hardly any except using a computer to alter existing images/ photos. Some use their own art to train the robot others merely prompt.
We talk about visual art in painting and drawing, not the other arts like being a film director because there are a lot of apples and pears comparisons out there.
Please consider to support Art Talk on Patreon
https://patreon.com/karinsarttalk
In episode 79 of Art Talk, I have a conversation with Joyce Ter Horst, horse lover, curator and owner of ‘Paard Verzameld’.
Joyce is the owner of Paard Verzameld: Equine Art Services. Joyce is the founder of Paard Verzameld. She has a lifelong passion for horses. Her academic and professional experience enabled her to make this platform with the many services she offers for artists, collectors and horse lovers.
- Website Paard Verzameld
- Contact me
- Please consider supporting me on Patreon
In the last episode of this year, I look back on 2023, the good, the bad and the intentions for 2024.
I wish all listeners happy holidays and a good New Year.
Please consider supporting Art Talk on Patreon and please do visit the websites of:
- Elizabeth Amisu
- Joan Marie
- VAA (Visual Artists Association)
- Contact me
In episode 77 of Art Talk, I have a conversation with Agnes Gomori. Agnes is, like me, a proud member of the VAA, which we both highly recommend btw. She is an intuitive-visionary artist, who paints ‘the unseen’ world.
- Please consider supporting Art Talk on:
Patreon - Find Agnes on:
Website
Instagram
Facebook - Books
dr Iain McGilchrist The Master and Its Emissary
Ainslie Macleod - Contact me
In Episode 76 of Art Talk, I have A Conversation With James Early. This summer I met James at The Other Art Fair and I was stunned by his portraits especially because of his topic.James started in 2015 with his powerful and emotional studies of homeless people, victims of war and religious martyrs. This work took him to another level in the art world as he was nominated by The BP award, The Royal Institute of Oil Painters and The Royal Institute Of Portrait Painters culminating in his work being displayed at the iconic and famous Mall Gallery in the heart of London. James was selected in 2019 to show his work at the prestigious London Biennale.James has been described by the German Kunst Heute publication as well as The International Contemporary Art Curators as one of the most significant artists in the world today. He says that he makes the invisible visible, I would say he paints the invisible visible.You can find James's work onWebsite InstagramTwitterFacebook YouTube Please consider supporting Art Talk on PatreonContact Me
In episode 75 of Art Talk, I talk about a book I currently read, that follows up on the episode 'Turning A Blind Eye' and We Definitely need to talk about it! Where to buy this book?Alice Proctor, The Whole Story: The Colonial Story Of The Art In Our Museums and We Need to Talk About It.Contact MeSupport Art Talk on Patreon
In Episode 74 of Art Talk, I have a conversation with Karen Turner. Karen is an award-winning figure and portrait artist whose oil paintings are a commentary on the weight of expectations. Focusing on the physical body and the scrutiny to which it is commonly subjected, her paintings explore what society expects of a woman, the ways in which a woman's shape is often considered to define her, and the impact that this has on her life and sense of self.WebsiteInstagramContact meThe Other Art FairSupport Art Talk on Patreon
In Episode 73 of Art Talk, I have a conversation with Leah Smithson. Leah Smithson is a Los Angeles-based artist using both traditional (paint, ceramic sculptures) and new media ( i.e. digital installations, virtual, augmented, and extended realities) to explore the human condition using portraits that mirror an emotional state or frame of mind, rather than the likeness of a person. She’s been interviewed and had her work featured in a variety of print and digital magazines including the LA Times. She's also exhibited throughout the US and abroad including the award-winning outdoor digital art exhibition Luminex, as well as collaborated with brands and tech giants, such as Apple, in public art installations.Website LeahInstagramTiktokTwitter
In episode 72 of Art Talk, I will discuss a topic that is very relevant to art history as we have learned it: Turning A Blind Eye, for art lovers who visit museums, and recently also the Frans Hals exhibition in the National Gallery, and last but certainly not least for painters of portraits to think about.Not talking about the presence of black people in paintings is a story that needs to be amended. That is telling the story of art through a lens that has ruled for a way to long time. Yes, art history was written mostly by men, men were artists, women were not allowed and we still see how those stories fill the brains of people. I believe we have to return to the sources and start rewriting a lot of art history to get the right view, and inclusiveness it needs. And for artists who paint portraits, Let’s paint the true stories because when you ignore the colour of someone's skin it is turning a blind eye. It is time to amend art history.Ted Talk Titus KapharLecture Dr Patricia SimonsContact MePlease Consider Support for Art Talk At Patreon
In Episode 71 of Art Talk, I have a conversation with Elizabeth Amisu, Academic, Author and Artist. We focus on her book The Dangerous Philosophies Of Michael Jackson, His Music, His Persona and His Artistic Afterlife. It was published 7 years ago, and we celebrate that milestone.The Dangerous Philosophies of Michael Jackson is the first academic book that covers Michael Jackson’s art through his life from various perspectives. The book gives a portrait of the multifaceted artist Michael Jackson. Divided into three parts: ‘Art as Life’, ‘Life as Art’, and ‘Art beyond Life’, it covers Michael Jackson’s entire career. If anything, this book shows that Michael Jackson was an artist and entertainer and his work needs to be researched. In The Dangerous Philosophies, you will find connections to a wide variety of subjects and the author not only invites you to continue research with a specific subject but also gives lots of points and angles to start your own research.Buy The Book ViaBloomsburyAmazonWebsite ElizabethContact MePlease Consider Supporting Me on Patreon
In Episode 70 of Art Talk, I have a conversation with artist Amy Jobes. Amy is an artist who paints 'imaginary' impressionistic landscapes inspired by the nature she lives in. She is currently also one of the artist mentors of the VAA (Visual Artists Association).Website AmyInstagram AmyYouTube AmyContact MeConsider supporting Art Talk at Patreon
In Episode 69 of Art Talk, I have a conversation with Maggie Sloan. Margaret (Maggie) is a painter who has, as she once told me, a love relationship with watercolour. She is a painter who paints nature and with that brings nature back into your home to create a form of calm and reconnection.Website ArtWebsite WritingsInstagramFacebookPlease consider supporting Art Talk on Patreon
In Episode 68 of Art Talk, I am analysing the Isms.
A few months ago, I was kind of attacked by an Instagram follower because I expressed my thoughts about a certain artwork that I did not find as compelling or ’good’ as everyone else was singing their glory over. I had my reasons.
It occurred to me that the person had very little knowledge about art or its history and just blurted something out that she had heard. 'Learn a bit about German Expressionism deary’ was her reply. I explained to her what it meant but it was to deaf ears. Apparently, I wasn’t allowed to express what my thoughts were, I had to blindly follow the majority who were clearly brainwashed by everyone saying it was refreshing, brilliant and extremely well done.
I decided to dedicate an episode of Art Talk to the isms because that is what the discussion was about and started with. As an art historian, I had to dive into the isms or the classification system that puts art into a confined area to make it easier for art historians to write about the arts. Artists were always leading, and the labels they got were not positive to begin with. In short, the labels, later isms had a very negative connotation to start with. My question was why would artists label themselves to start with?
I decided to dedicate an episode of Art Talk to the ism’s, because that is what the discussion was about and started with. As art historian, I had to dive into the ism’s or the classification system that puts art into a confined area to make it easier for art historians to write about the arts. Artists were always leading, and the labels they got were not positive to begin with. In short, the labels, later ism’s had a very negative connotation to start with.
In Episode 67 of Art Talk, I have a conversation with Susan Hensel. Susan is a multidisciplinary artist, with a 50+ year career. Susan received her BFA from the University of Michigan with a double major in painting and sculpture and a concentration in ceramics. She combines a mixed media practice with embroidery across digital and manual platforms. She also makes sculptures and wall art using the colours and techniques of commercial embroidery. These artworks are designed on the computer and stitched out on the computer-aided embroidery machine.
She has a history, to date, of more than 300 exhibitions, 35 of them solo, twenty + garnering awards. In the coming two years, Susan has solo and 2-person and group exhibitions scheduled in Ellicot, MD; Bloomington, MN; Hopkins, MN; Duluth, MN and the Garrett Museum of Art, Garrett, Indiana. In recent years Hensel has been awarded multiple grants and residencies through the Jerome Foundation, Minnesota State Arts Board, Art to Change the World and Ragdale Foundation.
Apart from her own studio she also has a gallery.
The focus of the Susan Hensel Gallery is on compelling objects, meaningful use of materials, and engaging sculpture. It is a gallery where experimental ideas and works of the hand join to create unique sensory experiences. Susan Hensel Gallery is a gallery/ workspace that presents 5-6 shows per year in an intimate space. The gallery is represented on Artsy.net.
- https://susanhenselprojects.com/
- https://susanhenselgallery.com/
- https://youtube.com/@susanhensel1
- https://www.facebook.com/SusanHenselProjects
In Episode 66 of Art Talk, I have a conversation with Tammy Walters. Tammy Walters is a British Modern Contemporary Artist based in the heart of Lancashire UK. She is best recognised for her bold and illustrative equine and animal paintings. Her artistic development is deeply influenced by her passion for animals and her strong relationship with her family and her love of music. She is Influenced by artists Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Alphonse Mucha and Gustav Klimt and her love for Quentin Blake and his wonderfully whimsical illustrations.
Website
Instagram Fine Art
Instagram Illustrations
Facebook Page
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As you probably know, the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam had an exhibition about Vermeer. It had a huge press, marketing was full-stop on it, and tickets were sold out before the doors opened. So, Let’s Talk Vermeer!
In this episode, I want to discuss the documentary I have watched: Close To Vermeer and propose a way we might look at Vermeer’s art. With all the tech available, how deep should we go and demystify the mystic? In other words, if an old 'master' is declared a 'genius' when demystifying his methods, should it still give him that label of genius?
Then I will also discuss the discrepancy between his early works and later work that made him famous and the attribution of a painting; still up for discussion? These are discussions that art historians like, obviously, but often end in an endless yes, because, no because, or the expert, the expert decides it is not real or is real. Obviously, artists in that time and even before that were not even remotely thinking about something as copyright. Masters frequently used work from their fellow artists if someone commissioned them and pointed to a painting they liked and wanted themselves placed into it. Copyright is a very modern invention, rightfully so, btw. It has also to do with the values added to an artist and a work and that is what for many it is all about. The discussion is interesting for art historians, but not necessary if we do what I will discuss later.
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In episode 64 of Art Talk, I like to ponder on the psychology of collecting art. I am an Art Historian and a portrait artist, trained in drawing and painting life. Portraits are still very much wanted, but in my research I found different subjects like abstract, still life, cityscapes, digital art etc. striving for popularity. I wondered what the psychology of collecting art is and if that is topic-related or something else. Why do people collect art?
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In episode 63 of Art Talk, I have a conversation with Laura O Hare, director of the VAA (Visual Artists Association).
Laura O’Hare is responsible for leading the artistic and business development at VAA. She has been working in the Fine Arts sector since 2012 and is a founder of the Visual Artists Association. Presently, she is a Director of the Visual Art Open Awards and Chester Arts Fair, she has a wealth of experience in managing relationships with artists and understanding their needs. She also has an extensive network including arts organisations, galleries, publishers and commercial partners. She has helped hundreds of artists figure out how to thrive at all stages of their fine art careers. Prior to working in the arts industry, she was a solicitor specialising in Employment Law for over 15 years.
Website VAA
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In episode 62 of Art Talk, I have a conversation with Natalie Rigby. Natalie is an art historian, curator and broadcaster. She is an inclusion focussed Curator with specialisms in Modern and Contemporary British Art. Natalie's practice centres around making art, exhibitions and collections accessible to everyone and de-mystifying academia to open up the industry to all audiences.
She has substantial experience working within the museum, culture and arts industry. Knowledge areas include inclusive exhibition development and delivery, fine art Curation, collections development, and museum and curatorial career coaching.
A Little Idea
The Legend Of King Arthur
The World of King Arthur jigsaw
Legends of King Arthur Card Game
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This is episode 61 of Art Talk. In this episode, I briefly discuss why colour theory is key, and the knowledge of how to use oil paint is one of the first things a painter needs to know.
“It is a form of self-deception, or perhaps merely a convenient excuse, to say that the materials of the old masters were better than those of today, and that the splendid preservation of many of their pictures is to be attributed to this factor. But most of all must their success be attributed to the building up of their pictures in accordance with the laws of the materials.” Quote from an old book by Max Doerner.
- Contact me
In episode 60 of Art Talk, I have a conversation with Jessica Sheehan. Jessica Sheehan is an artist born in Australia, living in London who paints portraits, still life and animals. We discuss art teaching, observational teaching, inspiration and some art history.
- Website Jessica
- Support Art Talk
- Contact Me
In Episode 56 of Art Talk, I talk about art teaching or instant gratification and the importance of learning the proper skills of representational art. I start by quoting the introduction of an essay named: “What Happened To Art Education?” In The JackDaw Magazine, and a quote by Dr Iain mcGilchrist from his book The Master And His Emissary. Both are imperative for the thought process of this episode.
If you appreciate Art Talk, Please consider supporting me on Patreon
- Contact Me
In Episode 58 of Art Talk, I have a conversation with Claire Knill. Claire creates beautiful mobiles that keep you focussed, she also makes beautiful reliefs and uses textiles. Central themes in her work explore the uplifting power of movement and colour and how they can influence our moods and emotions. Claire’s style is characterised by intriguing colour combinations, geometric forms and a joyful refined aesthetic.
- Claire’s Website
- Claire’s Instagram
- Support Art Talk
- Contact Me
In Episode 57 of Art Talk, I meet Painters Conservator Kristin deGethaldi. Kristin deGhetaldi holds a BA in Chemistry, an MA in Art Conservation from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation specialising in easel paintings, and a PhD in Preservation Studies from the University of Delaware.
She has held internships and contract positions at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the J. Paul Getty Museum, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
She has maintained a private practice since 2008 and continues to be involved with teaching art conservation and technical art history at the graduate/undergraduate level. Kristin has also been involved in a number of web-based initiatives including the Kress Technical Art History Website and MITRA (the Materials Information and Technical Resources for Artists). https://www.artcons.udel.edu/mitra/resources
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Episode 56 is dear to my heart. I will discuss why it is so important to Don’t Fall Into The Self-Taught Trap. More often than not, I see people writing or hear them saying that they are ‘fully self-taught’ artists.
In previous episodes, we talked about craftsmanship, my guest, artist Joan Marie, said that it is so important, and also to make sure that creativity needs to be developed simultaneously. She has been an art teacher for years.
That said, self-taught is a trap you do not want to fall into. Why? Simply because you can not know what you do not know, and I would add to that, you can not see what you have not learned to see.
BOOK A FREE CALL* If you like Art Talk, consider supporting me on Patreon * Follow me on Instagram or Facebook * Contact me here
A Colour of Splash with Nick Ferguson is a discussion about his art, questions of life, communication and much more. Nicolas and I met at The Other Art Fair, and I was highly interested in how he uses his intuition to paint, especially portraits surrounded by the insights he receives. He paints with many colours, writes poetry and has a surrealistic view. He likes to provoke the viewer as well as himself.
- Website
- Contact me at: https://karinmerx.co.uk/contact
- Support Art Talk at: https://patreon.com/karinsarttalk
Karen Van Hoey Smith – A Remarkable Interview, is the episode of Art Talk where we discuss art, what makes collectors tick and how she helps artists as a mentor.
Karen Van Hoey Smith is an art director, mentor and educator. I had the privilege to meet her at a networking event in London, The Other Art Fair and attended one of her strategy sessions with the VAA (The Visual Artists Association) where she is THE mentor. She loves art, and can live on it she said, she is passionate about antiques, antiquities, history, and the psychology of collecting and everything that makes other people passionate.
If you have questions or ideas about topics you want me to discuss, please write to me at karin@karinmerx.co.uk
Where to find Karen Van Hoey Smith:
- VAA (become a member)
- Do you like Art Talk? I would deeply appreciate any support you can give at Patreon
- Contact Me
This is episode 53 and today I have a guest I met at The Other Art Fair in London 2 weeks ago. Jenny Mørk – Sisterhood & Symbiosis, she is an Artist from Norway. She is a painter, poet and musician. Her art made me stop because something in it touched me. It appeared we shared some ideas.
In this episode, we talk about her studies in France, her beautiful art that made me stop at her booth at The Other Art Fair and how important it is for artists to get out there and find their place.
You can find Jenny at:
- website
- Contact me
In Art Talk episode 51 I have an interview with Ramona Pintea, the artist friend who conquered the world with her ‘Urban Queen’ and ‘Wear Your Crown’ paintings.
Ramona is an artist who I met in 2020 when we both were in an art marketing course. Soon Ramona left and took off on her own to conquer the world with her Urban Queen series. She has a very interesting background as a fashion designer, and interior designer and is now well known as an artist who empowers women with her paintings. She has been featured in multiple media and her art is in collections all over the world.
- Ramona’s Website
- Wear Your Crown Article where you can read who participated.
In Episode 51 of Art Talk, I have a Book Review: Good Art Doesn’t Sell Itself. A Book that every artist needs to read and start implementing in the art business.
The brilliance of this book is that it is set up in 3 parts, or rather steps and has in total 75 short guides with actions you can take. Not every step is necessary for every artist. Step one is Mindset & Habits, and step two is Getting Your Artwork Ready. That is a serious thing. It shows others who could be potential buyers how seriously you take your work. Step 3 is about Opportunities and Implementations. This book is a must-have for artists around the world. Go Grab your copy of Good Art Doesn’t Sell Itself.
I would highly recommend becoming a member. It is the only affordable association for visual artists, set up by people who worked decades in the art world and know all the ins and outs. These people can truly help us get where we want to be.
- Buy the book
- Become a member
- Follow the VAA on Instagram
- Follow the VAA on Facebook
- Follow me on Instagram
- Follow me on Facebook
- Contact
Episode 50 of Art Talk is the interview with Joan Marie. Something I wanted to do for a long time. I have a conversation with Joan Marie who is a fabulous craftswoman. We have a conversation about the skills and craft needed to do what we like most.
Joan Marie’s intense dedication to art began in 1969 after being deeply inspired by Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. Since then her artistic influence reached the lives of millions of people around the world with national and international representation in art licensing and a twenty-eight-year career teaching. You may have seen Joan Marie’s art in print form on collector plates, stationery, puzzles, book or magazine covers and more, as her art has sold on millions of products around the globe and been collected in hundreds of private collections.
Galleries in Miami, Chicago, Denver, and St. Louis have enthusiastically displayed the radiant colours and explosive energy of Joan Marie’s original paintings. She has poured, tipped and thrown paint to transform the energy of her favourite songs into wild mystical
abstractions. These explorations combined with romantic realism created a magical mix of techniques seen in recent works. Fueled by ecstatic energy, she embeds positive subliminal messages into the intricate details of her work.
Dedicated to her own spiritual path, Joan Marie has focused on developing a mindset of infinite possibilities and allowing the divine to flow through her.
She received a BFA in painting and drawing from Washington University in St. Louis in 1973 and went on to obtain an MFA between the University of South Florida in Tampa in 1984 and Lindenwood University in St. Louis, MO, in 2009, where she focused on classical drawing skills.
Joan Marie shares in her work what she knows to be magical in life. We have the opportunity to choose what we create, whether choosing a piece of art or our lives.
Join the mystical and magical world of believing in the joys of life with Joan Marie!
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In Episode 49 of Art Talk, I have a very exciting interview with Shirley-Ann O’Neill
Shirley-Ann O’Neill is the director and co-founder of the Visual Art Open. This is an international art prize for emerging artists. She is also the director and co-founder of the (VAA) Visual Artists Association. With over 20 years of experience, she brings a lot of knowledge to artists around the world.
- Visual Artists Association
- Good Art Doesn’t Sel Itself
- Contact
This episode of Art Talk is a more philosophical and slightly provocative reading of the gaze of a 17th-century girl. The Rijks Museum Amsterdam has the most extensive retrospective of Vermeer in history. Johannes Vermeer was born in 1632 and passed in 1675. He lived in Delft his whole life. He presumably received lessons from Carel Fabritius (1622-1654) or Leonaert Bramer (1596-1674).
- Rijksmuseum Amsterdam
- Mauritshuis Den Haag
- Patreon
Episode 47 of Art Talk is all about The Mystery & The Magic in Art. By comparing two different methods used, the constructive method and the sight-size method. Where is the mystery and how do we see the magic in art?
- Frances Bell Paintings
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Episode 46 of Art Talk is all about the power of telling stories with art. Stories are a great way to communicate and engage with your audience.
Telling stories is what captivates audiences. People love stories, and it may not sound like it, but everyone has a story to tell, multiple stories even. The world is built on stories.
Switching my music practice to the painting practice I found the same. Once a storyteller, always a storyteller, hence why I paint portraits as a story. In my work, you find vibrant colours. These colours resonate with music, the palette I used whilst playing the flute is now the palette I use for my art.
Recently I read a brilliant book by Lisa Bloom: The Story Telling Advantage. Highly recommended btw. This book showed me that stories rule, that telling stories in your art marketing is what people like, what draws people to you. If the stories are true to you, they express your voice and not someone else’s.
I always say and write Your Story Matters. It does, people love to hear, read or see your story. The impact of an impacting story is what brought me to currently painting the portrait of Frida Kahlo. Her story is one of unfathomable pain, but also of endurance and an incredible zest for life.
The power of telling stories with artLet us talk about failure. Let’s be honest. Not every painting is right immediately, and sometimes you have to set it aside for a while to see what is off. In the written story too, my friend told me she throws chapters away and starts all over again. It is a process and telling people about that and how you deal with that is important.
Perfectionism doesn’t exist, and many can relate. It is so easy to see the finished painting, hear the finished composition or read the finished book. In that journey of the artist are many moments she feels she either failed or can’t see or read it, simply because they were too close for it for such a long time.
I think many can relate to these things, nevertheless, awareness is important to understand the power of telling your story or stories, the daily mundane ones too, not the big life-shifting ones only. Telling stories is very rewarding for you as well as your audience.
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A story about what you do can be equally compelling for people. As visual artists you can also show this, the time laps, the work in progress and close-up shots are what people like. Also what you do and with what kind of materials, how do you describe it and how does it relate to your values. All these can attract the people who relate with what you do.
In episode 45 of Art Talk, I discuss how craftsmanship is seen in all great art.
‘The most important thing an artist needs to know is how to see. Da Vinci. Da Vinci’s style combined accurate observation and sensitive imagination.’
My day was over, and I sat with my last tea before bed, reading about Camille Claudel.
“A photograph dating from 1899 shows Camille Claudel, then aged 45, in her studio, wrapped in a long dark coat, standing opposite Perseus and the Gorgon she had sculpted that year. The work reveals Claudel’s sources and influences – Donatello, Cellini, Greco-Roman mythology – and the passion she was driven by: the Gorgon’s severed head is a self-portrait. This photo is very different from the clichéd images usually associated with Camille Claudel’s work and life, marked by her tumultuous affair with Rodin and her gradual descent into madness. It shows not only a sculptress capable of planning and producing a work of ambitious size, but also a woman scarred by the hardships she has suffered. It was no easy task for a woman to become an artist in the mid-19th century; she had to cope with moral prejudice, gender-related restrictions in her artistic training and the prevailing male dominance in the Ministry of Fine Arts and the Salon juries.” -Musee Rodin
This short piece inspired me to talk about how craftsmanship is seen in great art.
Many people have the need to express themselves, and rightfully so. There is a difference between the artists who learned the craft, which is not really taught anymore and those who chose to start at the end, which has become more rule than the exception.
In the time of Claudel, it was tough to follow that passion because, in that predominantly male world, it was not done. I wondered to what extent she mentally was not well. Who decided that and labelled her? Obviously, men did. However, that is not my focus for today.
My focus is craftsmanship, and Claudel did everything possible to gain the knowledge she needed to create her very sensitive sculptures. Her work is what Da Vinci was known for, accurate observation and sensitive imagination. She received her rightful recognition after she passed, in the 70ties of the 20th century when feminism was on the rise.
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In Episode 44 of Art Talk, I will discuss the focus artists need when they have to switch from art to business We all know that energy flows where Focus goes.
One of the first biographers of Leonardo Da Vinci wrote: “in learning and in the rudiments of letters he would have made great proficiency, if he had not been so variable and unstable, for he set himself to learn many things, and then, after having begun them, abandoned them.”
-(Vasari, 1996).
The problem addressed is one many of us probably can relate to. Others are able to focus on only one thing, master that, and stick to that for the rest of their lives. Last year I did a test with my mentor Dr Libby Kemkaran. She is a neuro and pique performance coach. From her, I learned that I have a so-called cheetah brain. That means that my neurology is that of a creator innovator. I have multiple ideas coming in, and I also do not finish all projects I start. Often I leave the ideas which stream into my mind -especially when I shower – for what they are.
My main struggle is the focus, which is in regard to my neurology, is not that strange. A classically trained musician, an MA Art historian, a classically trained portrait painter and someone open to learning everything that interests her. Hence why I’m quickly distracted and can be easily bored. I often receive the moniker renaissance woman. Sounds nice but is it? For Da Vinci, it apparently wasn’t. He died lamenting “that he had offended God and mankind in not having worked at his art as he should have done” (Vasari, 1996; Nicholl, 2004; Vecce, 2006).
I definitely do not feel like that when I am ready to breathe out my last breath. However, because of the knowledge I now have about my neurology, I know how to handle it. It is my intention to work with it and not against it.
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Episode 43 of Art Talk is all about one word: Allowing. It is a word often used, however, how much do we as artists or women, put that to practice? Do you allow Yourself To Be The Artist You Are?
Recently, I received a book recommendation and as an avid reader, I immediately downloaded it to my kindle. The Story Of Art Without Men. Wow, as a portrait artist with the mission to empower women, and as an art historian, I was definitely interested. Just the introduction was an eye-opener.
A study in 2019 showed that in US Museums 87% of the artworks were by men, predominantly (85%) white men. Only 1% of the collection of the National Gallery in London is by women. Research the author did in 2022 asking people how many female artists they knew, most came to a maximum of three and youngsters 18-24 none because it wasn’t taught in schools.
This alone made my jaw drop, and then think about black female artists, how about them? Hence why I found out that most women in general do not like to see themselves on the wall and how women are defined by the male gaze. Simultaneously female artists were shoved under the carpet because men only referred to and still refer to themselves. I wondered how allowing, the word I want to discuss, falls into this topic.
That women allowed themselves to be artists is clear. To me, a profound example is Edmonia Lewis, who was of African-native-American descent. Bullied severely and accused falsely (racism) she stepped up for herself. She noticed a statue and said that she could do that too. She went to Rome, received lessons and became well known. Yet, art history never talks about her.
Camille Claudel, sculptor, protégé and mistress of Rodin, worked on many of his sculptures. When he dumped her she went on, totally and full of passion. Yet, her passion was seen as a mental disorder, women didn’t sculpt and she ended up in an asylum. The biopic made of this shows a Camille who behaves madly to emphasise this as she wasn’t well and put rightfully into that asylum. I bet there are way more of these stories in the history of art.
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- The Story Of Art Without Men by Kathy Hessel
In Episode 42 of Art Talk, I discuss the lessons I learned last year and the new steps I take and you can take to make 2023 one of growth, inspiration, and creation.
Happy New Year to all my listeners. Let’s make 2023 a real creative year where we learn and grow and make more real art. If anything is needed in the world right now, it is painted, sculptured or drawn art and music played on real instruments by real musicians. In short ‘The real deal’. I have mentioned this before, art made by humans has huge energy, hence why people flock to the museum to look at paintings and sculptures and drawings and still go to concerts.
With the way the world is changing, art is even more important. But let’s not go there, today I want to talk about the lessons learned from last year and how to move forward.
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Gratitude to the guests who were on my podcast.Art Matters, an important awareness to discuss in Episode 41 of Art Talk.
“The noblest pleasure is the joy of understanding.” – Leonardo da Vinci
And so it is. End of this episode? No, not really. This quote is important to me because we seem to understand better through art. The expression of art, the true skill of the art, gives understanding. That understanding starts with the painter or the artists, and that is conveyed through the art to the people enjoying it.
Art Matters, and it has been since the existence of humankind. Art is the outcome of focus, and skilled training to depict the message the painter receives and sees. Yes, sees, art is not thinking but seeing. That said it also takes part in the left side of the brain to make certain decisions, but the actual act is seeing. Hence why often people say: “Hey, you see more than I see.”
Art Matters, because art heals on many different levels. For instance, Ancient civilisations understood the power of colours to heal, art heals when you create it or when you simply express yourself just for you. Art raises the vibration and with that, the person looking at your art feels that it ripples out.
Art Matters, because it brings joy and happiness. It also brings awareness to situations that are horrific, like the situation in Iran. Art matters here on a considerable level. Artists devote work to standing with the women in Iran, or collaborating, as I did with the poet Anneka Chambers. The message of art is immediately understood, and in this case, brought many artists together.
Art Matters and enhances the function of our brains, it is the most underappreciated skill, taken away from schools because it was declared useless. But art matters, it shows why so many teenagers are depressed, they are not allowed to express themselves, nor are their brains trained to be used as a whole. I won’t discuss AI because that makes things even worse. The act of creating is inherently connected to the well-being of people.
Many thanks to my guests for being with me this first season of Art Talk.
- Elizabeth Amisu – Author
- Kelli Folsom – Oil Painter and Teacher/Mentor
- Sheryl Benjy – Body Paint Artist
- Joan Marie – Drawing Artist
- Brooke Harker – Mixed Media Painter
- Samantha Kaplan – Oil Painter and coach
- Anneka chambers – poet
- Libby Kemkaran – Neurocoach
- Lori L Turner – Creative and Social Media Manager
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In Episode 40, I have my long-time friend author Elizabeth Amisu as my quest. We discuss her series The Sacerdos Mysteries, a series she started when she was 17 and has carried with her in between writing other novels, and plays, doing a MA in Early Modern Text and Transmission at Kings College London, teaching English Literature and Film Studies and writing her book The Dangerous Philosophies Of Michael Jackson: His Music, His Persona, and His Afterlife, which was published with academic publisher Praeger in 2016. She recently launched the fifth book in the series Gifted Blood. Time to get together and discuss the series as a whole.
- Elizabeth Amisu
- Elizabeth’s Books on Lulu (hardbacks, Paperbacks and E-books)
- Elizabeth’s Books on Amazon (Kindle)
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In Episode 39 of Art Talk, I discuss creativity and the process and how they are more being than doing.
“Creativity is intelligence having fun!”
Albert Einstein –
Leonardo da Vinci filled his studio with elements that would arouse his five senses: he wore velvet clothes to stimulate touch, changed the flowers of his studio every day to exalt his sense of smell, worked with music to awaken his hearing etc.
Why do I start with a scientist? Because Einstein actually used his imagination and his ability to see, or visualise. He then transferred that to his logical brain to work out his scientific ideas. Hence why science still not fully understands his work. Because whether we like it or not, Einstein’s ability to use his imagination, gave him far more insights than scientists today can see, or even feel by sheer thinking and analysing only.
Leonardo Da Vinci understood the same but used a different way to get into that flow state of mind, we so well know as artists. He used the 5 senses: seeing, feeling, smelling, hearing, and tasting. The 6th sense is what he used when in flow, it is that imagination that goes even further than just coming up with an idea. It was Leonardo who stared into the river, watching the water flow to come to the full understanding of oneness.
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In this episode of Art Talk, I will discuss the energy of art, and how it uplifts you when you express yourself or others through your art and why humanly created art is so important.
“Everything comes from everything, and everything is made from everything, and everything can be turned into everything else; because that which exists in the elements is composed of those elements.” -A quote by Da Vinci of Plato to capture the oneness or unity of all things
As artists, we can have those moments when we feel stuck, that showing up in the studio is daunting. It can feel as if you completely lost your voice. In this episode, I discuss some reasons as well as give tips on how to deal with feeling stuck.
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In episode 37, I discuss the artist’s identity. Who are you as an artist? Is that different from who you really are as a person? No, not really, if art is your purpose, that is your identity. However, artists’ identities are formed most of the time by the people that surround us and often told us that we would be better off choosing a study that brings in money. I have added three important tips on how to become that person and take on that identity that is rightfully yours.
- Follow me on Instagram
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- Join my private group for tips on painting portraits (women only)
- Find my work on my website
- Find courses on onlineartseducation
In this episode, I talk about the reasons can be that many women do not like to be portrayed. One of the main reasons is that women are defined by the male gaze, and that still plays a huge role in today's world.
Enter the Challenge
In episode 35 of Art Talk, I have a lovely chat with the poet Anneka Chambers about our collaboration and book Black Queer Role Models: Painting For Unity.This book consists of 10 portraits painted by karin and 10 poems especially made for these portraits. This book is for education to teach children, teenagers and young adults about LGBTQi+ and specifically black role models in that community.You can connect with Anneka Chambers via:
Buy Black Queer Role Models: Painting For Unity here.
In this episode, I have my friend Lori Turner with me. She might be a descendant of the famous British painter, but I have to ask her that later.
Lori is a social media manager who had clients like Lisa Nichols (that’s how we met) and John Assaraf. With Lori at the social media wheel, they experienced triple and quadruple-digit organic growth on their social media platforms. They could relax knowing their social media presence matched their voice and their brand was protected while growing without sacrificing quality. Their followers were acknowledged and nurtured while using cutting-edge marketing tools and techniques implemented to their best advantage.
As a result of working with Lori, social media newbies (women 50+) lost their fear and gained confidence while acquiring new skills and growing their online presence. She says: 'You have the wisdom, I'll teach you the technology.'
Where to find Lori?
https://www.facebook.com/LoriLuTurnerSocialMedia
https://www.facebook.com/groups/434847483958648
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-turner-lgtsocial/
https://instagram.com/loriluturner
In episode 33 of Art Talk, I have an interview with the American Artist Brooke Harker. Brook is a painter who focuses on city and coastal-scapes. Her work can be found all around the world in private collections, galleries and museums.
Brooke Harker website
This is episode 32 of Art Talk, and today I talk about getting out of our comfort zones.
'Life Begins At The End Of Your Comfort Zone” - Neale Donald Walsch
Get out of your comfort zone. What does that mean for an artist? Looking around, you see many ways of expression. Figurative art, still life, landscape, portraits, and also abstract.Honestly, I avoid two things. The first is abstract painting -it doesn’t tell me anything. I know artists deliberately chose abstraction from the beginning because they find figurative art too complex. For me, it’s the other way around. I chose figurative art. The second is acrylics. I painted a few portraits with it, and it just doesn’t fit. I did not know how quick I had to return to my oils.
Herein hides a danger, the danger of being too comfortable. I constantly challenge myself, for sure. Learn from the greatest, like I do and recently started with a good portrait artist. But as artists, we need to go a bit further sometimes. Not only honing our skills and finding challenges within brush strokes or light etc. I mean getting out of your comfort zones.
Why would I say that? Because we all sometimes get into a phase where we are stuck, where we are not happy with what we do. When we are bored out of our skulls. Doing the same over and over gets…..boring. Our growth as artists needs to do something we normally do not do. Whatever that is is always up to you. Maybe you want to put your hands into a lump of clay or take a subject you never even dared to tackle. Or how about using another painting medium or getting into coding to create generative art? I did that once. It does not work. Not my way of creating. Nevertheless, I felt invigorated by stepping out of my comfort zone.
My new challenge is, you guessed already, acrylic and abstract. Whoops, I need to try it. So, why is it important to step out of your comfort zone again? To grow! To grow on a different level, to not fall asleep and be bored by yourself, but keep yourself sharp and crisp. Because artists have a purpose in this world, it’s also to get out of your head. Get unstuck to get excited again about our favourite topic.
Art is energy, and energy can’t be made undone but transformed. We transform our subject into high-vibrating art to keep the vibration high. It is perfect to step out of what you know and do what you don’t know. Fun fact, I recently painted a portrait of a kitten. I never painted animals. But oh my, this made me so incredibly happy. This gave me high energy and high vibrations. It did something else too. As an animal lover, I found something I want to add to my skills. How could I forget that I can paint these beautiful loving creatures?
That is another aspect of getting out of your comfort zone. Finding a new topic or way you want to create that makes you vibrate high. If we do not try, we stay still. If we stay still, it’s like a puddle that starts to stink. Energy needs to move, also for us as artists. So, get out of your comfort zone:-)
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In Episode 31 of Art Talk, I have artist Samantha Kaplan as my guest. She is an abstract landscape painter and a coach who helps people thrive in their businesses and lives. In this episode, we discuss the conscious mind and how to reprogram ourselves.
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This is episode 30 of Art Talk Let’s talk comparisonitis!
You wake up, pick up your phone and start scrolling. Sounds familiar? For me, that has been a reality for a while. But what can happen to us as artists with so many people showing their creations online? It is called comparasonitis, a negative way to downgrade yourself and your art.
I think this is something that happens with a lot of artists. I admit that I also fell into the trap, and it literally debilitated me in progress. Social media is flooded with people who show their work. Some are professionally trained artists. Many are hobbyists, and often you see those who shout out loud that they sold many artworks or have commission after commission.
You might feel why that artist has those commissions or is selling so much, and you are not. You might even feel: how is that possible because my work is way better. You might think: how am I not accepted for the exhibition and those works are whilst you deeply feel your work is absolutely worth being there too. That is a feeling you do not want to have. Because it paralyses, you will have difficulty continuing with your work or copying other artists, wishfully thinking: it will be successful.
I never did that and never will. However, it has happened many times in art history, especially with modern art, like Rothko and The Kooning and Modigliani. Forgers started copying work or painting the topics like the much-wanted artist because their art didn’t sell. Don’t do that, don't go there. Be your own artist with your own work.
Because let me tell you a little secret here, the life shown on social media is not real life. You don't know how successful people are, you have no clue how much money they asked for the work, and you do not know if that is consistently or just a one-off. And then, does it matter? No, it does not. I will give you 5 tips on how to overcome comparisonitis.
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This episode of Art Talk is about failure versus courage.
Ever tried, Ever Failed, No Matter, Try Again, Fail Again, Fail Better-Samuel Beckett
This is only part of the quote, and yes, Samuel Beckett was a master in what he called failing. As artists, we all have these moments when things do not come out as we wish, as we feel stuck or have done something to our art that feels failed. What does fail even mean?
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This is Episode 28 of Art Talk. Last week I announced that I would talk about failure, but I recently had a conversation with someone who saw my art and thought he could tell me that what AI could make was also stunning art; you only need some words. My jaw dropped because it shows how we are becoming more and more cyber humans who can only perceive through the digital as if the digital solves the problems in this world. It also shows how the dominant left hemisphere still rules our lives and how art, as it is meant to be, will be subsided by digital.
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This is episode 27 and I want to address Art and the brain today. I was asked to write a few posts for Dr Libby Kemkaran and I thought it would be nice to share one with you today. Art is the tool that taps straight into the right hemisphere, it is the side of the imagination, the mind's eye and the opposite of analysis.
“Can you finish your sentence, please? You always stop mid-sentence”, she said. Honestly, I was not aware that I do not end my sentences. Recently I discovered that it has to do with being on the right side of my brain, and talking is not really a thing there. It was obvious that I easily transfer to that part which obviously has to do with me being an artist.
Your right brain part is all about imagination. It will never give you an answer. However, it will show you solutions you will never find on the other side. Left is the nagging one, the verbal half that dominates you all the time. And don’t think it doesn’t pull its tricks with me; it certainly does.
Yesterday in my studio, I had it again. I showed something and whilst I talked with someone I started painting. Right away, my conversation ended. Call it Flow, yes, definitely. However, it is more than that. It is so important for me as an artist because I can let my imagination flow. Of course, you need to have the skill first, and sometimes you know what you do and often don’t, but you do it. That is energy that comes straight on the canvas. Hence the energetic vibration of a painted painting is so high that it often brings people to tears. It is why there are still queues in front of the museum. A great book about vibration is Power versus Force. Using Force is definitely not being in Flow; using Power, you are.
How to get from that left brain functioning to the other side when I do art? Most of the time I am just there. Sometimes, depending on what I did before the painting, it takes a bit of time, and I either use music or just prep my palette. Going back is a different ballgame. That is one of the reasons I joined Flow, to learn to bridge that gap. But what does it mean when I am there whilst painting? Often I finish a portrait and wake up from that state to look back and think: “ wow, who painted that?” That may sound weird, but it happens all the time. It is one of the reasons I can fall in love again and again with every portrait I have painted.
Someone asked if I am thinking whilst I am painting. The answer is short, no, I don’t. I am focussed on seeing. I look at shapes and lines and spaces, and I feel. I hear the story the person told me, and things start to happen. Is this every single time? No, I have my moments, and then I know I need to go for a walk because it is always the moving that brings me back.Art is feeling. I can only say that you have to love your job, and I certainly do.
There is more to art than many have acknowledged. Art is good for your health. And the act of doing brings you in that right brain state where the summering left part has to stop. It is of importance in schools and it helps with whole brain functioning instead of only the left analytical side. The Arts are not useless, they are of great importance for the development of the brain, people and the development of personalities. It releases stress, and depression and gives the opportunity to solve problems creatively. If there is anything the world needs right now, it is precisely that.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know.
Next week will be about failure and what it actually means.
In episode 26 of Art Talk, I am thrilled to introduce you to my mentor dr Libby Kemkaran. I am very grateful that she found the time in her crazy schedule to be here with me because I know that what she has to say will benefit you.
Let me introduce Dr Libby. She loves dogs and cats and recognised her clients on the faces of the dogs she treated. That immediately explains that she originally trained as a veterinarian surgeon at Cambridge University. After a car accident, she could no longer work as a vet and had to reinvent herself. She studied behavioural neuroscience and is a behavioural psychologist. Apart from a degree in behaviour, she is qualified as a Flow Coach and a peak Performance specialist. She knows how to calm your nervous system, and rewire your behaviours.
Where to find Dr Libby Kemkaran
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This is episode 25 of Art Talk, and today I have a special guest, my artist friend Joan Marie.
In 1969, Joan Marie entered the Sistine Chapel to be so inspired by Michelangelo that was the moment she knew she would dedicate her life to art. After a teaching career of 28 years, she began her journey based on her own spiritual path with power portraits.
Joan received a BFA in painting and drawing from Washington University in 1973, a MFA from the University of South Florida in 1984 and Lindenwood University in St. Louis in 2009 where she focussed on classical drawing skills.
Joan Maries work shares the mystical and magical in life through her art.
You can find Joan Marie on
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In Episode 24, I discuss the fear of using oil without having the proper knowledge and experience. using either oil or acrylic to paint is a very personal choice based on knowledge and experience.
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In episode 23, I talk about Perfectionism. How it ruins the flow and how you can deal with it if that is something you deal with as an artist.
“Details make perfection, and perfection is not a detail.” -Leonardo Da Vinci
Leonardo, however, was not a perfectionist in that sense. His inability to finish artworks or other projects was not about being a perfectionist. For many artists and aspiring artists, the word perfectionism is about avoiding because they think, yes think, they can't do it, to begin with, and certainly not up to their standards. Btw, first, you have to create the standards.
If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments. Want to know more about my pilot course self-portraits, please join us at https://karinmerx.co.uk.
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In episode 22 of Art Talk, I talk about Showing Up.
A wise mentor told me that 80% of success is showing up. What does that mean? That’s my talk of today and I also will give you something that can help you surpass that voice in your head.
If you want to grow skills, learn a new skill or get confident with drawing and painting a self-portrait, then please, go to https://karinmerx.co.uk, scroll a bit down and join us to get notified as one of the first.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to place them in the comments or mail me. I will answer them in the next podcast episode.
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In episode 21, I talk about how, against all odds, I studied music, and art anyway. Why that is and why I know you can do that too. It is all about the mindset.
Let me ask you. Do you want to grow or do you want to keep moaning about that stupid art school that sucked all creativity out of you? I know you can learn it, I know you can grow your skills. I am dead sure about that!
Are you interested? Hit the contact button, and I will reach out to you.
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In our last episode, I promised to do an episode about expressionism. However, last week has brought me so much information and knowledge and experience that is important for us as artists, that I decided to skip that topic.
As artists, whether in visual arts, music, writers or any form of art, we were often not really supported by our parents simply because they were also taught that art is not something you can make a living from. I battled that for years, I make a living from my art, however, it is not the easiest path I chose. I know I am not the only artist and I know many can only be full-time because they have a spouse that earns the income, or they work part-time or even full-time.
The question is why would some go wild and others keep struggling or it is not easy to get to that place they want to be? It’s simple but not easy, it’s called our blueprint that was instilled in many from a young age. Even if you go, you do the work, you kind of succeed, that blueprint runs in the background and will always keep you from being that successful art entrepreneur you want to be. Today 3 points that you can use to start to change. Blueprint, mindset, inner work.
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In episode 19, I discuss the type of art collecting that has nothing to do with the pure love of art but with investing for financial rewards solely.
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In Episode 18 I discuss Abstract art and its history. I give examples of a few artists who became famous for their abstract art and share tips on how to learn to look at it to decide if that is what you want to collect.
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This is episode 17 of Art talk, the first of a series I do for an upcoming workshop for art collectors or aspiring art collectors/investors. In this first episode, I introduce myself and talk about my mission to bring art collectors and artists close and how art collectors can become better and more confident connoisseurs by training their eyes.
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This is episode 16 of Art Talk. Today I discuss monumentality in art and drawing self-portraits live in front of a mirror daily.
“One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of oneself.” -Leonardo Da Vinci
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In Episode 15 of Art Talk, I have a lovely interview with artist Kelli Folsom.
Kelli Folsom is an American artist and she is wildly known for her still life paintings. She won multiple awards, of which one was in 2017, Best Still Life, Women Artists of the West, McBride Gallery. She teaches online and has a cohort of raving fans follow her and learn from her. Her art is vibrant in colour and dynamic through the brush strokes. The first time I saw her art on Instagram I was absolutely taken aback by how she can suggest that illusion of realness in the painting as if the flowers or pots she paints are literally in your room. As she says herself ‘resulting in a painting that looks like a painting and not a photograph’ and I absolutely agree with that.
“The painter who draws merely by practise and by eye, without any reason, is like a mirror which copies every thing placed in front of it without being conscious of their existence.” -Leonardo Da Vinci
You can the art of Kelli and her art school:
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In episode 14 I discuss the power of painting self-portraits, and how it will deepen your process. It is a way to come to the simplicity of the other end of complexity.
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In Episode 13 I discuss the importance of mastering your skills to become either a professional artist or to get better and better as an artist. You also have to master entrepreneurial skills if you want your independence, able to talk with your collectors instead of the galleries and museums and auction houses and the politics that play.
Beauty is subjective to a certain point. If pushed upon us long enough we start to believe that something is excellent or brilliant and innovative. I will give you some examples from my study and research as an art historian and how I learned how the strings are pulled.
In this episode, I also talk about the necessity to train with a teacher, because the self-taught myth will get you stuck one way or the other. You can't study all by yourself.
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In episode 12, I have Artist Zita Schlegel as my guest. Artist from Germany, and lover of animals, she paints the most beautiful animal portraits. From dogs, cats and horses to wild animals with whom she also helps organisations that work towards the preservation of endangered wildlife.
Find Zita Schlegel via Google to visit her at her home and studio in Germany.
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In episode 11 of Art Talk, I have an interview with artists Sheryl Benjy.
Sheryl Benjy is an abstract impressionistic painter, body painter, creative coach & creative educator dedicated to bringing inspiration.Painting brings her peace and allows her to go deep into a meditative awake state, it gives her life balance and beauty.
“The longer you look at an object, the more abstract it becomes, and, ironically, the more real (Lucian Freud).”
Find Sheryl Benjy's Art at:
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You can find my work on:
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In episode 10 of Art Talk, I discuss the values we have, need to have and build our identity as artists and why that is necessary.
Values and identity, why are they important for us as artists.
Leonardo Da Vinci had the values: of creativity, curiosity, talent and knowing how to see.
Da Vinci’s values reflect his art and the inventions he created. Leonardo Da Vinci had a Universal view. He was very aware of the laws of nature and its values, creating after the universal laws of nature. The question is what he stood for as an artist, inventor and even scientist. He did not really have a former education but he is now certainly seen as a genius. This is because he followed his natural path, that of the creator. His creativity was undoubtedly one of his most vital points, as we can still admire his works. But he was curious about how things worked and why. He studied the human body to learn how to see. His notebooks are full of entries that speak about how to paint a figure, position how to see nature and capture it. How to learn to look through as opposed to only looking at the service. His values created his identity.
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In Episode 9 of the Art Talk podcast, I will tell you the story of eating your audience. How I did this with music and how I had to learn it with visual art.
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Please let me know what topics you would like to discuss.
This is episode 8 of Art Talk and today I talk about Making The Invisible Visible
In relation to this episode, I can reveal that I am about to start a pilot course on how to approach painting a portrait, and I would love to talk with people about what it is what they want or need. It is only a 20-minute zoom call and you would absolutely help me. In return, I will give you a free art coaching session of 20 minutes that can be about portraits you paint, colour mixing or another topic about you creating art or wanting to create art. Great when you are stuck. Btw, if you know someone who would be interested, then please refer them to karinmerx.co.uk/contact/You can also contact me by putting a comment under this show and I will get in touch to make an appointment with you.
Please also leave a comment to let me know what topic you would like me to discuss.
Next week's episode will be about the audience. Audience? Yes, audience or Your audience;-)
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In Episode 7 of Art Talk, I have a special guest. My artist friend Susie Nathanson.
“That figure is most admirable which by its actions best expresses the passion that animates it”-Leonardo Da Vinci
Susannah Nathanson is a London based artist. She is a painting storyteller with her portraits of people, animals and toys. Her beautiful work reflects that passion and it’s her passion that animates the figures she paints.
You can find Susie and her work on:
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In episode 6 of Art Talk, I give you 3 tips and discuss what art marketing really means?
“MAR-KET-ING = an accelerated version of the experiences that led you to believe in your offer”
From as early as the late 14th century, there is evidence of a free market operating: paintings were offered for sale on the Rialto Bridge, and there were sales fairs during the feasts of the Ascension and San Rocco. Auctions also occurred, not only in Venice but in Florence as well.The members of the Medici family were the most famous 15th-century art patrons and collectors in Florence.
For a very long time, the word marketing made my skin scroll. I made my art, and if you wanted it, you could buy it. I know I am not the only one who feels this way. It always gave me the feeling that I had to sell, and it felt very pushy. But is that really marketing? Is that what is required to sell your paintings or your books?
Marketing is required, it certainly does, and this particular quote I got from Danny Iny from Mirasee made all those feelings go up in dust. It has nothing to do with pushing someone into buying what you have to offer. So in this episode, I will give you three tips that will help you start with marketing or at least feel better about it.
Link to episode 5, Interview with writer Elizabeth Amisu
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In Episode 5 I talk about how the late David Hillman Curtis, who passed yesterday 10 years ago, showed me that re-inventing yourself as an artist is important. Many have done so and many keep doing it, including myself.
Reinvent yourself
"Be prepared to reinvent yourself. Be prepared to go out on a limb occasionally, and be prepared to do the things that you feel strongly about."-Hillman Curtis
Remembering Hillman Curtis
Yesterday on April 12, it has been 10 years since David Hillman Curtis passed. He was the father of Flash and made scalable Flash movies for the Internet that was not able to download heavy files or stream videos. He was a master with that. Hillman went from Flash to Film. He bought a camera and started shooting the people who came to his studio. From there, he went on with artists' portraits that can still be seen on the net. Hillman evolved in making a documentary and working on the Happy film of Stephan Sagmeister. He, unfortunately, passed before the film was finished.
The quote "Be prepared to reinvent yourself" really struck home when I read it. At the time, I was stuck in a vacuum, not knowing which side to go to. I wanted to paint and step away from the digital design world. It became boring. I love film and stepped into that and made some documentaries. Got back into music and started recording a huge volume of solo works by Charles Koechlin till tinnitus struck.
At that point, I truly had to rethink my creative life and re-invent myself. I tried generative art with Joshua Davies, but I am not a programmer. It was fun dabbling around and just starting by changing little bits of his code to see what happened. Even when I could watch the little changes in the animations for hours and time and time again change something by simply asking the question, what if… I did not feel satisfied, it just did not click.
At that point, I got that one sentence: "You need to be prepared to reinvent yourself", and so I did. I finally took up my great love for portraits and painting again and never looked back. Hillman showed it throughout his design career. Now, if you think that this happens only once in your life as an artist, forget it.
What does reinventing mean?
So what does reinventing really mean? Is it doing something completely different, like stopping with art and starting something else? You can if you feel the need, but I talk about reinventing as an artist. It can mean you change a particular size to something bigger or smaller. It can be a change of colour palette if you have worked for a long time with the same. I know that we can have times that fit a specific colour palette. It can be that you go from realistic to non-realistic, or abstract. Or From landscape to still life or from painting physically to painting digitally. It means you have to be open to possibilities and always have the willingness to expand.
Reinventing yourself sounds very drastically, and it can be but doesn't need to be. Expanding your skills is good, expanding your horizon is a necessity. Always growing your skills. Julia Cameron told the story of the elephant. A blind person touched it and thought it only had a short tail. Another one felt the belly and someone else the trunk. But it still was one elephant, and so are true artists. Their creativity knows no boundaries, they set their own boundaries, but we are so much more.
Why is reinventing Important?
That is why re-inventing yourself is important. The artist Guston went from abstract art too, for his fans, realistic art. They could not understand, but he needed to. The change even ruined their friendship with his best friend Morton Feldman, who was inspired by his work. The change was something he could not understand. Michael Jackson probably re-invented himself and his art more than any other artist. And oh, how many problems did people, including fans, have to accept and follow the changes he underwent,
In episode 4 of the Art Talk podcast, I have an interview with the artist, writer, author, playwright and early modernist Elizabeth Amisu. She talks about her novels for young adults, the influence of early modern research in her work and much more.You can find Elizabeth's books on:
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Her website is https://elizabethamisu.com
Beyond Shakespeare on YouTube
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In Episode 3 of Art Talk, I discuss painting portraits as a story. Using samples from history as well as my own work, I talk about which different ways I paint stories, and how I am a storyteller. I also discuss the process necessary to convey the message and what it takes to do so.
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Episode 2 discusses colour and its importance of it for artists. The knowledge to expand and the intuition to use our knowledge. I also mention the new Pilot Course, available for only 10 people. You can sign up for this when interested.
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Welcome to the Art Talk Podcast where I discuss the stories that help us accomplish to be better artists as well as better art entrepreneurs.In this first episode, I discuss why it is necessary for artists to have a WHY and the Why and What (not the HOW) is important for the client. I also tell you how to find your 'Why'.
Download the PDF Guide that helps you find your WHY: https://karinmerx.co.uk/download-the-free-guide/
You can follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/karinmerx or like my Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/karinmerxfineart, or support the podcast on Patreon: https://patreon.com/karinsarttalk