Brainard Carey

“Do the things that interest you and do them with all your heart.”

-Eleanor Roosevelt

It is often said, but perhaps not as often believed, we only get one life. And it is brief on the scale of things. Why, then, would we spend it avoiding those things that bring us the most joy just because we are not sure whether we will succeed or are afraid of how others might perceive us if we do them? There simply isn’t time for that. Begin believing that this one life is all you are allotted and act accordingly. Do the things that may scare you a little, do the ones that make you feel fully alive. Do them today, tomorrow and for the rest of your life.

Ezra Johnson joined us from London to discuss, among other things, his show, which ran through July 30 at Freight and Volume. The starting point for his paintings in the show was infinity rooms, something that came to him when he attended a Yayoi Kusama infinity mirror room show. Johnson approached the challenge of making the spaces in his paintings, which lack horizon and other visual anchor points, with great enthusiasm as well as practical thinking about how a space would repeat over and over again. Of the many things he had to consider was the notion of what flips in each iteration of the room. To hear more about this, listen to the complete interview.

Meghann Riepenhoff joined us in early August from Bainbridge Island in Washington State where she travelled for her partner’s work several years ago. At the time, she was based in San Fransisco with a smaller studio. Riepenhoff realized that she could realize a much larger studio space on the island allowing her to create larger work. An artist who uses photography, Riepenhoff says the island has been transformative in her work. Most recently she has been collaborating with the forest, working with mushrooms and fungal growth. Her work will be on view until October 22 at Yossi Milo Gallery. To hear more about this, her collaboration with ice, falling water, her work with cyanotype and more, listen to the complete interview.

A Few Words to Keep in your Pocket

Stop waiting.

Interviews are available on iTunes as podcasts, and for Android please click here. All weekly essay pieces in a shareable format are here. The full archive of interviews is here.

Books to Read

What are you reading? Add your titles to our reading list here. Ezra Johnson recently reread Matisse the Master by Hilary Spurling. Meaghann Riepenhoff’s Ice can be found here.

Deadlines:

Arte Laguna Prize is open for submissions. Described as “the world’s most influential competition for artists and designers,” Arte Laguna has a 17-year history of showcasing and promoting creative talent. For more information and to submit your work, visit the website. Deadline for submissions is September 1.

 

Brainard Carey is an author, artist and educator. He is the director of Praxis for Aesthetics. He has written six books for artists, most recently Making it in the Art World.

 

Photo credit Sean Horton Gallery

 

Opportunity is around every corner – this phrase may seem ridiculous when thought of in the context of the art world, but it’s true. If you know where to look, and if you’re not afraid to put yourself out there (and face rejection) you absolutely will find outlets for your art, your practice, your personal enrichment, funding and more. Here are few to get you started.

The Living Art Museum in Iceland invites artists to apply for an autumn 2023 exhibition. In their own words:

“Special emphasis is placed on collaboration, process and conversation. Artists are invited to apply on the basis of their own work and artistic process, instead of submitting a pre-defined exhibition proposal. When reviewing applications, the board of The Living Art Museum selects up to five artists to work together on the museum’s autumn exhibition in 2023, and therefore applicants have to be open to collaboration with other artists.”

For more information and to apply, visit the website. Deadline for applications is August 31.

Arte Laguna Prize is open for submissions. Described as “the world’s most influential competition for artists and designers,” Arte Laguna has a 17-year history of showcasing and promoting creative talent. For more information and to submit your work, visit the website. Deadline for submissions is September 1.

Photography 4 Humanity seeks the best climate justice photography. Their 2022 global contest is focused on climate change as a human rights issue, and they seek images that demonstrate those impacted by the escalating crisis including climate refugees, the very young, the very old, people living with disability or injury, people living in poverty, indigenous people, islanders and women. For more information about this competition, visit the website. Deadline for submissions is September 1.

Praxis Center believes that artists have the ability to reach great heights – if they know what tools they need to get there. We travel every step of the way on artists’ journey toward the career they’ve always dreamed of, offering the skills and resources needed to build a strong professional foundation. Give Praxis a try today and see how far it takes you.

Brainard Carey is an author, artist and educator. He is the director of Praxis for Aesthetics. He has written six books for artists, most recently Making it in the Art World.