Art Career

Here in the Northeast U.S., the first blanket of snow arrived for many this week. A sign that it is time for the world to quiet until spring. We humans, too, often feel the pull to slow down in the winter months, to retreat to warm spaces and bask in soft light. This kind of restorative self-care can be extremely beneficial, helping us recharge for the next phase of work. And while we rest and retreat, we can continue exploring what opportunities might be waiting for us out there. Here are a few to get you started.

The NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship offers $8,000 grants to New York State artists in 15 disciplines, supporting their creative. For more information, visit the website. Deadline is December 17.

Apply now for the 2025 NEW WORK: Los Angeles program! Visual artists in LA County (5+ years residency) can win $1,000, exhibit at Winslow Garage, and feature in ONE WORK. For more information, visit the website. Deadline is December 31.

McColl Center’s Artist-in-Residence program supports emerging and mid-career artists with housing, studios, stipends, labs, and community engagement, fostering creative growth and bold exploration in Charlotte. Visit the website for more information. Submission deadline is January 3.

Praxis Center believes that a balanced life leads to a balanced career. The art world can be tough, and self-care is essential. But we also know that it is wholly possible to build the career you’ve always dreamed of and we are here to help. Give Praxis a try today and see how far it can take you.

 

Brainard Carey is an author, artist and educator. He is the director of Praxis Center for Aesthetics and is currently faculty at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. He has written seven books for artists, including Making it in the Art World. His seventh book, The Problems in the Art World: An Artist’s A-Z Action Guide, is available now. 

Photo credit: Prospect Art

“Perhaps one did not want to be loved so much as to be understood.”

-George Orwell, 1984

What does it mean to be truly understood? Is it something you experience in your life? For most humans, the connection we find between each other is part of what sustains us, and the ability to see and be seen helps us through many of life’s trials. It is equally important to be seen and understood for who you really are, not for being someone you think others will approve of.

Robert Szot joined us to talk about his recent show at Anita Rogers Gallery, The Picturesque Survival Of Other Days. The title speaks to the last few years of Szot’s life, during which he lost his father to COVID shortly after having moved to L.A. from NYC after living on the East Coast for a few decades. To learn more about how this show is tied to Szot’s own life, listen to the complete interview.

Alyina Zaidi chatted with us about her recent show, Lost in the Belly of a Whale, which ran until November 20 at Alexander Berggruen Gallery. The title of the show touches on the long-held fascination people have about whales, creatures that are so large Zaidi can imagine entire societies existing in their bellies without them even noticing. To learn more, listen to the complete interview.

A few words to keep in your pocket

Are you seen?

Outings

Join me at Conwell Coffee Hall

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

More books to read

Ours is a community of readers. Tell us what books you’re reading now by adding your titles to our reading list here. Praxis user Laurie Marshall is reading Hospicing Modernity: Facing Humanity’s Wrongs and the Implications for Social Activism.

Opportunities

The University of Michigan invites artists to apply for the 2025–2026 Roman Witt Residency, focusing on U.S. Semiquincentennial themes of identity, memory, and national history through performance or social practice. To learn more and apply, visit the website. Deadline for applications is December 15.

 

Brainard Carey is an author, artist and educator. He is the director of Praxis Center for Aesthetics and is currently faculty at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. He has written seven books for artists, including Making it in the Art World. His seventh book, The Problems in the Art World: An Artist’s A-Z Action Guide, is available now. 

With the season of gratitude and reflection upon us, now is a great time to take stock of everything you’ve built and consider where to go from here. Nurturing an art career is not easy, but it is certainly possible if you know where to look for resources. As the year begins to wind down and we all look back on our accomplishments – or even on those things that may not have panned out but have lessons to teach us all the same – what might you do differently? What might you do the same, for that matter? As you begin to plan the coming months and next year, here are a few opportunities to motivate your continued journey.

Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grants provide $500–$3,000 to U.S.-based visual and performing artists for urgent, project-based funding, supporting exhibitions, performances, or unanticipated expenses. To learn more and apply, visit the website. Applications are rolling.

The University of Michigan invites artists to apply for the 2025–2026 Roman Witt Residency, focusing on U.S. Semiquincentennial themes of identity, memory, and national history through performance or social practice. To learn more and apply, visit the website. Deadline for applications is December 15.

The Newberry Collection in Chicago offers multiple opportunities for artist residencies. With deadlines coming up, now is the perfect time to see whether one of these residencies could be right for you. Visit the website for more information.

Praxis Center exists to nurture artists. We know it isn’t easy to build a presence in the art world, but we’re here to help. We gather experts from every corner to keep you informed and up to speed on best practices to make sure you are putting your absolute best foot forward. Give Praxis a try today and see how far it can take you.

 

Brainard Carey is an author, artist and educator. He is the director of Praxis Center for Aesthetics and is currently faculty at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. He has written seven books for artists, including Making it in the Art World. His seventh book, The Problems in the Art World: An Artist’s A-Z Action Guide, is available now. 

 

Image credit: University of Michigan

“It seemed like a nice neighborhood to have bad habits in.”

-Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep

It is safe to say that we can never know anyone entirely. What you see on the surface is merely what individuals choose to present, perhaps garnished with a few unintended tells here and there. And indeed, no one will ever know every facet of you. Perhaps even you yourself won’t fully know all there is to the depth of your being in the time you’re given. And while this can be a disconcerting realization, it is also part of what makes life so intriguing. The sure knowledge that there is – and always will be – mystery.

Jammie Holmes talked with us about his show, Morning Thoughts, which runs until December 21 at Marianne Boesky Gallery. The title comes from a song by Gil Scott-Heron of the same name, the lyrics of which speak to the artist. Always in search of the light even in the darkest parts of the world, the words of Gil Scott-Heron seemed to offer exactly this. To learn more, listen to the complete interview.

Monica Bonvicini sat down with us to discuss her recent show, Put All Heaven in a Rage, which ran until October 12 at Tanya Bonakdar Gallery. For this show, Bonvicini created black and white drawings often incorporating quotations connected by the theme of rage. The title of the show comes from a passage by William Blake in his poem Auguries of Innocence, a phrase she was unsure of using until friends viewed the work and agreed it fit completely in the context of the times in which we find ourselves. To learn more about this show and more, listen to the complete interview.

A few words to keep in your pocket

Keep your cards as close as you need to.

Outings

Join me at Astroläbe Contemporary, 68 Franklin Street in NYC.

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

More books to read

Ours is a community of readers. Tell us what books you’re reading now by adding your titles to our reading list here. Learn more about the writing of William Blake.

Opportunities

Women’s Studio Workshop has multiple opportunities with various deadlines throughout the year. Check them out to see what’s coming up.

 

Brainard Carey is an author, artist and educator. He is the director of Praxis Center for Aesthetics and is currently faculty at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. He has written seven books for artists, including Making it in the Art World. His seventh book, The Problems in the Art World: An Artist’s A-Z Action Guide, is available now. 

When it rains, it pours. And when drought hits, it’s important to know there are still opportunities ahead. An art career can be unpredictable, fluctuating from a cup overflowing to barely a drip of opportunity. That’s why part of your regular practice as a career artist should be making sure you are continuously lining up the next and the next and the next way to engage with the world outside your studio. Here are a few opportunities to get things flowing.

FCA Emergency Grants provide $500–$3,000 to U.S.-based artists facing urgent, project-related expenses or unexpected opportunities. Average grant: $1,900. For more information, including eligibility guidelines, visit the website. Deadline is December 4.

The Material Works Art Award offers a $2,500 grant for visual artists worldwide, supporting contemporary practices in exchange for artwork to expand our collection. Writing, music, and time-based media excluded. For more information, visit the website. Deadline for applications is December 8.

Women’s Studio Workshop has multiple opportunities with various deadlines throughout the year. Check them out to see what’s coming up.

Praxis Center is there for artists every step of the way. We understand that choosing this unorthodox way of life can mean a path that doesn’t always feel so secure. That’s why we gather experts from around the art world who are ready to guide you in all aspects of launching, growing and maintaining a career in art. Give Praxis a try today and see how far it can take you.

 

Brainard Carey is an author, artist and educator. He is the director of Praxis Center for Aesthetics and is currently faculty at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. He has written seven books for artists, including Making it in the Art World. His seventh book, The Problems in the Art World: An Artist’s A-Z Action Guide, is available now.