From Communist Romania, through the forests of Transylvania, touching down in San Francisco before settling in Austin, MALINA CIPLEU shares her joy of discovering the art of fused glass. After a career in psychology in Romania, Malina’s role as a mother ultimately opened the door to art, first as a hobby and ultimately to a profession in glass. Malina’s evident love for the art form is infectious; she revels in the magic and element of surprise in every project. Perhaps not surprising, elements of her own childhood fascinations continue to find their way into her art forms and ideas.

Are you willing to put your art out into the world—to put yourself out in the world—knowing that you may not get the validation you seek. My conversation with Southern California abstract painter PRIYA SHARMA ASENCIO digs into the nitty-gritty reality of making the transition from a prior profession (in Priya’s case advertising media) to being a full-time painter, including the highs and lows of showing your work in public forums like art fairs and growing into your art practice within the social media gaze.

Priya’s dogged optimism has helped her weather the disappointments and recognize how all of her art experiences are interconnected. Rather than relying on external measures of success, Priya is learning how to validate herself first and appreciating the relationships each new stage presents.

Growing up amongst the airbrushed t-shirts and dolphins of Destin, Florida, muralist TAYLOR SHAW learned how to hustle to make the most of the tourist season. Years of hard work in restaurants and side gigs honed many of the skills that have enabled Taylor to make a career creating site-specific murals in cities across the South which have become their own tourist attractions. But how Taylor got out of the kitchen, into an MFA program, through teaching and into a custom van ready to install a 120-foot mural is a great yarn best told by Lazerchef himself.

How to balance online classes, a membership, and thousands of social media followers with the physical creation of a product—in this case, art? Maryland entrepreneur KELLEE WYNNE shares her journey from the early days growing up in a creative community and the discipline she learned in the Army to juggling her current online success. On this episode of the ARTish Plunge podcast, Kellee discusses taking a break to avoid burnout and how business strategies inform her coaching and art offerings.

As Lynne Maphies, former Curatorial Assistant at the Blanton Museum of Art, knows firsthand — for many artists, “day jobs” do more than pay the rent. In this fascinating behind-the-scenes conversation, Lynne shares the 10 year process that Veronica Roberts, former Blanton Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, directed to create the standout exhibit “Day Jobs.” Lynne also shares her own “day job” impact, one that redirected her onto her curatorial path.

Appreciating the richness of vintage typography and papers inspires both the sublime graphic design work and the whimsical collage art of Connecticut-based artist AMY GORREK. On the way to developing her own design practice, following stints with various design firms including Martha Stewart Living, Amy has perfected the art of appreciating details, instinctively finding the right balance of necessary and surprise elements. Pulling on her years of helping clients with their branding projects, Amy shares insights on how artists can find their own unique branding elements in the fabric of their artwork.

How do you see Brahms Symphony No. 4? For Scottish orchestral bassist and abstract painter Kirsty Matheson, music—like days of the week— have color. Kirsty shares how she balances her professional music life with her painting that took flight during a 100 Day project in 2021. This fascinating conversation allows us to dip into synesthesia, a neurological condition shared by Kirsty and many other creative minds that allows a crossover between senses, in Kirsty’s case allowing her to paint classical music.

A love of research, words and books drives Austin-based, mixed media artist KRISTY DARNELL BATTANI’s textile inspired paintings and forms. The host and founder of the ARTish Plunge podcast answers questions about her art journey, from intellectual property lawyer to full-time artist, as part of an artist talk for her recent solo show “How To Be.”

A lifelong love of prairie led sculptor and former architect BILL MCBRIDE to the rolling sea of grass and sunflowers that is Matfield Green, Kansas—population 45. Serendipitous introductions to fellow environmentalist, artists and conservation enthusiasts enabled Bill to find a home for his own work and his ongoing passion project, the Prairie Art Path. Initially lacking a road map, Bill “lived conceptually,” doggedly pursued his artistic dreams, and eventually created the place he imagined.

Massachusetts art therapist and author of “Draw Yourself Calm,” Amy Maricle shares the benefits of slow, mindful drawing. Amy pulls on her experience as an art therapist to show us how to reduce anxiety and stress by being aware of our senses as we slowly, intentionally move the pen around the paper. Amy ends our conversation with a short, guided art meditation so you can experience the benefits of slow drawing for yourself.

What’s it like to be a “non-traditional” art student at age 55? For Texas-based portrait painter CLIFFORD BUNN, seeking a BFA in Studio Art after a career in law enforcement with the Oakland PD was both cathartic and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. Initially turning to art as a way of dealing with grief, Cliff eventually decided to seek a degree in Studio Art at the University of Texas. Cliff shares his fascinating journey from the streets of Oakland to art school critiques, as he begins the next phase of life as a working artist.

Inspired by the “magical garden of wonders” found swimming in the cold Atlantic waters, Cornwall painter TARA LEAVER finds a balance between creating her own fluid paintings and developing an online community for like-minded artists. But life was not always so easy-breezy. Tara candidly shares how her struggles with depression enabled her to manage her art “demons” and help other artists tackle their own.

Atlanta-based abstract painter BOB LANDSTROM found his preferred art medium —hand-colored volcanic rock—through metaphysics and Southwestern landscapes. After decades juggling a conflicted existence as both an electrical engineer and an evening/weekend painter, Bob’s persistence in getting his artwork seen paid off. Now, only a few weeks into his new “full-time” painter role, Bob shares how he has built his presence in the art world, including an upcoming release of his first NFT on Super Rare.

Chilean watercolorist GERALDINE MACKINNON didn’t find her artistic direction in art school. Instead, the defining moment in her creative career occurred while assisting an archeological study on Easter Island, crawling through the caves with her sketchbook and headlamp trying to capture the “truth of the plants.” Fastforward, Geri has developed a sustainable career in the demanding practice of botanical watercolor illustration and in turn, her newest adventure: luscious, meticulously handcrafted mineral-based watercolors.

With her hands in prayer, still life painter MARYAM AMIRYANI begins each day in her Marfa studio with the simple request: The courage to start; the courage to persevere; the courage to finish. From her childhood in Iran to Paris, Washington and New York, Maryam followed a professional career path in and around the arts, helping to show and sell other artists’ work before she finally settled into her own practice painting intimate oil paintings often influenced by textures and colors of her early years in Iran.

Blacksmith, Metalsmith, Queen of the Forge— all fitting titles for Atlanta-based artist CORRINA SEPHORA. Introduced to welding before she finished elementary school, Corrina shares how she crafted an intentional career path in metal that has allowed her to make her living as an artist for over 25 years.

How has a small peasant woman with rudimentary art supplies and childlike paintings of fantastical beasts forced the world to acknowledge the absurdity of war? Ukrainian folk artist MARIA PRYMACHENKO (1908-1997) —dubbed the People’s Artist of Ukraine—produced hundreds of small, colorful gouache paintings of imaginary creatures, flowers and village scenes filled with traditional Ukrainian decorative patterns that captured the heart and soul of a nation. In this ARTish Words episode, we discuss why the recent Russian bombing of a small art museum that housed some of Maria’s works has unified resistance, why art matters in this moment, and what efforts are being made to protect artworks like Maria’s.

How do you create a sustainable art career over 40 years? New Orleans native ADELE SYPESTEYN shares how paying attention to everything— what’s working, what’s not—and not being afraid to change directions has allowed her to maintain a successful career as a contemporary artist and educator, including walking away from gallery representation, embracing new venues, Instagram sales and YouTube videos.

As in the sea, so in the studio. In this ARTish WORDS episode, Cornwall painter and educator Tara Leaver shares what the sea has taught her and how it provides a roadmap for the artist journey. Using three simple words “I don’t know” followed by one word “just,” Tara works her way through things that initially seem daunting, as in: “I don’t know” what I will paint today, so I will “just” go in and clean my brushes.

Tara insists that she is not a superhero or even unusually brave; rather, she is just someone who wants all the bounty of what the sea—and an artist life– have to offer. Move closer to thing you are afraid of and you just might discover your own magical sea cave.

No denying it: there will always be p-a-i-n in paint. In this ARTish Words episode, Canadian artist Janice Tanton and Washington painter Valerie Collymore address the issue of pain and beauty by reflecting on French Impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s struggle with rheumatoid arthritis and the herculean efforts he made to sustain his art practice during the last twenty years of his life.