How Open Calls & Residencies Create Unexpected Opportunities
I Like Your Work: Conversations with Artists
Release Date: 02/14/2025
It's Never Too Late To Start with Artist Lisa Congdon
I Like Your Work: Conversations with Artists
As we begin a new year, we’re revisiting one of our most encouraging conversations on I Like Your Work—my interview with artist, author, and educator Lisa Congdon. Lisa’s story is a powerful reminder that there is no single timeline for becoming an artist. She didn’t begin pursuing art seriously until later in life, and her career unfolded through persistence, curiosity, and a deep commitment to learning. In this episode, Lisa shares what it was like to start later, how she built confidence in her work, and how she navigated the fears and doubts that often accompany a...
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Applying to Artist Residencies: CVA Insights & Practical Application Tips
I Like Your Work: Conversations with Artists
Artist residencies play an important role in supporting creative development, professional growth, and sustained studio practice. This episode offers insight into artist residencies through the lens of Chautauqua Visual Arts, alongside practical guidance for artists preparing strong, thoughtful applications. Chautauqua Visual Arts offers two distinct residency experiences, each designed to support artists at different stages and working styles. The Faculty-Led Six-Week Residency is designed for emerging/student artists seeking an immersive, structured experience. The program...
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Keep Painting: John Walker on a Life in the Studio
I Like Your Work: Conversations with Artists
We’re revisiting one of my favorite conversations from the archive with painter John Walker, an episode that feels just as relevant now as when it first aired. In this conversation, John reflects on what it means to stay with the work over decades, how a painting practice evolves over time, and the quiet discipline required to keep showing up to the studio. We talk about the deeply meaningful realities of a life devoted to making art. As we move into a new year, this episode feels like the perfect reminder that sustainable creative lives aren’t built overnight they’re...
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Doing the Next Thing in Your Art Practice: Following What Lights You Up in the New Year
I Like Your Work: Conversations with Artists
In this New Year episode of I Like Your Work, I talk about doing the next thing in your art practice by following what genuinely lights you up — even when it means making a change. I share why I chose to refocus my energy on teaching, creating courses, and building spaces for artists, and how that clarity led me to an exciting move to Patreon. This shift makes it easier for more artists to access professional practice support, classes, and conversations in a way that’s flexible, affordable, and rooted in real studio life. I Like Your Work Links: ...
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Do It Afraid — Creative Planning for Artists Starting the Year Strong
I Like Your Work: Conversations with Artists
In this mini episode of I Like Your Work, I talk about why waiting to feel “ready” or confident keeps so many artists stuck and how planning your artistic year while feeling afraid can actually be the most honest place to start. This episode is for artists who: Feel overwhelmed when thinking about the year ahead Struggle with creative fear, doubt, or perfectionism Want to plan their art practice without burning out Are ready to make work even when clarity hasn’t arrived yet You don’t need to eliminate fear to move forward. You can do it afraid. I share simple,...
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Sculptor Lydia Musco on Finding Clarity in Your Studio Practice
I Like Your Work: Conversations with Artists
Lydia Jenkins Musco’s work has been exhibited in galleries and public spaces throughout the United States. With an MFA from Boston University and a BA from Bennington College, her artistic practice has been shaped by international experiences, including stone carving studies in Italy and participation in art symposia in Norway, South Korea, and China. Musco’s work has earned recognition through awards including two Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grants, a Joan Mitchell Foundation MFA Grant, and an Edward F. Albee Residency Fellowship, among others. Her work has been featured in exhibitions...
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What’s Happening at Miami Art Week 2025: Artist Takeaways from Art Basel, NADA, Untitled & SCOPE
I Like Your Work: Conversations with Artists
If you’ve been watching the Miami energy from afar and wondering what it all means for your studio practice, this episode gives you the trends, themes, and takeaways that actually matter for artists.In this episode, Erika covers: • The big-picture trends shaping Miami Art Week 2025: – Institutional validation and residencies becoming more influential – The shift toward sustainable careers and long-term practice – Experiential installations dominating many fairs – Latin American and Caribbean artists in the spotlight – The ongoing market...
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Italian Journey: Corot, Goethe & the Self We Discover
I Like Your Work: Conversations with Artists
In this episode, Erika explores how observation, travel, and memory shape artistic practice, inspired by her upcoming class in Italy, The Symbolic Landscape. Drawing from Corot’s plein air studies and Goethe’s Italian Journey, she reflects on how artists discover themselves through what they see—whether in a distant landscape or a simple daily moment. The episode invites listeners to make space for beauty and reflection, wherever they are, and to see art as both a return to the world and a way to transcend it. Dates: May 10 - May 24 Early Registration Discount: A 20%...
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Understanding Your Experience with Painter Gail Spaien
I Like Your Work: Conversations with Artists
Gail Spaien (b. 1958, Hartford, Connecticut) is an American artist and educator based in Maine. Her studio practice centers around the idea that a painting is a site of connection; an object that transmits emotion from one person to another. She is of a lineage of artists who think craft and beauty shape and build a more relational world. Spaien has been the recipient of numerous fellowships, including the Ucross Foundation (2024), Varda Artist Residency Program, Djerassi Foundation Resident Artists Program, Millay Colony for the Arts, and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture....
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Most Overlooked Area in Open Calls
I Like Your Work: Conversations with Artists
In this episode, I'm diving into open calls including what jurors look for when reviewing applications, and why the description box is crucial for providing context about your artwork. I'm also sharing practical tips on how artists can use detailed descriptions to make their submissions stand out and highlighting resources for artists to improve their application process. I Like Your Work Links: Thank you to our sponsor, Sunlight Tax. Apply for our Winter Exhibition: Deadline is November 15: ...
info_outlineHave you ever hesitated to apply for an open call or residency because of self-doubt? Or maybe you’ve wondered, Is this even worth it? In this episode of I Like Your Work, we’re flipping that narrative. Open calls and residencies aren’t just about submitting your work—they’re about creating opportunities, making connections, and getting your art seen in ways you never imagined.
I’ve heard from so many artists who have had real, tangible opportunities come from being featured in the I Like Your Work Open Call catalog—things like exhibitions, representation, and new collectors. And residencies? They can be game-changers for artists looking to deepen their practice, meet incredible peers, and create work in an inspiring environment.
We’ll also talk about Chautauqua Visual Arts Residencies—an incredible space for artists to grow, reflect, and push their work forward. And I’m beyond excited to introduce our guest curator for this year’s Open Call, Leah Triplett, an amazing curator and writer who brings a thoughtful and engaging eye to contemporary art.If you’ve been waiting for a sign to put yourself out there—this is it.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Why open calls and residencies are more than just applications—they’re opportunities for transformation
How artists have gained career-changing connections from the I Like Your Work Open Call
What makes Chautauqua Visual Arts Residencies such an exciting and valuable experience
Insights from guest curator Leah Triplett, a leading curator and writer shaping contemporary art
The importance of believing in your work and stepping into opportunity—despite fear
Apply Today!
I Like Your Work Open Call: https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/submitwork
Chautauqua Visual Arts Residency:
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Hit play and get ready to embrace new opportunities!