This is an episode about how acting on dumb ideas in the studio can be just the thing to get you out of artist's block or help you make a big change. Get ready for some choice bon mots from the likes of Weird Al Yankovic, Laurie Anderson, William Kentridge and others on the sage subject of being open to studio stupidity.

Mentions: Weird Al Yankovic, Laurie Anderson, William Kentridge, Jack Whitten, Epictetus, Susan Sontag, Mister T, Twyla Tharp

Writings mentioned:

https://brooklynrail.org/2022/06/art/Laurie-Anderson-with-Paul-D-Miller/

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/06/magazine/laurie-anderson.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/17/podcasts/the-daily/laurie-anderson.html

https://screencrush.com/weird-al-yankovic-interview/

https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2014/08/13/his-own-wavelength/

The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life by Twyla Tharp

https://shop.hauserwirth.com/products/jack-whitten-notes-from-the-woodshed-updated-edition?_pos=1&_psq=notes+from+&_ss=e&_v=1.0

Thanks for listening!

All music by Soundstripe

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Pep Talks on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@peptalksforartists⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Amy, your beloved host, on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@talluts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Pep Talks on Art Spiel as written essays: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/7k82vd8s⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BuyMeACoffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Donations always appreciated!

*Disclaimer: This episode is meant to be funny and Amy would love to attend any of the aforementioned residencies. Please accept her if you find yourself on a panel. End disclaimer.*

Just got rejected from an artists' residency? Well, this is the mini-episode for you because I am going to let you in on a little technique I use to feel better. There's a curse word abundantly used throughout, so listen far away from small ears, Dear Listener!

(Unless the small ears are pets-pets don't have language centers in their brains so it's safe.)

I was a bit harsh on St Martin in the ep, and he did do a bit more than I gave him credit for: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_de_Porres ... but he's still a deep cut.

Did I tell you that my confirmation name was "Melania"? Didn't age well!

Thank you!

All music by Soundstripe

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Pep Talks on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@peptalksforartists⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Amy, your beloved host, on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@talluts⁠⁠⁠⁠

Pep Talks on Art Spiel as written essays: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/7k82vd8s⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BuyMeACoffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Donations always appreciated!

This is a little episode about how I think a one-of-a-kind whale is kind of like the 16th -17th century Mannerist artist El Greco, and also like us. It sounds a little far fetched but admit it, you like me when I’m weird, you weirdo’s

El Greco:

Artworks mentioned: “The Vision of St John” 1608-14 and "View of Toledo" 1599-1600 (El Greco), “Les Desmoiselles D’Avignon" 1907 (Picasso), "Rocks at Fontainbleu" 1890's (Cézanne)

Artists mentioned: Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, Hilma Af Klint, Pablo Picasso, Eugène De la Croix, Salvador Dali, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Diego Velázquez, Titian, Tintoretto, Ignacio Zuloaga

Writers mentioned: Emily Dickinson, Franz Kafka, Roger Fry

Learn more about El Greco's figurine models with a fascinating lecture by Xavier Bray for the Frick Collection: https://youtu.be/_8xYkflNbU0?si=eCIL_P-tFdtPbDmOThe Whale:

Watch the documentary: https://www.kanopy.com/en/product/loneliest-whale?frontend=kui

Articles:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/scotttravers/2025/02/01/the-52-hertz-whale-is-the-loneliest-animal-in-the-world-heres-what-we-know/

https://www.iflscience.com/fact-check-has-the-world-s-loneliest-whale-finally-found-a-friend-65797

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/13

https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/inside-the-nail-biting-quest-to-find-the-loneliest-whale/

Thanks for listening!

Greek music "Greek Bouzouki Sentimental 13" by Omegamusic / Marios Georgiades / Nicosia, Cyprus

Whale songs courtesy of PMEL Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory

All other music and sound effects by Soundstripe

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Pep Talks on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@peptalksforartists⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Pep Talks website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.peptalksforartists.com/⁠⁠⁠

Amy, your beloved host, on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@talluts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Pep Talks on Art Spiel as written essays: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/7k82vd8s⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BuyMeACoffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Donations always appreciated!

::CW: during the Kathe Kollwitz section, we discuss a print dealing with sexual assault::

Jennifer and I are back with our bushel baskets of researched artists of the past to soothe our shattered nerves. Tune in to hear about 6 artists that made exceptional work under strained circumstances: Käthe Kollwitz, John of Arderne - medieval surgeon and margin doodler, Gustav Metzger, William Gropper, David Hammons and Joan Miró.

Käthe Kollwitz notes:

"Käthe Kollwitz" exhibtion at MOMA May-June 2024

Emile Zola's novel "Germinal" 1885

"Scene from 'Germinal" 1893

"A Weavers' Revolt" series 1893-1897

Gerhart Hauptmann's play "The Weavers" 1892

"The Mothers" 1918

"Never Again" 1924

"R-ped" 1907

Francisco de Goya's "Disasters of War" series

Otto Dix "Der Krieg" 1924

John of Arderne notes:

Medical Treatises England: c.1376, re-copied and 1475-1500Sp Coll MS Hunter 251 (U.4.9) (see more here and here)

Misericord seatrest carvings in English medieval churches

Gustave Metzger notes:

The Viennese Actionists

Artist, David Bomberg

"Auto-destructive Art" 1961 London performance

"Flailing Trees" 2009

"Remember Nature" 2015

"Table" c.1957-8

The Fluxus movement

Documentary "Lifeline: Clyfford Still"

William Gropper notes:

"America: It's Folklore" 1946

Francisco de Goya's "Los Caprichos" series 1798

French political artist, Honoré Daumier

"Blacklist" and "Environment" from Gropper's Capriccios series 1953–57

David Hammons notes:

"The Melt Goes on Forever: The Art & Times of David Hammons" Documentary 2022

Artist, Charles White

Artist, Betye Saar

"Bliz-aard Ball Sale" Performance New York, NY 1983

"Body Prints" 1968–1979

"Hair and Wire, Venice Beach" 1977

"Untitled" circa 1980s

"Higher Goals" 1983; 1986

"Untitled (Night Train)" 1989

Artist, Rachel Whiteread

Joan Miró notes:

Ballet Russes

Artist, Henri Matisse

"Mori el Merma" (Death to Merma) Theatrical collaboration with the Barcelona puppet troupe, La Claca, headed by Joan Baixas 1978 (watch here)

"Ubu Roi" by Alfred Jarry 1896

Artist, Meg Lipke

Current studio daemons: olm, volcano snail, and a rare algae of Blick Mead called Hildenbrandia

Thank you, Jennifer!

Jennifer' website: https://www.jenniferlcoates.com/

Jennifer on IG: https://www.instagram.com/jennifercoates666/

All music by Soundstripe

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Pep Talks on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@peptalksforartists⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Pep Talks website: ⁠⁠https://www.peptalksforartists.com/⁠⁠

Amy, your beloved host, on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@talluts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Pep Talks on Art Spiel as written essays: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/7k82vd8s⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BuyMeACoffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Donations always appreciated!

Today's episode is a special conversation and recap of Elisabeth Condon and my experiences collaborating as visual artists in the ballet project CounterPointe (now in its 12th year) produced by Norte Maar and staged at the Mark O'Donnell Theater (Brooklyn) in March 2025. Jennifer Coates kindly came on to ask us questions about making props and what it was like for 2 newbies to enter the world of dance. Thanks, Jennifer!

Special thanks also to Norte Maar and its co-directors, Julia K. Gleich and Jason Andrew for their support of artists and creative collaboration.

More information about Elisabeth and Amy's work:

Elisabeth: https://www.elisabethcondon.com/ | @elisabethcondon

Amy: https://www.amytalluto.com/ | @talluts

More information about Julia Gleich and Jason Andrew's NorteMaar & CounterPointe12: https://www.nortemaar.org/projects/counterpointe12

Julia K. Gleich's website: https://www.gleichdances.org/

Julia Gleich interview on this podcast: Episode 49

The dances we discussed:

"Vermillion | 10" by Ava Desiderio and Elisabeth Condon

Dancers: Minami Ando, Lucia Betelu

Support structures: Elise Wunderlich

Music by Zero Eklipse and William Pilarte

Lighting: Evan Spigelman

Mark O'Donnell Theater, Brooklyn, March 2025

"And So It Begins" by Margaret Wiss and Amy Talluto

Dancers: Maya Tsuruki Holden and Jaclyn Kriewall

Music by Margaret Wiss

Lighting: Evan Spigelman

Mark O'Donnell Theater, Brooklyn, March 2025

"46 Gordon" by Julia K. Gleich and Nicole Cherubini

Dancers: Michelle Buckley, Kara Chan, Annie Freeman, Amber Neff, Ethan Schweitzer-Gaslin

Lighting: Evan Spigelman

Mark O'Donnell Theater, Brooklyn, March 2025

Special thanks to Jennifer Coates for interviewing us!

Jennifer's website: https://www.jenniferlcoates.com/

Jennifer on IG: @jennifercoates666

Artists mentioned: Henri Matisse, William Kentridge, Florine Stettheimer, Keisha Prioleau Martin, Meg Lipke, Elana Herzog, Nicole Cherubini, Alvin Ailey, Judith Jamison (Dancer), Julia K. Gleich (Choreographer), Jason Andrew

Dances mentioned: "Afternoon of a Faun" by the Ballet Russes, “Minutiae” (1954) Robert Rauschenberg and Merce Cunningham, "Cry" Alvin Ailey

Video mentioned: "How to Make Theater Props" by Eric Bucklein (not actually old but young) https://youtu.be/JSl5Vc8mej0?si=KWGdOxnijBiEEGZc

Book mentioned: Inigo Philbrick "All That Glitters: A Story of Friendship, Fraud, and Fine Art"

Exhibition mentioned: "Edges of Ailey" at the Whitney

All music by Soundstripe

----------------------------

Pep Talks on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@peptalksforartists⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Pep Talks website: ⁠https://www.peptalksforartists.com/⁠

Amy, your beloved host, on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@talluts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Pep Talks on Art Spiel as written essays: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/7k82vd8s⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BuyMeACoffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Donations always appreciated!