Tough on Art

Jun 09 2022 8
Tough on Art Podcast artwork

Tough on Art is hosted by Jen Tough, an art dealer based in Santa Fe, NM and founder of the Artist Alliance. This podcast was created with emerging, re-emerging, and mid-career artists in mind. We focus on all things contemporary art, through down to earth interviews and straight forward conversations. Our mission is to make the often opaque and exclusive art world more transparent and a little less daunting.

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Inviting the Viewer In: Sarah Boyts Yoder

Jun 09 2022 71 mins  
Jen chats with Virginia based artist Sarah Boyts Yoder for a casual conversation that rambles from desert light, homeschooling during the pandemic as an artist/mom, connecting with viewers, joyfulness in work, and her working process. Sarah Boyts Yoder is a painter based in Charlottesville, VA. She received a BFA in Painting from Eastern New Mexico University in 2003 and an MFA in

Art Heals: Natalie Dadamio

May 21 2022 73 mins  
Today I chat with abstract expressionist painter Natalie Dadamio, who has a very special view on art, art making, and the business of art. We discuss a lot about how art and spirituality intermingle, can heal, and the power of vulnerability and authenticity. Natalie embraced the Artist Alliance's 100 Rejections Challenge, and discusses how it empowered her and opened her up to

Laura Klopfenstein: Science Meets Art

May 09 2022 49 mins  
Jen talks with Austin based artist Laura Klopfenstein, discussing what it's like to work full time in the science world, be a mom, and create her strange and beautiful pieces (often that contain teeth!). Laura creates collages and paintings that are intricate and curious, often reflecting her science-based life. Her work can be subtly political and often humorous, with subject

Top Ten Mistakes Artists Make

Apr 29 2022 37 mins  
Today Jen Tough dives into the most common mistakes artists make and gives a variety of simple solutions and helpful advice on how to avoid them. The top mistakes are:1. Out of date website2. Confusing online name identification3. Not networking enough4. Not entering enough juried shows5. Not having a spreadsheet to keep track of gallery approaches6. Not having a simple annual mark

The Magical Musical World of Gina Tuzzi

Apr 15 2022 38 mins  
Today my guest is Gina Tuzzi, one of my favorite artists (and humans). Gina lives in Blue Lake, California and teaches art at Humboldt State University. Gina was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California, has an MFA from Mills College in Oakland, and a BA from Humboldt State University. Gina's paintings are both magical and energetic: her bright saturated palette with complex

Q&A: How to Get an Art Gallery

Apr 06 2022 42 mins  
In this episode, Jen Tough answers questions from artists about how to get art galleries. Unscripted and off the cuff!Sign up for Jen's April 24th live workshop (via Zoom), "The Tough Method for Getting Galleries". You'll have a chance to ask questions relevant to you and your situation, get email scripts, a spreadsheet template, a printable workbook, and more!

Over the Rainbow: Marie Cameron

Mar 31 2022 36 mins  
On today’s show, I’ll be speaking to Marie Cameron. Marie Iis a realist painter and mixed media assemblage artist living and working in Los Gatos, California. Her work ranges from large scale realist paintings with images from the natural world, some creating a repetitive kaleidoscopic image, others that involve quiet contemplation such as birds perched on dainty teacups. Durin

An Aerial Perspective: Color Field Artist Laurie Blessen

Mar 24 2022 39 mins  
Laurie Blessen lives in San Francisco and focuses on minimalist, color-field monotypes. Her works are bright and bold, with rectangular or square fields bumping against each other while intermingling with more delicate textures and pattern. Reminiscent of aerial views of landscapes and fields, Laurie says she creates with intuition leading the way. She says the “magic happens”

Gallerist Q&A 9

Mar 16 2022 28 mins  
Unscripted and "off the cuff Tough" for episode 9 of Gallerist Q&A!Questions include:Making prints, and does it devalue workPricing on websitesHow to get a galleryBest online places to sellAre online shows worth it?And more!Submit your own question here and it may be answered on the podcast!https://airtable.com/shrCGnbW4gHtctcKaBecome a member of one of Jen's art

Little Fires from OH to EU to HI: Ellen Dieter

Mar 11 2022 41 mins  
Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Ellen Dieter’s interest in art began at an early age. After graduating high school, she began traveling in between studies at the Cleveland Institute of Art and the Cooper School of Art. llen settled in Paris, France for over a decade and studied part time at L’Ecole des Art Appliqué.Over the years, Ellen has worked as a seamstress/designer