The Art Career

This week on The Art Career Podcast, Emily sit's down with Nick Thune.Known for his sharp, offbeat humor and unique narrative voice, Thune has built a loyal following through multiple stand-up specials, late-night appearances on The Tonight Show, Conan, and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, as well as roles in film and television including Dave Made a Maze, Knocked Up, Venom, FX’s Legit, and Netflix’s Love.In recent years, Thune has expanded his creative practice into the visual arts, producing a body of work that reflects the same irreverent, observational tone that defines his comedy. His fine art blends text, minimal forms, and conceptual humor to explore themes of identity, absurdity, and human contradiction. His visual work debuted at SPRING/BREAK Art Show and continues to evolve across painting, mixed media, and print editions.In this conversation, we discuss how his visual practice operates alongside his work in comedy, what it means to pursue multiple creative disciplines with equal seriousness, and how both the studio and the stage have shaped his approach to storytelling. We also talk about sobriety, fatherhood, sustainability, and building a life that can hold both the studio and the stage.Follow NickNick's WebsiteNick's Limited Edition PrintFollow Emily McElwreath on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@emilymcelwreath_art⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theartcareer.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more episodes and resources If you loved this episode, tag ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@theartcareer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and share your favorite insight on IG stories! Don’t forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps more creatives discover the show. Sound Engineer and Production: Josh CraigCreative Direction: Nina Yankovic

On Season 8, episode 4 of The Art Career Podcast, Emily sits down with Dr. Ace Lehner to discuss trans visual culture, the politics of representation, and so much moreTheir conversation explores how images construct identity, how institutions shape visibility, and what it means to challenge dominant frameworks of seeing. As both a scholar and an artist, Ace brings depth, clarity, and lived insight to questions that sit at the center of contemporary culture.Emily and Ace talk about photography, authorship, power, and the responsibility that comes with representation - and why rewriting visual narratives isn’t just theoretical, but necessary.Recorded at: Creative Legion in Hudson, NY Listen wherever you get your podcasts.Dr. Ace Lehner is an interdisciplinary visual culture scholar and artist whose work focuses on trans and queer visual culture, race and representation, photography, performance, and modern and contemporary art. Their writing has appeared in leading journals including Art Journal, Visual Studies, Cultural Politics, and Media-N, among others. Lehner recently guest edited the first-ever issue of Art Journal dedicated to trans visual culture and is currently developing a book project, Trans Representations: Decolonizing Visual Theory in Contemporary Photography, based on their award-winning dissertation research.Lehner’s artistic practice spans photography, installation, and performance, examining the relationship between representation and identity. Their project Barbershop: The Art of Queer Failure has been presented in solo exhibitions at Brewer Harris projects and Practice Gallery, as well as in group exhibitions at the Fleming Museum and the Wassaic Project with additional exhibitions at institutions, including the International Center of Photography, El Museo del Barrio, and SOMArts. A recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, including the College Art Association Professional Development Fellowship, Lehner has delivered public talks and organized conference panels internationally. They have worked in museum education for over two decades and pioneered the first Queer Tours at the Museum of Modern Art. Lehner is currently a Tenure Track Assistant Professor of Art and Art History at the University of Vermont.Dr Ace Lehner's Website: http://ace-lehner.comFollow Ace: https://www.instagram.com/ace_lehner_projectsFollow Emily McElwreath on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@emilymcelwreath_art⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠theartcareer.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more episodes and resources If you loved this episode, tag ⁠⁠⁠@theartcareer ⁠⁠⁠and share your favorite insight on IG stories! Don’t forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps more creatives discover the show. Sound Engineer and Production: Josh CraigCreative Direction: Nina Yankovic

On Season 8, Episode 3 of The Art Career Podcast, Emily sits down with Rachel Dratch.Rachel Dratch ⁠is an American actress, comedian, writer, and podcast host whose career spans stage, television, film, and audio storytelling. Most recently, she has been cast as the narrator in Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show, continuing her long-standing relationship with live performance and theater. Dratch rose to wide prominence as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1999 to 2006, where her range of unforgettable characters — most notably Debbie Downer — became cultural touchstones in sketch comedy. She has since returned frequently as a guest performer, including recent appearances portraying Senator Amy Klobuchar. Beyond SNL, Dratch has appeared in beloved television comedies including 30 Rock, Broad City, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, as well as films such as Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, Click, and Plan B. In 2022, she made her Broadway debut in POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play. She is also the author of Girl Walks into a Bar…, a memoir that blends humor with candid reflection on career, resilience, and reinvention. Known for her sharp wit, improvisational brilliance, and enduring curiosity, Dratch continues to work across mediums while remaining deeply connected to the craft.Follow Rachel: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/raedratch/?hl=en Woo Woo Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/woo-woo-with-rachel-dratch/id1710044536 Purchase Tickets to Rocky Horror Picture Show: HERE Follow Emily McElwreath on Instagram: ⁠⁠@emilymcelwreath_art⁠⁠Visit ⁠⁠theartcareer.com⁠⁠ for more episodes and resources If you loved this episode, tag ⁠@theartcareer ⁠and share your favorite insight on IG stories! Don’t forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps more creatives discover the show. Sound Engineer and Production: Josh CraigCreative Direction: Nina Yankovic

In Season 8, Episode 1 of The Art Career Podcast, Emily sits down with Johnny Cirillo, the photographer and visual storyteller behind Watching New York— one of the most influential portrait projects documenting contemporary life in the city today.Born in Jackson Heights, Queens, Johnny developed an early passion for photography as a teenager on Long Island, after his mother gave him his first 35mm camera and shared her own black-and-white photographs from the 1960s. What began as an obsession quickly became a practice: rolling his own film, building a darkroom, and photographing friends as he explored the medium from the inside out.Through Watching New York, Johnny has built and connected a global community of more than 2 million people united by a shared love for New York — its people, its fashion, and its everyday magic. His work is rooted in attention and intimacy, capturing fleeting moments that feel both deeply personal and collectively recognizable. Johnny has collaborated with brands including Airbnb, Gucci, AMI Paris, Balenciaga, GQ, Burberry, Adidas, Away, and Free People, and has interviewed artists and cultural figures such as Halsey, Ethan Hawke, Colman Domingo, Charli XCX, Ashley Graham, and Lizzo.In this conversation, they explore:His early relationship to photography and image-makingHow Watching New York evolved into a cultural archiveThe ethics of looking, access, and photographing strangersBuilding trust and community through portraitureCollaborating with major brands while maintaining artistic integrityThis episode is a thoughtful reflection on observation, authorship, and the quiet power of paying attention — essential listening for anyone interested in photography, cultural memory, and the art of seeing.Follow Johnny: https://www.instagram.com/watchingnewyork/?hl=enPurchase: Watching New York: Street Style A to Z: https://www.amazon.com/Watching-New-York-Street-Style/dp/1419769944Follow Emily McElwreath on Instagram: ⁠@emilymcelwreath_art⁠Visit ⁠theartcareer.com⁠ for more episodes and resourcesIf you loved this episode, tag @theartcareer and share your favorite insight on IG stories! Don’t forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps more creatives discover the show.Sound Engineer and Production: Josh CraigCreative Direction: Nina Yankovic

In this episode of The Art Career, Emily sits down with the incomparable Melissa Auf der Maur — musician, visual artist, filmmaker, and co-founder of the multidisciplinary arts center Basilica Hudson.Known for her role as the bass player in iconic 1990s rock bands Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins, Melissa’s journey spans far beyond the stage. From self-producing solo albums to launching a nationally recognized cultural venue in Hudson, NY, Melissa has spent the past two decades creating space — literally and metaphorically — for artists to gather, experiment, and thrive.This conversation covers the full spectrum of her creative life: music, motherhood, mythology, and the radical act of sustaining a long-term, independent practice. We also talk about her upcoming literary memoir, which will explore her time inside the legendary 1990s rock scene — set to be released in 2026 by Grand Central Publishing / Hachette Books.We discuss:• Touring the world with Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins• Creating Basilica Hudson as a haven for artists and community• Her deep roots in visual art and photography• Storytelling, place-making, and the role of women in music history• Writing her forthcoming memoir on the 90s rock eraFollow Melissa: @xmadmxLearn more about Basilica Hudson: basilicahudson.orgFollow Emily: @emilymcelwreath_artFollow The Art Career: @theartcareerMelissa Auf der Maur was born and raised in Montreal, Canada where she received a fine arts education focused on music and photography. Auf der Maur is most prominently known for herrole as the bass player and band member in two Grammy Nominated and Winning 90’s rock bands, Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins. At the turn of the millennium, after multiple world tours she set off on her own to self-produce two solo albums, released on Capitol Records andRoadRunner / Warner Brother Records. In 2010 she co-founded the multidisciplinary art center Basilica Hudson in Hudson, NY with filmmaker Tony Stone, which welcomes up to 20,000 yearly visitors to genre-pushing music festivals, large-scale marketplace events, film screenings, and public installations. In addition to her work as an arts and music curator at Basilica Hudson, Auf der Maur has produced films that have been presented at Sundance Film Festival, Berlin Film Festival, New Directors New Films, and released by NEON and Magnolia Pictures. Her photography work has been published in National Geographic, American Photo, SPIN and BUST Magazines, and exhibited at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and Sotheby's NY, among other venues. Her literary memoir, focusing on her time in the iconic 90’s rock scene, is due to be released in 2026 by Grand Central / Hachettes Books.

Jemma Rose Brown is an artist, strategist and curator of cultural programs raised & based in NYC. Her approach is shaped by a decade+ career in podcasts and the audio industry. Jemma is the General Manager of The Signal Awards and Co-Creator of On Air Fest, the premiere event for audio storytelling. She is the Co-Founder of Cosmophage. Previously, she was the Director of creative agency work x work and a Producer at The Moth. Her projects have been covered widely in Vanity Fair, Wired, Forbes, Rolling Stone & more. Jemma sits on the Advisory Committee of UnionDocs Center for Documentary Art. Alongside her professional work, Jemma’s art practice is in incessant pursuit of intimacy: reaching across the asymptote of human experience to create momentary acts of connection. Jemma utilizes memoir, staged meals and performance to test the boundaries between self and other. Links: ⁠⁠⁠theartcareer.com⁠⁠⁠Follow Cosmophage Collective: https://www.instagram.com/cosmophage/?hl=enFollow Jemma: https://www.instagram.com/_needsmoresalt/Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠@theartcareer⁠⁠⁠Host: ⁠⁠⁠@emilymcelwreath_art⁠⁠⁠Production + Creative Direction ⁠⁠⁠@soniaruscoe⁠⁠⁠Editing: ⁠⁠⁠@benjamin.galloway⁠⁠⁠ Join our community for exclusive updates, artist resources, and behind-the-scenes content! Sign up at ⁠⁠⁠theartcareer.com⁠⁠⁠ Never miss an episode! Subscribe & leave us a review on ⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠

In this episode of The Art Career, Emily travels to Galerie Lelong & Co in Chelsea to sit down with gallerist Mary Sabbatino. Mary Sabbatino is Vice President and Partner of Galerie Lelong & Co., New York. She was appointed director of the New York location of Galerie Lelong & Co. in 1991 and became a gallery partner in 2007. In 2021, she was awarded the prestigious Chevalier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) from the Government of France. Championing a diverse roster of contemporary artists from throughout the world, the gallery has pioneered the community both in presenting a balanced roster of male and female artists, and artists from the Global South. Contributing to the overarching contemporary art scene, she served on the boards of ArtTable and the Executive Board of the Art Dealers’ Association of America, during which she initiated and co-authored the ADAA’s first code of ethics. Sabbatino served on the Selection Committee for Art Basel Miami Beach (2013-2020), the Art Basel Joint Selection Committee, and is a founding member of the Council for the Elizabeth Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum, New York. In 2020, along with colleagues from international galleries, she initiated the platforms Galleries Curate and SOUTH SOUTH. In addition to fostering the careers and legacies of the gallery’s artists, Sabbatino co-curated Art from Brazil in New York (1995) which presented the first solo exhibitions of the region’s most vital figures—Waltercio Caldas, Cildo Meireles, Hélio Oiticica, Mira Schendel, and Tunga—and curated Juan Downey: Video Installations and Drawings (1995), at the Museo Bellas Artes, Santiago, Chile. The gallery is proud to have represented leading contemporary artists and estates for over twenty years, including Petah Coyne, Andy Goldsworthy, Jane Hammond, Alfredo Jaar, Cildo Meireles, the Estate of Ana Mendieta, Jaume Plensa, Kate Shepherd, the Estate of Nancy Spero, Ursula von Rydingsvard, and Krzysztof Wodiczko.About Galerie Lelong & CoSince 1991, Galerie Lelong & Co., New York, has championed a diverse roster of contemporary artists from throughout the world. Led by Mary Sabbatino, Vice President and Partner, the gallery has pioneered the community both in presenting a balanced roster of male and female artists, and artists from the Global South. The gallery’s programming is noted for its political acuity and museum-quality exhibitions that include contemporary sculpture and installations, as well as its work with artists to help develop large-scale public art commissions beyond the gallery’s walls. In tandem with the gallery’s artists who present works that examine the human condition and collective consciousness, Galerie Lelong & Co. demonstrates its commitment to social justice and good citizenship through charitable initiatives and collaborations. Galerie Lelong & Co. is a member of the Art Dealers’ Association of America, the most esteemed organization of art galleries in the United States.Free Resource for Artists!Want expert guidance on building your art career? Download Navigating the Art World: A Comprehensive Guide for Artists—a free resource covering essential industry insights, practical tips, and more. Get it here:⁠⁠ Download Now⁠⁠Links: ⁠⁠theartcareer.com⁠⁠Follow Galerie Lelong & Co: https://www.instagram.com/galerielelong/?hl=enFollow Mary Sabbatino: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mary_sabbatino/?hl=enFollow us: ⁠⁠@theartcareer⁠⁠Host: ⁠⁠@emilymcelwreath_art⁠⁠Production + Creative Direction ⁠⁠@soniaruscoe⁠⁠Editing: ⁠⁠@benjamin.galloway⁠⁠ Join our community for exclusive updates, artist resources, and behind-the-scenes content! Sign up at ⁠⁠theartcareer.com⁠⁠ Never miss an episode! Subscribe & leave us a review on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠

On season 7, Episode 3 of The Art Career Podcast, Emily sits down with fashion photograher and director Brianna Capozzi in her Brooklyn, NY apartment.First published in 2014, Brianna Capozzi has been working for over a decade to make distinctive images that have contributed to a movement of contemporary female-led fashion photography. Capozzi’s work places less emphasis on an ideal and instead uplifts the raw, fierce and playful that exists innately and uniquely in each subject. Her work demonstrates a fervent interest in the power, versatility, and inherent creative force of the female form.Advertising: Adidas, Agent Provocateur, Alexander Wang, Bally, Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Carolina Herrera, Cartier, Chloe, Chopard, Deisel, DKNY, Eckhaus Latta, Fenty, Frankie’s Bikinis, GAP, Gucci, Jonathan Simkhai, Khaite, Marc Jacobs, Maryam Nassir Zadeh, Nike, Nordstrom, Pinko, Puma, Rare Beauty, Stella McCartney, Victoria’s Secret, Skims, Zara.Editorial: All In, American Vogue, British Vogue, Beauty Papers, Blau, D Republica, Dazed & Confused, Double, Interview, M Le Monde, Marfa, Myth, Pop, Re-Edition, Vogue Italia.Published: Well Behaved Women (Idea Book, 2018), Sisters (Idea Book, 2024)Free Resource for Artists!Want expert guidance on building your art career? Download Navigating the Art World: A Comprehensive Guide for Artists—a free resource covering essential industry insights, practical tips, and more. Get it here:⁠⁠ Download Now⁠⁠Links:https://www.instagram.com/briannalcapozzi/?hl=enhttps://rep-ltd.com/artists/brianna-capozzi ⁠⁠theartcareer.com⁠⁠ Follow us: ⁠⁠@theartcareer⁠⁠ Host: ⁠⁠@emilymcelwreath_art⁠⁠ Production + Creative Direction ⁠⁠@soniaruscoe⁠⁠ Editing: ⁠⁠@benjamin.galloway⁠⁠ Join our community for exclusive updates, artist resources, and behind-the-scenes content! Sign up at ⁠⁠theartcareer.com⁠⁠ Never miss an episode! Subscribe & leave us a review on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠Spotify⁠

We’re launching Season 7 of The Art Career Podcast with a special collaboration, Art21 x The Art Career: Behind the Lens—a series dedicated to the curators and filmmakers who create the magic behind Art21’s iconic documentaries and publications. Art21 is the world’s leading source to learn directly from the artists of our time. In this season’s premiere, host Emily McElwreath sits down with curator Jurrell Lewis to explore Artists and the Unknown, a compelling new book from Art21 that delves into the mysteries, curiosities, and uncertainties that drive contemporary art. From the supernatural to the speculative, Artists and the Unknown captures how artists navigate the limits of human knowledge, embracing the unknown as a space for creativity and transformation. Jurrell Lewis brings his curatorial insight to this conversation, offering a deep dive into the book’s themes, featured artists, and the ways in which art helps us interpret the unexplainable. Artists and the Unknown is available HERE from Art21. About Behind the Lens This season, we’re spotlighting the often-unsung visionaries—curators and filmmakers—who shape the stories behind today’s most influential contemporary artists. Behind the Lens offers a rare glimpse into how Art21’s groundbreaking films and publications come to life, bridging the gap between artists and audiences. About Art21 Art21 is a celebrated nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring a more creative world through the works and words of contemporary artists. Through their award-winning documentary series, educational programs, and digital resources, Art21 brings audiences closer to today’s leading artists and their processes. Learn more at art21.org. Free Resource for Artists! Want expert guidance on building your art career? Download Navigating the Art World: A Comprehensive Guide for Artists—a free resource covering essential industry insights, practical tips, and more. Get it here: Download Now Links: theartcareer.com Art21 – Art21 Follow us: @theartcareer Host: @emilymcelwreath_art Production + Creative Direction @soniaruscoe Editing: @benjamin.galloway Join our community for exclusive updates, artist resources, and behind-the-scenes content! Sign up at theartcareer.com Never miss an episode! Subscribe & leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify

This holiday season, the team at The Art Career Podcast is collecting art supplies for children and adults served by the New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS). While food and shelter are understandably the primary focus for the Department of Homeless Services, the team at The Art Career has been in direct conversation with them, and they’ve expressed a pressing need for art supplies. We will be delivering all donated supplies before the holidays, ensuring that your contributions reach the individuals and families who need them most. As we all know, art has the power to heal, inspire, and transform lives. It offers a vital outlet for self-expression, creativity, and connection, particularly for individuals and families navigating challenging times. By providing access to art materials, we aim to nurture creativity, encourage emotional well-being, and bring moments of joy and possibility to those who need it most. Your generosity will directly help foster a sense of empowerment and hope within these communities.Whether you donate supplies or help spread the word, every effort makes a difference. TO DONATE: https://www.myregistry.com/giftlist/dhsartsupplies

The Art Career is honored to share a conversation with Alannah Farrell, recorded on November 8th, 2024, in their Chinatown apartment. Releasing this episode during Trans Awareness Week feels especially meaningful, but the importance of celebrating and uplifting trans voices extends to every day. Alannah’s perspective is a powerful reminder of the beauty, resilience, and talent within the community. Thank you, Alannah, for sharing so much with us. Farrell is a queer, trans non-binary painter who lives and works in Chinatown on the LES, New York City. Conversations around portraiture often focus on identity, gaze, style, and expression. Their paintings touch on these but further delve into how the human psyche is affected by relationships, selfhood, place, architectural spaces, gender dysphoria, existing in a changing body, and memory. They grapple with a complex tenderness, light piercing through a brooding sadness. Farrell presents queer individuals through a lens of understanding and connection, a context shielded from a society eager to erase or enact violence. Their paintings depict more than a moment; rather, time itself unfurling before our eyes—shifting light, shifting weight, the emergence of the inner world. Furthermore, Farrell paints thoughtfully and attentively from life. They describe inviting sitters into the studio as an adrenaline rush—having to work with time as a restriction and the challenge of attempting to capture what is full of life and motion into a singular image. — BL Alannah Farrell (b. 1988, Kingston, NY) is a queer painter who lives and works in New York, NY. Farrell completed their BFA at The Cooper Union, New York, NY. They have presented their work in solo and group exhibitions at Anat Egbi, Los Angeles, CA and New York, NY; Green Family Art Foundation, Dallas, TX; Lyles and King, New York, NY; Alexander Gray Associates, New York, NY; Harper’s, New York, NY; Richard Heller Gallery, Santa Monica, CA; The Painting Center, New York, NY; Theirry Goldberg Gallery, New York, NY; and UTA Artist Space, Los Angeles, CA. Their work is in the permanent collection of the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, FL. They are represented by Anat Egbi, Los Angeles. http://alannahfarrell.com https://www.alexandergray.com/exhibitions/821-alannah-farrell-erect/ https://www.instagram.com/alannah.farrell.studio/

On an all new episode of The Art Career, Emily sits down with artist, Nick Doyle, in his Ridgewood studio where his recent installation, Human Resources, a friendly neighbourhood kink bar, is situated until it leaves for Paris. The two have a brave and intimate conversation about sexuality, shame, and, of course, art. Nick Doyle is keenly aware of the legacy of the American notion of Manifest Destiny. Known best for sculptural wall works made from collaged denim, Doyle infiltrates the vocabulary of Americana to examine greed, excess, and toxic masculinity. Doyle uses the road trip—a pillar of American mythology—as a point of entry to his work in order to question the persistence of Rugged Individualism as the fabric of our national identity. Through a series of mechanical miniatures, theatrical scenery, and satirical prop-like denim works, the artist foregrounds the dangers of nostalgia and our evolving relationship to consumerism. Seemingly innocuous, Doyle’s imagery—vending machine, typewriter, cigarette pack—and materials—indigo and cotton—tell a story of American colonialism and consumerism, as well as explore the influence of media on global trade systems. By employing materials that hold cultural significance, the artist both reflects on and critiques social and political agendas that are often at play in contemporary life and visual culture. https://www.nickdoyle.org https://www.perrotin.com/artists/nick_doyle/777#news https://www.instagram.com/nickdoyle333/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/human_resources._/?hl=en