Make Something 365 & Get Unstuck

Foreground/Background podcast episode 18: Michael-Birch Pierce

3/11/2021

In this episode I interview Michael-Birch Pierce. Michael-Birch is a fiber artist and fashion designer who has interned for Diane von Furstenberg, embroidered Christmas decorations for the Obama White House, and designed an exclusive collection for Levi’s. They have performed their embroidered portraits at Oscar and Super Bowl events, Design/Miami, and SXSW, and worked with clients such as Visa, Target, Amazon, Delta, NBCUniversal, and Airbnb. And they have exhibited in numerous galleries and museums both domestically and abroad.

In this hour long conversation we discuss:

Surviving as an artist during a pandemic
Collaborating with corporations
Dealing with scam inquiries
and more!

I couldn’t have made this podcast without my Patreon supporters! If you enjoyed this podcast please leave a comment and let me know what resonates with you and give it a thumbs up or 5 star review wherever you listen to it. And of course if you’re not already a Patreon supporter I hope you’ll check it out at Patreon.com/NoahScalin. For as little as $5 a month you get access to my studio and practice including content available nowhere else.

Check out my interview on the podcast series Sidewalk Ghosts

2/5/2021

I recently spoke with Richard Radstone for an episode of his Sidewalk Ghosts podcast. You can listen here below, on the website, on Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

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Based on life found experiences and interviews of diverse strangers, Richard’s short stories and observations entertain as they share ideas for appreciating the worth of yourself and others. Real-life stories and openhearted dialogues that can enhance your consideration of just how far your individual influence can reach.

I originally met Richard many years ago while he was doing a daily project about interviewing strangers! To read about 365 Strangers/365 Days, click HERE.

Making Art for 365 Days

Eric Rhemrev of Louisville, Kentucky created daily art based from the prompts in the Daily Creative Journal as well as suggestions and ideas from other people.

Why did you decide to do this project? The simplest answer would be to prove to myself that I could do it. The long answer is that I was depressed, only I didn't realize it. I thought being depressed meant feeling sad, but I didn't feel sad, I felt stuck.

Thankfully I came to the realization that if I wanted things to change, I would need to change the way I approach things. And one of the things I wanted to change was my lack of follow through, and what better way to test myself than a yearlong project.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? Doing a yearlong daily project has affected my life in many different ways. From getting my creative juices flowing to giving me the confidence to call myself an artist.

I have gone back and finished a few projects that have been long abandoned as well as completed new ones. It has helped build discipline when it comes to everyday things such as making my bed and keeping my home organized. This project really has changed my life.

To see more of Eric's art, follow @arikmakesart on Instagram!

Catch my interview on the podcast, Artivism NOW!

I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Kyle Roman for his latest episode of Artivism NOW!⁠ Have a listen to our conversation where we chat about my non-traditional methods and media, the impact of public art in the southern US, and how @alrcreates is impacting the minds of corporate America.⁠⠀

Artivism NOW! discusses the intersection between art and activism and how artists all over the world are making a statement with their work. Politics, culture, and current events inform and carry forward the work of artists. These interviews tell the story of people who are dedicated to truth telling and compassion in a cynical world.

Show art made by @megheimanart.

Find Out What Day of the Week It Is, During The Pandemic

Janet Scagnelli of Richmond, VA is sending out daily texts to subscribers, an activity she calls VeriDay.

Why did you decide to do this project? Back in April I was having trouble remembering what day of the week it was, and even if I figured it out, I’d forget a few hours later. So I wrote the day on a business card and left it on my counter all day. It worked, so I made a week’s worth. I texted a photo to a friend, who laughed and said I needed to send this to her every day.

Of course, I couldn’t just shoot the card, I had to add a tomato or a leaf to the photo. Fast forward, 7 months later—I have over 20 subscribers (through texting). I call my service VeriDay. Sometimes I make videos, I use 5 languages some days, and I haven’t missed a day. I called upon guest hosts for the week I was away.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I think it has created a (daily 6am-7am) meaningful connection among us. Some of the smaller subscriber groups react to the prompts with deep conversations (The rise of the Nazi movement in NYC in the 1930’s, Baptist hymns, Russian children’s book illustrations from the 1950’s, crop circles).

It seems to make people smile. I’ve gotten to know some subscribers so much more intimately, even though I’ve known them for decades. And it keeps me making art daily.

I recently read this article from the NYTimes and it dawned on me—this is VeriDay’s mission! (The entire article is worth reading.)

Excerpted from the NYTimes article:

"The key to coping during this, or any, time of upheaval is to quickly establish new routines so that, even if the world is uncertain, there are still things you can count on...

Luckily, there is a vast repertoire of habits you can adopt and routines you can establish to structure your days no matter what crises are unfolding around you. [VeriDay!]

The truth is that you cannot control what happens in life. But you can create a routine that gives your life a predictable rhythm and secure mooring. This frees your brain to develop perspective so you’re better able to take life’s surprises in stride."

Foreground/Background podcast episode 17: Mim Golub + Chuck Scalin

For this very special episode I’m interviewing my own parents, Mim Golub and Chuck Scalin! Both Mim & Chuck are artists and art educators and were of course fundamental in my own foray into the art world. It’s always a pleasure for me to hear the stories of their career arcs and I’m so glad to have captured this conversation in my studio earlier this year, before the Covid-19 Pandemic hit the United States. Thankfully both of my parents are healthy and continuing to stay safe through this unusual time.

In this hour long conversation we discuss:

Growing up in immigrant households
Being first-generation college graduates
Sexism in the education system
Creating art internationally
And more!

I couldn’t have made this podcast without my Patreon supporters! If you enjoyed this podcast please leave a comment and let me know what resonates with you and give it a thumbs up or 5 star review wherever you listen to it. And of course if you’re not already a Patreon supporter I hope you’ll check it out at Patreon.com/NoahScalin. For as little as $5 a month you get access to my studio and practice including content available nowhere else.

Foreground/Background podcast episode 16: Jesse Smith

The latest episode of my Foreground/Background podcast is out now! Give it a listen below or subscribe on your favorite streaming service (including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor, Breaker, Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts and Radio Public) to get new episodes as they come out.

In this episode I interview Jesse Smith. Jesse is an internationally known artist whose goal has always been to translate his skewed perspective of the world onto paper, canvas, concrete or skin. He has been published in almost every tattoo magazine, has won a ton of awards for his unique use of color and even found his way onto the reality TV show Ink Master. He currently works in Richmond, Virginia where he runs his own studio called Loose Screw Tattoo.

In this hour long conversation we discuss:

Running a creative business
Collaboration
Tattoo art
Reality TV
and more

This interview was recorded prior to the COVID-19 pandemic so be sure to listen through our entire conversation to hear a follow-up with Jesse about the many things that happened to him since we talked earlier in the year (including multiple rounds of quarantine AND the birth of his first child!)...

Foreground/Background podcast episode 15: Terry Border

The latest episode of my Foreground/Background podcast is out now! Give it a listen below or subscribe on your favorite streaming service (including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor, Breaker, Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts and Radio Public) to get new episodes as they come out.

In this episode I interview Terry Border. Terry worked in the commercial photography industry for a dozen years before leaving it to follow more artistic ambitions. He began his world famous Bent Objects project in 2006 and since then he has published many, many books of his art He also speaks about and exhibits his work internationally and lives with his wife and cat in Indiana.

In this hour long conversation we discuss:

Finding humor and inspiration in our current political climate
Blogs and social media
Working with everyday materials
and more

Also be sure to stay through the entire talk to hear a follow up conversation about how COVID-19 has impacted Terry and his work since our original conversation was recorded before the global pandemic had reached the United States.

I couldn’t have made this podcast without my Patreon supporters! If you enjoyed this podcast please leave a comment and let me know what resonates with you and give it a thumbs up or 5 star review wherever you listen to it. And of course if you’re not already a Patreon supporter I hope you’ll check it out at Patreon.com/NoahScalin. For as little as $5 a month you get access to my studio and practice including content available nowhere else.

Foreground/Background podcast episode 14: Kat Roma Greer

The latest episode of my Foreground/Background podcast is out now! Give it a listen below or subscribe on your favorite streaming service (including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor, Breaker, Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts and Radio Public) to get new episodes as they come out.

In this episode I interview Kat Roma Greer. Kat is based in Hong Kong and works as an urban disruptor and curator of public art interventions for positive social change. She is the founder and artistic director of Micro Galleries, curator of Urban Nasty, and was named as one of Australia’s 100 Women of Influence for 2015, for her work in the cultural sphere.

In this hour long conversation we discuss:

The global impact of COVID-19

Increasing the accessibility of art

The power of street art

and more

Foreground/Background podcast episode 13: Sarah Cameron Sunde

The latest episode of my Foreground/Background podcast is out now! Give it a listen below or subscribe on your favorite streaming service (including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor, Breaker, Overcast, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts and Radio Public) to get new episodes as they come out.

In this episode I interview Sarah Cameron Sunde. Sarah is an interdisciplinary artist and director working at the intersection of performance, video and public art, including her project 36.5 /A Durational Performance with the Sea, which is an ongoing work spanning seven years and six continents.

In this hour long conversation we discuss:

Finding your artistic direction
Running a creative business
Applying for grants
and more

Foreground/Background podcast episode 12: Alfonso Pérez Acosta

The latest episode of my Foreground/Background podcast is out now! Give it a listen below or subscribe on iTunes or Spotify to get every new episode as soon as it comes out.

In this episode I interview Alfonso Pérez Acosta. Alfonso is a Colombian artist who received a Fine Arts Degree as well as a Masters in Education in Bogotá. Since 2007, he has been actively involved in art education as a teacher for elementary, middle and high school groups at various schools and non-profit organizations. He is now the Art Program Director with Sacred Heart Center in Richmond, VA.

In this hour long conversation we discuss:

Finding comfort in art making
Teaching art
Changing perspectives
and more

Foreground/Background podcast episode 11: Mica Scalin

The latest episode of my Foreground/Background podcast is out now! Give it a listen below or subscribe on iTunes or Spotify to get every new episode as soon as it comes out.

In this episode I interview Mica Scalin. Mica is an innovator in the use of art and media for community engagement and creative development. She also happens to be my sister! She was among the first producers hired by NBC Universal Digital Studios, she launched social media strategy at Showtime Networks and consulted on CBS Interactive marketing. She has produced documentary films, art exhibitions and cultural events including being one humans behind dOGUMENTA: America’s First Art Show For Dogs. She is also co-author, with me, of the book Creative Sprint: Six 30-day Challenges to Jumpstart Your Creativity and she is the managing partner of our art and innovation consultancy Another Limited Rebellion.

In this hour long conversation we discuss:

Creative activism
Pioneering digital media
Strategizing a career plan
and more!

Coffee Art

Quintin Watkins of Atlanta, GA is exploring the many ways to portray themes of energy, conversation, and late night studies in his year-long, daily challenge to create a wide range of coffee art.

Why did you decide to do this project? It is a project that has been on my mind for years as inspired by Noah Scalin. At first, I wanted to do flowers, but I am not good at drawing flowers, so I was not confident at the time to go through with it. Over time and completing three years of Inktober, I felt more confident to commit to a longer challenge.

The theme of coffee was inspired by my love for it and how it got me through so many late night art sessions in college. Not to mention, coffee is a wonderful beverage with its wide range of flavors and brew techniques.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I know that doing the daily Inktober challenge in October is usually super hectic especially with so much going on that month. I find a greater appreciation for time management and finding ways to think quick for a daily prompt executing an idea.

To see more of Quintin's Coffee 366 project, follow him on Instagram @quimawa!

Special Anniversary Offer!

I'm celebrating the start of my third year on Patreon this month!

In honor of this milestone I'm launching exclusive special offer starting today. The first 75 people who sign up as my one of my patrons before February 29th will get a rare signed & numbered limited edition letterpress print of my Ornament(al) Skull, which was created as part of my original Skull-A-Day project!

Why sign up to be my supporter on Patreon?
Patreon is a way for creators to make more meaningful direct relationships with fans of their work. As the social media landscape becomes more fractured and difficult to navigate I'm putting my focus on sharing my process and inspiration with my supporters through this more intimate platform. On my Patreon page I have an exclusive feed, where you get behind-the-scenes look at the work I'm making as well as other content available nowhere else!

Here's what one of my supporters had to say about her experience:

"I have absolutely loved backing Noah on Patreon. First and foremost, I was able to support him month-to-month to create a work of art that I would never have been able to afford otherwise. I highly recommend that those who crave original art and might not have enough funds to go out and buy the piece of their dreams consider the monthly commission option. For the cost of a meal out (with wine :–) for two once a month, you can own a first-class work of art after a year and a half. Good for the waistline and the soul! Second, I love seeing how creative people think. I enjoy watching Noah at work and listening to him interview other artists. I believe that creative approaches will yield important answers to the world's problems. I am, therefore, most happy to support the blossoming of creative thinking and actions."

– Constance Del Nero

Don't miss out on this limited time offer, find out more HERE.

p.s. When I hit 100 supporters on Patreon I'll also be giving away an original piece of art to one randomly selected Patron!