An interview with the artist Stephen Talasnik (55), whose paintings will be on view at the Marlborough Gallery in Chelsea, London, through April 24, 2010. Talasnik describes the life of a working artist, in particular the challenges of making a living. He talks about his family's reaction to his chosen path and explains how he embarked upon his career after leaving education. He talks about how he chose the curators to approach, and explains his decision to approach European collectors rather than Americans. He also talks about his financial situation and his typical working day.

This article offers information on the panel discussion "Parallel Practices," organized by art curator Douglas Dreishpoon, at the annual conference of the College Art Association in February 2011 in New York City. Participants included artists such as Petah Coyne, Philip Taaffe, and Robert Gober. The discussion centered around recreational, volunteer, and hobby activities that artists pursue in their spare time.

In an art world as crowded as today's, visibility trumps quality. Visibility marks the boundary between the regionally established artist and the globally fluent artist whose work seems to gravitate toward eye level. By examining this condition in which prominence has a power distinct from aesthetic value, it may be possible to figure out what visibility is really worth.

The writer shares her personal reflections on the process and experience of preparing for her first solo exhibition.