Meet Amanda Adams and Nicole Mueller | Artists & Co-Hosts of Beyond the Studio Podcast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda Adams and Nicole Mueller and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda Adams and Nicole Mueller, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
We felt like there were all of these topics surrounding the business of being an artist that were unnecessarily taboo, like personal finance, pricing their work, getting into shows, etc.

Even as art school graduates, we felt like there was an air of mystery around how artists were actually sustaining themselves and their work, which only contributed to this feeling that the art world was some sort of exclusive club.

We’re naturally curious people, and were really earnestly trying to build our own careers as emerging artists fresh out of college.

We didn’t want to subscribe to the idea that the arts was inherently competitive, or that it was only possible for a privileged few to succeed. We also didn’t want to surrender to the “starving artist” stereotype, or the idea we were destined to struggle by figuring it all out on our own. We refused to buy into the misguided belief that artists shouldn’t have to deal with all of these other aspects of their lives (like running a business, or having a family, etc.) for fear that it would somehow taint the integrity of their work, or because they should be able to focus all of their time and attention on the studio while somebody else (like a gallery, for example) takes care of that for them.

We sensed that wasn’t the reality for most artists, but we weren’t sure how those artists were actually making it work. We wanted to learn, practically, how other artists were making a living, and share that knowledge with others in order to bring more transparency and accessibility to the arts.

Beyond the Studio was started as a podcast in 2017 after Nicole moved out to San Francisco, CA from Baltimore, MD where she and Amanda had been living together as roommates. Our mission has always been to empower other artists by sharing their stories openly and honestly, and having candid conversations about their business practices, time management, financial planning, and how they’re navigating the unique challenges of making a living, creatively.

The pandemic has only amplified and crystallized this mission for us: the crises we’re facing create an even more urgent need for transparency and collective sharing within the art world. The first step towards valuing creative labor and creative workers as an integral part of our society, is creating more visibility around the actual work of being an artist. Having open and honest conversations about the realities artists face and sharing the stories of real artists working today is a form of advocacy for them and their work. We believe real change can only occur when artists begin talking to one another, and by openly sharing resources and information.

We’ve released over 100 episodes so far, featuring interviews with dozens of contemporary artists and makers, along with art world professionals including curators, arts attorneys, non-profit directors, and more. Our hope is that we can continue to grow the podcast alongside our own creative careers, and share everything we’re learning along the way.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

We’re each independent artists, but come from very different backgrounds within the arts.

Amanda Adams studied photography, and now runs her fiber and illustration brand Close Call Studio full-time from Baltimore, Maryland.

Nicole Mueller studied painting, and is now a full-time painter, muralist, and installation artist (who’s more recently gotten into public art) based in San Francisco, California.

The road to becoming full-time working artists has not been at all linear for either of us. When we first started Beyond the Studio in 2017, the very first interviews we recorded were between the two of us. We think of all of our podcast interviews like time capsules, and we wanted to capture where we were each at in our own careers and creative journeys at that time. Since then, so much has changed for us personally and professionally (in large part, thanks to the podcast) that we decided to record an updated interview with each of us at the end of 2021.

You can listen to Amanda’s interview “Amanda Adams talks mental health, setting healthier boundaries, and aligning your business with personal values” and Nicole’s interview “Nicole Mueller talks managing large-scale projects, pricing commissions, and leaving behind a day job” for our full stories. Those episodes really dive deep into our personal journeys and how we’ve each been able to take our creative practices full-time.

While we each have our own creative businesses, the podcast has become a really important side project for us both. Because our own personal backgrounds cover such a broad spectrum within the arts, we’ve been able to bring artists on to the podcast from both the contemporary art and maker spheres.

One of the things we’re most proud of is the range of artists we’ve interviewed, and the depth of their stories—being able to share these with a wider audience has given us such a strong sense of community and purpose. It really feels like we’re making an impact and on a path towards bringing more transparency to the arts at large.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This is a tough one, as we are bicoastal! Amanda is based in Baltimore, Maryland and Nicole is based in San Francisco, California. Honestly, there are just too many places to name! If someone were visiting San Francisco, we’d probably take them to some of our favorite museums and galleries like SFMOMA (where Nicole used to work), and Minnesota Street Project in the Dogpatch. While we’re in the neighborhood, we’d grab coffee at Piccino Coffee Bar and visit the new Institute of Contemporary Art SF. We’d explore some of the city’s green spaces like Golden Gate Park, and take in the stunning views of the ocean from Lands End or the Presidio. Finally, we’d grab dinner and drinks somewhere in the Mission, like Gracias Madre (an amazing vegan restaurant). If someone were visiting Baltimore (aka Charm City), we’d probably stroll through Bolton Hill and pass by the Maryland Institute College of Art (our alma mater) for old times’ sake, to see if there are any exhibitions on view. Then we’d head up to Station North, the city’s arts district, and stop at some of our favorite friend-owned businesses, like Sophomore Coffee and Hunting Ground. We’d have to grab lunch or dinner in Hampden, and visit all the quirky shops in the neighborhood. And finally, we’d head south to Fells Point, which is a charming neighborhood to walk around by the harbor and take in the views!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The podcast hinges on the generosity of other artists, so we are forever indebted to our guests! We appreciate their willingness to share their stories, and every single one of them has been amazingly candid about their journey. You can get to know them more here. We are also grateful to our partners, Michael York and David Colson, who provide so much support to us behind the scenes, and are each amazing artists and creatives in their own right. Beyond the Studio may not have come into existence were it not for the work of others who have paved the way, like Sharon Louden (artist and author of the “Living and Sustaining a Creative Life” series), Heather Bhandari, and Dexter Wimberly (curators and co-founders of Art World Learning), and who have inspired us through their advocacy and the ways they champion artists along their professional paths.

Website: https://beyondthe.studio

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondthestudio/

Other: Amanda Adams: https://closecallstudio.com Nicole Mueller: https://www.nicolemariemueller.com