I’ve been listening to a wide variety of podcasts since I began my art reeducation. Here are the best I’ve found so far, related to Art and the creative process.
Your Creative Push
Your Creative Push is the podcast that pushes YOU to finally pursue your creative passion, whatever that passion may be.
If I could only listen to one podcast, as an artist, it would be this. Every interview gives you some small insight into being creative, whether the episode’s guest is a musician, writer, visual artist, or some other type of creative professional. As you listen to the artists speak about art you’ll notice some very distinct patterns and trends about how different types of artists generally approach art in the same way, with similar creative methods (inspiration, flow, etc.).
Tides of History
Everywhere around us are echoes of the past. Those echoes define the boundaries of states and countries, how we pray and how we fight. They determine what money we spend and and how we earn it at work, what language we speak and how we raise our children. From Wondery, host Patrick Wyman, PhD (“Fall Of Rome”) helps us understand our world and how it got to be the way it is.
I believe that to understand art you need to understand the period in which it was created. I started listening to Patrick Wyman with his The Fall of the Rome podcast as I was researching Roman Art. He does an excellent job of helping you to understand the events that lead from the fall of Rome to the rise of the Modern era, beginning with the Renaissance, from both the large scale view and the view of what the history would look like to someone living in that time.
Philosophize This!
Beginner friendly if listened to in order! For anyone interested in an educational podcast about philosophy where you don’t need to be a graduate-level philosopher to understand it. In chronological order, the thinkers and ideas that forged the world we live in are broken down and explained.
Another thing that I believe is that you also need to understand what people were thinking about, and what questions they were asking, to understand why they were creating art. Stephen West covers not only the content of the various philosophies, but also why they were important and how they influenced each other.
Invisibilia
Unseeable forces control human behavior and shape our ideas, beliefs, and assumptions. Invisibilia — Latin for invisible things—fuses narrative storytelling with science that will make you see your own life differently.
In the Modern era the artist’s state of mind is more important to the understanding of art than ever. The current seasons are hosted by Alix Spiegel and Hanna Rosin for National Public Radio, previous seasons were also hosted by Lulu Miller.
The Renaissance: A History of Renaissance Art
A podcast devoted to the art and artists of the Renaissance.
At the juncture of art and history Dennis Byrd presents podcast that’s very informative about art and artists (and some other people who were influential) of the Renaissance. It hasn’t been updated since mid-2017 just as it was getting into the Northen Renaissance, but the content is evergreen. I’m looking forward to future updates.
The Art History Babes
Four fresh Masters drink wine and discuss all things visual culture. Regular episodes: Discussion and critical analysis of art historical topics fueled by alcohol. Art History Babe Briefs (Art History BBs) : quick, to the point art history facts minus the expletives. Hot Takes: The Babes mix it up, chatting about topics outside the realm of art history & making connections to visual culture.
I started listening to this because there are few Art History podcasts out there. They’ve won me over. Excellent discussions of Art on topics from Edmonia Lewis to Art of the Sublime to F*** Gaugin.
The Jealous Curator: Art for Your Ear
ART FOR YOUR EAR brings you stories from some of my favorite contemporary artists. When I studied Art History, the best part was, well, the gossip. I loved finding out why artists did certain things, what was going on in their personal lives, and behind-the-scenes details about other artists they knew and worked with. This podcast is exactly that … inside-scoop stories from the artsiest people I know. You’ll hear first-hand from these talented, successful, full-time artists (who also happen to be regular people with hilarious stories) BEFORE they’re in the Art History books. – Danielle (aka The Jealous Curator)
A down-to-earth podcast featuring interviews by Danielle Krysa with contemporary artists. One of the nice things about this podcast is that it often shows the side of being an artist that’s grounded in normal day-to-day life (being a parent, being a friend, etc.).
Artist Decoded by Yoshino
“I started this series as a means for exploration, an exploration of self and an exploration of the perspectives of other artists. This series is an unabridged documentation of conversations between artists. It’s a series dedicated to breaking down the barriers we tend to set up in our own mind. I want to inspire future creatives to have the courage to explore and experiment. This is about making dreams a reality and not about letting our dreams fall to the wayside. My intention is to give my audience a sense of real human connection, something that feels rich and organic. When I was thinking of a title I thought of the word ‘movement’. In relation to the Renaissance period in art, my goal for this program is to signify a rebirth of consciousness towards the way we look at contemporary art.” – Yoshino
Yoshino’s podcast leans towards the more mystic, spiritual, theoretical, and psychedelic aspects of being an artist.
Medieval History for Fun and Profit
Everything you’ve always wanted to know about the middle ages but were afraid to ask! Two professional medieval historians answer questions from the audience about anything and everything to do with the middle ages. Did they know about other kinds of sex? How long would I really have lived? Who was the best medieval? What were the best swearwords? Listen and find out…
I started listening to this when I started learning about Medieval Art History. I keep listening to it because it’s entertaining and I like the Medieval period. Dr. Alice Taylor and Dr. Alice Rio answer user questions about what life may have been life for everyday people.
Myths and Legends
Jason Weiser tells stories from myths, legends, and folklore that have shaped cultures throughout history. Some, like the stories of Aladdin, King Arthur, and Hercules are stories you think you know, but with surprising origins. Others are stories you might not have heard, but really should. All the stories are sourced from world folklore, but retold for modern ears. These are stories of wizards, knights, Vikings, dragons, princesses, and kings from the time when the world beyond the map was a dangerous and wonderful place.
Similar to understanding what was going on in people’s daily life (history) and what was going on in their minds (philosophy) I think it’s also important to understand the stories that they told each other (mythology and fiction). That’s where the Myths and Legends podcast comes in.