The Hastings Gallery
Desert ARTifacts

AI is the Artist's Friend

AI Is the Artist’s Friend is a 90‑minute, artist‑centered introduction to using artificial intelligence as a supportive creative tool — not a replacement for the artist’s hand, intuition, or vision. This session is designed for traditional artists who want to understand what AI can actually do for their practice, especially in the areas that often feel overwhelming: writing, organizing, interpreting information, and communicating ideas.

We begin with a clear, demystifying overview of how AI works in an artist’s world. I show how it can help with tasks like writing statements, clarifying concepts, interpreting numbers, brainstorming titles, or translating intuitive artistic decisions into language. This opening section sets the tone: AI as a patient studio assistant with zero ego.

From there, I bring my AI “into the room” for a live demonstration. Together, we walk through real examples tailored to the group — showing how artists can use AI to support their workflow, strengthen their voice, and expand their creative thinking. The demos are conversational, practical, and grounded in real studio needs.

The session ends with a guided interactive portion. I call on a handful of artists to share their results, and I give the entire room the next steps or questions to ask their AI. The goal is for everyone to begin their own journey. By the end, each artist has taken their first steps toward building a personal, sustainable relationship with AI that continues long after the class ends.

This presentation is not about making art with AI. It’s about empowering artists to use AI to support the work they already love to make.

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The Business of Art

The Business of Art is a 90‑minute, practical, demystifying session designed to help artists understand the many ways they can earn income from their creative work. This class is built for artists who want clarity, confidence, and a realistic roadmap — whether they’re just starting out or looking to expand what they already do.

We begin by breaking down the full landscape of opportunities available to working artists today: small art shows, galleries, online platforms, commissions, licensing, teaching, print sales, and more. I explain how each path works, what it requires, and how artists can choose the options that best fit their personality, time, and goals. The tone is honest, encouraging, and grounded in real experience — no jargon, no gatekeeping.

From there, we look at the practical tools artists need to present themselves professionally: writing a simple artist statement, pricing work with confidence, photographing artwork, organizing inventory, and creating a clear online presence. I share the shortcuts, the pitfalls, and the things no one ever tells you until you’ve already learned them the hard way.

The session ends with an interactive Q&A tailored to the group. Artists can ask about their specific situations — from pricing dilemmas to gallery approaches to online sales — and I offer straightforward, actionable guidance. The goal is for every artist to leave with a sense of direction and a set of next steps they can implement immediately.

This presentation is not about becoming a “businessperson.” It’s about giving artists the knowledge and tools they need to support the work they already love to make.

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Speaking

Discovering our Modern Modernists

Discovering Our Modern Modernists is a fast, funny, and deeply human look at the artists shaping today’s desert aesthetic — and the mid‑century modernists whose influence still echoes through their work. This talk traces the lineage between past and present, showing how today’s painters, photographers, sculptors, and makers are not copying Modernism but translating it into new forms, new materials, and new stories.

I guide the audience through a lively mix of art history, cultural gossip, personal observation, and visual examples. We explore how the spirit of Modernism — clarity, restraint, optimism, experimentation — continues to evolve in the hands of contemporary artists working in and around Palm Springs. Along the way, I highlight the creative friendships, shared studios, and cross‑disciplinary influences that give this region its distinctive artistic pulse.

I present this talk annually at Palm Springs Modernism Week, where it has become a favorite for audiences who want a fresh, engaging, and often surprising look at how Modernism lives on today. It’s part history lesson, part cultural tour, and part love letter to the artists who are carrying Modernism forward into a new generation.

You may view the 2026 transcript and slides in my conversations section under Modernism

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