No guest this episode, just a personal update. Two things have been building for a while, and it turns out they're the same story: I'm writing a book, and I quit my day job!

In this episode:

• the book idea I've been sitting on for a couple of years
• why the tension for artist who are also parents isn't really creativity vs. caregiving; it's making art vs. making money
• a survey I need your help with (15 minutes, open to any artist, no degree required)
• why I gave notice after almost seven years at my day job

Links:

• take the survey (15 minutes, open to any artist regardless of training or degree)
• read the full story behind the book on Substack
• read the full story behind the day job news: do what you love, f*ck the rest
• follow along on Instagram
• subscribe to the newsletter

If you know one artist who should hear this episode or take the survey, send it their way.

As always, big thanks to my friend Jesse Kelsey for the intro/outro tunes!

On this final episode of season 2, I'm thrilled to welcome Carrie Lederer to the podcast! She's a painter, sculptor, and installation artist whose nature-inspired work has been shown across the U.S. Carrie has completed public art commissions for places like Facebook, UCSF Medical Center, and several Bay Area cities, and she's currently an artist-in-residence at Kala Art Institute in Berkeley. Carrie is a recipient of the prestigious Fleishhacker Foundation Eureka Award. Her work is in major collections and has been widely featured in publications like ARTnews and the San Francisco Chronicle. Carrie served as curator at the Bedford Gallery for 25 years. On top of all this, she's also the proud mom of an adult son.

During our conversation, we discuss a couple of other interviews including 48 Hills and Create! Magazine. To learn more about Carrie and her work, check out her website and follow her on Instagram.

Artists in Offices is produced and edited by Rebecca Bird Grigsby. Music is provided by Jesse Kelsey. Additional information and episodes can be found at artistsinoffices.com.

I'm so excited to welcome Meredith Steele to the podcast! Meredith is a painter and educator whose work is rooted in a love for the everyday. In 2020, she created 100 Paintings of Oakland, a project that was featured on KQED and led to major commissions with Chandra Cerrito Art Advisors and a body of work now permanently installed at the John Muir/UCSF Berkeley Outpatient Center. She's had solo shows at The Compound Gallery in 2023 and 2025, participated in group exhibitions including the 2023 de Young Open, and holds degrees from the Savannah College of Art and Design and Winthrop University. Before focusing on painting full-time, Meredith taught high school art for 20 years. She lives in Oakland, California, with her adult daughter and dog, Ferris.

To learn more about Meredith and her work, check out her website and follow her on Instagram.

Artists in Offices is produced and edited by Rebecca Bird Grigsby. Music is provided by Jesse Kelsey. Additional information and episodes can be found at artistsinoffices.com.