What’s My Thesis?

291 Estefania Ajcip on Painting, Immigration, Family Separation & Contemporary Art Practice

17 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of What’s My Thesis?, painter Estefania Ajcip joins host Javier Proenza to discuss the personal and cultural experiences that shape ...

290 Raul Baltazar Interview: Chicano Art, Ritual Performance & Cultural Syncretism in Los Angeles

10 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of What’s My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza speaks with Los Angeles–based Chicano artist Raul Baltazar about the cultural and histor...

289 Christine Shoemaker on Conceptual Painting, Collaboration & Artist Support in Los Angeles

03 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Christine Shoemaker is a Los Angeles–based conceptual painter and arts organizer, and the founder of Shoebox Arts and Art and Cake at the Brewery Ar...

288 Olivier Arsène Ganthier: Haitian Muralism, Black Figuration & Spiritual Syncretism

24 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Haitian painter and muralist Olivier Arsène Ganthier, an MFA candidate at Otis College of Art and Design, reflects on his artistic f...

287 Liz Stringer on Monumental Ceramics, Biopolitics, the Body, and Public Ritual

10 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of What’s My Thesis?, ceramic sculptor and installation artist Liz Stringer joins the podcast for an in-depth conversation about scu...

286 Frannie Hemmelgarn on Community Art Spaces, Papermaking, and Gentrification | DMST Atelier

03 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Javier Proenza speaks with Frannie Hemmelgarn, director and co-founder of DMST Atelier, an artist-run space in Los Angeles developed ...

285 Stephanie Sherwood on Painting Trash, Artist Collectives, and Municipal Art Spaces in Los Angeles

27 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of What’s My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza speaks with Stephanie Sherwood, an artist and Exhibition Coordinator at the Brand ...

284 Ever Velasquez on Artist Careers, Spiritual Practice, and Power Inside the LA Art World

20 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of What’s My Thesis?, Javier Proenza speaks with Ever Velasquez, Director of Charlie James Gallery, about her path from collage and ...

283 Joaquin Stacey on Ecuadorian Identity, Latin American Art, Catholic Iconography & Fermentation as Practice

13 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Artist Joaquin Stacey joins Javier Proenza for a conversation on art, identity, and cultural formation shaped by migration. Born in Ecuador an...

282 Flora Kao — Installation Art, Taiwanese Rituals, Grief, Origami, and Cultural Memory

16 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Artist Flora Kao joins What’s My Thesis? to discuss the evolution of her practice from painting to large-scale installation, and how Taiwanese mourn...

281 Manuel Vdah Bracamonte — Graffiti, LA Street Culture, Identity, and Art as Survival

09 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Artist Manuel Vdah Bracamonte joins What’s My Thesis? for a grounded conversation on graffiti, identity, and the lived conditions that shaped Los An...

280 Kelly Witmer | Glass, Clay, and the Desert: Material Process & Survival in the Art World

02 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Artist Kelly Witmer joins host Javier Proenza to talk about material process, experimentation, and what it means to sustain an art practice in the des...

279 Craft, Textiles, and Community Resistance in East L.A. | René Camarillo

04 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

René Camarillo is a Mexican-American craftsperson from East Los Angeles whose practice resists the hierarchies of the art world. Trained in apparel d...

278 Hmong Refugee History, Weaving, and Contemporary Art in Los Angeles | Sheng Lor

28 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Artist Sheng Lor reflects on her journey from a Thai refugee camp to a studio practice in Los Angeles. Born to Hmong parents displaced by the Secret W...

277 Elmer Guevara | Painting the 1992 LA Uprisings, Inherited Trauma, and the Salvadoran American Experience

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of What’s My Thesis?, Los Angeles–based painter Elmer Guevara returns to the podcast ahead of his upcoming exhibition at Charlie J...

276 David Lloyd on AI, Abstract Painting, and the Los Angeles Art World

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Artist David Lloyd joins What’s My Thesis? to reflect on a career that spans CalArts in the early 1980s, formative years at Margot Levin Gallery, an...

275 Kristen Huizar: Drawing, Printmaking & Documenting Los Angeles Life

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Artist Kristen Huizar joins What’s My Thesis? to reflect on drawing, printmaking, and the act of documenting Los Angeles. Born and raised in Commerc...

274 Emma Christ on Artillery Magazine, Gallery Work, and the Future of Artist Support

23 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of What’s My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza speaks with Emma Christ, editor at Artillery magazine and gallerist working between Portla...

273 Israel Campos: Printmaking, Mexican Revolution Art, & Los Angeles Identity

16 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of What’s My Thesis?, Los Angeles printmaker Israel Campos shares how his work bridges Mesoamerican codices, Mexican revolutionary a...

272 Jackie Castillo: Southern California Light, Class, & Installation Art | ICA LA

09 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of What’s My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza sits down with Los Angeles–based artist Jackie Castillo, whose practice transforms the o...

271 Feminist Ritual, Asian Art, and Curating Beyond the Western Gaze | Ann Shi (a poco art collective)

26 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week on What’s My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza is joined by Ann Shi, a nomadic curator and founder of a poco art collective, whose deeply intui...

270 Filipino-American Artist Kim Garcia on Dementia, Diaspora, and Art as Emotional Archive

19 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this resonant episode of What’s My Thesis?, artist and educator Kim Garcia joins host Javier Proenza for a layered conversation about memory, com...

269 Paper, Process, and the Alchemy of Grief with Lauren Goldenberg Longoria

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of What’s My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza is joined by artist Lauren Goldenberg Longoria for a conversation that traverses personal ...

268 Aggressive Feminism, Neurodivergence, and the Reclamation of Minimalism with Dena Novak

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this candid and moving conversation, host Javier Proenza sits down with Los Angeles-based artist Dena Novak, whose sculptural paintings and ceramic...

Diana Taylor: A practice where research and materiality meet. 
Presented by What's My Thesis? in partnership with DON’T LOOK Projects

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Diana Taylor: A practice where research and materiality meet. Presented by What's My Thesis? in partnership with DON’T LOOK Projects In this illum...

267 Gentrification, Grief, and the Labor That Built California with Corey La Rue

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, artist and community advocate Corey La Rue. traces his relationship to the land, labor, and survival—from a near-death experience t...

266 Dreams in Migrations: AAPI Identity, Diaspora, and Resistance in Contemporary Art

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dreams in Migrations: AAPI Identity, Diaspora, and Resistance in Contemporary Art In this special live episode of What's My Thesis?, host Javi...

265 Queer Landscapes, Dual Lives, and the Art of Looking Closely with J. Carino

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Queer Landscapes, Dual Lives, and the Art of Looking Closely with J. Carino Painter J. Carino joins What’s My Thesis? for a candid conversation on t...

264 Strategic Generosity: Collecting, Curating, and Championing Emerging Artists with Leslie Fram

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Strategic Generosity: Collecting, Curating, and Championing Emerging Artists with Leslie Fram In this galvanizing episode of What's My Thesis?, host J...

263 Astrology, Embodiment, and the Myth of Power: A Conversation with Alystair Rogers

24 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Astrology, Embodiment, and the Myth of Power: A Conversation with Alystair Rogers In this episode of What's My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza is joined ...

262 Building Gene’s Dispensary: Community, Curation, and Creating New Art Spaces in Los Angeles with Keith J Varadi

17 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Building Gene’s Dispensary: Community, Curation, and Creating New Art Spaces in Los Angeles with Keith J Varadi In this wide-ranging conversation on...

261 What We Keep: Material Memory and Cultural Translation in the Work of Chenhung Chen

01 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this intimate conversation hosted at Don’t Look Projects for her solo show By the Company They Keep, the Chenhung Chen traces a path from formati...

260 Light, Legacy, and the Detroit Mindset with Gerald Collins

18 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week on What’s My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza is joined in-person by multidisciplinary artist Gerald Collins, whose practice illuminates the i...

259 The Radical Intimacy of the House Gallery: Rethinking the Contemporary Gallery Model with Liz Hirsch

11 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of What's My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza is joined by Liz Hirsch, co-director of 839—an artist-run house gallery in Los Angeles tha...

258 Queer Spectacle, Polaroid Realities, and the Art of Wrestling with Identity with Christopher Anthony Velasco

04 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Queer Spectacle, Polaroid Realities, and the Art of Wrestling with Identity with Christopher Anthony Velasco In this illuminating episode of What’s ...

257 Building a Gallery from the Ground Up: Materiality, Mentorship, and Making Space with Rhett Baruch

27 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

  In this episode of the podcast, host Javier Proenza is joined by Rhett Baruch, founder of the contemporary art space Rhett Baruch Gallery, for a ca...

256 Worldbuilding Through Memory and Myth: Elias Hernandez on Storytelling, Surrealism, and the Legacy of Conflict

13 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

"Worldbuilding Through Memory and Myth: Elias Hernandez on Storytelling, Surrealism, and the Legacy of Conflict" In this immersive episode of What’s...

255 Sanctuary in Practice: Art, Advocacy, and Survival with Dalia Palacios

06 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Episode Title: “Sanctuary in Practice: Art, Advocacy, and Survival with Dalia Palacios” In this luminous and profoundly intimate episode of What’...

254 Art as Infrastructure: A Conversation on Social Practice, Community, and the Evolving Role of Nonprofit Art Spaces in Los Angeles

30 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Art as Infrastructure: A Conversation on Social Practice, Community, and the Evolving Role of Nonprofit Art Spaces in Los Angeles An interview with P...

253 Artist-Run Futures, and Burning the Art World Down (Gently) - Cat Gunn

23 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Spiritual Kinship, Artist-Run Futures, and Burning the Art World Down (Gently) - Cat Gunn In this episode of What’s My Thesis, Javier Proenza welcom...

252 Art Criticism, Political Engagement, and the Role of Discontent with Elwyn Palmerton

16 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Art Criticism, Political Engagement, and the Role of Discontent with Elwyn Palmerton What’s My Thesis? Podcast | Hosted by Javier Proenza In this i...

251 What’s My Thesis? – Live from Orange Coast College: Dakota Noot on Art, Censorship & Community Building

09 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What’s My Thesis? – Live from Orange Coast College: Dakota Noot on Art, Censorship & Community Building Orange Coast College | Frank M. Do...

250 The Business of Art: Building a Sustainable Market with Tyler Park Presents

02 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Business of Art: Building a Sustainable Market with Tyler Park Presents In this deep dive episode of What’s My Thesis, we explore the intricate ...

249 Exploring the Weird and Wonderful: Art, Aliens, and Roadside Attractions Episode - Mary Sabo

23 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What do UFOs, roadside attractions, and outsider art have in common? In this episode, we dive into the world of creative obsession, unconventional art...

248 Embracing the Artist’s Journey with Clarisse Abelarde

09 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Episode Summary: In this episode of What's My Thesis, host Javier Proenza sits down with artist Clarisse Abelarde to discuss her artistic journey, the...

247 Surviving, Creating, and Building: A Conversation with Zeina Baltagi

02 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode of What's My Thesis?, host Javier Proenza sits down with artist, educator, and community builder...

246 Navigating Community Activism and Local Politics - Neighborhood Council President Fernanda Sanchez

26 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

246 Navigating Community Activism and Local Politics with Fernanda Sanchez Episode Summary: In this compelling episode of What's My Thesis?, host Javi...

245 Photography, Family Archives, and Artistic Entrepreneurship - Hiroshi Clark

12 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Photography, Family Archives, and Artistic Entrepreneurship - Hiroshi Clark In this episode, Hiroshi Clark shares his journey as a photographer whose ...

244 The End of Art School Critiques - Amir Zaki

05 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The End of Art School Critiques with Amir Zaki | Episode 244 In this episode, photographer Amir Zaki joins Javier Proenza to explore the dramatic shif...

243 Post Colonial Realities - Kader Amkpa

15 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Kader Ampka talks about growing up in New York with ties to West Africa, the BRICS economic Alliance, and how different maps inform his art practice. ...

242 The Las Vegas Art Scene - Artist Brent Holmes

08 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Artist Brent Holmes breaks down the Las Vegas art scene, and whether peace as an ideal runs counter to human nature.

241 Painting: Metaphysics & Bacchanal - Painter Oscar Pearson

24 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

240 1980's Los Angeles Art Scene - Anthony Ausgang

17 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

239 Collecting Art: CEO MMXIX - Art Collector Dwight Smith

10 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

238 Painting and Performance Theory - Amy Mackay

03 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

237 Do Stuff and Figure it Out - Artist Daniel Herr

27 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

236 The Lowest of the Low: Lowriders in Art - Artist Jacqueline Valenzuela

20 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

235 From Guatemala with Love: Invisible Undocumented Communities in America - Artist César López

13 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

234 Indigenous Orphan: Predominantly White Institutions - Artist Laurie Steelink

06 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

233 Silent Disco: Technology and Isolation- Artist Becky Brown

29 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

232 Creator Owned Comics of the 90's & the Italian Renaissance - Nick Lowe

15 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

231 Flower Shop Collective: Art of the Global Majority - Nadia Tahoun

08 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

230 New York: Commercial Art Gallery Breakdown - Artist Nick Naber

25 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

229 Tunnel: Artist Run Miami - Luna Palazzolo - Daboul

18 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

228 Miami's Art Scene Vs Art Basel - Artist misael soto

11 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

227 Drawing Is the Medium: Conceptual Abstraction - Artist John O'Conner

04 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

226 Subverting Corporate Spaces: Ikea Residency - Artist Mary Boo

28 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

225 Slow & Steady Wins the Race : Art Career Longevity - Kristopher Raos

23 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

224 Art in the LA Harbor: Long Beach and San Pedro - Art Journalist and Podcaster Melina Paris

16 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

223 Art Gallery Representation 101: Mid to High Level Gallery Art Sales - Advisor to Art Collectors Saskia Bailey

09 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

222 Feminist Utopia - Artist Liv Aanrud

02 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

221 High Strangeness Naomi Nadreau

26 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

220 Art Journalism - Writer Matt Stromberg

19 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

219 Art Activism Through Community Engagement - Gloria Gem Sanchez

12 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

218 Good Naked: Selling Art in New York City - Art Dealer Artist Jaqueline Cedar

28 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

217 For the People: Art in Public Spaces - Cynthia Luján

21 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#216 The Art Business: Navigating Commercial Galleries - Alex Andrew Sanchez

14 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

215 Chicago's Art Scene: Artist Run Spaces and Commercial Galleries - Adam F Scott

07 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

214 Alternate Personas in Art - The Art Dominatrix Elizabeth Folk

31 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#213 Entering the Arena: Success in the Art Market - Tidawhitney Lek

24 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#212 African Diasporic Spiritual Practice - Ajani Brannum

17 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#211 Grief in Color and Miami's Art Scene - Cristina Victor

10 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#210 The Art World Explained - Skip Snow

03 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#209 Even Artists Get the Blues - Jon Pylypchuk

25 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#208 Humor - Lex Gjurasic

18 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#207 Art for Abolition - Brianna Mims

11 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#206 How to Find Your People - Painter Molly Segal

04 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#205 Staring at the Wall - Conceptual Art Practice - Erica G Peralta

28 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#204 Art and Intimacy - Artist Edward Cushenberry

21 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#203 Latinx Children in Cages - Victor Estrada

14 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#202 From El Salvador to South Central - Elmer Guevara

07 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

#201 Blk Halos - Artist Dea Jenkins

17 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

#200 Episode 200!!! with Guest Host Molly Schulman

10 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

#199 Platforming Artists - Long Beach Museum of Art Deputy Director Paul Loya

03 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

#198 No Te Rajes - Juan Pablo Hurtado

29 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

#197 Returning to Art - Artist Daniel Young

22 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

#196 The Artist’s Way: Working Through Creative Block - Natasha Caruana

15 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

#195 Both Image & Object: Conceptual Sculpture, Mummified Remains, & Moral Uncertainty - Cameron Cummings

08 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

#194 Existentialism and Murder - Artist Liz Walsh

01 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

#193 Visual Arts Communities: Exploring Artist-Run Initiatives and MFA Trauma Recovery - Mika Casteñada

24 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas