PODCAST · arts
Down to a Fine Art
by Izzy and Anna
Join Izzy and Anna, two slightly overwhelmed Falmouth Uni Fine Art graduates, as they try to understand the world of art. With the help of an occasional guest, they cover everything from technical advice to creative pressures, offering some honesty, transparency and reassurance for others in similar positions. Along the way they touch on deep time, capitalism, social media, vampirism, their favourite artists (Rachel Sussman 4eva), and throw in some fun science vibes for good measure. Both artists and the podcast can be found on Instagram: @downtoafineart.podcast@[email protected]
Episodes
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Access riders
This month, Izzy teaches us (Anna and the listeners) about access riders. She talks through what one is, who can have one (everyone!), and what to include, with lots of helpful examples along the way. There are also suggestions on what to start thinking about if you would like to write your own,...
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An embarrassment of slugs
This episode, Izzy and Anna are joined by the wonderful Amelia Fulton, a ceramicist and, much to Izzy’s delight (although Anna’s slightly less so), a lover of bones. There is much to discuss: archaeology, waste material glazes, folklore, conflict minerals, gabbroic clay, teaching – and a slightly...
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Art for humans
Following on from an episode way back in 2021, Izzy and Anna decide to revisit the question ‘What is the point of art?’. This time, rather than trying to cover all points of art as they did before, they focus just on one: art’s relationship to mental health. Using Micha Frazer-Carroll’s book ‘Mad...
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Happy 100!!
It’s a big episode for the podcast – and for not one reason, but two! Firstly, Izzy and Anna have finally decided it is time to start taking themselves seriously as podcasters and have bought some microphones, so an era of crisp audio and unexpected sound effects begins. Secondly, this is the…
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Back to (art) school
This month, Izzy and Anna are talking about art school - what makes a good one? What makes a bad one? They talk about their own experiences, some alternative forms of art school, how well art fits within typical education structures, and what art school even is. They talk about the film Manifesto...
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Spider plants and corporate girlies
This episode, another Anna joins the podcast! Artist and curator Anna Dermitzaki talks to Izzy and Anna about her experience as a third culture kid who moved to Cornwall for an art job. They explore the relationship between her artwork and curatorial work, how she got into curation using...
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The big 05
It’s a big month for the podcast – Down to a Fine Art is officially five years old! To celebrate, Izzy and Anna reflect on the last five years of arting and podcasting. They talk about how their practices have grown, how their attitude towards art is different, and how the podcast has changed…
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Discord & Harmony
In their latest adventure, Izzy and Anna found themselves on an exciting trip to Plymouth where (once again) they ended up at KARST - this time, for the group show Discord & Harmony that brings together contemporary artists alongside the work of the late, great Beryl Cook. As a fun bonus, they…
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Books of interest
This month, Izzy and Anna invite you to book club (with a twist). Izzy brings some content from Arts of Living on a Damaged Planet and Anna reads from Why I Write by George Orwell. Highlights include sea otters, rules for writing, ecosystems, cellular universes, and reasons to make art. As…
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And again
To celebrate the final episode of 2025, Izzy and Anna revisit the resolutions (sorry, intentions) they set for themselves at the beginning of the year – ranging from mindfulness and herb gardening to deleting Instagram, getting a credit card, talking about scary things in therapy, and watching…
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Bringing stories to life
Illustrator, storyteller and picture book specialist Emily Luke joins Izzy and Anna on the podcast this month – plus a new (sleepy) special guest. They discuss what led Emily to illustration, how it differs from Fine Art, how to write good stories, the importance of page turns, Emily’s favourite...
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Quarries and cormorants
This episode, Izzy and Anna each select a single work of art they have made recently to talk about. Anna’s piece, as we fret at the edge of a toxic puddle ii, prompts discussions around rocks (as always), body parts (particularly teeth), machinery, mining, framing, and capitalism. Izzy’s piece,...
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Just for fun
After lots of guest and exhibition episodes, Izzy and Anna finally bring the attention back to them. They reflect on how they are feeling about art at the moment, discussing everything from subtle mindset shifts to going back to the roots of engaging with creativity. Books mentioned: Stolen Focus...
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Moments of encounter
It’s episode 90 (!!) and to celebrate, Izzy and Anna are joined by artist and facilitator Rachael Coward. With an upcoming solo show on the near horizon, Rachael talks them through her practice, her inspirations, her processes, the importance of play, responding to a site vs finding sites for a...
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Projected Outcomes
This year is bringing lots of firsts for the podcast – last month was the first ever podcast exhibition, and this month is the first ever podcast road trip! Izzy and Anna travelled up to Plymouth to see Alastair and Fleur Mackie’s show ‘Projected Outcomes’ at KARST. They discuss the many...
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discussion
It’s exhibition time! In an exciting first for the podcast, Izzy and Anna have put together a show of guests’ work. In this live episode, they reflect on the process of curating the exhibition and its similarities to the journey of the podcast over the last four years, as well as answering some...
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Coffee with a documentarian
This week, Izzy and Anna talk to documentarian George Steedman Jones. A man of many talents, George is a filmmaker, photographer, and (fellow!) podcaster with a particular interest in documentary ethics, authenticity, and community. You can see his work on Instagram at @georgebrynmor and on his...
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Between Worlds
Izzy and Anna take a tour of Tate St Ives’ current exhibition, ‘Ithell Colquhoun: Between Worlds’. They give a brief overview of Colquhoun’s life and the exhibition itself before discussing their favourite and least favourite pieces, and how Colquhoun’s work relates to their own practices. This...
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Cornish Maids
This month, Izzy and Anna head over to Wharfside Art Hub in Penzance and are joined by curator and photographer Fran Rowse for another live episode. Set amongst the exhibition, Cornish Maids, they talk to Fran about how she curated it, the history of the project, Fran’s background, and the women...
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Finding the point
Izzy and Anna are back for yet another art therapy session. What begins as a very chaotic episode soon turns surprisingly coherent - they talk about building sustainable habits, the chicken and egg of applications, taking the pressure off making work, finding ways to keep the mystery, and…
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This is not about scaffolding
In this episode, Izzy and Anna talk about structure (not the scaffolding kind). How do they structure their days/weeks/months/brains? How do they balance routine and spontaneity? How do they choose what to prioritise in their lives? Tune in to find out. Music: Ketsa, Still Room On The Night Train...
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Here we go again
It’s a new year, which can only mean one thing - it’s time for some new intentions. Join Izzy and Anna as they reflect on the year gone by and look towards the year to come. You can expect therapy content, words of wisdom, gentle parenting, and an unexpected Kermit face. Music: Ketsa, Still Room…
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Stepping back in
It’s time for another art therapy session. Izzy has some issues, Anna has some solutions. They talk. Music: Ketsa, Still Room On The Night Train available at https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa
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Be more like monsters
This week Izzy and Anna are joined by an award-winning (!) guest, artist and writer Indi Wills. Join them to learn more about Indi’s practice, which explores queering, landscape, fictioning, monsters, and radical abjection, and delve into the pros and cons of working collaboratively, making art...
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Goose music
Join Izzy and Anna’s exclusive book club as they discuss Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass. Themes include indigenous wisdom, storytelling, motherhood, scientific knowledge, mindfulness, and learning from nature. In summary, they thought it was great. Music: Ketsa, Still Room On The Night...
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Stand your ground
This episode is for all the freelancers and casual workers out there - WE SEE YOU TRYING TO PUT BOUNDARIES IN PLACE AND WE LOVE YOU FOR IT!! Music: Ketsa, Still Room On The Night Train available at https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa
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Take note
This week, Izzy and Anna take the dive back into their old journals and notebooks, discussing the ways they find note-taking most beneficial and keeping their eyes open for any old overlooked ideas that still have potential to them now. To be expected from this episode: human-centric…
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Creative cheerleading
Are you a creative? Do you feel supported by the people in your life? Do you encourage others in their creative endeavours? This episode, Izzy and Anna spend some time discussing the different ways of supporting artists, as well as reflecting on their own creative needs and whether they think…
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The importance of joy
It’s episode 75 and to celebrate, Izzy and Anna chat to artist Emma Digerud-White. The three of them discuss the importance of knowing what makes you feel good, the barriers to making art, Emma’s recent solo show, sketchbook usage, inner landscapes, the female gaze, motherhood, anger, and…
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Good reads (not sponsored)
Following on from their previous episode ‘Booktalk’ where they spoke about their reading habits, this episode Izzy and Anna discuss what they’ve read in the past year. Their top recommendations are: ‘Babel’ by R.F. Kuang, ‘House in the Cerulean Sea’ by T.J. Klune, ‘Islands of Abandonment’ by Cal...
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The Green Cube
This week Izzy and Anna talk to three guests at once! Artists and stone carvers Elle Brown, Emily Roberts, and Sue Rogers discuss their show ‘The Green Cube’ at Potager Garden. They reflect on the benefits of exhibiting outdoors, share their stone carving tips, and consider ideas for the future…
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Good job(s)
Join Izzy and Anna as they go into a bit more detail about their jobs and explore their creative identities alongside. They chat about the organisations they work for, question what aspects of their employment they enjoy, and think about how their practices fit into their wider sense of self....
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Let's workshop this
Today, Izzy and Anna chat about workshops. What makes a good one? What is their purpose? How do you design a workshop? Join them as they consider the answers to these questions by revisiting their past favourites. Music: Ketsa, Still Room On The Night Train available at...
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Happy three years!!
This episode Izzy and Anna celebrate the podcast’s third anniversary with visits from the ghosts of podcast past, present, and future (i.e. they talk about the podcast over the years and think about where it’s going). They’re also doing a call-out for guests so get in contact...
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Can rocks do things?
So…rocks. Let’s talk about them. (Music: Ketsa, Still Room On The Night Train available at https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ketsa)
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Is your ego your amigo?
This episode comes to you two months late (oops) and is all about ego in art. Inspired by a chat in Gabrielle Teaney’s episode, Izzy and Anna have some burning questions. Is ego/confidence helpful, or even essential, to being an artist? Is making something you know you can make well egotistical?…
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Adventures in the Upworld
It’s the first episode of 2024 and to mark the occasion Izzy and Anna interview Liv Gravil – painter, printmaker, and poet. Returning to Daisy Laing Gallery, they discuss the themes of Liv’s solo show ‘The Upworld’ including caves, mining, other-worldly spaces, anxious landscapes, the atomic...
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Good intentions
Happy (nearly) new year’s! To celebrate the imminent arrival of 2024, Izzy and Anna settle down for their annual episode of new year’s reflection and resolution assessment. They look back at the resolutions they set at the beginning of 2023 and see how many of them they’ve forgotten (spoiler…
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A revelation in B&Q
In a further exciting turn of events, this week Izzy and Anna do their third ever live episode! They return to Daisy Laing Gallery in Penzance, this time to interview artist Max Whetter about his solo show ‘Made of sugar are ee?’. Sitting amongst Max’s work, they learn about his creative process,...
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What would Barbara do?
In another exciting turn of events, this week Izzy and Anna do their second ever live episode! Joined by stone carver Elle Brown at Daisy Laing Gallery in Penzance, they discuss Elle’s inaugural solo show ‘Forme Féminine’. They explore a wide range of topics including the physical impact of stone...
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Buckets of raindrop thoughts
This week Izzy and Anna introduce a new segment of the podcast: the leopard seal segment (this is not permanent nor, in fact, that relevant to the episode). Moving swiftly on, they then spend the rest of the episode talking about their journals. How do they use them? Are they online or in-person?...
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Painting the way
It’s another guest episode and this time Izzy and Anna are joined by Gabrielle Teaney – a multi-talented artist with a rich background. Over the years Gabrielle has studied photography, portraiture, painting, and art history, as well as working as a doula and running art classes and nature...
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The father, the son, and the holy lichen
In a first for the podcast, Izzy and Anna experience a technical glitch – that glitch being they lose half of their recording (RIP). But at least the remaining half is packed full of lichen-y goodness. Anna talks about her recent research into lichen, Izzy eats some chocolate fingers, and then…
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Booktalk
It’s episode 60 – time to talk about books! Izzy and Anna compare their reading habits whilst talking about the great fiction/nonfiction divide, the benefits of book clubs, and how to start reading more. This episode is sadly not sponsored by Goodreads but could be sponsored by Steve Blease (who...
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Interview with a Professional Art Person™
In this week’s episode, Izzy and Anna are joined by professional art person and creative cheerleader Meg Fatharly. Join them for a whistlestop tour covering Meg’s artistic beginnings, the pressures of full-time artistry, teaching as practice, the importance of quitting, and anchor words. There’s...
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Are you sitting comfortably?
Despite a chaotic start, Izzy and Anna manage to pull off a pretty coherent and insightful episode talking about the concept of comfort zones. They discuss the benefits and drawbacks of leaving your comfort zone, the desire for familiarity, being pressured into your uncomfort zone, and how to...
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Panic at the jobcentre
Now that they’re a year on from finishing university, Izzy and Anna decide it’s a good time to reflect on the similarities and differences between graduate life and student life. They give a rundown of their current jobs and discuss whether their chaotic schedules as Fine Art students prepared…
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Primordial ponds
(CW: brief discussions of OCD) This week, Izzy and Anna start a book club! Well, sort of. Unlike a conventional book club, they’re bringing different books to the table and unpacking some of their favourite quotes. Izzy’s reading from ‘Arts of Living on a Damaged Planet’ by Anna Tsing, Nils...
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Kevin McCloud fanclub
In this episode Izzy and Anna are joined by Sophia Heath-Rochna – part 1 architectural assistant and Kevin McCloud’s biggest fan. In pursuit of finding out what it means to be an architect, they discuss a typical day in the role, the highs and lows of LinkedIn, socially conscious architecture and…
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Proud parents (of an exhibition)
It’s time to get reflective as this week Izzy and Anna look back on their recent group show, ‘The Unsteady Now’. They re-live the rollercoaster of preparing, curating, and hanging the exhibition, as well as assessing if they’ve got better at private view-ing since their degree show (spoiler…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Join Izzy and Anna, two slightly overwhelmed Falmouth Uni Fine Art graduates, as they try to understand the world of art. With the help of an occasional guest, they cover everything from technical advice to creative pressures, offering some honesty, transparency and reassurance for others in similar positions. Along the way they touch on deep time, capitalism, social media, vampirism, their favourite artists (Rachel Sussman 4eva), and throw in some fun science vibes for good measure. Both artists and the podcast can be found on Instagram: @downtoafineart.podcast@[email protected]
HOSTED BY
Izzy and Anna
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Down to a Fine Art have?
Down to a Fine Art currently has 103 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Down to a Fine Art about?
Join Izzy and Anna, two slightly overwhelmed Falmouth Uni Fine Art graduates, as they try to understand the world of art. With the help of an occasional guest, they cover everything from technical advice to creative pressures, offering some honesty, transparency and reassurance for others in...
How often does Down to a Fine Art release new episodes?
Down to a Fine Art publishes regularly with 103 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Down to a Fine Art?
You can listen to Down to a Fine Art on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Down to a Fine Art?
Down to a Fine Art is created and hosted by Izzy and Anna.
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