Dr. Lisa Gives a Sh*t

I have followed artist Eric Doeringer's career since the mid-oughts and he has been a guest on this show many times. Once of the particularly facinating aspects of Eric's work is that every project or body of work he takes on involves a complex and new way of making work that he must investigate, analyze and then. execute, which he does masterfully. Artist Eric Doeringer's latest project is an appropriation of a project artist Tom Sachs is doing. What is "appropriation art" you ask? Appropriation, similar to found object art is "as an artistic strategy, the intentional borrowing, copying, and alteration of preexisting images, objects, and ideas" It's so fun hearing Eric talk about his experience creating the work, the adventure of launching it in the desert, and going to one of Tom Sach's launch with hundreds or rockets, art collectors and a formally dressed staff. Eric's project intersects with the NFT world as well and I learned a lot from Eric about his process and the process of incorporating NFT's and why he decided to use Eric Doeringer Rocket Factory Tokens (EDRFTs) which are archival prints instead. Eric's Factory: https://www.ericdoeringerrocketfactory.com/ Tom Sach's Factory: https://tomsachsrocketfactory.com/ More about Eric Doeringer's work: Follow Eric: https://www.instagram.com/ericdoeringer/ More about Tom Sach's work: https://www.tomsachs.com/

I don't talk about this a lot (shrinks are supposed to be a blank slate, ha!) but, I make art too, conceptual art @lisalevyartwork - check it out, This is a bit complex to explain, but Sharilyn and I created a persona which came to life using a sex doll that I got from a therapist that specializes in sex dolls. The doll is named Skye Cleary. Sky works as an "exotic dancer" to get enough money to pay for her MFA without taking out loans. She resents the men sometimes, but she also loves the power and money she gets by showing herself. She's conflicted. The gallery show is a pretend art studio with all the work Sharilyn and I made for her on display. All those emotions are what she uses to inspire her work and expresses her thoughts through her paintings. In this episode, Dr. Lisa, (Lisa Levy), Sharilyn Neidhardt, Gallerist/curators M Charlene Stevens, Roman Kalinovski, Moderator/artist, Christopher Stout discuss the artwork, the relationships to Skye and the whole adventure. There's an artist talk at the gallery, Sat. May 28, 4pm. Come by! Arcade Project Curatorial — Artist talk, Sat. May, 28, 4-5pm, 56 Bogart St., Ground Floor. L train to Morgan Ave. Across the street from subway station. SHOW IS UP through June 3! Arcade Projects Curatorial - 56 Bogart, gallery hours are Thu - Sun 12 - 6p, ARTIST TALK on Sat May 28 at 4p! HUGE SHOUT OUT TO PUMPS BAR, 1089 Grand St., Bk NY 11211 718.599.2474 for their kindness and generosity for hosting a photo shoot for Skye! All Skye's bar photos by Reven Wurman Photography.

As I’ve known Eryn for all the years she’s been with RFB, we’ve been able to watch her advance in her life/career. At our last session, several years ago, Eryn was emerging from too much of “catering to others.” In this session, we get to hear some bold moves Eryn has made in her life/career, including returning to school to learn professional audio engineering.. At the time of this session, Eryn has just finished school literally less than a week earlier. We get to hear about her full-on job hunt, a valuable new friend and share some of the excitement/trepidation as she embarks on the next phase in her life. I’m excited to see where she lands. I’ll report in again when it happens!

Leigh Celent is a great musician and a gold standard of anyone leading a band. She’s been on before where we discussed her evolution and process a bit so this time we got insight into what someone who leads a band and lives a life in music which is means being out in crowds is routine for her . Leigh is the real deal—she navigated a pandemic to come out stronger and more creatively committed than ever. 3 new songs are included in this episode. http://www.castleblackmusic.com/ https://soundcloud.com/castleblackmusic Previous episode with Leigh Celent from 2018

I found out Paris Campbell was autistic from a joke she made about herself onstage. I approached her afterwards and invited her to be on the show because seeing her/meeting her made me realize how little I know about autism and as a self-proclaimed psychotherapist, I needed to know a lot more. Paris is a smart, beautiful, charming and funny. I am grateful for all the first hand knowledge she shared candidly and am glad to be able to hopefully create more awareness about a neurological condition that in my opinion, is greatly misunderstood. We can help neurodivergent people just by learning about them and better understanding them! Follow Paris Campbell on TikTok, Insta and Twitter @stopitparis Learn more about autism HERE and HERE And HERE! What people with autism wish you knew: 'We want to be understood, not hidden away' https://nationalautismassociation.org/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2022/04/28/autism-awareness-what-autistic-community-wishes-you-knew/9542346002/ 3 What is Autism? Autism is a bio-neurological developmental disability that generally appears before the age of 3 Autism impacts the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction, communication skills, and cognitive function. Individuals with autism typically have difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities Individuals with autism often suffer from numerous co-morbid medical conditions which may include: allergies, asthma, epilepsy, digestive disorders, persistent viral infections, feeding disorders, sensory integration dysfunction, sleeping disorders, and more Autism is diagnosed four times more often in boys than girls. Its prevalence is not affected by race, region, or socio-economic status. Since autism was first diagnosed in the U.S. the incidence has climbed to an alarming one in 44 children in the U.S. Autism itself does not affect life expectancy, however research has shown that the mortality risk among individuals with autism is twice as high as the general population, in large part due to drowning and other accidents. Currently there is no cure for autism, though with early intervention and treatment, the diverse symptoms related to autism can be greatly improved and in some cases completely overcome. Autism Facts & Stats Autism now affects 1 in 44 children; over half are classified as having an intellectual disability or borderline intellectual disability Boys are four times more likely to have autism than girls About 40% of children with autism do not speak. About 25%–30% of children with autism have some words at 12 to 18 months of age and then lose them. Others might speak, but not until later in childhood Autism greatly varies from person to person (no two people with autism are alike) The rate of autism has steadily grown over the last twenty years Comorbid conditions often associated with autism include Fragile X, allergies, asthma, epilepsy, bowel disease, gastrointestinal/digestive disorders, persistent viral infections, PANDAS, feeding disorders, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, ADHD, Tourette Syndrome, OCD, sensory integration dysfunction, sleeping disorders, immune disorders, autoimmune disorders, and neuroinflammation. Autism is the fastest growing developmental disorder, yet most underfunded A 2008 Danish Study found that the mortality risk among those with autism was nearly twice that of the general population Children with autism do progress – early intervention is key Autism is treatable, not a hopeless condition  

I was blown away by Richard Pasquarelli's solo exhibition, As It Should Be at BravinLee Programs. The show is up until May 14, 2022. GO SEE IT!  526 West 26th Street #211 NYC 10001 212-462-4404   [email protected] Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 12-5 Richard Pasquarelli is a New York based artist whose paintings study the psychological relationships between our minds and the physical world. He has what he refers to as Organizational OCD. This condition was originally pointed out to him around 10 years ago by his then teen-aged sons after a long period of watching their dad continuously straighten out everything around the house, including their casually placed backpacks. It was a bit of a wake up call for Richard and he went into a deep dive researching his condition, including attending a professional conference on hoarding and visiting hoarders' homes, immersing himself in their environment and personal stories. RIchard Pasquarelli's journey is a great example of how art is healing. Not only did Richard's experience inspire a plethora of new work for him, it helped him understand humanity and himself a whole lot better. I was fascinated and filled with questions as Richard parsed his feelings and experiences about himself, his perfectionism, and what he's learned about himself from connecting with hoarders who are the exact opposite of him. And of course how all of this has manifested in his work. Plus loads of laughing. Richard is a fun guy who's not afraid of who he is. Richard describes his understanding about his work: My paintings study the physical manifestation of psychological states of mind. Through analysis of my own compulsions for perfection and order, and research into mental health, psychology, the physical properties of nature, and philosophy, I seek a better understanding of the connections between mind and matter. To build upon my research, I have immersed myself into the study of OCD and hoarding disorder by conducting field research in the homes of people affected by these conditions. The knowledge gained through my interviews and the thousands of photographs I take during my visits have become integral parts of my process. By creating artworks based on these spaces, I have come to perceive our physical surroundings as a manifestation of the psyche. My paintings are more than representations of people’s possessions, they are portraits of their minds. RIchard's Website HERE. Richard's Instagram HERE.

Drew and John were both producing/hosting storytelling shows in Beacon, NY. Over the pandemic they decided to join forces and it's to all of our benefit—their Artichoke Storytelling show is a hit—sold out shows and top storytellers every month! I learned so much about creative collaboration from listening to these two gentlemen. Also, I have to say, I really pushed these guys on their personal lives—they were great sports and so candid! Drew Prochaska is a Brooklyn-based writer/performer and two-time Moth StorySlam winner, who has been featured on the “RISK!” and “Stories in Session” podcasts. Drew was the creator of the SPOILER Comedy Film Project, a bi-annual film night featuring original films by some of today’s top comedy stars. A graduate of The Tisch School of Arts Dramatic Writing Program, Drew’s writing was regularly featured on the website of Running with Scissors author Augusten Burroughs. John Blesso: John Blesso is a writer, storyteller, mediocre guitar player, singer and woodworker, and artisanal fabricator of “gabbagoul.” He’s one of the producers of The Artichoke live storytelling series and the author of Sharehouse Confidential. He lives in Beacon, NY.

If you know anything about the art world, likely you've heard of Bill Arning. He's been an important influence on art in many areas since he emerged as a prominent figure in the 1980s East Village art scene, serving as chief curator of the alternative art space, White Columns. Prior to joining Contemporary Arts Museum Houston in 2009, he was a curator at the MIT List Visual Arts Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts for nine years. Arning is also known for his personal collection of roughly 800 works by gay artists and recently announced the opening of Bill Arning Exhibitions, his new gallery in Houston, in October of this year. Most importantly, Bill is getting married and just bought a house in Old Chatham, NY with his fiance, a terrific artist—Aaron Michael Skolnick. Aaron's work is connected to. nature—Aaron does plein air painting, so living in Houston full time just wasn't practical for them. Here's a quote from Bill's Instagram: Just bought a house from 1830 in Old Chatham NY - I’ve never lived out of the city before and I’m very excited to learn new ways of living at 61, @aaron_michael_skolnick studio is the priority and we will be up there full-time for the summer and then I’ll be back-and-forth between Houston and Hudson valley at least for part of the 22/23 gallery season while figuring out how to contribute to the Hudson Valley Art Community." This is such a great session. Bill is a blast, honest and direct and entertaining. We discussed so many things, both art related and personal. More about Bill Arning and his projects HERE. Instagram HERE. More about his Gay Art Collection HERE. Instagram HERE.

Noah Becker, American and Canadian artist, jazz saxophonist, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art. has become a friend of Anna Delvey/Sorkin through their mutual friend, Alfredo Martinez. Noah recently joined Anna from her ICE detention jail to have a discussion about the Netflix series “Inventing Anna” - based on her notorious life as NYC’s “fake heiress.” and her future direction. LISTEN TO THIS CONVERSATION ON WHITEHOT PODCAST HERE: Dr. Lisa is curious about this phenomenon: Anna is a combination of brains, talent, drive, beauty, charisma, outsized confidence and a felon in jail. In this session, Noah and Dr. Lisa talk about Anna's personality, motivations and her work which leads them to a deeper discussion about art, celebrity, society and (as Noah put it)—the "pixie dust" aura of art. Details about Noah's participation in a recent group show with Anna Delvey and Alfredo Martinez HERE. More about Noah Becker and his painting HERE. More about Whitehot Magazine HERE. Noah Becker Bio: Noah Becker is an American and Canadian artist and jazz saxophonist who has been based in New York City for the past twenty years. His paintings have been exhibited at art institutions worldwide, including the Vancouver Art Gallery in Canada. Aside from his visual art production, Becker publishes Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art, an art journal featuring writings by art critics, such as Donald Kuspit, Anthony Haden-Guest and Phoebe Hoban. The writings of Becker have also appeared in Art in America, Interview Magazine, Canadian Art, Huffington Post and Artvoices.

I was taken by Christian FInnegan's comedy special, SHOW YOUR WORK which he made during the pandemic, because I felt he really found a way to open himself up and share his experience in such an original, hilarious, moving way. I have seen a bunch of comedy specials made during the pandemic when comics couldn't tour, but none hit the level of truth that Christian was able to access and share. This is a special built to last. Show Your Work is a standup special about playing the hand you’re dealt. Filmed in a tiny backyard at the height of the pandemic, Christian Finnegan brings his brand of hilarious and insightful ‘social autopsy’ to topics that range from the dumb (pharmaceutical names, baguettes) to the super dumb (QAnon). More than that, Show Your Work celebrates the determination to keep moving forward when the world has gone haywire. Onward! Christian was just as open in this Dr. Lisa session about the feelings, logistics and creative process behind the making of this special and how it came into being. Christian has a long list of comedy credentials and other strictly standup specials, so this is a great roadmap of how he made such hilarious standup work in such an entertaining, yet authentic, genuine way.  Brilliantly directed and edited by director Victor Varnado and editor, Steven Rosenfeld. And Christian's wife, Kambri Crews is the owner of QED, where the special is filmed, as well as a contributor to the project in a myriad of ways—some of which are covered in this talk.