Podcast Spotlight: The Living Artist
Last updated on February 4th, 2021
This is not your typical starving artist stereotype. Every week, host and professional artist Preston M. Smith shares the joyous side of living a creative life. He quickly gets real, ranting but also raving about how wonderful the life of an artist can be. From discussing how you should be treated during a job to interviewing friends, Smith’s number one piece of advice is to not wait until you are dead to make your creative dreams happen. When you feel like the creative life is getting tough, turn on The Living Artist for timely advice and interesting interviews. This show is all about living in the now, which is easy to do when Smith’s stories feel like hearing from an old friend. If you are a professional artist, just getting started, or a creative person in general, this podcast is for you. You are valued, and Smith says it best by reminding you, “Your art and creative life on this planet are meaningful.”
We were fortunate to talk with Preston M. Smith about The Living Artist, an art podcast, how it differentiates from other podcasts, and his future plans in podcasting. See below for our full Q&A.
DISCOVER PODS: How’d you get into podcasting?
SMITH: That’s a 2 part answer: I have been listening to podcasts for the better part of a decade now and I find them to be invaluable in my life and art career. They have picked me up when I’ve been down, exposed me to new ideas and techniques, inspired and entertained me, and best of all made me feel like part of a larger community. I wanted to be able to do that for others. The second part of the answer is that I’ve always been a performer of sorts. In the past I have acted both in independent movies and the theater, done professional improvisation as well as having been the lead singer of a punk/ska band. Though I’ve been focusing on visual arts and painting as a profession, I’ve always missed this type of performing and podcasting has also filled that void for me.
DISCOVER PODS: In your own words, why should listeners tune in to The Living Artist?
SMITH: I’ve tried to make The Living Artist something that I would be entertained by and informed listening to. It’s a scratching of my own itch but also an opportunity to share the experiences I have accumulated as a working and professional artist over the past 20 years. Working as a creative can be isolating and I wanted to provide a podcast that would foster a sense of community in the art world. I wanted to make it the podcast I wish that I had when I was starting out as an artist. One that provides personal experiences, anecdotes and advice to help navigate the hurdles we all face as artists. And I also wanted to make it funny and entertaining. I believe that this podcast has something for everyone, especially knowing that each person has a creative side.
DISCOVER PODS: What kind of feedback have you heard from your listeners?
SMITH: I am grateful to have received a wonderful response from my listeners so far. I have a 5 star rating in Apple podcasts and artists reach out to me on Instagram on a daily basis to tell me that they were inspired by a recent episode. Since its inception earlier this year (2020) the podcast has been growing at a steady clip and I’ve had many requests to be featured on the show. One of the best things I’ve heard from multiple listeners is that the podcast has inspired them to take their art career to the next level. I was humbled in the past months to have the podcast named by Feedspot as one the “top 25 art podcasts you must follow in 2020”.
Read more: 7 Podcasts That Will Make You Sound Smart at the Next Cocktail Party
DISCOVER PODS: Describe your recording set up? What equipment are you using?
SMITH: My podcast setup is fairly straightforward. I have a home studio/ office setup. I record the podcast using GarageBand on my iMac. I record using two Audio-Technica mics, headphones and mic stands, with 2 Stedman proscreen XL pop filters. I also use the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface for improved audio quality. I do all my own editing on GarageBand and use an audio post production service to iron out all the final kinks. I do a mixture of interviews and monologues. Most of my interviews started out in person, but due to the pandemic, I was forced to switch to a different format. So I suppose I should name Zoom as one of the applications that I now use frequently.
DISCOVER PODS: What’s the biggest challenge you face as an indie podcaster?
SMITH: Most of the challenges I face are interesting and exciting challenges like coming up with new content and finding the next perfect guest for the show. However, I think the biggest challenge we all face as indie podcasters is with growing your audience. I’ve been fortunate to carry over some of my social media following to my podcast as well as growing it organically. But marketing your podcast and getting attention amidst a sea of podcasts is a challenge we must all face and try to conquer. I think adaptation is key.
DISCOVER PODS: Where do you want to take your podcast?
SMITH: I have a lot of short and long-term goals with the podcast. The most important thing to me is that the podcast reaches, inspires and helps as many artists and creatives as possible. Having said that, one ambitious goal I have at the moment is to have the podcast featured in the “New & Noteworthy” section on Apple Podcasts. I’m also looking to make some more “Best of” lists in the coming months.
Read more: 25 of the Best Art Podcasts
DISCOVER PODS: What other podcasts are you listening to now?
SMITH: I have had many favorites over the years. But two of my all time favorites that I can’t get enough of are The Tim Ferriss Show and You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes. These two podcasts represent a wide spectrum of my taste very well; goofy, entertaining, self-help oriented, ambitious and thought provoking.
DISCOVER PODS: Anything else you’d like to add?
SMITH: During this time of uncertainty and isolation, it’s so important to feel connected. Podcasts have helped me to feel that way in my own life and I hope that my podcast has provided that for other people as well. Thank you so much for shining a light on indie podcasts and for giving me a platform to share mine. If you want to check out my art and background aside from The Living Artist podcast you can find me everywhere @pmsartwork. As I say in the podcast: Your art and creative life on this planet is meaningful. Thank you for sharing it with me!
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