Art Biz Podcast

Sculptor and installation artist Marianne Lettieri creates intricate, meditative work from salvaged and domestic materials. In this episode, she shares her journey from marketing to art, and how she has centered her practice around intention, discernment, and clarity—rather than urgency or trends. She talks with host Alyson Stanfield about how she defines success, the importance of showing up in the studio (even if it’s just to sweep the floor), and why research, ritual, and creative constraint are essential to her process. HIGHLIGHTS 01:50 – Marianne’s career shift from PR to full-time artist 03:54 – Why Marianne is drawn to historical artifacts and “slow” art 08:19 – Defining success: critical acclaim vs. financial success 13:14 – Income sources: sales, commissions, and artist estates 17:57 – How she tracks ideas and builds inventory systems 22:02 – How she’s using only what she already has 24:56 – Making over 100 collages from studio leftovers 26:54 – A rejection story: the San Francisco dump residency 32: