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Been doing a bunch of these as part of my career rebrand (Sandy 2.0) and it’s been really fun! I get to chat with people who have jobs I’m curious about, learn about their paths, how they spend their time, and what challenges they face. Truly wish I’d done this before committing to working in the arts for fourteen years—ya live, ya learn.
Hoping one of these connections might lead to another, but for now, it’s been fun to ride the curiosity wave and activate my listening muscles. 10/10 would recommend.
On the flip, if anyone is curious about working in the arts / museums / curating, I’d be happy to share what I know! Comment or DM me, I’d love to pay it forward.
Mar 24, 2025
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@SALAD_VALET i’d love that!! my biggest hurdle will just be finding free time but we can figure it out!
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i’ve worked in the arts for my entire career, mainly in art museums. i’m also an independent curator and ran a gallery out of my storefront apartment for a year and a half. i’ve archived photographs, led museum tours, curated exhibitions, couriered art across the country in an 18-wheeler, written wall texts, edited books, interviewed artists, fundraised, done countless studio visits, written exhibition essays, provided accessibility for disabled visitors, built a curatorial practice around working with disabled artists, project managed performances, and participated as a performer in a couple of pieces (including a Tino Sehgal).
i am immensely proud of my work and have done and seen some incredible things. i’ve also worked with incredible passionate people who have the privilege and honor of making culture. but I’m also very burnt out and currently in the midst of plotting a departure from the art world, in search of a job that provides more balance. my whole job as a “museum worker” has been my identity for 14 years and I’m curious to see what my life looks like next. i’m mediating on and grappling with the idea that we weren’t put on this planet to labor, which compounded with the effects of lockdown and the pandemic, has changed my relationship to work and having a linear career. life is too short and too precious to give all of ourselves to a job (hope that doesn’t make me sound far out or too radical).
right now I’m working with a career coach, doing informational interviews, playing with my resume and cover letter formats, and applying for a wild array of non-art / non-museum jobs. I’d love to hear if you have any insights or suggestions! it’s scary making the leap but I’m trusting my gut here.
Feb 15, 2025
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A senior-level colleague from a different department at work asked me this when we were collaborating on a project that's outside the scope of my regular job. I answered honestly that the work I do is not something I'm passionate about and I've done it out of necessity/because I lacked other opportunities, and that I would prefer to do something that's more intellectually stimulating and impactful.
Since that time he's been guiding me into opportunities to grow and develop lots of new skills and advocating for me along the way and it's been really nice! One of the best things to happen to me this year and it was really nice to have someone pick up on that and ask me.
Dec 11, 2024
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as someone in the creative industry, its hard bc sometimes all i wanna do is throw myself into my passions and work so hard i get myself sick. but i’ve realized im not happiest when i work 50-60 hour work weeks (even if im fulfilled and having fun) i need the time and space for the things that fuel being creative: exercise, hiking, being with friends, playing dnd. This work is like breathing, you should try to find balance between breathing in and out. Creatives are often told that their work should become their job, but sometimes, it’s truly better for it be a side hustle or things that operate on a project to project basis.
I found it helpful to get connected with people who I admired and see what their days look like. Are they running around 24/7? are they constantly making work they actually don’t like bc it makes money? or are they dedicated to things they love and are fulfilled? or are they practically controlled by their work? Their day to day can be very similar to yours, so understanding if that would be an environment you would be happy in is very important.
I agree that volunteering is a good place to start, also gets you connected to the people who work in the industries yr interested in! Museum studies might be broad enough for you to also access some internships across a few industries which really give you great insight what working in various environments can be like for real. I will say working in an arts environment has been incredible for me, i feel truly myself and able to be who i am with very few masks on.
Oct 6, 2024
Top Recs from @salad_valet
i canceled my Spotify account over the summer and have spent the last few months rebuilding my digital music library on a refurbished iPod Touch. reading critiques of the app (and it’s enshittification), i realized i wasn’t even sure of my own musical tastes and preferences. i had stopped picking for myself, stopped seeking out new music, ceasing to know how to choose what i wanted or articulate what i like.
breaking free from the algorithm has been such a joy! i’m borrowing gobs of music from the library, rebuilding my old playlists, and consuming more music than i have in years. and better yet, my data isn’t being tracked by Spotify and i own what’s in my personal library. further, my receptors are more open when i’m out in the world exposed to music, searching for recommendations in an organic way.
Jan 16, 2025
i’ve been trying to articulate why i enjoy this space so much. yes, the UX is reminiscent of Tumblr and the early days of the internet. and there’s genuine sincerity and vulnerability on here that makes it feel really cozy and real, which i haven’t felt online in at least a decade.
but i think what’s undergirding my love of this space is how anti-capitalist it feels. most of the recs everyone shares are vibe-checks, quality of life shifts, meditations and offers, music and movies, just plain good art. i don’t feel compelled to buy anything when i come here. i feel excited and pumped to be a cheerleader, find connection, find common ground. and FWIW the recs i’ve shared that have gotten the most traction are my suggestions for leading a less capitalistic / consumerist life (quitting Amazon, getting off of Spotify, building community to take care of you and your things).
all of this is to say, i love it here and i love you guys.
Feb 7, 2025
hear me out—this one might feel impossible, but i quit purchasing items on Amazon in 2018 and cancelled my GoodReads account shortly after.
i did some serious reflection and realized i’d become super reliant upon, and frankly, quite used to the instant gratification of purchasing something and knowing i’d have it within a day. that’s not normal. the labor practices, economics, and environmental impacts of getting what you want from the internet delivered quickly and right to your door are skewed. i was filling a void in myself with mindless purchases.
i’m aware that they service a huge swath of the internet (Amazon Web Services), own Whole Foods and Abe Books, and will likely take over more businesses we like and rely on. weaning off and avoiding entirely is very very hard, but it can also be a measured decision. that said, i know that it is a privilege to abstain from Amazon. i am able bodied, i don’t have kids, i have access to a car, i live in an urban environment with access to a lot of stuff at my fingertips. but making the choice to break out of the Amazon loop has ultimately been better for my pocketbook and better for my relationship to these mega-tech-companies that have their fingers in everything.
in contrast, i’m becoming more interested in alternate economies, like bartering and sharing. i love the idea of having commonly shared tools and items (tool libraries are very cool). we don’t need to own it all, we have each other.
interested in exploring more? the zine pictured below is a great start, and summarizes a much larger book by the same author on how to resist the leviathan that is Amazon.
Jan 22, 2025