Artist & author Dmitry Samarov rejoins the show to talk about his new book, PAINT BY NUMBERS, the disastrous experience he had trying to profile a pair of renowned artists, and why he chose to chronicle (& fictionalize) it years later in this book. We get into the conflict of art & commerce, fame & failure in America, and the relationship of artist, artwork, and audience. We also talk about the Lynda Barry class that opened his eyes to his own art-making process, what he's learned from making a podcast of his own, the surprise bliss of holding a book-event with no audience, how he's changed through the newsletter he's been keeping up regularly for a dozen-plus years, what his ongoing collage-art has unlocked for him, whether there's such a thing as an artistic dead-end, and more. Follow Dmitry at his newsletter, and on his podcast • More info at our site • Support The Virtual Memories Show via Patreon or Paypal