Thursday, October 15, 2026

402 - Snoopy, Linus, and Jack Halberstam

 This week Maysoun regails us with tales of her mini-vacation to Sonoma County. She loses her mind for the Charles Schulz Museum! Kate gets dorky for Jack Halberstam.

The music in this episode is by La Luz

SNOOPY!


California Indian Museum and Cultural Center

The Charles Schulz Museum

Leila Weefur's The Chapel of Becoming (Trailer)

Thursday, October 1, 2026

401 - Krang

 This week we look at the final painting in our abstraction series. Go back two episodes to look at the painting (on congratulationspinetree.com) by Carmen Herrera. Also Kate saw a show. We also talk about conscientious law breaking.

The music in this episode is by La Luz


Carmen Herrera in a sassy hat

KRANG!


Nicole Shaffer

AI Is Dead. Organoids Are Alive


Thursday, September 24, 2026

400 - LIVE!!!

 This week we're coming to you live from beautiful San Francisco! We discuss public art, bleeps, smack talk, and our treasured memories.

The music in this episode is by spacemoth

Happy 400 to us! (shoutout to Conrad!)


Friday, September 18, 2026

399D - Jaged Edge

This week Kate went to a show! We discuss climate activists gluing themselves to paintings. We also look at a painting by Miyoko Ito (see the notes from the last episode on CongratulationsPineTree.com) and we try to say the name of the city of Concord.

Thursday, September 10, 2026

399C - You Missed a Spot

 Be sure to check out the show notes from last week's episode to see the paintings we're talking about this week! We look so hard our eyes fall out. Plus Kate went to a show, and Maysoun got solicited for art opportunities. According to Kate this is part 8 of our 10 week series on abstraction. 

Check out everything at www.CongratulationsPineTree.com 

The music in this episode is by Hannah Lew


Miyoko Ito
Sea Changes, 1977
oil on canvas, 45 x 36 inches
See high res image here


Amy Ellingson's new book, On Painting and the Nature of Work

Big Joan, Little Joan video clip

Amy Sillman on Art 21

Seminars with Artists: Amy Sillman | Live from the Whitney

How to look at an abstract painting (Amy Sillman on Joan Mitchell)

Thursday, September 3, 2026

399B - Alley Rat Juice

 This week we tell you what music shows we went to because we are cool music people. Then we get back into our ten(ish) week series on abstraction. We also talk about rejection and redesigning Arizmendi.

The intro/outro music in this episode is by Hermanos Gutiérrez


Next week's paintings:

Joan Mitchell, Ground (1989)

Amy Sillman, 2P1 (2024)
high res image here




reddit.com/r/spacemoth

Led Kaapana


Thursday, August 27, 2026

399A - Artmaxxing (with Mel Prest)

 This week we are graced with the presence of painter Mel Prest. Maysoun is hunkering down in the tropics! We talk about abstraction, haircuts, learning at the foot of the master, and what the hell goes on in a painter's studio. 

The music in this episode is by spacemoth


A Tantric painting from Rajasthan circa 2002


Don't forget to look at this Etel Adnan painting for next week

Mel Prest

Bay Area Artists Connect

50 Works 50 Weeks: Thomas Eakins’s “Wrestlers”


Thursday, August 20, 2026

399 - Ice Cream (with Mansur Nurullah)

This week we have the pleasure of chatting with artist, Mansur Nurullah! We discuss abstraction, books, scraps, the technological sublime, bullying, and counseling. We make a lot of deviations and tangents and detours. Plus giggle fits!

The music in this episode is by Hannah Lew 

BASEBALL NUT


High res image here!


Mansur Nurullah

Quilts of Gee's Bend

El Anatsui

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Invisible Man By Ralph Ellison

Wednesday, August 5, 2026

398 - Agnes Sharkin'

 This week we jump the shark for the second time. First off, this episode is part four of our ten part series on abstraction. We talk about motherfuckin Agnes Martin, whether sharks are older than Satan, and Craig Calderwood's amazing new mural at SFMoMA. Maysoun speaks of drones. We apologize to the listeners.

The music in this episode is by La Luz (they are on tour! See them!)


Say hello!

Craig Calderwood

Sad Francisco


Thursday, July 23, 2026

396 - Crusty Peaks

 This week Kate and Maysoun saw all the shows at Minnesota Street Project. We also talk about Marlow Moss and more abstraction! Plus we decide what shapes we are.

The music in this episode is by spacemoth


Howardena Pindell, Night Flight, 2015–16. Mixed media on canvas; 75 x 63 in.
See a high res image here.




Mark Perlman, Overview, 2025,
oil and wax on panel, 60 x 48 inches
at Nancy Toomey Fine Art



Marlow Moss, White and Yellow, 1935, 
Oil paint, string and canvas on canvas


Marlow Moss, Untitled (Free forms), 1950
Gouache on paper


Julian Schnabel, Divan 1978
oil, plates, and bondo on wood, 90 x 120 x 13 inches



Howardina Pindell at the MCA Chicago

Virtual Crush at /



Thursday, July 16, 2026

395 - Hard Line

 This is week two of our deep into abstraction! Be sure to share your abstract experiences with us! 

419 351 6606 or email us: congratulationspinetree@proton.me

Also, Kate went and saw some shows! 

The music in this episode is by spacemoth


Marlow Moss, Composition in Red, Black and White, 1953, oil on canvas, 76 x 51 cm.



Marlow Moss!



Nice, neat lawn by Abi Tucker and Stanley Millerby Abi Tucker and Stanley Miller

Space, Movement, and Body: Marlow Moss

Talking Painting: Dialogues with Twelve Contemporary Abstract Painters by David Ryan

How to look at an abstract painting

Sculpture in the Expanded Field

Mondrian His Life, His Art, and the Quest of the Absolute Nicholas Fox Weber


Thursday, July 9, 2026

394 - Understanding Abstraction in Ten Weeks

This week we begin a ten week course on abstraction. Please follow along, there will be prizes at the end. We also talk about the International Art Museum of America getting voted best museum in SF. Shocking.

The music in this episode is by spacemoth

Helen Frankenthaler, Mountains and Sea 1952
Oil and charcoal on unsized, unprimed canvas, 86 ⅜ × 117 ¼ inches




Helen Frankenthaler, Mountains and Sea (large image)

Best of the Bay Area

Sad Francisco

Episode 18 - The Treasure Room (about the IAMA)

Helen Frankenthaler, A Brief Biography

Thursday, July 2, 2026

393 - Get Madder

 This week we have an emotional conversation about the SFAC funding saga. We also talk about the Queers Against Zionism event at the Lab. We also talk about poetry and why people hate it.

The music in this episode is by spacemoth

MAD!

You're invited to the 1st Annual:
Bay Area Arts Picnic on Sat. July 11th 1-4pm!!
Elk Glen Picnic Area at Golden Gate Park
1017 MLK Drive at 27th Street

San Francisco Finalizes $17 Billion Budget, Restores Millions in Proposed Cuts

Sad Francisco

Bay to Gaza Mutual Aid Collective


Thursday, June 18, 2026

392 - Solidarity Forever! (with Leo Dugan)

 This week Kate has a conversation with Leo Dugan from the Creativity Explored United bargaining team!

the music in this episode is by Deseos Primitivos

Union Strong!


Creativity Explored United instagram

creativityexploredunited@gmail.com - if you want to get in touch!



Thursday, June 4, 2026

390 - What's Up With the Sun? (with Ebti)

 This week we have the great honor of talking to artist, Ebti! We talk about translation, theater, death, cats, light bulbs, and whether or not the sun is gay! 

Sign this open letter to support the workers at the SFAC!

Music in this episode is by Meshell Ndegeocello


Languages!

Ebti!!!


Thursday, May 21, 2026

389 - June 2026 Voter Guide

 This week we finally made our voter guide! YES ON D, SAN FRANCISCO!

The music in this episode is by SPELLLING

do it!


Thursday, May 14, 2026

388 - Not the Voter Guide

 This week we start on the voter guide but then we delay it because Maysoun needs to do more research. So we talk about some shows and some emails and some voicemails. Plus we're back on Horse Muffin Bird again, because Maysoun accuses Kate of being a sniveling worm. It's a weird episode.

The music in this episode is by Australian lesbian, Courtney Barnett



The Hundred Years' War on Palestine
A Flag With Teeth — Participant Form

Friday, May 8, 2026

387 - Pigeon Army

This week Kate and Maysoun went to a rally at city hall! We petition the birds to stop the surveillance state. Maysoun went to a show! We did it all!

 The song in this episode is by Cain Culto, Xiuhtezcatl & Snow Tha Product

take to the skies!