Suggested Donation

Suggested Donation is what happens when two accomplished contemporary painters decide to explore the creative mind through long, unhurried conversations. Tony Curanaj and Edward Minoff are both serious representational painters, and their podcast draws guests from across the visual arts -- painters, craftspeople, curators, makeup effects artists, and restorers. The thread connecting it all is a shared fascination with what drives people to create and the common ground between seemingly different disciplines. With 79 episodes and a bimonthly release schedule, the pace is deliberate. Episodes regularly run 90 minutes to two hours, which gives the conversations space to wander into genuinely interesting territory. Recent guests include painter Travis Schlaht, artist Michael Grimaldi, and Oscar-nominated makeup effects artist Mike Marino -- that last one being a perfect example of how the show crosses disciplinary boundaries while staying rooted in visual craft. The rating tells you a lot: 4.9 stars from 265 reviews. That is an exceptionally loyal audience for a niche show. Tony and Edward bring a classical training perspective that you do not hear on most art podcasts, and they are genuinely curious about their guests rather than just running through standard interview questions. If you are drawn to representational painting, traditional craft, and the kind of deep artistic conversation that used to happen in studios and salons, Suggested Donation is doing something rare and doing it well. Just clear your schedule -- these episodes are long, and you will want to stay for the whole thing.