In this conversation, Steve Rossi, Assistant Professor and Sculpture Program Head at St. Joseph's University, speaks with Lauren Whearty a co-director of Ortega y Gasset Projects and Emma Wilcox a co-director of Gallery Aferro. As non-profit gallery co-directors and artists with dedicated creative practices themselves, they each have a unique vantage point on the topic of studio art professional practices curriculum. In the first half of the conversation the history and founding of each art space is discussed, along with Emma and Lauren’s organizational roles, followed by a discussion of the nuts and bolts of general professional practices skill sets, a discussion of how failure can be framed as a creative act, as well as various employment opportunities explored along with advice offered to students preparing to enter the visual arts field.