The Art of Intimacy: Barbara Nitke on Photography, Passion, and Human Connection

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AART

Chris Stafford

115 episodes

1 week ago

Veteran award-winning podcaster Chris Stafford talks to women artists from across mediums and around the world to get to know the person behind their art. Conversations are intimate and free flowing as we learn about the journey these talented women have taken to become successful artists.

Testimonials:

"It’s rare that I let everything hang out there about my past and what has formed me into an artist. I had a wonderful conversation with Chris Stafford recently and found myself doing just that—filling in the background. Chris was so easy to talk to and has a wonderful way of organically mining the truth of self within us that forms a sensitive picture of whomever she is conversing with—as we used to say, the gift of the gab. You should check out her podcast archive and listen to lots of incredible interviews that promote women in the arts."
Anna Carll

"Chris is a natural host and I thoroughly enjoyed talking with her. She’s authentic, personable, and has a clear passion for supporting women. Her conversations with female artists about their artistic journeys are in depth and thoughtful. She’s getting into territory others often ignore and uncovering some gems in the process.”
Julie Davis

“Thank you to host Chris Stafford for making me feel relaxed and bringing out all of my thoughts and feelings about life/art! After our interview I felt euphoric and accomplished and so appreciative for that. She is a wonderful interviewer.”
Michele Byrne

“Chris is a highly skilled interviewer who puts her guests at ease. She draws out the juicy bits of lived experience and contextualizes this against the grander arc of history.”
Kathryn Andrews

“I was honored to be interviewed by Chris. She has a unique perspective in the art world, and it's refreshing to see a podcast with such a wide variety of artists from all different backgrounds and disciplines.”
Erin Spencer

“Art making can be a solitary pursuit, the AART podcast gives a window into the life and vocation of the artist that informs and inspires while it entertains.”
Suzie Baker

“ The interview was a very enjoyable experience. Chris is a generous interviewer who draws out her subjects and is completely engaged in the conversation. She's a good listener and asks thoughtful questions.”
Ingrid Christensen

“AART is an important and unique platform for the stories of women artists and their work. From the art making processes to the personal materials that makes the creative process. The podcast’s greatest asset is Chris’ ability to getting the artists to “open up’, by her preparation process, and the questions she asks.”
Maria Martinez-Cañas

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Visual Arts

Arts,

Performing Arts

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The Art of Intimacy: Barbara Nitke on Photography, Passion, and Human Connection

AART

1 hour 11 minutes

2 months ago

The Art of Intimacy: Barbara Nitke on Photography, Passion, and Human Connection

Step behind the camera in this intimate and inspiring interview with Barbara Nitke, acclaimed photographer and visual storyteller celebrated for her raw, emotional, and boundary-pushing work. In this episode, we explore Barbara’s creative journey—from her early days as a set photographer on film productions to becoming one of the most influential voices in fine art and human connection photography. Barbara opens up about her artistic process, the stories behind her most powerful images, and how she’s used her lens to challenge taboos and celebrate authenticity. Listeners will discover:

How Barbara Nitke captures intimacy, vulnerability, and truth through photography
Her evolution as an artist navigating the film and fine art worlds
Insights on creativity, perseverance, and finding your unique voice
The emotional and ethical dimensions of photographing real human experiences

Whether you’re a photographer, artist, or creative thinker, this conversation will leave you inspired to see the world—and yourself—through a more compassionate lens.

👉 Tune in on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or YouTube to explore the art of storytelling through the eyes of Barbara Nitke. #BarbaraNitke #PhotographyPodcast #ArtistInterview #CreativeJourney #FineArtPhotography #BehindTheLens #PhotographyInspiration #VisualStorytelling

American photographer Barbara Nitke whose life has taken her from hardcore porn sets to the BDSM world and to the fashion world as her art evolves. She is as ambitious as ever expanding her many talents to currently producing her own movie American Ecstasy, which is projected to begin filming in 2026. As a vibrant septuagenarian, Barbara has widened her aperture across a career that began in the porn theaters of the 80s where she was tasked to screen more than 100 films; to the high art of the fashion industry in the reality TV show Project Runway, which she shot for 18 seasons. Barbara was born in Lynchburg, VA in 1950 the eldest of three children to Eloise “Vicky” Smiley Gregory, a meteorologist who worked for 30 years at the National Weather Service, and Paul Gervase Gregory, Jr., a WWII veteran and air traffic controller. Barbara has a younger brother, Gary Gregory, a software developer, and sister Mary Jane Gregory, a glass artist. She describes her childhood as unhappy and rebellious, constantly seeking her own independence. It was 1967 before her father disclosed an earlier marriage to the family and in 1987 she discovered that the author and sex researcher Shere Hite was her half-sister. Barbara’s family moved across the country when she was a child from Virginia to Alaska, which meant she attended a variety of schools. For college Barbara made her way to New York to study business, literature and writing at Baruch College, and photography at the International Center for Photography and School of Visual Arts. In her late 20’s she started photographing professionally and in1982, she says she found her subject on a porn set when she was given full access to be creative. Her first marriage to Herb Nitke lasted 13 years and gave her opportunities to develop her photographic skills in an unlikely world. Among her many credits are Hustlers, 2019, Monsterland, 2020, The Equalizer, 2021, The Gilded Age, 2023, Smile, 2024 and Project Runway - 225 episodes from 2004-2021. Barbara’s work has been exhibited internationally at venues including Storage APT, New York; the Hartnett Gallery at University of Rochester; One Eyed Jacks Gallery, Brighton, England; and Barristers, New Orleans. She is included in the permanent collections of the Kinsey Institute, the Finnish Museum of Photography, the Leslie-Lohman Museum, and others. Her images have been the subject of articles in numerous venues, including Office Magazine, Forbes, Dazed, Slate, Vice, Harper’s Magazine, and The New York Times....

AART