Author Mason Currey has spent much of his career investigating the working habits of artists, and in his latest book, the deeply researched “Making Art and Making a Living,” he takes a deeper look into how artists over the centuries have managed to afford their creative pursuits.

Over a recent Zoom call, I chatted with Currey about the book, and in this teaser, he discusses the challenges of today’s creator economy and why it’s not quite as new as most of us think.