Joe Parmer| Friday Heaters Podcst🔥 Episode 9

On this week’s episode of the Friday Heaters Podcast, we sit down with Joe Parmer, co-owner of Custom Art Surfaces (CAS), the Los Angeles–based fabrication shop behind many of the canvases and painting surfaces used by today’s leading contemporary artists.

Joe takes us inside a part of the art world that rarely gets talked about—the physical foundation of a painting. From stretcher bars and substrates to gesso and surface preparation, we break down what actually goes into building a canvas, and why those decisions matter as an artist’s career and market evolve.

We also get into Joe’s path into the industry, from looking for a way into the art world to eventually taking over the business and helping grow it into a trusted partner for serious artists. Along the way, we talk about the relationship between craftsmanship and value, how artists know when it’s time to level up their materials, and what happens behind the scenes when making large-scale or highly customized works.

Beyond the technical side, this conversation opens up a broader look at the art ecosystem—how different roles support the creative process, how the market has shifted in recent years, and how businesses like CAS are adapting to reach a wider range of artists.

This is a deep dive into some of the unseen infrastructure of contemporary art—and the people helping bring artists’ visions to life. Enjoy the heat🔥