Art Space Talk: Miky Fabrega

I was introduced to the art of Miky Fabrega while attending the Collector and Press Preview for SCOPE NY07. Mr. Fabrega's work was presented by the DEAN PROJECT gallery. I decided to contact Miky for an interview.

Fabrega's body of work includes the portraits of Latino maids from his native Panama City, paired paintings and photographs and his virtual "friends" in the MYSPACE cyber community.

Mr. Fabrega has exhibited in the The Central American Biennial (El Salvador), The Cuenca Biennial (Ecuador), and The Valencia Biennial (Venezuela).

Q. When did you first discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "When I was a kid!"

Q. How has society influenced your art? Are there any social implications in your art?

A. "Yes, lots of social influence and implications...it is basicaly the main focus of my work....I am very interested in the way we as humans live among other humans....for someone comming from the third world and making art for the "first" it is very important for me to capture that reality and bring it to the work."

Q. On average, how long does it take you to create a piece?

A. "It totaly depends on the piece....sometimes they take years....sometimes just minutes...so there is no way of telling."

Q. Can you share some of your philosophy about art and artistic creation?

A. "I believe that art has no limits....I believe that the IDEA is what creates the Medium...so depending on your idea you can switch from Video to Watercolor with no limitations..I believe that art is alive and it is a process."

Q. What was your most important exhibition? Care to share that experience?

A. "Probably the Central American Biennal...I was representing my country in a giant museum and all of the top people in the region where there.... so I guess thats pretty cool!"

Q. Do you have any 'studio rituals'? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?

A. "If I am painting in my studio I like no sound at all...and I paint in my underwear!!!!"

Q. If you could pinpoint the characteristics of people who collect your art, what would they be?

A. "Jajaja....I think that people who like my art are the ones who want to feel challenged by art...they do not buy art simply because is a pretty picture...they like the whole idea behind it....it gives more value to the final product...it is a product you know!"

Q. Discuss one of your pieces.What were you thinking when you created it?

A. "Well...let's focus on the work shown at SCOPE...the two giant MAID pictures (image above): Latino maids are more than a stereotype..(just check that Movie:BABEL)....they are a social group within a social group....they are a reality inside a Bubble...it doesnt matter if it is in the States...here in Panama or anywhere in America (the name of the continent is america so if i say America I mean from Canada to Argentina!!--thought you should know!!)--these people become a part of a family...they are there inside someone's reality- knowing every aspect of them but trying to keep a distance....it is a fascinating subject....I will send you more pictures of that series.

Q. Do you have a degree or do you plan to attend school for art? If so, how did it help you as an artist? What can you tell us about the art department that you attended?

A. "Ok..I studied Marketing and adverising in college....I've done a million art courses, photo, culture, language....I've done courses in Cinema at Saint Martins in london...I've done a whole lot...but as far as choosing a major in college I would never recomend studing art...or just art...the thing is: No one can teach you art!!!--they can show you around...they can show wat works for others...but they cannot show what is going to work for you!!!.....besides....do you know how many people are graduating each year with art as a major...thousands!!!!! How many of those people are actually becoming real artist????? 10%???5%????---For me marketing and my knowledge in that field have hepled a lot....so that's what works for me....I belive it is a Whole...it is a big picture...you have to fill it with the most amount of info available...."

Q. Why did you choose the medium(s) that you use?

A. "They choose me."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "Well...up until this year it was mainly Latin America...I was in three very important Biennales in the Last year...But now everything is changing...after SCOPE we are showing in a very important Fair in Puerto Rico... I believe it is called Maco??--Then I have a show in Panama in June and then at the end of the year we are planning something big in New york and something in London with Jaguar Shoes ( a very cool group of people).....You can check out http://deanproject.com/ or just type Miky Fabrega in google....you will see loads of stuff."

Q. Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?

A. "I'm represented by Mateo Sariel un Latin America and DEANPROJECTS in NY etc."

Q. What trends do you see in the 'art world'?

A. "Right now??? Fairs, fairs, fairs and the role of the Internet...that has changed everything....but in essence art right now is all over the place...I travel a lot...I've been in the last 18 months to: Venice Biennale, Whitney Biennale, Armory, Basel the whole PGA tour...and you just get the feeling that everyone is trying to do their own thing...there are no clear movments."

Q. Any tips for emerging artists?

A. "Dont loose it!!!!! Don't bother the dealers/curators/ etc let the work do the talking...and once the work opens the door for you grab the opportunity by the balls!!!! You have to be very aggressive......do the whole slide Bank thing....White Columns, Artist Space etc...that shit works!!!!-----dont wait for something big to happen...MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Q. Has your work ever been censored? If so, how did you deal with it?

A. "Yes....and it was even better!!!!!!!!---There is lots of Porn or politics in my art...because there is lots of porn and poitics in our lives...sometimes people get pissed...but that is evenr better because it proves that your work is making people feel...at least they feel it!"

Q. What was the toughest point in your career as an artist? Have you ever hit rock-bottom?

A. "Not yet!!! jaja...there was a time arround 2000 that everybody was doing video and installation and I was doing painting....that was kind of a rough time because most curators where like" Why are you painting, painting is dead"....but we all know what happend so FUCK THEM!"

Q. In one sentence... why do you create art?

A. "It is the natural thing to do."

Q. What can you tell our readers about the art scene in your area?

A. "I live and work in Panama....I spend half the time travelling but this is the place that I call home....it is a place full of contradictions...My city looks very contemporary but it has the cultural sence of a hundred years ago...people here are a fraid of what they dont know...so for someone to be always poking fun at our sociaty...well you can figure that out.

My country has had its share of "identity loss" first it was discovered by the spanish, then the Colobians came with Simon Bolivar, then the French came to build the canal, then the gringos came to build the canal, then George Bush senior gave power to Noriega, then 10 years later he took Noriega out, killing a couple of thosands more in the process..and the on fine day...the first day of the year 2000 everything was gone...and for the first time Panama was 100% panamanians...so we are struggling to get our identity...it is a fun place to live!!"

Q. Does religion, faith, or the lack thereof play a part in your art?

A. "If you see the MAID paintings shown in SCOPE you will notice that each of the maids has a giant Crucifix...aging...religion is the opium of society it gives them hope....it brings meaning to a life that is totally meaningless....should I go on??"

Q. Is there anything else you would like to say about your art or the 'art world'?

A. "Just pay attention."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Miky Fabrega. Feel free to critique or discuss his work. Check out Mr. Fabrega's site: http://www.mikyfabrega.com/ . There is a wonderful selection of paintings to observe.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Norman Carlberg

I recently interviewed artist Norman Carlberg. Mr. Carlberg has received international acclaim for his sculptures. He is one of the fathers of Modular Constructivism and was instructed by Josef Albers at Yale University (Albers studied and taught at the Bauhaus in Germany). Mr. Carlberg was the director of the Rinehart School of Sculpture at the Maryland Institute College of Art. He remained at MICA for 35 years.

Sculpturally, Carlberg is known for working in plaster, brass, and steel. He created objects with few preliminary sketches- if any. He also produced photographs as well as prints of city details he found sculpturally interesting, such as concrete columns, "ribbons of freeways that float," and textures of rocks and dirt on the ground.

Mr. Carlberg's work has been widely exhibited: Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, Carpenter Center, Guggenheim Museum... just to name a few.


Q. You are noted as an exemplar of the modular constructivist style. Can you tell our readers about that style of work and why you embraced it?

A. "My sense of it is that "Modular" constructivism is making a work of art within the limitations that modules impose on the object. They restrict what can be made but the restrictions also give meaning and value to the object, just as a poem is beautiful, in part, because the rules, or limitations, give the words a structure that the mind finds pleasurable over and above the message.

When I began working with modules I wasn't thinking about "embracing" or being part of any movement. It was simply that, after seeing the work that Erwin Hauer was doing I was excited about the idea of modular constructions and wanted to explore the idea of modules for myself.

I think Erwin Hauer joined the Yale sculpture department in 1956 and I designed my first "finished" module in 1957 as part of my thesis project which was due the following year.

Jose Mayoral, a student from the Yale architectural school, had asked me if I wanted to work with him and develop a series of sculptures in conjunction with his thesis project, which was also due for presentation in the spring of 1958. The idea, to make a series, or group, of sculptures for his project, was very exciting and my first thought was to design a single module which I could use to make a variety of sculptures. It was a natural first step. Three situations were present at the time.

Besides having been offered the opportunity to design a group of sculptures for Jose Mayoral's architecture project, and the presence in the sculpture department of Erwin's modular screens, the head of the sculpture department, Robert Engman, had given me a sculptural problem earlier to create forms from basic geometric shapes which would retain elements of the original form. I had made a number of sketches using cubes, spheres and tetrahedrons but I had always thought of them as singular objects; now I looked at them differently, as possible building blocks and the cube and the tetrahedron could easily be visualized as the basis for units that would grow in all directions.

In George Rickey's book "Constructivism" there is a wide variety of work which falls under the definition, "constructivist art". It does not depend on other pre-existing objects for meaning and, although math and logic often lend an underlying structure, they don't impart artistic value to the work any more than the social standing or beauty of the sitter would give artistic value to a portrait.

Like some of the other movements that developed in the first half of the 20th century, constructivism finds it's meaning in the work itself, not as an interpretation or artistic reflection of an outside image. Although constructivist art is linked to logic and math, especially the geometries, good craftsmanship is also apparent in most of the work. I didn't think about it at the time but I am sure these are two of the reasons I found constructivist art attractive.

Although I was an average student in math, I did enjoy it, the geometries especially, where being able to visualize the problem helped solve it. And I always enjoyed the craftsmanship required in building the airplane models of that period. But after spending so much time and care building the balsa wood skeleton I was reluctant to cover it with tissue-paper, it was beautiful just as it was. In the end though, practicality won out, because I knew that I wouldn't see it fly without the paper covering. But there was a small reward, when water was brushed onto the paper, which would cause it to shrink and form a taut surface, the ribs and underlying structure could still be made out and I could remember the structure which gave the skin it's form. Later, in the late 50's and early 60's some of my minimal-surface sculptures would have a similar skin-like surface determined by edges."

Q. You are also known for your minimalist work. Can you recall any of your memories about the advent of minimalism?

A "Because many of my pieces are linked to outside images I hadn't thought of myself as a minimalist. The work was not pure enough and I think of minimalism as being spare and pure in concept. I was aware of various movements going on at the time but I was focused on the work I was making and not giving much thought to it's place in the world of art."
Q. It is not difficult to see the connection between the rigorous, disciplined compositions that you created and those of your Yale teacher Josef Albers. Can you discuss some of your experiences working with Mr. Albers? How did he influence your art?

A. "If one admired him, and I did, you tried to emulate him to some degree. What his values were, and the kind of person he was, was a model to learn from. Whatever he said, I paid attention to. I would think about it and often agree with it - but not always. But because I admired his qualities I never dismissed any idea without having thought about it.

One of the first of his principles that I became aware of was how a color was perceived depended on where the color was - what other colors were around it, how large or small they were relative to each other, what kind of light was illuminating the color - everything changed one's perception of the color. Relativity wasn't a word that belonged exclusively to scientists.

I liked Albers way of teaching because he didn't cop-out during a critique by using vague terms and phrases. He tried to be specific and talk about what could be seen and defined. There is a lot in art that is difficult or cannot be defined in words - that's why we use color, form, and line. But for those aspects which can be defined with words it was good to listen to someone who valued clarity.

The Yale School of Art, in the 1950's, was defined by Josef Albers, his philosophy, his own work and the people he chose to run the different departments of the school. Almost everyone studied with him in one or more of the basic classes on color or drawing.

These were large classes which he taught with assistants from the other departments, most notably, when I was there, Sewell (Si) Sillman who had worked with him when he was at Black Mountain, Norman Ives from the graphics department, Neil Welliver and William Bailey from painting and Bernard Chaet. There were so many good artists in the school, teachers and students, and arguably, the best artist/teacher in the country directing it all, it's hard to single out specifically where information and ideas came from.

At Yale, I found a school of art that linked reason with passion and, which also happened to be a part of one of the world's great universities. By accepting me into the school, Albers changed my life."

Q. At Yale, Erwin Hauer was an important influence who prodded you in a stylistic direction. Both of you employed curvilinear forms as modules. However, you used more geometric, hard-edged design units, often combining curves with straight edges (or flat planes) in the same module. How did Erwin influence you... or did you influence each other? Can you share any of your experiences working alongside him?

A. "I can't say that I influenced Erwin's work, but there's no question that he influenced mine. Seeing his modular screens changed the direction of my own work from thinking in terms of singular objects to designing units which could be multiplied and made into sculptures. His modular screens and walls that I remember were cast in concrete, powerful, but also graceful and complex and it was the quality and beauty of the sculpture, as much as the "idea" of modules that generated my interest and desire to work in that direction.

You mention differences in our work, I "used more geometric, hard-edged design units, often combining curves with straight edges (or flat planes)". This is, in part, a result of the different ways we used modules. I think, at that time anyway, Erwin would design and perfect a unit that made a single screen or wall that he had envisioned. The module was not intended to recombine in other combinations. I wanted to design a single unit which I could use to construct a variety of sculptures. I wanted the unit to be versatile and the cube seamed to be ideal as a basic form to begin from. An obvious reason was that all it's surfaces were identical and it could grow in any direction.

I began by making a unit that was a variation of one of the models I had designed while working on the problem Robert Engman had given me. It was a saddle-shape within a cube which I liked as a piece by itself. That basic design became a starting point for a number of my modules.

The "curve", you mention, is the saddle-shape (hyperbolic parabaloid) and the "straight edges (or flat planes)" are what remains of the original cube's surface. They play a part in the design and also provide contact areas for joining one unit to another.

I also like the idea of the versatile unit because, even though I could visualize different combinations or possibilities before having made any actual units, I discovered I would find new combinations once I had the units in hand and could "play" with them. The units would, in a sense, tell me what they could do - information was going both ways."

Q. Your work was featured in "Recent Sculpture USA", a 1959 exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. Can you recall this experiences? Care to share with our readers?

A. "The Museum of Modern Art, 1959, was probably the most prestigious space in America to have your work exhibited and as a young artist from a small town in the midwest, to say I was impressed is an understatement.

At the opening were artists whom I had read about in art magazines and I was feeling more important than I had been the day before, and it was a great feeling for a day or so.

There were four other artists from the Yale sculpture department whose work had also been accepted and, as I heard it explained later, an important factor in why we were included in the exhibition was that Albers had used his prestige to get the judges to consider our work. I think the museum was reluctant to consider the work of students but Albers pressed the point that we were artists, from different areas of the United States and should be considered in that sense. So thanks to Albers, and, I believe, the quality of the work itself, it was reviewed, and accepted.

My piece in the exhibit was "Minimal Surface Form", carved from white marble and was purchased by the Addison Gallery of American Art at the Phillips Academy in Andover. Whoever lighted the exhibit made the piece look better than I had ever seen it. There were a number of spotlights, in line, which created overlapping shadows and it was very dramatic. My only regret is that I never took a photo of it during the exhibit."

Q. Your sculptures are in the permanent collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the Art and Architecture Gallery at Yale University in New Have, Connecticut, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, the Hirshhorn Museum, the Guggenheim Museum, and the Baltimore Museum of Art. Did you ever expect your work to be that well received?

A. "When I was young and my ego was larger, I don't know if I expected my work to be in museums but I did think about it. I think some of my work is quite good - whether it is valued by others or not is another question.

Also, the list of museums can be misleading. For example, the sculpture that is listed as being in the Yale Art and Architecture building was damaged in the fire and, I was told, later destroyed. The Schenectady Museum (not mentioned) has, or had, a large steel modular piece and one in black granite. The information was correct some years ago but you never know what happens to work over time."

Q. What do you think of sculpture today. Do you like where younger artists are taking it?

A. "I like work I can relate to but is not so familiar that there is nothing for me to discover. But, given my age, many of the ideas and concerns which interested me have either been answered or are no longer relevant to younger artists.

Today, there are many more factors that are a given as being part of sculpture, it's so complex. Color is a given, movement, sound, gigantic scale, high craftsmanship, no craftsmanship, if it exists, it can be used as material for art. These were all around a century ago but today the magnitude of expectations is overwhelming.

For me, it seems that It's a shift away from making art as a way to understand to making art to inform. Both directions have always been with us but the need to learn from making art seems lost in the noise of the loudspeakers. With almost total freedom to work in any direction it would suggest that it must be more difficult than ever for a young artist to find a direction. If nothing is forbidden, the choices are infinite. That's good - I guess."


Q. When did you first discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "In September, 1950 and the beginning of classes at the Minneapolis School of Art. It was a revelation to find that there were so many other people who were interested in the same ideas that I found important - like being with old friends or having found your right place in the universe. It's also one of the good reasons for a young person who loves art to go to art school.

Some would say you shouldn't be that comfortable - it's not good for your art. I think it depends on the kind of artist you are. There are many reasons and passions that drive artists. You need to discover what drives you."

Q. What was your most important exhibition? Care to share that experience?

A. ""The Proposal Gallery" exhibition in 1979 was important and especially meaningful because the gallery was created and run by some of my former students who invited me to inaugurate the opening of the gallery with a one-man show.

They had spent hundreds of hours cleaning, repairing, painting, changing a second-floor, rather depressing room into a light-filled, pristine space. They worked hard and did a wonderful job turning it into a desireable show-case and I was honored when they asked me to have the opening exhibit."

Q. Do you have any 'studio rituals'? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?

A. "I like to sit quietly with a cup of coffee and look at what I have been working on - or what I'm going to work on - and just think about it. It's a way to find a kind of calm that helps concentration and focus. I want to look forward to what I'm going to do and I want to finding pleasure in working."

Q. If you could pinpoint the characteristics of people who collect your art, what would they be?

A. "That's not something I think about."


Q. Discuss one of your pieces. What were you thinking when you created it?

A. "The "Twist Column / Variant 2" 1958 or '59 (Image above: The photo is of myself with the twist column, taken in the sculpture department) It is constructed of modules which are mirror images of one another (there is a left-twist and a right-twist unit). This unit is the second variation, the first module which was also a twist-unit was more spatially complex.

I think it was Jose Mayoral who suggested making it a simpler form, more like a building block. It was the first unit I made into a larger size unit - 8 inches seemed big at the time. The simpler form also meant that the mold was less complex because of the flat top and bottom. This was another area where Erwin brought in new ideas. He used epoxy resin and fiberglass to make his molds which I then used to make the two 8 inch twist molds. Epoxies were a rather recent technology at that time and Erwin showed me the basics about working with them. It was an excellent material for making molds and sculpture.

As a mold, when it cured it had a very tough surface which accurately reflected the surface of the master unit and it had next to zero shrinkage or expansion during curing. It didn't warp and was relatively light in weight. It was almost the perfect material. I say, almost, because after a few years of working with it I became allergic to the fumes and would break out in rashes that were rather painful. Today, I just have to stay away from it in it's liquid state.

I mentioned "molds AND sculpture", I used epoxy on a series of sculptures that I mentioned earlier as having a surface like taut skin defined by an edge. (see "Construction/Minimal Surface" Hirshhorn Museum). The sculptures began with an edge, usually brass, which would be shaped into a configuration that seemed significant (as opposed to arbitrary). The edge would determine shape of the minimal surface which was formed using plaster or hydrocal. The surface of the mass was then taken down about 1/4 of an inch and a layer of epoxy would be added as an outside shell. After filing and sanding this epoxy shell I would paint the surface with automobile lacquer, sand the entire surface with 400 grit wet-or-dry paper, remove the paint from the brass edge and polish it."

Q. What was the toughest point in your career as an artist? Did you ever hit rock-bottom?

A. "I never hit "rock-bottom" but there were times when worries would short-circuit the ability to focus on work. Quite often there was no apparent reason for feeling down but I found, though, that doing physical work often helped. Nothing like dealing with "real" problems which are more easily identified and resolved. If nothing else, it's a good time to clean the studio."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Norman Carlberg. Feel free to critique or discuss his work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Dan Wooster

I recently interviewed artist Dan Wooster. His imagery is confined to the classic subject matter; landscape, still-life, and figure. The process involves a build-up of plaster and paint. Both are scraped away, and then added again, in an often vigorous interchange.

Q. When did you first discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "I watched my baby sitter making charcoal drawings when I was six years old. Art- making was all I wanted to do since then."

Q. How has society influenced your art? Are there any social implications in your art?

A. "The society I grew up in frowned on art as a profession, though approved of art as a hobby. The art I make is always about people, and how they relate to each other, and their environment. I try to remove any overt social context that would limit my expression to a certain time period."

Q. On average, how long does it take you to create a piece?

A. "The paintings I make take about 6 weeks for a smaller piece, and a year for a larger one. Occasionally I get lucky, and a painting is complete sooner. I’m not always sure what image I’m after, so reworking the art is what extends the process."

Q. Can you share some of your philosophy about art and artistic creation?

A. "Creation is most pure when you remove your brain and ego from the formative process. Not like you don’t think, just that you allow the infinite possibilities of paint to manifest themselves in the process of making an image. Your brain has a very limited scope when it comes to planning a piece of art."

Q. Has your art ever been published?

A. "My large painting " Music to my Ears" was stolen from an outdoor artshow. The story was published by Art and Antiques magazine."

Q. What was your most important exhibition? Care to share that experience?

A. "The exhibition most important to my growth was in New Orleans , at Bryant Galleries . I over-worked the paintings, over-framed them, and over-priced them, all in the misguided belief that I had "made it". Projected myself into an imagined future was a mistake that lead me to disappointment and discouragement."

Q. Do you have any 'studio rituals'? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?

A. "I go to the studio and get excited as soon as I unlock the door. I turn on the exhaust fan, turn on all the lights, and turn on the espresso maker. I listen to music mostly, all kinds. Sometimes I listen to NPR news."

Q. If you could pinpoint the characteristics of people who collect your art, what would they be?

A. "The people who collect my art are generally between 30-50 years old, have gone to college, and are professional people. They are usually more quirky than the average person, and are looking for something different."

Q. Discuss one of your pieces. What were you thinking when you created it?

A. "3 Graces—( on my website, 60" x 48" oil on panel)
I showed, and sold this piece recently at J.Ferrari Gallery in Atwater Village CA . This painting started as a figure in the center, competent and ordinary. As I worked, I became frustrated with its sameness to most other figure paintings. Usually it is my realization of mediocrity that breaks me into unchartered realms. I added the 2 other figures, in different styles, and the piece became an icon of my three influences in art. I struggle to combine the major approaches of 20th century art: Picasso, Cezanne, and Matisse. The synthesis of these influences is what 3 Graces is about."

Q. Do you have a degree or do you plan to attend school for art? If so, how did it help you as an artist? What can you tell us about the art department that you attended?

A. "I attended The Art Institute of Boston, and have a BFA from there. The school is now defunct."

Q. Why did you choose the medium(s) that you use?

A. "I took oil painting lessons from a few local private teachers when I lived in new york and Massachusetts. I grew to love the depth of the colors, the smell, the texture."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "I have a show up now at JFerrari Gallery in Atwater Village CA http://www.jferrari.com/"

Q. Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?

A. "I represent myself. Please go to my website to see my upcoming shows for 2007."

Q. What trends do you see in the 'art world'?

A. "The emergence of "low brow art " is an important step toward the re-establishment of technique, craftsmanship, and loving care. The conceptual trend that the art world has binged on for 30 years is now in decline. Hopefully there will be a synthesis of the 20th century styles and the new ground broken by conceptualism."

Q. Any tips for emerging artists?

A. "Work at your chosen craft, as much as possible. Other activities can be distractions from your work."

Q. Has your work ever been censored? If so, how did you deal with it?

A. "A nude of mine was removed from a show. I did not protest. It is the prerogative of the gallery to determine what is shown. If I don’t like it, I can show somewhere else."

Q. What was the toughest point in your career as an artist? Have you ever hit rock-bottom?

A. "I hit rock bottom after the show in new Orleans. I had high expectations of success- I sold just a few small pieces, got a low turn-out, only one review, and felt unappreciated. It took me over a year to accept my responsibility for the failures of that show. I was too depressed to send out any slides for over a year. I wasn’t sure I was really going to make money ever again from my art."

Q. In one sentence... why do you create art?

A. "I make art to celebrate my life, and share that joy with others."

Q. What can you tell our readers about the art scene in your area?

A. "I live in the san Fernando valley, in southern California. The art scene here is vital, but disjointed. We need more dialogue between artists."

Q. Has politics ever entered your art?

A. "I painted a portrait of President bush, but it was rejected by the gallery. Otherwise, no political art from me."

Q. Does religion, faith, or the lack thereof play a part in your art?

A. "My faith is based in my spirit. My spirit is a part of the infinity of the universe."

Q. Is there anything else you would like to say about your art or the 'art world'?

A. "Art movements evolve as artists talk to each other, help each other, and look at each other’s work. Egos and competition can get in the way of real movement towards a greater goal."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Dan Wooster. Feel free to critique or discuss his work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Brian Andrews

I recently interviewed artist Brian Andrews. Mr. Andrews is a part-time instructor at the Art Institute of California and the Course Director for Ex'pression College of Digital Arts. He is a very well-respected educator in his field. He has a firm belief that artists and cultural producers must possess the abilities to evaluate and adapt their ideas in the constantly shifting world of art, and develop their reasoning and production techniques with breakneck evolution of technology.


Q. When did you first discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "I went to my first real contemporary gallery opening on Valentines Day in 1997. It was a very good day."

Q. How has society influenced your art? Are there any social implications in your art?

A. "It is a goal of my work to question the boundaries between contemporary culture and the construct of nature, and to inquire as to how elements of artificiality and technology compound and distort these relationships. I like to confront the viewer with images and objects that reside on the uncomfortable line between natural and technological, the living and the automaton."

Q. On average, how long does it take you to create a piece?

A. "As I get older my works seem to get more detailed, and therefore more time consuming."

Q. Can you share some of your philosophy about art and artistic creation?

A. "I see art as a process of continual redevelopment and examination of ideas. My studio practice is a practical investigation into what and who we are as animals and cultural beings, as well as what an artwork can be. My pieces attempt to get the viewer to ask the same questions I’m asking myself."


Q. What was your most important exhibition? Care to share that experience?

A. "An inconsequential group show in 2001. It was the first time I felt that people were engaging with my work and understanding what I was trying to do."

Q. Do you have any 'studio rituals'? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?

A. "I wish. My studio process is as disjointed and unpredictable as it can be. Usually I’m highly distractible during the early phases of conceiving a project. Once a piece is rolling in production, I like to hermit myself and just power though and get it done. In those moments multi-tasking is overrated."

Q. If you could pinpoint the characteristics of people who collect your art, what would they be?

A. "Dark senses of humor and a keen eye."

Q. Discuss one of your pieces. What were you thinking when you created it?

A. "In Bunny (Chimpanzee) (image above) and Tiger (Chimpanzee) juvenile chimpanzees are discovered in their environment clothed in animal costumes. The photographs ask the viewer to inquire into the cultural personifications imbued in our ideas of the animal and the human, as well as the living and the technological, as they observe these atrophied primates clad in children’s costumes."

Q. Do you have a degree or do you plan to attend school for art? If so, how did it help you as an artist? What can you tell us about the art department that you attended?

A. "I have an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and a bunch of other degrees form the University of California San Diego. I liked art school so much I began teaching so I wouldn’t have to leave."

Q. Why did you choose the medium(s) that you use?

A. "I choose the medium for a piece based on the audience experience I wish to engage with for that moment. I mostly use photographs and video because I like their directly mediated presentations."

Q. Where can we see more of your art? Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?

A. "I am represented by 40000 in Chicago and have a show there coming up in May, I also have some work up at Rio Hondo Art Gallery in Whittier as I speak. Otherwise visit http://www.brianandrews.org/."

Q. What trends do you see in the 'art world'?

A. "I can’t wait for this shitty low-craft proto-nostalgic drawing movement to end."

Q. Any tips for emerging artists?

A. "Get rid of any romantic notions of the artistic process. Making good work is an everyday job. In the end the tortoise beats the hare."

Q. In one sentence... why do you create art?

A. "Because I live in a world where I can."

Q. What can you tell our readers about the art scene in your area?

A. "San Francisco has a very horizontal rhizomatic art scene. There are some great artists and institutions here, but very little real cross communication. On bad days I think there’s a lot of style over substance. On good days it’s full of neat hidden nitches."

Q. Has politics ever entered your art?

A. "I think politics are useful in a work only via implication. Otherwise it tends to become didactic and dated."

Q. Does religion, faith, or the lack thereof play a part in your art?

A. "No, although my work does ask the viewer to pose foundational questions of themselves and our species as a whole. The viewers personal beliefs become part of there framework of that investigation."

Q. Is there anything else you would like to say about your art or the 'art world'?

A. "See you out there."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Brian Andrews. Feel free to critique or discuss his work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Charles Williams

I recently interviewed artist Charles Williams. Mr. Williams is an original member of the Stuckist art group (London). His work is inspired as much by the Simpsons as by the Anglo-French tradition. Charles studied at the Maidstone College of Art and Royal Academy Schools.

Q. When did you first discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "When I was about 18. I got kicked out of a Teacher Training degree, due to not ever turning up for anything, and realised there was something I badly needed to do, other than lying around getting stoned all day and wishing I wasn't such crap with girls."

Q. You are a founding member of the original Stuckist art group. How did you meet Charles Thomson, Billy Childish, and the others?

A. "I bumped into Charles Thomson in Safeways in MAidstone a lot when I was still at the Academy Schools. Billy I had seen perform a few times. He was a cult figure. He still is a bit of a cult. "

Q. You attended the Royal Academy of Art, London, where in 1992 you won the top prize for painting as well as the prize for anatomical drawing. How did your studies at the Royal Academy of Art shape the direction of your work? Or did it hold you back?

A. "You can regret things or you can embrace things. I try to embrace things."

Q. In 1996 you were elected to the New English Art Club (NEAC). You now serve as a committee member. Can you tell us a little about NEAC?

A. "The NEAC is an exhibiting society of artists which has an extremely distinguished history and a not so distinguished past. I am as embarrassed by being a member of the NEAC as I am by being a Stuckist."

Q. Your art was featured at the Stuckists Punk Victorian, at the Walker Art Gallery, during the 2004 Liverpool Biennial. Can you recall any of your thoughts going into the exhibit?

A. "Not really, the dealer I had at the time dealt with the whole thing, and I was sidelined. I do remember thinking that I'd much prefer to have been in the John Moore's exhibition, which was running concurrently."

Q. I've read that your work is inspired by the Simpsons as much as it is by the Anglo-French tradition of Sickert and Degas. How do you make all of these influences come together in your work?

A. "By dint of hard work and pure talent."

Q. You've been known to say that "An artist has few choices in these times." Can you go into detail about your observation?

A. "When the hell did I say that? Absolutely rubbish. Artists have every choice. You can do what you want, just don't expect any money. As my mother used to say to me."

Q. It has been said that your paintings are a 'love-letter to the human race'. Can you shed more light on your goals as a painter? What do you wish to convey with your images?

A. "My goal as a painter and as a man is to remain an enthusiatic and discerning consumer."

Q. What is your personal view of conceptual art? How do you feel about the work of say... Damien Hirst or Tracey Emin?

A. "I have nothing against either of them, any more. They are my generation, and to be honest, they're both a bit old hat nowadays. I knew Tracey Emin at college, and I thought she had special needs. I mean that in the nicest way."

Q. On average, how long does it take you to create a piece?

A. "There is no average. Could be a day, could be six months, could be two or three years."

Q. Can you share some more of your philosophy about art and artistic creation?

A. "Creativity is about trusting yourself and trying no to be embarrassed by what you produce. Your enemy is censorship, either yours or anyone else's."

Q. Do you have any 'studio rituals'? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?

A. "I listen to Radio 4. I used to insist on total silence in the studio, but I ended up talking to myself all day, and I got sick and tired of hearing the kind of crap I was coming out with, so Radio 4's middle class liberal do gooding condescension has replaced the drone of my own personality. Which is good, although my studio mates do get to hear rather too much of my ghastly right wing views when it all gets too much and I scream at Jenny Murray or that dreadful illiterate that presents You and Yours. Sorry."

Q. Why did you choose the medium(s) that you use?

A. "Oil painting seems to come naturally to me. I have been painting for twenty years though."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/yourgallery/, http://www.thompsonsgallery.co.uk/, http://www.newenglishartclub.co.uk/"

Q. What trends do you see in the 'art world'?

A. "I don't get pout enough to tell you much on this one."

Q. Any tips for emerging artists?

A. "Don't do it unless you have to."

Q. Has your work ever been censored? If so, how did you deal with it?

A. "It does get censored sometimes, but I just persist."

Q. What was the toughest point in your career as an artist? Have you ever hit rock-bottom?

A. "My first one man show sold one picture, for which I got £700. I had spent £3000 on framing. That was hard."

Q. In one sentence... why do you create art?

A. "Because I must."

Q. What can you tell our readers about the art scene in your area?

A. "I live in Hackney. It's the centre of the Artistic Universe, but noone talks to me about it. Good thing really, because the kind of work you see in the chic little exclusive galleries that you can only get into by prior appointment or if you are Pete Docherty is utter utter shite."

Q. Is there anything else you would like to say about your art or the 'art world'?

A. "My work is my life. That and curling."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Charles Williams. Feel free to critique or discuss his work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Jonathan Weiner (a.k.a VINER)

I recently interviewed artist Jonathan Weiner (a.k.a VINER). Viner is known for utilizing traditional methods of oil painting to create images that explore the state of man in the 21st century. His work has been featured in Juxtapoz Magazine.

Viner's art confronts significant themes facing contemporary society such as violence, rapid change, alienation, power, and morality. He achieves this by combining allegory, stylization, and surrealism. A strong sense of symbolism can be observed in every image he creates.

Q. Your art confronts significant themes facing contemporary society, such as violence, rapid change, morality, power and alienation. What made you decide to focus on these issues with your work? What do you hope viewers gain from observing these works?

A. "There are probably many reasons why I focus on these issues, but in the end it all boils down to the simple answer that this is just what comes out of me when I pick up a brush. It isn’t a conscious decision.

As for what I hope viewers gain, I guess I want them to see something special, and for them to be moved by it. I like the idea of strangers connecting with my work. Other than that, I don’t worry too much about what they specifically gain. In all honesty, my motivations as an artist are far from charitable. I paint because I’m compelled to and I’m rewarded for it."

Q. There seems to be a great deal of psychology within the context of your work. Have you studied psychology? If so, do you utilize that knowledge when creating?

A. "I’ve never studied psychology, but I’ve always been a kind of "armchair psychologist". People who are close to me have pointed out that I tend to poke and prod, and engage their defenses. It’s a bit of a character flaw on my part, perhaps.

I’ve dealt with some serious anxiety issues since adolescence. In a way, I’m sort of spreading the hysteria through my artwork. Misery loves company, right? Actually I don’t really think my motivation is that sadistic. I think I’m just grappling with shit through my artwork, ultimately trying to not only normalize these anxieties, but to find the beauty in them. "

Q. Your family moved often during your childhood. Do you think those memories are reflected in the work you create today? If so, how? Is this where the theme of alienation came from? Having been moved from one place to another when you were young?

A. "That sounds like a pretty good analysis to me, though I think the alienation would still be there had we not moved around. I think being Jewish plays a factor, as does being an identical twin. Before we ever moved, these things made me feel special on the one hand and strange on the other. Moving around and often being the new kid sure didn’t make it any easier to feel like I belonged."

Q. You have stated that you are influenced by Velasquez, Carravaggio, and Sargent (among others). Can you go into detail as to how these artists have influenced you?

A. "I was attracted to dramatic images, with charged atmospheres. These painters made images that felt authentic and sincere, and powerful. I was impressed with artists who displayed impressive technical skill, and I set out to absorb the various elements that made their work great. I’ve always considered myself to be another link in this chain of traditional oil painters that spans centuries."

Q. You have said that art is the "battlefield upon which the mind vies with reality. Whichever force triumphs, the result is art.". Care to go into detail about this statement? What is the philosophy behind your creative process?

A. "At some point in my early twenties I realized that I made my best work when I remained flexible and stopped trying to control the outcome. It’s always a blend of the intentional and the unintentional. For example, I may imagine a scene with a red wall in the background, but when I try to paint it, I’ll wind up struggling with that red until I have to back off and recognize that it just shouldn’t be red. It doesn’t want to be red. It’s a stressful, tumultuous, challenging, but ultimately enjoyable process. I get satisfaction from painting, but at the same time I’m never entirely satisfied with the final outcome. I always want to try again."

Q. Your work has been published in Juxtapoz Magazine. This is considered by many to be a major accomplishment. Care to share any details of that experience? How did you feel afterwards?

A. "It’s just one step on a long path. I have a strange relationship with that magazine. They seem to lean more towards graffiti and tattoo culture, and I have no real connection with that stuff. It’s another example of feeling like I’m an outsider (even among the outsiders)."

Q. Your client list includes Playboy, Rolling Stone, Darwin, Harvard Business Review, Forbes and many more. Did you ever expect your work to be so successful? Or is it kind of like living a dream?

A. "It was actually nothing like living a dream. And it started to dawn on me that perhaps I’m not best suited to be an illustrator. One of my teachers at RISD had observed that I work in reverse, from an illustration standpoint. First I paint something and then figure out what it’s "illustrating". Obviously you can’t work that way in the illustration world.

When working on an illustration assignment, I had to change my natural process and do several preliminary sketches, then make changes to suite someone else’s needs, and then execute a painting that adheres to a predetermined sketch, all within about a week. It’s rather rigid and stifling, and I believe the quality of my work suffered.

Also, my work is considered to be a bit too dark and edgy for many publishers. While I received much recognition from the illustration annuals and organizations, I didn’t really get much work, and the work I got didn’t pay that great for the amount of time I worked.

At this point I make a much better living off of selling my work in galleries. Now I have the time and flexibility to make better paintings, and I can finally afford to pay rent for a roomy painting studio where I can devote myself full time to my own work. That’s more like living a dream to me than seeing some painting I had only two days to paint get printed on the bottom left quarter of page 63 of so-and-so monthly."

Q. When did you first discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "There was no specific point where I discovered that. It’s like asking at what point I discovered food would be an important part of my adult life. It’s always been there, and I’ve always known that it always would be. Even if I wound up becoming an electrician or something, I’d be painting in my spare time."

Q. On average, how long does it take you to create a piece?

A. "It’s hard to calculate. I rarely have the luxury of spending enough time on a piece. I probably wind up spending about two to four weeks average. Six to eight weeks for a larger painting. I like to work on a few at the same time, going back and forth. Basically, I can honestly say that I have never had enough time to complete a painting. Usually I run out of time. I have a nagging suspicion that this is a metaphor about life."

Q. What was your most important exhibition? Care to share that experience?

A. "My solo show "The Attacker’s Move" was my most important show to date. To be honest, it was rather stressful. It coincided with the release of my first book, Tranquil Aftermath. In addition to working on the book, I had to deal with some major moves in my life while preparing for that show, which took a toll on the amount of work I was able to produce. That upset the gallery owner, and eventually led to some damaging exchanges which we are still struggling to recover from. I’m now working on producing work for an even bigger show at the same gallery, and the problems from "The Attacker’s Move" are still hanging overhead like an ominous cloud. It’s a complicated, emotional business, but at least it’s interesting."

Q. Do you have any 'studio rituals'? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?

A. "It takes me a while to actually start painting. I need to get comfortable first. I usually start with something enjoyable and not directly painting-related. I put music on right away. Then I might answer some emails, update my website, catch up on the news, read, flip through magazines, etc. After an hour or two, I feel ready to start looking at whatever I’m working on. After some looking and thinking, I’ll get up and start painting. I repeat this ritual several times a day. "Day" is misleading, since I often prefer to work at night."

Q. Discuss one of your pieces. What were you thinking when you created it?

A. "I have an informal policy of not discussing the meaning of specific paintings."

Q. Why did you choose the medium(s) that you use?

A. "I really had no choice in the matter. I’d love to be able to paint with, say, acrylics instead of oils, but I just can’t. I paint in oil because that’s what I’m best at. I think it has something to do with the slow drying time. It’s a very forgiving, malleable medium, and you can work in infinite layers. And there is a depth of tone and color I can’t get from anything else. I work on panel because I dislike the texture of canvas and linen. I like the smooth surface and solidity of panel."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "In person, you can see some of my work at Jonathan LeVine Gallery, in the Chelsea gallery district of NYC. He has several of my painting in his inventory, and will pull them out for anyone who drops by during their business hours.

You can also see printed reproductions of my work in my book "Tranquil Aftermath", which is available through http://www.murphydesign.com/ and http://www.jonathanlevinegallery.com/.

And you can see my work online at my website http://www.vinerstudio.com/ ."


Q. Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?
A. "I’m currently represented in NYC by Jonathan LeVine Gallery. My next major solo show will be there in January of 2008. I’d like to find galleries to represent me on the west coast and in Europe as well."

Q. What trends do you see in the 'art world'?

A. "No new trends that I’m aware of. The same old stuff, I think…graffiti is still hot, the naïve, folky stuff is still hot, tight oil painting is hot…I dunno, honestly, I’m afraid I’m blissfully unaware of trends in the art world."

Q. Any tips for emerging artists?

A. "Hone your skills, be authentic, resist gimmicks and popular trends, be patient, be persistent, and have faith in yourself. Be your own biggest fan and biggest critic. Enjoy the process but stay humble. If possible, do not get a "day job". Do what you have to do to devote as much time as you can to your art."

Q. Has your work ever been censored? If so, how did you deal with it?

A. "The only magazine that ever killed one of my illustrations due to its content was "The Progressive", which is kind of funny if you ask me. I dealt with it by shrugging and scratching my head."

Q. What was the toughest point in your career as an artist? Have you ever hit rock-bottom?

A. "Well, after the 9/11 attacks, which coincided with the bursting of the tech bubble, work dried up for over a year. I had to find creative ways to make rent each month. Tried painting backgrounds for an independent animator (didn’t have the temperament for that), and then tried being a dog walker for a while (that ended with a client threatening to take legal action against me). In the end I just lived off my credit cards, painted for fun, lived cheaply, and played lots of soccer at the park (it was free). Rock bottom was actually rather liberating."

Q. In one sentence... why do you create art?

A. "Because I’m good at it."

Q. What can you tell our readers about the art scene in your area?

A. "As I’ve mentioned, I’m not very aware of the art scene in NYC. I’m mainly aware of the whole Juxtapoz art scene, which isn’t really relegated to one area. So in terms of this whole Lowbrow/Pop Surreal/New Art scene….it seems to be booming, and as the saying goes, you gotta make hay while the sun shines."

Q. Does religion, faith, or the lack thereof play a part in your art?

A. "Yes to all of the above."

Q. Is there anything else you would like to say about your art or the 'art world'?

A. "Nope, I think I’ve given you everything I’ve got!"

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Jonathan Weiner (a.k.a VINER). Feel free to critique or discuss his work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Hakan Alkacir

I recently interviewed emerging artist Hakan Alkacir. Mr. Alkacir is a graduate from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, USA. His work is in several private collections in Sweden and the United States. His work reveals the physicality of paint, clay, and metal.


Q. When did you first discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "It's been mostly gradual. The more I dealt with art the more I realized it was important to me."

Q. How has society influenced your art? Are there any social implications in your art?

A. "I think that society is something you just can’t avoid and ignore. It’s inevitably part of my life and is reflected in my work somehow. I wouldn’t say there are intentional and calculated implications, but they are inherently there."

Q. On average, how long does it take you to create a piece?

A. "There is no average time for me, it’s all different form piece to piece."
Q. Do you have any 'studio rituals'? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?

A. "Not really. I just feel lot’s of times it’s a struggle and I have to push myself. I believe inspiration is kind of a myth, making art is more about hard work and fierce determination."

Q. Discuss one of your pieces. What were you thinking when you created it?

A. "I wasn’t really thinking that much. I had this chunk of 2" thick steel and lots of fire power available (the forge) and just wanted to modify it to see what would happen. I ended up twisting it by hitting it with an eight-pound sledgehammer. (image above)"

Q. Do you have a degree or do you plan to attend school for art? If so, how did it help you as an artist?

A. "Yes I have a degree from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, USA (BFA in sculpture). It helped me both technically and creatively."

Q. Why did you choose the medium(s) that you use?

A. "Because they fit the kind of art I want to create."

Q. Where can we see more of your art?

A. "They are not exhibited right now, so I would have to refer to the website for now: http://www.hakan-alkacir.com/ "

Q. In one sentence... why do you create art?

A. "I have to."

Q. What can you tell our readers about the art scene in your area?

A. "I wouldn’t say there is anything radical going on. (Stockholm/Sweden)"

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Hakan Alkacir. Feel free to critique or discuss his work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Diana Folsom

I recently interviewed artist Diana Folsom. Diana works at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and has been interviewed three times by Molly Barnes on Dateline USA. She has also been interviewed by several radio personalities. Diana creates paintings that deal with water and the female figure.

Water is a universal symbol of life, abundance and the female in many myths and countries. Flowing water is a classic metaphor for life's journey- life begins and travels through a woman's body. Diana captures this essence within the context of her work. The body encloses a river of processes - it is a microcosm of the way the earth works. Both body and earth breathe, grow, and erode.

Together with a metaphor of river, Diana's works emphasize the textural use of materials. While studying her own aerial photographs or those from satellites, she utilizes the actions of paint on canvas to emulate the earth's biology and map a painterly terrain.

In her opinion, The Woman as River series examines water moving through terrain, linking the human body and the earth, giving earthly form to spiritual elements.

Q. When did you first discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "I was inspired to become an artist when I was 14 years old. It was a very romantic, idealistic notion which struck me during an art history class. The idea came like gentle lightening. I didn't really know what it meant or how to have an artist's life and wondered if I could be "good enough" - but felt quietly determined."

Q. How has society influenced your art? Are there any social implications in your art?

A. "My paintings are not directly involved with social issues, but have a relationship with feminism and incorporate a distant perspective influenced by space travel and the Hubble telescope images. Since I had a male professor in undergraduate school who discouraged women from serious painting study, it made me more determined to be an artist and to organize my life around this challenge. I have wrestled with the issues of work and personal roles to find my balance within the identity struggles of my generation. The recent series I call "Woman as River" has this sense of finding my place in the world."

Q. On average, how long does it take you to create a piece?

A. "It usually takes about three months to finish a painting and I work on several paintings at the same time. I move back and forth between them to avoid getting too stiff or overworked. Each one grows slowly because my technique incorporates many thick, wet layers of paint or other media and each layer takes a day or two to dry. The layers are usually poured onto the canvas or wood and because I mix each layer with a matte resin which is milky when wet, I don't usually know exactly how the layer will look until the next day after it dries."

Q. Can you share some of your philosophy about art and artistic creation?

A. "I enjoy the wide range of art philosophies in the art world today, yet I am still most interested in the simple act of painting. I feel close to feminist issues ideologically, but have mostly explored the workings of color and abstraction to convey my mystical yearnings. Early influences include the abstract expressionists and color field painters and notions about chance. The work of Joan Snyder has always been very important to me, because of her gutsy paint-handling and the personally expressive elements she brings to painting.

To be an artist is to travel a spiritual path. Through the physical process of working on art, we discover, or maybe excavate, our individual perspective – and "find our voice". My journey has been fairly introspective and I have tended to be a loner since graduate school, but since moving to Los Angeles I have gotten more involved with other artists through critique groups. My work has gotten stronger as a result of constructive conversations and musings with other artists.

Last October I spent a month-long artist residency at the Vermont Studio Center with 50 other artists and writers from around the world. This was the ultimate in positive experiences – where the cross-talk of practical suggestions to soaring ideas brought influences that were wide and deep.

This myartspace website is a wonderful place to share wide-ranging artistic viewpoints. I hope it will become a constructive forum between artists."

Q. Discuss one of your pieces.What were you thinking when you created it?

A. "Most every effort to show work is important, because it helps us see our work differently - perhaps with a little more understanding of what we are trying to say and what is getting across to the viewer. We are enabled to see our work a little more objectively.

A most interesting recent exhibition was a show I did in 2004 with William Matthews called "As Dreams are Made On – two artists respond to the work of Shakespeare". It was a wonderful, surprising experience for me. The gallerist, Lois Lambert, had been encouraging William to think about his artistic responses to the writings of Shakespeare, since he usually creates artworks that relate to written material, such as the poems of Pablo Neruda. Later she suggested that I might also want to participate. I was skeptical, having never worked this way before, but such incentive helped me explore the writings of Shakespeare from a new perspective – to look at what strikes me as personally relevant and how that would translate into my painting vocabulary.

I responded to a few overarching themes found throughout the writings: the human struggle with will, desire and power and how that develops in the cycles of life; the poetic elements of stars and flowers; the women. The resulting paintings I made were mainly diptychs and triptychs which played with words and materials.

The human struggle idea manifested itself in play with the words found in William: Will I Am, I Am Will, I Am (images below)- connected with different parts of the human life cycle. The perspective is from the sky looking down on earth - on a seashore with water washing over words in the sand and other marks left by human activity. The early stages of life ( Will I Am) are confident times, confident in our will to succeed; the middle stages (when the plot thickens and difficulties abound – I Am Will ) become more turbulent and event-filled and we wrestle for control; and in the later stages, our human will begins to wash away as we become more aware that we are integrated with the Universe and life force (God) – so the only words left are " I am" which are also ancient words for God.

The garden and sky metaphors helped me push one of my childhood (Grade 5) ideas further: flowers on earth being like stars in the sky. Further influenced by the Hubble images of stars, it occurred to me that dying stars look like flowers blooming, and that my mystical beliefs tend to flow with that direction of thought, especially since the elements dispersed by stars are later swept up to create new stars. So I experimented with making stars that look like flowers, and flowers that look like stars – usually as part of a triptych (image below) with other elements of earth, air, wind.


I would like all of my paintings to feel as if earth processes just naturally made them – some work more fluidly and naturally than others. Here's an example of one that worked fairly naturally (image below).


Q. Do you have any 'studio rituals'? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?

A. "In addition to playing all sorts of music, from energizing to quiet – I like to play a video about Chuck Close over and over. It has a peaceful daily rhythm of painting, with quite a bit of footage of him painting, as well as talking with other artist friends. It feels real. Something about it helps settle my mind to focus on painting - the activity is separate from daily tasks, but also part of the web of daily life."

Q. If you could pinpoint the characteristics of people who collect your art, what would they be?

A. "I don't notice specific characteristics of people who collect my work, except that they are very interested in living with art and supportive of my artistic development. They seem to trust their own instincts. One observation I have is that people who have more active, outgoing personalities often purchase the quieter, more introspective paintings, and in contrast, people who have quieter personalities seem to choose the more outgoing, active paintings."

Q. Do you have a degree or do you plan to attend school for art? If so, how did it help you as an artist? What can you tell us about the art department that you attended?

A. "I did undergraduate work as an art major at San Diego State University , with minors in Dance and Music. SDSU's art department gave a good foundation in fundamental art-making skills. One of the solid habits imparted at SDSU was to work regularly, every day if possible, and not wait only for a "big" inspirational moment. Those small, daily moments of activity can develop a direction. Through the process of working, we learn what we are about and what is important to us.

Then for graduate studies in painting, I attended Hunter College in New York . My main teachers were Ralph Humphrey and Ron Gorchov. Both were supportive and did a great job of encouraging us to go in our own directions. (Have you heard about Ron Gorchov's new work shown by Vito Schnabel in NYC? It's wonderful to hear about.)

I attended liberal arts colleges because I was curious about the world of ideas. I come from quiet, simple, hard-working people. Perhaps my father's native American roots contributed to the general silence. I learned to listen well and love silence, but went to college to learn more about words and ideas. What better place than Manhattan for full immersion in the world of artistic ideas?"

Q. Why did you choose the medium(s) that you use?

A. "I've always been interested in fluid, liquid, lyrical surfaces, and I tend to develop slowly in everything I do. So, I figured that acrylic paints would dry faster and have used them consistently. Further influenced by fellow artists, I like to experiment with construction materials for various textures and surfaces – such as Saltillo and driveway crack-sealer and clay. I also mix matte resin with nearly every color or material, which gives a nice clarity to the tones – but as I mentioned earlier, the best medium I have found is opaque until it dries, so it adds to the element of surprise in my working process.

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "My website http://www.dianafolsom.com/"

Q. Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?

A. "I don't have specific representation right now, but I have paintings in a wonderful restaurant near LACMA: Caffe' Latte, on the corner of Crescent Heights and Wilshire Blvd. I am planning to participate in a large group show (in a 10,000 square foot space) coinciding with the Earthday Festival in Los Angeles, opening on April 22, 2007, at UPSpace, curated by gallerist/artist Chris Sicat."

Q. What galleries have you exhibited in? Can you provide links to their sites?

"Lois Lambert Gallery , (Gallery of Functional Art - see work of William Matthews)

http://www.galleryoffunctionalart.com/

Double Vision Gallery -

http://www.doublevisionarts.com/"

Q. Any tips for emerging artists?

A. "It's important to keep making your art no matter what happens in your life and get to know other artists so that you can encourage each other and rant whenever necessary."

Q. What was the toughest point in your career as an artist? Have you ever hit rock-bottom?

A. "I hit rock-bottom in the mid 90s when it seemed that I was spending so much time trying to sell my paintings that I was neglecting the development of the work. The paintings felt as empty as I was feeling inside. So, I pulled back from the selling activities to go more deeply into the work without any deadlines. I work at an art museum, LACMA, so I am surrounded by art from all periods and can spend time in the galleries and then go home at night and focus on going inside my work more deeply. It took six years to develop the "Woman as River" series.

It is difficult to find the balance between staying in the studio and going out into the world to share our work – and maybe we go through phases when we have to be more fully internal."

Q. In one sentence... why do you create art?

A. "I make art because I am happiest when I am painting, and also because I am a visual thinker and because it makes the world a better place. I believe that if everyone took time to develop their own art expression, the world would better place."

Q. What can you tell our readers about the art scene in your area?

A. "Los Angeles is a thriving art community with a strong energy in the art activities around town. It's a very exciting time to be working here… if only the traffic wasn't so bad."

Q. Does religion, faith, or the lack thereof play a part in your art?

A. "I come from a strongly religious family, so in spite of myself, I seem to have consistently explored ways to give some shape to the formless, divine core of all things - trying to connect earth and sky."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Diana Folsom. Feel free to critique or discuss her work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Criticism: What Is Interdisciplinary Art?

Hello, my name is Nathan Townes-Anderson and I'm new to the myartspace blog. I'm a new media artist who likes to write casual criticism of contemporary and modern art. My blog entries can be found here and at my website, www.nathantown.com. Enjoy!

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You're probably familiar with the term "interdisciplinary," perhaps you came across it tucked away in the small print of your college handbook. Well, in the art world, it's been tossed around since the 1960's (the era of the interdisciplinary academic boom!) but how it actually applies to Art is still a little murky. Today I'd like to casually/rigorously define the term "interdisciplinary" in an art context to clear up any confusion. Because there is, I think, some confusion. Let me summarize my argument first and then I'll blab about the specifics:

In the past, artists have often used an "interdisciplinary" approach to innovate in art. The disciplines these artists integrated into the field of art include both academic and vernacular subjects or processes. However, the current definition of "interdisciplinary art" refers to a specific kind of work also called "Institutional Critique." In this work artists use techniques derived from other academic fields, techniques that remain non-artistic and are not integrated into the field of art. Instead of expanding the field of Art, current "interdisciplinary art" reinforces its boundaries, contradicting historical "interdisciplinary" practices.

(If that last paragraph was confusing, don't worry, read on for the long explanation...)

Ok, the blabbing:

To begin, let's define that vague term "interdisciplinary." I'll say it's a way of working that uses knowledge from multiple fields to solve a problem. For example, if you apply interesting stuff from science and math to innovate in art, that could be called interdisciplinary art making. But while the idea of being "interdisciplinary" has become recently popular, the idea is nothing new. Interdisciplinary work has always happened, and different fields have always communicated and shared ideas. The difference now is that we've named it, institutionalized it, and made it possible to get paid (poorly) to be a professor in it. But, generally, folks with knowledge of several fields can get ahead by applying the cutting edge of one field to another field.

Our concept of the "avant-garde" and the following definition of an interdisciplinary approach are similar, since both (usually) integrate new ideas or technologies into a field. There are many art examples of interdisciplinary approaches: there were the first art photographers ("A photograph as art!? That's not art, it's engineering!"), Marcel Duchamp reading up on scientific discoveries and employing their procedures in his absurd experiments, and just try to imagine Surrealism without Freud ("I don't get it...why a hot dog chasing a donut?"). There are contemporary examples as well, such as Bruce Nauman's academic love of literature and music. In all cases, these artists expanded the definition of art to include their interests in other academic fields, making their approaches to art "interdisciplinary."

However, many times artists have integrated ideas from vernacular culture instead of from an academic field. This integration still follows our "interdisciplinary" model, but substitutes Pop for Academia. Warhol, for example, took his personal interests in business and Elizabeth Taylor and integrated them into the field of Art. Picasso, too, integrated his love of "low" or vernacular visual culture (newspapers, African art sold in Pawn Shops) into Art. The list goes on and on.

But, here is the problem: recent uses of the term "interdisciplinary art" can refer to a specific kind of art making termed "Institutional Critique" (see Fred Wilson, Hans Haake). "Institutional Critique" critically addresses the site or context it is shown in and often reveals institutions' ambivalence or hidden intentions. Take this description of UCLA's graduate program concentration in "Interdisciplinary Studio":

"The Interdisciplinary Studio specialization combines directed research and studio practice within a context which aims to provide students with a critical forum for exploring site- and debate-specific forms of institutional critique. The specialization encourages inter-area projects which involve the theoretical procedures or material processes of other academic disciplines." (from http://www.art.ucla.edu/graduate/areas.html)

A bit dense, I know, but they're using the term "interdisciplinary" to refer to the non-artistic research that usually goes into the process of creating such a work. So, in this case, their practice of academic research is not integrated into the field of art, but instead remains firmly part of another discipline.

Speaking literally, this "interdisciplinary" approach does not expand or question the limits of art, because we are immediately informed of where the field of Art ends and where the fields of research begin. Ironically, this artistic approach is the result of an "interdisciplinary" questioning of boundaries, and the hard won integration of contemporary activism into the field of art.

Such a contradiction hints at the conservative nature of such practices, and their limitations as "political" art. Artists continuing to use the "Institutional Critique" model should address this contradiction, now that the initial shock of such practices has worn off. For starters, if they are artists, why is their research considered academic and not artistic?

At the very least, this kind of work should not dominate or direct our discussion of the "interdisciplinary." Duchamp, Picasso and Warhol are way more interesting (and political) than Wilson.

Nathantown
nathan at nathantown dot com

Art Space Talk: Josephine Gibbs

I recently interviewed artist Josephine Gibbs. Josephine instructs all the mediums within printmaking at Yavapai community college. Born in England, she now lives and teaches in the USA. He work can be found in several private collections.

Josephine's artwork is interdisciplinary. She combines materials and explores the possibilities of them while creating. The main theme of her work is to stir up the viewers sense of imagination and promote a feeling of wonder. Subjects that influence her work are Eastern Indian and Native American Art, transpersonal psychology, and comparative mythology.

Q. When did you first discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "It was not until my highschool years that I realized Art was more that just a hobbie. I graduated and continued on to undergraduate school and then six years later to Graduate school. It was in highschool that I became very interested in intaglio etching. I went to college to continue to learn about the medium. In college I discovered drawing, and painting on a large scale. Through these mediums I discovered myself. As a shy person I could speak through my creations and I learned that drawing whether on paper or a plate it the easiest way to get things outside of myself."

Q. How has society influenced your art? Are there any social implications in your art?

A. "Society is always influencing my work. There are a couple about Factory Farming, others about time, and pondering its cyclical nature. My new pieces are more about spiritual evolution of the human being. Deeply thinking about life, its happenings, the fast pace culture we live in and how to transcend ourselves beyond the rush."

Q. On average, how long does it take you to create a piece?

A. "Some pieces are done quite quickly as others take months. It depends on the inspiration."

Q. Has your art ever been published?

A. "My work has been published in Direct Art, and some college journals."

Q. Do you have any 'studio rituals'? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?

A. "I make dark English black tea with milk and sugar, look through my sketchbooks and listen to really load music, Such as, Thievery Corp., David Gray (currently, but not always), Bjork, Cat Power and more."

Q. If you could pinpoint the characteristics of people who collect your art, what would they be?

A. "Very intuitive, sensitive beings who are very passionate about art."

Q. Discuss one of your pieces. What were you thinking when you created it?

A. "I will discuss a piece entitled "Chaos and Order", It is a small piece that is part of a scroll I am working on right now. It is an etching of a friends tatoo. The symbol speaks to me and so I have incorporated into my new work. I have no idea what the tatoo means to my friend as he has agreed not to tell me until I am finished with the series. I don't want his meaning to effect my drawings. This piece has become an obsession of mine. It represents life, so incomplete at times. When I first saw the incomplete circle that it is I saw a metaphor for life. Nothing being symetrical. Imperfection existing in everything. Chaos always spiraling towards order and order to chaos once again. An interrupted whole."

Q. Where did you attend art school?

A. "I have a Masters in Fine Art I got that degree from University of Oregon."

Q. Why did you choose the medium(s) that you use?

A. "I work in many mediums but I love the etched line. It is intense and there is no other marks like the marks printed off copper. Copper etching is my favorite because it is the only medium that my ideas easily flow out. It's like the copper tells me what to draw sometimes."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "In Prescott this March, probably."

Q. What was the toughest point in your career as an artist? Have you ever hit rock-bottom?

A. "I still have a tough time as an artist. I'd say the toughest was when I first finished Grad. school. I went from a supportive community and a stipend to trying to survive on nothing and without a studio. I'd say I am still trying to survive just making art."

Q. In one sentence... why do you create art?

A. "I have to for my sanity."

Q. Does religion, faith, or the lack thereof play a part in your art?

A. "Spirituality plays a huge part in my art. I have spent most of my days here on the planet critiquing life and studying transpersonal psychology. Along with this I have experimented with mind altering substances. I believe these have added to my spiritual wanderings and to my work.

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Josephine Gibbs. Feel free to critique or discuss her work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Helen Babis

I recently interviewed artist Helen Babis. Helen works with a variety of mediums (including handmade paper). She is innately drawn to an expressive approach of deriving and releasing creativity from an unconscious state of mind.

Her abstractions are intuitive, spontaneous and deliberate messages which necessitate a vital action to release, bridge and balance the tension between spontaneity and the pursuit for aesthetic value.

Somewhere in the sanctuary of her being, symbolic messages are driven with the fervor of a hunter, attempting to define and capture the voice, to bring it to light. In some instances, ceaseless and recurring messages, forms and symbols rise, conveying dissatisfaction with the finality of only one image as the interpretation of the unconscious voice.

Q. When did you first discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "I don’t know if it was a discovery, the need to be creative has always been innately present in my life."

Q. How has society influenced your art? Are there any social implications in your art?

A. "Society is obviously responsible for the human experience and condition and of course, I am not immune, (thankfully) but I am not always conscious of how and when I may have specifically been affected. The affects surface in my work in an abstract language, symbolically expressing my emotional reaction and response to these influences.
Regarding social implications in my art, well there are these faces and figures that arise, I’m not sure when and if they represent others or they’re all self portraits."

Q. On average, how long does it take you to create a piece?

A. "It varies, sometimes magic happens during a spontaneous ½ hour or so ;up to a week or more with further manipulation, assessment and additional enhancements.

More often than not, I have no control over the completion of the work; it happens and evolves in its own time."

Q. Can you share some of your philosophy about art and artistic creation?

A. "Art sustains a wonderful thing called self indulgence. It is a very powerful, transformative and expressive tool that gives a physical presence to the spirit and soul of the artist.

I also believe it’s important that artistic creations be shared. In the sharing, individuals can become empowered and connected emotionally and intellectually.

Art defines a society and I believe it serves as the glue for the pursuit of a healthy, social and emotional intelligence."

Q. What was your most important exhibition? Care to share that experience?

A. "It wasn’t the exhibition itself; it was an experience I had at the opening of the show. Two critics were discussing my work exchanging opinions regarding the intended meaning of a particular piece. I was standing behind them listening to the conversation; both were expressing strong opinionated differences of their perceived meanings with equal convictions. I found it humorous and interesting from the perspective that as the artist, I had no clue what it meant.

This created the opportunity for me to re-assess an element in the criteria I had adopted to determine the validity of the work I produced. I concluded that aside from aesthetic value, I shouldn’t judge the validity of my work on whether I effectively communicated a clear and specific message, but that the evocation of connectivity with my audience was an integral element beyond serving my own personal needs."

Q. Do you have any 'studio rituals'? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?

A. "I seem to create best when I allow myself to be free and in tune with the present moment. Sometimes I play music; sometimes music is distracting period and other times music has been a hindrance.

More often than not, my emotional barometer dictates when and how I create and what I do to facilitate it. There have been many times that I have sabotaged myself with other perceived external impositions that establish my mood. I’m working on eradicating these obstacles."

Q. If you could pinpoint the characteristics of people who collect your art, what would they be?

A. "People who have collected my work are individuals who value artistic expression and are willing to support its importance with a financial investment. Individual’s are motivated to collect my work based on the connection and relevance of the work to their own lives, as an investment or because it is an asset in enhancing a physical environment."

Q. Discuss one of your pieces. What were you thinking when you created it?

A. "Work: Emotional Remedies. (image above)
I was inquiring within seeking an answer. I didn’t have a particular question, a preconceived idea or an expectation of the result. I was free, open and listening. It happened in one shot, quickly and without any struggle.

This is one of the few unconscious abstractions that delivered an answer with what I perceive to be of obvious clarity to me."


Q. Do you have a degree or do you plan to attend school for art? If so, how did it help you as an artist? What can you tell us about the art department that you attended?

A. "I hold a certificate in Fine Arts, a BFA in printmaking, and a teaching certificate in
Visual Arts.

Art school obviously helped me tremendously in providing me with the opportunities to learn about Art in general ,but it also provided the opportunity to network and be totally self indulgent, allowing me to experiment with a variety of media easily.

In hindsight, I lived a very privileged life, one that created a lifestyle I am always trying to integrate and replicate to sustain my heart’s desire."

Why did you choose the medium(s) that you use?

A. "I experimented with monotypes and fell in love with the spontaneity and unpredictable results of the process. I began working differently, concentrating on the removal of elements rather than on the addition of them. It was also very liberating approaching art from the perspective that I didn’t have to have a conscious idea to produce work of validity.

Not having a conscious idea to convey often prevented me from producing work. This was a form of personal sabotage that was restricting my growth with imposed obstacles.

I became innately drawn to the expressive approach of deriving and releasing creativity from my unconscious state of mind. The results are intuitive, spontaneous and deliberate messages which continue to keep me emotionally balanced and maintain a passion for the power of the unconscious state of mind."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "You can view my work on http://www.myspace.com/hbabis
I’m working on a few more venues like http://www.myartspace.com/ and a website of my own."

Q. What trends do you see in the 'art world'?

A. "Computer technology has obviously impacted and expanded the ways individuals can encounter, express and convey messages creating new opportunities for self-expression and creative competence. Integral art forms have expanded the categories of Art and enabled many more individuals to be creative apart from the traditional art forms."

Q. What was the toughest point in your career as an artist? Have you ever hit rock-bottom?

A. "Unless an artist has the financial resources to pay for a life and extra for supporting their passions, there are constant tough points and obstacles. Fortunately, alternative thinking is a required skill for an artist so as long as there are options one is only stuck by their own efforts.

One time comes to mind, I just couldn’t, didn’t produce anything for nearly a year. I lost my self confidence in my work and actually abandoned this passion to my detriment emotionally. I didn’t apply any effort in pursuing an artistic career for quite some time. But when I did, the work was very powerful. I actually have learned to appreciate the tough points and the rock bottoms. My best work always arises out of problematic situations."

Q. In one sentence... why do you create art?

A. "Creating art is vital, it sustains an emotional balance and satisfies my need for sensory incitement."

Q. Does religion, faith, or the lack thereof play a part in your art?

A. "All of these elements contribute to my artwork. It’s just not so obvious in the visual imagery, but I believe my hand is guided by the spirit I was gifted with.

My unconscious mind is where my spirit lives. I am always inquiring within for the answers I seek and the truth always unveils itself."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Helen Babis. Feel free to critique or discuss her work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Karen Patterson

I recently interviewed artist Karen Patterson. Karen is a conceptual and documentary style photographer. She focuses on looking at culture through film and photography.

Since August of 1994, her life has centered on living, working, and studying in China. Most of her free time in the beginning was spent walking around the streets of China as a way of trying to understand and see where it was that she was living.

She decided to “capture” and communicate with the world around her by utilizing her 35 mm camera. As a result she produced a substantial body of work that continues to expand.

Q. How has society influenced your art? Are there any social implications in your art?

A. "The society that I live in is mainly made up of Chinese mainlanders and a sprinkling of foreigners who have decided to make China their home for the time being.

When I first came to China, I did not think that I would be much affected by those around me, at least not in terms of creating photos, I just went about making photos of almost everything that I laid my eyes on. That, I suppose, was a way of dealing with what I was feeling and seeing in the mid 90s, but that feeling has since vanished.

Believe it or not, the incredibly interesting fruit seller down the street or amazingly ornate alley/street scene today in China is no longer something that I want to capture on film.

After 10.5 years here, I am more interested in gaining a deeper understanding as to WHY it is that I am still here (besides having married local and set up a home here), and how it is that I am able to express myself in a language and culture that was not familiar for the first 26 years of my life.

Therefore, many of the works that I do now are about being an outsider living on the inside of a very homogenous community, both physically and socially.

So, while most contemporary Chinese artists are making works about the crazy pace of the economy and how it impacts their lives, I am looking at the how I fit into this puzzle. Hence, I am an outsider inside.

Q. On average, how long does it take you to create a piece?

A. "Too long. I sometimes can get into the mood of making photos on a daily basis, but this is very rare. It depends on the project. If I am not physically snapping photos on the camera, I am otherwise thinking of a concept or project to work on at a later date. In the past, I have gone as long as 8 months without picking up my camera. I was working out the logistics of a conceptual piece of work that I completed 4 years later."


Q. Has your art ever been published?

A. "Yes, in a local art review magazine here in Beijing, and a thick, historical/pictorial book that is an introduction on the Dashanzi 798 Factory Art district here in Beijing, which was very close to being demolished in exchange for -yet another - shopping mall in China!

Concerned citizens, artists and supporters of the art scene got together and one of the things they did was put together this book (available on line from www.timezone8books.com), and thereby saved the space from the wrecking ball.

My photos of a factory emitting steam (samples above) on a very cold November day survived the editor's final cut, making me proud to be part of such an important project!"

Q. What was your most important exhibition? Care to share that experience?

A. "The most important exhibition I have been involved in is one that I actually curated and participated in simultaneously. DNA: A Visual Exhibition ran for 3 weeks during Beijing's first contemporary art biennale in September 2003.

How was it special? I had been involved in the art scene for about 3 years prior to this event, and felt that I wanted to give something back to the community. I managed to organize 53 artists, 7 of who were foreign and the rest Chinese, into submitting works no larger than either a 5x5 or a 5x7.

My point was to challenge the current thinking among many artists/photographers that photos can sell just like oil paintings, meaning the bigger the photo, the heftier the price tag.

I wanted to make these artists and the viewing audiences realize this by returning to the original use of photographs - something that can be easily held in ones hand.

Furthermore, the space for the exhibition was an old granary located in the middle of Beijing, built during the 16th century. This space was managed by a Hong Kong development company, who decided that it would be a win-win to invest in my exhibition- hopefully attracting young, well-heeled Chinese and foreigners to take an interest in several residential and office spaces that they were also managing on site. As a result, they paid for everything, including a 100 page glossy catalogue of the show, right down to the snacks and refreshments!"


Q. Do you have a degree or do you plan to attend school for art? If so, how did it help you as an artist? What can you tell us about the art department that you attended?

A. "My education background is in Visual and Ethnographic anthropology, and more recently in teaching English as a second language. Photography is something that I have tried to develop alongside whatever career I am pursuing, as I am not one who wants to make photos in order to survive. If I have to do it for money, I quickly lose interest."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "I try to update my website on a regular basis, http://www.outsiderinside.com/. I have been working on a new series called Biracial Doll Project, but it is not yet on the website. It is an exploration into the stereotypes and physical features of kids who are 1/2 Chinese. I organized and photographed 19 such kids, ranging in age from 1.5 to 14 years old. It was amazing."

Q. Any tips for emerging artists?

A. "If someone at some stage of your life has told you that you are not artistically inclined, don't fret, as anyone can learn to be an artist. It isn't something that one is necessarily born with; it can be nurtured and developed. It's just that some people might have a head start­ (I don't consider myself as belonging to the latter, as I had to be convinced that I could learn to see creatively!)."

Q. What can you tell our readers about the art scene in your area?

A. "I presently live in Beijing, China, with my Chinese husband who is also an artist (http://www.wuyuren.com/), and our 2.5-year-old daughter, Hannah. By the nature of what we do and who we are, we are constantly surrounded by contemporary artists- be they photographers, oil painters, sculptors, performance and installation artists, we interact with them in some way on a daily basis.

I consider myself lucky to be able to readily access such a richly textured and dynamic sub-culture of China. However, this isn't available to everyone, nor is it FOR everyone. To be sure, anything 'Chinese' is hot, and Chinese contemporary and avant-garde art is no exception, alongside fashion, the Olympics, tourism, cheap labor and manufacturing, an overheated economy and an incredible cuisine, and people are now more than ever interested in purchasing Chinese Art.

As a result, many artists who were literally starving on one bowl of noodles a day not so long ago, are now driving fancy cars and living in Western style villas and condos downtown. This is not only a new China, but it also characterizes the art scene in my area."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Karen Patterson. Feel free to critique or discuss her work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Val Dyshlov

I recently interviewed Val Dyshlov. Mr. Dyshlov was born and raised in Siberia. He was trained by the well-known teacher and great artist Vitaly Lenchin. Val now resides in the USA.

Many of his artworks are in Ukrainian museums, and in private collections in Western and Eastern Europe, Russia, Canada and USA. Norton Dodge, a well-known collector of Russian underground art, has collected many of Val's pieces.


Q. When did you first discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "After high school graduation. I've been drawing and painting since I was 5. I also took art history classes in my junior years."

Q. How has society influenced your art? Are there any social implications in your art?

A. "Social events, and everything that's going on in society get digested and intellectually transformed into images constantly, then I transport them into fantastical or theatrical realm. An example of such allegorical content is a Puppet show, where a silent dialog is occuring in a theatrical realm.

Queen symbolizes an impartial judge, a bird is an artist; the general with a crotch, needless and comical, and a doll is an unassuming character, symbol of unnecessary urbanity. "

Q. On average, how long does it take you to create a piece?

A. "It depends on inspiration and my frame of mind. Sometimes it takes a week, and sometimes it takes several months. It may take a year when I come back to the picture and add more texture or work on color or expression."


Q. Can you share some of your philosophy about art and artistic creation?

A. "I constantly strive for cognition of the environment. And the more I achieve on my path of cognition, the more things I want to express on a highest professional level. I like professionalism in any human activity, being it space exploration or an art."

Q. Has your art ever been published?

A. "All the time. In magazines, newspapers, catalogs, and books. One of them is "New art international" published in New York, and this March a new book is scheduled for release in World of Art "100 famous artists". My bio is included into World dictionary of Artists published in Munich by K.G.Sauer. Art Business News magazine, the most recent issue, has my picture."

Q. What was your most important exhibition? Care to share that experience?

A. "In 2006, my artwork was shown in highly selective and prestigious surrealist show in MUSEUM HR GIGER in Switzerland. In 2006 also, I had my solo show in Chelsea, New York. There was many interesting people and they had very nice food and wine. "

Q. Do you have any 'studio rituals'? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?

A. "I like listening to BBC radio station and having tea."

Q. If you could pinpoint the characteristics of people who collect your art, what would they be?

A. "These are very intellectual and highly educated people, lawyers, doctors, museum curators, scientists."

Q. Discuss one of your pieces.What were you thinking when you created it?

A. ""Walk"(2007). When I first saw an iguana many years ago in New York sitting on a shoulder of a big man,

I was stunned by the animal, both cute and so exotic to me, because where I was born there were snows and brown bears. I remain fascinated with iguanas since then. When I look at their eye, I get the feeling of ancient wisdom staring comely upon the world. I wanted to place this harmless and amazing creature next to a character to play with the idea of an iguana as an intelligent human companion."

Q. Do you have a degree or do you plan to attend school for art? If so, how did it help you as an artist? What can you tell us about the art department that you attended?

A. "I attended private studio of a famous artist for 4 years. Then, I graduated from School of art with Masters degree and then taught in my school for many years. I was lucky, I was surrounded with top-notch artists during my school years."

Q. Why did you choose the medium(s) that you use?

A. "After graduating from school, I created graphics works: etchings, linocut, lithography, monotype. Before entering school, I painted oil and tempera a lot. So, it was oil- graphics- oil again for me."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "I will be showing in Art EXPO New York (Javitz center, March 1-5), in SOLO section. Next, in Noyes museum in New Jersey, until July. You can preview my artworks on my website, http://www.valdyshlov.com/, on Saatchi "Your gallery" website and on Society for Art of Imagination website. I also have a website on Japanese web."

Q. Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?
A. "I'm open for gallery representation. I show around USA and Europe. As above, two main shows for the next few months."

Q. What galleries have you exhibited in? Can you provide links to their sites?

A. "Interart gallery in Chelsea, http://www.interartny.com/. In New Jersey, in APEX gallery."

Q. What trends do you see in the 'art world'?

A. "I see a trend of fantastic, dreamy imagery blending with more realistic art forms in compositions."

Q. Any tips for emerging artists?

A. "Look at Old masters artworks in museums, and copy them as much as you can. That's the way to learn secrets of fine art mastership. Plus you need to study live models and nature."

Q. What was the toughest point in your career as an artist? Have you ever hit rock-bottom?

A. "Every creative person has his ups and downs."

Q. In one sentence... why do you create art?

A. "The creative process gives me excitement and joy."

Q. What can you tell our readers about the art scene in your area?

A. "I live very close to New York city, which is one of the greatest art centers in the world. The art scene is under its influence."

Q. Has politics ever entered your art?

A. "If it ever was, very indirectly."

Q. Does religion, faith, or the lack thereof play a part in your art?

A. "I believe religion effects me as every person."

Q. Is there anything else you would like to say about your art or the 'art world'?

A. "I like working in series, one of them "Performance". Now, I'm working on "Daydreams", which shows iguanas. This is explained by my education in Graphics, where working in series is a usual method."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Val Dyshlov. Feel free to critique or discuss his art.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Cam de Leon

I recently interviewed artist Cam de Leon. Cam is an American artist who specializes in surreal- darkly fantastic imagery.

Cam created some of the band Tool's early artwork, as well as working as a digital illustrator, doing concept and visual development and character design for the feature animation industry.

He has worked as a digital illustrator for movies such as Ghostbusters, Hook, The Sum of All Fears and Cat in the Hat.


Q. Your father was a piano player and your mother was a singer. Your family, based on what I've read, was very musical. Did that early musical influence help to shape your direction in art?

A. "Probably. I’m not sure it influenced me in any particularly visual way. But my dad was a real stickler for getting your act totally polished before taking it on the road, and believed in a certain amount of showmanship.

This had the effect of making me a hopeless perfectionist, and as a result I’m miserable most of the time. And, since I’m socially awkward and not at all comfortable being the center of any attention, I’d rather entertain by proxy, so visual art seemed a way to handle that. But I played drums first, and love the instrument still…I think I missed my true calling."

Q. You left home at the age of 19 to pursue a career as an artist. Can you tell our readers about those early years?

A. "I had already been making a job of illustration for a few years before that, but as soon as I had some money saved I headed off. I had no portfolio. I just had this clumsy lapful of original drawings and paintings, and started hitting up every art director in L.A. for an interview.

It was hysterical. I grew up in the woods, and had no clue how this stuff worked, but eventually I got the idea that if you want to get jobs, you have to promote the heck out of yourself. Once I got that figured out, I stayed pretty busy, but continued to make things hard on myself by pursuing many other creative avenues in my attempt to make my job more enjoyable."

Q. In the early years you worked as an advertising illustrator. Can you tell our readers about your experiences in that field? Did it help your career as an artist or did it hold you back?

A. "I suppose it depends on how you define career and/or artist. I agree with the notion that integrity does not include the need for approval. So, naturally when you attend the school of hard knocks, gaining experience while serving clients, there’s bound to be some confusion there.

When someone’s paying you to paint something for them, then their approval is the only defining factor in your success. So, though I care a lot that clients are super happy with what I do for them, at the end of any given day "at work" it still feels like I haven’t done a damn thing worthwhile. So, I try and put in some late night hours as often as I can to keep from losing my mind, or what’s left of it.

Regarding experiences in that field: well, in the beginning, I worked utterly absurd hours routinely up all night through weekends and holidays, to hit deadlines, painting on stuff. It was absurdly stressful. And almost every time, I’d have some last-second overnight courier pissed at me ‘cuz he was there to pick the thing up, and I’d have to make him wait while I made the damn shipping crate.

Now, 20 years later, we have the technological advancements of digital data transfer, so I no longer need couriers. But everything else is pretty much the same."

Q. You created some of the early artwork for the band Tool. How did you meet the band? Can you tell our readers about that experience?

A. "I met Adam, working in the make-up effects industry, back in the late 80's. We had a lot of similar influences and interests, so we became friends and hung out a hell of a lot.

About 3 or 4 years later the band came about, so I started right away making images to help with their promotion, at Adam's request. The "wrench" was the first piece I did, to promote their first show. I did that in ink so it would Xerox easily for the flyers, but that sort of set up the look for most of the T-shirt art I did for them later.

Over the years, I’ve done art that’s been used on the covers of their first demo EP, "Opiate", "_nima", "Salival", and the non-US release "Sober/ Tales from the Dark Side", in addition to the art that’s appeared on many products. I also did a great deal of visual and concept development on most of the videos, which included the full body painting of the figures in both "Stinkfist" and "Schism".

It was on these video projects that I got to know my friend Chet Zar, who was in charge of make-up and other physical effects, and has also contributed many of the 3D animated video loops that appear at their live shows. I continued to contribute art and design work, up until around 2002."

Q. You've worked as a digital illustrator for movies such as Ghostbusters, Hook, The Sum of All Fears, and Cat in the Hat. What has it been like working on such films? Can you share some of your experiences with our readers?

A. "Did you get that list from Wiki?? I don’t know who posted that, but it’s not something I tend to call attention to. There’s a bunch of others too but I don’t really mention titles too much, unless somebody’s asked for a resume. But basically, yah, I’ve worked as a visual development, concept, and character design artist for films and animation for the last 9 years or so.

It’s been a lot more fun than advertising illustration, just because you have a chance to really stretch out with a subject or idea, usually in the form of a story. It’s much nicer to try and find the key moment in a sequence, and then express that with the most atmosphere and mood that you possibly can. There are lots that are way better at it than me, but if the project is something cool, I do like it.

I don’t assume that this needs explaining, but for those that don’t know, this type of work is done before a film has gone into production. It is intended to cover as much of the creative visual development of the film, particularly in the case of animation, as possible before the real money starts to get spent.

It’s usually with a small group of artists, and is a real team effort kind of thing, and it’s always tough when one of these gigs is over, cuz you leave these people you’ve gotten pretty close to. But, then you often gang up again, since it’s not that big of an industry, and you cross paths often.

This is the kind of film work I prefer, but I’ve also done matte painting, and some sculpting, and make-up work as well."

Q. Your fascination with New Media turned a simple online portfolio into an art project that you call HappyPencil. Can you tell our readers about that project? Why did you decide to do it?

A. "I realized at one point that I needed an online portfolio, but as soon as I sat down to try and design a site, I fell in love with all the cool stuff that was being done with Flash. But so much of it was graphics based, and I wanted to use the same technology but skin it more with imagery for a more immersive effect. So the site design went nuts and has absolutely no value as a self-promotional tool. But I had more fun putting that together than most things I can remember.

It got bombed in the beginning, and I had to set up a store to try and cover the costs associated with a ton of traffic, and it’s done okay to hold it’s own. It was built with the able help of Liane Polosky who did the very complex programming and assembly, and my friend Lustmord made the amazingly beautiful noises that help make the site feel more like a place than a magazine, which was the goal.

I have so many ideas for it’s development, but I’ve just been too busy to be able to do all the things with that project that I had in mind. I’ll still continue to add stuff to it when I can afford to, but sadly, it’s in a bit of a holding pattern. There’s more to come though."

Q. You have been very influential to many younger artists. Did you ever expect that you would make such an impact on the lives of others?

A. "Really?! Wow, who knew? It’s hard to comment on that cuz I wasn’t aware of it. Naturally, if I’ve had an effect on others, I’d hope it was positive."

Q. How has society influenced your art? Are there any social implications in your art?

A. "Well if, in this case, "society" could be construed to include high school, then yeah, I guess. I was just as much a freak then as I am now, so I did get beat up a lot, and that influenced me plenty.

I realized right then I had no interest in reality whatsoever, and my stuff seems to grow progressively more detached from real things as time goes on. I guess that’s cuz I continue to feel beaten up. But, the upside is that’s kept me hungry and mean, in the creative sense, and I just push on.

As for social "implications": honestly, I’m pretty much expressing my desire to get the hell out of here. So, despite my passionate concern for the condition of so-called "life on Earth", I figure society will be just fine without any of my implications."

Q. Do you have any 'studio rituals'? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?

A. "Let’s see…nothing too fancy; just 3 or 4 hours of yoga, and another couple in deep meditation and I’m good to go. Actually, I’m just lucky to be alive, physically or spiritually. You might as well have asked what gets me in the mood to not work.

What helps get me in the mood to work is fear of what will happen to me if I don’t. If you’ve got anyone other than yourself who depends on you to eat, for example, then hitting deadlines on time becomes more of a priority. But, on most days, a cup of coffee, and knowing that Dawson and the kids are in good shape is about all I need to be able to get focused.

Once there, I do love music, and that helps sustain the space quite a bit. But sadly, I’m finding that the way life is now, I’m interrupted so often that I can no longer get through a whole album, say, before having to jump up and handle something. The by-product of that is, when I get back to it, I forget to push play again. So, I’ve found that I work in relative silence more often than not.

Late nights though, I can pretty much do things my way. So long as I don’t have to be somewhere first thing in the morning, 2am feels a lot like the good old days."

Q. If you could pinpoint the characteristics of people who collect your art, what would they be?

A. "I think they’d probably have to have a sense of humor. Honestly, I have no idea. But I can say this, that whatever they are, I’m grateful for every one of them.

I simply can’t afford to make new art without the kind support of those that find it interesting enough to purchase it. So, considering the very selfish nature of my love of making things, I don’t take the sale of a single sticker for granted. In fact, it might even be said that I feel guilty for it.

So, in a futile effort to compensate for that, I tend to also give a lot of stuff away. With virtually every order from the website, I send some freebies along to show my appreciation. I joke that giving things away for free is the secret to my huge success, but the obvious truth is that it’s a constant struggle to buy the time needed to move projects forward."

Q. Discuss one of your pieces. What were you thinking when you created it?

A. "Well, it’s a bit hard to choose, because I don’t have any particular procedure when it comes to developing ideas. Sometimes I arbitrarily pick something I want to paint, and then put a little time into making up a story or concept that supports that image. Other times, I have something more abstract in mind that I want to convey, and work up symbols that suggest that in an image. But more often stuff just snaps into my head, and I don’t immediately, if ever, figure out where it came from.

I’ll use "Dream.02" (image above) for example, because it seems to address why this is a tough question for me. I tend to be easily overwhelmed by the amount of things to be done every day, leaving very little time left for even thinking about my own art, let alone actually making it. And if too much time like this passes, I start to go somewhat mad. That frustration makes my head get really noisy. This is of course counter-productive to the process of making art.

I had this show coming up, and I wanted to do something new for it, so the noise I referred to was getting louder as the opening grew nearer. Oddly, I was conflicted by having too many ideas and I could not seem to settle down, in the time I had remaining, to commit to any one of them. So, very late one night, totally unable to sleep, I decided to just try and paint exactly what that felt like.

There’s a figure descending on another, in a gesture of offering. It’s glowing with the energy of its message. The dream figure’s visage, always the origination of the dreamer, is somewhat ghastly, though it’s intention seems full of warmth. The dreamer, confused by his own anxieties and therefore unable to recognize a gift once offered, is the victim of his own creation. Seeking comfort, the prone figure attempts sleep as an escape, but the womb-like place he’s imagined remains hard and cold."

Q. Do you have a degree or do you plan to attend school for art? If so, how did it help you as an artist?

A. "Up till now, I’m pretty much self-taught, whatever that means. But, I just started trying to figure out oil paints, and it’s painfully clear that I’m gonna want to sign up for something quick.

There’s nothing obvious to me about that particular medium, and that’s one wheel I’d rather not try and reinvent on my own. I think it would be very helpful to see that demonstrated by some folks who are good at it to hopefully minimize my own time spent flailing. I’m sure I’m going to like it though.

I didn’t go to art school, but I do wish I’d given myself the time to experiment more, and to get some solid instruction in the academics like perspective, anatomy, and color theory, stuff like that. But, the government loan applications were too hard to fill out, and I needed the rent so I just went straight to work.

I do get asked all the time about what art school I recommend, and frankly, I have to warn folks to be careful how they decide. It’s no small amount of money to attend any school, but art school in particular is an expense that can be argued as truly needed. It’s not like a law or medical degree.

Unless you want to go into teaching, the grade point average means nothing. What you’re really buying is the time and freedom to experiment, and take some creative chances. So be prepared to ignore any bullshit criticism that comes at you, and remember that concept and creativity cannot be taught, only encouraged or discouraged.

Definitely pay attention in any courses pertaining to perspective. Trust me, it’ll save you from a world of pain later. Oh, and jam in as many figure drawing, and painting workshops as they’ll let you take."

Q. Why did you choose the medium(s) that you use?

A. "Pragmatics. I’ve only used a handful of mediums, and they were almost always the result of what was needed to work faster. I taught myself to paint with acrylics, using a bit of airbrush, and other odd techniques, and as soon as I had a basic handle on that, I went to work.

Well, I could never justify taking chances on a client’s timeline or budget, so I just stuck with what I knew so I could keep it going. Then as work started to really flow in, there wasn’t any time to experiment with anything new. Same goes with digital.

Around the middle 90’s I landed this job that was pretty lucrative, and took that moment to buy a computer and try and learn Photoshop. Well, I got that figured out just in time, because the workload, and the lifestyle changes that followed would have never allowed for organic materials. But it’s the same thing again. No time to learn new apps, because I’m so swamped doing this now."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "Well, thanks for asking. Being self-promotionally retarded, I’m actually not all that visible. There’s always HappyPencil.com. But, I have a little book that I published, and I’ve appeared in the Spectrum Annual a number of times.

In L.A. there’s a ton of these group shows going on, and I did the heck out of that sort of thing a year or two ago, and was very dedicated to try and contribute what I could to that scene, or whatever you wanna call it. The stuff I was showing was very well received, and I was starting to get invited into more and more shows, which was very nice.

It’s a ton of work to keep that up, and I found it was cutting into my time to make newer work, so it stopped making sense after a while. Plus, I never quite fit into the whole tattoo, tiki, flaming skull, mud-flap-girl, designer-toy thing. I have enormous respect for many of the artists working in those idioms, and I always wanted to participate, but it’s a very cliquish type of crowd, and I always felt like the kid at the playground with one short leg."

Q. Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?
A. "Not represented, and nothing coming up right away, but I’ve been showing fairly often at a couple places. Downtown L.A. sports the model of creative symbiotic coexistence, the Hive. It’s run by the mighty Nathan Cartwright, and houses some super cool young talent.

I’ve also been happy to be included in a number of group exhibits at the very hip Gallery Nucleus, in Alhambra, CA. It’s run by the always tasteful Ben Zsu, and is a real breath of fresh air. Ben’s selection of books is one of the best I’ve found in one location, and in his shows he delights in featuring some of the newest talent around.

I also spent the better part of a year showing in the Cannibal Flower events, curated primarily by "L.C." Croskey. That was a lot of fun. There’ve been a few others, but for now, the main thing I focus on is Comic-Con in San Diego. It’s a ton of work but a lot of fun, once you’re there. Hope to make it again this year."

Q. What galleries have you exhibited in? Can you provide links to their sites?

A. "Hive Gallery http://www.thehivegallery.com/

Galley Nucleus http://www.gallerynucleus.com/

Thinkspace http://www.thinkspacegallery.com/

Cannibal Flower http://www.cannibalflower.com/

Spectrum http://www.societyillustrators.org/index.cms

L.A. Center for Digital Art http://www.lacda.com/

Echo Gallery http://www.echogallery.org/

Other independent shows held at temporary spaces:

"Chop Shop" at the SanDiego Convention Center/ Comic-Con curated by miQ willmOtt

"Back in the Day" at the L Street Galley curated by Wheaty Wheat Studios

"Creature Features" at White Manor curated by Taylor White

"Chet Zar and Cam de Leon" at Collective Minds Art Gallery curated by Nanci Withee

"Field Of Vision" at Jewl’s Catch One curated by Franck H-Bomb and
The Angelus

"L Salon Show" presented by Deity Group curated by Nathan Spoor

Third Eye Gathering http://www.3eg.org/curated by Barry Krevoy"

Q. What trends do you see in the 'art world'?

A. "I’m sorry. I haven’t been paying very much attention, but there’s certainly no shortage of cute, sad and wide-eyed stuff going around."

Q. Has your work ever been censored? If so, how did you deal with it?

A. "No. Not that I remember. But, I was asked once if I thought that art, could ever go too far, or should be censored and I said no, of course.

How art is interpreted will always be the responsibility of the viewer. If your impressions offend you, then make some more art that expresses your view, but don’t presume to deny others their own impressions.

What offends or annoys me makes a lot of other folks really happy, and the other way around.

Now, propaganda makes an argument, because it's whole intention is to sway opinion, and some of it is very effective. Trouble is, it may well be lying, but I still feel the same way. Just because a bunch of seemingly civilized people used a symbol to rally, and justify mass murder, doesn't make the swastika a less attractive graphic.

Symbols are great for this issue. Take the pentagram, for example. If you painted one of these on the front door of your average Christian home, they'd get back from spreading the gospel and likely freak out. Paint the same pentagram on the side of some hut in the heart of what's left of the Amazon, while the humble inhabitants are out hunting monkeys or whatever they do. They'd get back, not knowing anything of our absurd notions of the Devil, and perhaps be happy and thankful for the damn fine decoration.

Look, you can read a book. That doesn't mean you have to become the book. If someone feels the need to be scared of an image, then who am I to judge? But, don’t impose your fears on the rest of us. So, no, I’m not aware of anything I’ve shown being censored, but if that happened I suppose I’d make a bit of a fuss, on principle."

Q. What was the toughest point in your career as an artist? Have you ever hit rock-bottom?

A. "Funny you should ask, cuz I think I just broke something on the way down."

Q. In one sentence... why do you create art?

A. "To contribute something, and to be happy…I think."

Q. Has politics ever entered your art?

A. "I’m not sure what you mean by "politics". You mean like republicans and democrats, Bush, Cheney, and stuff like that? Or are you referring to the hysterical mess things are in right now, as a result of policies put in place by the all of the above.

For me, politics is the practice of holding differing points of view on a subject, and the subsequent process of swaying opinions of one side or the other. But that process, in its current form, has become little more than who can lie and cheat the best. So forgive my confusion, but if that’s what you mean, than no, I haven’t done any art that conveys my disdain for the behavior of our so-called leaders, yet.

I don’t presume to have the ability to change the minds of folks these days, anyway. There’s so much fear, it’s like trying to take a trap off a poor animal’s foot; you’re still gonna get bit. But, I truly wish I had the ultimate bumper sticker slogan that would end all arguments. I do believe that such a thing exists; it has to.

I get so frustrated with the dumb rationalizations for war. Am I the only one who’s mom told him to stop fighting, and that she didn’t care who started it? It’s like when Bush was little, his mom encouraged him to kick the neighbor kid’s ass or something. But you only have to hear one severely burned Iraqi preschooler’s confused voice crying "make it stop" to a doctor with no medical supplies who knows she’ll die of infection within days to realize this approach will never achieve the stated objective. Whoops! I’m ranting.

Never mind anything I just said. Instead, try this little exercise: First, close your eyes and imagine you’re out in space watching the timeless Earth spinning there silently in the void as it’s done for countless eons. Then, do the same exercise again, only this time with your TV set to CNN Headline News. It all sounds pretty stupid all of a sudden, doesn’t it?"

Q. Does religion, faith, or the lack thereof play a part in your art?

A. "No. I gave all that up after I saw a Thomas Kinkade painting of the white Jesus, you know the one with the white robe and the red sash, and the two-pointed goatee, ushering an entire herd of sheep into the front door of his very quaint and well-lit cottage. Well, I was artistically demoralized. I mean, what more could I possibly add on the subject of spirituality? That just said it all."

Q. Is there anything else you would like to say about your art or the 'art world'?

A. "No. Thank you so much for your very kind interest, and for your thoughtful questions."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Cam de Leon. Feel free to critique or discuss his work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Margaret Keelan

I recently interviewed artist Margaret Keelan. Margaret is the Associate Director of the School of Fine Art Sculpture at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco where she also teaches graduate and undergraduate ceramics. Her work has been featured in Ceramics Monthly, American Ceramics, and several other publications.

Margaret's sculpture is figurative, invariably of women (a self-reference), and speaks of interior landscapes and memories. The pieces tend to reflect general sensibilities rather than specific personalities. Her doll-like figures have a great deal of symbolism about them.

Q. When did you first discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "When I was a teen-ager I found that I had a facility for it, and a tendency to live in my own universe. Also I was a romantic. Being an artist when I grew up seemed to be a good way to harness these tendencies."

Q. How has society influenced your art? Are there any social implications in your art?

A. "I became of age in the 60's and 70's, with the war in Vietnam, the Woman's Movement, the American Indian Movement. Formally taboo subjects such as death and sex where being examined, concepts that had long been taken for granted were being disgarded. This attitude, and challenge to look at life and lifes processes in an unblinking fashion had an effect on what I chose as subject matter. Analysis became acceptable, even desireable. I scrutinize society's attitudes toward death, divorce, war, peace, sex, power, children, marriage, and try to separate out my own belief system. Because I am an English born Canadian, who has lived many years in the United States, I have experienced the differences between these societies and cultures. Society influences who I am, my work reflects who I am. As to societal implications-I am not sure, my work is too subtle to be didactic- although it has a point of view."

Q. On average, how long does it take you to create a piece?

A. "Because I work in clay , I work in stages. I may build a bit and let the work "stiffen", before continuing. Before I put the piece into the kiln, it must dry, and when I work on my surfaces, each layer must be fired in the kiln. The process can take 1-2 weeks."

Q. Can you share some of your philosophy about art and artistic creation?

A. "Well this is my personal view, and not an absolute. I believe that art and artistic creation is one of the most meaningful activities we ,as humans can engage in, up there with striving for world peace, healing the sick and raising children. It honors our ability to give form to our imagination, to comment on our world in an individual and unique way, to learn and to teach."

Q. Has your art ever been published?

A. "Yes, "500 Figures in Clay, Ceramic Artist Celebrate the Human Form, ", 2004, Lark Books. "Contemporary Ceramics " Susan Peterson, 2000. "Working with Clay, Susan Peterson, 2000,2003, "A Female Form, The Sculpture Techniques of Margaret Keelan"Ceramics Monthly, September 1999, "The Craft and Art of Clay", Susan Peterson 1995-2003, among others."

Q. What was your most important exhibition? Care to share that experience?

A. "I have been showing for a long time, but the exhibition that created the most buzz for me was "Interpreting the Figure" Lawrence Gallery at the 2006 NCECA."

Q. Do you have any 'studio rituals'? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?

A. "Yes. I usually clean my studio and work area up when I finish, that way the area is organized. It is off of my kitchen so when I get up in the morning I can just walk in and if I feel like it, can start working immediately with all my tools out where I can find them. I always have the TV on as much of my work is repetitious rather then decision making and I can get restless. I have cable, and like to watch meaningless murder mysteries, that are predictable and not too bloody. Turner Classic Movies is my favorite channel."

Q. If you could pinpoint the characteristics of people who collect your art, what would they be?

A. "Women respond to my art as it relates to aging, and rethinking the nature of physical beauty. Others who buy my work appreciate metaphor, narrative work, ceramics, and small scale sculpture."

Q. Discuss one of your pieces. What were you thinking when you created it?

A. "One of the last pieces that I made for a show is called "Strawberry and Snake" (image above, detail below). The theme was about love, and it was a perfect opportunity for me to show off my propensity for constrasting elements we find in life such as good, evil, dark light, young, old. The piece is about 22" high. It references dolls and Colonial Mexican and South American "Santos" figures. The face is from a mold of a 19th century French doll which gives it a childlike look but one removed from contemporary styling, disconnecting it from a specific time and place. Although it has a young image, the surfaces are decaying, so it is obviously very old, rather like the child vampire in " Interview with the Vampire", a popular book as you may recall, about angst ridden vampires. What was once clean and crisp is giving way to something more complex and textured. The figure holds a ripe strawberry in her hand and is regarding it. Like the strawberry in "Tess of the d'Urbervilles", by Thomas Hardy, the strawberry marks seduction, sexual pleasure, the joys of love.

Eyeing it also is the snake, coiled to strike, phallic, muscular, but also possibly dangerous. As I made the sculpture I was thinking about how to express the complexities in our lives- how in this era of mass and instant communication, we cannot help but see the the abundance of evil as well as good . All of my work must contain an observation of that duality."

Q. Do you have a degree or do you plan to attend school for art? If so, how did it help you as an artist? What can you tell us about the art department that you attended?

A. "I have an undergraduate degree in art from the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, and an MFA degree from the University of Utah. The University of Utah was a good department. I went there to work with Marilyn Levine, a well known realist artist from Canada, starting an association that would last many years, and ultimately influencing my movement towards using clay to mimic other materials.

The MFA degree helped me take myself more seriously as an artist, a crucial step."

Q. Why did you choose the medium(s) that you use?

A. "I work exclusively in clay. I am very media specific. I love the way that I can quickly give shape to my ideas, which are always 3 dimensional, with a material that is so tactile, plastic, and forgiving."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "I have a website http://www.margaretkeelan.com ."

Q. Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?
A. " I have work at the Lacoste Gallery, Concord, MA, Armstrong's, in Pomona, CA and the Pacini Lubel Gallery in Seattle, WA. As for exhibitions, my work will be at the Richmond Art Gallery, Richmond, CA, SOFA NY with the Lacoste Gallery in June, and the Lacoste Gallery in January 2008. I will also be giving a slide lecture at CCACA, Davis, CA, April, 2007."

Q. What galleries have you exhibited in? Can you provide links to their sites?

A. " http://www.pacinilubel.com/ , http://www.lacostegallery.com/ ,
http://www.santafeclay.com/ .

Q. What trends do you see in the 'art world'?

A. "The art world is becoming a bigger and bigger tent, finding a trend is like trying to catch a greased squirrel."

Q. Any tips for emerging artists?

A. "Well , one big one- all long as you have a passion for art-stay with it."

Q. What was the toughest point in your career as an artist? Have you ever hit rock-bottom?

A. "There were times when I was dropped from galleries and turned down from shows that were hard. My work has always sustained me because the process of making it has always been personally rewarding and healing. Other things in my life have screwed me up at times. but not my artwork"

Q. In one sentence... why do you create art?

A. "It is what I enjoy the most and do the best."

Q. What can you tell our readers about the art scene in your area?

A. "I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. I origonally moved here (late 70's) because I work in clay, and it had so many wonderful ceramic artists, Marilyn Levine, Peter Voulkos, Robert Arneson, Robert Brady, Stephen De Staelber, to name some, not all. Over the years, that has changed. I don't think that there are the same number of collectors here as there are in some other areas of the United States, and young artists have a difficult time because this place is so expensive to live in."

Q. Has politics ever entered your art?

A. "Well, obliquely, but my work tends to focus on personal journey."

Q. Does religion, faith, or the lack thereof play a part in your art?

A. "Absolutely. There is a strong spiritual component to my work. After my friend Marilyn Levine died, I made 2-3 pieces ruminating on the nature of death and the existence of the soul. The doll's head had "Where" or "Gone" carved through. The viewer could see that the head was an empty shell and wasinvited to ponder on whether it had contained a soul, or essence, defined as "that what makes us who we really are", and if it had, where did that essence go? Other works (sample above, detail below) uses water as a metaphor for the soul. which fills and takes the shape of the vessel that contains it. The figures hold the water as if attempting to hold their life force, which inevitably, will slip away through their fingers."

Q. Is there anything else you would like to say about your art or the 'art world'?

A. "They will have to carry my stiff old dead body out of my studio."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Margaret Keelan. Feel free to critique or discuss her work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Michael Miller

I recently interviewed artist Michael Miller (Professor, Printmedia Department- School of the Art Institute of Chicago). His work can be found in the collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art (Chicago) as well as other collections throughout the world.

His work deals with group dynamics and the role of the individual within the group. In some instances, the point of view is from that of the participant, and in other situations; it's from the observer. Depicted are characterizations of individuals and groups in conflict, harmony and uncertainty. Consistent in all of the pieces are the struggles involved in human social survival.

Nano Stores In A Blink (a 24 page comic) contains two visual stories, which begin from either flip side of the cover. "Face 2 Face" unfolds as a series of opposing emotionally charged visages while "Flatman" presents a blocky man in suit and tie as he encounters graphic framing elements. By employing plays on Ben-Day dots and halftones in green and black inks, these crisp drawings resemble a bizarre take on the comic book style.

Q. When did you discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "The first time I realized that art would be n important part of my life, was when I made the commitment to be an art major in college. I was never, what I like to call, a natural artist.

While I always felt I was creative (inventing games primarily) when I was young, I never felt the need to make pictures or objects. One of the things that guided me to the world of art was in my art class in high school, I was able to do lettering charts, the fancier the better. When it was time to go to college, I had pretty much selected art as a major.

While in college, I discovered the art world, or at least the various categories of the art world. As examples, the differences of applied art and fine art as well as the role of art history, theory and criticism. Additionally, I was able, mostly through trial and error, to figure out what processes, materials and techniques I liked and disliked.

After four years of art classes I was in the position of trying to decide what to do after graduation. I had a degree to teach art in high school, and it was something I could see myself doing, at least for a while. I also applied to a couple of graduate schools.

I got accepted to Penn State and decided that graduate school was one way of prolonging my final decision as to what to do with my life. It also allowed me the time to concentrate on developing my technical skills and conceptual reasoning. After a semester in graduate school, I knew that art (making it, teaching it, and appreciating it) would always be a part of my adult life."

Q. How has society influenced your art?

A. "For the last 10 years, social behavior has always been the center of my work. Not national or international politics, but rather, the politics that exist between people; groups, authority- personal politics. What follows is a general statement from a show catalogue from a 2004.

'The work in this exhibition deals with group dynamics and the role of the individual within the group. In some instances, the point of view is from that of the participant, and in other situations; it’s from the observer. Depicted are characterizations of individuals and groups in conflict, harmony and uncertainty. Consistent in all of the pieces are the struggles involved in human social survival. Stylistically, the work refers to opinion and editorial cartoon conventions. This drawing approach is preferred because it is easily accessed. These drawings and prints, in addition to the general theme, grapple with issues of specificity, exaggeration and visual shorthand.'

My main references are German Expressionists prints and drawings, Saul Steinberg and many political cartoonists". In the two years since that was written, there have been some subtle changes, but for the most part, the statement still capsulate the role of the social critique in my work.

I work relatively fast. Recently my work has been relatively small or medium sized. I draw a lot, working with gouache, watercolor and pen and ink. I do a lot of problem solving on the computer and that speeds up my production significantly. I make a lot of work, editing out the ones that "don’t work".

I rarely abandon a piece because I don’t like the way it’s going. Sometimes the last five minutes of working can change a failure to a success. Even if it stays a failure, I manage to learn something from it. Also the struggles in one piece may help the next piece to be more effortless and successful."

Q. Has your art ever been published?

A. "Two summers ago I created an "artist’s book that was published and distributed by Sara Ranchouse Publishing. This "comic book" is called NANO- STORIES IN A BLINK and consists of two non-text narratives. One is called "Introducing Flatman" and the other is "Face to Face". I’ve also had several exhibition catalogues produced."

Q. What was your most important exhibition?

A. "My solo show at the Walsh Gallery in Chicago in 2005 was the most important, however, I always have to think that my next show, wherever it will be, will be my most important. The show at Walsh allowed me to show the work I wanted to show, and in the way I wanted to show it."

Q. Do you have any studio rituals?

A. "I don’t have any specific routine. I’ll work periodically during the course of the day. Maybe 2 or 3 hours, broken by other activities (going to the gym, answering emails, eating, etc.- then back to work again. If I’m working toward a deadline, I can focus for very long periods of uninterrupted work, but I do prefer to break it up."

Q. Do you have a degree?

A. "My undergraduate degree (B.S.) was in art education. I also have an M.A. degree in fine art. I received both degrees from liberal arts universities. Undergraduate school (East Carolina University) helped me narrow my artistic preferences and graduate school (Penn State) helped me understand my work, contextualize it, and be accountable for it. Also it helped me understand the role of competition in the world of art."

Q. Why did you choose the medium that you use?

A. "In my freshman and sophomore years I focused on graphic design. In my third and fourth years I concentrated on painting and drawing. In graduate school, most of it was devoted to painting. In the last semester of graduate school, I started doing prints, developing skills in etching and relief printing. Directly after graduate school, I got a teaching job at Middle Tennessee State University, teaching printmaking. This responsibility kept me in the print and drawing field until today. I do paint, but I consider my paintings as colorful drawings. They are much more graphic than they are painterly."

Q. Where can we see more of your art?

A. "I have several pieces at the Walsh Gallery in Chicago. I have an artist’s book at "Printed Matter" in New York and at Quimby’s in Chicago. Probably the best way to get an inkling of what I’m doing as an artist is to go to my website- http://www.michaelmillerart.com/. The book "Nan0- Stories in a Blink", has it’s own website at http://www.flatmanfeatures.com/."

Q. Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?

A. "The Walsh Gallery in Chicago represents me. That’s the only gallery right now. I am scheduled for an exhibit in 2008, but not exactly sure of the details."

Q. What can you tell our readers about the art scene in your area?

A. "I believe Chicago is wonderful for emerging artists. There are many new galleries that provide opportunities for group and solo shows without the demands of a retail gallery. Also, there are a number of galleries that are owned or administered by younger people. Additionally, there are a number of galleries that have been active since I moved to Chicago, almost 35 years ago. These are well-established credible galleries that have excellent reputations.

If I had any real gripe with the art scene in Chicago it’s that, for the most part, the collectors are limited in number, very timid and conservative. Also, while Chicago is a very wealthy city, the amount of art collecting is small compared to the size of the area."

Q. Discuss one of your pieces. What were you thinking when you created it?

A. ""Rumor Stream" (image above) is a drawing I did a few years ago. It deals with the flow of information, or rather, misinformation that often permeates any organization. The continuous line that joins face to face represents this flow. Also, the fact that forms has faces on both sides of the head represent speaking out of both sides of your mouth.

There is also a light pencil grid that provides a backdrop for this rumor stream. I see that as a metaphor for organization and structure, the context for many of these rumor opportunities.

The drawing is done on a translucent paper, where the ink lines and graphite is on one side and the color, done with color pencil, is on the other side. The thin paper represents the fragility of the content of the rumor."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Michael Miller. Feel free to critique or discuss his work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Leon Johnson

I recently interviewed artist Leon Johnson (Associate Professor of Interdisciplinary Theory and Studio- Maine College of Art). Mr. Johnson produces work in film, performance, and site-specific events. He has an active studio practice and is the proprietor of The Long Bell Press and founding member of Creative Material Group. Leon is also a recipient of a Pollock/Krasner Foundation Grant for Painting.

His film Faust/Faustus in Deptford was selected for the KunstFilmBienale in Cologne, Germany, and the Raindance Film Festival in London, U.K. After, another film, is included on The End of Reality, a DVD and fiction anthology published by Chiasmus Press. He recently finished the flim Fortress Boy Bridge: My Ear a Nautilus

Q. When did you first discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "Understanding the power of the political poster at the age of 9. I spent the first twenty years of my life in Cape Town, South Africa."

Q. Are there any social implications in your art?

A. "I am interested in producing work that produces initiatives. The implication of this is that the work functions as both invitation and provocation. The hoped for outcome is for the production of an initiative in the viewer to self-produce."

Q. Can you share some of your philosophy about art and artistic creation?

A. "I’m interested in understanding the connection between imagined qualities and real qualities in memory and in place. The experience of place I imagine is always both [real and imagined], and the mediating factor between the real and the imagined is representation. That representation is my creative aspiration."

Q. What was your most important exhibition? Care to share that experience?

A. "My film, "Faust/Faustus In Deptford" was selected for the 2003 KunstFilmBienale in Cologne, Germany."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. " http://www.leonjohnson.org/ "

Q. Any tips for emerging artists?

A. "In a culture the seeks to standardize, diversify eccentrically."

Q. Has politics ever entered your art?

A. "To engage in a rigorous creative practice is to simultaneously enagage culture. Politically, socially, spiritually."

Q. Is there anything else you would like to say about your art or the 'art world'?

A. "The creative adventure should include the imagining of public spaces where we gather and from which we embark on an active negotiation of each others’ "foreignness" and through the empathetic transmutation afforded by the performance of narration and listening we arrive at the juncture suggested by Homi Bhabha in his essay Space Agency : "In another’s country that is also your own, your person divides, and in following the forked path you encounter yourself in a double movement... once as stranger, and then as a friend".

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Leon Johnson. Feel free to critique or discuss his work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Paul Harvey

I recently interviewed artist Paul Harvey. Mr. Harvey is a British musician (the band Penetration) and Stuckist artist, who is a major exhibitor with the group and whose work was used to promote their landmark 2004 show at the Liverpool Biennial.

In 2001 he joined the Stuckists artists and founded a Newcastle branch. He has curated Stuckist shows at the Newcastle Arts Centre and with Hiroko Oshima of the Ryu Art Group at the Bailiffgate Museum, Alnwick.

His images are often derived from pictures of film and singing "stars" in magazines, and reworked into a new context, sometimes with an obvious reference to the work of Alfons Mucha. The incorporation of modern symbols poses an ambiguity as to the amount of irony present, though the artist has claimed that he does not intend this.

Possibly his best-known work is a painting of the singer Madonna. The elements mentioned are clearly visible, with small dumbbells around the border, for example and a lively, provocative Madonna, contrasting with Art Nouveau curves and languidity.


Q. You co-published-and-drew Mauretania Comics with comics artist Chris Reynolds. How did that experience influence your future work?

A. "I think it influenced it quite a lot in many different ways. I found drawing comics very difficult and realised I was really only enjoying doing the covers and the title pages, although it took quite a while for the penny to drop.

Chris was also a much better storyteller and comic artist than me and I felt at times a pale shadow of his quiet genius. The themes from Mauretania still crop up in my paintings though- I have just completed a painting called "Ford Anglia with Tent and Giotto Tree" which very much revisits the ideas we explored in Mauretania Comics, ideas very similar to what artists such as Jane and Louise Wilson went on to explore later.

We occasionally painted as a team at that time; we invented the term "Psychetecture" and produced four 8’ x 8’ black and white paintings based on man’s relationship with architecture. Incidentally Chris was also an excellent painter."


Q. Mr. Harvey, how did you become involved with the Stuckists? How did you meet Charles Thomson, Billy Childish, and the others?

A. "I saw an article on Stuckism in the Sunday Times magazine and was struck by both the paintings and the ideas. It was like hearing "Anarchy in the UK" for the first time, it was that immediate.

I was painting at that time (2000) and felt like the article really reflected my thoughts on the contemporary scene at the time, so I contacted The Stuckists, stating that I thought I was one. Charles suggested that I start my own movement called "Stuck in Newcastle" or something like that, as they weren’t looking for any new members at that time.

It was six months later that Charles got in touch again and I eventually met up with him and became a Newcastle Stuckist. I’ve never met Billy, although we have corresponded briefly by email. I do plan to meet up with him this year though as I need to interview him so hopefully he’ll be willing to do it.

The other London Stuckists I met one by one over a period of time, and I interviewed most of them for the "Stuckism… it’s a dirty job but someone’s got to do it" DVD which was directed by my partner Carol Lynn. That was a good time, and it was a great experience to meet artists who I considered were producing exciting work."

Q. You were involved with the landmark 2004 show at the Liverpool Biennial. He were a "featured artist" in The Stuckists Punk Victorian show at the Walker Art Gallery during this event. Care to share your experiences of this event? What were your your feelings going into it and how did you feel afterwards?

A. "By the time the show opened a massive amount of work had already been done, mostly by Charles I hasten to add, although honourable mention should also go to John Bourne who did a lot of work at the Walker itself.

Relations with the Walker were very strained at times and this in a way negated the excitement leading up to the show. We were determined to represent Stuckism in the way we knew would work and that took a lot of hard graft.

Issues such as which artists and work to show, the hang, the catalogue, the publicity; all these areas were debated and argued over. In the end though, we mostly got what we wanted and the show was a great success, both artistically and in terms of visitor numbers. Whether the Walker really appreciated that fact is open to debate.

I thought the show worked, and it’s an important event because there will probably never be such a diverse and intense exhibition of Stuckist work again for a while. It really captured the moment.

On a personal note, to see my paintings on huge banners outside the Walker and Lady Lever galleries was a big thrill for me, and I don’t mind admitting that."

Q. Your painting of artist/model Emily Mann (image above) was used to promote the show. Why was your work chosen to represent the exhibit at the Walker?

A. "The story of that painting is related in the Punk Victorian catalogue. It was originally painted to advertise "The Real Turner Prize" but I ended up having a run in with Gina Bold, who was both Charles’s partner and a Stuckist exhibitor at the time.

She objected to the use of S&M imagery to promote Stuckism, although I have to say that when I look at the painting now it’s not the first thing that springs to mind.

When the Punk Victorian show was announced I got excited by the title of the show and repainted parts of it to document the event. It was Charles’s idea to use it to promote the show, and you will have to ask him why he wanted to use it over others artists work."

Q. You are the founder of the Newcastle Stuckists. How many artists are involved with your group? Do you have any exhibits planned in the near future?

A. "The Newcastle Stuckists are comprised of one member, which is me. I did ask someone about 4 years ago to join but they politely turned me down. I haven’t seen any work since then that would really benefit from being in the group, and I don’t have an army of poets and painters to turn to, unlike the London group of artists that Charles was able to recruit (the Medway Poets of course).

When I was at college most of my friends (me included) were trying to learn how to play Buzzcocks songs, or starting up "Avant garde" post punk groups in the style of Throbbing Gristle and Cabaret Voltaire. There was a lot of that at Polytechnics in those days."


Q. Your images are often derived from pictures of film and singing "stars" in magazines, and reworked into a new context, sometimes with an obvious reference to the work of Alfonse Mucha. Why did you decided to work in this manner? What else influences your art?

A. "As an artist it’s hard to talk about specifics because there are so many ideas all interrelated. For example I can’t talk about Mucha without talking about college days, holidays with the family, previous relationships, accepted views within the art establishment about beauty, decoration etc.- they all interlink.

Painting for me is a document, a visual diary and things will drift in and out, and I tend not to worry about this too much. A large amount of self-analysis can lead to concepts and styles developing for the wrong reasons.

I don’t work from old film magazines as much now but I still like the feel of publicity photographs from the mid Fifties to early Sixties- they’re "modern" but 50 years old and that’s interesting to me. When artists such as Peter Blake were using similar sources they were contemporary.

I like the line "Nostalgia for an age yet to come" from the Buzzcocks song and I’ve often considered ideas relating to that line. I actually ended up playing that song (Nostalgia) with the re-formed Penetration, which was another big thrill for me."

Q. How do you decide what celebrity to use in a painting? Is it random?

A. "It’s fairly random, as I often have no opinion on them as people or personalities. Just lately though the decisions have been more considered.

For example, Nigella Lawson I painted because she’s beautiful and the partner of Charles Saatchi. I have actually spent so much of my time debating and arguing about Saatchi and Serota that I have finally painted them- but they are an example of what I was talking about before (the visual diary). I needed to get them out of the way so I can concentrate on other things.

Serota I’m working on now; he’s surrounded by elephant dung and relates to the Stuckist investigation into the purchase of the Chris Ofili work."

Q. What is your opinion about artists such as Damien Hirst? Can you share your personal opinion about conceptual art?

A. "Hirst is an artist with one idea, and this idea is not new. It has been explored by artists for many years. I have no problem with the idea of conceptual art- the problem I have is the poverty of concepts contained in so much contemporary work.

Some of it is so banal I’m staggered when I read critiques in the Sunday papers. How can these critics be bothered- it must be really difficult to write 3000 words about nothing, although I suppose they are pretty experienced in doing it by now.

It reminds me of Prefects punishments when I was at school, you know, if you pushed in to the front of the dinner queue they made you write 500 words on the sex life of a ping-pong ball. Perhaps these types of punishments were popular in Public schools and that’s why art critics can manage to do the job without too much complaint."

Q. When did you first discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "Since I was a child painting pictures of footballers. Painting and music have been the two constants in my life."

Q. In further detail, what are the social implications in your art?

A. "The professor at John Moores University suggested that some of my work had similarities with union banners, particularly those from mining communities, and I thought that was interesting because it would be an implicit connection.

I think about ethics a lot as part of my PhD and I would hope that my method of working takes ethical issues into account. I think it would be true to say that an artist would not pickle a shark in a huge tank unless they knew there was a buyer for that piece.

Stuckists paint pictures because painting pictures is what matters. In more self important moments, I sometimes feel we are fighting for the soul of British Art. It’s a dirty job but someone has to do it."


Q. On average, how long does it take you to create a piece?

A. "It really depends on the painting and it’s probably not that important. Gallery owners always ask that question as that is often how they like to price a work, but buyers never ask. Being as you asked though it can take from 2 days up to 2 months. I can paint stripes a lot faster now. I have to say though that all the paintings have taken about 46 years to paint as hopefully they are the sum of my experiences so far- and that doesn’t even take into account former lives!"

Q. Can you share some of your philosophy about art and artistic creation?

A. "The Stuckist manifesto puts it so much better than I ever could. Painting is mysterious, and it’s hard to pin it down. I like the idea of that moment in time between the colour being squeezed out of the tube and it landing on the canvas. What happens in that gap is a profound question, and the brush is just a small part of that.

Giotto is an artist that I constantly return to for guidance and inspiration."


Q. Has your art ever been published? If so, where?

A. "All over the place: all of the quality newspapers have featured images of my work, and lots of magazines too. A couple of companies have professed an interest in producing prints from my work but I don’t think I want to go down that route yet."

Q. Aside from the Walker exhibit, what was your most important exhibition? Care to share that experience?

A. "I think my first exhibition with the Stuckists, which was the opening of the Stuckist International Gallery in Hoxton. I was too shy to talk to any of the artists; I got the train from Newcastle, hung around a bit and went home again without talking to anyone, apart from a couple of friends that came along. I remember Peter Blake looking at my work and wondering what he thought."

Q. Do you have any 'studio rituals'? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?

A. "I find I don’t have to build myself up to paint- I can do 10 minutes while I’m waiting for a taxi for example. Sometimes I need a whole day though because of the complexity of the decision-making and subsequent colour mixing.


I usually listen to Radio 5 Live, as I like the banter and particularly the football commentary (unless it’s Alan Green). I have listened to live football on the radio ever since I was a child so it’s very comforting.


I have a fairly large vinyl collection but I have to force myself to listen to music now although I always enjoy it when I do. I still love listening to The Adverts, and I still listen to The Stranglers because of their total commitment to the job in hand and I also like the dry sound they have- it’s very confident. Again the PhD is involved here as it’s concerned with relating Punk Rock to Stuckism.

In the old days when I was drawing comics with Chris we listened to a lot of Eno including the early Ambient stuff, although it took me a little longer to appreciate it than it did Chris. We also listened to John Cale a lot, particularly "Paris 1919"- and I still love that record.

For some reason I still listen to Family a lot when painting- I have developed a theory about their album ‘Fearless’ which I see as an example of "Deep-Psyche". I like inventing music genres and others include ‘Progressive Garage’ and ‘Happy Rock’. The deep-psyche one upsets my pop-psyche friends- they think I’m mad but I know what I’m talking about. I’m yet to find another record that fits into that genre however."

Q. If you could pinpoint the characteristics of people who collect your art, what would they be?

A. "I don’t know who bought my pieces from the London show so it’s hard to say, but I would suggest most of my buyers are intelligent, sophisticated, complex individuals with a deep connection to their own spirituality. Some of them are also punks like me where the aforementioned qualities are a natural by product of our shared experiences."

Q. Discuss one of your pieces. What were you thinking when you created it?

A. "Ok, let’s talk about the Nigella Lawson painting (image above). She seemed to be visible at the time I decided to paint her but I didn’t analyse the idea too much, I never do. I did think though that it might be fun to paint Charles Saatchi’s partner, as he has so much control over other artists, and this was a way for me to have control over him- but it’s not about power, not for me anyway.

Research goes into all my paintings of well known public figures/celebrities but in this case it was fairly easy. I’ve talked about the banal in terms of conceptual art, but the banal can be used well if you know how to do it. I like to use the most obvious imagery I can think of in these paintings so in this case it was food- the more obvious and banal the imagery is, the more mysterious the end result can be. I don’t try to force meaning.

The circle of poppies just came into my head one evening so I drew it before I forgot it. I don’t know where it came from though. The hand is based on the way Giotto painted hands, and the four-leaf clover was sent to me by a friend because she has a garden where loads of them grow and I’d never seen one before."

Q. Why did you choose the medium(s) that you use?

A. "Purely practical reasons as regards the use of acrylic paint, specifically Liquitex soft body. I like the opacity and the feel of them on the brush. I’ve tried other makes but they don’t have the same appeal.

As for oils, I’d like to use them in some ways because I like the idea of it, but it’s not practical enough for me. Charles paints with oil however, and he has a similar style, but I’m a messy worker and I lean on the canvas so I need the paint to dry quickly.

I always use sable brushes and for larger paintings Japanese brushes, but they’re expensive and acrylics destroy brushes quite quickly.

I’ve played about with gold leaf but I dropped it fairly quickly because it was putting meaning into my work that I didn’t want, and besides, acrylic gold paint works very well for me- I give it an undercoat of Turners Yellow and that gives me the colour and flatness that I want.

I love to work on linen even though it has imperfections, but I often have to make do with cotton because linen is so expensive."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "There are permanent displays at the Cluny, Head of Steam and Tilleys Bar, all bars in Newcastle where the owner is a collector. Some of the paintings are quite old however.

I have just had a one man show at the Opus Gallery, also in Newcastle, and have a small spring show at the Biscuit Factory from about the middle of March.

There’s also my website http://www.paulharveypaintings.com which is ok but needs updating a bit which I plan to do very soon."

Q. What trends do you see in the 'art world'?

A. "In the short term more superficiality and more interest in the artist as a celebrity. The art establishment is not yet ready for Stuckism as it doesn’t understand it.

Punk has been around 30 years and it hasn’t even got it’s head around that yet, as can be seen when the work of such artists as the Chapman Brothers are compared to Punk when they have as much in common with Punk as the Anti Nowhere League and The Exploited."


Q. What was the toughest point in your career as an artist? Have you ever hit rock-bottom?

A. "My aversion to the cult of the ego-artist does not allow me to be so self obsessed- the toughest point for me is always when I’m trying to quit smoking. Charles has told me I’m looking at it the wrong way though when I talk about quitting- he reckons the secret is to keep smoking but not actually have a cigarette."

Q. In one sentence... why do you create art?

A. "Because I can and I like to do it"


Q. What can you tell our readers about the art scene in your area?

A. "In the North East there is a lot of money spent on very bad public art- like the Angel of the North for example. The quayside is littered with terrible art- we need an army of volunteers with hacksaws.

Whitley Bay where I live is what you'd expect- lots of watercolour painters. There is a move within the town towards developing a more bohemian vibe- perhaps it’ll become Brighton without the middle class hippies. Whitley Bay is brilliant and I love it, and the coast is a great place for a painter to live.

There’s also a lot of talk about ‘Underground Art’ whatever that is. Actually I know exactly what it is as some of my best friends (as they say) are graffiti artists and the work is very much related to that area. Much of this interest has been generated by the success of Banksy and galleries are looking to cash in. Some of it is ok, and "The G Word" show at the Baltic was good (although their ‘Spank The Monkey’ show was appalling), but a lot of it is thinly disguised illustration, produced digitally in Illustrator and printed onto canvas, I call it "The Illustrator Crisis’ and it’s infecting graphic design too, where everything looks the same."



Q. Does religion, faith, or the lack thereof play a part in your art?

A. "I really don’t know the answer to that question. As you probably know, there are elements of the Kabala and Buddhism in the Stuckism manifesto, but I don’t practice either of those. I look at a lot of pre-Renaissance work and I’m fascinated by it but that fascination may be just to do with painting. In the end I have faith in painting I suppose."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Paul Harvey. Feel free to critique or discuss his work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Fraser Taylor

I recently interviewed artist Fraser Taylor. Mr. Taylor instructs art at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago. He has been an Adjunct Assistant Professor for the Department of Fiber and Material Studies and now serves as a Visiting Artist. Fraser has exhibited and lectured in Britain, Europe, USA and the Far East.

Fraser is known for his large drawing-based abstract collages. He combines his knowledge of form and composition with his skill in paint, ink, fabric, wire and tape to create works of art that are intriguing to the trained eye.

Fraser's recent solo exhibit- Reverse Transcriptase- at the Hyde Park Art Center (Loope Gallery, Chicago). Was a great success. The exhibit caused a stir in the Chicago scene. The exhibit included his largest drawings to date. The title refers to an enzyme, most commonly used by retroviruses such as HIV.


Q. When did you first discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "When I was about 7 years old."

Q. How has society influenced your art? Are there any social implications in your art?

A. "A recent drawing project, installed in the Cook County Administration Building, Chicago, Illinois, referenced an enzyme, Reveres Transcriptase, which is most commonly used by retroviruses such as HIV that transcribes single stranded RNA into double stranded DNA. This project invoked my infatuation with mortality and the prevalence of accelerated life processes in modern society."


Q. On average, how long does it take you to create a piece?

A. "Any thing from 1 minute to 2 years."

Q. Can you share some of your philosophy about art and artistic creation?

"A. Good art is art that makes the viewer return to the world different."

Q. Has your art ever been published?

A. "My work has been reviewed in, Chicago Sun Times, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Time out, The Japan Times, Arts Review, Newsweek."


Q. What was your most important exhibition? Care to share that experience?

A. "My most important exhibition was, "Graft", MN Gallery, Chicago, 2004. It was the first time I exhibited my work outside of a commercial gallery system. Not having the restraints and pressures of having to sell work was liberating and enabled me to take larger physical and conceptual risks and show a combination of practices in one exhibition."

Q. Do you have any 'studio rituals'? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?

A. "I work in silence. I do not like any distraction. Looking at the work of other artists always inspires me."

Q. If you could pinpoint the characteristics of people who collect your art, what would they be?

A. "I am always surprised at the diversity of people who collect my work."

Q. Discuss one of your pieces. What were you thinking when you created it?

A. "The above mentioned work, "Reverse Transcriptase" (image above), was my largest drawing project to date. The two drawings, 19 x 15 feet, sat opposite each other in the lobby of a public building in down town Chicago. The drawings are collaged together and incorporated various media, including charcoal, graphite, oil, tape, wire and cloth. The drawing process confronts the particularities of the materials employed, whether they are borrowed from popular, indigenous or alien contexts and how those materials are assembled into socio-cultural narrative structures."

Q. Where did you attend art school?

A. "I have a MA from Royal College of Art, London."


Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. " http://www.frasertaylor.com,
http://www.timolsengallery.com,
http://www.alfedenagallery.com , http://www.lindarosscontemporary.com,
http://www.st-art.biz,
http://www.jillgeorgegallery.co.uk"

Q. Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?

A. "Upcoming exhibitions "In Line", Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney, May 29th, 2007. "Impossible Violence", Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago, October 28th, 2007."


Q. What trends do you see in the 'art world'?

A. "Trends are always cyclical. I am aware of how interest in figurative verses abstract work moves back and forward."


Q. Any tips for emerging artists?

A. "Stay honest to yourself."

Q. Has your work ever been censored? If so, how did you deal with it?

A. ""Reverse Transcriptase" was installed November, 2006. It was almost removed by the building management on the grounds that it was not festive enough. A surprising number of colleagues rallied in support of the installation and persuaded the management to reverse their request."

Q. What was the toughest point in your career as an artist? Have you ever hit rock-bottom?

A. "An artist's career is always a roller coaster of failings and successes. Those extremes are often hard to deal with."

Q. In one sentence... why do you create art?

A. "Making art is my way of staying connected to world events."


Q. What can you tell our readers about the art scene in your area?

A. "The Chicago art scene is particularly supportive of young emerging artists. There are many approachable alternative exhibition venues."


Q. Has politics ever entered your art?

A. "Over the past few years I have been developing a line of inquiry that examines various borders and boundaries, both actual and theoretical, of cultures, races, lands and bodies."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Fraser Taylor. Feel free to critique or discuss his work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Allyson Klutenkamper

I recently interviewed artist Allyson Klutenkamper. Allyson has instructed photography classes at several colleges and universities (including the University of Notre Dame). She is an active member in the national Society for Photographic Education (SPE). Allyson works in digital photography and imaging.

Allyson is known for her photographs of women that are void of distinct individuality. She refers to these women as "characters in 'stills' from a larger and ambiguous narrative. These women are set in depersonalized domestic spaces which create a fractured narrative that represents isolation, anxiety, and despair while utilizing the concept of beauty as an experience rather than condition.

Q. When did you first discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "I was about 19 and my parents had essentially cut me off from financial help unless I majored in engineering or something. To my family, art was a hobby, not something that was to be taken seriously. I remember feeling that I couldn't be myself without image-making -- like it defined me in some way. It was my air supply."

Q. How has society influenced your art? Are there any social implications in your art?

A. "Often critics discuss the social or cultural value of my work, but it has never been anything I've focused on other than pop culture. The evolution of personal identity, the construction of family relationships, and the private weight of politics are themes in my new work-in-progress."

Q. On average, how long does it take you to create a piece?

A. "From ideation to a work on the gallery wall takes anywhere from a few months to a few years. For me, it's a long process between having the scene in my head and the plausibility of physical replication."

Q. Can you share some of your philosophy about art and artistic creation?

A. "The only thing I can think of at the moment is my favorite Dave Hickey quote: "Art is not a spectator sport." "

Q. What was your most important exhibition? Care to share that experience?

A. "I'd like to reserve that for when I'm shown at Yossi Milo, the 303, or the Walker."

Q. Do you have any 'studio rituals'? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?

A. "I have two places I work: in my studio/office and on location. After I finish my location work I will not look at my files for two days (aside from during the scene for proofing). I need that distance to objectively approach the image I will use, if any.

When I sit down to review the work I listen to really specific music. Audiobulb.com compilations are usually playing; but Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Plastikman and Sigur Ros fall into the most played category, too. In fact, I was teased relentlessly in graduate school for listening to "just sounds.""


Q. Do you have a degree or do you plan to attend school for art? If so, how did it help you as an artist? What can you tell us about the art department that you attended?

A. "I attended the University of Notre Dame for my MFA and the University of Missouri for my BFA degrees. As a BFA student I had instructors that pushed me to make images that were me instead of hiding behind work that was too safe.

Similarly, Notre Dame was a wonderful interdisciplinary program that allowed me to work with people from not only photography, but painting and film as well. I was fortunate enough to have many studio visits from well known artists, critics and curators.

The one person that really affected me the most was Kerry James Marshall. He had stopped by for a studio visit and spent some time discussing my work which in turn allowed me to see specific elements I had not noticed before. By controlling those characteristics I was able to nudge my work in a different direction, manifesting itself into what some say defines my imagery."

Q. Why did you choose the medium(s) that you use?

A. "At the age of five I was staging scenes with dolls and using my blue padded plastic Fisher Price 110 camera."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "In the coming weeks I plan on updating my website correcting dates on some work -- I paste too much -- and new information on upcoming shows, speaking engagements, etc."

Q. Are you represented by a gallery?

A. "I'm currently represented by The Photography Room in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I only received my MFA a year and a half ago and spent the last year getting used to my overly consuming job, so I am just now really starting to get my work noticed."

Q. What galleries have you exhibited in? Can you provide links to their sites?

A. "My work has shown mostly in museums and university art galleries. I was shown at Photo San Francisco last year.

(Snite Museum of Art, Lancaster Museum of Art, Midwest Museum of Art and the Southern Ohio Museum of Art; of those, only two have been solo exhibits. Some other galleries include the Harris Gallery at the University of La Verne, the Appleton Gallery in the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts at Shawnee State University, the Truman State University Art Gallery, The Box Factory and the George Caleb Bingham Gallery at the University of Missouri, to name a few.)"

Q. What trends do you see in the 'art world'?

A. "I see old concepts of postmodernism being redefined in the context of globalization."

Q. Has your work ever been censored? If so, how did you deal with it?

A. "At one show fliers were posted claiming "Adult Context" and "Sensitive Subject Matter." I thought it was both funny and sad."

Q. What was the toughest point in your career as an artist? Have you ever hit rock-bottom?

A. "I used to think that every time things got tough I had hit rock-bottom, but I came to realize in the last few years that I can get through things if I'm serious about my work."

Q. In one sentence... why do you create art?

A. "It is my air supply."

Q. What can you tell our readers about the art scene in your area?

A. "This is a funny story. Before I had even received my diploma I had at least a dozen interviews and a few offers from various colleges and universities I had applied to for teaching positions.

I accepted a position at Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Ohio because it was a small school dedicated to the education of Appalachian Americans. It wasn't until I started that I realized I had been taken advantage of or was naive to the reality of how things work in the "real world." So reality consists of a very singular existence; there is no art scene or a scene of any kind.

I used to travel to Cincinnati or Columbus as often as possible but the price of gas has made a significant impact on my ability to branch out. The most positive outcome of this situation is that I have collected a wonderful network of artists that I can contact and see at every conference I attend."

Q. Has politics ever entered your art?

A. "Some of my work from when I was in my late teens and early twenties dealt with body politics before it shifted to politics of identity.

My brother is serving his second tour of duty in Iraq and it is something that weighs on my mind on a daily basis, resulting in war politics entering my work on a very personal level.

I grew up in the 1980s and 1990s living in Minneapolis, where I had a teacher in high school that began each class with "God Bless Paul Wellstone," so I am automatically inclined to be politically outspoken and extremely liberal."

Q. Is there anything else you would like to say about your art or the 'art world'?

A. "I would love some of my large pieces to sell so that I could afford to purchase some new equipment. And I think the art world should also try harder to educate all these Philistines. It is the most under-appreciated profession in the world and yet we are the ones to change culture."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Allyson Klutenkamper. Feel free to critique or discuss her work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Lucien Shapiro

I recently interviewed artist Lucien Shapiro. Lucien is best known for his installations and sculpted figures. He mainly shows work in the bay area but has been part of group shows in NY, Boston, and Los Angeles.

Mr. Shapiro is currently focusing on sculpture as a method of looking past reality towards a new day. The constant building upon building to reach the infinite point.


Q. When did you first discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "When it was the only thing answering the questions we face."

Q. How has society influenced your art? Are there any social implications in your art?

A. "I am influenced by the smallest detail, texture, or crumble. I am constantly trying to build an answer to the fantasy, or imaginative being to the part of society that can only open there mind so far. I try to open other worlds or plains. but many people are just frightened by what makes me laugh."

Q. On average, how long does it take you to create a piece?

A. "Well that all depends, I usually work on multiple pieces at once and depending on size becasue my stuff ranges from 2 inches to 6 feet. . But I try to finish 5-10 pieces every 3-4 months sometimes it goes quicker it just depends where my head is at."

Q. Can you share some of your philosophy about art and artistic creation?

A. "Just trying to make myself happy through creation. Just build and build until there is more to build again. Must not sleep."

Q. Has your art ever been published?

A. "I am working my first small book.zine. But i have had my stuff published in magazines. Cover of upcoming Refused magazine, and some stuff with x funs magazine in Taiwan. But i would love to eventually put out a hard cover book of my art."

Q. What was your most important exhibition? Care to share that experience?

A. "Every exhibition is as important as the next to me. And all the experiences are learning ones."

Q. Do you have any 'studio rituals'? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?

A. "Definitiely music all types, and sometimes a background movie can halp get the work done. Definitiely coffee and is a big helper and just seeing unfinsihed stuff is inspiration enogh for me to get started. I cant really sit still I always have to be donig something."

Q. If you could pinpoint the characteristics of people who collect your art, what would they be?

A. "So far it has mainly been larger woman and gay men.. but also a lot of couples that are very excited about little creatures."

Q. Discuss one of your pieces. What were you thinking when you created it?

A. "One of my pieces that started a lot of my style is called chair dog (image above). He started as a human in a dog suit. On all fours screaming towards the sky. He was a character who then progressed into smaller hand made toys called champsters and yet even smaller ones called nano chair dogs. He is the most important character in my work. To me he asks where are we going and what the hell are we doing here. A constant reminder that along our paths we sometimes get lost but its the journey that is most important."

Q. Do you have a degree or do you plan to attend school for art? If so, how did it help you as an artist? What can you tell us about the art department that you attended?

A. "I have a BFA and one day will probably get my MFA. I had some good teachers but they were always quite unimpressed with my nonsense art. But I took all I could from the facilities and learned everything I could from it and the teachers that were open to me."

Q. Why did you choose the medium(s) that you use?

A. "I like to use a lot of found objects in my stuff and really the only way to keep these pieces held together strong enough is by using resins and glues. I choose to cast my hand made toys in resin, because it is most cost effective. and all my original stuff is made the way that best fits my message. A piece of junk to one person is a torso to me."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. http://www.lucienshapiro.com

Q. Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?
A. "Currently I am not reprensented by a certain gallery I frequent some in LA and SF, but none solidly represent me. I have a group exhibit in April at the Trace Gallery in SF. I am always looking for new places to show my work."

Q. What trends do you see in the 'art world'?

A. "Well styles come and go, with clothes, art and music. So hopefully more and more people will stay open to the opetion of an alternate reality."

Q. Any tips for emerging artists?

A. "Make yourself happy, do it for no one other than yourself, and learn to cook cheap meals."

Q. Has your work ever been censored? If so, how did you deal with it?

A. "Yes, I get stuff pulled from galleries apparantly my stuff seems to be too scary for some people. It slighlty frusterates me because to me my stuff is funny, happy or cute. But hey at least im impacting some people one way or another."

Q. What was the toughest point in your career as an artist? Have you ever hit rock-bottom?

A. "Recently has been my low point but I've already dug my way out. I put everything is storage and took off driving across from califonia to NY and Canada, turned the trip into an art project and made my way back to California. I have been back for 3 months."

Q. In one sentence... why do you create art?

A. "It makes me happy."

Q. What can you tell our readers about the art scene in your area?

A. "Bay Area, California scene is a little of this a little of that."

Q. Has politics ever entered your art?

A. Once or twice.. I made a heatseeking Bush rocket. Also a lot of my pieces are on hands and knees thats kind of a representation of us always being pushed for our beliefs."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Lucien Shapiro. Feel free to critique or discuss his work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Lilli Ladewig

I recently interviewed artist Lilli Ladewig. Lilli is a German artist who works from her studio in Berlin. She has a degree in math and physics from Free University in Berlin and has studied art at the UDK in Berlin.

Lilli Ladewig is known for her large figure paintings. She utilizes intense colours and solid compositions in order to create a form of 'harmonious equilibrium'. These elements come together to create a 'visual message' about the experience of humanity to the viewer.

This interview involved a great deal of translation due to a language barrier. It serves to reveal (once again) the lengths that myartspace.com will go to reach the global art community. I'd like to thank everyone involved with this process.

Q. When did you first discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "At the age of 17 I had a dream which, to this day, I have never forgotten. In this dream, after a tiring mountain climb, I reached the peak and received the head of a golden head. I examined it thoroughly and found inside Richard Wagner`s characteristic cap. I felt I was called upon to make a decision.

The golden head represented to me science and rational thinking. Wagner`s cap represented art. I decided to follow the golden head and studied mathematics and natural science. I passed all my final examinations which allowed me to teach at a Grammar School. A few years later, still at university, I took up Wagner`s cap and decided to study art.

During my studies, when I had time, I was already painting with oil on canvas. It was at this time I realised that my life was being more and more influenced by art. Today I spend many hours painting daily."


Q. How has society influenced your art? Are there any social implications in your art?

A. "I am an extrovert in society, and in the family, and adapt myself to life in general. It is of no interest to me to be a lonely artist who stands alone in society.

My family play a large role in my pictures. The family photos are often my inspiration. I try to bring out humanity artistically in my pictures. Thereby one sees very often partners talking together, or deeply meditating."

Q. On average, how long does it take you to create one piece?

A. "On an average it takes me from two to six weeks to complete a picture, whereby I paint daily for many hours.

From the beginning to the end each picture passes through many variations. That is why the coating varnish of the acrylic paint is so conductive.

The picture takes shape in the course of time and is not, from the beginning, firmly fixed in my mind. I try to surprise myself in my work.

The price of my pictures result from the material I use; between 100-200 Euros, plus my wage per hour of 50-100 Euros. This results in a price of between 3000-5000 Euros."


Q. Do you have any `studio rituals`? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?

A. "I love to listen to classical music whilst painting - preferably piano - as I enjoy playing the piano myself. My favourite composers are Back, Beethoven and the Romantic composers Schubert, Schumann and Chopin."

Q. If you could pinpoint the characteristics of people who collect your art, what would they be?

A. "Any potential buyer of my pictures should love art. I like to get to know them personally. My works of art should also continue to be displayed in exhibitions."

Q. Discuss one of your pieces.What were you thinking when you created it?

A. ""Two Entertainers" (Zwei Spaßmacher ((Nr. 62)) (image above) I want to impress on my buyers that art should be enjoyed and I was stimulated by Verdi`s Opera "Falstaff", the gist of which in Aria Tutto nell mondo è burlo (The whole world is a stage) is expressed. You can only enjoy life with a partner. Both hold a palette in their hands and are curious as to the outcome of the picture.

Anybody who is ambitious, is also eager to foresee the future. "Create a Sensation" (Sensationslust ((Nr. 9)) The media are responsible for this picture because they confront us daily with crime and violence. We, as critics, react no more to this violence due to the continuous confrontation with it. The reporter in the picture finds only one person among all the spectators who shows any kind of sympathy (the sensative artist?)"

Q. Why did you choose the medium(s) that you use?

A. "At the beginning I painted with oil, but because the drying process took much longer than acrylic I couldn`t paint over it. Therefore I prefer painting with acrylic as it coincides with my style.

I have had contact with art throughout my whole life and have visited the large museums throughout the whole world. I am a regular visitor to all the museums here in Berlin. A city extremely rich in museums. That is the reason why I concentrate mainly on painting on canvas. The large paintings for me are the embodiment of art."

Q. Where can we see more of your art?

A. "In the last few years I have concentrated on online galleries. The online galleries have given me a much wider outlet for my pictures to a far greater number of people. And I have far more contact with other artists throughout the world.

My works of art can be seen and commented on in: http://www.Kunst.ag/Lilli.Ladewig (a Gallery in Germany)."

Q. What trends do you see in the `art world`?

A. "I am rather critical when it comes to trends in the world of art. Modern art is very strongly dominated by the market. Art is regarded too strongly as an invaluable possession and is very much commercialised.

Modern art is partly top-heavy and is seen without any explanation or philosophy from the artist which for the layman is misunderstood. Today modern works have to be explained to the layman and too much emphasis is placed on concietedness and sensation.

Unfortunately more and more scenes are shown of the morbid human existence. For me art should manifest life`s ever growing development."

Q.Has your work ever been censored? If so, how did you deal with it?

A. "I was extremely surprised that the online gallery www.artwanted.com eradicated two harmless nudist pictures from their website. Nudist paintings cover a large field in the history of art."

Q.In one sentence.... why do you create art?

A. "It is the thorough enjoyment of creating something. To produce something which is immortal."

Q. What can you tell our readers about the art scene in your area?

A. "Berlin, the capital city of Germany is a very young, international, active, scene of art. In Berlin it is affordable to rent an artists studio, an appartment (flat) to live in in comparison to Paris, London or New York.

There are many continuous exhibitions here in Berlin of contemporary artists held in large buildings such as "Hamburger Bahnhof", "The Gropius Building" and the "New National Gallery" More than 100 Galleries here in Berlin give us the opportunity of seeing, in various fields, works of art of contemporary artists.

Last year Berlin housed large exhibitions. Works of MOMA, Rembrandt and Goya. Annually Berlin houses the Art Fair Forum Berlin and every two years the Berlin Biennale - contemporary art exhibition."

Q. Has politics ever entered your art?

A. "It has proved that political art, which was propogated in the Soviet Union under Stalin - is no proper art as such. Propagander and art do not match. Although some advertisements can be very artistic. Therefore I refrain from painting political pictures."

Q. Does religion, faith, or the lack thereof play a part in your art?

A. "I am an active Christian (Lutheran) but belief and religion does not play a dominating role in my works of art."

Q. Is there anything else you would like to say about your art or the `art world`?

A. "I want to draw your attention once again to the Online Galleries. I have found them most rewarding. Communication has been made easier with artists all over the world together with the introduction of their works of art through this method. The interviews are particularly stimulating and rewarding and I would like to thank Brian for making this all possible."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Lilli Ladewig. Feel free to critique or discuss her work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin