Art Space Talk: Laura Splan

I recently interviewed artist Laura Splan. Laura is a mixed media artist based in New York City. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of California, Irvine where she originally studied Biological Sciences. She received her Master of Fine Art in Sculpture from Mills College in Oakland, CA.

Her interest in science and medicine stems from a variety of experiences and interests and is influenced by cultural trends and events. Both her father and sister have worked for a company that manufactures surgical and medical products such as implants. This nurtured her interest in medicine and gave her access to images and information she might otherwise not have had. Health epidemics, bio-terrorism, reality makeover shows, cloned cats, anti-microbial products, and pharmaceutical commercials all serve as fuel for inspiration for her work.

Q. Laura, you originally studied Biological Sciences. How has that early study influenced the art you create today?

A. "I think my early Biological Sciences study opened my eyes to a disconnect between innate and learned behavior especially as it relates to social constructions of femininity.

I became fascinated with relationships between the social and the biological, the natural and the manufactured. I was interested in the conflicts between natural and artificial selection as they relate to evolutionary advantage vs. social constructions of beauty.

At some point in my artwork, soon after Dolly was cloned, I began to reference a lot of biomedical imagery in my artwork. This was sort of a reinvestigation of these interests that has continued in my work."

(Pillows is a stack of pillows covered in pillowcases. Each pillowcase is sewn out of fabric on which images of skin have been inkjet printed. Each pillowcase possesses unique markings and coloring and is printed from a different image of skin. They evoke our psychological relationship to objects as projection surfaces for comfort and familiarity. The comfortable nature of the soft pillow is undermined by the magnified detail of the skin and even more so by the image of meat-like flesh on the pillow inside the pillowcase.)

Q. Both your father and sister have worked for a company that manufactures surgical and medical products such as implants. How has their shared knowledge influenced you as an artist? What other medical influences do you have?

A. "Growing up my father would occasionally talk about the products, implants and instruments that the company produced such as artificial knees and hips, orthopedic braces, surgical instruments, etc. He would have brochures and annual reports lying around with images of doctors, x-rays, surgical implants and instruments.

One time, I watched these corporate videos he had demonstrating the company’s products during knee surgery. I was also able to accompany him to an operating room to observe an eye surgery to implant an intraocular lens. I think these experiences made me highly aware of the extreme vulnerability, malleability and resilience of the human body.

I also recall him telling a horrific story about doctors under the influence of drugs and alcohol amputating the wrong limb of a patient. My sister once told me about the recall of an implant product in which all the recipients would have to have the recalled product replaced in another surgery. The company of course pays for the surgeries and they also send the patients flowers in the hospital. I think this made me aware of the element of human error in science.

I was also very accident prone as a child. I entered the first grade in a cast (broken arm from roller skating) and left on crutches (bike accident). I’ve seen an emergency room or two in my time as well as my share of my own flesh and bone."

Q. You have been exhibited at: San Francisco MOMA Artist's Gallery, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery, Los Angeles Center For Digital Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Santa Rosa, CA, Nexus Gallery (Philadelphia, PA), Delta Axis Gallery (Memphis, TN), Arthouse (Austin, TX), the Art & Culture Center Of Hollywood (Hollywood, FL), and Galerie SAW Gallery, (Ontario, Canada)... can you reflect on any of these exhibitions?

A. "I think what’s most memorable about exhibitions is the comments and stories that your work evokes from people. Some people come up with some fascinating ideas as to what your intentions are and others share some very personal and intimate stories about their lives and their bodies.

At my MFA exhibit, a woman shared with me that she was scheduled to have a baboon heart transplant. She gave me her phone number and asked me if I would be interested in video taping it to make some artwork out of the footage. I left her a message but never heard back from her.

I do find it satisfying when I show a piece and someone’s story about what they think the work is about is exactly my intention. In 2000, I made a series of large latch hook sculptures in the form of antidepressants and anti-psychotics for an art exhibit that was part of the first Ladyfest in Olympia, WA.

As soon as I got to the gallery someone came up to me and was so excited to tell me what she thought about the piece and it’s narrative implications, which were all exactly what I had in mind. I was surprised that an object was able to communicate such specific information between two people. I was also touched that she would take the time to share her thoughts on the work so thoroughly and generously."

Q. Laura, can you go into detail about how society has influenced your art? What are the social implications in your work?

A. "I sometimes like to create visual metaphors for social paradigms. Stethoscope (2002- image above) is a good example of that. Stethoscope is a twenty-five foot long functional stethoscope. Viewers are invited to listen to each other’s hearts on either end of a table.

Before the invention of the stethoscope, physicians would lay their heads directly on a patient’s chest to listen to the heart. In 1816, Rene Laennec was inspired to invent the stethoscope by his desire by some accounts to preserve a female patient’s modesty, by other accounts to preserve his own modesty.

This sculpture exaggerates the alienating nature of an object and explores the stethoscope as a visual metaphor for a social paradigm. Its maintained functionality questions standards in forms that do not necessarily relate to function.

I also like to work with images and forms that somehow reveal meaning in and of themselves. I find neuroanatomical structures to be wonderful visual metaphors for the complexity of their own function and the fragility of our bodies.

Blood as a drawing material is conceptually informed by society in the sense that our relationship to it and the emotional reaction it evokes are largely socially constructed. Blood can evoke a range of emotions and ideas across different cultures; anything from fear to fascination, from disease to ritual purification, from punishment to reward.

Most materials and images are not neutral and have a lot cultural baggage embedded in them. It’s that baggage that I enjoy playing with in the studio."

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

A. "I think that the best art is able to be at once beautiful, evocative, and memorable. Beauty is an artistic device that one uses to keep the viewer looking, pursuing, enjoying. There needs to be something "off", however, to evoke experiences other than just pleasure. It should trigger a memory, idea, or question so that the viewer is encouraged to peel back the aesthetic surface layers of the work and to see what ideas and stories lay underneath the exterior we call art. The interior should be facilitated by the artist but informed by the viewer. This is where the real artistic experience lies. It’s a shared one of sorts in which two people communicate in a way that defies language."

(Blood Scarf depicts a scarf knit out of clear vinyl tubing. An intravenous device emerging out of the user's hand fills the scarf with blood. The implied narrative is a paradoxical one in which the device keeps the user warm with their blood while at the same time draining their blood drip by drip.)

Q. Has your art ever been published? Where?

A. "My work has been reproduced in publications of varying interests that cross over between art, design, craft, and science. After my show at the New York Hall of Science, it was reviewed in Discover Magazine (February 2007).

My work also appeared on the cover of the Public Library of Science Medicine Journal (November 2004). Surface Design Journal (Fall 2005) did an issue on Machine Embroidery that featured my Doilies series. And 3rd Floor: A Portable Artspace, (Spring 2005) included images of a photographic diptych I did titled Blood Scarf (image above and below)."

Q. Laura, 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. "Sometimes I work for hours in complete silence. I find when I’m trying to figure something out or I’m experimenting or concentrating, I really need silence.

If I’m drawing, I like to listen to mellow music (Cat Power, Lily Allen). But if I’m doing more physical work like sanding wood or framing artwork I like to listen to loud punk or dance music (LeTigre, Devo, Blondie).

If I have a really long haul ahead of me of simple, repetitive work like knitting or latch hooking I like to listen to audio books. I was on a Victorian Science Fiction kick for a while.

Since I often forget to put any music on at all, I also end up listening to a lot of Reuben Lorch-Miller’s (www.lorch-miller.com/) musical selections since we share a studio, which I would describe as dark metal (Big Business, Melvins).

As for what gets me in the mood for working in the studio that would be deadlines. If I don’t have a deadline for a studio visit or a show, I can be incredibly undisciplined or spend too much time messing around with the administrative side of art making (emails, portfolios, applications)."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "One place to always see my work is my website, www.laurasplan.com . I keep it pretty up to date because it’s become such an important tool for me to communicate with curators and collectors. There is also a "news" page that lists all the details for my current and upcoming exhibitions."

Q. Do you have any upcoming exhibits?

A. "Sympathetic Coordination is a solo exhibition of my work at the International Museum of Surgical Science (Chicago, IL, May 4-July 20, 2007). It’s part of their "Anatomy in the Gallery" program that curates one-person exhibitions by fine artists that reference the body and medicine in their work.

I will also be in some upcoming group exhibitions including Reimagining the Distaff Toolkit, which will begin at the Bennington Museum, (Vermont, 2008) and travel to other galleries and museums. It’s an exhibit that includes work that references, revamps, and reimagines tools that have historically been important for women's domestic labor.

I am showing sculptures and drawings in The Powder Room at Track 16 Gallery in Santa Monica, CA (through May 19, 2007) and photographic work at the 10th Annual Subtle Technologies Festival, in Toronto, Canada (May 24-27, 2007)."

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

A. "My work has been censored. In 2005, I was a featured artist on a pbs arts series called Spark! on KQED in San Francisco, CA. The final segment was about 9 minutes long and at the last minute the "higher ups" (at KQED I believe) censored about a 2-minute segment.

The segment contained images of a photographic series I did called Dissected. The photographs were formal portraits of cats that had been dissected in a high school. Someone decided the work was too graphic and disturbing for even their late night audience. I wasn’t surprised, as I already knew how controversial the work was.

I guess I just took it in stride since there was never any agreement between us that they would be highlighting any particular work in the segment. I also knew how hard the producers and editors worked on the show and that it probably bothered them more than it did me."

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

A. "The art scene in New York City is hard to describe because it’s not just one scene. NYC is such a vast, diverse place that there are really 100’s of scenes within.

I moved here from San Francisco though and so did many of my artist friends. So I had somewhat of an instant art community when I moved here. I try to frequently exchange studio visits with other artists and have found artists here really receptive to that idea. I also send out an email to my friends if I’m going to a reception or lecture and others are good at doing the same.

There’s so much going on that it’s hard as one person to keep track of everything. It’s a group effort sometimes. Basically, there’s tons of art happening here 24/7 and thousands of people here actively engaged in it. It can be invigorating.

While nyc has a reputation for being a difficult place to live, I’ve found it an easy place to feel surrounded by art and an art community. I’m also sort of a loner though so for me to feel a sense of community doesn’t really require a lot. I’m a product of the suburbs in that way.

The best thing about nyc is that there is just about every kind of "art" imaginable here and usually at least one venue or institution supporting its display. The hard thing about it is how saturated it is. There are thousands of other artists here trying to access the same support, funding, or venue, audience. That can be daunting."

(Prozac, Thorazine, Zoloft is a group of large pillows crafted out of hand latch-hooked rugs, which have been sewn together and stuffed. These soft, oversized anti-psychotics and anti-depressants provide a different kind of comfort than their prescription counterparts. The time consuming nature of the latch-hook process provides a sufficiently mind-numbing effect. Latch hooking is a simple but tedious craft that has traditionally been used to depict idealized and romanticized images from domesticity and nature.)

Q. Has politics ever entered your art?

A. "I tend to believe that everything has political implications whether it’s your intent or not. You should be prepared to own up to and address it regardless of your intent. As an artist I think about the aesthetic and conceptual choices I make on those terms as much as I can. It can be tedious and stifling though and in the end if it ruins the piece, there’s no point.

Because the body is such a highly politicized locus, a lot of my work may read as political since I use so much anatomical imagery. I also use a lot of imagery and processes traditionally associated with women. I try to consider the political histories of women, femininity, and the body that are going to inevitably inform the work."

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

A. "I’m an Atheist but I was raised Catholic in the Southern Baptist South in Tennessee. I would say a lot of my work is sometimes a reaction to different forms of repression that dictate concepts of order and disorder, standard and deviant, and right and wrong. I believe religion often does this. So do a lot of other institutions.

A few times, people have interpreted spiritual meaning out of some of the work I’ve done with blood imagery. I understand and welcome their interpretations but did not have that sort of intent or inspiration behind the work."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Laura Splan. Feel free to critique or discuss her work. Check out her website at: www.laurasplan.com

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space News: The Artist Project

This exhibit was very appealing. The Artist Project featured original works of art by over 50 cutting-edge artists. Held in the Mart's lobby- it was the first exhibit I entered before making my way to the Bridge Art Fair preview. I returned to the exhibit later for the Preview Night. Each artist was jury selected for the event. Thus, the level of artistic skill and creative ambition was high.

The environment was very amicable. Each booth represented an artist and most of the artists were on hand to discuss their work- while others traveled the floor in order to discuss work with the other artists and patrons. I was pleased to find out that most of them had heard of myartspace.com and several mentioned that they had accounts! It was awesome to come face-to-face with the scope of influence that myartspace.com has obtained.

I was really impressed with the caliber of work on display. All of the artists are worth mentioning, but I will focus on a few for now. You can find out more about The Artist Project by visiting the official site: www.theartistproject.net

('Sunrise' by Jane Fulton Alt)

The photography of Jane Fulton Alt (sample above) was a joy to observe. I sense a certain spirituality about her work that is very calming to view. She is a Chicago born (1951) fine art photographer and has been very active in the Chicago scene for years. Her work is in several public collection- including the Center for Photography at Woodstock, NY.

Themes of grief and loss are common in her work and serve as a reflection of humanity. Her series 'Mourning Light' shows her "attempt to counter the darkness that had enveloped me. These photographs speak to the light in the face of that darkness, and are an effort to memorialize all who have died thru out time at the hand of evil. " You can observe more of Jane Fulton Alt's work by visiting her website: www.janefultonalt.com

(A sample of an on-going project by Jeremy Tubbs)

Jeremy Tubbs booth was a crowd favorite- not so much for the work he had on display, but for the vision behind it. This artist has focused on taking a picture of himself once per day since September of 2006. His goal is to document the procession of aging upon his face by photographing himself daily.

As a greater amount of photos are cataloged, his plan is to produce a video at 15 frames per second making each year pass in a period of approximately 24 seconds. So, by the time he is 75 years old the video will be a little more than 20 minutes long.

Observers were fascinated by the life-long project that Jeremy has set for himself. I think some of the allure of his project has to do with the fact that so many of us try to deny the aging process- Jeremy embraces it. You can view the 'Random Pic-A-Day Timeline' (sample above) on his website: www.jeremytubbs.com

('North Pond' by Hiroshi Ariyama)

The photography of Hiroshi Ariyama was a hit as well (sample above). He sold a screenprint while I was discussing his work with him! Mr. Ariyama's current series of work is called 'Our City, Our Neighborhood'. The series is comprised primarily of simple urbanscapes that enhance some aspect of reality through a very graphic manipulation of light, color and texture.

Each image begins as an original photograph which he modifies or simplifies until finding the "right moment". The image is then separated into tonal ranges for which he selects colors that he feels celebrate the moment. Hiroshi's intent is to capture an emotional point in time within each scene that can range from a nostalgic reflection, to a simple current observation to a happy glance into a moment's fleeting possibilities. www.ariyamastudio.com

(Hair Piece 13 by Monica Rezman)

The work of Monica Rezman was also a show-stopper. Monica Rezman is a painter, textile designer, and most recently a photographer who currently splits her time between Chicago and India. Rezman has always been fascinated by ways women use personal adornment as A kind of language. Splitting time between the east and west has served to broaden her vocabulary.

Her current body of work comes from two sources: As a child, she watched her mother alter and augment her own hair with falls and wigs. Her three year old daughter is experimenting with female adornment the same way.

Using a very traditional form of oil painting techniques and charcoal she explores the subtleties, richness and mystery that the hair creations hold for her. She is struck at how much feeling and emotion is revealed in a simple strand of hair. Eroticism, hope, sadness, and disappointment exist simultaneously in these works.

When I observed her work I thought that I was looking at actual hair hanging on the wall (sample above). I was shocked to find out that the hair was a charcoal drawing! You can find out more about Monica and her work by visiting her website: www.monicarezman.com

I have so many other artists to cover. I will be posting more about my trip to Chicago this week. More to come...

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space News: Bridge Art Fair- Chicago 2007

(Michel Dubois, Juliet, 2007, C-print numbered on 3, 47.2 x 51.1 in- Galerie Paule Friedland& Alexandre Rivault)

Anyone who counted Chicago out as one of the mega-centers of the art world was sadly mistaken this weekend. The Bridge Art Fair, Art Chicago, The Artist Project and several other venues hammered skeptics with a visual blitzkrieg that has not been seen in Chicago for some time. I was in attendance on the 26th and 27th- representing myartspace.com- and observed the visual onslaught with my own eyes!

I ventured to Chicago in order to attend the preview party for the Bridge Art Fair. However, my eyes strayed toward several events that were happening during my trip. Artropolis, as a whole, impressed me greatly. I will be posting several entries about my visit to Chicago in the coming days.

(Daniel Edwards, Monument to Pro-Life: The Birth of Sean Preston, 2006, Resin Cast, Life Size- Capla KestingFine Art)

After quickly viewing The Artist Project I made my way to the Bridge Art Fair preview. I was one of the first members of the media to arrive at the preview (I actually forgot to pick up my press kit until later- sorry guys, I cheated). I was greeted by Daniel Edwards 'Monument to Pro-Life: The Birth of Sean Preston' (image above) as I turned a corner to enter the exhibit.

This sculpture caused a great deal of controversy when Edwards revealed it to the public. However, it did not seem to have the same impact during the Bridge preview.

The majority of the people who stopped to observe the sculpture only seemed to be interested in taking "Hey, I'm standing next to naked Spears" type photos. I believe the message of the piece has been lost to the media and controversy surrounding it- which is unfortunate for Mr. Edwards. Onlookers viewed other works more seriously even though the piece appeared to be the figurehead of the Bridge Art Fair.

There was a great deal of work to observe in the 65 booths- a maze of art and anticipation. I don't think anyone will disagree that Chicago was the heart of the art world that night- the thumping was loud! Distorted voices and scratching vibes completed the atmosphere as the DJ gave life to an already lively event.

The gallery representatives were friendly and eager to discuss their collections- a constant flow of energy! Thump, thump... Thump, thump. I was impressed by practically all of the exhibited work. However, two booths stuck out: Contessa Gallery and Marx-Saunders Gallery, LTD.

(Roy Lichtenstein, Reverie, 1965, Screenprint in colors, 30 x 24 in)

Booth 60 was my favorite- hands down! What can I say- I have a love for art history. The booth was occupied by the Contessa Gallery. This gallery presented works by Roy Lichtenstein (image above), Horst P. Horst (image below), Pablo Picasso and many other modern masters.

(Horst P. Horst, Mainbocher Corset, 1939, Silver gelatin photograph, 9.5 x 7.5 in)

I was amazed to observe the first work of art by Pablo Picasso to feature the Minotaur. Steven Hartman, owner and founder of The Contessa Gallery in Cleveland, allowed me to take a picture of the piece as we discussed the influence it had on Picasso's later works.

Mr. Hartman has excellent communication skills and a strong knowledge of art history. My chat with him was one of the many highlights of my trip. I could have stayed at the Contessa booth all night, but I had other venues to observe. (www.contessagallery.com)

(Hank Adams, sHAMy, 2006, Glass and copper, 27 1⁄2 x 22 x 15 in)

Booth 50 was occupied by Marx-Saunders Gallery, LTD. This gallery only featured the work of two artists. However, they both made a huge impact with onlookers. Three glass and copper sculptures by Hank Adams (image above) peered back at observers- while Jen Blazina's School Desk Installation (image below) invited observers back to class.

(Jen Blazina, School Desk Installation: Recollection, 2006, Cast glass, photo transfer, and metal)

Blazina's installation was very impressive in that it conveyed a dark... almost foreboding mood. It really captured an old classroom feel- a time when everyone was just a face and the classroom seemed more like some surreal hell than a place of learning. I was later informed that Blazina's installation was a show-stopper during the weekend hours of the exhibit.

The installation was a very interactive experience even though it was very somber in its approach. Observers were allowed to step into the 'classroom'. Faces from an old year book were hauntingly projected upon a chalk board and upon the desks. There was no sign of life and no real reflection of the lives who once 'inhabited' the classroom. It actually reminded me of stepping into something from Silent Hill.

An interesting aspect of this gallery is the fact that it has a focus on artist who use glass as a medium. The gallery was founded by Bonnie Marx in 1990- Ken Saunders joined the gallery in 1995. The focus of the gallery’s efforts is to broaden the exposure of contemporary artist who use glass to create exceptional works of art. I was really impressed. (www.marxsaunders.com)

Both of these galleries made an impact on me. However, I will be posting more soon...

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Elisse Pogofsky-Harris

I recently interviewed artist Elisse Pogofsky-Harris. Born in Chicago and receiving her degree in art from the University of Michigan, Elisse Pogofsky-Harris’s work has been strongly colored by the eleven years she spent living and working in Rome, Italy.

"Her metaphoric language creates a dream world where past and present merge. Art historical allusions, personal symbolism and carefully observed reality intertwine in compositions that speak to both individual and universal concerns about life," wrote Richard West, in a recent catalogue of Pogofsky-Harris’s work.

Ojai, California has been her main place of residence for the past twenty five years, but every year she returns to Italy to paint in her studio there. Ms. Pogofsky-Harris’ work has been widely exhibited. Her highly acclaimed art is part of collections of museums, corporations, and universities, as well as many prestigious private collections.

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

A. "I was 10 years old and had to stay home from school for a month in bed, I entertained myself by drawing and painting. It became a serious interest and I began to fantasize about having the life of an artist."

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

A. "The first mature phase of my art developed while I lived in Rome, Italy for eleven years. I did aquatint etchings and the content had to do with the people I saw daily. I was mostly interested in the lives of the elderly people around me so visible in the streets.

Years later, I became involved in an international women's arts project called Women Beyond Borders, a cross cultural collaboration connecting women, to honor and document women's voices and visions, to encourage dialogue and collaboration and to inspire creative expression."

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

A. "I usually respond with a quick "as long as I have been making art". But the truth is I work on my paintings until I feel they are finished which can take as long as a year or as short as a week. Of course size has a great deal to do with the amount of time spent on each piece. I often work on more than one project at a time which allows me to put the work aside. After not looking at the painting for several weeks I may decide to rework much of it."

Q. What was your most important exhibition?

A. "My most important exhibition was at the Frye Museum in Seattle, Washington. The museum had just been renovated and my work, covering a ten year period was in four major galleries. The most exciting moment was when I saw the banner, the HUGE banner hanging in the museum entry with my name on it and and the title of the exhibition 'Spirits, Wolves, and Metaphors'."

Q. Do you have any studio rituals?

A. "I turn on jazz music as soon as I enter my studio, if I am having trouble working I might sort through books, photographs, old letters, or portfolios of my work."

Q. Where can we see more of your art.

A. "You can see my work on my web site at www.pogofsky-harris.com or look me up on the Ojai Studio Artists web site. My work is represented in many public collections including The Carnegie Art Museum, Oxnard, CA; The Bank of Levy Collection, Ventura Museum of History and Art, Ventura, CA; The Santa Fe Arts Museum, Santa Fe, New Mexico; Judah L. Magnes Museum, Berkeley, CA; Municipal Art Collection, Ventura, CA; The Harithas Collection, Longacre Museum, Longacre, Texas; The Municipal Art Collection, Ventura, CA; The University of Houston and Rice University, Houston, Texas; The University of California, Los Angeles, CA."

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

A. "I create art because I have to."

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

A. "I am in Ventura County, California. I have seen over the past 25 years an amazing shift in the recognition of this area as a large active arts community. The city of Ventura has taken on a development program that recognizes the cultural and economic benefits derived from supporting the artists in the area with grants, exhibition spaces, workshops, and festivals.

Focus on the Masters organizes a Ventura studio tour as well as recognizing the outstanding artists in the area and archiving their work.Studio Channel Islands at the new California State University in Camarillo, CA, has an exceptional exhibition space and has consistently had outstanding exhibits.The City of Ventura has an outstanding public arts program and has promoted live work space for artists.

In Ojai, CA The Studio Artist Tour is one of the first of its kind and has brought national recognition to the city. When funding was cut for the arts in California, the Ventura County Arts Council persevered helping support arts groups within the county and bringing programs and art to the schools."

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

A. "Because I lived in Italy for such a long time, I absorbed the historical art that was around me especially that of the Renaissance and Pre-renaissance, which was religious and mainly Christian in nature.

On my return to the states, I began to draw from this influence using Christian iconography in my compositions. I began to wonder about my own religious roots and began to research Jewish themes which I felt closer to. These themes became pivotal to my work. I have since moved on from those themes."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Elisse Pogofsky-Harris. Feel free to critique or discuss her work.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Ajay Angre- World Palette International

I recently interviewed artist Ajay Angre. Mr. Angre is the founder of World Palette International (WPI). He is also the Director of Marketing Communications for WPI. Mr. Angre's job is to promote original art created by emerging Indian artists. He accomplishes this by utilizing a Direct Response Marketing plan and by gaining exposure for WPI artists online.

It can be hard for artists from India to gain international exposure due to economic reasons. Many of the artists represented by World Palette International are from rural areas of India. Thus, the respected artists may lack in communication and financial resources to expose their work to a wider audience. Many of these artists create master works while living meager lives. It is the goal of WPI to gain the proper exposure that these artists need in order to facilitate their careers and earn the living that their talents warrant.

Mr. Angre is currently working with myartspace.com in order to gain further exposure for artists represented by World Palette International. Ajay has over 30 years of experience working with various organizations and has built strong connections throughout the 'art world'. Myartspace.com is proud to introduce our blog readers to Mr. Angre and his organization.

Mr. Angre has allowed me to post several examples of work by WPI artists. You will observe examples of work by Senior and Junior artists from India throughout this interview. Please keep an eye on the WPI website (which is currently under construction): www.worldpalette.co.in. Enjoy!

(A painting by Prof. Anil Naik- Professor Naik specializes in all forms of art- realistic, abstract, portrait painting, landscapes, conceptual art, murals...)

Q. Mr. Angre, you are the Director of Marketing Communications for World Palette International. Can you tell our readers about your organization? What is the mission of your organization?

A. "World Palette International based in Mumbai, India is founded by the Artists of senior rank to promote the up coming Indian Artists who have talent, creative vision but no marketing opportunities and exposure. Besides, exploitation of upcoming artists by middle men and so called agents was a matter of concern that needed to be addressed immediately.
For over two years now I've personally met our very senior artists and expressed my desire to start some marketing activity to promote our emerging artists who come from socially and economically backward classes but have tremendous creative talent. We collectively thought we must do something to stop exploitation of our artists and do something to offer a viable platform to showcase their work nationally and internationally for sale.

I received overwhelming support for by all my seniors for creating an organization that was named World Palette International. I am proud to state here that I am the founding member and Director for Marketing communications of World Palette International.

As I am from the creative side, ( I Graduated in Applied Art from J.J.School of Art, Mumbai) World Palette International, the name, logo style and the symbol to represent artist color palette and Art with an International outlook was developed by me. This became my passion and a mission to create such a powerful medium via WPI that can and will cut across all boundaries, borders and help an artist receive his/her due share and recognition. And with recognition, the monetary rewards.

My dream and passion is coming into realization with our collective efforts. The reason it is working successfully is because Artist are working in the interest of Artists. No commissions, no fee whatsoever are charged as a matter of policy. Our Artist get a price he or she feels, he/she deserves for the work as far as possible. It was only possible if Artist works for Artist and build up a team to support each other in a marketing oriented environment. This way, we could build up confidence in our artists to use this platform freely and assured support of the artist in this movement can only make our organization strong and efforts effective."

(A painting by Parag Ghalsasi- Parag is an established artist who can skillfully paint the human figure. He is known for his eye for detail.)

Q. You have worked with Prof. Hanamante, Prof. Vishvas Yende, Prof. Anil Nagpurkar, Prof. Anil Naik, and Prof. Srikant Jadhav- all leading art instructors from India- in order to give structure to World Palette International. When did you all decide to create this organization?

A. "It is really an interesting story if I may say so. The concept of developing such a platform for our upcoming artists came to my mind when I was working in the Gulf, in Dubai. One couple from Europe came to meet me as I was working with the leading English language daily as an Art Director. They were visiting the Gulf in order to promote European Art and Artists. They were looking for representatives who can work for them in the Gulf region.

At that point of time I thought of our Indian artists and their poor state of affairs. I thought of working on the same lines for our Artists in India. And while on vacation in India, I planned to meet all my fellow Artists, and college faculty to know their thoughts. I received encouraging response from every one of them since they knew my strength in marketing communications and my exposure to the outside world.

In 1999, when I returned back to India, I started serious work on the concept of creating a viable marketing platform for deserving talented upcoming artists from India. For about six months I was just talking to Artists and Art Professors, to understand where things were going wrong, why an artist's position in the society is so bad in spite of having great talent- why an artist cannot make a decent living out of his passion for art.

Well, this was totally an area of research and deep study to find out what is responsible for this state of affairs. I studied the art market, artists, buyers, art institutes, art galleries and exhibition events for six long months. I discussed with senior and junior artists and came to my own conclusions about the marketing approach that we should have. The senior faculty members were a big source of feed back for me. After spending a lot of time with many of my seniors and upcoming artists, I presented my marketing plans as a matter of communication strategy and we started working on that in Feb 2005.

Our first exhibition was held on 30th of July 2005 for only two days at the famous Golf Club of Mumbai. But my marketing plans were focused on "Direct response marketing". After my studies, I firmly believed that Direct Response Marketing is the only economical and result oriented channel of communication which can generate a effective response in terms of actual sales and also, wider, deeper penetration in the selected target group is possible.

So in effect, World Palette International started it’s active role in July 2005."

(A painting by Kishore Nandvdekar- Is a self-taught artist who has been honored by the Maharashtra State Art Board.)

Q. Mr. Angre, you are an artist as well. You graduated from Mumbai's reputable Art College Sir J.J. School of Art in 1971. You also have 23 years of experience working as an Art Director and as a Creative Director with International exposure in Advertising and Marketing. How has your artistic and business training helped you to meet the challenges of forming an organization like World Palette International? I will assume that critical thinking and creative decisions play a major role in strengthening your organization.

A. "Yes, indeed with the kind of experience and exposure that I was fortunate enough to have over 23 years of my career- my creative thinking and marketing vision helped me a lot in guiding my mind to follow certain paths and my sixth sense in difficult situations kept me on my track. Firstly, I must say being an Artist myself, it was an advantage for me to understand artist's mind, attitude and thinking in general. My creative side helped me in grasping situations fast and also helped me to see the future outlook.

Also, being an artist with a professional attitude and vast experience from the field, I could command good respect from fellow artists. My professional strengths in marketing, advertising and promotions were the basis for receiving respectability within the art world. My communication skills are excellent and I believe in great presentations. I am a good listener.

During my six months study of everything in the art world and artists, my role was only as a listener to know many aspects of the industry. I have a habit of listening to everyone and even discussing issues with everyone. I am open to suggestions, but the final processing of information I gather, I decide myself, what is vital that needs to be used to make my decisions to strengthen this concept and based on that I apply my creative vision, experience, and my sixth sense to arrive at a final conclusion and decisions.

I am willing to change my course after careful considerations. I call that fine tuning of your thoughts, plans and approach. I strongly believe in listening to everyone because I sincerely believe everyone has a creative potential and a solution to offer from a different perspective.

I also strongly believe in my own convictions, beliefs, gut feelings and a lot of winning attitude to succeed in your endeavors. But I must say, as a creative person, I always follow out-of-box thinking. I am not a traditional thinker but a creative thinker. Building up an organization requires human understanding, financial understanding and marketing understanding.

My experience from every organization that I worked with certainly became an asset for working in all these critical areas. To build up an organization, you need a leader with vision, with confidence and extra ordinary capacity to influence and motivate others to come along with you on the mission to succeed in our dreams to build a brighter future. Our not so confident artists, with no hopes for a better life or future needed this confidence with a powerful message that said "we can and will make it together"! So let us do it now for a better tomorrow."

(A painting by Ram Khartmal- Ram is an emerging artist who has gained recognition in India for his conceptual work.)

Q. Can you explain some of the difficulties that artist from India may have in regards to gaining exposure for their work internationally?

A. "In the first place, most of the Artists are from poor family backgrounds. Their socio economic status is from the lower level in the society. Most of them learn in schools in the vernacular languages. So they are very poor in their verbal or written communication skills. In addition, they lack presentation skills. World Palette International is spending a lot of time explaining to our artists their drawbacks and how to improve on them.

The reasons why nationally or internationally their reach is poor and the exposure to their work is almost nil is due to their socio economic conditions. Of course I don’t blame them entirely for their state, the circumstances they live in are such that making a living only on art is a difficult thing for them. So most take up a job in schools or colleges as Art teachers to support their family and that is where their passion for art and their creativity takes a back seat.

With the daily struggle in life, lack of funds, marketing or communication skills, it is very difficult for most of them to think about State or National exposure for their work. The international exposure is a dream for them.

I strongly feel, this is where organizations like World Palette International can play a very important role in offering these unknown artists all the supports possible for getting them the right exposure in right places. So for International exposure, systematic organizational efforts can give them the necessary confidence and logistic support."

(A painting by Prof. Balagi Ubale- Professor Ubale is known for painting religious subjects that stir an emotional response.)

Q. I understand that World Palette International is working with the creators of myartspace.com in order to help promote the artists that your organization represents. Can you go into detail about your thoughts on how such alliances are vital in regards to gaining exposure for emerging artists from India? What do you see as the 'big picture' in this venture?

A. When we formed WPI, My marketing vision was very clear. The entire marketing strategy evolved from a deep study of issues and a result oriented approach. I saw from the beginning WPI as a National and International marketing platform for emerging artists to showcase their work and to obtain the necessary wider exposure to sell it.

In the first place, my study on the Art Gallery Exhibitions in India did not reveal very encouraging results in terms of sales for upcoming artists. The so called buyers in India go for famous names who are like brands. And it is looked purely as an investment for attractive returns in the future. In most cases upcoming Artist’s work is only admired by Art lovers, critics and faculty but sales are remote, if any.

The Agents and art dealers or art Galleries too, promote only who they want to promote irrespective of lack of quality and creativity. I personally feel after my serious interaction and debates with senior artists that the emerging artist has no place here in this totally commercial Art world where art is not seen, respected, and appreciated as an art but a piece of investment for making money.

Whereas, my study and interactions with people in the West and Europe discovered one important aspect about the people of these regions. Everyone appreciates original art and whenever possible likes to adore their walls with original works of art. This is a very important aspect for art and artists to flourish were art is admired, appreciated and bought.

My study also revealed that Asian Art and especially Indian art in the last decade has become more popular in many countries all over the world and many Art lovers have taken a liking for an ethnic color palette and admire cultural, religious and traditional works of art from India. This was strong enough reason for us to look for alliances and associations with overseas Artists, Art Galleries, Art net works and organizations to represent our interest in respective regions.

My first breakthrough was with UK’s very old and popular Art studio www.commissionaportrait.com involved with commissioned work in portrait painting. When they thought of launching their website www.newartcollectors.com to promote Art and Artist from all over the world, our five Artists work was selected with great admiration and recognition and our artist’s presence was solicited at once for mutual interest.

So to say, in regards to associations and alliances with overseas Art organizations, we always thought of the prime importance of obtaining wider exposure and effective commercial angles for our artists. As I have mentioned before, my initial plans reveal long term plans to open our representative offices in the US, Canada, UK and Middle East.

I have always seen the bigger picture in this era of globalization. People all over the world are changing their preferences and looking beyond for new ideas, concepts and thinking. Our Indian Art is also playing a major role while crossing borders. Its ethnicity, earthly palette, bright and refreshing colors with cultural, traditional, and a rural touch is attracting attention of art lovers from all over. And if that is any indication, we must have our presence in the outside world, beyond the Indian horizons. And the best way to do this is with the alliances, associations of same minded people who are professionally dedicated and working with passion and vision."

( Another painting by Prof. Anil Naik)

Q. I admire the work of the artists from World Palette International that I have viewed. There seems to be a lot of tradition behind these works of art- yet it is displayed in different ways. For example, the work of Gopal Sharma appears to be very influenced by traditional themes of Indian culture while the work of Kumud Dass conveys this tradition in a more contemporary manner. Both artists capture the essence of India. It must be a joy for you to see these traditional themes handled in various styles- can you comment about the artists you've worked with and the direction they are going with World Palette International?

A. "It is indeed a pleasure to see a variety in the style of work by every artist. Of course, the style whether traditional or contemporary are a direct reflection of their own cultural surroundings. The renderings developed with their own creative talents is an individual style influenced by studies of art and culture. For example, Gopal Sharma’s style and rendering in miniature art is a typical influence of his living in Udaipur where traditionally families are painting miniature forms of art from the Mughal era. The children -while growing- only see everyone in the family and around drawing miniature art on Mughal Kings and queens life styles or Hindu religious scriptures. Whereas, Kumud Dass renders Buddha and Buddhism in a bold, contemporary style with a cool, peaceful blue color palette.

As a principle, we decided to give our artists total freedom to produce whatever concepts; in whatever art form they desire. The only condition and rule applicable is, every art piece created in whatever form, or style is subject to prior approval by our team of senior artists, as regards to themes, quality of work, framing, mounting and pricing. And only then the art works are included in our collection for necessary exposure.

For our Artists, we have no fees, no membership enrollment and membership fee. The original art works are always in the artist’s possession. No work is kept on a consignment basis as is done with art agents and dealers. Only good quality photo prints or high resolution images of the Artwork are what we require from the Artists. Our Artist are free to sale their work directly to any buyer if he finds one and no commission is charged on the direct sale.

WPI tries to get the price that the artist wants for his or her work. On this no commission is charged. As a rule, we want our Artist to get his price first. If the buyer wants to negotiate on the price we have in writing from the artist his bottom price. We work with our artists on this understanding and that has helped us in boosting up confidence level in our artist to use WPI as a very reliable, trustworthy platform to sale their work through. On realization of sale, payment is made without any delays.

It is a WIN-WIN situation for an artist as no exploitation of any kind is experienced by an artist at any stage. With our policies firmly in place and our honest efforts we have earned a good reputation among artists. More and more artists want to use this platform and World Palette International is building up a great collection of Indian Art with different strokes, styles, renderings, and themes."

(A painting by Ramesh Pachpande- Ramesh has devoted many years to the cultural study of Rajasthan. He is skilled in figurative painting and works with all media with ease.)

Q. Many of the artists associated with World Palette International have attended or have instructed at Sir J.J School of Art, Mumbai. However, I noticed that some of the artists are self-taught. For example, Kishore Nandvdekar is a self-taught artist who has won National Awards for his art. Is it harder for the self-taught artists to gain exposure outside of India- compared to the artists who have trained at a School of Art? Or is their equal concern for both the trained and self-taught artists from India in regards to gaining exposure internationally?

A. "Allow me to express myself on this, I would say it really doesn't’t matter whether you are an Art graduate or a self starter or self-taught Artist. If you have it in you and have taken pain to develop your skills, under the guidance of some GURU, you are bound to shine. After all your work speaks volumes about your creative vision, ability and sensitivity. I know engineers, doctors from totally deferent professional backgrounds learning Fine Art under some Art Teachers or just by themselves and producing very talented work of Art. I would put it this way,
it is only hard for everyone until they make it at the top. Everything in-between is an up-hill task for all. It is not a bed of roses for anyone.

All the Artists I have shown you the work of like Prof. Anil Naik, Prof. Srikant Jadhav, S.K. Desai, Prof. Balagi Ubale, Ramesh Pachpande, are very senior Artists and their work is much appreciated, admired, rewarded and in personal collections in India and out-side India. They have received top class honors at State and National levels. They are recognized in the art world for the all-around brilliance in their work. However, they have failed in gaining international exposure.

Just recently, we have produced a DVD on Prof. Anil Naik’s Demo on portrait painting. I consider this man has magic in his fingers while working on portraits. We have plans to do a proper launch with marketing promotion of his DVD during his exhibition scheduled in the month of December this year. We have plans to launch the same CD in US markets too. It is developed for art students, hobbyist, amateurs to learn techniques in portrait painting.

I think personally, this digital medium offers a great live demo for art students to learn with a close look at his techniques. He has a mastery over all media,. Water colors, Oil, Acrylic, Pastel, Charcoal or color pencils. I think he has amazing talent in him to produce portraits from a live subject and I would be glad to show you a short clip of his demo in portrait painting.

He is equally good in realistic work, abstract work, illustration and figurative work. You will be amazed to view his work. But, the man is struggling for a decent living. He is a senior faculty in our leading Art College Sir J.J. School of Art.

Same is the case with Prof. Srikant Jadhav, S.K. Desai. Ramesh Pachpande. I consider these artists as exceptionally brilliant and I have received praise for their excellent creations from the world over. But non have worked or made efforts seeking international exposure. I am convinced now, their socio economic conditions are responsible for this state of affairs.

If marketing efforts with the right strategy is in place for all these brilliant artists for International exposure, I am confident all of them can make it at the top."

(A painting by Srikant Jadhav- Srikant specializes in painting nature and flora. He is known for his excellent work in oil with photographic detail.)

Q. Finally, is there anything else you would like to say about World Palette International or the art coming out of India today?

A. "I can assure you, with my marketing plans in place for US, Canada and UK, all our artists work including our emerging artists like Kishore Nandvdekar, Ram Kharatmal, Suresh Bhosle, Kumud Dass, Balagi Ubale, Neelesh Ved and many more in our collection can create a
sensation in the west and Europe for its ethnic brilliance.

We have today many more Artists from rural areas who have brilliant creative talent which has not yet been shown to you. I strongly believe, today, Indian Art with its ethnic and cultural flavor, with traditional expressions, is very refreshing, and attractive to Art lovers, critics, and collectors in most of the Western and Europeans countries.

I strongly believe this is the right time to take Indian Art across the Indian shores. More of it needs to be showcased for wider exposure- more of our emerging talent- with their brilliant use of colors, concepts, renderings and sensitivity- needs to be seen!

I have developed very ambitious marketing plans for the US and Canada. I have been putting in many hours on the net to develop my contacts with Artists, Art Galleries and business institutes from the West and Europeans countries. I have received very encouraging responses from many.

Much of the ground work is done by World Palette International. It is only a matter of time for us to develop the right partners in these markets and forge ahead.

Knowing about myartspace.com at this time is therefore a great importance to us to explore a mutually beneficial relationship based upon a long-term understanding. I am indeed glad to know you all and to know that your activity in the Art field is in the same direction that we are pursuing.

Since we have developed ambitious plans for the US and Canada, surely it would be our pleasure to have more in-depth dialogue for a better understanding to work along on the same platform of our mutual interest.

I look forward to having more interaction with you to take this into the right direction for developing the potential of Indian Art all over the world."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Ajay Angre- founder of World Palette International.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Osvaldo Gonzalez

I recently interviewed artist Osvaldo Gonzalez. He is a self-taught digital artist, born in Argentina. Working in a melancholic vein, Osvaldo creates complex and emotional scenarios of the human condition and strange dreamlike figurations. He has a knack for creating dark mysterious stories. His use of layering to create depth, tonal qualities, and aged effects are decisive and work together to produce otherworldly narrative moments with a delicate and detailed sense of atmosphere and transparency. He currently resides in Miami, Florida, with his wife Mariana and his iguana Morticia.

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

A. "During high school I really enjoyed drawing class, and at the age of 17 I had the opportunity to start a job as an ad designer at the local paper in my hometown. It was a great experience and I discovered that my life would always revolve around art."

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

A. "I feel that the downward spiral of the human condition is what gives impetus to my artwork."

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

A. "Sometimes the idea comes in a flash, I make some sketches in my book and in a few hours I have the outline of a piece. Sometimes it is more complex and in the middle of the process as I am adding to the piece, I suddenly have a drastic change in focus finally finishing the entire composition in a couple of weeks. Other times I start with only a few basic elements and no fixed idea, then after arguing with myself a piece is born in my heart and in my eye. I try to tell a story with each piece I create."

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

A. "The most important for me is the act of creating a good concept and bringing it to reality. The birth of a good idea is the celebration of art, the choice of a medium is only a complement."

Q. Has your art ever been published?

A. "Some of my pieces have been published in Expose I, Exotique 2, Desk Top Digital Culture Magazine, Recrie, art and science and several online sites."

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

A. ""Digitized Show 2003" (Collective exhibit of digital art) in Fulton Street Gallery, NY was my first exhibition. It was then that I realized that someone other than myself could appreciate my art. My first show in Las Flores, my hometown, in 2004 was also a very important event for me. There I was able to meet up with old friends and share my art with them."

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

A. "I like to hear music while I work, my favorite bands are Dark Tranquility, Therion, Nightwish, Sentences, and To Die For. I also enjoy a fine glass of wine."

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

A. "The essence of my art is somewhat dark and melancholy, it is difficult for me to generalize on the type of person who seeks it out."

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

A. "I like to go fishing on the ocean with my friends. On one fishing trip, we caught a tuna and I was truly surprised by its’ beauty. Before cleaning the fish to eat, I decided to scan it. This was the beginning of "Dagon’s Odyssey",, this piece tells a postmodern story of agony and punishment. According to legend, Dagon (Etruscan god half man, half fish) used to wander into coastal towns in order to capture women and take them to the profound depths of the sea. This piece shows the tension that is created when a creature is trapped by its own desires."

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 am a self-taught artist. I didn’t have the opportunity to attend a university, and I continue learning on my own to this day."

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

A. "I like to mix drawings, photos, and incorporate found objects in my compositions. I always strive for an "antique" photographic look. The digital medium is perfect for putting my ideas together and making them a reality. Lately I am experimenting with collage and mixed media, I feel very comfortable with these mediums."

Q. Where can we see more of your art?

A. "www.pixelium-art.com"

Q. Does a gallery represent you? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?

A. "I have started contact with some galleries this year that have expressed interest in my work, but I still don’t have anything defined."

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

A. "Some of the galleries are:
www.fultonstreetgallery.org/exhibits/digitized/digitized.html
www.braintwisting.com/autori.php?id=pixelium
www.artromgallery.com
www.lacda.com/exhibits/technobody.html
www.beinart.org
www.digitalart.org "

Q. Any tips for emerging artists?

A. "It doesn’t matter if you have a paintbrush or a digital pencil, what is important is to have a restless heart, and to be able to transmit what your heart feels while leaving to the side what is trendy or popular. Create, create, and continue creating."

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

A. "This hasn’t happened, but if it did, it wouldn’t be of great concern to me."

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

A. "It was when I realized that for economic reasons, I wouldn’t be able to study art at a university. It was a bitter truth at the moment, but at the same time I was able to discover my own ability to teach myself to be an artist."

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

A. "Just one word is enough…Passion."

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

A. "I live in Miami and I am not really connected with the local art scene. I think that in order for art to be truly appreciated it has to transcend geographic limitations."

Q. Has politics ever entered your art?

A. "I think that in some of my pieces, the consequences of bad politics can be perceived."

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

A. "The dark side of the human nature is the engine behind my work. We are prey to the dependency on technology, we are hypocrites, there is a lack of love and an abundance of selfishness among other evils. We are trapped in dark and perverse systems where wars are fostered and hungry are digited.

My work is not related to religion or faith, but I try to demonstrate how wrong we are to drift away from true spiritual values."
Q. Is there anything else you would like to say about your art or the ‘art world’?

A. "Blessed are those who appreciate art. More blessed are those who feel it and live it."

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

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Jeremy Wagner

I recently interviewed artist Jeremy Wagner. Mr. Wagner grew up in the suburbs of Boston in a very artistic family. His grandfather- Sherle Wagner, was a renowned designer. Jeremy's artistic abilities were nurtured from a young age.

Mr. Wagner attended Cambridge School of Weston, an arts-focused High School. He later studied at Otis School of Design in LA and earned a BFA at Rhode Island School of Design in 2001. Jeremy is currently earning his masters in painting at Hunter College.

Mr. Wagner currently lives in Brooklyn, New York. He is represented by the Sara Nightingale Gallery ( www.saranightingale.com ).

Q. Mr. Wagner, your work is derived from you fascination with architecture and the repetitious forms which are depicted through architectural structures both interior and exterior. Why did you decide to take this direction with your work? I understand that your grandfather, Sherle Wagner, was a renowned designer... did he influence your artistic direction?

A. "I recently read an interview with Marcel Duchamp where he was asked why he chose those specific objects as ready-made artworks, and he responded by saying "They choose you…" I recall thinking that I could relate to that.

Inspiration for a painting or a series can come at anytime from my surroundings and once I recognize that object or environment as something I desire to make an artwork of I internalize why that object or space spoke to me. I subconsciously look for subjects that evoke that sensation so I can continue to paint.

Architecture interests me because I have a visual appreciation for geometric hard-lined forms. It gives me pleasure transforming such spaces into paintings because through deletion of superfluous detail and employing simple lines and perspective I am able to transform a flat surface into a space that conveys depth and emphasizes my interests in the subject matter.

I attribute my appreciation for design, craft, and Fine Art to my Grandfather Sherle Wagner who was a brilliant designer and to my family’s involvement in the operation of his business in which as a teenager I had hand experience fabricating his designs.

Visiting my grandparent’s New York upper eastside apartment as a child was like discovering a secret art museum right under the noses of the Guggenheim and the MET. It was filled with artworks of artists my grandparents had met through their industry in New York; including Jacob Lawrence, Robert Gwathmey, business trips to Florence, Italy introduced my grandparents personally to Floriano Bodini where they became collectors of his prints and sculptures."

Q. In a sense, you dissect the geometric shapes and hard lines of architectural forms in order to arrange them into compositions that are geared for maximum graphic impact. Can you go into further detail about this process?

A. "In the creation of my artworks I generally use numerous source materials; images from the web, architectural books, photos I’ve shot and most recently I have been working with an architect using 3D computer programs to generate imagery. I essentially cut and past the images together while stylizing the composition and giving the images an iconic appearance. It is my intention in doing this to develop my own vernacular or to make a sort of elusive social commentary."

Q. You have an unorthodox approach in the way in which you use materials for your paintings. You are known for combining your skill as a painter with your skills of printmaking. Can you go into further detail about how you combine these two forms of artistic creation in order to create a piece? How do you make it all come together?

A. "I was formally trained as a printmaker. Which was a major I chose because I felt that training in painting was too restrictive and traditional, however I always knew I wanted to be a painter. So I took the skills I learned from printmaking: particularly silkscreen and intaglio (etching) and now apply them loosely to my painting process today.

I have always been a process-oriented artist, which is why I may have gravitated toward printmaking in the first place. In intaglio one works on a copper or zinc plate, and creates imagery through resistant grounds and acid to etch into the plate, which is then inked up and run through a press to transfer image to paper.

I enjoyed working on a metal plate but I visually preferred the plate to the prints that were pulled from it. So I began painting directly on various sheet metals, using masking and layering processes like those I’d learned in silkscreen to then spray enamel paint through airbrushes or spray guns occasionally I screen-print directly on the metal.

I strategically apply paint as a resistant or protective mask to prevent the metal from rusting in areas while leaving others exposed and treat it with chemicals to aid oxidation. This way I can utilize the decompositions of nature and oppose them against the forced, deliberate hand of the artist. I am able to achieve great effects through my exploration of materials and processes, which keeps the art-making process fun and fresh."

Q. You have said, "My paintings portray 'territorial marks' of human presence but are void of actual physical demeanor or appearance.". Can you go into further detail about how your work captures the human condition without portraying the human form outright?

A. "In my work I have been exploring a number of avenues that address American consumer culture, recreation, and relaxation. In my paintings I am invested in depicting the environments where these activities occur. Shopping mall food-courts, swimming pools, amusement parks, tropical vacation getaways, and tract housing have all been subjects in my artwork.

Most recently my paintings examines the impacts of consumer society on the natural landscape. I choose not to depict humans in a majority of my paintings for a number of reasons. I want the viewer to experience the spaces without the distraction of human presence. I challenge the viewer to have a reflexive experience with the environment, making the subjects or environments less specific in location and time in hopes to evoke an element of nostalgia or familiarity.

In the series titled "These Colors Don’t Run…" I depict images of sneakers hung from telephone lines juxtaposed with a natural landscape. Which I felt is representative of contemporary American culture and a shifting landscape.

The symbol of sneakers dangling in telephone lines once was a site exclusive to urban ghettos, now they can be seen in just about every American city. Their significance varies on what legends you subscribe to because they embody numerous meanings. The most popular belief is that they designate "gang territory" or a location to buy street drugs.

By juxtaposing the sneakers, an urban icon, with a natural landscape I am making a non-didactic societal commentary. The sneakers serve as a symbolically loaded object that represents both a consumer product that is literally thrown away and as a territorial claim to the land.

The telephone lines criss-crossing dissect the skyline and represent a nearly obsolete technology. The wires coupled with hanging sneakers function as a screen that obscures an otherwise pure landscape, which is removed, detached from the human affairs, the staking of territories, the erecting of telephone wires."

Q. Mr. Wagner, you have a strong background in the study of art. You attended an arts-focused High School (Cambridge School of Weston), studied at Otis School of Design in LA, earned your BFA (printmaking) at Rhode Island School of Design, and are currently earning your masters in painting at Hunter College. How have your studies and the art departments you've worked in enhanced your work? Who did you study under?

A. "I have studied under so many talented professors and artists, and every institution has provided me with different lessons. As a teenager who was disenchanted with school in general, attending an art-focused high school basically saved me, and I was able to nurture my creativity and be accepted at Rhode Island School of Design.

My undergrad experience at RISD was really very formal in retrospect and what it may have lacked in theory I am getting a heavy dose of at the MFA program at Hunter College. The training has collectively influenced my work and continues to do so.

However I feel that many of the ways that critical discourse and analysis is being conducted in classrooms in art schools is antiquated and ineffective, and I look forward to teaching myself as I have many ideas how to instruct young minds on peer-to-peer art criticism and art making."

Q. Where can we see more of your art?

A. "The easiest way to see my work is on my website www.Jeremywagner.com where I post upcoming exhibitions and try to update new works regularly."

Q. Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?
A. "I have been showing with Sara Nightingale Gallery in Watermill, New York. In addition to showing in the Hamptons, plans for upcoming shows with galleries in Toronto and Luxemburg are in the works and dates for those shows will be posted on my website."

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

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Building your "Favorites" list of galleries in myartspace

Each member of myartspace can create a "favorites" list of galleries they like. Some people keep their own galleries in the list. Others browse about the site and mark the ones they like best.

Adding galleries to your favorites list is quick and easy. You must be logged into myartspace. When viewing a gallery that you like, just click on the button "Add to my favorites".

To view your favorites list, select the "my work space" pull down menu and choose the "my favorites" selection.

For more details, click here to read a pdf document.

We are always working to add more functions to myartspace. We will be adding support for removing galleries from you favorites list and re-ordering them as well

Using the Gallery Wizard to Create a Gallery

There are two ways to create a myartspace gallery for display. The easiest is the GalleryWizard. It allows you to construct a simple gallery with one portfolio and up to twenty images. We recommend using the gallery wizard to get started on myartspace. The galleries that are created by the wizard are fully changeable with the regular tools in myartspace.

We have provided a PDF document so that you can view the 5 easy steps to creating a gallery with the wizard.

It should be noted that you must be a registered myartspace member and logged into the site in order to bring up the gallery wizard.

click here to view the PDF document.

Art Space Talk: Melanie Willhide

I recently interviewed artist Melanie Willhide. Melanie was born in Manchester, Connecticut in 1975. She received her undergraduate degree from Rhode Island School of Design in 1999 and earned her MFA from Yale School of Art in 2002.

After working in New York as a Production Manager for artist/photographer Gregory Crewdson, Melanie moved, in 2004, to Los Angeles, where she currently works as an Assistant Professor of Photography at Cal State Fullerton.

Melanie had her first solo exhibition at the AOV Gallery, in San Francisco. Since then she has been exhibited in Boston at the Bernard Toale Gallery, in San Francisco at SF Camerawork, and in New York City at Wallspace Gallery. She is in the collection at Yale University’s Davenport College and The Paul and Barbara Kaben Collection in Boston, Massachusetts.

Melanie was nominated by Philip Lorca DiCorcia for V Magazine’s Exposure 14 photographers to watch. Her work has been published in PDN, SF Camerawork, Details Magazine, Photo Metro, American Photography and The Boston Globe.

Q. Melanie, your photographs are known for capturing raw emotion- the series, Augmented Sixth, comes to mind. These photos seem to tell a story, but it is left up to the viewer to 'construct' said story based upon his or her own perception. What was your goal when creating this series?

A. "I was interested in making something that was baffling and unnerving in how familiar it was, but still elusive. Life rushes by at such a rate that when the most fundamental parts are identified they are already in the process of being erased."

Q. You recently had a solo exhibit titled- "Sleeping Beauties (The Box > Under the Bed)"- at Real Art Ways, Hartford, CT. Can you tell us about the exhibit?

A. "This exhibit was of particular importance to me on a personal level. I grew up not far from this space. It along with the Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford Ballet Company and a small punk club called Studio 158 offered me a sense of how much bigger the world could be. It was nice to be able to give back in some small way by exhibiting there."

Q. You studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and Yale Univerisity School of Art. How did working in these two art departments shape you as an artist? Can you tell us about the departments? Who did you study under?

A. " At RISD Ann Fessler and Deborah Bright. At Yale P.L. Dicorcia, Gregory Crewdson and Cathy Opie. In undergraduate I learned to ignore my body and work from my mind. At Yale I learned how not to be in the world. Both departments are strong but for almost opposite reasons. RISD: Girls teaching girls. Yale: Boys teaching pretty talented girls. The people I studied with at Yale have become like family. Crewdson did more for me than he will ever be aware of."

Q. You have been a Guest Lecturer at several art schools. What topics do you normally discuss?

A. "The state of photography, as well as economics, MTV, past loves, current obsessions, the war. This depends on the age and the experience of the crowd."

Q. Can you tell us more about your series Sleeping Beauties... and Love Letters. The works in this series are a break-away from the photos you created for Augmented Sixth- yet they strongly capture a sense of loss just as the photos had. When did you decide to go in this direction with your work?

A. "I moved to California and en route I was notified that all of my belongings (including 5 shows) had been burned in an accidental fire over the state line of AZ to CA. When I visited the remains I found the boxes appeared to have been looted and torched to look like a fire. Sifting through the remains I found my most favored dress, an Alessandro Dell'Acqua, fused to a cheap plastic blender. This dreamlike disoreintation of having no things to define oneself got me thinking more, and differently, about abstraction - the space of time between seeing and knowing. The project came shortly after that."

Q. When did you decide to pursue art? In other words, when did you first discover that art would be an important part of your life?

A. "It was not a decision or a discovery - I grew up in a family of people involved with lives of making and invention."

Q. Can you go into further detail about how society has influenced your art? What are the social implications in your work?

A. "We are all being watched. Men are the new women. We make choices about how we live by looking at images. I wish we were not so psychically damaged as a culture - my work imitates, modifies, and attempts to define that damage."

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

A. "The study and practice of art is imporant. It can change the quality of lives. Money and ego make it messy but very arresting. All of my work capitalizes on two things. The ablity to see our own lives in others. Nothing adds up to the way we think it should."

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. "Absolute quiet."

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

A. "In "Xenia poses for James" (image above) you are confronted with a scene that should be a giddy and thrilling feast for the eyes - but the pairing of fantasy with with a basic bodily function forces you to rethink the often smooth process of objectifying women."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "My website: www.melaniewillhide.com "

Q. Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?
A. "I am in a relationship with Bellwether Gallery in NY right now - although not fully represented by them at this point. I am working on one in LA."

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

A. " Taste is the new talent."

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

A. "Now, last week, two years ago, ten years ago. Artists are like ascetics - we take a vow of poverty to reach enlightenment. But it is the definition of enlightenment that is the hardest, most maleable part. If art gets easy there is something wrong."


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

A. "Los Angeles is a very interesting place - the galleries here support the college art departments here. Which for me having not been educated here has provided some obstacles - which I find fascinating for such a transient place - that the locals support the locals, and keep a watchful eye of newbies. They are cowboys."

Q. Has politics ever entered your art?

A. "A bit. There is a lot Americans have been living with, such as a culture war, the environmental crisis, a system that exploits its citizens and does not protect them - as a result we have been forced to think about how we contribute and what will become of us when we are gone. In my experience anxiety is a durable state capable of much power and more destruction."


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

A. "No."

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

A. "And indite myself more? No."

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

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Embedding Galleries into your personal website/myspace

myartspace galleries were designed to be "embedded objects" in techical terms. Very much like a YouTube video, they can be inserted into HTML code. There are some compatibility issues that arise when you use an embedded object versus a simple URL link to your gallery, but it certain offers a neat alternative.

For a PDF with detailed instructions click here

One thing to note is that the upcoming "artist stores" will also be embedded objects. This means that artists can design their stores much like they do their galleries today, and include that store right inside their personal website all by copy & paste.

Good luck!

Art Space Talk: Chad Robertson

(photo by Robin Andersen)

I recently interviewed Chad Robertson. Mr. Robertson was represented by sixspace gallery at the PULSE Art Fair in New York (2007). I contacted Chad shortly after interviewing Caryn Coleman- the owner and director of sixspace gallery.

Chad Robertson's paintings involve both a video camera and a computer. The subjects are first videotaped with a digital camera during an "interview" session with the artist. The digital footage taken from this experience is downloaded into the computer where Robertson examines frame-by-frame looking for the "moment between moment" gestures that lie behind the façade of external projections.

These chosen moments (subtle nuances such as a blinking eye, a hand brushing the face) are layered in Photoshop, juxtaposing different expressions to complete a rough "video sketch". This digital composition is then used as the reference for the final execution of the painting.

Mr. Roberston is currently working on a new body of work. It will be interesting to observe what direction he takes with these new paintings.

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

A. "I was around eight years old- in 2nd grade- when I did a drawing at school and got a lot of attention for it. I had no idea I was any good and was quite surprised with the reaction I received..."

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

A. "I think all art is affected by the society that an artist lives in, even if it's unintentional. The culture seeps in by osmosis, it really can't be helped on subliminal level. I think my work has political influences on a second tier. It doesn't speak directly to the politics of the day but I feel it speaks more of the effect that politics has on the society that I live in."

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

A. "The earlier work went much faster, I would get a 5 foot canvas done in around 3 days. The new work that I have just started (and really hasn't been shown yet) is much more layered and complicated. These new works are averaging about a month, and that's for a 30 by 40 inch size piece."

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

A. "For me personally- it is a mental discipline. It's something that I have to do. With all of the frustration and trauma that goes into making something and trying to make something good, something that resonates in this world, I still find myself year-in year-out going back to it. It's like breathing or eating- something that can't be stopped."

Q. Has your art ever been published? Where?

A. "Yes my last show was reviewed in the L.A. times. I was on the cover of Anthem magazine in 2006(mar/apr), and Spanish magazine called Staf, a magazine called Ingenue, the L.A Weekly a few years back...."

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

A. "It wasn't the most important exhibition for my own work but it was the most important exhibition that I participated in. It was an exhibition titled "Cruel and Unusual". It was a benefit exhibition for the West Memphis Three. It was to raise funds and awareness for three kids who were wrongly convicted for murder in Arkansas in 1993. One is on death row the other two got life without parole. It was a complete witch hunt and a travesty both for the kids and the victims whose killer(s) are still out there free. It's insane compelling story, the best resources to learn about it are the two award winning HBO documentaries "Paradise lost" and "Paradise lost: Revelations" both are brilliant films that give you the low down on this tragic story. There is also the official website dedicated to getting these guys out of prison and that is www.wm3.org "

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. "Yeah music is tantamount. I think I could say that music influences my art more that other visual artists, it's that important to me. So yeah my ipod is my constant studio companion, it's always on shuffle and for working it is usually a mix of ambient grooves blended with more melodic rock/pop/ alternative ect..."

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

A."They all collect art? I'll pass on this one. haha...."

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

A. "I am working on a new body of work right now that I'm tentatively calling "mash ups". The example here is titled "mash up 02" (image above).

In a nut shell I'm seeing the narrative of the painting as a piece of music. I was really interested in taking visual elements and combing them like a musician would combine notes or string words together to create lyrics.

The new work is a homage for my love of music. I tried hard to be able to play an instrument when I was younger but was never very good at it. My talent was in art so this is my stab at making music in my own way."

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 graduated from Otis/Parsons (when it still had Parsons attached to it) here in Los Angeles. I consider school incredibly important to the making of art. it really helped me to basically learn the fundamentals of drawing and painting and it was fantastic having the critical response from my teachers and my peers in the classroom."

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

A. "Paint just made sense to me. It felt right and I felt most comfortable using it. in school I painted with gouache and acrylic. My post school work has been mostly in oil."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "I won't be having a solo show locally (L.A) until April 2008. I will be in a group show here in L.A at the Pharnka Gallery in May. There is also a group show that I am doing in Seattle at the Ok Ok gallery in mid August. I will also have work in the "07" art fair in London which coincides with frieze with sixspace in October. but you can always visit sixspace(my gallery) here in Los Angeles and I have work in the "backroom" there."

Q. Are you represented by a gallery?

A."sixspace represents me here in Los Angeles."

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

A. "sixspace is the place. www.sixspace.com or you can visit my website at www.chadrobertson.com "

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

A. "I try not to look at the trends, it's a bit daunting and I don't want to be distracted. I definitely look at art but not in the 'trend' frame of mind. I seek out what I can enjoy and learn from."

Q. Any tips for emerging artists?

A. "Get an education! I really feel that it is so important to go to school, learn the fundamentals of your craft. Learn to be critical as well as taking criticism. School is really great for just having an art community to be apart of, to learn from. It's an invaluable experience."

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

A. "Actually it hasn't."

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

A. "Well I don't want to scare anybody off but it's always kind of tough. Making a decent living creating art is REALLY hard. I really don't believe or find the starving artist cliche to be that romantic. For me personally I make the strongest work when I'm not freaking out about the bills. I also freelance as a designer doing movie posters to keep the wolves by my door at bay...."

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

A. "It's something that I need to be doing with my life."

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

A. "I live in Los Angeles which is considered the number 2 art capital in the world. There is an immense art scene happening here with an incredible amount of talent. I was in New York for the art fairs this past February and they have one that is dedicated to just mainly L.A galleries. It gave me the opportunity to see a slice of this city in one show. of course it didn't represent the L.A art scene as a whole but even this little slice was incredibly impressive. There is so much talent here it's scary, and I'm not saying that just because I live here. Ha Ha..."

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

A. "Not intentionally."

Q. Do you have any concerns about the current 'art world'?

A. "If I answer that question it will fill a book."

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

A. "I think I about said it all, Thanks for the interview!"

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

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Van Renselar

I recently interviewed artist Van Renselar. Mr. Renselar has travelled extensively. He grew up in South Wales and London, where he now lives and works. After committing himself fully to abstract painting 10 years ago he has rapidly become one of the most original of the emerging modern abstract artists in the UK. He has exhibited at many venues, including Art Basel, Miami, USA.

As an abstract artist, Mr. Renselar produces colourful abstract art that is concerned more with form, composition and colour as an alternative to subject matter. Across his range of colourful abstract art, there’s no defining key of symbols. There is no ‘language’ for the viewer to learn. Each piece of work establishes itself on its own visual merits and the viewer’s interest.

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

A. "When I left school and my formal contact with the practice of art was cut off. I realised then that I needed to replace that provision myself. I don’t believe anybody becomes an artist, you are born one.

Ever since I was a child I have found myself attracted to making abstract shapes with line and colours. I remember seeing some paintings by Miro at a very early age, and found myself quite excited by them.

I was never particularly drawn to ‘reproducing’ the world that I could see, I mostly wanted to make images of things that aren’t usually seen. I have been making these pictures all my life, but it is only within the last decade that I decided on ‘going public’."

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

A. "Whether I like it or not, society has an influence on me, ergo it must influence my art. Having said that, there are very few attempts on my behalf to comment on society. Mostly my work is about how I interpret the world I see and experience around me and inside me."

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

A. "I tend to work in a sporadic fashion, often on several pictures at the same time. Sometimes I leave a picture for weeks before coming back to it. This is usually because I sense something is not working the way I want it to but can’t put my finger on it. A space of time is an ideal way of coming back to a picture with fresh eyes and seeing exactly what it was that bothered me."

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

A. "For me, integrity has got to be the bottom line – do what you do for yourself, not with an eye on sales.

My inspiration comes mainly from within my own mind where I see things in terms of different shapes and colours. I often regard myself as a ‘translator’ – taking those visions, experiences and thoughts and making them into their equivalent shapes, colours and images.

With my pictures, creativity often comes about through improvisation."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. www.van-renselar.com

Q. Is it true you are self-taught?

A. "Yes. For years I felt as though I was somehow lacking, having missed out on something vital. Now I sometimes regard this as an advantage. It means I don’t feel inhibited by the weight of historical knowledge, I can just try things out myself - they work or they don’t. Great art has often been made by rule-breakers."

Q. Can you tell us something about your technique or the process by which you create a painting? Where do you start?

A. "My pictures begin with a feeling, an impression of what they will look like when completed. Only that – an impression. I make many drawings and small painted elements which are then scanned into a computer and collaged together in Photoshop.

During this process intuition and experimentation kick in and I discover that the picture can be improved with an addition here, a colour tweak there, a compositional adjustment elsewhere...The picture then creates its own life - its own logic. It starts to create its own energy - the picture becomes its own subject.

The final picture is then ‘output’ ie. printed via a giclee printing machine onto canvas."

Q. What materials do you like to use? Are there some materials that you feel more confident using? Why is this?

A. "In the past I have used house paints, pencils and felt tip pens, but most often it has been gouache, oils, then latterly acrylics. Currently I use anything that comes to hand.

I work sporadically, sometimes very swiftly, other times painfully slowly. My particular working method has evolved over a period of time and now I wouldn’t even consider changing it because it suits my erratic work patterns.

The computer allows me to make endless changes and improvements and I don’t have to worry about paint drying. I use paint and ink (and even the occasional bit of photography) to create the initial elements prior to scanning them because those parts are often done quite spontaneously and therefore have an inherent honesty.

It would be easy to overwork these elements, but I don’t need to concern myself with that because they are just parts of an ‘overall’ picture which only comes into existence when all the pieces are put together in the computer."

Q. You are usually described as an abstract artist, yet your paintings sometimes have non-abstract elements, how should we understand them?

A. "These are spontaneous symbols. I have no ongoing iconography of symbols, they are just things that occur to me when making the particular picture, hence their meaning can differ from picture to picture.

They seldom have a meaning related to what they actually resemble. I don’t really aim for my pictures to be understood literally - deconstructing a picture would be like dividing a poem into its component words.

I want my art to be interpreted by every viewer in their own way. It is for this reason that the titles are often cryptic or even wilfully misleading."

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 often start work with music playing loudly, fully intending to carry on this way. But usually I find that the music has finished an hour ago and I hadn’t even noticed."

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

A. "I like mystery and being forced to make my own interpretation of the picture I look at. Sometimes when I’ve been working in an ‘intuitive flow’ I don’t understand my own finished picture, I just know I like it, it makes me feel something.

I suspect that people who buy my pictures feel the same way as me. Perhaps this is why my pictures go down well in corporate environments – abstracts don’t have to be interpreted, they can be treated as just pleasing shapes and colours."

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

A. "No, I’m not represented by a gallery at present, but I think I would like to be. I have appeared at many art fairs and shows, but I always enjoy the smaller shows more.

The best sales have always been from shows at small galleries, bars and restaurants, although my website at www.van-renselar.com does help pay the rent.

The next show I am at is Wet Pixels in the Peacock Gallery in Poole, England in June this year. This is a show devoted to digital art, which although I am not a digital artist, spreads it’s umbrella wide enough to cover my work."

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

A. "‘Amongst Us’ (image above) is slightly unusual in my body of work in that it is something of a graphic representation of its subject.

Some years ago two young boys abducted a toddler from a shopping mall, took him to some waste ground where they killed him. The way they did it put me in mind of the way children sometimes torture and kill insects and other small animals. This was one of the saddest events I know of. The central motif in my picture is taken from a CCTV picture of the two boys leading the victim away, a picture that has stayed with me for years.

In it the event is still before them, the act not yet committed. What prompted me to make this picture was learning that the two boys have now been released after serving their sentences and are now back amongst us."

Q. Any tips for emerging artists?

A. "I would say – be honest to yourself, don’t compromise. Keep trying however hard it seems in a world where no-one seems to notice. Your art is YOUR art, nobody else can do it the way you do, it is unique to you…it is you."

Q. Why do you create art?

A. "Because I love doing it. Because I need to do it. Because I want something out there that is uniquely me. Because I want to make something that nobody else has made."

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

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Attaching Videos to myartspace galleries

myartspace was designed to allow the users to upload an unlimited number of images, music and video to create a comprehensive perpective on the artists.

Attaching a video to a gallery is easy to do, and we have provided a pdf document that you can access to go over the 5 quick steps to adding video. Currently we support the following formats: FLV (Flash movie file), AVI (Windows), WMV (Windows Movie File), MPEG and MPEG4. We do NOT support Apple MOV files yet. If your video file is NOT an FLV file, it may take 15 mniutes for the myartspace server to convert it to FLV format internally for quicker playback.

Below you can see what a gallery is like when it has a video associated with it. In the upper right side you will see an icon indicating a video is available to play.



To see this gallery in myartspace, click here


To read the two-page PDF document about of how attach video, click here

Art Space News: Tracey Emin Unveils Cryptic Flag

Tracey Emin has unveiled one of her latest works- a large flag featuring a cryptic message painted against a backdrop of swimming sperm. Tracey Emin is no stranger to creating and displaying work that is considered controversial. Some critics have suggested that she has built her career on controversy. It comes as no surprise that this new piece is causing a stir.

Emin, 43, wrote "One Secret is to Save Everything" on the flag in red letters. She has stated that the artwork is "a flag made from wishful thinking" though it is not clear what the meaning of the piece is. This dash of mystery has crowds flocking to the piece in order to find out what exactly it is about.

The 21' by 14' flag will fly above the Jubilee Gardens in the British capital until July 31. There has been some public outcry since the parliament building and the London Eye are in the same vicinity as the flag. Some sources have speculated that the piece will be removed before July 31 due to civic unrest.

Emin has used flags in her past work. Her 1999 Turner Prize show included No Chance (1999)- a fabric image of the Union flag alongside stitched protest statements. It is obvious that this new piece is a protest as well- however, we will not know until Emin speaks.

Art Space Talk: Rachel Simmons

I recently interviewed artist Rachel Simmons. Rachel grew up in Port Tampa and Bradenton, two communities located in the Tampa Bay Area. She attended Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida completing an Honors degree in studio art in 1997.

Rachel studied printmaking and painting at Rollins under Bosnian artist Tanja Softic. After graduating, she left for Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she completed an MFA under the guidance of painters Michael Crespo and Edward Pramuk at Louisiana State University.

In 2000, Rachel returned to her alma mater Rollins College as an assistant professor. At Rollins, she has been actively involved in connecting the studio arts curriculum to the local community through specialized service-learning courses and collaborative art projects.

In the last few years, Rachel’s work has been exhibited in Florida at the Orlando Museum of Art, the Cornell Fine Arts Museum in Winter Park, and the Arts Center in St. Petersburg, in New York at the Ceres Gallery as well as abroad in Piacenza, Italy at the Pulcheria Arte exhibition of international women artists and at the 2005 Florence Biennale.


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

A. "I discovered early on in school that I loved to write creatively and draw, but it was really in high school that I saw the possibility of making art a central part of my life. Not surprisingly, writing/text has continued to play a major role in my work."

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

A. "Growing up, my mom was a social worker and public school teacher and my father worked on advanced degrees in political science while he taught public school and college, so social issues and politics were a regular part of our family discussions.

It was only after grad school, however, that I felt empowered enough as an individual to start addressing these things through my art. Particularly since 9/11 and the birth of my daughter, social, political and environmental issues have really become a strong focus of my work."

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

A. "It depends on the complexity of the image and the amount of uninterrupted time I have when I am working on it. I often work on a series or installation of works, and so it is rare for me to have only one piece going at a time. Residencies are really great for me because I am the most productive when I have a few weeks at a time to focus on making art."

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

A. "I feel very strongly that artists have a duty to be good local and global citizens by using their art to communicate positively with as many people as they can reach. My ultimate hope is that my art might have the power to create paradigm shifts for my viewers and promote positive change in the world; of course, at the same time, it fulfills my most basic need to create beauty and express my personal anxieties and desires."

Q. Has your art ever been published?

A. "In local magazines and newspapers, websites and in the catalogue for the 2005 Florence Biennale."

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

A. "I always believe my most important exhibition is right around the corner, of course. In fact, it is not always the prestige of the venue that makes an exhibition a watershed moment for me; many times it is more about the interactions I have with people at the reception, or sometimes it is about the particular installation of the work in an unusual space that makes me turn a corner and move forward with an idea."

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 music ALWAYS-- it is a must when I’m working. It helps me ignite the creative part of my brain and helps me filter out distractions. And, of course, dancing can help you work through a particularly tough artist’s block."

Q. Discuss your art. What are you thinking when you create it?

A. "The digital mixed media pieces I am working on now, tentatively titled the "Anoxia" series, begin with a digital print that I layer with acrylic paint and drawing materials. Sometimes I punch patterns into the paper, sewing through the holes with yarn and heavy thread in order to lend the otherwise alien aesthetic of the underwater subject matter a "domestic" element. Incorporated into some pieces are patterns from wallpaper or fabrics.

Most of these images have text relating to or taken from novels, sailors’ journals, scientific papers and other observations about our romanticized relationship with the ocean. "Dearest" and "My Love" can be read as love letters from a sailor to a spouse using Herman Melville’s gruesome descriptions of whale hunting from "Moby Dick." A potent mixture of fear and wonder is revealed as this character interacts with the seas largest creatures.

The smaller pieces such as "I am not feeling well" and "Don’t leave me" suggest another type of communication from the sea, begging for us to acknowledge the negative effects our collective human impact. Many of the pieces function conceptually as voices for marine creatures or habitats which do not themselves have the power to tell us what we are doing wrong."

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 M.F.A. from Louisiana State University (www.lsu.edu/) and I teach currently art full-time at Rollins College (www.rollins.edu/), a great liberal arts school in Central Florida. Now that I think about it, I have actually never been away from college life since I started school in 1993, so I guess I must like things that way.

I enjoyed my time in graduate school, but my teaching career has proven to be yet another stage of life-long learning; it feeds my intellectual curiosity and drives my desire to create art that engages people in a larger debate about our global future.

My education has played a big role in the choices I’ve made to work collaboratively with marine biologists, physicists and even musicians in order to create my work. I have found that when asking really big questions, one must get information from a variety of reliable sources.

One of the advantages of teaching at a small liberal arts college is having access to like-minded faculty, excellent researchers in a variety of disciplines that also believe interdisciplinary discovery."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. " www.rachelsimmons.net "

Q. Do you have any upcoming exhibits?

A. "Currently, my work is on display at the L.A. Design Center (www.ladesigncenter.com/) in a group show called "Stream" with fellow Vermont Studio Center residents and science enthusiasts Rachel Sussman (www.rachelsussman.com ) and Diana Folsom (www.dianafolsom.com ).

I have a major solo exhibition coming up at the Cornell Fine Arts Museum here in Winter Park, Florida (www.rollins.edu/cfam ) in the fall. It will open September 7th and close at the end of December 2007. The exhibition will focus on my "Wonders" body of work that explores our historically troubled and sometimes romanticized relationship with the sea and generates awareness of marine conservation efforts. It will involve lectures from visiting artists who also work with scientists to create their art like NYC photographer Rachel Sussman as well as visits from conservationists such as Philippe and Alexandra Cousteau from EarthEcho International (www.earthecho.org ). They have also been invited to lecture in the galleries, using my show as a teaching environment. There will also be a panel of artists and scientists discussing their collaborations and asking the audience to consider the ways in which artists and scientists can work together to tackle environmental issues.

After that, I will literally "take my show on the road" and put up a version of it at the William Blizard Gallery at Springfield College (www.spfldcol.edu) in Springfield, Mass., in March 2008."

Q. Any tips for emerging artists?

A. "Go to school for art, but don’t complete your education just at an art college. Keep going to school until you get enough critical information to be able to create art that contributes to the positive things you would like to see happen in your world. And don’t give up. No matter what."

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

A. "I create art so that I have a voice in the world and in the dialogue that keeps the world moving; I am afraid if I ever stop making art, I will not be able to make a difference in my future and my child’s future."

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

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Controversial Art: When Controversy becomes Cruelty- Artistic Expression is Chained

At what point does a work of art become more of an issue of cruelty than controversy? Installations that involve living beings are often created with the intention of causing a stir with observers. The artist desires to send a clear social message by exhibiting their work in an extreme manner. The question is- at what point do these works go from being examples of controversial art that 'opens our eyes' to works that are down-right cruel? And why is it that normally the artist is the only one pursued when such works have legal action taken against them? Should the freedom of artistic expression be upheld no matter how cruel a piece seems to be?

I bring these issues up because a controversial sculpture that pitted live caged animals against each other was closed today at the Vancouver Art Gallery in Canada. The artist, Huang Yong Ping, was accused of cruelty and may have charges brought against him. Huang Yong Ping is an internationally-known Chinese artist who now lives in Paris (He is no stranger to controversy- I've mentioned him in a past entry).

Huang stated that the animals will be removed in order to "maintain the integrity of the artwork". Do you think that this artist went too far with his creative exploration and dissection of social struggle? Does there come a point when art is no longer art and is instead a vehicle for cruel intentions? Or is this artist simply misunderstood? Does the intention of the artist out-weigh the manner in which he conveys his message? Should this artist be charged for the direction he has taken in the name of artistic expression?

In order to understand this case we must understand the intention of Huang Yong Ping. Kathleen Bartels, director of the Vancouver Art Gallery, stated that the installation "encouraged people to think seriously about the dynamics of power in today's society." Thus, the piece was intended to convey the struggle of everyday life in our complex society.

In a sense, it reflected on the dog-eat-dog mentality of corporations and the modern worker- of the lawful citizen and gangs- every social situation involving struggle was reflected in the piece. So do you consider this installation a masterful work of artistic expression? Or do you see it as exploitation with the intent of spurring exposure for the artist by crossing the line of morality and social restraint?

The British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) pressed for the exhibition to be closed. By provincial law, the artist can be investigated and may have charges of animal cruelty brought against him. However, isn't the gallery equally responsible for the work that was displayed? Since opening a week ago, the "Theatre of the World" sculpture housed scorpions, lizards, tarantulas and other animals together in a single cage. Should Kathleen Bartels, director of the Vancouver Art Gallery, be equally charged for allowing the exhibition to occur in the first place?

I ask these questions because it often seems that the creators of highly controversial work are targeted instead of the sponsors of the work that is exhibited. Is this fair? Should gallery directors follow a stricter criteria for the work that they exhibit? Or is this case an attack on artistic freedom? Perhaps both the artist and the gallery director are victims? What do you think?

Huang has stated that critics "completely ignored the concept and ideology behind this particular art work". He also stated that people against the work are only focusing on animals rights while completely denying the right of an artist to create work that is freely exhibited in an art museum.

Huang and his supporters strongly feel that the closing of the exhibition is an attack on free-thinkers and artistic expression. Their viewpoint is that the creatures involved in the piece have been freed from their cage- yet artistic expression is once again left in chains.

What do you think about this scenario? Is it acceptable that one form of virtue is upheld over another that is equally important in our society? Should lines be drawn in order to prevent future works that involve living beings? Does this mean that works that may depict cruelty against living beings (paintings, digital art, ...etc.) should also be kept out of exhibitions- even though they do not directly involve living beings?

I've given you the information- now you give me your insight.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Gallery Space Talk: Monique Meloche- moniquemeloche gallery

I recently interviewed Monique Meloche. Monique is the owner and director of the gallery moniquemeloche. The gallery represents several talented artists that have had their art featured at PULSE and other major art exhibitions. A current exhibition at the moniquemeloche gallery was reviewed in the Chicago Sun Times and will be reviewed by ARTFORUM this summer.

moniquemeloche gallery

Location:

118 N. Peoria Chicago, IL 60607

Contacat Information:

www.moniquemeloche.com - email
312.455.0299 - phone

312.455.0899 - fax

Q. You are the gallery director of moniquemeloche gallery. When was the gallery established? What is the mission of your gallery?

A. "Opened May 2001, opened gallery in my home in October 2000 with a group exhibition titled "HOMEWRECKER" where I invited 30 artists to exhibit over 90 works throughout the space including closets, bathrooms, bedrooms etc. The mission is to show an international mix of emerging artists working in all media through ambitious programming (and often non-commercial installations) at my gallery in Chicago while exposing our program to a wider audience participating in art fairs in Europe and the US. Ultimately I work for my artists to exhibit and be collected by institutions and important private collections worldwide."

Q. Why did you decide to become a gallery director? Are you an artist yourself? How did you get involved with the arts?

A. "After working for 6 years (3 as assistant registrar, 3 as assistant curator) at Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art I decided to give the commercial world a try (I did work in Toronto at the contemporary art gallery Wynick/Tuck for 1 year prior to moving to Chicago) but was not interested in the "commercial" aspect so I approached Rhona Hoffman who had (and still has) one of the most established and well-respected galleries in the city.

The artists she was showing were already familiar to me from the MCA and her clients were all MCA board members/trustees, so becoming her Director (1997-1999) was an easy transition. Also, the level of her artists was to a point where anyone coming in to buy something wanted to buy it from Rhona and not from a Director. Therefore, I concentrated my efforts on adding a few younger artists to her program and curating a historical show on the history of the shoe in contemporary art.

After 2 years it became apparent that I liked making those decisions and I needed more freedom to do so, and luckily at that point Kavi Gupta was looking for a Director for his gallery (then Vedanta). I spent the next 1 1/2 years with a tremendous amount of artistic freedom to add artists to the stable, organize exhibitions, and really start working on the galleries profile at art fairs.

Eventually it became clear that I wanted to make even more decisions, so I decided to open my own space. I hold an undergraduate degree in art history from the University of Michigan and a Masters of Art History and Theory from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago, so I come to the gallery from a more curatorial prospective. I also taught a graduate seminar at SAIC for 4 years and have written essays and reviews for a few publications."

Q. What is your personal philosophy about about art and artistic creation? What makes an artist and artist?

A. "Simply an artist is someone who has an inexplicable need to create. This desire is not driven by financial gain or fame and is a necessary endeavor."

Q. It often seems that many artists are not aware of the business side of art. Do you have any suggestions for an artist who wishes to learn more about the marketing side of the business that is art?

A. "Artists have dealers who hopefully take care of the business side of the art world, but artists who are self-promoters cannot hurt this process. A few pointers, be professional and get things in writing. If you are exhibiting at a gallery be sure to get an consignment agreement for your work to literally insure the work for a given value and agree to terms of sale -- normally split 50%. A good gallery is paying rent, utilities, staff, etc.,printing announcements, advertising your show, and hopefully selling your work for their part of the bargain."

Q. Who are you currently representing? Do you have any exhibits going on at this time?

A. "Carla AROCHA (Venezuelan b. 1961, lives Antwerp)
Joe BALDWIN (American b. 1968, lives Chicago)
Tobias BERNSTRUP (Swedish b. 1970, lives New York)
Justin COOPER (American b. 1976, lives Chicago)
Robert DAVIS /Michael LANGLOIS (American b. 1970/1974, live Chicago)
Gabert FARRAR (American b. 1972, lives New York)
Alexa HOROCHOWSKI (Argentinean b. 1965, lives Minneapolis)
Rashid JOHNSON (American, born 1977, lives New York)
Laura LETINSKY (Canadian b. 1962, lives Chicago)
Cindy LOEHR (American b. 1971, lives Milwaukee)
Laura MOSQUERA (Guatemalan b. Panama, 1966, lives Chicago)
Christopher PATCH (American b. 1974, lives New York)
Todd PAVLISKO (American b. 1974, lives Chicago)
Karen REIMER (American b. 1958, lives Chicago)
Joel ROSS (American b. 1966, lives Ludlow IL)
Alison RUTTAN (American b. 1954, lives Chicago)
John SPARAGANA (American b. 1958, lives Chicago/Houston)
Scott STACK (American b. 1952, lives Chicago)
Pamela WILSON-RYCKMAN (American b. 1954, lives San Francisco)

Current exhibition by Robert Davis + Michael Langlois in collaboration with Rashid Johnson "Look in the Rays..." thru April 21, 2007. See Chicago Sun Times review :

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/galleries/329193,WKP-News-margaret06.article and upcoming in ARTFORUM this summer!

Upcoming exhibition by Carla Arocha in collaboration with Stephane Schraenen 'Marauders" opens April 27 - June 2, 2007."

Q. Your gallery represented several artists at Pulse NY (2007). Did the exhibit go well for your artists?

A. "We featured the work of Carla Arocha, Rashid Johnson, Todd Pavlsiko, Joel Ross, and Alison Ruttan. Got immediate press coverage for Pavlisko's COCAINE piece made of plastic tag fasteners and silver leaf in artinfo.com, sold alot of the work to new collectors from NY, Miami, France and more, made contacts with many European galleries who are now working to exhibit Ruttan and Wilson-Ryckman, met with many curators who are interested to work with Cooper, Johnson and Ross most immediately, and even met Lenny Kravitz! "

Q. What can you tell our readers about the artists you represent?

A. "They are a conceptually rigorous group of artist working in all media who frankly make great art."

Q. What kind of message do you want the art you exhibit at moniquemeloche gallery to have?

A. "That we present challenging, well-crafted, and seriously considered exhibitions that are relevant and thought-provoking."

Q. Do you have any advice for emerging or established artists who would like to exhibit at your gallery?

A. "If you are familiar with the gallery and have really looked at the artists we show and the program we present and then still think your work fits within that framework, then please submit a succinct but complete submission with no more than 20 images, artist statement, resume, and relevant press materials. We go through submissions quarterly."

Q. What was the most important exhibition you've been involved with? Care to share that experience?

A. "Our last exhibition "Chronic: handmade nightmares in red, yellow, and blue" curated by Astrid Honold featuring Fendry Ekel, Dylan Graham, and Folkert de Jong is the most ambitious show to date.

Featuring 3 artists from Amsterdam, this show was proposed by the curator following up on my interest in de Jong's sculptures. It was a museum caliber show and in fact is traveling to Doenen Museum in Ghent, Belgium in the fall, and had us working with Dutch consulate in both Chicago and NY along with the Mondriaan Foundation to assist with funding the exhibition and full-color catalogue."

Q. If you could pinpoint the characteristics of people who buy art from moniquemeloche gallery, what would they be?

A. "Collectors who are serious about contemporary art (both avid and new collectors) -- we don't really sell to people looking to decorate."

Q. As a gallery director, what trends do you see in the 'art world'? What is 'hot' at this moment?

A. "Too many art fairs and biennials. Too many young artists not being allowed to let their work mature for fear of missing their moment in the spotlight.

China = hot"

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

A. "It is a lively scene with young galleries (like Rowley Kennerk and 40000) continuing to sprout up and established galleries (like Rhona Hoffman and Donald Young) always showing stellar work.

The curatorial talent in this city is amazing, and just today curators from the Art Institute of Chicago and the internationally acclaimed Renaissance Society visited the gallery.

The Art Institute is working on their multi-million dollar contemporary art wing designed by Renzo Piano, The Spertus Museum (our Jewish Museum) is soon to open their major expansion and to start a contemporary art program under the guidance of curator Staci Boris.

The Museum of Contemporary Art (which turns 30 this year) supports the local scene with their monthly 12x12 new artists series and currently has the 1st US solo museum show by Rudolph Stingel and an even more impressive permanent collection show of photos from 1967 to present (including our own Rashid Johnson).

The Smart Museum and new and improved Hyde Park Art Center are thriving on the South Side and the Block Museum at Northwestern University currently has an impressive show of Roy Lichtenstein Prints 1956–97: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation.

Our art schools -- School of the Art Institute, University of Illinois, University of Chicago, Northwestern, and DePaul attract talented artists with their faculty and produce an impressive roster of graduates.

TimeOut now has a weekly Chicago magazine that provides the much necessary immediate coverage of shows. Although it remains to be scene but ArtChicago is back with a vengeance this year now sponsored by Chris Kennedy and the Merchandise Mart complete with a noteworthy series of panels and lectures."

Q. Do you have a website for your gallery?

A. "http://www.moniquemeloche.com/ "

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

A. "I think we've covered enough. Thanks!"

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Monique Meloche. Please visit the moniquemeloche gallery website.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Pranks

Ever since Duchamp made a comeback/got recycled in the 50's seems like everyone wants to be an artist prankster. You don't got to paint well, you don't have to sit in a studio all day, you just got to be a good performer and dedicated to your schtick. I always find them funny and I'm always interested, maybe because I find them more accessible but still thought provoking. like, while I may not understand the implications of the color wheel, I understand Sean Landers' 18 minute rant about himself and his sublime talent, like, he's being ironic, dude. HA! you can see similar stuff from Martin Creed, and the granddaddy of contemporary pranksters, Maurizio Cattelan, whom I love the most because he's the best at it (see: Pope gets hit by meteorite). There's also usually at least one (white male) artist prankster in every MFA program. I will probably fill that slot when I go to school next fall. Yipee!

I actually went to see martin creed when he played with his band owada on the lower east side recently. It was alright, but I haven't really thought about it so much, even though I reportedly love artist pranksters. a lot of it was funny and showed how experiencing conceptual art can be emotional, entertaining, and sensual and not just dry and intellectual. like some of the songs' lyrics were sort of conceptual/philosophical, but also funny and the music rocked real simple good. So you got the brain and the body involved. sort of like Built To Spill, only with less rawk. some of it also played with expectations of rock concerts, like, instead of doing the usual "hello cleveland!!!" martin creed stood alone in the spotlight and was very thoughtful and candid in his remarks. there was also the deconstruction of the "stage" (lights & fog going on and off randomly, the stage hands playing a prominent part in the show) but even that was pretty engaging. So, ok. in the words of john cage, I guess "I have nothing to say and I am saying it." The best part was going to the after-party and watching Maurizio Cattelan and Martin Creed chat it up. I imagine they talked about how fucking hilarious they both are.

recently I also read this great biography on the original prankster Duchamp called The Bachelor Stripped Bare. It did a great job of telling Duchamp's story clearly and concisely, because while there's tons of literature on Duchamp, a lot of it is nonsense (I'm looking at you Arturo Schwarz). The book is full of biographical details that are often obscured, like Duchamp being a lonely dude who endlessly tried to create controversy and scrape a little money together. Like when I read Cabanne's Dialouges with Duchamp I was inspired by a Duchamp that made iconoclastic, innovative work and happily floated through life. Apparently it was much more complicated and sad than that. Like, he was in love with his sister. Yuk yuk yuck. But the book isn't all revelations. I think some of the discussions of the work are a little superficial and the author seems a little too eager to dismiss the art of the past 40 years. I did like the ending, though, which just kind of left us with the bizarre image of the Etant Donnes, Duchamp's secret final work. I find this work to still be troubling in its suggestion of sexual violence against women. Ha ha?

Art Space Talk: Laurina Paperina

I recently interviewed artist Laurina Paperina. I met Laurina while attending the PULSE art fair in New York. Crowds flocked to observe her work.

Laurina lives and works in Mori (Trento, Italy). She attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Verona, Italy. Laurina is known for Duck Land- a world she created... a place where a strange cast of characters (Batman, Pigman, and The Amazing Pape- among others) live and fight. However, do not be fooled by the simplicity of Laurina's art- these child-like works reflect modern concerns.

Q. Laurina, we met during the Pulse exhibit in New York. How did you feel going into the fair? I take it your work did well?

A. "For me the art fairs are very funny! You can meet some strange people...and very good people.

About my art works and the fairs. It has been a good thing so far- because I see that people are amused from my "art-things", and this is great for me."

Q. During the Pulse art fair I spoke with an observer of your work who stated that your work reminds him of a "twisted Disney Land". This leads me to ask...why have cartoons influenced your work so much? One normally things of cartoons in an innocent manner- is it your intention to juxtapose the innocence of childhood cartoons with 'real world' issues?

A. "When I was a baby duck (in english Laurina Paperina is Little-Laura Little-duck), I was raised with the television, cartoons and the comic strips: therefore I see it as normal that this factor has influenced my art. Moreover, the cartoon-style is a simple and directed language and for me it is fundamental."

Q. You currently have a solo exhibit (RO(T)L) at Freight + Volume in New York. How has that exhibit gone for you?

A. "New York is the center of the art world at this moment. It has always been a dream of mine to have an exhibition in this great city."

Q. You studied at the Art Institute (Italy) and the Academy of Fine Arts in Verona, Italy. How did your studies influence the work your create today.
A. "My studies have been important for my works. I've studied the art of the past and of the present- this is fundamental for an artist in order to understand what she wants to make with her own art."

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

A. "Boh! I don't remember. When I was a child I wanted to become a veterinary or cartoonist… when the time came to decided I started to become aware of the contemporary art world: so I decided to be an artist."

Q. Can you go into further detail about how society has influenced your art?

A. "For me it is very difficult to speak about my art. I draw what I see, what I feel...I keep inspiration from the music and the television, from the videogames and from the people, from the real life, from food, magazine, films, music, duck male, internet, pizza, comics....

I love Street Art, Contemporary Art... some of my preferred artists are Keith Haring, Ed Templeton, Barry McGee, Yoshitomo Nara, Takashi Murakami, Motomichi Nakamura, Cory Arcangel, Banksy and many others…"

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

A. "I draw all the day, every day. But sometime I take a break..."

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

A. "My philosophy is: "When I create my pape-works I want to amuse myself and to be well". But remember... I am not a philosopher!!!"

Q. Has your art ever been published? Where?

A. "Yes! Pictoplasma, Arte (Italian art magazine) and others magazine. My last publication is on the Dpi Magazine (Taiwan). Sometimes I collaborate with fashion magazines when I draw illustration for them..."

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

A. "Every exhibition is important for me. However, I must say that the RO(T)FL exhibition was my favourite: it was my first solo show in New York, and I was much expectant, churned and happy at the same time...it was a mix of incredible sensations. It was an incredible experience for me."

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. "Usually I work in the night. I love to drink hot milk with chocolate and smoke. The music is very important....but the television is the same: when I work I don't watch it, only listen to it."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "In galleries, on the web and soon I'll make a little book of my works (I hope...)."

Q. Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?
A. "Yes, I am represented by Perugi (Italy): but I collaborate with others gallery, like Magda Danysz (Paris), Freight and Volume (NY), Travesia Cuatro (Madrid)...and in the next year with Hilger Gallery (Vienna)."

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

A. "At this moment there is a strong attention toward street art and that is fine!"

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

A. "It has not yet..."

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

A. "At the beginnig, without a doubt: when people said to me "what do you do? this is not art!""

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

A. "Because It is a necessity for me...like pizza: I could die without pizza."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Laurina Paperina. Feel free to critique or discuss her work. You can learn more about Laurina by visiting her site: www.laurinapaperina.com

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Jerry Monteith

I recently interviewed artist Jerry Monteith. Mr. Monteith is the head of the Sculpture program at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He received his MFA from the Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1978.

Mr. Monteith's mixed media installations and works in wood have been widely exhibited, with images and reviews in Sculpture magazine and in the New Art Examiner. Large-scale interactive works have been included in sculpture tours and exhibitions throughout the country.

Mr. Monteith was awarded a Ucross Foundation Fellowship in 1996 and was commissioned by the Bi-State Development Agency’s Arts-in-Transit Program in St. Louis to produce Community Building, a permanent work, in 1999.


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

A."When I arrived at UNC, Chapel Hill in 1969, I made a conscious effort to open up my way of thinking. The very first studio classes I took in the art department- drawing, probably- opened my eyes to possibilities I had not been exposed to. Before long, my notion of what might constitue art and the purpose, or role that art fulfilled, changed forever. That was when I realized I would always make art."

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

A. "One of the first fully developed series of work I did dealt with access to social systems. As I had just graduated with my MFA, my main concern was to become connected to a support system that would provide a modicum of reward for my efforts in the studio. This proved quite a bit more difficult than I had imagined, since art departments everywhere were overloaded and the market seemed flooded with people of my gender/racial category.

The baffling and often contradictory nature of systems, whether the job market or the telephone company seemed to supply a never ending source of subject matter to mine. My investigation of these things took the form of seemingly self-defeating mechanisms that were hand or foot-operated.

Most recently, the realization that a change is necessary if the human race is to continue to inhabit a rich and healthy environment is at the core of my practice. Until we are willing to value the things that support life over those that support deep pockets, I believe we are doomed.

I use wood that would otherwise be burned or left to rot in the effort to reassert its inherrent value and reestablish the non-human-made environment as the ultimate paradigm. As long as humans pay more attention to technology, money and living the life of ease, there will be little gain on the problems we face because of our diminishing attention to our natural environment. These are trully life and death issues."

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

A."It varies greatly. Last year I finished a piece I had worked on for three years. I started planning it over twenty years ago. It had what would definitely be called a long gestation. Otherwise, since I have a full-time job, I'd say about a month. However, I always have several things going on at once, and rarely work from start to finish on on single piece."

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

A."While I enjoy installation and site work, I am at heart an object-maker. I think this comes across even in the former. I am most satisfied with pieces that require me to solve problems by conceptually and physically manipulating material. By conceptual manipulation, I mean that I have to analyze a material's relative appropriateness, appeal to ways I have used it before and solve problems that will allow me to convey the necessary content structure."

Q. Has your art ever been published?

A. "Yes, I have had work in Sculpture Magazine, a recent text titled, "The Sculpture Reference"by Arthur Williams, The New Art Examiner (now defunct), The Washington Review and newspapers, The Washington Post and the St. Louis Post Dispatch, for example."

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

A. "I'd probably demur by saying, "It depends on what context you mean". But generalizing, I'd probably say a show at the Forum For Contemporary Art (now Museum of Conemporary Art St. Louis) in 1995.
First of all, it was a great show in a great space. It was work that allowed me a well-needed breather from more refined and technical work I had been working on for five years. And it had a content structure informed by the recent deaths of two people I knew and loved.

It was called /"Carpenters And Other Good Men"/. My father and closest uncle had died of cancer and it seemed proper to use this as a point of departure for the show at the Forum. I ended up building three components out of common building materials, using basic carpentry skills I had learned from my uncle. Also, two of these components were about my father. One emerged from my memories of his role as a small town barber in western North Carolina. The other was a sculptural description of how I felt shortly after he died.

They were made as a carpenter would make a rocking chair- all of them could be sat in and rocked- in acknowledgement of my uncle, who had made several such chairs I have seen in old family photos. One was based upon the waiting area at my dad's shop, and could be sat and rocked by six or seven people at once. Of course they had to coordinate their efforts, which was the point."

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? When I'm not working

A. "WhenI clean up and put things back. I listen to a lot of music. Right now I'm listening to classical stuff again, Bartok and Shostakovich, but I like old time stuff very much- anything that has an unproduced sound, the scratchier the better. You can't go wrong with Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams or Townes Van Zandt either. Hillbilly, folk, blues, you name it. Generally, I like stuff that sounds like its been around for a while and seen some miles."

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

A. "There was a gentleman who bought two or three pieces from the gallery I was with in Washington, DC. He worked at the Museum of American Art, in the library, I think. One of the little devices I mentioned earlier ended up in the collection of a hardware store chain mogul. I even traded one of the latter for root canal work.

I'd like to think anyone could appreciate that my work is made well, and has the capacity to release insight over the long haul. You'd have to be willing to listen, wait and live with sometimes being a fool. I guess people who acknowledge that life is more than a continual upwardly mobile climb might like it. They'd have to be ok with the fact that the beautiful and horrible can coexist."

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

A. "/VA Hospital Story/(image above) concerns a trip to a Veteran's Administration facility during my senior year of high school. A biology teacher carried me and two of my cohorts over there, I think as a lesson of sorts. In one ward was a man in a bed that could be flipped over. Most of his body below the waist was gone. I hadn't realized how accessible and perfectly formed this memory was until I started work on the piece.

I had been working with some walnut I had gathered. Walnut has a very light colored sapwood. When I put some dye on it, I thought, "This looks like an amputated limb." I was planning to save the leather from a pair of shoes I had worn out, and when I put the two pieces together, it made an interesting form, which would accomodate the wood "stump" through the opennings in the shoe halves.

Walnut has a clearly-defined pith that is easily drilled. Enlarging this aperture, I could thread a hanging string through it. Since the thread was too small to "read", I decided to put plastic beads on it. Then the idea of using text beads to spell out two sentences came about.

On one side it says, "His responsibilities were thankfully few. The other reads, "The bed could be turned like a spit." This seemed to capture the unfortunate circumstance of the man in the VA hospital."

Q. Where did you attend school for art? How did it help you as an artist? What can you tell us about the art department that you attended?

A. "MFA, Cranbrook Academy of Art, 1978, BFA UNC-Chapel Hill, 1975. Cranbrook was a good decision. It really forced me to ratchet up my thinking and practice to the next notch. It was very competitive. The press of history and significance was palpable. On the other hand, there were certain psycho-social dramas played out that were way over the top. Living off campus in Pontiac, I had a more or less objective perspective. The rarified air could at times make you consider the handicap inherrent in a small gene pool. However, the gritty quality of Pontiac and Detroit provided a nice balance to campus life."

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

A. "There is something basically life-affirming about cutting into a chunk of found timber. Wood is a repository of information documenting a tree's growth and its response to the environment. The sheer amount of information is astounding. Cherry smells almost like wine. Elm is more like single malt scotch. Sassafras tickles the nose with an aroma associated with root beer. The tactile qualities of wood are unmatched by any material. Walnut has a way of growing over injury to produce form that is at once beautiful and quirky. Its grain structure in terms of detail and color is gorgeous. Ultimately, I hope that my work honors the tree it was made of."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "School of Art & Design website, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Also White Columns Online Curated Artist Registry, NY and Neoimages.com."

Q. Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?
A. "No. Currently showing at i2i Gallery, San Antonio, Texas."

Q. What galleries have you exhibited in?

A. "I showed with Franz Bader Gallery, one of the first contemporary galleries in Washington, DC from 1986 until its closure in 1995. I also showed at Klein Artworks in Chicago. (They also closed recently) I am currently seeking gallery representation."

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

A. "I don't pay a lot of attention to trends. Most trends I've noticed don't appear relevant or interesting to me. I like H.C. Westermann's remark, "I look around to see what everyone else is doing. Then I do something else.""

Q. Any tips for emerging artists?

A. "Like Leon Golub said at a lecture I attended, "Just stay on the bus.""

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

A. "No, but I did get back a packet of slides once with a note that said, "We had trouble with the content." I never understood what they meant, and didn't feel compelled to call and explain it to them."

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

A. "I had worked for the Washington Project for the Arts in Washington, DC. for 3-4 years and had finally resigned in exhaustion. We did a lot for artists, and I was the preparator. We moved three times and ended up back where we started in a newly rennovated space. It seemed a good time to hang it up. I then worked for a board member rennovating a building he'd bought in a marginal neighborhood in DC. I had applied for a lot of teaching jobs, got some interviews, but basically didn't feel like it was going to happen for me.

Working in a neighborhood where crackheads, whores and teenage shooters walked the streets was depressing. I went back to NC to talk with my uncle, who was sick with cancer, and he offered me his shop. I knew I could learn cabinet-making from him and make a decent living. I really considered moving back home and kissing the art world goodby but something just wouldn't let me. In 6 months I was hired at SIU-C, and here I am today."

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

A. "Art is a way of saying, "I was here" and "Here I am"."

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

A."I live in Carbondale, a small city in Southern Illinois. The art scene revolves around the university and is fairly self-contained."

Q. Has politics ever entered your art?

A. "When Ronald Regan whipped Jimmy Carter, I was so angry that I made a piece titled, "Repubican Crusher" because it seemed that they misused world events and Carter's personality to skewer him."

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

A. "I have often considered the effects of growing up in a rural, Southern Baptist family in the south. On the one hand, it was smothering, but I have lived enough to value many of their accepted truths. In /Word of God/, a blank cartoon word bubble emerges from a mouth-shaped piece of wood. The mouth reminded me of Popeye, who said, "I am what I am and that's all that I am." In the Bible, the name for God, Yahweh, was supposed to translate, "I am that I am." Coincidence?"

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

A. "I don't think so. I've said too much already."

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

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Tom Parker

(Tom Parker with drawing for “the WRATH” 2005 Photo by R. Miller)

I recently interviewed artist Tom Parker. Professor Parker is a Professor of Art and Art History, as well as the Art Department Chair at Drury University. He has taught a wide variety of art history courses at Drury including 19th Century French, Native American Architecture, History of Photography, Modern Art, Pre-historic Art, Ancient Art, Theory and Criticism of Art, and Art and Architecture History I and II.

Tom regularly exhibits his art both in solo shows and group shows. He has been the recipient of numerous prizes and awards. His work has been seen in major museums around the country, including the Whitney Museum, the Chicago Art Institute, the Nelson Atkins Museum, the St. Louis City Museum, and the Springfield Art Museum.


Q. You are a Professor of Art & Art History at Drury University. What is your personal philosophy about art education?

A. "I am a professor at Drury University, although I never really set out to be a teacher. I worked for about five years in the NY art scene in the early seventies and had some solid success, but ultimately felt that NYC was driving. I moved my loft from SOHO to a nice space in Chatham, NY and began to regain my bearings. Outside the NY market, teaching is the big patron.


Eventually, I drifted back into teaching (I had taught at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and at NYU before abandoning the city) in order to pay the bills. It was my huge good fortune to step into a department chair position At Drury, where I had the opportunity to start an accredited school of architecture and rebuild a moribund Art and Art History department. Twenty-five years later I have no regrets.


My teaching philosophy has been simple. I try to do two things only. I help students uncover their own creativity and then help them evaluate the results. It has been worth doing and my own work has been supported both materially and intellectually by it. I much prefer it to working in NY. I find it easier to be reflective about the work that I make."

Q. At Drury University you discussed the Politics of Creativity. Can you go into detail about this issue?

A. "That was in a speech I gave at a Founder's Day Convocation. My point was that creativity basically subverts a dominant paradigm and is therefore a political metaphor. The art that interests me tends to be subversive."

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

A. "When I discovered that life offered no other arena that I could think of, where“autonomy” was not only permitted, but also expected. It is a source of freedom in an otherwise compromised world. I discovered it very early on."

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

A. "I suppose I might admit that society has influenced my work, although I would prefer to think that I, in some way, influenced society. I am moved by much of what I see in the world, either politically or formally, and it certainly gets into mywork."


(“Homage to a Flayed Saint” fresco 12” x 12” 2000)

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

A. "It is really impossible to say, because I have worked in a variety of media and with widely varying intentions. I have spent as long as a year (Personal Boom Boom, performance, 1998), but prefer to suspend time while involved with a particular piece. I usually am involved in a series of related works in a progression, possibly continuing for several years."

(“Site-State #8 & #9, The Harbor” acrylic 100” x 50” 2004)

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

A. "I suppose it is a cliché, but the answer is certainly ”the next one”. My favorite show to remember is the last one I had in New York at the 55 Mercer Gallery, where I did a collaborative sculpture installation known as “The Radio Show”. It included a wide assortment of other artists who carried out parts of the piece,including writers, musicians, actors and an electronics genius or two. It was called out by New York Magazine as the “best bet in Manhattan” It was a great show which left me nearly broke in the big city. Frightening!"

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 always starts in “dream-time” when I am playing my old banjo. Then I get curious to see what an idea would actually look like. Next comes a period of veryfocused work which leaves my studio a mess, but generally doesn't stop until my curiosity is sated or the piece is done and leads to the next one. I don't remember ever having any sort of “block”."

“Barge” wood and stainless 96” x 28” 2000

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

A. "I would like to comment on “Twelve Days At Sea”, a large painting I did back in 1976. It was the first major painting I did after my loft in Chatham, NY burned to the ground, along with everything I owned, including all of my paintings and my slide records.

For me, it was a hopeful painting. It depicts the same ocean on twelve successive days, each being much the same but quite different. It suggested to me that, as things change, they might actually get better. There is always that possibility when a new day dawns. It isn't all that profound, but it helped me see the loft fire as cleansing, rather than as a tragedy. I've loaned it out several times for extended periods, but I wouldn't sell it. It is still useful tome."

(“Twelve Days At Sea” acrylic 72”x 50” 1976)

Q. Where did you earn your degree? How did that program shape you as an artist?

A. "I got my MFA from the University of Iowa in 1960. I learned a lot and worked with a fine painter, Stuart Edie, from the Phil Guston days. There was more than a little risk aversion going on in the department at the time but it really didn't slow me down much."

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

A. "Thomas Hart Benton introduced me to acrylic paint in 1959. I have used it since then, except when I make sculpture or do performance pieces. I recently had a good time making a short video about “The Wrath” of God with drawings of the Second-Coming that I did during a six month sabbatical in Volos, Greece."

(“Personal Icon” acrylic 48” x 50” 2000)

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "Most all of it is in my studio except for a few pieces owned by museums. I have a good painting in the Springfield Art Museum. Since I have avoided the market, I never built a website, but maybe I should. Some people might be interested.

Several years ago with two other artists, I did a performance piece on the web. It was an elaborate simulation of a new museum called SMOCA-Mo., which someone archived and it can still be found. It has a large exhibition of my work in two of the galleries."

(Sculpture installation at SMOCA-Mo mixed media 2002)

Q. Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?
A. "No, I have chosen to avoid any exclusive gallery representation since I left NYC.The fact is, I don't really get much of a kick out of selling my work. I much prefer to simply show the work and am generally traumatized when someone starts offering me money.

I have earned that luxury by teaching for the past twenty-five years. I have a show of new painting scheduled at the Pool Art Center(Springfield) next year."

(“Island in a Green Sea” acrylic 36” x 36” 1992)

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

A. "I was in the first show at 55 Mercer in SOHO (NYC) and had three one-man shows there before 1975. Since then, most of my shows have been in non-commercial spaces; art centers, university galleries, etc. I still have an occasional show in a local gallery that is clean and bright."

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

A. "Most of it is trivial, sophomoric and trendy, although there are some stars out there. I have two former students who are in the middle of it and doing some very interesting things.

Karen Gunderson is painting important work in NY, and Jack Dolhausen is making incredible electronic sculpture in Pullman,Washington. Then, of course, there are the art stars, some of whose work I greatly admire."

Q. Any tips for emerging artists?

A. "Don't become a “studio monk”. Your work will lose touch with the world and without context, become irrelevant."

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

A. "No, I have never been personally censored, however, I was once in a faculty show at Wisconsin State-Whitewater when the board of trustees censored a painting by Leanne Shreaves, called “Events”, which had also been censored at the Chicago Art Institute´. We closed the show and most of the faculty, along with the president of the university, resigned in protest. Leanne stayed put."

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

A. "It was certainly the inability of the arts, except for rock-and-roll, to make any relevant statement whatever about the Viet Nam War. I include myself in that category.

I began to seriously question the validity of the entire enterprise we call“Art”. I don't know that I actually considered giving it up, but I think I must have at its worst.

My solution was to consistently make things that couldn't possibly be hung on rich people's walls. It was a successful statement but somewhat detrimental to my ability to survive selling paintings.

Not only was I frustrated by the prevailing critical mode, I was slowly going broke living in the city and needed out for the sake of my tender and sensitive bearings."

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

A. "It is an exhilarating rush to make something that didn't previously exist, and at the conceptual level, something that might never have been imagined."

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

A. "I reside and have my studio near Springfield, Missouri. The local art scene is humble and about right. There are some respectable local artists, a museum, an Art Center, and a dozen local galleries that actually try to varying degrees.

It isn't unusual to have a couple of thousand people on the street, gallery hopping, on the first Friday of the month when new shows open. I have frequently shown locally because it is fun and keeps me in the game."

Q. Has politics ever entered your art?

A. "It absolutely has, but my early training as a “Modernist” and in the dictum that“content resides in form”, tended to make me adverse to any didacticism. It then becomes a tough needle to thread, since I am often highly motivated by what is going on in politics."

(“Crossing” mixed media 18' x 8' 2007)

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

A. "Like many others, I am fascinated and awed by the power of natural calamities, but find myself annoyed when evangelicals lay claim to such events as proof of divine retribution and mortal accountability. That is not to say that natural catastrophes are never directly related to human “sin.” Indeed, they may occasionally be linked and the pious constituency should consider, as they warn us of the almighty consequences of abomination, whether making the planet too warm for life to inhabit would also count as “sin” and that their “good Christianman” president might be held accountable.

My drawings are often random musings on the subjects of sin, consequences,wrath, tribulation, retribution, the Second Coming and other catastrophes."

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

A. "Yes, indeed, however, that is best accomplished in the studio."

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

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Controversial Art: Offensive art is simply a reflection of our inner condition.

"Blessed Art Thou" by Kate Kretz

I've discussed controversial art on this blog in the past- it is a topic that will never go away. Thus, I will venture into this issue once again- I look forward to replying to your comments.

What makes a work of art offensive? What causes thousands to lash out against one work of art while praising another? Are people offended for what they feel the work portrays- or are they offended because it reveals the inner workings of their own lives... their psychological fears and frailties.

Controversial art has been at the forefront of many heated discussions for centuries (Many of which have stemmed from religious reasons). However, since the 1990s (with the advent of the internet) the controversy over controversial art has seemed to become more of a focus in the media and in our daily lives. More people are aware of 'controversial' works than ever before. Thus, more people are offended.

Each passing year brings with it works that are considered hateful, unjust, or morally wrong- yet these works are often created for that very reason! Created to place a spotlight on current events in order to express the changes that are occurring in our society. So, what are the offended so afraid of? The art? Or what we, as a society, have become? Are we really that bad? Or is it just some form of widespread defense mechanism working overtime?

Last time I wrote about this issue I reflected on the work of Andreas Serrano, Chris Ofili, and several others. Times have changed and with it has come new controversial works- for example, David Cordero's "Blessing," which casts Barack Obama as Jesus, Cosimo Cavallaro's "My Sweet Lord," a life-size nude male posed as if crucified and cast in chocolate like Peter Cottontail, Kate Kretz, who painted "Blessed Art Thou," the controversial image of Angelina Jolie hovering in a cloud above a checkout line in a Wal-Mart store. New works- same old controversy!

All of these works have offended thousands of observers. Why? Why are people so offended by these works? Is it because they involve aspects of religion? Or is it because of concerns that can only be discovered from within the observer who is offended?

Personally, I think the offended- more often than not- are outraged due to their own 'inner demons' or neurosis . I think it is more of an issue of self-doubt in regards to faith and the direction society is going. I honestly think that people are not so much offended by these works for what they are as much as they are offended because these works are reminders of their failure to live up to their religious or social principles. In other words (borrowing an old expression), outrage over these works is like the pot calling the kettle black.

These works are no more controversial than a guy wearing a 'God Sucks' shirt at your local mall. The offended simply take their inner frustration out on the 'scapegoat'- art makes an easy target- a painting can't talk back. What do you think?

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Gallery Space Talk: Martita Slewe- Slewe Gallery

I recently interviewed Martita Slewe. Martita is the owner and director of Slewe Gallery in Amsterdam. I observed Slewe's space during the Collector and Press Preview at SCOPE in New York. The Slewe Gallery is known for exhibiting and representing talented abstract painters.

Location:
Kerkstraat 105-A
NL-1017 GD Amsterdam

Contact Information:
Tel: 31.20.6257214
Fax: 31.20.4214606
Email: info@slewe.nl

Website:
http://www.slewe.nl/

Q. You are the owner of Slewe Gallery. When was the gallery established? What is the mission of your gallery?

A. "The gallery was established in October 1994 and since its start the program is focusing on new tendencies in abstract art, mainly painting."

Q. Why did you decide to become a gallery director? Are you an artist yourself? How did you get involved with the arts?

A. "I am not trained as an artist, but I studied art history. My parents gave me the love for the arts . They collected art and still do a bit.

Since my study I have contact with artists. After my study I worked as a curator at the at that time newly established Kunsthal in Rotterdam for some years (1989-1994).

At the Kunsthal period I learned a lot in practising making art exhibitions under the leadership of the director. So in 1994 I decided to run an exhibition space of my own. Moreover in 1993 some established galleries were closing in Amsterdam (due to the economic recession) and some artists I had contact with, did not have any good representation anymore and they liked to work with me.

I took over an exhibition space in the centre of Amsterdam and renovated it with the assistance of architect Herman Postma. Since its start the graphic design has been done by Irma Boom, at that time a very promising and now very established graphic designer.

Now and then we publish a small catalogue along with an exhibition. Two years ago the website of the gallery http://www.slewe.nl/ has been launched, designed by Niels Schrader (assistant of Irma Boom)."

Q. It often seems that many artists are not aware of the business side of art that a gallery tends to handle. Can you tell us more about your job and the function of your gallery?

A. "A gallery functions not only as a selling point, but also as an exhibition model. Both in a business sense as well as in essence, the space acts as an intermediary between art and the public. The aim is to further promote the artists's work and to channel it to the appropriate collectors and museums. A gallery is also a platform for discourse and a meeting place for artists and its visitors.

The day-to-day work of a gallery owner is to organise and promote exhibitions. the driving force behind this is the inspiring contact with art. From art you learn how to look at things around you in a different manner. This is why it is no ordinary job : it is a way of living."

Q. Who are you currently representing?

A. "I work with some Dutch artists like Steven Aalders, Merina Beekman, Paul Drissen, Joris Geurts, Robbert-Jan Gijzen, Krijn de Koning, Kees Smits, Jan Roeland and some foreign artists, European artists based in UK, like Ian Davenport, Peter Davis, Callum Innes, Zebedee Jones , Alan Johnston and Adam Colton, in Germany (Martina Klein, Ingo Meller, Martin Gerwers, Alice Schorbach), Belgium (Marthe Wéry) and artiststs living in the US, like Dan Walsh and Jerry Zeniuk (also working in Munich, Germany) . Most of them are of my generation (*1961) , some are a bit older and some are younger like Robbert-Jan Gijzen (*1974), Geeske Bijker (*1974), Peter Davis (*1972), Zebedee Jones (*1970)

Q. Do you have any upcoming exhibits?

A. "At the moment I am changing exhibtions. There was a painting show by Joris Geurts (until April 7). Next Saturday (April 14) there will be a new exhibition opening by German artist Ingo Meller (paintings). On average 7 solo exhibitions are mounted yearly, with each artist imposing his or her own stamp on the gallery space every time."

Q. Your gallery represented several artists at Pulse New York (2007). Did the exhibit go well for your artists?

A. "At Pulse I had a very small booth and I showed some work of 2 Dutch artists, Steven Aalders (*1959) and Krijn de Koning (*1963). Aalders showed a series of 4 small abstract paintings, called 'Cardinal Points', and Krijn de Koning made especially for this occasion an installational sculpture, that could be used as furniture (table/chair, he entitled it). Both artists are working in the (post) modernist abstract tradition and refer clearly to the Dutch 'De Stijl' movement.

For me the Pulse art fair had good results. The presentation had a good response. Although the artists were not very well known in the US, and abstract art is still quite difficult to understand for most people, it was a very clear presentation and reconizable for the public . I met some very interesting collectors form New York and some from other cities in the US . I sold some work and made some good contacts for possible exhibitions for these two artists. Also for some other artistst I represent but I did not show work of, I made good promotion."

Q. What can you tell our readers about the artists you represent?

A. "A reflective attitude towards art and attention to the sensual aspect of the material appears to be a connecting factor among the gallery artists. Due to this essental aspect, the emphasis is on traditional media, especially painting. "

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

A. "Abstract art is still not very easy to promote. It is still quiet difficult for most people to understand. So it is not very trendy and I think it will never be very hot. But some people who are more familiar with this visual language do love this kind of art very much and most of them stay that way for the rest of their life. "

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Martita Slewe of the Slewe Gallery. Visit the Slewe Gallery site if you wish to learn more about the Slewe Gallery and the artists that the gallery represents: http://www.slewe.nl/

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Herbert Murrie

I recently interviewed artist Herbert Murrie. Mr. Murrie firmly believes that chance dictates intuition. This philosophy describes the foundation of his artistic practice- no absolute concepts catalyze his paintings.

Mr. Murrie embraces the view that a single stroke of paint can communicate more to an observer than the written word. In his view, the written word is tainted with commonality whereas a painting holds the essence of the creator. Thus, the instinct of a painter creates a form of communication that is unique... yet universal.

Mr. Murrie's work has been exhibited widely in Illinois. He currently lives and works in Chicago. His art can be found in many private and corporate collections throughout the city.

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

A. "Probably when my parents got me into an art school at the age of nine. Up until that time I was content to draw WW II air battles between German Luftwaffer and American fighter planes."

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

A. "I think it is impossible for an artist not to be influenced in some way by what is going on in the world they live in. I just can’t explain how that has influenced my art. Only very recently have I allowed my frustration and anger creep into my work speaking to the brutality of and lack of compassion we as humans have toward one another. "No Lie Can Live Forever" is the painting I am referring to. It includes the disasters of Vietnam to Katrina."

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

A. "Every piece has it‘s own timetable. I have finished paintings in less then a day and have finally been satisfied that a painting is done after a year of seeing it sitting there in the studio thinking it was finished long ago yet feeling very deep in my subconscious that it was not there. I remember reading where DeKooning was asked once when he knew a painting was finished and he answered, "When my dealer rips it out of the studio". I feel that way most of the time."

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

A. "My first! That is the most exciting time. Like a first love, never to be forgotten. The fact that the show almost sold out added greatly to the excitement."

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. "Well, if I have been out of the studio for a period of time; say a week or two because I’ve burned myself out a little preparing for a show. I get myself psyched by first cleaning and organizing things in the studio. That starts the juices again. Music plays a very important roll in my art. All kinds of music from Mozart to Dylan. As a matter of fact I get most of my titles for my paintings from the lyrics of music as well as from lines of poetry. Music relies on an established structure, one that allows for infinite expression of guttural emotion. That liberty within form inspires my own explorations in painting."

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

A. "Probably people who feel the flow of energy that I’m trying to create thru my painting, consciously or subconsciously."

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

A. ""Marilyn"(image above). Having had a secret love affair with Marilyn Monroe for many years (in my imagination) I started out by evoking her in black and white as a force of nature, a complex storm with subtle ebbs and flows. I always think of Marilyn in black and white, more sensuous and mysterious, more real. Isn’t it strange that when I see film in black and white it has a feeling of reality where as in reality we live in a world of color. Probably an influence from childhood when I sat in the movie theater and the WW II news films were, of course, in black and white. That was real life, not Hollywood ."

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 graduated from The University of Illinois with a BFA. I was very fortunate to have some very fine professors who I credit with my forming a good solid foundation in painting. Learn the rules before you can break them, I think Picasso said that; if not, credit me with that one."

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

A. "My first art teacher was a fine water colorist. Being only nine years old at the time I think she felt that oil was a more forgiving medium, certainly more forgiving then water color. From that point on it has, until recently, been my medium of choice. With the development of my abstract style I now find common house paint mixed in with acrylics to be more convenient for what I’m trying to accomplish."

Q.Where can we see more of your art?

A. "http://www.herbertmurrie.com/"

Q. Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?
A. "I’m represented by The Tucker gallery located in Evanston , Illinois."

Q. What galleries have you exhibited in?

A. "Lydon Fine Art Gallery / Chicago , Illinois
Zolla-Leiberman Gallery / Chicago , Illinois
Sloan-Jordan Gallery / Austin , Texas "

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

A. "Anything goes! For the most part I think that is a good thing. That’s how out of the box thinking gets its legs. I think most of it will fad away and the cream will come to the top as with most new things or trends. Few will last but in the interim artists like me can cherry pick those things that do excite us and learn from it. Let some of it filter into our own thinking and work."

Q. Any tips for emerging artists?

A. "Keep an open mind! Work very hard at your art! Go with your gut!"

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

A. "No, but I’m sure a lot of people would like to."

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

A. "There is no one toughest point. That goes on all the time. Its doubt, indecision, criticism. You just keep on going and enjoy the victories when they come. Those very precious moments when you look at a painting and say, Wow, did I do that?...How did I do that?...especially after a few months or year and you can still say that."

Q. Why do you create art?

A. "I don’t know how to do anything else. It really is what I am, good bad or indifferent. I don’t have a choice in the matter."

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

A. "Chicago is a fantastic arena for the arts. It’s all here. Not as boisterous as the two coasts but never-the-less here!"

Q. Has politics ever entered your art?

A. "Only recently, as I have become more and more disappointed and outraged about the way we’re going."

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

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Gallery Space Talk: Jan Wentrup- Galerie Jan Wentrup

I recently interviewed Jan Wentrup. Mr. Wentrup is the owner and director of Galerie Jan Wentrup (Berlin). Jan Wentrup represented artist Axel Geis at The Armory Show in New York (2007). The paintings by Axel Geis were listed as an Exhibition Highlight. The gallery is known for representing artists who have a wide range of expressive ability within the context of their unique work.

Website: http://www.janwentrup.com/splash/

Location:

Choriner Straße 310119 Berlin-MitteTel.

+49 (0)30 - 48 49 36 00 Fax.

+49 (0)30 - 48 49 36 01

Artists:

Pablo Alonso

Marten Frerichs

Axel Geis

Mathew Hale

Gregor Hildebrant

Michael Kalki

Jen Ray

Wawrzyniec Tokarski

Q. You are the owner of Galerie Jan Wentrup. When was the gallery established? What is the mission of your gallery?

A. "The gallery was founded in September 2004 and focuses on an international group of emerging artists that highlight current developments in contemporary art."

Q. Why did you decide to become a gallery director? Are you an artist yourself? How did you get involved with the arts?

A. "I did both the classic academic and art dealer´s way. I studied art history and worked for curators as well as dealers.

Before I opened my gallery in 2004 I was with Contemporary Fine Arts, who are still close friends. Also being the assistant of Kasper König for the skulptur.projekte in 2007 when I was in my beginning 20s was a key experience. I was already interested in art as a kid. It´s all about how you perceive the world."


Q. What is your personal philosophy about about art and artistic creation? What makes an artist and artist?

A. "I like Andy Warhols answer to that question: An artist is someone who produces things that people don't need to have but that he— for some reason— thinks it would be a good idea to give them."

Q. It often seems that many artists are not aware of the business side of art. Do you have any suggestions for an artist who wishes to learn more about the marketing side of the business that is art?

A. "Work with a gallery and care about your art, not about the market!"

Q. Who are you currently representing? Do you have any exhibits going on at this time?

A. "I am currently having a solo show with Gregor Hildebrandt, who parallel has an exhibition at the Kunstverein Ludwigshafen and shows a big piece with Galerie Almine Rech in Paris.

After that I will show Wawa Tokarski. This exhibition is parallel to his major solo exhibition at the Saarland Museum in Saarbrücken."

Q. Your gallery represented the work of Axel Geis at the 2007 Armory Show in New York. Did the exhibit go well for Axel?

A. "Yes."

Q. What can you tell our readers about the artists you represent?

A. "It´s an international group, but all are located in Berlin, which is the hot spot for artist to stay in the moment.

Every artist I have chosen does something that is unique. Don´t follow the hype - this should guide you."

Q. What kind of message do you want the art you exhibit at Galerie Jan Wentrup to have?

A. "I don´t believe in messages."

Q. Do you have any advice for emerging or established artists who would like to exhibit at your gallery?

A. "Don´t send emails or regular mail. Stay cool."

Q. What was the most important exhibition you've been involved with? Care to share that experience?

A. "Every exhibition is important, exciting and full of new experiences."

Q. If you could pinpoint the characteristics of people who buy art from Galerie Jan Wentrup, what would they be?

A. "Impassionate."

Q. As a gallery director, what trends do you see in the 'art world'? What is 'hot' at this moment?

A. "Hot? I don´t think in this stereotypes, it ruins artists."

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

A. "Berlin is definitely the most interesting city for artists at the moment, because of:
a) low rents
b) big studios
c) nice galleries
d) a diverse history
e) good beer."

Q. Do you have a website for your gallery?

A. "http://www.janwentrup.com/ "

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

A. "Don´t believe the hype."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Jan Wentrup of the Galerie Jan Wentrup. Feel free to check out their site.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Aldo Giannotti

I recently interviewed artist Aldo Giannotti. Mr. Giannotti lives and works in Vienna, Italy. Aldo is represented by NT Art gallery. His work has been exhibited at the DIVA Digital & Video Art Fair (twice), the Vienna Biennial, and several other exhibitions. I'd like to personally thank Nadia Toffaloni for her help in translating this interview.

Mr. Giannotti attempts to translate the oneiric and symbolic imagery of the human psyche while keeping in mind the continuous evolution of the communication society to which the imagery is subjected. This is the basis of Mr. Giannotti's artistic research.

Q. You are represented by NT Art gallery. How has that experience been for you? What is the website for the gallery?

A. "Until now our collaboration has been great. We watch each other grow. The website is www.ntartgallery.com ."

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

A. "I think everything started with my teacher in the elementary school using one of my drawings in order to explain the prospective to my whole class. I remember being quite proud of it and realizing the potential of this ability."

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

A. "I believe that good art is always influenced by our environment and contains references to our "social experience", even if it is not so evident sometimes. This is also my case, except for the fact that until now I wouldn’t call my art good, but necessary (for me of course)."

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

A. "It depends, sometimes it takes me 3 minutes to create the work in my head, and then 3 months to realize it, but there are no timelines, every time is a new experience."

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

A. "It probably would be cooler to quote some post-modern philosopher but there is this sentence by Picasso that always stuck in my head for both its simplicity and complexity: "Everything you can imagine is real." My attempt and relation with art is nothing more then the realisation of this sentence. Art is the perfect synthesis of this potential."

Q. Has your art ever been published?

A. "In the last few years my shows were usually accompanied by a publication. We are also planning a very nice catalogue for the exhibition in fall."

Q. What was your most important exhibition? Would you like to share that experience?

A. "Always the next one."

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 a wood heater in my studio, so every time before working I cut the wood and make a fire. This is the closest thing I have to a ritual, and it also helps putting me in the right mood…"

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

A. "Very intelligent, endowed wit good taste and a business sense."

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

A. "Well, let’s pick the last work I presented at the nt art gallery. Together with my artist mate Stefano Giuriati, dressed as two real Italian carabinieri (images above and below), we performed for ten days in the streets of Munich as if it would be part of our jurisdiction, raising questions like: What are the borders defined by? What is tolerated within them? Which identities (national, cultural, social, religious) should be enclosed and sheltered? Which are the decisive limits and criteria determining who and what can cross those edges? Playing with these topics on the border between legality and illegality was a new thing for us, quite exciting I must say. Back in Italy for the show in Bologna we crashed the carabinieri car in front of the nt art gallery, so for answering your question "What were you thinking when you created it?" the answer is simple: I was thinking that we would end up in jail with this project. Fortunately it hasn’t happened… until now."

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

A. "I studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Carrara (Italy), a place of dust and stones. After a few years I left Italy and went to study first in London and then Munich. Later I moved to Vienna where I still live and work. I finally got back to Carrara many years later, just for the final degree exam. So I guess I can say my school was a mobile structure that I was carrying around in my head, and I guess my influence reflects also this path."

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

A. "I am generally not restricted to any medium in particular, I love to change and challenge myself with new forms of expression. I believe media are only the outside shell for presenting ideas."

Q. Where can we see more of your art?

A. "End of April the stazione mobile dei carabinieri is moving to Berlin (gallery artmbassy) with the group show "Appropriazione indebita" and after that the 2 carabinieri will cross the borders of Belgium. At the moment my videos can be seen in the videoarchive VIDEOTHEKA of the Kforumvienna and in the one of the Kunsthalle Wien. In June I will be at the Venice Biennale with the performing company Liquidloft, taking care of the visual concept, after that again in Zagreb building my first real scale Kunsthalle. Last but not least, we are planning a solo show at the nt art gallery for September/October."
Web references:
www.ntartgallery.com
www.kforumvienna.com
www.liquidloft.at
www.artmbassy.com
www.aldogiannotti.com


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

A. "The theory of chaos applied to aesthetics."

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

A. "A curator once chose a work of mine that had a real dog in it for an exibition space. The day of the opening, the dog and me arrived at the show only to discover that somebody from the upper floors didn¥t like the idea of having a real dog in the space. They even asked me to put only a picture of the dog, you know, like a bad Kosuth... this exhibition place doesn’t exist anymore... the dog is fine and healthy."

Q. In a word, why do you create art?

A. "Because it feels like the natural thing to do, thank god it’s also a job, if it wasn’t I would be starving."

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

A. "Vienna, and Austria in general, is a very dynamic place to live and to experience art, people are open to relate with new languages. I’m quite happy with the decision of making Vienna my home at the moment."

Q. Has politics ever influenced your art?

A. "Only from the backdoor."

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

A. "They play a part when I forget not to think about it... which is often."

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

A. "All the best …"

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

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin