Yoav Friedlander – Forest Hills, New York

Posted on May 12, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days
Chicago-urban-warfare-training-facility-tzeelim-base-israel--miniature.jpg : title: ‘Chicago’, Urban Warfare Training Facility, Tze’elim Base, Israel (miniature) Medium: 4x5 Transparency Scan Dimensions: 76”x60”

Chicago-urban-warfare-training-facility-tzeelim-base-israel–miniature.jpg :
title: ‘Chicago’, Urban Warfare Training Facility, Tze’elim Base, Israel (miniature)
Medium: 4×5 Transparency Scan
Dimensions: 76”x60”

Briefly describe the work you do. 

I am making work with the medium of photography that reflects back on the influence photography has on our perception of reality. I am either recreating existing images or places I’ve seen before in photographs by making a miniature resembling them or by photographing the landscape

Tell us about your background and how that has had an influence on your work and on you as an artist.

I am originally from a small town in Israel, Maale Adummim, that is not far from the Dead Sea. I lived in Israel for 26 years and joined the army at the age of 18. Throughout my entire life photography was used to describe the history of the land surrounding me, and I’ve been taught about the many wars and battles that the hills and valleys around me had seen. My perception of the state of Israel have adapted to overlay its past in the form of images on top of the emptiness of the temporary calm landscape and its past battle grounds. I’ve learned that we cannot unsee the world we’ve first came to know through images, and therefore we constantly compare the world that we see ourselves with the one reflected in images.

the-flooded-room-2013-miniature.jpg: title: The Flooded Room, 2013 (miniature) Medium: 4x5 Transparency Scan Dimensions: 76”x60”

the-flooded-room-2013-miniature.jpg:
title: The Flooded Room, 2013 (miniature)
Medium: 4×5 Transparency Scan
Dimensions: 76”x60”

The concept of the artist studio has a broad range of meanings in contemporary practice. Artists may spend much of their time in the actual studio, or they may spend very little time in it. Tell us about your individual studio practice and how it differs from or is the same as traditional notions of “being in the studio.”

My studio is also my home. I make miniatures or photograph landscapes, and therefore I never felt the need to have a separate studio. My miniatures are only made to become a photograph, I see them as visions more than a physical thing. I am working with them inside my home as if they were inside my head, where the photograph serves as the final fixed output of a thought. I cannot tell what is the amount of time I am spending in my home under the function of a studio, but I can definitely say that when I have an idea I will put everything aside and will rush towards making the image as fast as I can.

What roles do you find yourself playing that you may not have envisioned yourself in when you first started making art?

I would have never thought I would be making miniatures as a major part of my practice. It is not my hobby and never was before I started, and even today I am not making them for the fun of it. I felt the need to make them as a way to convey certain ideas using the medium of photography that I feel I couldn’t have done it any other way.

When do you find is the best time to make art? Do you set aside a specific time everyday or do you have to work whenever time allows?

The best time to make art is when it is urgent. I know when the time is right when I am excited about a new idea and I am manipulating the schedule bending everything that I can (even attempting at cheating time, which never works) with the intent to start making, producing and / or photographing.

watch-tower-queens-ny-2012.jpg title: Watch Tower, Queens, New York, 2012 (miniature) Medium: 6x6 negative Scan Dimensions: 30”x30”

watch-tower-queens-ny-2012.jpg
title: Watch Tower, Queens, New York, 2012 (miniature)
Medium: 6×6 negative Scan
Dimensions: 30”x30”

How has your work changed in the past five years? How is it the same?

Five years ago my work was all over the place (except from my body of work ‘Behind The Zoo’), a lot of things were going on inside my head and I couldn’t find my own voice to channel them out using photography. In late 2012 I made my first miniature, and it changed my life. Although I always feel like I am progressing, and moving forward, looking back, even towards the things I used to make as a child, it seems that in general nothing has changed. I believe that is not that you change, but rather you discover who you are.

How have people such as family, friends, writers, philosophers, other artists or even pop icons had an impact on the work you do?

My wife, Dana Stirling, is the main reason I went 180º from being a Digital Photography fundamentalist into a Large Format film photographer. Dana started her BA in Photography while I was at my third year, and her work taught me about the soul that film has, and to see color in slide film rather than colors represented on a computer screen. I am forever thankful for that.

Have you ever been pulled in the direction of a pursuit other than being an artist? What are your other interests? 

I never wanted to be an artist, but I always pursued being one without knowing. I didn’t want to become what I had in mind being an artist means, which I thought as a child and a teenager, one that is being selfish and self-absorbed. I am still not sure what is the definition of an artist, but I do know that I am pursuing the idea of making work that I can share, that will have contribution to society and that it will not be selfish.

Other than photography, and only recently, I’ve discovered my love for working with wood. There is something about the organic characteristics of the material that inspire me to make and create. I don’t know where it will take me but I am very happy with this new discovery.

About

HeadshotMy Grandfather Kurt fled Austria immediately to Israel after the Kristallnacht, was a British Brigades soldier during WWII and later served in the Israeli Army. I grew up in the valleys of the Judean Desert between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. I am native to Israel but uprooted from my past. After High School I’ve joined the Israeli army for a mandatory service of 3 years. I started as a paratrooper, and became the fourth generation of army soldiers.

I’d got my B.A in photography from Hadassah College Jerusalem (2011), and an MFA from the School of Visual Arts.

detail

detail

YoavFriedländer.com

All images copyright of the artist and used with their permission.

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Sable Matula – Boston, Massachusetts

Posted on May 11, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days
"Low Hanging Fruit" Mixed media, approximately 400 sq ft. 2015

“Low Hanging Fruit” Mixed media, approximately 400 sq ft. 2015

Briefly describe the work you do. 

My work is based on texture and curiosity. I transform ordinary materials, such as yarn, plastic bags, and cotton to  create  new surfaces. I want my viewer to vaguely recognize what they are looking at while at the same time have the desire to touch the surface of my work to satisfy their curiosity.

Tell us about your background and how that has had an influence on your work and on you as an artist.

My mother started my interest in art at a very young age. She was a high school art teacher, so most of our summer activities would revolve around art projects. I had access to every type of media, so I had a lot of time to experiment and discover what I liked best.

I was very lucky to have had someone looking at my art, academically, from a very young age. It helped me grow a thick skin before I began public critiques.

The concept of the artist studio has a broad range of meanings in contemporary practice. Artists may spend much of their time in the actual studio, or they may spend very little time in it. Tell us about your individual studio practice and how it differs from or is the same as traditional notions of “being in the studio.”

Once, I heard an artist asked what do they do if they don’t feel like making art sometimes. He responded, “Art is my job; you can’t excuse yourself from work just because you don’t feel like it”.

My studio is my work place where I need to be for the majority of the day. I like the structure of having a place to go to get work done.

"Low Hanging Fruit" Mixed media, approximately 400 sq ft. 2015

“Low Hanging Fruit” Mixed media, approximately 400 sq ft. 2015

What roles do you find yourself playing that you may not have envisioned yourself in when you first started making art?

I never thought I would want to work on collaborations as much as I do now. I grew up in a very small town and I was the only one of my classmates interested in art. I always treated it as a solitary practice that I selfishly did not want to share. Now, whenever I meet a new artist, I start thinking of how our art can work together.

I couldn’t have predicted how accessible one can be as an artist to such a huge variety of people. The first part of  the quote “Beware of artists, they mix with all classes of society” is true.  Most people are nervous about the idea of making art, but nearly everyone enjoys art and has their own personal feelings about it. It is very flattering to meet someone new and I immediately want to hear the details about what you do.

When do you find is the best time to make art? Do you set aside a specific time everyday or do you have to work whenever time allows?

The majority of my working hours start in the afternoon.My mornings are spent fulfilling obligations I have so that I am not thinking of them while I am making work. My best ideas or fortunate studio accidents come out of late nights. That is when I’m not worried about making a mistake, ruining a piece, or wasting material that I’ve been saving for no particular project.

"Low Hanging Fruit" Mixed media, approximately 400 sq ft. 2015

“Low Hanging Fruit” Mixed media, approximately 400 sq ft. 2015

How has your work changed in the past five years? How is it the same?

The work I make has always been related to material I come by that is economically available. My first academic paintings were done on chipboard because I used up all my canvas and it was the first flat surface I saw before I left for class. Later,  I worked on cardboard, then vinyl. It has not been until the last few years that I understood how little I was doing for these materials by using them as a traditional rectangle that can easily hang on the wall. My current work is much more about the material and it’s potential.

How have people such as family, friends, writers, philosophers, other artists or even pop icons had an impact on the work you do?

I would not be making art had it not been for my mom, but my greatest mentor was my art history advisor Jennifer Langworthy. She inspired me to find ways to get to new territory. She taught me that I had to be bolder and more fearless than the rest of the artists in my field, because they are mainly men. Being modest and quiet may be polite thing to do, but to the will not help get one noticed.

Have you ever been pulled in the direction of a pursuit other than being an artist? What are your other interests? 

I always knew I needed to be working around art. When I was an undergraduate, I majored in art history. I was a great researcher, but a terrible writer. It took me a long time to realize the fact that making art is the only thing I am really good at, and I need to embrace and take advantage of that knowledge.

About

IMG_1106Sable Matula is an American Artist working and living in Boston Massachusetts. She was raised in Rockford Illinois, where she received her undergraduate degree in Art History from Rockford University.  She is currently finishing her MFA at Boston University.

Sable is a visual artist, working with a range of material formats within the discipline of painting and installation.

DSCF2369

sablematula.squarespace.com

All images copyright of the artist and used with their permission.

Posted in Fiber Art, Installation, Painting | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Corbett Fogue – Tampa, Florida

Posted on May 10, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days
Breath Study 4 (Last Words) Spoken Word and Breath on Silver Gelatin Paper 8"x10" 2012

Breath Study 4 (Last Words)
Spoken Word and Breath on Silver Gelatin Paper
8″x10″
2012

Briefly describe the work you do.

Our bodies, by design, mark time with each beat of the heart and each cycle of respiration. A sense of time customized for and by each of us. But, for each of us, it will eventually stop.  When a loved one dies, we often select remnants from their life to serve as reminders of their existence and our own. These mementos draw attention to the liminal space between the ephemeral and the eternal.

 As an artist, I am drawn to these concepts. After my father’s passing of an incurable lung condition, I was inspired to focus on each breath as complete life cycle. The automatic birth, life and death that occurs with each respiration, acts as both material and the catalyst in my body of work.

 Frustrated by my inability to slow down my father’s time and enchanted by the sterility of the hospital environment where he drew his last breath, I began to methodically organize creative systems in an attempt to create fragile remnants of the breathing process; humble monuments to our relationship with time and space.

Tell us about your background and how that has had an influence on your work and on you as an artist.

I entered into the art scene as an undergraduate at the University of Northern Iowa. I initially focused my efforts on a degree in K-12 Art Education with an emphasis in photography. Growing up I was a chemistry nerd so the scientific and controlled nature of analogue photography really excited me. But I still wasn’t satisfied. After much persuasion, I hesitantly took a performance art class, then another, and another. Performance stripped away the rules. Unlike traditional photography, it is liminal and non-archival. I am attracted to the ritualistic and poetic potential of both mediums. I attempt to bridge the gap between mediums by devising of performances and processes that harness the physicality of breath and aim to archive its existence.

Breath Study 8 (Worth Your Weight) Video Still from 22 Minute Single Channel Video 2013

Breath Study 8 (Worth Your Weight)
Video Still from 22 Minute Single Channel Video
2013

The concept of the artist studio has a broad range of meanings in contemporary practice. Artists may spend much of their time in the actual studio, or they may spend very little time in it. Tell us about your individual studio practice and how it differs from or is the same as traditional notions of “being in the studio.”

I begin my process with an idea. Not an idea of what to make (I rarely know the outcome of the work until its complete), but a poetic idea; a challenge. I set up a simple goal and explore various avenues to complete a task. I try to do this in the most simplified and pure manner possible as to not accidentally influence the result via a source outside of my concept.

I have been fortunate enough to find a subject/ subject matter that enjoy that does have any specific requirements for they type of space I work in. Many pieces can be conceptualized and worked out within the space of a small bedroom. I believe that the size of a piece should align with the concept. Making works that live within a personal space strengthens the intimacy of the work as a whole.

What roles do you find yourself playing that you may not have envisioned yourself in when you first started making art?

Once the bubble of graduate school burst I found myself treading water while searching for jobs. Eventually I was forced to become resourceful and took on an entrepreneurial role. Relying on my photography background, I started a photographic archiving business for collectors, museums, and fellow artists.

When do you find is the best time to make art? Do you set aside a specific time everyday or do you have to work whenever time allows?

I have found that the best time for me to make art is in the morning. I often wake up early thinking about a piece i need to finish or want to begin. My compulsive nature forces me to jump right into a project. Many pieces require a durational stamina and commitment which require some precise scheduling. I have also taught myself to mitigate Murphy’s Law. Starting earlier in the day allots me the time to head back to the store to pick up more supplies; avoiding the dreaded late day traffic.

DNR (No Code) Mylar, Helium, Breath, and Ribbon 20'x 9' x 3'

DNR (No Code)
Mylar, Helium, Breath, and Ribbon
20’x 9′ x 3′

How has your work changed in the past five years? How is it the same?

My work took a dramatic change in graduate school. Previously, I was strictly a photographer. I had been working with a small town boxing gym in Iowa for a number of years, training, sparring with, and photographing a group of boxers ranging in age from seven to 25. At the beginning of my second semester at the University of South Florida my father passed away from an incurable lung condition. I was immediately compelled to begin working with my experience at his hospital bedside and used the documents and imagery I collected in a more interdisciplinary manner as a form of catharsis. As time trekked forward I became fascinated more specifically with the act of breathing and began to focus my work on this system which is so incredibly important that our bodies automatically do it for us. Even though I don’t use traditional photography as a part of my body of work I often find myself attempting to exert control over my process the way a photographer attempts to control his/ her equipment/ environment.

How have people such as family, friends, writers, philosophers, other artists or even pop icons had an impact on the work you do?

The relationship I had with my father and his condition set the tone for my artistic interests. My material choice is often decided upon by its relationship with both the concept of the work and its accessibility to the viewer.

When it comes to the style I chose I am heavily influenced by a combination of artists such as John Cage, Marina Abramovic/ Ulay Laysiepen, and Felix González-Torres. I fell in love with each of their approaches to turning a simple moment into a beautifully weighted poetic gesture.

Have you ever been pulled in the direction of a pursuit other than being an artist? What are your other interests?

When I began making art I had always envisioned myself as a teacher. Just making the work wasn’t enough. I was always so excited about what I was doing that I wanted to play professor and have an influence on students the same way my instructors had on me.

I would also like to play in the NHL and be a country singer….if the whole art thing doesn’t work out!

About

HeadShotBorn and raised in Des Moines, Iowa, Corbett earned his MFA from the University of South Florida in 2014 as well as a BFA in photography and BA in Art Education from the University of Northern Iowa in 2011. He currently runs his own photographic archiving business in Tampa, FL while continuing to exhibit his work in major cities across the United States and internationally.

StudioShot

corbettfogue.com

All images copyright of the artist and used with their permission.

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Sarah Eargle – Catonsville, Maryland

Posted on May 9, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days
Slicing Onions Performance (the artist slices through 50 lbs. of onions) 2014

Slicing Onions
Performance (the artist slices through 50 lbs. of onions)
2014

Briefly describe the work you do.

My work is inspired by loss. I am intrigued by the rituals surrounding death, the objects that people leave behind, and the dichotomy between the personal yet universal experience of loss. I explore these themes through various traditional media including painting, drawing, and ceramics as well as non-traditional materials and processes. More recently I have been  drawn to performance and installation work, the ephemeral nature of which resonates with the fleeting quality of life which inspires my work.  

Tell us about your background and how that has had an influence on your work and on you as an artist.

Growing up, my mother struggled with mental illness off and on for many years, while my father worked long hours as a chef. Due to the emotional and economic stresses on the family, I regularly had to take on the tasks of caring for my younger sister and the family home. Making things out of nothing was a skill I quickly adopted. I had to be resourceful in order to thrive, and I use this resourcefulness to drive my creative process. Having experienced hardship, it is easier for me to recognize the inventive ways in which I can transform humble, everyday materials into works of art. I believe that the intrinsic meaning these materials carry in our society, and the playful ways in which I interact with and subvert these meanings, helps to democratize the experience of my work.

Nature/Nurture Mixed Media Assemblages 2014-2015

Nature/Nurture
Mixed Media Assemblages
2014-2015

The concept of the artist studio has a broad range of meanings in contemporary practice. Artists may spend much of their time in the actual studio, or they may spend very little time in it. Tell us about your individual studio practice and how it differs from or is the same as traditional notions of “being in the studio.

The idea of the solitary artist working in a designated studio does not really apply to my own artistic practice. As a current MFA student, I am lucky to have a spacious studio with large windows that overlook my university campus. While I spend a great deal of time creating in this space, the breadth of my material exploration often necessitates that I move outside of my studio. It is not uncommon for me to spend entire days in the ceramics department or the wood shop. Other days you may find me out in the world, interacting with people or searching for that unknown discarded treasure that will become my next sculpture. These different spaces act as an incubator, facilitating a collaborative exchange of processes, techniques, and ideas, which I use to fuel my creative process.

What roles do you find yourself playing that you may not have envisioned yourself in when you first started making art.

Even though I earned my BA in studio art, I have always harbored doubts about my ability to realize my dream of becoming a full-time artist. After graduating, I began teaching art to both children and adults as a means to finance my art without distancing myself from the field itself. However, in time I was surprised to find just how much my role as a teacher could inform my own perspective on art. By observing the novelty with which my students interpret my lessons and work with materials, I have become better able to look at my own work through fresh eyes. I never thought being a teacher would be more than a means to an end for me, but now I consider it an integral part of my process.

When do you find is the best time to make art? Do you set aside a specific time everyday or do you have to work whenever time allows?

Being in graduate school has allowed me to spend a great deal of time making art. I have several part time jobs but for the most part I am in my studio every morning and work into the evening. I usually take care of the business side of my art practice in the morning before moving into my art around lunchtime.

How has your work changed in the past five years? How is it the same?

Five years ago I was making primarily paintings, drawings, and prints. It wasn’t until I came back to school, that I really started to get into sculpture. That shift happened in large part because of an installation I did in which I coupled large figurative drawings with wire, video projections, and mirrors. Having made that installation, I saw for the first time that sculpture can happen with the humblest of materials. That experience initially piqued my interest in sculpture and since then, I have started to study ceramics and woodworking. Where my work is the same as five years ago, is in its experimentation. Five years ago this was happening on a two dimensional surface and now in 3-d, but my inquisitiveness has never subsided. I get a lot of energy out of seeing what things do, and this can inspire content or at the very least keep the momentum of my work going.  

The Portal Project Screen Printed Family Photo 2014

The Portal Project
Screen Printed Family Photo
2014

How have people such as family, friends, writers, philosophers, other artists or even pop icons had an impact on the work you do?

In November of 2013, my brother Tom passed away at the age of 29. Almost immediately, I started making work inspired by this loss. What began as an essentially cathartic exercise, has sustained my artistic practice for nearly two years. Artists like Felix Gonzalez- Torres and Robert Gober have been among the many people that have inspired me as I work within the theme of loss. What appeals most to me about these artists, and others dealing with the AIDS crisis, is the unapologetic personalization of the work. I think there has been an overall trend towards de-personalization of art in recent years, as well as a tendency for artists to want to intellectualize everything they make. This has never sat well with me, as my approach to art has always happened on an emotional level.

Have you ever been pulled in the direction of a pursuit other than being an artist? What are your other interests?

I certainly spent a lot of time considering what I wanted to be as a child and into adulthood, and the truth is my interests are vast and my decisiveness is lacking. The way I see it now, when you are an artist you get to wear many hats. Sometimes when I am in my studio I am thinking from the perspective of a scientist, while other times I am a philosopher, historian, or mathematician. Although honestly, sometimes I wish I were a midwife in 1950s London.

About

9Sarah Eargle is a current MFA candidate at Towson University. She received her BA in Studio Art from St. Mary’s College of Maryland in 2010. Sarah is an art educator to both children and adults. She exhibits regularly in her native city of Baltimore, with additional exhibitions nationally and internationally.

6

saraheargle.com

All images copyright of the artist and used with their permission.

Posted in Installation, mixed media, Performance | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Samual Weinberg – Saint Paul, Minnesota

Posted on May 8, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days
Meat Day at House Eight 72"x84" Oil and house paint on canvas 2014

Meat Day at House Eight
72″x84″
Oil and house paint on canvas
2014

Briefly describe the work you do. 

Enigmatic narrative paintings, if I’m being as brief as possible. But, a little less brief, my paintings are imagined situations or struggles dealing with the nature of meaning and knowledge, which simultaneously navigate the possibilities and place of fiction and narrative in painting.

Tell us about your background and how that has had an influence on your work and on you as an artist.

My Mom is a great draftswoman and designer and both my parents are hard workers and have instilled a Midwestern work ethic in me, as all good parents should. But I think in the end it comes down to one’s own predilections and dispositions, along with the way one deals with all the stuff they encounter and how one assesses and makes meaning from those dealings. So, basically, in having a middle class suburban upbringing with its normalcy and simplicity, of which I feel extremely lucky to have had, I learned that what I was more interested in dealing with was something strange and tough. That, in conjunction with an interest in reading (especially fiction), films, and a tendency to overthink things. But it’s hard to draw solid lines between past and present, so, my final answer is, I don’t know or no comment.

Stacking at Sunset or Perhaps a Trade? 42"x48" Oil and house paint on canvas 2015

Stacking at Sunset or Perhaps a Trade?
42″x48″
Oil and house paint on canvas
2015

The concept of the artist studio has a broad range of meanings in contemporary practice. Artists may spend much of their time in the actual studio, or they may spend very little time in it. Tell us about your individual studio practice and how it differs from or is the same as traditional notions of “being in the studio.”

I spend most of my free time in the studio. Naturally a hiatus is needed from the studio from time to time (as with every other area in ones life) to be able to come back with a state of mind through which curiosities are explored in a meaningful way. But overall I think my studio practice is around a traditional notion of it. There’s an area I’ve designated for making things and I make things in that area as often as I can. However, one’s studio practice is like a subsection of one’s artistic practice, and if one’s artistic practice is lazy then their studio practice suffers. I think the artistic practice, besides the importance of one’s research, has to do with basically being present and thoughtful in one’s day-to-day experiences.

What roles do you find yourself playing that you may not have envisioned yourself in when you first started making art?

I don’t think I would have seen myself in a bowling league, and if I had foreseen myself as a league bowler, I don’t think I would have imagined being in last place.

When do you find is the best time to make art? Do you set aside a specific time everyday or do you have to work whenever time allows?

For me, daytime is the best. Sometimes it has to be whenever time allows, but right now more things end up working for me during the day. That’s something that, for most makers, changes a lot throughout a life of making I think. In school I mainly painted at night, then things changed and now I paint during the day, I wouldn’t be surprised to find myself as a night painter again, under different circumstances.

How has your work changed in the past five years? How is it the same?

I started painting about five years ago, so without being a smart alec, the work exists now. But during that interval it’s changed completely. I think the first few years were basically working through influences, which is an awkward but necessary time in order for one to figure out what it is they’d like their work to be about. Then, in the last few years I started using oil paint instead of just house paint and that’s given me no end of new problems to solve. However, the general feeling in them is still the same, just more complicated now, which I realize sort of makes the point at which my paintings are, sound like affected teenagers.

Stacker or Mother Shirt 60"x52" Oil and house paint on canvas 2014

Stacker or Mother Shirt
60″x52″
Oil and house paint on canvas
2014

How have people such as family, friends, writers, philosophers, other artists or even pop icons had an impact on the work you do?

The collection of all of those individuals and their specific impact on any artist’s work is a huge part of what any maker does. Friends and family are often great sources of encouragement, but hopefully also challenge you, teach you, and keep you in check. All artists build off of the work of every writer, philosopher, and artist, past or present, that is an influence to them in any way, just as they built off of their influences; trying to solve the same problems, or branches or versions of those problems, that they were or are.

Have you ever been pulled in the direction of a pursuit other than being an artist? What are your other interests? 

Up until I was 18 I thought that being a professional baseball player would suit me fine, but around that time began to value school much more and found that painting suited me far better. Which, in retrospect, is fortuitous because I was likely a far more mediocre player than I perceived myself to be, and as such was bound for disappointment.

About

365_PhotographSamual Weinberg received his BFA from University of Wisconsin-Stout in 2013 and is now living and working in the Northern Warehouse Artists’ Co-op in Saint Paul, MN. Since graduating he has been showing in Saint Paul and Minneapolis, including two solo shows, and has been featured in Fresh Paint Magazine. 

365_Studio_Detail

samualweinberg.com

All images copyright of the artist and used with their permission.

 

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Rebecca Ruige Xu – Syracuse, New York

Posted on May 7, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days
“Out of Statistics: Beyond Legal (NY)” Computer programming generated images, archival-ink prints on silk 42" x36", 2008

“Out of Statistics: Beyond Legal (NY)”
Computer programming generated images, archival-ink prints on silk
42″ x36″, 2008

Briefly describe the work you do. 

My recent work focuses on the visual dialogues created during the intersections between human and computer through visualization, performance and interactive installation. Typically produced in a generative approach working with computer programs, the visuals in my work range from inventive non-representational drawings to controlled constructions with highly studied shape, color and texture in 3D space. In the process of making, I explore the impact of artistic intention and influence on the final outcome, while trying to find the balance between artistic intervention and the computer program’s autonomy as well as the randomness and predictability contributing to each particular project.

Tell us about your background and how that has had an influence on your work and on you as an artist.

I grew up in Confucius’ hometown, was educated in both Eastern and Western schools, had worked in the professional field (as an animator and designer) and the academia (as an educator and practicing artist). I often observe a hybrid quality in my work that reflects those experiences.

“Anatomy of a poem” Computer programming generated animation 3min 31sec, 2012

“Anatomy of a poem”
Computer programming generated animation
3min 31sec, 2012

The concept of the artist studio has a broad range of meanings in contemporary practice. Artists may spend much of their time in the actual studio, or they may spend very little time in it. Tell us about your individual studio practice and how it differs from or is the same as traditional notions of “being in the studio.”

For someone works with computer graphics, my studio is anywhere I take my laptop. That being said, I do regularly spend time in my studio/office at school and have a dedicated studio space at home, where I can concentrate on my research with fewer interruptions.

What roles do you find yourself playing that you may not have envisioned yourself in when you first started making art?

A coordinator. At the beginning, art making was mostly an individual activity for me. Now as digital art becomes more and more interdisciplinary, many of my projects involve people with different areas of expertise. Planning, organizing and facilitating the process become critical elements for a successful project.

When do you find is the best time to make art? Do you set aside a specific time everyday or do you have to work whenever time allows?

I’m most productive at night when everything is quiet. Sometimes I stay up till 2 or 3 am when I don’t need to teach next day, although I usually make up the sleep with an afternoon nap. I try to set aside some time for my projects on a weekly basis but not daily. 

How has your work changed in the past five years? How is it the same?

In the field of digital art, five years is a long time because of the ever accelerating progress of technology. Every new technology brings me the new possibilities of making art. Over the years, my work has taken a variety of forms of expression including experimental animation, visual music, artistic data visualization, digital images, interactive installations, and virtual reality. Currently, my work has become more focused on visual music and data visualization. They are in general produced by preset instructions or procedural rules that dictate the forms and structures they might take. And they may be viewed as visual manifestation of the information processing procedures embedded in today’s way of life.

“Perpetual Flow” Computer programming generated images, photographic prints 35 3/4" x 20", 2013

“Perpetual Flow”
Computer programming generated images, photographic prints
35 3/4″ x 20″, 2013

How have people such as family, friends, writers, philosophers, other artists or even pop icons had an impact on the work you do?

Visually my creative practice is influenced by minimalism and traditional oriental artwork. To both, balance and contrast of color, space, texture, as well as light are essential means to improve visual aesthetics.

Have you ever been pulled in the direction of a pursuit other than being an artist? What are your other interests? 

I have worked professionally in the fields of computer animation, film special effects, web design and user interface design in China and the United States. I consider those valuable experiences for me as an artist and a teacher.

About

Xu_headshotRebecca Ruige Xu’s artwork and research interests include experimental animation, visual music, artistic data visualization, interactive installations, digital performance and virtual reality. Her recent work has been appeared at: Ars Electronica Animation Festival; SIGGRAPH Art Gallery; Aesthetica Short Film Festival, UK; Museum of Contemporary Art, Italy; Los Angeles Center for Digital Art; Magmart International Videoart Festival, Italy; FILE – Electronic Language International Festival, Brazil; Techfest -Technical Arts Exhibition, India; Colloquium culture and digitization, Switzerland; CYNETart, Germany; International Digital Art Exhibition, China; Huddersfield Festival, UK; Boston Cyberarts Festival. Rebecca Ruige Xu currently teaches computer art and animation as an Associate Professor at Syracuse University.

“Out of Statistics: Beyond Legal (NY)” detail Computer programming generated images, archival-ink prints on silk 42" x36", 2008

“Out of Statistics: Beyond Legal (NY)” detail
Computer programming generated images, archival-ink prints on silk
42″ x36″, 2008

rebeccaxu.com

All images copyright of the artist and used with their permission.

 

 

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Chris Arrecis – Chicago, Illinois

Posted on May 6, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days
Void, archival ink on collaged paper, approximately 32” x 30”, 2012

Void, archival ink on collaged paper, approximately 32” x 30”, 2012

Briefly describe the work you do.

I make photographic work that explores ideas about myths, legends and how the world works. Process-wise, that ranges from traditional, camera-based imagery to photograms (camera-less images) sans darkroom – about as low-tech as one can get. A bit of pre-planning and some lucky accidents go a long way. And then making it happen again.

Tell us about your background and how that has had an influence on your work and on you as an artist.

A lot of getting my hands dirty. Camping was always a big part of my experience when I was growing up. And in that environment I’ve always been a collector of things, staring at the ground looking for something, stuff – anything really – as a kid. I grew up in the city, so it was inevitable, that there was always something left behind, by someone else, whether dug up in the yard or found on the way while walking to school – objects, that in my mind had some level of importance, sense of history or interest to me. But being devoid of their original context, those objects become something else.

Lovers, archival ink on paper, 5” x 7”, 2014

Lovers, archival ink on paper, 5” x 7”, 2014

The concept of the artist studio has a broad range of meanings in contemporary practice. Artists may spend much of their time in the actual studio, or they may spend very little time in it. Tell us about your individual studio practice and how it differs from or is the same as traditional notions of “being in the studio.”

The “studio”, for reasons both good and bad, has always been feast or famine for me. Minimally, I need to take breaks from what seems like long, sustained focus on anything. Being away from (or getting into) the studio has also been a function of purely of access, which goes without saying – can be a bit frustrating. That said, it has taught me a great deal about how to adapt and figure new strategies for making work that is relevant to me. I guess I am saying that studio is whatever you make it or need it to be, in my experience at least.

What roles do you find yourself playing that you may not have envisioned yourself in when you first started making art?

Mostly teaching as well as the types of things that I do in my own practice, my whole approach, really. When I first started, I really had no idea what this was about. My whole concept of materials, and process, has been turned on its head. Additionally, the opportunity to work alongside other artists/friends to curate shows has been wonderful.

When do you find is the best time to make art? Do you set aside a specific time everyday or do you have to work whenever time allows?

Lately, it has been whenever time allows. It’s imperfect, but that’s how it needs be sometimes. That said, I am constantly revisiting ideas and thinking about these issues that I am interested in, so while the act of producing something finished and on to the next may span some time (and more than I like), all of the little bits and pieces really are in constant motion.

Apparition, archival ink on collaged paper, approximately 7” x 5”, 2012

Apparition, archival ink on collaged paper, approximately 7” x 5”, 2012

How has your work changed in the past five years? How is it the same?

Other than a cell phone or higher-end cameras to document some of my work, I haven’t picked up a camera for any other purpose in some time. That revelation was announced in class one day and some of my students looked at me as if I were from another planet!! That said, I am pretty eager to change directions in my work, and return to something lens-based – TBA…

How have people such as family, friends, writers, philosophers, other artists or even pop icons had an impact on the work you do?

Wanting to make and not just consume.

Have you ever been pulled in the direction of a pursuit other than being an artist? What are your other interests?

Yes, music. When I figured there was no way my parents would tolerate a drum kit I went the route of guitar. Immediately after high school and into community college, and not having a clear sense of direction, I enrolled in a bunch of music courses – composition, performance, scoring, etc. That experience has been invaluable.

About

carrecis_headshotChristian Arrecis is an artist residing in Chicago, Illinois. Using found photographic and drawn imagery from books and periodicals, as well as camera-less photography, his work references legend, superstition, and mythology in an attempt to synthesize science and magic and the accidental and the serendipitous. He has exhibited in a number of shows including greymatter gallery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Spokane Falls Community College, Washington; James Madison University in Virginia; Washington-Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania, and most recently Peoria Art Guild, Peoria, Illinois. His work is in a handful of collections including Wright State University and Target Corporation.He is co-curator and founding member of the Exhibition Project. He received his MFA from Northern Illinois University and has taught photography at various institutions including a current appointment at Waubonsee Community College.

Studio

christianarrecis.smugmug.com

All images copyright of the artist and used with their permission.

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Daniel Bohman – Middletown, Connecticut

Posted on May 5, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days
Ephemeral debris 42_ x 36_ Oil on Canvas 2014

Ephemeral debris, 42″x 36″, Oil on Canvas, 2014

Briefly describe the work you do.

I try to keep my paintings in a state of transition- where the literal and abstract coexist in a precarious state. Piece by piece my work progresses through trial and error in which images are rearranged and consolidated. For me, the practice of painting acts as a personal investigation into the fractured and transitory state of existence. This investigation has for periods of time led to themes arising in the work, however, I’ve found it important that the paintings ultimately direct and resolve themselves as I try to restrain too many conscious choices.

Tell us about your background and how that has had an influence on your work and on you as an artist.

As an only child, I was forced into spending a lot of time alone growing up. I would often spend a lot of time investigating the house eager for some sort of discovery. As I began to become interested in art, I would find myself more and more in my mom’s office space where she worked as a interior designer. I remember sitting and flipping through her sample pattern books and closely studying the blueprint drawings on her desk. In the kitchen she had a David Hockney print of the painting Large Interior, Los Angeles which I stared at every morning while eating breakfast. I believe she is largely the influence that started my interest in the interior as a vehicle for my work.

A conversation about insentience 34_ x 40_ Oil on Canvas 2014

A conversation about insentience, 34″  x 40″,  Oil on Canvas ,2014

The concept of the artist studio has a broad range of meanings in contemporary practice. Artists may spend much of their time in the actual studio, or they may spend very little time in it. Tell us about your individual studio practice and how it differs from or is the same as traditional notions of “being in the studio.”

I’m pretty traditional in my artistic practice as all of my work is done within my studio. Most of my breakthroughs come from sitting, looking at the paintings and scrolling through an archive of photos I’ve collected on my computer. I’ll sometimes visualize a solution to a painting while in the shower or in bed, but when put into practice often doesn’t work as well. I thrive on immediate adaptation.

What roles do you find yourself playing that you may not have envisioned yourself in when you first started making art?

Growing up my identity was tied to athletics. This changed in high school as I started making art in a more serious way, however I never thought I would pursue it in any meaningful way. Simply identifying myself as a professional artist is something I never envisioned.

When do you find is the best time to make art? Do you set aside a specific time everyday or do you have to work whenever time allows?

I’m pretty regimented in my art making- perhaps a little too much. Morning is when mistakes happen, and so over the years I’ve pretty much given up trying to make art before 2pm. On my work days, I wait until after lunch, take an hour to digest and then start working until evening. I do find a certain clarity at night, but the bulk of my work shift is the afternoon.

Broadcast spectrum eclipse 48_ x 40_ Oil on Canvas 2014

Broadcast spectrum eclipse, 48″ x 40″, Oil on Canvas, 2014

How has your work changed in the past five years? How is it the same?

My work has changed dramatically in the last 5 years. A few years ago I went into grad school a portrait artist and came out painting interiors with mostly no figures. Stylistically my work is still driven by my love of paint, movement and color… that much hasn’t changed much.

How have people such as family, friends, writers, philosophers, other artists or even pop icons had an impact on the work you do?

One of my largest influences continues to be music. I find a lot of similarities in songs I listen to that informs the structure I desire in own paintings. I find bands are making many of the same decisions I do when trying to inform the abstract musical parts within the context of a song. Having to the opportunity to have solo shows gives me the ability to showcase the “album” equivalent of what I do. It puts less pressure on individual paintings and allows me more freedom of exploration.

I’ve also become interested in Eastern philosophy over the past few years. Meditation has helped slow down my mind which has a tendency to change directions too easily.

Have you ever been pulled in the direction of a pursuit other than being an artist? What are your other interests?

I suppose I might have become pursued music if not art, but I’ve pretty much been doing the same thing since college without any regrets. I teach as a monetary necessity, but I would quit if my selling my work became enough.

About

Head ShotDaniel was born and raised in central Connecticut. After attending Ringling College of Art and Design he finished his degree at Central Connecticut State University and went on to complete his Master of Fine Arts at the University of Connecticut. He continues to shows in throughout North America and has gallery representation in New Haven.

At Work

danielbradleybohman.com

All images copyright of the artist and used with their permission.

 

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Kathryn Zazenski – San Diego, California

Posted on May 4, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days
Microbiocosmichemic 2, digital collage, 2015

Microbiocosmichemic 2, digital collage, 2015

Briefly describe the work you do.

I use every-day objects to elicit feelings of phenomenological experience, my work physically takes the form of video, projection, installation, sound, and still images. I often use tactics like fracturing, layering, and looping to obscure information and use quotidian materials like plastic sheeting, mirror, tinfoil, and plexiglass are used to collapse the distance and blur the boundaries between the familiar and the foreign. I am primarily interested in the moments where emotion mixes with language, where expectations are met or let down, where suddenly the every day becomes unfamiliar, and, how these shifts affect the interpretation and implementation of functioning systems.

Tell us about your background and how that has had an influence on your work and on you as an artist.

I grew up on the east coast surrounded by a very small (in numbers) yet big (in presence) family. There were always lots of characters around, and people were always telling stories. I remember knowing at a very young age that the most important thing would be to have stories to tell. The first experience that really set all of this into motion was a year in Hong Kong in 2005; that time really made clear my relationship to language and the emotional vs. structural components of communication. It was an exciting, confusing, wonderful, and really solitary time; and really connected me to the East, and to a truer version of myself.

Evolver (detail of video installation), video installation, 8'x8'x8', 2014

Evolver (detail of video installation), video installation, 8’x8’x8′, 2014

The concept of the artist studio has a broad range of meanings in contemporary practice. Artists may spend much of their time in the actual studio, or they may spend very little time in it. Tell us about your individual studio practice and how it differs from or is the same as traditional notions of “being in the studio.”

Having a lot of stuff overwhelms me. Being surrounded by things, clutter, objects, papers, totally weighs on me and becomes a burden both physically and emotionally. And, I move around a lot. These two elements have probably been the biggest shapers of my work and methodologies. I don’t consider myself to have a traditional studio practice in that more often than not I don’t actually have a studio, or really any designated place to make my work other than on my computer. Depending on what I’m working on I will manipulate the spaces and materials around me, because of this my work has become really responsive to the environments I’m in. Research is also a big component of my work so I do tend to spend a lot of time developing relationships with people either over the phone, through email, or in person to learn about new techniques, theories, etc. For me these times (sitting together with doctors, physicists, alternative medical practitioners, etc) are often the most important part of the process for me as they set the path. Then usually the making aspect just kind of falls in line once the path has been established. However, when I do have a studio— a designated space to expand, explore, and really work through variations and iterations of ideas— it’s a real treat.

What roles do you find yourself playing that you may not have envisioned yourself in when you first started making art?

I’ve always had a pretty open idea of what my life would be and where it would take me, so, it’s pretty fair to say that I’ve never really envisioned any of the roles that I’ve played (and that I have yet to play). I’ve never really excluded anything, and feel like for me this has opened up incredible opportunities, and really is at times equal parts exciting and terrifying.

When do you find is the best time to make art? Do you set aside a specific time everyday or do you have to work whenever time allows?

It’s really hard for me to set aside specific time for making because my day-to-day schedule is so erratic. I really like being up early and feel like I have the most clarity first thing in the morning. I tend to go thru spurts where I will work on a specific project or body of work for a concentrated period of time and once it’s done or in a holding pattern I tend to back off. I am definitely very cyclical, it’s just the length of the cycles that varies. I can go for weeks or months researching a project— whether it be because of spatial restraints or just lack of clarity for how to move forward.

Microbiocosmichemic 6, digital collage, 2015

Microbiocosmichemic 6, digital collage, 2015

How has your work changed in the past five years? How is it the same?

My work has changed dramatically in the past five years. I went back to school for my MFA 3 years ago because I really needed to get back to the roots of why I was making, and not having a studio was really taking its toll on me. At the heart of it all, my work is really driven by human emotion and the need to connect and communicate. Five years ago the work was very directly driven by nuances of language, physically taking the form of of social sculpture/relational experiences. Now the work is much more linked to the notion of awe, the relationship between hope and fear, and the idea of the frontier. It also now exists mainly as video installation or constructed still-image.

How have people such as family, friends, writers, philosophers, other artists or even pop icons had an impact on the work you do?

I am for sure a sponge. Everything around me influences the way I am and make. I am totally seduced by the history of old things, the way new things are incorporated into the fold, the dazzle and glow of shiny things, the stillness, the almost-missed subtle things…Tacita Dean is one of my favorite artists for her relationship to time and the interplay of fact and fiction. I am fascinated by how science filters into popular culture through movies, fashion, and religion. I really love to scan thru articles online and then pour over every word of the passively- impassioned debates in the comments sections. It is less of a specific moment or specific person and more about the collective of moments and people and places that shape my work.

Have you ever been pulled in the direction of a pursuit other than being an artist? What are your other interests?

I have so many different interests but have never really considered them separate from my work as an artist. Constantly moving thru places is vital, and within that I am really interested in language/linguistics, eastern philosophy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the impact of unseen forces. Learning how people exist in and move thru the world. For me it all counts.

About

Zazenski holds a BFA from the Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and an MFA in Sculpture from the Cranbrook Academy of Art. She has participated in international artist residencies such as Red Gate Gallery in Beijing, China, and Arteles Creative Center in Haukijarvi, Finland, as well as domestically at the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, VT, the Fountainhead in Miami, FL, Honfleur Gallery in Washington, DC, and The Museum of New Art in Detroit, MI. Zazenski has shared her work in group shows and experimental projects internationally, including TransXpress, a group exhibition that took place on the Trans Siberian Railroad in the summer of 2012. Zazenski’s work has also been featured in two-person shows with Carol Jazzar Contemporary in Miami, at STUDIO 371 in Jersey City, Honfleur Gallery, and Hillyer Art Space, both in Washington, DC. Most recently, her work has been curated into Systems, an exhibition at the IMC Gallery in Urbana, IL and the forthcoming Magic Lantern experimental cinema platform at the Fringe Arts Festival in Bath, UK.

Zazenski’s most current work has connected her with physicists, astronomers, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners, and healers in the U.S., Poland, and China. She has recently presented elements of this project, focusing on the relationship between science and spirituality, at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Marcia Powell Conference on Religion and Art. Zazenski will be continuing this work as a Fulbright Scholar to Poland beginning in the fall of 2015.

Good Vibrations (detail of video installation), video installation, 4'x3.5', 2014

Good Vibrations (detail of video installation), video installation, 4’x3.5′, 2014

kathrynzazenski.com

All images copyright of the artist and used with their permission.

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Gregory Matthews – Chicago, Illinois

Posted on May 3, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days
craps3_blueRed

Craps, digital, 13″x19″, 2013

Briefly describe the work you do. 

My art work explores the relationship between chance, randomness, probability and the natural human impulse to seek visual structure.  With influences as diverse as Piet Mondrian, Vilmos Huszár, and Bart van der Leck of the Dutch neoplasticism (Nieuwe Beelding in Dutch) movement of the early 20th century and contemporary artist Damien Hirst, my goal is to explore these connections through digital art, marrying aesthetic principles with data visualizations generated using statistical computing software and pseudo-random number generation.

Tell us about your background and how that has had an influence on your work and on you as an artist.

While pursuing my Ph.D. in statistics, I became fascinated by the endless random variability inherent in our world and the instinctual order that is sought by our brains.  While my work concentrates on randomness, there is always a contextual structure at play.  The appearance of chaos vs. order depends heavily on the scope of the viewer.  I’m interested in the juxtaposition of apparent chaos resulting from limited perspective with structure that fundamentally exists only when something is viewed as a collective whole.

Europe Photography Labels

Loess, digital, 13″x19″, 2014

The concept of the artist studio has a broad range of meanings in contemporary practice. Artists may spend much of their time in the actual studio, or they may spend very little time in it. Tell us about your individual studio practice and how it differs from or is the same as traditional notions of “being in the studio.”

My work is entirely digital, so anywhere with a plug is my studio.  I suppose this is different than the traditional idea of an artist being “in the studio”.  (Fun fact: I do all of my art using an integrated development environment called R Studio.)

What roles do you find yourself playing that you may not have envisioned yourself in when you first started making art?

I’ve had moderate success selling my work on sites such as Etsy, and I find myself performing a lot of customer service roles to keep the buyers happy.  I did not envision this.  

Another role I did not envision myself in is organizer.  This summer I will be organizing an art show on June 26-27 at Morpho Gallery in Chicago with my wife, Sarah Concannon, and artist friend, Drew Finkel.  When I started making art a few years ago, the logistics of organizing a show were something I never thought about, but are now important as the show nears.  

When do you find is the best time to make art? Do you set aside a specific time everyday or do you have to work whenever time allows?

As a new assistant professor on the tenure track, there isn’t much free time, so I work when time allows.  I get most of my work done in the summers and over winter break.  

domino

Domino, digital, 13″x19″, 2015

How has your work changed in the past five years? How is it the same?

I have only been making art for about 2 years, but I feel like I have grown quite a bit in this time.  I think my major area of growth is in my usage of color.  When I began, I was much more concerned about the code and composition of the work and color took a back seat.  Recently, I’ve read some books by major artists about color, notable Josef Albers work “Interaction of Color”.  

The major theme of my work, randomness and chance, has not changed in the time that I have been making art.  

How have people such as family, friends, writers, philosophers, other artists or even pop icons had an impact on the work you do?

The biggest influence on my art is my wife.  She is a classically trained artist who focuses mainly on figure painting (she recently completed a big project (http://www.springfieldmuseums.org/the_museums/springfield_history/exhibits/view/277-the_people_in_your_neighborhood)), and her knowledge and insight has had a major positive impact on my work.  Her constructive criticism is invaluable to me as an artist.  

Artists that inspire me include Piet Mondrian, Josef Albers, Blinky Palermo, Gerhard Richter, Ellsworth Kelly, Sol Lewitt, and Damien Hirst.  

Have you ever been pulled in the direction of a pursuit other than being an artist? What are your other interests? 

I’m lucky that many of my interests overlap, in this case mathematics and art.  Professionally, my research interests include statistical privacy issues, genetics, and the statistical analysis of sports (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/22/opinion/sunday/making-march-madness-easy.html).  Art is a more recent addition to the many mathematical and statistical applications that I spend my time doing.  

About

Gregory_MatthewsMy name is Greg.  I was born in Massachusetts and lived in New England my whole life until last fall when I moved to Chicago for a job as an assistant professor of statistics at Loyola University Chicago.  

statsinthewild.com/art

All images copyright of the artist and used with their permission.

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