365 Artists | 365 Days | a Frank Juarez Gallery and Greymatter Gallery Collaborative Project

Kim Kei – Los Angeles, California

Posted on December 1, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days

Vanishing in Small Flashes, Watermedia and oil on paper, 20x29"

Vanishing in Small Flashes, Watermedia and oil on paper, 20×29″

Briefly describe the work you do.

I am an artist primarily working in painting and photography by way of sculpture. I begin by making and applying mixed-media skins to small found bits of discarded detritus: cloth, fur, shell, bone, and the like. I spend a great deal of time in the studio during each phase of creation; once objects are collected and sorted, I begin by crafting small, organic sculptures (later adhering and manipulating paint skins), finally assembling and photographing the individual elements to either be painted from as references, or further manipulated for my photography.

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

I started out early in dance (with my sister). While I was preparing for ballet recitals, I would sit with drawing materials, sketching, waiting for my turn to rehearse. I would also bring my camera back stage, to photograph others for figurative reference images. I started taking oil painting lessons in my early teens after inheriting my Grandmother Helen’s oil paints. The lessons were held in the back of a local hobby shop, where the youngest student (besides me) was in their 60s. I was doted on a hugged a lot; they painted their grandchildren and talked about their health issues. Looking back at that time, I wonder if I ever really stopped painting ballerinas.

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.”

Not unlike my early ballet training, much of my painting requires repetitious motions with endless subtleties in search of harmonious movement. The results of thousands of hours of practiced, variegated choreography yields a finished painting. I often hover over the paint, watching the evaporation, waiting for the moment to sop up a puddle or reshape or scrape. It is a feeling of both being attentive and practicing restraint.

Was it you, was it me, Ink and oil on paper, 22.5×30″

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

I am thankful that 80% of my time still goes into studio duties (whether painting, collecting and photographing objects, editing works on the computer); I am still working on managing the myriad of responsibilities that come with running a small business (all a part of being a professional studio artist).

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 go through long working periods in the studio, followed by a down time for rejuvenation. Leading up to an exhibition, it’s not unusual for me to work 16+ hour days for weeks in a row, right up until the show’s opening. If I don’t have an exhibition on the horizon, I try to keep a standard schedule and put in a full eight hours, five days a week.

Into the air with two ideas, watermedia and oil on paper, 20x30"

Into the air with two ideas, watermedia and oil on paper, 20×30″

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

I sometimes joke with friends that I’ve been painting the same painting my entire life; but really my work has evolved considerably over the last five years. My color palette and technical approach have been refined considerably; I re-incorporated photography and digital compositing, in addition to the new use of mono printing to create deep creases and folds in my paper based works.

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

My family’s support has always been a driving force in my work; I was never made to question whether being an artist was a wise choice. My father is a percussionist and university professor; both he and my mother were supportive early on (and are still my favorite people to walk through a museum with). My grandmother was an oil painter (I still have a tube of her Viridian Green). My parents and my sister always fly out for my openings, which I am very grateful for. A writer I find great inspiration in is John Berger, whose work “The Shape of a Pocket” I periodically reread. Lastly, I am indebted to many talented artist friends in Los Angeles and abroad.

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

Since I was young, I have had a very strong connection to dance; I realized after a period that I didn’t have the proper footing for a ballet career, and have maintained a myopic interest in visual art ever since.

About

Kim Kei (b. 1981 Corpus Christi, TX) received her BFA from San Francisco Art Institute in 2003. Kei will be participating in the AIR Program at Instinc Singapore in 2015. She has had solo exhibitions at Alter Space, Bustamante Gill (Curated by C. Feign Jr.,Los Angeles), and will exhibit at Oxholm Gallery (Copenhagen) in 2016. Kim lives and works in Los Angeles.

kim-kei.com

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

Posted in Painting | Tagged Imsotiny, KimKei, LAart, mixedmedia, Painting | Leave a comment

Diane Rosenblum – San Francisco, California

Posted on November 29, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days

Bus in Canyon (wrapped with This is so Pretty I Want to Lick it), digital pigment print, 18 x 24 inches, 2015

Briefly describe the work you do.

I make photographs, drawings, paintings, and prints. The common thread that connects my work in these different media is that I always try to see my subjects in two ways. For example, in my series Clouds for Comment, I post dramatic photographs of skies in social media, and then overlay comments made about my images on large prints of the clouds. So in this series I am making sumptuous landscapes referencing both the Hudson River school and Baroque painting, and simultaneously looking at where photography is today in the social media. In another series, A Measure of Art, I graph artists’ auction sales results in their respective visual languages. Illustratively, I superimposed a bar graph of Ed Ruscha’s sales over a stripped down version of one of his standard gas stations. Also as part of this series, I made a pie chart spin painting of Damien Hirst’s market performance, and a red Yayoi Kusama bubble net print with a graph of her auction sales inserted by coloring the appropriate circles orange. A Measure of Art can be seen in two ways, as both appropriation and legible art market data.

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 San Francisco in the 70s and the 80s. My mother is a financial analyst and my father was a doctor. I learned to see the world through both of these lenses, through markets, through probability and statistics, through observation and through the scientific method. I also developed my worldview, one which contrasts sharply with analytic home environment in which I was raised, in the San Francisco of my teenage years, a left coast urban meld of hippie ideology, Chinese culture and gay sensibility. Another stream of influence is the outsider perspective being Jewish in a town that is largely not so. I think that this combination of influences has led me to want to see and to present everything I create with rigor and always in more than one light.

Ed Ruscha Painting 1989 – 2005, digital pigment print on canvas, 44 x 60 inches, 2007

I spend a lot of time in my studio, though sometimes it’s as much a base of operations as where my art is made. My art practice includes a lot of activities that happen outside the studio, such as photographing outdoors to reading in the library. Research behind my artwork has ranged widely from doing a silent ten day Vipassana meditation retreat to discussing ideas with people in various scientific fields, transportation, finance, and psychology.

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

Making my art often involves learning about other fields, from architecture weather systems. For example, I ended up doing data entry and accounting for my Measure of Art series, something I never thought might be part of an art practice.

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 an artist is something that I cannot turn off. I’m always looking, thinking, and generating ideas for new artworks. In the thick of a project I can work quite intensely for a few months, and then I go through more dormant times where I don’t work so much. Certain times of day are good for certain activities, so I try to write in the morning and draw in the afternoon. Photography outdoors can require particular kinds of light, so I’m attuned to the weather when photographing clouds, trees and gardens, and I let the light dictate my schedule as much as possible.

The Detail of the Lamp, photograph with superimposed text, digital pigment print, 44 x 54 inches, 2012

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

I am more ambitious than I was 5 years ago. Clouds for Comment has evolved into The Clouds, a public art proposal for the tech buses in San Francisco. I returned to A Measure of Art after taking a break for a few years, and the new work is larger, more singular and more varied. I am now working on unique painted columns incorporating the market data of sculptor Anne Truitt, whereas my earlier pieces on her were editioned digital prints on canvas.

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

My mother is certainly responsible for my interest in markets. As a child I followed the Dow Jones average on the radio to see what kind of mood she might be in when she got home. I was married to a software engineer during the dot-com era. I went to the parties, heard the stories and met some of the people. Like an ethnologist studying a foreign tribe, I came away with ideas about data, how computers work, and the sociology of online behavior.

The work of other artists shapes the way I see. For example, once on a long distance drive through Pennsylvania at night I entered Jasper Johns territory, and on trips around the U.S. I understand what I see through the eyes of Robert Frank, Stephen Shore, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Lee Friedlander and many other artists. I lived in Japan for a short time, and Japanese culture has had a lasting impact on my work. I think of art as a practice and a way of life, as the Japanese do, and also appreciate that they do not distinguish so much between art and craft. The scientific method, ethics and my athletic pursuits also impact my artwork.

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

For about two weeks in college I considered becoming a doctor. Other interests include art history, the outdoors, and water sports.

About

San Francisco artist Diane Rosenblum recently proposed to bring the sky into the street by wrapping the Google bus with her striking photos of clouds with text taken from social media. This public art project, The Clouds, aims to open a dialogue between the new tech economy and the older San Francisco culture, forging a path to a more inclusive and vibrant relationship. The proposal is an extension of her series Clouds for Comment, where text comments on her photos from flickr.com are superimposed on her striking images of the sky.

Rosenblum’s work combines a strong visual impact with a rigorous conceptual practice. The marriage of beauty and ideas results in memorable artworks that play a positive role in people’s lives. In her series A Measure of Art, Rosenblum graphs auction sales results of artists such as Ed Ruscha and Takashi Murakami in their own visual language. Her recent Snap Chalk Drawings explore the structure of thought, while the photographs in her Mother’s Garden project deal with meditative states and visual perception.

Rosenblum’s work has recently been exhibited at the New Mexico Museum of Art in Santa Fe, the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Slate Gallery in Oakland . Her work is currently on view at the Weston Gallery in Carmel, California.

dianerosenblum.com

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

Posted in Photography | Tagged Art market, Clouds, conceptual art, data visualization, Tech bus | Leave a comment

Megan Geckler – Los Angeles, California

Posted on November 28, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days

Title: “No chance to look backwards and see”
Year: 2013
Medium: flagging tape, wood, paint, hardware
Size: 9’6″ x 12′ x 17′

Briefly describe the work you do.

I use flagging tape, a plastic ribbon largely used for demarcation on construction sites to create large-scale, mathematically-based, linear installations. I pre-plan my work by using an architectural drawing program that allows me to create an accurate representation of the artwork, allowing me to essentially “sketch” digitally before I begin the actual installation process. This allows me to come up with the most efficient installation method, as my works frequently take weeks to complete, even with the help of an installation team, scissor lifts, and the support staff of the venue. Once on site, we create all of my works by hand, strand by strand. I take thousands of photographs of the creation of my works that are (quite often) compiled into a time-lapse video. This video is then set to the music that the artwork’s title are taken from – you can see these time-lapse videos at https://vimeo.com/megangeckler

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

I grew up thinking that I wanted to be a doctor. I took a lot of math and science classes, and I think that shows through in my work. When I switched my focus to art, I had to learn everything all at once. I had never taken a drawing class before attending Tyler School of Art as an undergraduate. Therefore, those years were spent taking a wide variety of classes from photography to painting, screen printing to photography, site-specific installation to glass blowing. When I got to graduate school, I had all of the skills I needed to find my unique voice. Finding flagging tape in a hardware store in January of 2000 was a turning point for me and I have been making large-scale, site-specific installations with it ever since.

Title: “Rewritten by machine on new technology”
Year: 2014
Medium: flagging tape, wood, paint, hardware
Size: 30′ x 30′ x 30′

A lot of my work is done on the computer, and a lot of my time is spent daydreaming about spaces and their potential. I have excellent recall of spaces, their architectural facets and quirks, and a healthy imagination. Once I determine the type of conversation that I want to have with the architecture, I then spend the majority of my time figuring out the best way to engage with the viewer and making sure that the work is dynamic from any and every possible approach. When I am not working digitally, I am hands on in the studio making stand alone works that investigate the relationship between painting, design and craft. They are different than my larger works as they are more traditional in nature. For example, lately I have been working the flagging tape wrapped and woven around gessoed canvas panels and pedestals, as well as creating photographic and letterpress prints.

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

I took a survey course in the business of making art when I was a sophomore, it covered several different topics – grant writing, photographing your artwork, how to create a budget and estimate of costs, preparing applications for RFQs and proposals for RFPs, etc. I had no idea back then how many of these skills I would be using on a daily basis. That was my one class on the subject and the rest has been learned along the way. I am very fortunate to have a fantastic support system of friends and colleagues who provide information and guidance through even the most complicated of projects. After all, it really does take a village to make artworks that are this large, complex, and logistically complicated.

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 am always working, or thinking about working. To be honest, I am a bit of a workaholic. There hasn’t been a day in recent memory when I haven’t done at least a little bit of work, even on vacation. I am not much of a morning person; my most productive hours are between eleven AM and eleven PM.

Spread_the_ashes_of_the_colors_2010
Title: “Spread the ashes of the colors”
Year: 2010
Medium: flagging tape, wood, paint, hardware
Size: 60′ x 52′ x 30′

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

I feel that it has gotten a lot more focused in terms of palette. I look at works before 2010 and notice that I they either contained almost every color, or were more monochromatic in nature. Post 2010, I have chosen to use a more limited palette, probably because I have been working with the same material for over 15 years now.

Recently I began hand-dyeing rope so that I can create installations that adhere to the most strict of fire codes. That’s been quite a switch for me. While flagging tape comes in about 14 colors, the array of dye formulas that I can create is almost infinite, so that has been a very exciting development.

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

I was raised as a feminist, to believe that women and men should be treated equally. I think that deciding to use a material from the male-dominated field of construction to make mathematically-based works that require a lot of reverse engineering had a lot to do with the way that I was raised by my parents, to never be afraid of defying gender roles or making a big impact.

In terms of other artists, I am very drawn to Minimalism. The ingenuity of using mass-produced and off the shelf materials in new and unexpected ways appealed to me. I like the idea that something can be anonymous and overlooked, then elevated to have a second life in the fine art world.

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

All the time! I often wonder what kind of doctor I would have been, would I be working in a lab, or interacting with patients? I also love to cook and bake – no recipe is too complex or complicated to try. I love a good challenge. My friends not so secretly wish that I would open a restaurant or a bakery.

About

Megan Geckler was born in 1975, she earned her BFA from the Tyler School of Art in 1998 and her MFA from Claremont Graduate University in 2001. She is a recent recipient of the 2015-2016 City of Los Angeles (C.O.L.A.) Individual Master Artist Fellowship. Upcoming exhibitions include a five-story installation in conjunction with the East Wing Biennial at the Courtauld Institute in London (January 2016-August 2017), an installation in Terminal 3 at the Los Angeles International Airport (March 2016-2018), and the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery in May 2016. Geckler’s work has been written about worldwide in print and online. Geckler lives and works in the downtown Los Angeles Arts District.

Title: “Rewritten by machine on new technology” (detail shot)
Year: 2014
Medium: flagging tape, wood, paint, hardware
Size: 30′ x 30′ x 30′

megangeckler.com

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

Posted in Installation, Sculpture | Tagged color, contemporaryart, Installation, LosAngeles, sculpture | Leave a comment

Nigel Tan – Singapore/Melbourne

Posted on November 27, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days

Cognizance Screenshot

Briefly describe the work you do.

My main focus this year was to further explore the notion of chaos within the everyday life both within a physical as well as cognitive context. Educated as a composer, I work primarily with sound as my medium. I’ve done a couple of soundscapes which were exhibited as multi-channel sound installations, most of which were focused on spatial manipulation, experimentation and chance. I also work in the realm of video, most of the time paired together with my sound compositions, as I believe in evoking multiple senses at the same time, again both physically and cognitively. These works tend to be presented as audiovisual installations. I rely heavily on chance as a motivating factor of both my work and daily living. I believe in the beauty of the unexpected and unpredictable, allowing room for indeterminate outcomes.

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

Growing up I have always been big on music, dabbling with various instruments and bands as well as writing my own music in Singapore. After years of being stifled in a stagnant almost non existent music scene, I moved to Melbourne, Australia about four years ago to study music, interactive composition to be exact, at the Victorian College of the Arts. This really opened up my mind not just compositionally but artistically as well. With guidance from inspiring mentors and like-minded peers, I dare say the change was drastic as I grew to appreciate the need for new innovative approaches toward my craft.

Music has always been the cornerstone of my work. I believe that the act of composition is ultimately more significant than the composition itself. This means the rituals I put myself through during the developmental process be it cognitively or physically, is more important that the end product. I want audiences to experience this through my work, which is always open to interpretation and come up with their own personal ending. This is what makes the work truly unique.

The intertwining of other disciplines mainly video and film is an extension of my music, where it is not just used as accompaniment but also as a structural tool in expanding the realm of sound. I like that I am able to change perception and experiences just by using sound and sight. This is something I have been exploring for awhile now and did a piece two years ago titled “The In and Out”, based on that. I have since been trying to push my artistic capabilities by exploring other disciplines including sculpture and interactive mediums.

Flux Screenshot

The idea of a studio to me is completely obsolete. I’m not a painter or a sculptor, therefore the idea of having a studio is not a necessity as I only use my studio as a place to record and store my equipment. All my work is done on the go, on my computer, recorders and cameras. My immediate environment is my studio, from cityscapes to forests, train stations to libraries, it does not matter. I guess as a contemporary artist who relies heavily on technology, a physical studio space is not ideal. I feel that having a studio space might even stifle my craft and form this monotonous habit toward creating, which is neither natural nor genuine. My work explores the world outside, therefore I do the same, that to me is my studio practice.

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

First of all I don’t even see myself as creating art therefore I don’t remember how exactly I started but I’m pretty sure that my path was rather gradual that I would seek something more than just music and composition mainly influenced by Cageian philosophy. I wanted to discover more about sound but ended up being more drawn toward the conceptual capabilities of sound. This led to more research toward sonic arts and the vast capabilities of interactive media as a tool in my own practice.

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?

Anytime I am inspired by something. Since my work revolves around the daily life, I take notice of my environment a little bit more. Observing and hearing things that are often ignored or taken for granted.

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

As mentioned before, my practice gradually shifted from a structured music background to a more free form sound-based practice. It has become a lot more conceptual as compared to composing music for films or performances. While doing my bachelors degree, I started to experiment more with concepts and developed my experimental craft not just in music but also in video. I started exhibiting my work and collaborated with individuals from around the world on various projects. I still mainly work in the area of sound and will continue to do so. I currently live in Melbourne Australia but will be going back to my home in Singapore very soon, so that will drastically change the direction of my work as well.

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

A very significant impact. I’ve looked up to many composers, artists and philosophers but what really inspires and affects my work directly are the things I see and hear daily. I draw on personal experiences as a form of inspiration that leads to the themes I come up with. I am particularly interested in the way we think and how abstract the mind really is. I am inspired by things that are often unseen, unheard and ignored. That being said, I’ve always looked up to composers like Stockhausen, Cage, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Luc Ferrari, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Pierre Schaeffer, Penderecki and Ligeti to name a few. It’s a pretty vast list but I have always looked up to experimental composers especially. Fellini, Godard, the films of Kurosawa and Naim Jun Paik for their video and film work. Jiddu Krishnamurti, Carl Jung and Jean-Paul Sartre for everything else.

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

I guess I merge all my interests together be it music, film or art. I take inspiration from science and engineering as well as technology and just try to make work out of it. I enjoy the process of creation. I do enjoy watching movies in my free time so that’s about it.

About

Nigel is a composer, sound and video artist from Singapore currently based in Melbourne, Australia who works conceptually with various mediums bearing the weight of unorthodox structure with the blend of electroacoustic aberrant sound. He explores the basis of life through different styles and history bearing in mind the importance of the process within layers of texture. Influenced by experimentalist of film and music from both the eastern and western cultures, the works churned out are intertwined randomly to reflect change which in turn motivates a purpose. He works primarily with sound but also engages in various forms of mixed media, mainly in the video and visual aspect marrying sight with sound through the blend of the abstract and narrative.

Nigel graduated with a diploma in Film, Sound and Video from Singapore’s Ngee Ann Polytechnic in 2009 and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Contemporary Music majoring in Interactive Composition from University Of Melbourne’s Victorian College of the Arts in 2014. He is currently pursuing his Master of Fine Art at RMIT University, Melbourne. His work includes audiovisual installations, experimental video and site-specific compositions that have been exhibited and screened in Singapore, London and Australia at spaces such as the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Instinc Gallery Singapore, The Arts Centre Melbourne, Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne Zoo, Japan Creative Centre Singapore, CASPA Gallery, 69 Smith Street Gallery, The George Paton Gallery and more. In addition to this, he actively writes music for film/television, mixed media and performance art.

nigeltanmusic.com

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

Posted in Video | Tagged audiovisual, chaos, Experimental, sound art, Video Art | Leave a comment

Deedra Baker – Denton, Texas

Posted on November 26, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days

An Apple from the Earth, Archival Pigment Print, 10” x 20,” 2015

Briefly describe the work you do.

I have always been interested in femininity and identity. Those themes have now started to branch out into female lineage and the family archive through the interconnection of three generations of women in my immediate family. My work is very much autobiographical and more often than not uses self-portraiture. The female as subject intrigues me.

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 a small rural community in Southeast Kansas. I believe that my environment and upbringing has very much influenced my artwork conceptually, as I examine my psychological state, value of self, and family connections centered around our family home. I learned to make photographs as a young girl in our community’s 4-H club from an amazing woman, Becky Knoll. She instilled in me, as a young child, a love for photography and its power as a medium to express myself. I have been making photographs ever since—even as a teenager I often carried around disposable cameras to document my peers and surroundings.

There is always an ebb and flow for me in regards to my studio time. I go through spurts of art making that may require more or less time spent editing and / or printing. I also make artist books, so when I am working on an edition of books I spend a great deal of time in the studio. The nature of my work often requires me to work in front of the computer editing, printing, promoting, and entering exhibitions. My intention is to always create my images in camera to the best of my ability so that I spend little time in the editing process. For me, the making of the photograph in the camera is the most important time in my art making.

Place Setting, Archival Pigment Print, 10” x 20,” 2015

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

As an academic, I find myself mentoring undergraduate students far more than I expected. I have a passion for teaching, so I give a great deal of my time to helping others learn and better their craft as an artist.

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?

Because I am currently a graduate student, I have a set schedule for art making based around my course schedule. I find that I am able to be most productive in the afternoon, especially on the weekends. It will be interesting to see how this changes after I graduate in May 2016.

Will and Good Sense, Archival Pigment Print, 10” x 20,” 2015

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

My undergraduate career was primarily analog and alternative process photography. While I still use alternative processes in my artwork, I predominantly work with making photographs in a digital camera. I think that I have maintained a cohesive aesthetic throughout my oeuvre as I have been focused on the female form and use of a simple color palette. As I approach my thesis work, however, I am working in vivid color and photographing the women within my family and not just myself, in an exploration of the family archive.

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

My family has had a great impact on the work I am currently pursuing, and in the past, I think that where I came from has always influenced my work. I am interested in the bond between the women in my immediate family. Artists: Daniel W. Coburn, Jana C. Perez, Cynthia Henebry, Nicolas Nixon, Cindy Sherman, and Francesca Woodman have also influenced me throughout my career. Fantastic mentors have also inspired me: Susan kae Grant, Stephanie Lanter, Marguerite Perret, Glenda Taylor, and Marydorsey Wanless.

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

I have always enjoyed writing and editing other people’s writing. If I were to pursue anything other than art, it would be editing.

About

Deedra Baker is a photographer and book artist currently based in Denton, TX. Her work and research focuses on themes of family, femininity, identity, and sexuality. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2011, from Washburn University in Topeka, KS, where she was the recipient of numerous honors, such as the Charles and Margaret Pollak Award and Sibberson Award. She is currently working toward a Master of Fine Arts in Visual Arts with a Photography Concentration and Intermedia Secondary Concentration at Texas Woman’s University. Selections from her body of work have been featured nationally in exhibitions and publications including, Chowan University National Juried Exhibition, Light Leaked, PhotoSpiva National Photographic Competition and Exhibition, and Voyeur: Repositioning the Gaze.

deedrabaker.com

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

Posted in Photography | Tagged Denton, Family, Femininity, photography, self portrait, TX | Leave a comment

Julie Greenberg – Raleigh, North Carolina

Posted on November 25, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days

system I: Ana, size: 25″ by 29.5″ medium: mixed media screenprint on cut and reassembled paper, 2015

Briefly describe the work you do.

I am inspired by natural phenomena and catastrophic events. My explorations for the past seven years or so have been focused around water, but more specifically engage with the effects of erosion, flooding, and storms. I generally work on smooth panels, and most recently, I have been printing on and paper, cutting it, and reassembling the results.

My choice to employ screenprinting allows me to relinquish control over my own process and relate to water in a more authentic way. I build my own replicas of natural processes out of dirt, sand and water, and transfer them onto my screens. Like nature, I repeat these patterns onto various surfaces. I let my patterns drive my process. I print, then I observe where the patterns fall. The edges of the printed water determine where I layer and where I cut. Whenever I grasp too tightly to the imagery, it ends up being too planned and too tight. My process completely relies on my willingness to let go and be surprised. In a way, this is perfect because I am studying a subject that humans have little to no control over.

My current body of work explores storms via raindrop textures that I work with on my silkscreens. Right now, I am creating a work of art inspired storms of the 2015 Atlantic hurricane season. I have been following the weather reports, the radar maps, and the names that have been preselected for the season. I am fascinated by the human translation of these events and the struggle for understanding that comes when studying the power of these storms.

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

I used to say that “landscapes happen to me after I leave them”. I have lived in a lot of different locations over the last ten years or so. Each landscape has its own baggage, and is effected by nature in its own way. My moves have shaken up my perception of nature and made me more sensitive to it. I find that I am most attracted to the scariest of locations. When I lived in the Mississippi Delta right beside the river, I was awestruck by the power of the water, and its ability to transform the landscape at the drop of a hat. I think that fear is an important part of what we find to be beautiful. The whole idea of the sublime is that it is able to destroy us and we know this, yet we find ourselves drawn to the danger. I think about my work the way I think about turning my back to a dark ocean in the middle of the night; nervous about the next step, but ultimately moved by the power of it all.

tidal cloud [i] and tidal cloud [ii] , each is 12″ by 12″ , mixed media screenprint on panel, 2012

As a full time art instructor, I am often composing works in my mind while away from the studio. While many things compete for my attention, I am fortunate that these stimuli feed my work as well. I have a studio in the garage of my home. My process sometimes requires a lot of waiting between the layers. By having my studio close by, I am able to walk in and out of it efficiently. I also take pictures of works in progress and stare at them as I fall asleep. My mind enjoys the exercise of solving the problems I am facing with any given work of art. I also try hard not to underestimate the process of thinking. I am constantly telling my students that staring is work. I try to embrace moments when I am surrounded by the work and thinking, because I know that it will lead to meaningful next steps if I am patient enough to let it happen.

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

While this is more of a state of mind, I am surprised at the level of confidence that is needed to be an artist. I have found that I need to be fiercely behind my work which is hard when I am still figuring it out and trying to let it evolve. In hindsight I am generally happy with my work, but it is especially difficult to be a “fan” of my work when it is so new.

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?

While there is not a particular time of day that is best for me, I do find that a specific environment is necessary. In general, a larger block of time is especially suitable. I need to be able to fully immerse myself in my subject and forget about everything else around me. It is also essential to get myself in the right state of mind before going to work. Generally, I will put on my noise canceling headphones while doing housework, and slowly move into the studio when I am in my own head. I also find that cleaning my studio just before going to work is especially helpful. The energy expended by sweeping the floor or stacking paper creates the momentum that I need to begin.

rain carving [iii], 14″ by 20.25″, mixed media screenprint on cut and reassembled paper, 2015

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

I am at the start of a very new and divergent body of work right now. The introduction of color and works on paper is a large part of this as after working on hard surfaces and monochromatically for the last several years. However, I am still focused on the study of the sublime, and the effects of water on the macro and the micro level. I also find that I am often revisiting ideas that I had from the very beginning, but in different ways.

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

Right now, I am really influenced by the weather reports. I find myself reading articles about storms, and jotting down what is said about them. I tend to cling to lines of text. For example, when I was working on tropical storm Claudette, I kept remembering that she was described as “disorganized”, and kept channeling that feeling into my process.

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

Within the art field, I feel conflicted. When I work in color, I want it to be quiet and monochromatic. When I work small, I want to the work to grow larger. It is difficult to feel complacent while making work. Outside of art, I was always interested in math and science when I was younger, and never considered being an artist until I was almost through with high school. But then I went to a pre-college program at Ringling School of Art and Design and fell in love with what I had always discounted as a hobby. I discarded all plans to become an engineer or architect, and applied to art schools instead. I think that once you have that moment where you discover that you enjoy what you are doing so much that the hours blur together, you need to listen.

About

Julie was born in New Jersey and lived in multiple regions of the country and abroad. She currently lives in Raleigh, NC. She attended the Tyler School of Art at Temple University and concentrated in areas of painting, sculpture, and printmaking. Julie studied for a semester in Rome, Italy, and later graduated with her BFA in Sculpture. Teaching has always been a part of her professional practice, and after teaching middle school art in the Mississippi Delta, she pursued her graduate degree in printmaking at The Ohio State University where she taught Beginning Drawing. Currently, she is a full time college instructor, teaching a number of foundations level studio courses and Art Appreciation. Julie is fascinated with examining the residue of water in every location she has lived. Whether drawing the debris left behind by the flooding Mississippi River, or exploring the ever changing border between the coast and the Atlantic ocean, she enjoys the illusive nature of her enduring subject. Julie exhibits locally as well as nationally, including shows in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Oregon, Utah, South Carolina, Arkansas, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Ohio.

julieannegreenberg.com

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

Posted in Printmaking | Tagged contemporary art, Contemporary printmaking, hurricane season, nature, sublime | Leave a comment

Loretta Park – Boston, Massachusetts

Posted on November 24, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days

Untitled 2015, 2015
Fabrics, threads, acrylic paint, vinyl, dura-lar
63 x 64.5 in

Briefly describe the work you do.

I create work that combines the flatness of two-dimensional paintings and the tactile nature of three-dimensional sculptures. I’m constantly playing with different materials and art-making processes. I use various methods such as sewing, braiding, painting and woodworking to manipulate the forms in my work, in order to observe how tactile and visual elements are related and perceived.

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

I was born in Goshen, New York but moved to Seoul, South Korea when I was about two years old. I came back to the US when I was fourteen. Although I’m fluent in Korean and English, I haven’t mastered either of those languages. Once I started learning English at fourteen, I stopped learning Korean. I’m stuck in the middle and I find myself constantly searching for words to convey my ideas. I think this is why I’m making art. I’m able to create things without being restricted by written and spoken language.

My studio is where I get to play. I can do anything in there. I can be messy and I don’t feel restricted. I spend most of my time in my studio making, working, singing and listening to music. In many ways, my notion of “being in the studio” is traditional. I make art, I display works in my studio, I think and I use my studio as a refuge.

Second imprint, 2015
Silkscreen Print
38 x 50 in

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

While my primary focus is in making art, I’m also interested in curating. I took a class in curatorial practice last year and I really enjoyed writing proposals, talking to other artists about their works and installing artworks. I didn’t really think about curating when I first started making art but now, I want to do more.

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?

Luckily, I get to make art almost everyday because I’m in graduate school. In general, I like to make art at night. I like the idea of being awake and working when everyone else is sleeping.

Untitled (Sequence), 2015
Wood, plexiglass, acrylic paint, threads, vinyl, fabrics
Dimensions variable

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

My work always has been formally driven and that has not changed. Before I came to graduate school in 2014, I only used secondhand fabrics to create low-relief wall sculptures. The malleable nature of fabrics allowed me to easily manipulate the forms in my work and I was able to create pieces that are highly visual and tactile. Now, my material choices have expanded and I’m using various materials including acrylic paint, silkscreen prints, yarn, thread, wood, vinyl, plexiglass, plastic and colored hot glue.

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

I look to artists like Jessica Stockholder, Richard Tuttle and Judy Pfaff for references and inspiration. When I was first developing my art practice, my professors at Bowdoin—namely John Bisbee, Mark Wethli and Michael Kolster – were huge influences. They encouraged me to develop my own approach to art-making and take myself seriously as an artist. Their thoughtful yet critical feedback helped me realize that I need to be responsible for my work.

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

I was pre-med in college for two years because I thought I wanted to be a doctor. Although I have no interest in pursuing medicine, I still like to discuss various topics in science and technology, especially those related to evolution, time and space.

About

A second year MFA candidate at MassArt, Loretta Park studied visual arts and art history at Bowdoin College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in 2011. Park’s passion for studio practice emerged during her undergraduate career, and in the short time since then, she has exhibited her work in New York, Boston, New Jersey, and other locations in New England. As an emerging artist, Park tries to create work that is unapologetic and frank, while looking at other artists such as Jessica Stockholder and Judy Pfaff for wisdom and inspiration. The idea of play is important for Park and she is always mindful of what Sol Lewitt once said: “Your work is not a high stakes, nail-biting professional challenge. It is a form of play. Lighten up and have fun with it.”

lorettapark.com

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

Posted in Printmaking, Sculpture | Tagged Boston, massart, massartmfa, play, sculpture | Leave a comment

Luis Sahagun – Chicago, Illinois

Posted on November 23, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days

title: Touched by Fire (moon series) Medium: osb, drywall tape, screws, drywall chalk on panel Size: 48″x48″x3″ year 2015

Briefly describe the work you do.

Currently I am interested in investigating the in-between spaces where visions, intuition and storytelling combine to create an invented reality. Using personal stories as a starting point allows me to approach subject matter with a new perspective. This combination in my artistic methodology allows for the paintings and sculptures to be created in the form of representation and expressive abstraction. All of my work is made out of construction materials such as drywall, drywall tape, quikrete, osb, joint compound, stucco, screws, and wood glue.

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

I come from a working class culture. I grew up in Chicago Heights, Illinois a city known for its contribution to the U.S steel industry. I started working in the trade of construction when I was 15 years old. I attended Bloom high school and simultaneously worked in a restaurant during the week and did drywall on the weekends. During the summers of my collegiate studies at Southern Illinois University I would work as a laborer building wood trusses, pouring concrete, drywall taping and roofing. Furthermore, after graduating S.I.U- C, I began working as a design engineer designing custom millwork and furniture for restaurants.

I am passionate about using the skills I have learned as a construction worker, designer and artist to create artwork that is unique to my personal story. I think there is something romantic in making artwork that deals with the dreams of the working class.

My studio practice may currently be descried as traditional, in the sense that most of the artwork I make is created in the studio. However, I do maintain other practices that are easily transportable outside of the studio walls. For instance, I enjoy starting most of my morning by wood carving outdoors or painting the sunrise with watercolors. Additionally, I do a lot of reading and writing at local coffee shops, which strongly informs my art practice.

title: untitled (moon guardian)
Medium: burned wood, resin, oil, spray paint, drywall, polystyrene foam, brad nails, wood glue
Size: 18″x26″x12″
year 2015

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

I am embracing the role of a storyteller. Creating work that is narrative is a new direction for me.

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 currently have the honor of being in a year long art residency in Roswell, New Mexico. Due to this very fortunate circumstance I am able to make art at all times of the day. Most of the time I start working in my studio in the middle of the afternoon and ending the session after sunrise. I am embracing a rediscovered sense of wonder and therefore I make it a habit to pause from my daily tasks and experience the sunrise, sunset, the moon and earth.

title: Untitled (Donkey)
Medium: quikrete, maseca, wax
size: 18″ x 15″ x 9″

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

I made the decision to fully devote myself to making art full time in 2011. Since then, I believe my art has evolved exponentially due to the generosity of art educators, mentors and friends. In the beginning, my paintings and drawing were figurative and representational. Throughout the years I have developed a passion for creating work that is more abstract.

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

As an artist I am influenced and inspired by all of the above. I have been impacted by witnessing the hard working values and optimistic viewpoints of my parents. I enjoy reading theories developed from philosophers that have and continue to shape art history. Additionally, I enjoy collaborating, reading and listening to podcasts from scholars that deal with ideas of ancestral legacies, anthropology, folk stories, and Meso-American artifacts. All of the ideas, experiences, and knowledge that I acquire from these people have impacted my work in many ways.

For example, in 2014 I had the opportunity to work with Alebrije folk artist Luis Raul Ibanez in Arrazola, Oaxaca, Mexico. Luis and I worked together for weeks to create wood carved sculptures that intertwined both of our creative processes. Among the multiple things I learned from my experience in working with Luis, the most significant was the importance in including your ancestral history into your art. This way of making really transformed my thoughts and has led me to the development of my new body of work.

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

Yes. Before becoming an artist I pursued the career of Industrial Design. As mentioned before, I worked as a Design Engineer for a company that designed furniture for the restaurant industry. In addition, I also worked as a Technical Illustrator for an engineering firm. I also have a strong interest as an art curator and exhibition designer. I really enjoy developing exhibits that are culturally relevant to todays contemporary climate. Recently, I had the great opportunity to be the Interim Art Director for Union Street Gallery in Chicago Heights, Il. There with the help of a wonderful staff and board members we developed National juried art exhibitions, art programs for the community and began an outreach agenda to benefit local students that do not have access to art in the city’s public schools.

About

(b. Guadalajara, 1982) Education: MFA, 2015, Northern Illinois University; BFA, 2006, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Exhibitions: Anderson Museum of Modern Art,Roswell NM; Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago,IL; Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, Chicago, IL; Kruger Gallery Chicago, Chicago, IL;Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans, LA; Union Street Gallery, Chicago Heights, IL; La Chikatana Galeria, Oaxaca, Mexico.Residency: Roswell Artist in Residency, Roswell, NM; Arquetopia, Oaxaca, Mexico Bibliography: New American Paintings, Chicago Tribune,ViveloHoy, Gapersblock, Visual Art Source, MundoFOX, NewCity, TimeOut Chicago. Awards: Northern Illinois University Merit Fellowship, Jack & Eleanor Painting Scholarship, Academic Research Assistantship-NIU. Instructor: Northern Illinois University (2014).

luissahagun.com

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

Posted in Sculpture | Tagged Abstraction, contemporarysculpture, ispeakart, lsahagun2, luissahagun | Leave a comment

Derek Glenn Martin – Syracuse, New York

Posted on November 20, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days

Within The Mystery Are Answers to the Unknown. 36’ Siberian Elm tree, wire, flashlights. Satellite Gallery, Lubbock, Texas. 2014.

Briefly describe your work.

Interdisciplinary/site-specific/installation.

Over the past few years my work and the projects I have been embarking upon are increasing in scale and complexity therefore making has taken a backseat to planning. One thread that can be traced back to 2013 involves spraying liquid clay also known as slip. The clay recontextualization of mobile gallery trucks (Experience: 10/13 and Experience:11/13) and galleries themselves provide a unique perceptual transcendence of the objects via the homogenized surface treatment. This creative method starts with the recipe I had formulated that essentially defies the clay’s natural process; to shrink as it dries. The resulting impact upon viewers evoke feelings of bewilderment and awe; creating a new experience of perception.This ongoing research has led to a large-scaled site-specific project in Syracuse, New York. This project will utilize the abundant snowfall the area receives in the coming winter months. The remaining threads of my work are solo and collaborative exhibitions and/or performances. They are oftentimes ephemeral which enable me to move freely from one project to the next.

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

Formal art education until the age of 16 unfortunately only existed through the minimal dosage prescribed to public schooling. Creativity and the foundation of my current practice really evolved from my earliest memories as an explorer of the “outside” or neighborhood backyard. From sunrise to past sunset, my mother entrusted me to play freely in any of the four seasons experienced in Western Pennsylvania. Until I was exposed to ceramics at the age of 16, immersing my being with the Earth; napping on the soil or up in the trees, covering my body in mud and leaves, or lying completely still staring up into the cold winter sky allowing the silence to pierce my ears is large part of who I am. Art education post secondary school transformed my world into becoming a “studio artist” slaving into the wee hours of the night. It was not until 2006 at the University of Fine Arts in Poznan, Poland did I begin to break away from a tight studio practice. I began leaving the studio and the objects made within those walls to then explore ideas of space, light, and time. Taking that initial step to pursue art abroad opened doors that were unbeknownst to me beforehand.

Experience: 10/13. Clay slip sprayed, 26′ mobile gallery, Chinati Weekend, Marfa, Texas. 2013.

The concept of the artist studio has 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 the first ten or so years of my career I worked in studios, either at home or at school. Nowadays however, it is almost anything but studio work. I seek to create experiences for my audiences which are based upon my own. The act of living has become my practice and the world my studio. Recently an artist who lived and studied at the same academy/university in Poland as I but thirty years earlier came to visit my home. He has become a dear friend. Anyways, when he saw my studio was more or less an office, with papers scattered, dates and reminders all over the walls with books and notepads stacked somewhat neatly in their assigned spots, we stood observing a change for the both of us. I had no vodka at the time but we managed. Needless to say, an active “in the studio” practice does not correlate well for me right now.

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

The administrative and bureaucratic roles needed in my world of art are cumbersome. I would have never envisioned their significance nor the amount of discipline needed beforehand. Trying to navigate these roles is easier with time and acceptance but is nonetheless like a rushing stream with me in it – I must always look ahead to stay afloat. Time can certainly fly when you’re having fun.

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’ll speak to the physicality of making which essentially relates to as what I refer as the crunch. Currently, the timing for one outdoor site-specific project is indicative of the weather so that whole time conundrum is chaos in itself. Whereas on the other hand, for an upcoming solo show at Louise O’Rourke’s contemporary Table Top Gallery in Philadelphia, PA – the making begins a month before the opening in mid-March 2016. That push is invigorating and I often do not sleep even if lying down as the days grow nearer. As of now, the grueling physicality of my making during these times is cathartic even if unhealthy.

Experience 12/13: Land Healing Ritual. Collaboration with Sean McIntyre. 8 hour perfromance opeing night. Tyvek Fabric, rope, hooks, wood, leaves, 1994
Isuzu Pickup Truck. 28′ L x 15′ H x 8′ W . “Electric Unicorn Loveland” Exhibition, LHUCA Warehouse, Lubbock, Texas. 2014.

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

Again, time is on the forefront of my conscious and that has always been a constant although now in a very different manner. My work has changed quite a bit; becoming increasingly ephemeral – coinciding with my intent to create an impacting experience. It survives through video or photographic documentation and is carried within the memories of those whom were present. Unlike before as an object maker, I am able to cut the umbilical cord from an exhausting project/show/installation without concern of what to do with what I made; allowing me to focus and reflect upon the temporal experience. The significance of documenting work has also stayed the same.

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

I am influenced by the Earth we inhabit. The wind speaks to me as much as Søren Kierkegaard or James Turrell’s work for example. Human beings are of huge influence; the ability to connect with one another I find to be extraordinary. Collaborative works with: Louise O’Rourke, Shawn McIntyre, Nooshin Hakim Javadi, Pedram Baldari, Alberto Carreaga, Ian F. Thomas, Quinn Hulings, Tommy Gaudi, Chad Surrena, Ross Peakall, and potential upcoming works with Yerin Kim have been a tremendous gift and influence. Mentors are extraordinarily unique in their own right and people like: Richard Wukich, Von Venhuizen, Juan Granados, William Cannings, Kaneem Smith, Tricia Bishop, Krzysztof Balcerowiak, Sławomir Brzoska, Grzegorz Marszałek, Piotr Postaremczak, and Rafał Górczyński have contributed to my existence as an artist in remarkable ways. Each person’s impact upon me varies but they are nonetheless significant in their own individual right.

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

Recently I had almost committed to Syracuse University’s Master of Architecture program. The timing was just not right for I have far too many projects lined up, ideas to work out, and the gift of youthful vitality to sit in front a computer any more than I do now for the next three years. Later in life I imagine to revisit that commitment.

About

Derek Glenn Martin, born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has been a practicing artist since 2003. He received his BFA from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania and excelled in graduate studies in art at the University of Fine Arts in Poznan, Poland as well as at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. In the Fall of 2015 Martin will pursue research for site-specific works to be created in Syracuse, New York. He has amassed solo, two-person, and group shows nationally and internationally and has taken his practice abroad to Poland, Germany, London, and Cairo, Egypt. Within his works Martin creates an impacting and unique experience for his audience through site-specific and installation projects. The ephemeral nature of his works parallel the intent to create an experience and the work survives through photographic and video documentation.

derekglennmartin.com

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

Posted in Installation, Time-based | Tagged #ephemeral, Contemporary, Installation, Site-specific, Time-based | Leave a comment

Laura Stein – New York City, New York

Posted on November 19, 2015 by 365Artists/365Days

Cream_and_Yellow_Strokes_collage_30x22_2014

Briefly describe the work you do.

I make collages out of paper. Usually, I have some preconceived ideas about the colors and the composition. Sometimes I successfully execute the idea right off. But many times I realize it is not working, the energy is not there, and the picture is stagnant. In those cases I scrape away and try to find an answer in the the sources that are splayed out around me. I use auction catalogs, with displays of jewels, silver, and gold antique pieces or reproductions of paintings and drawings that I repurpose for my own use. I make patterns out of cutouts, using a razor to slice around and inlay strokes and fragments. I began as a painter, and often I discovered that in the course of painting I would be holding several brushes in my hand at once. Now I do that with cut outs of paper.

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

I was born and raised in New York City and still enjoy living here. The energy is terrific, and the daily surprises from having so many different kinds of people in a small area are great. I grew up in Queens, but my parents took me into Manhattan and acquainted me with museums, theater, and dance. I took art classes with a woman who had a basement full of copper teapots, ceramic bowls, and baskets. We drew still life compositions with pastel on velour paper. In high school there was a great art department. I had to drag immense canvasses to school on city buses. My friends and I went to museums to do art assignments. We were very excited by films about the abstract expressionists, and we saw Yoko Ono’s “Fly”. My father worked near the Museum of Modern Art and purchased a family pass and so I was encouraged to visit quite often and absorb “modernism.”

Cream_and _Yellow_Strokes_detail

I spend at least four hours a day in the studio. Due to various difficulties in the past few years I have moved around quite a bit, but I manage to set things up very quickly. I pile up my source materials, find a work surface, and start cutting and pasting. When I am in the studio I always have music on: jazz, oldies, background stuff. There are a lot of similarities between notes, chords and brushstrokes. A painting is a symphony.

The search for materials to use is an integral part of my work. I make frequent trips to used book stores. There I conceive of ideas about how to use the material I find. It’s exciting to make these connections, and it’s a significant part of the collage process. In the studio, I pile up materials, make groupings of cut-outs, and try to keep things in order. Sometimes the disorder, or the difficulty in finding things is beneficial, as I might make unexpected connections.

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

When I first started making art, I was quite young. I never thought about the difficulties involved in getting people to see my work. At the time, I never imagined how hard it would be to get my work into a gallery.

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 work best in the early morning hours until lunch when there are less distractions and my energy is the most concentrated.

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

I still use the same processes but they have become more evolved. I have learned more about the properties of paper. I might work into the paper with a sanding block. Experimenting with some different gels and mediums, I have achieved some new effects. Also, I have been able to find much larger paper, and that has been a new challenge.

Silver_on_Sand_collage_30x22_2015

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

My family (my husband and two daughters) and friends have been incredibly supportive and encouraging to me in my artistic pursuit. There are many artists who have inspired me- Joseph Cornell, Henri Matisse, Richard Deibenkorn, Wayne Theibaud, Jackson Pollock, Charlie Chaplin, and

Alfred Hitchcock, just to name a few.

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

I have always wanted to be a painter. I have put the desire aside many times, but it always comes roaring back. If I don’t get to do this work, I feel a piece of me is missing. I also love to read, see nature, and walk my dog.

About

Laura J. Stein was born in 1955 in New York City. She received a BFA from Cornell University with additional studies at the Pratt Institute, the School of Visual Arts, Parsons School of Design, Cooper Union, and the Art Student’s League. Her work is featured in the current issue of Dialogist.org, and has been exhibited in the office of the Manhattan Borough President, in the first issue of Fresh Paint Magazine, at the Next Gallery in Soho, NYC; the Small Works Show at 80 Wash. Sq. E. Gallery, NYC; the Westbeth Painters Space, NYC; the Condesco-Lawler Gallery, NYC; and the Jacob Fanning Gallery, Wellfleet, Ma. She currently lives and works in New York City.

laurajstein.com

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

Posted in Painting | Leave a comment

365 Artists | 365 Days

Kim Kei – Los Angeles, California

Diane Rosenblum – San Francisco, California

Megan Geckler – Los Angeles, California

Nigel Tan – Singapore/Melbourne

Deedra Baker – Denton, Texas

Julie Greenberg – Raleigh, North Carolina

Loretta Park – Boston, Massachusetts

Luis Sahagun – Chicago, Illinois

Derek Glenn Martin – Syracuse, New York

Laura Stein – New York City, New York

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