Art Space Talk: Lynn Digby

Lynn Digby describes herself as a contemporary realist. Much of her work is focused on the search for harmony in complexity-- realism serves as her vehicle. Awareness of the paint surface and tactile qualities of brush and canvas are key to her approach. Lynn explains that she wants her paintings to obviously be what they are without being overly derivative, photographic, or formulaic.

Sharpie Chic, oil on canvas, 20" x 16"

Brian Sherwin: Lynn, tell us about your early years-- your early artistic influences?

Lynn Digby: I think I’ve always drawn. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t making art. As a child, I remember looking at wonderful art from the National Gallery, and various collections from all over the world in books at my aunt’s house. I remember being just transfixed at the paintings, and wanting to paint.

BS: Lynn, where did you study? Can you tell us about that experience?

LD: I went to college and graduated from Mount Union College, majoring in art education. I have never "studied" studio art as such. I am self-taught for the most part.

Pierced Portrait, oil on canvas, 16" x 12"

BS: Lynn, you have stated that realism serves as your vehicle in discovering harmony and complexity. You went on to say that you do not want your work to be overly derivative, photographic, or formulaic. Can you go into further detail about your goal in painting? The direction you have taken?

LD: I had decided a long time ago not to be overly worried about what was "in style" or what particular movement was the current rage. That never made sense because I feel that making art is personal and relevant only in the context of my personal view. My personal view is, of course, influenced by my exposure to art and to my environment. But other than that influence, I can’t jump on bandwagons and still make art that is authentic to me. So, my interests have led me to want to communicate a kind of richness that I see in a way that facilitates that message.

I have worked with abstract, non-objective pieces in the past (trying to be novel and relevant to what was considered modern and cutting edge, I suppose), but they have left me unhappy because they can’t quite get to the essence of what I am trying to convey. I understand this approach, but it’s not a vehicle of any use for my work now.

Working with realism is risky because there is so much of it out there that IS derivative, a copy of something better left as a photograph. But for me, the photograph is the beginning only. I use it to give me information that allows me to overlay a sort of ordered saturation. I start with an idea, and use conceptual sketches, photos and direct observation to get me where I need to go.

I think this is what is misunderstood in good photo-realist art, too. I’m not a photo-realist myself, but I know some darn fine ones, and the reason they are, is that they take the image and make it both hyper-real and personal at the same time. They create little worlds within the outwardly detailed world of the photo. They give it MORE.

I try to do the same thing. I like the idea of using a classical painting approach that has proven its immediacy and effectiveness over centuries. I feel no need to reinvent the wheel, or create a new artistic language, because this one resonates with me and serves my needs. I find it exciting to take the well- established language and use it to say what I want to say today. The use of photographic references is a stepping-stone to the concept I’ve envisioned for the painting. I make and manipulate many photographs to give me what I need for my basic idea. Then, the photographs are used as jumping off points to help me achieve my goal for the work. In some ways it’s cool not to worry too much about the process, too. I am really not process driven. I’m concept driven, I suppose. I want the product to stand on its own and the process to take a back seat.

In Your Face, oil on canvas, 11" x 14"

BS: Lynn, you have also stated that you look for serenity and stillness within chaos. You must admit that to some degree we live in chaotic times... how is this reflected in your portraits? While conveying this chaos... how do you find calm?

LD: I love to take absolute chaos of texture, color, form and movement and delve into this, but at the same time, find a sense of unity and calm that keeps it all together. I think this has to do with ordering values carefully as much as anything. But I am also trying to achieve an overall sense of quiet, of focus.

I’m struggling with this all the time. I want there to be another more hidden layer of emotion. I guess I’m looking for a kind of spiritual thing. It frustrates me constantly! People are endlessly complex and in motion, but there is always an essence that isn’t. It’s the constant. I want that to be what presents itself through the outward embellishments and decorations people display.

BS: Lynn, you do not attempt to glamorize the subjects of your portraits... in a sense, you focus on capturing the authentic person that you see. Do you see this as a critical practice? Are you looking for the outward or inner flaws of the individual?

LD: I guess I come from the place of really liking people. I enjoy seeing how people decorate themselves, but I tend to look past the outward "stuff" and want to meet the person within. I find people with interesting features, well, more interesting. I don’t see flaws, as such. People are people, and usually quite interesting and attractive, despite not having perfect features. I’d like to think that the fact that I like my subjects comes through. I don’t glamorize because there is no need, and it’s inherently dishonest to do so. Instead, I try to give an honest, but sympathetic presentation of the real person. (It just occurred to me that I wouldn’t want to paint someone I didn’t like…something to consider!)

I just see no point in negativity or derision for their own sakes. The path can be walked between cynicism and sugarcoated glamorization. The unembellished truth of a person’s appearance is far more interesting to me.

BS: People often hide aspects of themselves while in public. Do you try to convey this in your work? Are these portraits a study in psychology?

LD: I don’t think so. I am just trying to convey who these people are to me, their personality, and their liveliness. I sometimes choose subjects that have outward extreme body decorations, because we tend to stare at those and not get past them. I find it interesting to try to get past all that and make the center of interest something else.

BS: Would you say that they are an exploration of spirituality?

LD: I think so, more and more. Recently, I became aware of symbolist Gail Potocki’s work, and her work has become a major influence in my way of thinking approaches for new work. I like the idea of subliminal, and symbolic elements within the work used to convey a deeper layer of meaning.

BS: Lynn, can you tell us about your studio practice? Do you follow a routine?

LD: Routine? What’s that? I am a total failure at work ethic. It’s my Achilles’ heel. I am trying to force myself to work within a routine, because I know I need that, but so far, I’m all over the place.

BS: In regards to painting-- what is the medium that you prefer the most?

LD: I love oil paint. I’ve only worked for 3 years in this medium, so I’m really still learning the basics of it, but it’s sumptuous and sticky, and so buttery to blend. And I love the rich color, too. I used to do a lot of watercolor, and the transition to oil was remarkably easy. I am pretty sure I’ll never look back.

The Red Dress, oil on canvas, 24" x 12"

BS: Can you discuss some more of your influences? What artists or art movements have inspired you?

LD: Historic artists that have influenced me deeply are: Vermeer, Sargent, Carravagio, Velasquez, and Rembrandt to name only a few. As I mentioned before, recently Gail Potocki’s work has made me very excited. But some other living artists whose work I love (I can’t name them all. There are so many!) are Alex Kanevsky, Sean Cheetham, Jeremy Lipking, Hanjo Schmidt, Marti Jones Dixon, Nahem Shoa, Rose Fremuth-Frazier, and many others. One of the wonderful things about networking online is that I have been able to "meet" some of these people and discuss art with them. This is an amazing and tremendously useful thing!

BS: What is your goal as an artist? What do you hope to achieve with your work?

LD: I want to be able to communicate something that is beneath the surface, I suppose. It’s hard to find words to describe, I’m afraid. It’s like an underlying buzz of something else that lies just below the surface of the senses. Something not visible, really, but present. I didn’t say that very well.

BS: Finally, is there anything else you would like to say about your art?

LD: I think I’d like to say that I am comfortable with having a small voice. I don’t think my work will ever set the art world on fire, but to me, this isn’t what making art is about. I am really happy to pursue my own ideas and play with their expression in paint. My wish is that people who see them enjoy them, and that some of what I am trying to do is made clear. That’s about it, I guess.

You can learn more about Lynn Digby by visiting the following page-- www.lynndigby.artspan.com. You can read more of my interviews by visiting the following page-- www.myartspace.com/interviews

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Sylvia Sleigh

Sylvia Sleigh is considered by many to be a living legend of the art world. Her work has graced the pages of important art publications and can be found in several college text books. Sylvia inspired a generation of artists by making some of the first major cracks in the 'glass ceiling' of the art world. Sylvia explains that her paintings stress the equality of men and women-- they portray man and woman as thoughtful and intelligent by capturing a sense of dignity and humanism. These works emphasize love and joy.

Sylvia made her mark in the 1970s when she painted a series of works reversing stereotypical artistic themes involving nude figures. Sylvia's paintings depicted naked men in poses usually associated with women. Some of these paintings directly alluded to existing works, such as her gender-reversed version of Ingres's The Turkish Bath-- the reclining man in her version is her husband, Laurence Alloway. Philip Golub Reclining alludes similarly to the Rokeby Venus by Velazquez. However, other works equalize the roles of men and women, such as the 1976 Concert Champetre, in which all of the figures are nude, unlike its similarly composed namesake by Titian, in which only the women are nude.

Situation Group Portrait by Sylvia Sleigh

Brian Sherwin: Sylvia, can you tell our readers about your early years? Can you recall any experiences from your childhood that influenced your decision to pursue art as an adult? Did any of your family members influence you?

Sylvia Sleigh: My mother, Katherine Miller, commonly known as Kitty, has been a tremendous influence on me all my life. She created a beautiful bed sitting room in a large room at the top of my Grandmother’s house with fascinating books of European paintings & fine art magazines with beautiful color illustrations. (The color illustrations were unusual at this time, because of the expense – so, this was even more precious.) She read me French fairy tales and the Iliad and The Odyssey. She was also a great story teller.

My mother went to South Africa when I was nine and came back five years later. Prior to her departure to South Africa, mother sold all the books and furniture in large room. She left me with a kind and loving governess, Frances Simmonds, a clergyman’s daughter who taught me water colors. We lived in Hove in Sussex, England. And in those days the country was only walking distance away. We were close to the The Downs, so we picked wild flowers and painted them when we came home. Unfortunately she did not stay very long as grandma sent her away. She often sent people away when I was fond of them.

Soon after my mother returned from Africa she went to live in the extreme southeast corner of France -Les Alpes Maritimes. In a small walled town called Vence in the mountains.Vence is famous for being home to artists, sculptors and painters, including Matisse, who painted my half sister. There I painted my first landscapes. My mother gave me my first box of oil paints when I was 14 years old with a palate, canvas and brushes. The first thing that I painted was from my imagination, the head of a young woman with long brown hair in tears. There I painted my first landscapes in watercolors and oils.

Just before I went to Brighton School of Art when I was just 17, my school friend Frances Kirkhope and I took some lessons from an elderly RA (Royal Academician) who was a talented portrait painter and when we went to France to stay with mother we painted portraits of each other (on different canvas) reclining in evening dresses. Which I was very pleased with at the time. On another occasion I painted a portrait of my step father (head and shoulders) Joseph Canceda.

Maureen Conner and Paul Rosano: Venus and Mars by Sylvia Sleigh

BS: Sylvia, I've read that you were still living in Europe during WWII. How did those years impact you as a person and as an artist?

SS: I was not in Europe during the war. I was in Brighton, England. At the age of 23 I had a Shop, I made hats, coats and dresses. I moved in-land during the war. So, there was no real impact. I just could not do anything. I moved back to Brighton a few months later as we realized that England would not be invaded and we would be secure. I lived in a beautiful coast guard cottage. I did not reopen my shop. I did paint during this time.

I married my first husband Michael Greenwood in November 1941 and reluctantly I moved to London with him. I met Michael while I attended school at Brighton School of Art. Back in London, if there was an air raid warning I would put on my tin hat and with one of my neighbors, we kept watch in the streets for the "doodle bug" or the Vergeltungswaffe, The V-1, German guided missile.

Lawrence Alloway with Bowtie by Sylvia Sleigh

BS: Sylvia, why did you decide to move to the States? Did you feel any sort of isolation upon arriving? Can you recall any of your first experiences in the United States? How did that influence you as an artist?

SS: I did not really decide to move to the States. Lawrence Alloway, my husband, was offered a job teaching Modern Art history at Bennington College, Vermont. As he was badly in need of work he was delighted and honored to go. He was offered a year and had always wanted to go. He had his wish in 1958 he had a Foreign Leader Grant and for a month traveled all over the states and visited Bennington because Clement Greenberg told him Betty Parsons was driving to Bennington the next day where there was a show of Barnet Newman.

When he arrived he met the chairmen of the Art Department, Gene Gossens and the faculty. We had met Clement Greenberg in England and he came to see us when he arrived. As the visit was only a school year. I did not mind. I had not wanted to come to America. I asked Lawrence to be sure to come from home in a year. I was very lonely at first as Lawrence was teaching or in his office most of the day and I did not know anyone. But I did do a lot of painting. It had a beautiful landscape. I soon got to know people by painting portraits of the art faculty. We also were friendly with the drama faculty as one of the other new members was as new as we were. He was the playwright in residence.

By the time the year was up I was very happy in the States and did not want to come home. The art scene was particularly exciting and we were especially friendly with Barnet Newman and Alex Lieberman who were encouraging and interested in my work. I felt very stimulated and eager to do large paintings! I even got some useful advice from Clement Greenburg!

The Turkish Bath by Sylvia Sleigh

BS: Sylvia, in the 1970s you painted a series of works that reversed stereotypical artistic themes by featuring naked mean in poses that are traditionally associated with women. Some directly alluded to existing works, such as your gender-reversed version of Ingres's The Turkish Bath. Some of your other works, such as Concert Champetre, equalize the roles of men and women by displaying the entire figures nude. I'm certain that you have been asked countless times about the motive behind these works-- however, can you recall anything about them that you may not have shared before?

SS: Although I think that through the Ages in most countries women have been treated rather badly it is important not to hate men – they are here to stay! Throughout my career I have found many kind and helpful men, including my second husband. I think we need to explain our position. I asked Lawrence when we were courting if he thought I am inferior to the most stupid and unpleasant men you can think of you ought not be with me.

BS: As you know, the art world has been faced with gender related issues. At one time the art world was very male-dominated. However, it would seem that the art world has been more equal than ever before in recent years. Would you agree with that statement? Or do feel that there is more that needs to be done to even the playing field, so to speak? What changes have you noticed? What changes still need to be made?

SS: I do think things have improved for women in general there are many more women in Government, in law and corporate jobs, but its very difficult in the art world for women to find a gallery.

Philip Golub Reclining by Sylvia Sleigh

BS: Sylvia, I've read that when you were an art student you were told that you had no talent by an instructor. Obviously you have a great deal of talent-- having received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Pollock-Krasner Foundation. Do you have any words of encouragement for art students who are degraded by their instructors or peers? Perhaps you have some words of wisdom for art students in general?

SS: I can only say that one has to be very single minded, if not obstinate and think that just doing the work is important though one does really need some encouragement. However one usually has something one needs, to express which gives one great satisfaction and there is a pleasure of knowing other artists.

BS: Sylvia, you mentioned that it is difficult in the art world for women to find a gallery. Do you think this will change in the near future? In your opinion, what steps can men and women take together to improve upon this?

SS: Although I think many men can be censored for their bad attitude and bad treatment of women. I have found a number of men understanding and helpful. I think we should explain to them our many difficulties and try to help them to understand that equality would really be helpful to them too. A real partnership would strengthen both genders and save men the trouble of trying to be superior. They need to feel secure then they would not feel threatened. Mother and teachers could help there.

Annunciation by Sylvia Sleigh

BS: Sylvia, what is your view on the art star mentality that seems to have taken over the art world-- young artists earning thousands of dollars for their work straight out of art school with little to no reputation to warrant that price? Many of these artists are driven into obscurity after their moment of instant fame has passed. In regards to the business side of art... is this practice damaging to the art world as a whole? Should young artists be wary of instant success?

SS: Some things in the 60s were similar to today’s situation, but on a much smaller scale. I am sure the galleries love to have 50% of the large sums of money the students earn. I hope some are female. Any artist having instant success should enjoy it! Remembering at the same time that the situation is so momentary it is not to be depended on.

A.I.R Group Portrait by Sylvia Sleigh

BS: Sylvia, when all is said and done... what do you hope that future generations gain from your art?

SS: A friend of mine asked me to say in two words what my work was about and was very Surprised when I said, "Love and Joy". I have always felt so strongly that there are so many wonderful things to enjoy we could all have a happy and satisfying life. But of course with global warming and the horrible political scene who knows. In 2003 I decided that I needed a motto well mottoes are usually in Latin which gives them Grandeur & prestige. So, I chose a line from an old time popular song "Remember you’re the one who can fill the world with sunshine." A kind friend translated it into Latin: "Tene memoria tu es quisdam quie mundum cum luce solis compiere potes."

You can learn more about Sylvia Sleigh by visiting her website-- www.sylviasleigh.com. Information about Sylvia can also be found on the I-20 Gallery website-- www.i-20.com. A huge thanks goes to Douglas John for helping during the interview process. You can read more of my interviews by visiting the following page-- www.myartspace.com/interviews.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Sonya Sklaroff

Sonya Sklaroff is inspired by the urban landscape. From her studio in SoHo she captures the energy and character of New York City. Her paintings frequently include water towers, fire escapes, street lamps, and other seemingly mundane elements of the NYC infrastructure. However, these structures are just one aspect of her paintings-- at the core of her work is a strong interest in abstraction. Sonya challenges herself with different methods of composition, contrasting elements of light and dark, complementarycolors, and negative space.

School Bus in Times Square, oil on panel, 36x48

Brian Sherwin: Sonya, you studied at Rhode Island School of Design and Parsons School of Design. Can you tell us about these experiences? Who were your instructors? What kind of student were you?

Sonya Sklaroff: Studying at RISD was an amazing experience. I was surrounded by students who were so similar to me: dedicated and creative artists who enjoyed working in the studio all day and all night. The Freshman Foundation program was one of the most challenging and best years of my life; I was forced to use new materials and think in a whole new way. I carved a rock, made a paper mache tree installation, learned to bind a book, learned to use a glue gun, and sculpted in foam core.

During my junior year I concentrated on painting portraits. Of all the instructors who supported and influenced my work, one to single out is David Frazer. He was positive and energetic; we keep in touch and he continues to be an inspiration. Additionally Susan Vander Closter, my literature professor, opened up a whole new world for me with books by Nobakov, Wharton, Gogol, Stendhal, and so many others. I remember working on a portrait in painting class, and when the model would take a break, I’d whip out and read a page or two of Virginia Woolf!

I had already spent a few years as a professional artist by the time I did my graduate work at the Parsons School of Design. The best aspect of Parsons was the visiting faculty: each week I’d have a different well-known artist in my studio to critique my work. One of the highlights was having Faith Ringgold as a graduate critic. Her encouragement and her insights had a great influence on me.

Five Water Towers at Dusk, oil on panel, 30x30

BS: Sonya, in regards to the European Honors Program in Rome, Italy... can you tell us about RISD's selection process? How did your experience in Rome influence you as an artist?

SS: RISD selected 25 students to attend the one-year program in Rome. Candidates were required to have excellent grades and also have written recommendations from RISD faculty. In Providence, I had focused my junior year on portraiture. But during my senior year in Rome, I was fascinated by the architecture and the daily life in Italy. After a while, I set aside my portrait painting and instead opted to go out and draw in my sketchbook all day long. I drew the buildings, the people in the piazzas, sculptures, the cafes, and churches. I still look back at these sketchbooks. I realized during my year in Rome that I needed to explore and record the outside world, transferring a larger space onto a canvas.

BS: Sonya, you have stated that the urban landscape inspires you-- have you always had a love for it? Why does it touch you?

SS: The urban landscape supplies me with an excuse to play with light and shadow, complementary color, and composition. I never tire of New York City because it continually provides me with new images depending on the time of day, the weather, and my mood. The city has an intense intermingling of light and darkness, and the architecture creates a wide variety of negative space shapes like you don’t really find anywhere else.

Three Water Towers and Red Sky, oil on panel, 30x30

BS: Sonya, would you like to discuss how you mesh a realistic or representational approach with an abstract perspective? Your work is not simply about buildings and the NYC infrastructure... tell us what is at the core of these works...

SS: Even though my paintings are derived from life, I focus on abstract ideas. Composition is the most important element to my paintings. I may start a painting and if it is not working, then I may add or subtract something to enhance the composition. In this way I am not relying solely on realism. I also will not remain true to life when I’m working on the color. If a sky is a warm tone, I may change it to red. If a building is sunlit, I may exaggerate the color of it. The subjects and scene are only a starting point.

Water Tower and Lamp Post, oil on panel, 30x30

BS: In your work you often capture aspects of the city that are overlooked by most people. Upon viewing your work the viewer is reminded of what can be conveyed through the most mundane of structures. How do you 'see' the city, so to speak-- how do you decide upon the sections that you utilize within the context of your work?

SS: I am drawn to the more rugged and older parts of the city. Like any living organism, a building or neighborhood must mature; it develops character over time. I love the silhouetted dark shapes of the water towers against the bright sky, or the patterns of the fires capes. Many who envision New York, think of the Empire State Building or the skyline. I love to paint the New York that people tend to walk by. If I do paint the Empire State Building or another famous landmark, it is generally not the main focus of the painting.

BS: Can you discuss your process? How do you start a painting? Do you see the image in your mind first? Do you draw it out? When do you know that you have observed something that you must capture?

SS: I know when I have to paint something by the feeling I get when I look at the scene. It may be one particular element – like a sliver of light hitting the street at an angle. I work on a colored burnt sienna or yellow ochre ground, and usually sketch out the composition with an ultramarine blue wash mixed with a lot of turpentine directly onto the panel. I’ve been using a lot of Windsor and Newton Liquin, a fast drying medium that gives the paint a rich viscosity and varies the shine of the paint. I also work on panel and not canvas. I love the firmness of the panel and how it provides me with a slick surface and no bounce as I’m painting.

Cafe in the Snow, oil on panel, 24x24

BS: Sonya, what are you working on at this time?

SS: Right now I’m working on lots of paintings for my upcoming solo shows in 2008 and 2009. While the work for these shows is almost all cityscapes, I also find time to go out to the country to paint outdoors, en plein air, and work on smaller colorful paintings of the fall foliage, old Victorian houses, and quaint towns. My last two painting trips were to Nyack, New York, and Gloucester, Massachusetts. Focusing on a different subject matter helps to keep my work fresh. I try to travel often to constantly add new subjects to my visual vocabulary. This adds a new dimension to my cityscapes.

BS: Where can our readers observe your work? Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have a website?

SS: My personal website is www.sonyasklaroff.com. I am currently represented by a number of galleries: David Findlay Galleries in New York; Jenkins Johnson Gallery in San Francisco, CA; Sparts Gallery in Paris, France; Cavalier Galleries in Nantucket, MA and Greenwich, CT; Lagalery in St. Paul de Vence, France; and Galerie des Remparts in Bordeaux, France. I also have an art agent in New York, Odile Gorse, whose website is www.goartonline.com. Until February 2008 you can see my work on view at the Corning Gallery at Steuben Glass (667 Madison Avenue) in New York.

Winner on Canal, oil on panel, 36x48

BS: Finally, is there anything else you would like to say about your work or your love for NYC?

SS: I love New York City because of its architecture, the people, and the endless inspiration that it supplies me for my work. But I think the things I love most about New York are the little things that I notice when I’m walking out my door every morning to go to my studio. The taxicabs rushing by, the trash trucks collecting garbage, the people walking briskly to work, the smell of the street vendors selling roasted chestnuts and pretzels and hot dogs, the rumble of the subway under my feet, the steam seeping out of street manhole covers… I walk outside every morning and think how lucky I am to be here.

You can learn more about Sonya Sklaroff by visiting her website-- www.sonyasklaroff.com. You can read more of my interviews by visiting the following page-- www.myartspace.com/interviews

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Henry Horenstein

Henry Horenstein has worked as a photographer, teacher, and author since the early 1970s-- his career as a teacher started at Harvard in 1974. Henry is author of over 30 books, including many monographs (HONKY TONK, HUMANS, CREATURES, AQUATICS, CANINE, RACING DAYS). His newest book CLOSE RELATIONS was recently published by powerHouse Books; it’s a collection of photographs he made as a student of Harry Callahan and Aaron Siskind’s at RISD in the early 1970s. Henry's textbooks have been widely used by hundreds of thousands of photography students over past 30 years. Henry lives in Boston where he continues to photography, exhibit, publish, and teach at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he is professor of photography. He is known for being one of the most influential photography educators in the United States.

Brian Sherwin: Henry, tell us about your background-- are there any early experiences you would like to share in regards to your first years working with photography? When did you decide to first pick up a camera?

Henry Horenstein: I started out as a history student at University of Chicago. It was the late 1960s and everyone, including me, felt a little restless. A roommate showed me how to use a camera and I was hooked. Taking pictures was a lot more interactive, and a lot more fun, than study in the library stacks.

BS: Henry, you have worked as a photographer, author, and teacher since the early 1970s. How were you able to find balance while working in so many directions? Would you say that one pursuit feeds off the next, so to speak?

HH: For me, it's one of the same. My professional work is teaching and photographing and I enjoy them equally. More fun and rewarding than just teaching or just taking pictures. The books are the natural outlets for my ideas about teaching, thus the textbooks, and my personal photography, thus the monographs.

BS: You studied under Harry Callahan and Aaron Siskind at RISD in the early 1970s. Can you discuss how they influenced you as a young photographer? Did they inspire you to be come a professor of photography at RISD?

HH: They were both great teachers, with very different styles. I think I learned from Aaron to try hard to be supportive of students and to not lord my experience over them. I learned from Harry that hard works get results. And I learned from both of them that the life of a teacher/photographer was a life worth pursuing. Sounds a little silly now, but in the early 1970s there weren't that many role models for this kind of career goal. As for teaching at RISD, this was blind luck. I taught at several schools before returning to RISD as a teacher, then a job came available and I got it.

BS: Henry, your textbooks have been widely used by hundreds of thousands of photography students over the past 30 years. How do you feel knowing that you inspire young minds to create-- that you have taken part in their instruction?

HH: I feel very appreciative and lucky. When I wrote my first textbook, schools were just beginning to offer a lot of photography classes, so there was need for such a book. Timing, as they say, is everything.

BS: Are you writing anything at this time? Also, where is the best place for our readers to find your books if they are interested?

HH: Working on books of my own work—one called ANIMALIA, out spring 08, is a compilation of my animal photos. Another is on burlesque. Always revising a textbook, it seems. If people have an independent bookstore nearby, I suggest supporting them. Otherwise, AMAZON or some other online retailer is probably the best place to find my books.

BS: Henry, you are known for you unique manner of capturing your subject matter. For example, your photographs of the animal kingdom-- often characterized by shooting very close to the subject -- are at times difficult to identify at first glance. Can you discuss why you capture subjects in this manner?

HH: Well, I'm trying to find a different way to see the animals. So many good pictures from so many great photographers of these subjects over the years. Otherwise why bother? I am trying to bring a more intimate look, to see if the animals can "tell" us something, not necessarily about them, but maybe us. There's a photo of a texas-map turtle, for example, treading water. That's how so many of us feel so often ,I think.

BS: Henry, your Humans series of photographs explore the human body as a form of landscape. These images have been noted for never giving way to aesthetic perfection. We live in a fairly open society, yet the general public is still often wary of nudity. Would you say that part of your goal with Humans is to challenge viewpoints concerning the nude human form? Can you go into detail about this series of photographs-- the motive behind them?

HH: Really they are extensions of the animal photos. I like the roughness (grain, contrast, varying focus planes) because they show another side of the human body. And I try to show man and women, not just one or the other. But these pictures have little to do with the people or sexuality or the usual things nude photos are about. They are meant to see their subjects in a different light and maybe suggest something about ourselves.

BS: Henry, how do you decide on a theme to explore? The possibilities seem endless-- how do you decide what to focus on?

HH: They are endless. I just pick subjects that interest me and that make good photographic subjects. Simple. I am not working for a client, in the traditional sense. Bad news: I may never get paid. Good news: I get to do what I want.

BS: What are you working on at this time with your photography? Also, will you be exhibiting in the near future?

HH: The books I mentioned above. Yes, some shows. Always trying. There's animal work up in Cambridge, MA now at the Harvrad Museum of Natural History www.hmnh.harvard.edu and at Gallery 339 in Philadelphia www.gallery339.com in the spring. Also, some work in Paris in a group show called Bettes et Hommes www.villette.com/fr/mainprog.htm.

BS: Henry, what kind of equipment do you use?

HH: Canon 35mm film cameras and 5D digital. Fuji 645 and Mamiya 6 medium-format film cameras.

BS: Finally, do you have any advice for photographers who are just starting out?

HH: My advice is a cliche, I'm afraid, but here goes: Be yourself. Don't let other talk you out of what you want to do. Listen. Consider. Make your own way. There are many ways to skin a cat.

You can learn more about Henry Horenstein by visiting his website-- www.henryhorenstein.com. You can read more of my interviews by visiting the following page-- www.myartspace.com/interviews

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Brian Alfred

Brian Alfred lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. He received his Masters of Fine Arts from Yale University in 1999. Since that time he has enjoyed solo exhibitions at the Mary Boone Gallery, Max Protetch Gallery, Sandroni Rey Gallery, SCAI the Bathhouse, and Haunch of Venison. Alfred's work has garnered many awards including a Joan Mitchell Foundation Award and a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant. His work is represented in many important collections including the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum.

Spray by Brian Alfred

Brian Sherwin: Brian, it is my understanding that you were born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-- you now live in Brooklyn, New York. How did moving to Brooklyn influence your work? Would you say that your experiences in Brooklyn have helped your work to mature?

Brian Alfred: I imagine growing up in Pittsburgh has had an effect on my work more so than anywhere else. There’s a certain feel and aesthetic to Pittsburgh that I think comes through my work subconsciously. I travel a lot and I think that also has a big influence on my work.

BS: Brian, you obtained a BFA from Pennsylvania State University and an MFA from Yale University. Can you tell us about your academic years? Who were your instructors at that time? How did the art departments influence you during those early years?

BA: For me, school was a great opportunity to work out idea after idea without worry of failure. At Penn State my teachers who really impacted me were Robert Yarber, Helen O’Leary and Julie Heffernan. At Yale, Mel Bochner, Rochelle Feinstein and a long list of great visiting artists were very valuable in the studio. I tried to really utilize every moment and every resource to develop my work and really immerse myself in all aspects of art making.

Surveillance Plane by Brian Alfred

BS: Brian, you are represented by the Mary Boone Gallery. How long have been represented there? Are you represented by any other galleries?

BA: I have been at Mary Boone for a couple years now. I am also represented by Haunch of Venison London/Zurich/Berlin, Studio La Citta in Verona, and SCAI the Bathhouse in Tokyo.

BS: Brian, you have accomplished a lot in recent years. You were awarded a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant in 2003, a Joan Mitchell Foundation Award in 2006-- and during that same time frame you were reviewed by major publications like Art in America and the New York times-- your work can be found in the collections of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art. What would you say contributes to your success?

BA: I hope that any success that I have had comes from my work connecting with people and the way they look at our world. I feel like I have been given opportunities that have helped me continue to work hard and share my ideas with a lot of people, and that’s really all I could ask for.

Matsumoto by Brian Alfred

BS: Brian, let us talk about your art. Your work often involves banal, urban structures and spaces. However, you also create portraits-- I really enjoyed viewing Tanaka and Matsumoto. How are the portraits connected to you more dominate work? Should your work be seen as a whole?

BA: I have painted landscapes for many years. I really think of these spaces as descriptions of who we are as people by what we create and what surrounds us. Recently I started a project of painting portraits of people who have been in my mind over the years in the studio. I paint paintings, make paper collages, make sculpture/installations and animations. I see all my work as one whole. To me, the differences between two images or the differences in the way they are created is as much of the content as the image itself.

Tanaka by Brian Alfred

BS: How do you decide upon your next venture? Do you keep a journal-- sketchbook? Do ideas pop into your mind, so to speak? When you are running the errands of your daily life do you 'see' future pieces before you? In other words, is a walk down the street just a walk down the street... or do you gain new ideas with with each passing block? Give us some insight into how your mind works.

BA: I usually get ideas as I am working. I think all the things I see when I am traveling or out and about get stored in my mind and as I am working on things in the studio, they just seem to come out. I am definitely not one who sits and waits for the idea to come to me. I need to create and ideas come from working through things. I think my journal is my laptop. I make most of my drawings on it.

BS: Brian, can you go into further detail about the philosophy behind your work? I've read that you are influenced by the Utopian sensibilities of avant-garde early-Modernists like Wassily Kandinsky, is that so? Can you describe that connection?

BA: I really like to think of my work as being influenced by everything. My work could be about anything from the beauty of a tree to the chaos of an earthquake to utopic ideals to conspiracy theories to meteor showers to corporate life, etc, etc…It’s basically all about our world.

Double Rainbow by Brian Alfred

BS: What other artists or art movements have inspired you? Is it important for your work to have a connection to pivotal points in art history or are you more interested in the 'now', so to speak? In other words, is the study of past artists a crucial part of your research or do you feel that the experiences of present day are more vital to what you are conveying within context of your art?

BA: I have a love for history and art history and the impact that the past has had on our work today. That said, I agree that art has to be of one’s own time, and I hope that my work connects with our world today in an unconscious and meaningful way. As far as movements, I have affinities for Pop Art, Constructivism, Minimalism, Conceptual Art, Propaganda Art, but nothing comes close to the love I have for Ukiyo-e. There’s something about those images that connect with me that no other work does.

Larry Young by Brian Alfred

BS: Speaking of the future, I've read that you are preparing for a solo show titled 'Millions Now Living Will Never Die'. Can you tell us about your plans for the exhibit? Where will it be held? Will you be exhibiting new work?

BA: ‘Millions’ will open in January at Haunch of Venison Berlin. I have been working on the work for this show for almost three years. It’s the longest I have ever worked on one show. It will consist of 333 painted portraits of people who have been in my head in my studio over the years. There will also be 33 paper collage portraits, a group of animated portraits, an installation of ‘book portraits’ and a group of ‘protest paintings.’ It’s really about all these people who have an impact on you or who influence you and it never directly comes out in your work aesthetically. People tend to think the only people who must impact you as an artist are those who create work that looks very similar to your own. This project attempts to blow that out of the water.

A self-portrait by Brian Alfred

BS: Do you have any other exhibits planned for 2008? Can you give us details?

BA: I have a group show about landscape at the Shizuoka Museum of Art in Japan and a group show about mapping and cartography at the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati.

BS: Brian, do you have any advice for art students-- any survival tips?

BA: Work hard. My motto has always been work, work work. If your not 150% into what you are doing, there’s not much chance other people will be.

BS: Finally, is there anything else you would like to say about your art?

BA: I hope it makes you think.

You can learn more about Brian Alfred by visiting his website-- www.paintchanger.com. You can read more of my interviews by visiting the following page-- www.myartspace.com/interviews

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Amir Fallah

Artist and designer, Amir H. Fallah, lives and works in Los Angeles, California. At the age of sixteen, he founded Beautiful/Decay magazine, and has seen it evolve from a black & white xeroxed zine into an internationally distributed publication. As the Creative Director of Beautiful/Decay, Amir has molded the magazine into one of today's most well respected and reputable independent Publications.

Amir's aesthetic, knowledge and creative intuition is sought after internationally. His CV includes creating illustrations for numerous publications, speaking on panels at colleges and universities, and orchestrating and revitalizing entire brand identities and events.

After receiving a Bachelor Of Fine Arts from The Maryland Institute College of Art, Amir went on to complete his Masters Of Fine Art at UCLA in 2005. His past exhibits include shows at 4-F gallery, M.Y. Art Prospects, Laband Gallery,Cherrydelosreyes, Overtones gallery and the Scope Miami Art Fair. He is currently represented by the Third Line Gallery in Dubai, UAE.

Brian Sherwin: Amir, you are the founder of Beautiful/Decay magazine. Can you tell our readers how B/D came into being?

Amir Fallah: I started Beautiful/Decay with my best friend Jay when I was 16 years old .It was a small black and white zine that we made to pass time and to connect with other artists around the D.C. area. I stopped making the zine after a few issues and Jay and I went our separate ways to college. During my last year of college I restarted Beautiful/Decay as a full color magazine. After the first 2 issues I met my current business partners Ben Osher and Fubz. They both had a zine called Manifest in the Baltimore area. They first came on to help with advertising and marketing. After a few more issues I made them my partners and we have been running the magazine together ever since. The three of us oversee all the various aspects of the business.

BS: What was your original intention for B/D-- how has the publication matured since those early years?

AF: In the beginning it was just something for fun. Now it’s a real business with employees, bills, offices on both coasts and an international following. The magazine has matured in every aspect. It’s come a long way from being a black and white zine made on a copy machine. It’s been a rewarding process as I’ve learned a lifetimes worth of lessons from the various achievements and the occasional mistakes that we’ve made.

BS: B/D is one of the most well-respected independent publications. B/D has been involved with several events-- for example, last year B/D worked with Scope New York. Can you tell us about that association?

AF: We’re always looking for collaborative opportunities with new companies and artists. The event with Scope progressed very naturally. We had distributed magazines at their various fairs in the past and somewhere along the way we discussed doing an event together. Since we have an office in NYC and hold parties regularly in the city it was easy for us to come in and work with them on the official scope opening.

We have a whole list of upcoming events coming up for the rest of 2007 and all of 2008. We will be working with a wide range of partners to produce more in-depth events such as our Vis/Ed screening which will take place on November 20th at the Anthology Film Archives in NYC. For Vis/Ed we have invited Brand New School, The Happy Corp and Coolhunting.com to screen and discuss inspiring videos, films, and animations from their personal collection. We hope to expand Vis/Ed into a traveling screening that will be showing in various venues nationally.

BS: Can you explain a little bit about the creative forum, Vis/Ed, you're producing on Nov. 20th? How did it come about? Why did you select the three creative companies you did?

AF: In the last several years videos have become such a large staple in the creative community as video friendly computers and sites like youtube.com have become popular. Vis/Ed came about as a reaction to the popularity of video. You no longer needed millions of dollars and a huge staff to produce quality videos. You could produce, create, and distribute video now with a click of a button on your Mac. Coolhunting.com, Brand New School, and The Happy Corp are three companies that I’ve always admired. They all have amazing reputations in the creative community and have been working with moving images in a variety of ways. Vis/Ed is a unique opportunity to not only watch and discuss the work that they have made but also work by other artists and designers that they admire.

Example of B/D Apparel

BS: Your Fall Apparel Line will be hitting stores soon- what can we expect? What are some of your favorite pieces from the new collection?

AF: Our fall line of apparel is amazing. I’m very proud of how the apparel is shaping up. We started the Apparel division of B/D with only 4 shirts and within a year it has grown into a 40+ piece collection. My favorite pieces would have to be our exclusive Aya Kato line. We’ve been big fans of her work for ages and its great to put out the line with her.

BS: Amir, you participated in a panel discussion entitled "UNBOUND: How L.A.'s Art Magazines are Changing the Face of Popular Culture"-- In your opinion, how are publications like B/D influencing popular culture?

AF: Independent art and culture magazines are powerful in that they document and publicize a wide array of artists and designers without the restrictions and politics that most mainstream magazines run into. We don’t have to answer to a publisher so we can print what we want when we want. This gives us the freedom to put unknown artists on our cover and to give emerging talent a break that they wouldn’t get in larger, corporate publications.

Works 2, acrylic, ink, watercolor, pencil on paper mounted to canvas, 24 x 30 in., 2007

BS: Amir, you are an artist as well. Your work was displayed at The Third Line Gallery in Dubai for the first ever Gulf Art Fair. Can you tell our readers about that experience? What can you tell us about the Gulf Art Fair?

AF: I’ve been to Dubai twice now and it has always been a pleasure. It really is an amazing place with not just a rapidly growing economy but also a burgeoning art scene. I’m lucky in that The Third Line is one of the best galleries in the region and has been extremely supportive of my work. I didn’t get to attend the Gulf Art Fair last year. The Third Line took my work to it. However this year I will be flying out for the fair to build a site specific installation.

BS: Amir, can you tell our readers about your youth? I've read that you started out as a graffiti artist, is that so? Can you recall any youthful experiences that continue to drive you in the direction you are going today-- with the publication and your art?

AF: I was never interested in art until I began doing graffiti. I did tons of graffiti for over 12 years. Some of the best memories and experiences iv’e had have been a direct result of painting graffiti. Graffiti taught me to create for myself first. I was never thinking about galleries or an audience when I was painting. I was doing it for the pure joy of making something. I’ve carried this mentality over to my artwork as well as b/d. Its like the cheesy saying " you can’t love anyone until you love yourself. " I’d like to think that others won’t love your magazine if you don’t love it yourself.

Kissing the Suns, acrylic, ink, pencil, color pencil on paper mounted to canvas, 24 x 30 in., 2007

BS: With that said, can you tell us about your artistic practice? For example, your paintings and drawings-- can you tell us about the process that goes into creating them?

AF: I have 2 modes of practice when I make art. The first mode is research and development. I read a lot, conduct surveys and interviews, and make preparatory plans before each body of work. Once I feel comfortable about the content I’m dealing with I put the research aside and start to make things. I try not to over think the work too much. You can do all the research you’d like but once you start making art it usually takes on its own life. I let all the research filter through me to make the work. Most of the time the end result is good but every once in a while I’ll end up having to scrap a piece and start over.

Venice Beach- Gender Neutral, acrylic, ink, pencil, color pencil on paper mounted to canvas, 36 x 48 in., 2007

BS: You often use images of forts in your work-- can you tell us about the symbology behind the use of those structures? What other forms of symbolism do you utilize within the context of your art?

AF: When I was a kid I used to love to build forts and tree houses. They were places to get away and play pretend. I would hang out in them for hours and goof off, day dream of girls that I’ve had crushes on and look at the occasional nudie magazine. In a weird way the forts were like a gallery or performance space where anything and everything could happen. I’ve also started to paint my cacti collection into the paintings. The cacti function as placeholders for people in the work. Sometimes they are in the shelter of the forts and sometimes they are painted alone in a deserted landscape to fend for themselves.

(The Greater Velocity) The Greater Risk of Hurt, acrylic, ink, pencil on paper mounted to canvas, 36 x 48 in., 2007

BS: Amir, where else do you draw inspiration from?-- what artists or art movements have influenced you?

AF: I’m inspired by many artists across many genres. I collect books on many of the artists that I’m currently interested in. I just picked up the catalog for the Matthew Monahan show at the MOCA here in LA and the last Lari Pittman show at Regen projects was amazing! He continually blows me away with his work. It’s completely seamless.

BS: Finally, is it difficult finding balance between the work you do for B/D and the passion you have for your art? Or would you say that they feed off of each other? Has the work you've done with B/D made you a better artist, so to speak?

AF: It’s not easy juggling my art with the magazine but I can’t see doing one without the other. I’ve had to come up with creative scheduling so that I can give both areas equal time. Running the magazine also gives me access to artists that I admire. Over the years I’ve had the chance to interview and meet some of my favorites. This probably wouldn’t be possible if the magazine wasn’t around.

You can learn more about Amir Fallah and his art by visiting his website--
www.hybridheart.com. You can learn more about Beautiful/Decay magazine by visiting B/D's official website-- www.beautifuldecay.com. You can read more of my interviews by visiting the following page-- www.myartspace.com/interviews.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Opinions: David Lee on Current Art Movements

David Lee is a British art critic who was once the editor of Art Review magazine. He is now the publisher and editor of The Jackdaw-- an art magazine that is satirical, opinionated and often vitriolic. www.thejackdaw.co.uk

Brian Sherwin: David, with the advent of the Internet contemporary art movements have increased in number. For example, the art movement Stuckism, founded by Charles Thomson and Billy Childish, has splinter groups around the globe-- the movement is represented in over 40 countries. In Japan the Superflat art movement, founded by the artist Takashi Murakami, has influenced a generation of young artists. In Ireland the Defastenist art movement continues to expand both in artistic and political ideology. These groups continue to reach out to new members on networking sites like myspace.com and facebook.com. There is no doubt that their numbers will grow.

What is your opinion about art movements that are fueled by the Internet? Should we question the validity of these movements-- is it harmful for artists to become involved with movements in this manner? Can they be successful? What is your opinion in regards to this issue?

David Lee: Brian, I have no knowledge of most of these 'movements' and no desire to see them. I go to see works only that interest me, and that rarely. Life is too short for the rest of it. 99.99% of what I've seen in the last 25 years is shite. And even among the small number of things I think I might want to see a large proportion is rubbish.

In October I saw the Turner Prize in Liverpool. With the exception of Mike Nelson the work on show was indistinguishable from that of students piss-poor ones. At the Yorkshire Sculpture Park I saw 'Sheep Drawings' by Andy Goldsworthy that would have shamed a children's workshop... I have interest only in individual works seen face to face. Movements are for amateurs who need camaraderie and mutual support for the crap work they produce I mean just look at the paintings produced by the Stuckists!

Self-styled movements are in the end bound to be restrictive precisely because they are prescriptive. Vantongerloo, van Doesburg and Mondrian are interesting individuals way before they are interesting De Stijl-ists or Constructivists. As far as recent movements are concerned I look forward to the day when someone writes a polemic about Modern Art entitled 'From Impressionism to Opportunism'.


Stuckism www.stuckism.com
Superflat www.kaikaikiki.co.jp
Defastenism www.defastenism.4t.com

Art Space Talk: Patricia Hagen

Patricia Hagen's mixed media paintings begin with images abstracted from natural forms such as cells, bacteria, viruses, seed pods, and plants. These images are starting points for her language of forms. These forms are abstracted and put together into "systems" which seem sometimes to be on a microscopic level, other times on a bodily level, and yet other times on a galactic level.

Patricia is interested in apparent contradictions in life. Her pictures pit clarity versus obscurity, familiarity versus strangeness, repulsion versus attraction, humor versus tragedy. These opposing forces represent for her the essence of being human; we are heroic and we are degenerate. Patricia's aim is to marry beauty and deformity, pleasure and fear. These pictures embrace the intrinsic beauty found in the natural world. They also address the fears and anxieties that pervade our time.

Brian Sherwin: Patricia, tell us about your educational background. Do you have formal training in art? If so, who were your instructors and how did they influence you?

Patricia Hagen: I have a BFA from Miami University in Oxford Ohio, and a MFA from California College of the Arts in San Francisco. At Miami, I worked mostly with a wonderful professor by the name of Crossan Curry. He taught us to take our work seriously and to think about what we were doing and why. I worked with several different people at California College of the Arts. Interestingly, not many painters. I worked with the photographer Larry Sultan who turned me on to Roland Barthes and the sculptor, Dennis Leon who taught me about the importance of scale in my paintings.

Array- oil on acrylic on canvas, 60" x 48", 2007

BS: Patricia, tell us about your early artistic influences and experiences. When did you decide to pursue art?

PH: I have the distinct memory of going to a Saturday art class when I was very young, maybe four or five and leaving the first session incredibly excited . I was totally engaged and knew I had found something that was important to me.

BS: With that said, how would you say that your work has advanced since that time?

PH: My work has gone through countless stages since that time. I did allot of representational work, mostly people and landscapes when I was in junior high and high school. In undergraduate school, things became more abstract and have continued to do so ever since.

Adrift- oil on acrylic on canvas, 60" x 48", 2007

BS: Patricia, can you go into detail about your artistic process? How do you begin a piece? When do you know that a piece is finished?

PH: I work in series and will do many pieces using the same set of forms. I have been working for about six years now with forms that were inspired by electron-microscope photos of cancer cells, AIDS viruses, different bacteria , and other natural forms. The forms become abstracted and evolve into what becomes my visual language. I try to be very open when beginning a painting. I start working and then react to what I have done. It is a pretty intuitive process for me. I know that a piece is finished when it has a life or presence.

Rabble- oil on acrylic on canvas, 48" x 60", 2007

BS: Patricia, how does current world events influence your work? In other words, how does contemporary life impact your creative practice?

PH: I am always doing Google image searches for different items that are in the news:the Aids virus, anthrax, avian flu,influenza, different types of cancer cells, etc. These images then work their way into new paintings.

BS: Patricia, tell us more about the philosophy behind your art. What motivates you to create?

PH: I would love to say that I feel a need to make the world a better place through my art, but truthfully, it is more like I am addicted to the high of creating something that is new to me or that surprises me.

BS: Why did you choose to work in the medium(s) that you utilize? Also, can you tell us about your studio routine? Do you work in silence-- listen to music..

PH: I love the challenge of making something two dimensional come to life and have a real presence. I also do sculpture sometimes, but drawing and painting are somehow more satisfying to me. I usually listen to music when I am in the studio. I like to listen to sort of dark and quirky music like Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Firewater ,Kings of Leon, and Devotchka.

Brink- oil on acrylic on canvas, 60" x 48", 2007

BS: Patricia, what are you working on at this time?

PH: I am doing a group of watercolors on heavy (300 lb.) Arches watercolor paper using the forms I discussed earlier.

BS: Are you involved with any upcoming exhibits? Where can our readers view your work?

PH: I just had a solo show at Punch Gallery here in Seattle. My work can be seen in the 2007 Pacific Coast Edition of" New American Painting "which was curated by Alma Ruiz of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and will be in the books stores December 1st.

BS: In your opinion, what are some of the problems facing artists today?

PH: Same as it ever was: making a living while remaining true to your work.


BS: The Internet is changing how we discover and view art. In your opinion, how have sites like myartspace.com empowered artists?

PH: On the Internet, I have found other artists working with similar ideas as mine, working with those ideas in different ways and that is re-affirming and exciting for me as an artist. I also use the Internet to scout out galleries that might be appropriate for my work.

BS: Finally, what are your goals as an artist? What do you hope to accomplish with your work?

PH: I have the same desires as many people to be successful in my profession, but it always comes back to the work. I mostly want the work to continue to improve and become more clear in intention. It is a continual process.

You can learn more about Patricia Hagen by visiting her website-- www.plhagen-art.com. You can read more of my interviews by visiting the following page-- www.myartspace.com/interviews

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Art Space Talk: Anne Wilson

Anne Wilson is a Chicago based visual artist who creates sculpture, drawings, Internet projects, and DVD stop motion animations that explore themes of time, loss, private and social rituals. She uses found materials (table linen, bed sheets, human hair, lace, thread, and wire) that are familiar and rich with cultural meanings. Wilson's work is represented by Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago and Paul Kotula Projects, Detroit. She is a Professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Topologies-- Anne Wilson

Brian Sherwin: Anne, tell us about your educational background. Who were your instructors?

Anne Wilson: BFA, Cranbrook Academy of Art; MFA, California College of the Arts. Gerhardt Knodel was an amazing teacher and mentor at Cranbrook; Bella Feldman and Ruth Boyer at CCA.

BS: Tell us about your early artistic influences and experiences. When did you decide to pursue art?

AW: At 15, I began to be challenged and radicalized in many ways after leaving my childhood home in Detroit to attend a Quaker boarding school, George School, in Pennsylvania. I was deeply moved by my training in passive resistance techniques and their philosophical basis: Gandhi's teachings on non-violent politics. Especially moving to me was his exhortation to all Indians to practice spinning -- for social, political, economic and spiritual reasons. That struck me as profoundly important, as did Betty Friedan's book The Feminine Mystique. As well, at this same time, I worked with an ambitious painter/teacher, Robert Dodge, who encouraged me as an artist.

Chronicle-- Anne Wilson

BS: Anne, Why did you choose to work in the medium(s) that you use? Can you discuss the inspiration that set you on the path that you have been exploring with your work?

AW: In Berkeley in the 70's I developed, with my colleagues, a warrior-like spirit about the relevance of fiber and textile processes in art making alongside more conventional fine art materials and techniques. An accomplished weaver for my own art, I taught weaving privately to support myself and curated museum exhibitions of historic textiles. Inspired by contemporary art discourse, feminism, multi-culturalism, the art fabric movement, and Arte Povera, I participated with commitment to expand boundaries of process and materiality in art.

Topologies-- Anne Wilson

BS: Anne, can you go into detail about the artistic process behind your work? Perhaps you could discuss the materials that you have utilized and the meaning behind it?

AW: One period comes to mind: Grieving my father's death (beginning in 1995), along with the loss of friends with AIDS, was a deeply wrenching, lengthy process for me. I spent much of that time alone in my studio, often overwhelmed by feelings of sadness and loss. Eventually, I was able to make some of my most deeply felt and poignant work that used worn family linens that represented security, stability, propriety and formality -- stitched through with human hair that represented the visceral, the unkempt, the disruptive, the deadly. In this work I expressed the inevitability of losing what one loves.

I think of much of my art of the past 15 years as a kind of conjunction between visual art concepts and material culture where the histories embedded in materials and the way things are made are critical to the content of the work.

The ongoing installation, Topologies, first presented at the 2002 Whitney Biennial, was a breakthrough for me. I was able to continue using found textile materials, in a complex and layered manner. The work is organized conceptually in three ways: 1) as a kind of living, growing biological system; 2) like an architectonic of seemingly unending urban sprawl; and 3), as a complex networked system represented visually. Rebuilt at each new exhibition site, Topologies is a "materialized drawing" that evolves and changes each time it is created.

Portable City-- Anne Wilson

BS: Anne, can you tell us about what you are working on at this time? Any new projects? If so, can you tell us about the philosophy behind this new work. What motivates you to create it?

AW: A new project called Portable City is related to Topologies in that it is also a horizontal topography -- at once sculpture, textile, and a materialized drawing. With destruction surrounding us, this work is a meditation on building, and rebuilding, and building again.

Portable City proposes liaisons between textiles and the built environment. Comprised of a horizontal field of 48 mobile platforms, each platform holds a structure of thread or wire filament constructed of knit, crochet, or lines under tension, suspension, compression, or collapse. Elements of ancient handwork participate in new thinking about the viability of lightweight mesh structures to create temporary and portable architectures.

A city is imagined as tensile networks, deflated domes, skeletal igloos, flattened tents, elevated canopies, schematic cooling towers, linear pathways, rubble from collapse, stacks and parts to rebuild. Portable City is not a utopian projection; the overall field suggests a macrocosm of detailed worlds of connections where ideas and implications may emerge of both usefulness (possibilities of useful application) as well as complete disjunction.

BS: Can you go into detail about your studio routine? Do you work in silence-- listen to music.

AW: Music/sound is very important to my studio process, both as inspiration and pacing while making work, and as part of the work itself. I have been collaborating with Shawn Decker, Chicago sound artist and composer, on several projects. Our newest collaboration is called Notations. We are thinking about the relationships that exist between the pacing and rhythms of textile hand processing and sound.

Errant Behaviors-- Anne Wilson

BS: Anne, do you have any upcoming exhibits? Where can our readers view your work?

AW: I am in a 7-artist exhibition opening at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London November 13, 2007, and a solo show at the Rhona Hoffman Gallery in Chicago opening January 25, 2008. This web site has information about recent projects: www.annewilsonartist.com

BS: Anne, the Internet is changing how we discover and view art. In your opinion, how have sites like myartspace.com empowered artists?

AW: The opportunities for timely open communication and exchange are fabulous!

You can learn more about Anne Wilson by visiting her website-- www.annewilsonartist.com. You can read more of my interview by visiting the following page-- www.myartspace.com/interviews

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin