Presenting and Teaching at the 7th International Encaustic Conference

Each summer for the past 6 years I have been revved up about this time, because I'm getting ready to attend the Encaustic Conference, which is planned and presented by Joanne Mattera and Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill. This marks the 7th conference I will attend, and my 5th conference as a presenter.

This is such an energized and well organized professional event for artists. Each year I learn more, network, make new friendships, see work by artist professionals I admire, and well, just have a terrific time.

During this conference, I will be presenting a demonstration on Friday, May 31: Comparison of Tools for Fusing. This will be part of the conference at the Provincetown Inn. After the conference, I am teaching a day long workshop at Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill; also about Comparison of Tools for Fusing. This is a great opportunity to come and investigate hot tools, from heat guns to torches to irons. You can still register for the conference and/or my post conference workshop. So take a look at the conference website.


http://www.castlehill.org/

My First Museum Acquisition...

I'm very pleased to announce that 

the New Britain Museum of Art 

has acquired my painting

Timbre No. 5 (below)

Timbre No.5
36" x 36"
encaustic and oil stick on braced panel

Reflections and Plans for My Blog

It's almost April, 2013 and I'm one quarter into my fourth year of producing this blog. A heeeuge thank you to all my viewers, readers, subscribers, and interviewees. 

In 2010 I began this blog with a couple of intentions. I didn't want to start a blog and post randomly. I wanted consistency in posting, and I've achieved that. My first intent was to use the blog as a vehicle to promote my work as an artist, my news, my ideas. The second intent was to post brief interviews with other artists whose work and ideas interest me. In both cases, the plan was to share information, create dialogue, and promote artwork. 

Truth is, this blog posting does not come naturally or spontaneously for me. But the dialog and positive energy from readership have proven most rewarding. I've interviewed over 80 artists and learned through each interview. I plan to continue the interviews, but will decrease the frequency. 

In 2013 I hope to touch base with some artists who have been interviewed and see how their work is evolving. If you are an artist who has been interviewed and would like to reconnect for a follow up interview, please let me know.

Moving forward: in 2013 I will post more news about myself, my intentions, my work and news. This part is much more difficult for me, on a few levels. All the more reason to commit and keep moving! So I'll begin with part one of an interview with myself. (stay tuned)

Elena De La Ville: Sarasota

Artist De La Ville with Totems

Please share a little about yourself. Where did you grow up and what were any early influences on your work? Where do you live now?

I was born in Caracas, Venezuela. Caracas, where I grew up as a child, was a city known for it’s public art, artists, and museums. That experience has stayed with me my whole life and inspired my appreciation of art. My heroes then were Calder, Gego, Vasarely and Matisse. Later on it was Rothko, Agnes Martin, Klee, Helen Frankenthaler and Anselm Kiefer. My colleagues also inspire me.

I started traveling from very early on, came to the states (Oklahoma) in my teens, left for London in the early 70’s to study at Chelsea School of Art and Design. I traveled all through Europe at that time and in the early 80’s came to Boston on a full scholarship to study photography. After graduation, I worked as a color printer at Spectrum Color Labs on Summer St. in Boston and then became a photographer for the Secretary of State in Massachusetts. That was about the time when I decided that if I was going to make it as an artist I needed to dedicate myself full-time to that. So I moved to Martha’s Vineyard and made my mark. After 10 or so years, I felt the need for the warmth and color of the tropics and traveled south not knowing where I was going to end. That ended up being Sarasota.

Zebra Butterflies close up

Butterfly Installation
Provincetown Inn (Int'l Encaustic Conference)

Did you receive any formal art training? If yes, where and what did you major in?

I have studied with many teachers and artists that have inspired me since I was young; I formally studied Textile Design in London in the 70’s and photography at the Art Institute in Boston in the 80’s.

Bee Habitat

What is your current work about?

As a photographer and painter, I am always looking for ways to add dimension to my work, I photograph nudes, earth, and rusted steel. I combine them by using layers of wax, paint, printed images and other alternative processes. Central to my work is the concern of how the human body merges its inner essence to the physical world around us. We are interconnected in a way that we cannot totally explain but that guides us. In the Torso series I deal with the change and transformation that occur in our bodies as we age.

Torso Trees, 16 x 16

I have also been more and more interested in installations, I produced a small one: Bee Habitat, several years ago that was juried into the Kobalt Gallery show in Provincetown, and that has gone through several transformations since then. It is currently showing at the Clothesline Gallery in Sarasota, it has expanded in size and components and now occupies a bigger space. I produced a whole room installation at the 6th International Encaustic Conference I added epiphytes and spanish moss, while swamp sounds filled the room.

Torso II, 22 x 22"

I am currently working on a proposal with a choreographer and dancer for an
installation/performance for the Ringling Museum of Art. This will involve dance, movement, sound and light.

From Within

For the last months, I have been experimenting with old cyanotype techniques and incorporating large negatives with wax, indigo and rust. Not yet ready for showing.

(click on photo to enlarge)

The office area of De La Ville's studio

De La Ville in her workspace

What is your workspace like?

I live and work in an old carriage house by the bay in Sarasota, FL, I have a small gallery and a darkroom in the bottom floor, with living space in the bottom floor, with living space and painting studio on the second floor. I get to see the shimmering water through out the day, and luscious tropical shrubbery all around; it is a comfortable space where I spend most of my time, when I am not teaching. I live only a few blocks away from Ringling College.

Torso Feathers 24 x 24"

Are you involved with any arts groups or communities? If yes, what do you gain from that affiliation and what do you contribute to it?

I have been part of the Ringling College community for the past 15 years. It has provided me with a stimulating atmosphere, with training, equipment and the ability to hear talks and meet interesting and by well-known visiting artists. I am also part of the exhibition committee at the Art Center Sarasota where we just finishing the planning of shows for the 2014 season.

I am part of a wonderful and supportive group of artists that I have met through the International Encaustic Conference, I have attended almost every single conference, I was part of the Saturday panel in 2010 and I look forward to this every year. I will be giving a talk on: Preparing Your Images with Photoshop on Sat June 1st at 3 pm and will also be teaching a Post Conference workshop at Castle Hill on June 4th, on Photo Encaustic, 10 to 4 pm.

Do you have other jobs other than making art? If so, please give us some details.

I work in my studio, and I teach. I have been a self-supporting artist for some 30 years. I could not do it any other way.

Thank you, Elena! You can view more of her work here: http://www.edelaville.com/
and read her blog here: http://elenadelaville.blogspot.com/

Christine Kyle: Lexington, Massachusetts

Maybe 1
I've been miniaturized to fit 
"in" a 24" x 14" x 2.5" inches
encaustic on Baltic Birch plywood piece 

Please share a little about yourself. Where did you grow up and what (if any) were any early influences on your work? Where do you live now?

I grew up moving around in the New England area, now live in Lexington, and am moving to Cambridge, MA. As a child, art and craft supplies were readily available outside and at home. We never had coloring books because my mother didn’t like the idea of coloring inside someone else’s lines. We always made our own Halloween costumes and were encouraged to play with found props. My elementary school best friend’s mother was an artist and I still have an oil painting I did at their house when I was ten. I went to a Waldorf School my last 2 years of high school where art classes were plentiful and creativity revered. I didn’t feel especially talented but enjoyed drawing, painting, weaving and pottery.

Maybe 3
Encaustic Baltic Birch plywood 14" x 24" x 2.5"

Did you receive any formal art training? If yes where and what did you major in?

I wanted to major in Studio Art in college but felt it was impractical so I majored in Sociology (practical?).  I took as many art classes as a non-major could take then decided to double major, adding Art. After about 10 years in the world of work, I went back to school for 2 years to study graphic design. I’ve taken too many workshops and classes in art to list here. At the ripe age of 54 I finished an MFA at The Art Institute of Boston. It wasn’t until then that I called myself an artist although I’ve been an artist my whole life.

Shell Grid

Encaustic and egg shells on ceramic

What is your current work about?

I am fascinated by the way we make order. We recently moved (and are moving again!) and I feel it is a huge piece of performance art, figuring out what should be given away and what should go in what box. We all strive for consistency in order to gain an understanding of what is around us. We make up taxonomies, patterns and judgments to feel in control and safe. I don’t believe in complete understanding or control or truth, only the seeking and trying to trust in doubt.

Kyle's studio in Waltham, Mass.

What is your workspace like?

For about 8 years, I had a great, little studio in the back yard of our home in Lexington, MA. I’m just getting settled into a studio in Waltham, MA. It was the storage room for my husband’s woodworking shop. The room has been cleared, lighting, ventilation and heat have been installed and I’ve made some order of my things. I’m working on a couple of large pieces that I set up before moving. I had laid down layers of wax, darker to lighter. Now I’m scraping wax, the deeper I scrape, the darker the value. I’m looking forward to settling in there. Right now, I’m performing in our basement and around the house in Lexington in anticipation of hauling our stuff to our new home in Cambridge.

Waves
Encaustic, egg shells and Velum
 on Baltic Birch plywood 30" x 23" x 3"

Are you involved with any arts groups or communities? If yes, what do you gain from that affiliation and what do you contribute to it? How do you develop a sense of community with other artists, and how do you support your art colleagues?

I have a few different art communities and some friends who are artists. I’m a member of the Cambridge Art Association, MassWax, the Art Institute of Boston alumni, Lexington Council for the Arts and have attended many International Encaustic conferences. I have met with other artists for critiques but would love to be part of a cohesive but diverse art crit group that meets regularly.

Rectangular Bang (2 views)

Encaustic and egg shells on ceramic 8" x 13.25" x 2"

Do you have other jobs other than making art? 
If so, please give us some details.

I have many loose ends to gather as my other job. I’m a mother, a wife, a citizen and fellow human. I pay bills, do the errands, provide healthy meals, keep order in the house, volunteer and live a rich and diverse life. Much of this feeds my art.

Weeny Creation

Encaustic and egg shells on ceramic 4" x 5.5" x 2.5"

You can see more of Christine's work on her website: www.christinekyle.com

Thank you, Christine!

Jane Guthridge: Denver

LYNETTE HAGGARD'S ARTIST INTERVIEW SERIES 

Artist Jane Guthridge

Please share a little about yourself. Where did you grow up and what (if any) were any early influences on your work? Where do you live now?

I was born outside NYC, but moved to the Midwest when I was five years old. I grew up in Rockford, Illinois. My parents bought an old resort on a lake in Northern Wisconsin with three other couples when I was in grade school. My mother was a teacher, so after school was out we would spend our summers there. The “dads” would come up on weekends. It was idyllic. Between the families there were twelve kids. We spent our summers, swimming, boating, water skiing, making forts and exploring the woods. It rains a lot in Wisconsin, so we also spent a lot of time creating art and crafts. We collected objects, and painted and repurposed them to create our own worlds. Spending so much time in the outdoors had a tremendous influence on me. My work is inspired by the natural world.  I live in Colorado now. The abundance of natural beauty, the incredibly vast skies and the light are what brought me here and inspire me to this day.

Translucence show
Space Gallery, Denver 2012
Standing work (back): Changing Light
14” x 14” image size
Duralar, encaustic on asian paper

Did you receive any formal art training?

I graduated with a degree in Fine and Professional Arts with a major in Graphic Design from Kent State University. My first years I studied the basics of a Fine Arts degree, drawing, painting, visual organization, color theory, art history, etc. The last years I concentrated on Graphic Design, which included typography, photography, illustration, design and layout. I’ve always had a love of type, the grace of a curve, the beauty in shapes. After graduation I studied with my design idols Armin Hoffman and Paul Rand in Switzerland. From them I learned not just about design, but also how to approach and think about my work in general. These practices still resonate with me still today.

The Space Between
6” 19” x 19” image size, archival pigment print and encaustic on
translucent asian papers

Light Triptych

36"h x 12”w image size each panel,

archival pigment print and encaustic 

on translucent asian papers

Translucence show

Space Gallery, Denver 2012

Standing work (front):“Changing Light” 

14” x 14” image size, Duralar, encaustic on asian paper

The Space Between

13” 19” x 36” image size, 

archival pigment print and encaustic 

on translucent asian papers

What is your current work about?

My work is inspired by the natural world—the rich colors of the land, the play of light on water and the varied plant life that surrounds us. It is about taking the time to slow down, to look closely and reflect on the world around us. It is about seeing the beauty in simple things that may be overlooked, the elegance in shadows, the allure of the spaces in between objects.  My current work explores light. I am moved by its transcendent qualities—its ability to conceal and reveal, its rhythms, patterns and ever-changing nature.

What is your workspace like?

My studio is near downtown Denver in what was a hotel 100 years ago. I like the bit of character from its former life. I have two rooms, one in which I paint and make prints, and the other where I cut, compose, frame and store my work. I work mainly in encaustic monotypes so I have a 40” x 60” heated table where I create my prints. I have a wall painted with “Magically Magnetic” paint where I attach paper works with magnets allowing me to study and photograph my work. I find that as my ideas expand, the space seems to contract. It is not a large space, but I make it work.

How do you develop a sense of community with other artists? Are you involved in any arts groups or communities? What do you gain from this and what do you contribute?

I have many friends in Denver who are artists. We talk frequently, go to art openings, civic events and career development seminars. I have made an effort in recent years to become more involved. I curated a show last year that led to other opportunities for many of the exhibiting artists.

Dancing Light 
24” 19” x 19” image size, archival pigment print and encaustic
on translucent asian papers

Attending the International Encaustic Conference and presenting at the Conference last year allowed me to meet and become friends with many wonderful artists from around the world. I find it a warm and welcoming community. We help each other by passing on information, opportunities and encouragement. Being a part of a community of artists makes my life infinitely richer. I am constantly inspired by the artists I meet. Their incredible work, their ability to articulate their thoughts, and their outstanding achievements push me to work harder. I hope that I can return the favor.

A Haiku Moment
a show I curated at the Canyon Gallery,
Boulder Public Library—where work that embodied
the simplicity and empathy of haiku
was paired haiku poems

Do you have other jobs, other than making art?
I have owned and worked at my graphic design company Jane Guthridge Design for more than 25 years.

Thank-you, Jane!
You can see more of her work on her website:
www.janeguthridge.com

A Great Beginning to a New Year! 2013—Here I come...

I'm pleased to announce that I have been

invited to be in Wax is Hot at Amy Simon Fine Art 

Happy New Year!

Tracy Spadafora: Westborough, Mass.

 LYNETTE HAGGARD'S ARTIST INTERVIEW SERIES 

Tracy Spadafora

1. Please share a little about yourself. Where did you grow up and what (if any) were any early influences on your work? Where do you live now?

I grew up in Windsor, Connecticut, near Hartford. A quiet child, I use to escape the noise and commotion of my large family by going to my room to draw.  I was a visual learner, loved art, and I was fortunate to be encouraged by my family and teachers from an early age.  We didn’t have any artists in our family but my mother has always been a creative person with many artistic talents, such as sewing and cooking.  I always remember her doing some craft project at home, making gifts for someone, or for a church fundraiser, and I was always eager to join in.  My mother inspired us to use our imagination and be creative.

My brothers and sisters and I always had the best school projects and homemade Halloween costumes!  My parents, like their Italian parents, were also avid gardeners.  My father had a huge vegetable garden that fed our entire family of eight throughout the year.  I didn’t appreciate this when I was young and had to help plant the beans, weed the flowerbeds, or pick the tomatoes, but this experience helped to inspire a life long love of nature and the environment, which is reflected in the current themes in my artwork.  I currently live in Westborough, Mass., in Worcester county, about 45 minutes outside of Boston.

Vestige (Part 5), 2012

encaustic & mixed media on braced wood boxes

15 x 24 x 3 inches

2. Did you receive any formal art training? If yes where and what did you major in?

I focused in art from grade school to high school and won several prizes and awards along the way. There was no question I would study art in college.
I chose Boston University because it had a more traditional art school with a strong foundations program, as well as a variety of liberal arts courses.  I was also fortunate enough to receive a generous scholarship.

As a painting major at BU, I took 12 hours of drawing classes a week for four years.  We were also required to take a painting techniques class, which covered traditional techniques as fresco, egg tempera, and encaustic.  It was in 1987 that I had my first basic introduction to the encaustic technique from David Aronson, student of Karl Zerbe, who started the art school at Boston University and headed the painting department at the time. I remember mixing dry pigment into beeswax directly onto a hot plate. There was no resin, no ventilation, no heat guns, no irons and none of the mixed-media techniques that are commonly used today. My first brief experiment with encaustic was incredibly cumbersome and not very successful!

I graduated from Boston University in 1989 with a BFA in painting and a minor in art history. I waited tables for years while doing freelance photography and graphic design. After four years working various jobs in the field, I decided that commercial art would not be the best career choice for me, so I decided to go back to school for an MFA in painting, mainly to get the credentials to teach on a college level. I went to the State University of New York at New Paltz partly because of its beautiful setting in the Hudson Valley and its close access to NYC.

I had the opportunity to work with some wonderful faculty at SUNY New Paltz, who challenged me to develop the themes in my work, and to be a critical thinker about art. While in graduate school I visited R&F Handmade Paints, which was near the college. I met Richard Frumess, who offered me a job as paint maker. I started to play with encaustic paint and converted to “encausticism” soon there after! Working for R&F ended up being just as much of an education to me as graduate school. In addition to being a paint maker, I was involved in setting up the very first encaustic workshops at R&F back in 1996. Although I moved back to Boston in 1997 and started teaching encaustic on my own, I came back to teach workshops at R&F for several years. Richard and my former R&F colleagues remain friends and continue to offer their generosity and support to this day.

Vestige (Part 4), 2012
encaustic, transfer, collage
on braced wood boxes
14 x 10 x 3 inches

3. What is your current work about? 

I have worked with themes exploring the relationship of man and nature for at least 15 years.  In my “Persistence of Nature” series, I incorporated schematic maps of the “big dig” artery project in Boston as a base on which to layer organic imagery. The interaction of the plants, flowers, and trees with the underlying man-made environments was my playful way to address the issue of urban sprawl. As I worked on these paintings for a period of 10 years other environmental concerns became reflected in my work in the themes of natural disasters and man-made hazards.  It is with these topics in mind that I started my current body of work, the “DNA” series.

In this series I specifically address issues of concern — among them, global warming and genetic food modification. These paintings and box constructions start with DNA sequences as a base. The sequences are intriguing to me because they provide both visual patterning and symbolic reference. The sequences of letters represent one universal meaning, the building blocks of life, yet each DNA string is completely unique and mysterious. Although I often use specific DNA codes that have a relationship to the images I layer on top, the significance is not in the actual codes themselves. The paintings are built on visual and symbolic associations and the layering and preserving of these images in wax helps to address a complex and shifting relationship between man, his biological roots, and the shaping of our natural environment.

Vestige (Part 2), 2012
encaustic, transfer, collage
on braced wood boxes,
14 x 10 x 3 inches

4. What is your workspace like? 

After 13 years working in a factory studio space at Vernon Street Studios in Somerville, Mass., I moved my studio to Westborough about six months ago to be closer to home. I now commute a mile to my studio instead of an hour!  I share a three-room office suite (turned into a studio space) with Out of Line Studio for Art & Design, an open-studio art center, where I currently teach encaustic workshops and youth art classes. Teaching art classes in town has been a great way for me to generate more work for myself, be involved in my local community, and spend more time with my six year old daughter, Sophia, who loves art and takes my classes.

The Game (Part 2), 2012
encaustic, collage, transfer, oil 
on braced wood panel, 
48 x 42 inches

5.  Are you involved with any arts groups or communities? If yes, what do you gain from that affiliation and what do you contribute to it?

I am part of the Luminous Landscape group, an encaustic group with members throughout the US, and have enjoyed exhibiting with them over the past few years.  I also belong to a few online art groups through social websites, but my participation is often limited due to time constraints.  Other than that, I don’t belong to any art groups at this time.  I find that teaching and making my artwork doesn’t leave much spare time, and whatever time I do have is devoted to my daughter and her activities.  However, I am very lucky that my job teaching art gives me a wonderful community.  Through teaching workshops and classes I have had the privilege of working with many interesting and talented people over the years; many who have become close friends.  I also have many long-time artist friends and colleagues that I can dialogue with.  And the International Encaustic Conference has connected me, gratefully, to yet another whole community of gifted, dedicated artists and teachers.

Fallen Idols, 2012 
encaustic, collage, transfer, oil
on braced wood panel, 24 x 24 inches

6.  How do you develop a sense of community with other artists, and how do you support your art colleagues?

I develop my sense of community though interaction with other creative people. Because I went to school in Boston and have lived in the general area for so long, I have made many connections with people through teaching, exhibiting, and volunteering in the community.

I support my colleagues by attending their exhibitions and events whenever possible.  I cherish my personal interaction with artist friends.  There is nothing better than going to see an art exhibit together and talking shop.

What Goes Around, 2012
encaustic, transfer, oil
on braced wood panel
16 x 16 inches

7. Do you have other jobs other than making art? If so, please give us some details.

I started teaching art in 1995 while I was in graduate school and I have never stopped. I have never held a full time teaching job, but I have taught at a few colleges over the years and I am currently an adjunct instructor at Quincy College where I have been teaching for 11 years. I have also taught adult education and youth classes at the Danforth Museum, DeCordova Museum, and Worcester Art Museum, for many years. I have given demonstrations and workshops in the encaustic painting technique at museums, art centers, and colleges throughout the north east for the past 15 years. Although it has been very difficult at times to make a living teaching art, especially free-lance, I am certain it is my purpose and consider myself very fortunate to continue the work I love. I am also lucky for the support and encouragement of my husband, John, who keeps the roof over our heads!

You can see more of Tracy's work on her website.

Thank-you very much, Tracy!

Krista Svalbonas: Jersey City, NJ

LYNETTE HAGGARD'S ARTIST INTERVIEW SERIES

Krista Svalbonas
with her Penumbra series at the Vermont Studio Residency Program

*Click on photos to view larger

Please share a little about yourself. Where did you grow up and what were any early influences on your work?

I was raised in Pennsylvania,  outside of New Jersey in a town called the Christmas City, Bethlehem. From a very young age,  I was always experimenting with some kind of art media. My parents encouraged and supported my curiosity with the arts, allowing me to try my hand at sculpting, painting, drawing and photography. In middle school I had a fascination with metalsmithing and took an after-school class in the medium at a local arts center. For a little while I had a soldering and crafting station in the basement. In high school I fell in love with photography and set up a mini darkroom in a closet under the stairs. I had, and still have, a thirst to learn and try new things. All through my education I was an alchemist, combining media and devising experiments. My mother was a huge influence. Although she never pursued a career in the arts, she is very artistic. I grew up with art all over the house. If it wasn't my mother's drawings I was looking at it was was step father's paintings and pottery. Television was a forbidden medium in the house, so my time consisted of art projects or reading books.  At one point in time my mother was part of a program sponsored by the Philadelphia Art Museum called " Art Goes to School". The program introduced elementary students in Pennsylvania to various artists through show and tell poster prints. My mother had all sorts of prints of paintings and sculptures laying about the house. I remember falling in love with Chagall as a child.

Cooper Union AIR exhibit and installation

Where do you live now?

I live in Jersey City, NJ which has a great deal to do with my work. It also has a lovely art scene and some really great restaurants!

Gravy Studio and Gallery Installation

Did you receive any formal art training? If yes where and what did you major in?

I received a BFA in Photography and Design and an MFA in a hybrid program of Photography, Video and Design. When I left my Masters program I was an installation artist working in all sorts of media: resin, dirt, sound, video, rubber, photography.... And now I'm a painter. That still boggles me. Painting wasn't really in my radar until I took an encaustic course with Lisa Pressman.  At first I started painting over my photographs but as I developed a voice and a body of work the photographs disappeared. I'm now experimenting with ways to incorporate photography or aspects of photography back into my work. As I mentioned before I was definitely an alchemist in my education, there wasn't a medium that I didn't want to know about and try and I desperately wanted to connect them all. What got me hooked on wax was its wonderful ability to mutate, it can be sculpted, drawn on, carved away, and best of all it plays very well with other media... Here, at last, was a medium that allowed me to do all the things I wanted to do in one form, and it was far more portable then my installation work. Although, that may also change soon, as I'm starting to bring a little bit of installation back into my work as well.

Anima 1, 30x30
wax, graphite and pastel
2011

What is your current work about?

My urban environment is an immense influence on my work. Cracks in the pavement, patterns in windows and fractured views of buildings all manifest themselves in my work. I am fascinated with the architecture of the city landscape, it's tiny spaces, it's overlapping structure and it's constant rebirth. I am painting the  infrastructure of humanity  in search of the areas where we become aware of our own presence in the world. Working in wax I often feel like I am building my pieces layer by layer, methodically. The process to me feels connected to the subject and identity of the work. The consistent building up and tearing down of surface can be likened to the continual excavation and renovation of the urban landscape.

Transparency 1
36x36, wax and pastel
2012

What is your workspace like?

My workspace is the living room of my apartment. I have a nice wooden table with drawers that I use as my main painting table. Another fold out table that houses paintings in progress and a rotating easel that also holds in progress work. I work on as little as three pieces at a time and as many as six at a time ( depending on size). Having a studio at home has its pluses and minuses. I enjoy taking a few steps and being " in the studio" but outside distractions are easy to find and the space is less than ideal. As I am writing this, I just finished  artist residency  program at Cooper Union where I completed a new body of work. Being in a space that is tailored for artists puts me in a state of hyperdrive. I feel mentally energized and wholly physically present, everything in my environment is stimulating my practice and my work. I will dearly miss that space.

Svalbonas' Studio

Are you involved with any arts groups or communities? If yes, what do you gain from that affiliation and what do you contribute to it?

I'm involved in the arts community here in Jersey City as well as an arts group based in Montclair NJ. Jersey City is very welcoming to artists, there are some amazing studio spaces, arts tours and all the local restaurants and small businesses support the Arts. I've participated in the studio tours, career development opportunities and attend the gallery openings. In Montclair I participate in a critique group, which just started so it's a bit too fresh to comment on but I have a feeling it will be fun. In both cases being a part of these groups gets me out of the studio/house, allows me to meet new artists, to network and to feel like part of the larger community of artists. The process itself is a give and take and I believe that I give to it as much as what is returned to me.

Transparency 2
36x36, wax and pastel
2012

How do you develop a sense of community with other artists, and how do you support your art colleagues?

Participating in the above mentioned groups helps as well as regularly attending openings and supporting other artists commitments to their work. As often as I can I like to collect other artists work. Currently I'm working on a a couple curatorial proposals that I'm very excited about which will also provide a great opportunity to support my fellow artists. Residencies have also been a great opportunity for me to build artist communities. I've only participated in two so far and look forward to many more, hopefully. In both cases I have met some wonderful people, shared inspirational ideas and have connected with artists and writers in a very meaningful way.

Do you have other jobs other than making art? If so, please give us some details.

I've taught at a number of colleges on the east coast and currently I'm a full-time faculty member of the Art Institute of New York. I teach Photography and portfolio related courses in the Graphic Arts. Teaching has its own sense of community and demands. I do enjoy it very much and have had some really wonderful students, some of whom have become steadfast friends and amazingly talented individuals. Seeing my students succeed has been a wonderful gift and has brought me the greatest sense of joy. I have had some very influential teachers in my day, that I believe have taken a great sense of pride in my successes. I certainly hope that I am returning that care and inspiration to my students.

Current Exhibition:

Substance and Shadow

November 20th - December 20th

Opening December 6th 1-2:30pm

Monterey Peninsula College Gallery

980 Fremont St., Monterey, CA 

Photos from Substance and Shadow installation:

Upcoming exhibitions:
Phenomenology of Place at Firehouse Gallery, Rogue Community College in Oregon and a TBA solo exhibition at the Dairy Center for the Arts in Colorado.

My process as well as photographs of the installations will be viewable on my blog at www.kristastudios.posterous.com

You can see more of her work on her website.

Thank you, Krista!