Saturday, December 19, 2015
Friday, July 17, 2015
Julia Martin-Multimedia Artist
Julia Martin's gallery in the Wedgewood-Houston area was one of the first galleries I visited when I first moved to Nashville a year ago. It's always been one of my favorite spaces to visit on the monthly Art Crawl. For June's art crawl, Julia will be exhibiting some three-dimensional work, exciting stuff for she normally works two-dimensionally. I got to see her in process and am super excited to see the work when it's finished.
What is the theme of your work?
I wouldn't necessarily say that my work has a theme. The work is very personal and often autobiographical in ways that surprise even me. My biggest goal as an artist is to keep my mind and heart open at all times. Especially during the creative process which in reality never stops. It is a perpetual state of mind. There is never-ending internal dialogue, so you have to keep materials nearby for when the physical urge hits. This is crucial in my thinking, so that an idea or a feeling doesn't become too precious, mashed up or overworked. The work is always strongest when I simply allow things to flow through me.
What are the goals for your work?
I guess you're asking more about my career goals. I feel like I am right where I need to be. Nashville's Art Scene is blossoming so beautifully right now. I feel very honored to be a part of it. I plan to continue to develop relationships with a few galleries around the country, but my focus is on JMG for the most part as we all navigate through this rapid growth spirt. It is both exciting and terrifying.
What are yout houghts on the Nashville art scene?
Nashville is finally gaining recognition as a destination for visual art and artists. Its a wonderful thing and it truly feels like a united front here in Wedgewood Houston. I feel support and love from all of my neighbors as I hope they do mine. We make each other stronger with every exhibition.
Saturday, April 18, 2015
Rob Matthews-Multimedia
Artist
I found myself on the back roads of Donelson trying to find Rob's studio. In the edge of a big green backyard was a little house that served as his studio. His studio was super organized though the work spoke to me of chaos, of overlapping. It was an interesting contrast and a good start to hearing more about his work.
What is the theme of your work?
The theme of my work is rooted
in mortality. Even when I don't intend for it to be, it's there. The
splintering that you see-the multifaces-is a conceptual realization of that
idea-of living a finite life in an infinite space. There is also the theme of
transition in my work-the idea of not being able to be in the present moment.
The splintering shows how moments in time can overlap one another.
What inspires your work?
Personal experience inspires my
work. Whatever big trend or event that is happening in my life influences the
work I make. People who are involved in their craft have an influence on what I
do as well. This passion is a sort of validation of why I am so involved with
what I do. I am motivated to create work by a need to make things. When I don’t
make things, I feel something lacking.
What are the goals of your work?
Now that I’m a midcareer
artist, I want to make sure that this is the decade I make the best work I’ve
ever made. I’ve recently relocated to Nashville from Philadelphia and though I
have gallery representation in the Northeast, I want to be an active
participant in this region. It would be great to exhibit in Nashville and the
larger region and contribute to what is happening around here. I'm still trying
to learn about the history of the Nashville art scene to figure out how to best
serve.
What are your thoughts on the Nashville Arts Scene?
I knew there were a number of talented
artists here before I moved back. It’s more organized and happening than I
realized. Nashville has changed a great deal since when I lived here as a kid.
It's easy to focus on the weaknesses, but I think that's how artists talk about
any art scene, anywhere. It's more important to focus on the strengths and the
potential. Hopefully the right things will align to harness that potential or
the scene here will be strong but remain undervalued.
To learn more about Rob’s work check
out http://www.matthewstheyounger.com
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Kit Kite
I first saw Kit's work in a
gallery in the Fort Houston area during an Art Crawl, Nashville's open gallery
night that happens once a month. I had just moved here and didn't know too many
people so was going around to the galleries on my own. I hadn't yet started
this project on documenting visual artists yet, only just thinking about it as
I was impressed by the work I was seeing on the art crawl that evening. I loved
Kit's work so much, that I approached her and asked her if I could cover her
work for this project, whenever it was going to be started. Months later, I am
happy to finally feature one of the artists that motivated me to start this
project in the first place.
What is the theme of your work?
I'm investigating how changes can
change everything inside you, and how you view the world, yet the world around
you is still the same. The X Housewife
Portraits, for example, is a series that documents more or less my personal
process of isolation, displacement within my house and identity within the home
-- exploring one's individual’s objectivity to relationship, materiality, and
the human longing to connect to a physical landscape. In the photographic
series, the concept was relayed using
myself as I became immersed in
the inanimate household object,
where the common domestic tool was depicted as the setting subject and I the
backdrop.
What inspires your work?
I've been
pouring over all of Winsor
McCay's illustrating from 1905-1914. More recently
his work has seemed to play a significant role in how I see or think a
thing through and I've often found his work to emulate set design or
film stills; from the "story boarding" visuals
found commonly within graphic novel's genre and his own unique arrangement of composition
and color.
For the next conceptual series
I'm working on titled "Psychosis Smudge" I will be silk
screening a majority of the content to relay the concept; in hopes to
achieve the effect ink has on newsprint, again liken to Winsor McCay's
printed comics.
What are the goals for your work?
I'd like to gain more exposure and at
some point be sustainable from my work so this can create more time to create
and not be pressured by financial constraints of holding down a job in order to
survive.
What are your thoughts on the Nashville Arts Scene?
Its' growing and that's great in
itself but I wish there were more constructive criticism. this could help the
arts community grow. People want to be supportive, but they'd be more
supportive if they helped each other grow by constructive criticism.
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