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

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.

To learn more about her work visit http://www.theKitKite.com

Delia Seigenthaler-Mixed Media

I was blown away when I first stepped in Delia Seigenthaler’s studio. There were doll and doll parts everywhere. It was fascinating and a little creepy. The artwork spoke to me and I was curious to find out more about it.

What is the theme of your work?

I consider myself a mixed media artist and move easily between working in 2D and 3D. Assembling parts and collage gives me the ability to create a personal narrative.  Sometimes I think of myself as a “closet artist”.  My best work seems to happen when I’m making a piece that I don’t want anyone else to see.  It’s definitely where I’m most comfortable.

Process is very important to me.  It seems like I’ve always used found objects in my work or at least have always been a collector of things.  It’s interesting to see what happens to objects over time. I’m happy to let the ideas come to me and I don’t have to know where they come from all the time.  Process is very important to me.  It allows me to see what my private world will reveal.

What inspires your work?

All kinds of things inspire me and have influenced me.  My mother was an artist and could do anything.  She was a painter but I’m sure that I was more influenced by her projects around the house. She could solve any problem with what little resources she had.  If she wanted something done, she would figure it out and do it with no fear of failure. I remember watching her paint the entire exterior of our house with a roller. One time, she strapped sand paper to her shoes and refinished the floors. She would take apart a cabinet and put it back together and paint murals in the house. She even made wax figures for a wax museum. I know that’s where I get my ability to work with materials that I have on hand and have faith that I can make it work.

What is the goal of your work?

Goals for me change as they are reached or let go of.  I try to keep several goals in mind. I allow myself the freedom to switch gears. My teaching alleviates the stress of relying on my artwork to pay the bills and while that’s good, it leaves me with less time in my studio. I have to be creative in finding ways to make time and focus on being disciplined.  My main goal is to have more of that precious time to make the work that I want to make.

What are your thoughts on the Nashville Arts Scene?

It’s growing quickly. When I moved to Chicago in 1987, there were maybe three galleries to speak of.  I couldn’t wait to go and see what else there was out there. Nashville has such a strong sense of community. It’s the thing that draws people here. I feel like the visual artists, creative people, and of course musicians here are driving that sense of community and the artists benefit from it as well. There is not a lot of critical discourse here and without a strong MFA program everything tends to be warm and fuzzy. But that’s Nashville, I guess.  I think there are great things going on at Watkins School of Art and Wedgewood/_Houston area is very exciting.

To learn more about Delia’s work visit http://deliaseigenthaler.com