Despite the similar features to a somewhat familiar face...my portrait of Aurelia is NOT an actress. The inspiration was drawn from a photo of a captivating brunette in a crisp white blouse.
I'm first to admit I appropriate images seen in advertisement... images of beauty as defined by society. I take those images and re-make them - re-invent - re-interpret the shapes, planes and curves of a face... and make something completely new.
Although it is difficult to tell, the entire piece is gold. Hundreds of pieces of hand cut and hand affixed "mosaic" pieces - of paper. White and cream pieces of junk mail, greeting cards, holiday cards accented with foil embellishments... golden pieces, bronze, and deep browns with accents of gold. The background is painted in gold and bronze.
16x20" on canvas. Aurelia \a(u)-re-lia\ as a girl's name is pronounced aw-REEL-yah. It is of Latin origin, and the meaning of Aurelia is "golden".
An ad for Target a year ago was SO cute I hung on to it. A girl with a wistful expression and long straight hair in a cute spring dress...flowers in there somewhere.
original painting
A few weeks ago I painted a woman with long hair... and a long neck...and although I always start with a painting, my work doesn't always end up looking exactly the same [to me, anyway]. I still had that Target ad in my head. But, I didn't use it as a reference, and as someone with eidetic imagery, I didn't need it. It's not the girl from the ad.
I started the mosaic. I had drawn a lot of diverging lines, but ended up using only a few as a guide. Black, grey, white, cream... cutting all my pieces and placing them just so...
Somewhere in there, I decided on ditching flesh tones for the shadows. Gray highlights in her hair got a coating of periwinkle metallic glaze.
I found a piece of junk mail [to me, anyway] from a food bank in Israel [?] with gorgeous tones of periwinkle. That ended up being a key color, so I sorted through the "blue" box to find coordinating pieces. Nothing matchy-matchy.
What's the connection between advertising and my work? Well, for one thing, we're bombarded with images of beauty in advertising. They are the basis for the images I paint. Then, I use images from advertising to create my paper tiles.
No magazines, I use advertising that comes to me... mostly junk mail: flyers, postcards, catalog covers, advertising ephemera, fly cards, etc. Even gallery cards.
almost done
I thought I was done. Background done. Stood back... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz bored?
Did it need something else?
I revved up that eidetic imagery and "remembered: that ad again - that original inspiration from a couple of years ago and decided to use that as a "jumping off" place. I designed and hand cut flowers. And stems. I placed them where I thought they ought to be. All the while thinking, geez this is going to look like that Target ad - busted!
But, after all - I'm no longer bored. There is no story to this image. No deeper meanings. Something beautiful that hopefully evokes an emotion. I really like it, and whaddya know, it looks NOTHING like the Target ad.
I love my collectors. They obviously have great taste, they like my work! They "get it." Most of the time. But I have to say...at this point in my career, I am no longer open to "suggestions."
I've spent my lifetime developing a style, a technique, a voice. I do what I do because it works for me. It brings me great joy. I know what I like, I know what I'm good at.
I also know my art is not controversial, not earth-shattering... I utilize a couple of gifts and quirks - I am eidetic, I have synesthesia, I can draw, I can paint, I have skill in cutting up paper to make my work.
I create portraits, I think they're beautiful. I am inspired by women's faces, by fashion, by travel, color, or an idea. I'm not curing cancer, I'm not trying to be clever, I make pretty pictures.
I am not a performance artist. I don't arrange shoes or shower curtains "just so," I don't dig up galleries, I don't utilize bones or doilies or pornography in my work. I don't pee or smear poop on my work.
I usually don't paint men. I'm not great at landscapes. I might feel like painting flowers but it goes away.
I want my work - the work that comes out of MY HEAD to sell. I will not apologize for wanting to make a living as an artist. Sorry, I don't want to either suffer for my craft nor do I wish to sell out.
I do NOT paint dogs. Or cats. I do NOT paint cars or motorcycles. I do NOT do company logos. Yes, people so insane for their pets and yes, people spend a fortune on them... and yes, people with money have cars.
I have friends who paint pets and motorized vehicles. They're really good at it, and they make money selling their work. And, they LIKE it! I have graphic artist friends who create logos for a living and they're happy, too.
Me, I'm happy making beautiful women out of little pieces of junk mail and discarded paper. It's my thing. I love it. I am thrilled to be able to make art every day. I am also thrilled when it sells. It's confirmation that this work makes my collectors happy, too.
I show my work in galleries, have had a few museum shows, and I continue to work hard making better work every day. Thanks to you who appreciate my point of view, I love you, too!
There are two songs that inspired this new piece, "Ever" -
one is Queen Bitch by David Bowie, the other is Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've) by the Buzzcocks...I like this version by Billy Talent.
You know the feeling - you're pissed - you're heart's in the basement your weekend's at an all time low... you're up on the 11th floor...gazing at your hotel walls...and you're phoning a cab, and you're stomach feels small...
You've fallen in love with someone you shouldn't have fallen in love with.
Love doesn't always end well. Sometimes it just STINKS. If you haven't been there yet, you will be someday. It's good to have a great song to blast and sing along with during those moments of fury. These two worked for me [oh, a long time ago, kiddies... I'm happily married].
So, here's a hot red-head. Naming her "Ever" just 'cause it's pretty. What YOU need to figure out is whether she's the mean one, or if she's the angry one because her lover is fooling around somewhere else [perhaps with someone in a bippity-boppity hat?].
"Ever" is a lovely mosaic created entirely from junk mail - 24x36" on canvas...like all my other art.
I've read that artists, designers & craftspeople keep journals: filled with inspiration from travel, gallery visits, etc. They're filled with sketches, swatches, tear sheets, photos... all for future use. I keep one too, but it's in my head.
I have a "thing" [call it a phenomenon, a condition, a talent or a quirk] called Eidetic Imagery. Here's the Wiki definition. Anyway, almost anything I see, that really makes an impression or resonates on some level, goes into that mental filing cabinet for future use. I can actually physically recall images from the past - a face, a place, a set of tiles, a painting... a movie... and see it in the air, as if there is a projector in my head, using my eyes as the lens... an invisible screen at my disposal is within 15 inches of my face.
I often stammer for words - just can't remember the right one...and please don't ask me what year something happened [other than birth of child or year of wedding] or what I had for lunch two days ago...or what I walked in here for... but images, they're always there for reference.
Another thing - my 8th grade science teacher told our class not to study - that we should "rely on our ability to recall," which I might have taken a little too much to heart - not knowing yet about Eidetic Imagery. I remember things that happened in that classroom [Hi, Gaelyn], but I would say, that's not the best advice for teenagers more interested in drawing daisies on their hand during science class.
So, my journal - my head - is filled with images of the classic works of art - from art museums and books, not to mention photos from magazines, charts, maps, comic strips, ruins in Ephesus, people I know, couture collections, my room in Reading, PA, my dorm room in Oneonta, my room on a Kibbutz in Israel, a pair of shoes I bought in Italy when I was 18, a pair of shoes I wore in that 8th grade classroom, the shoes I wore to my high school reunion, jewelry, paperweights, and the image of my husband the first time I saw him in a swimsuit [think Vitruvian Man]... you get the picture [!]... all jumbled and/or filed. And, all available for use.
I usually don't watch a movie more than once, I can see it any time I want. I actually watched "District 9" again the other day, it's so filled with images...but I really liked the story. I could watch "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" another 35 times... but that's just for laughs. I try not to watch scary movies, because the image stays with me forever.
Disclaimer: I do have a few photos taped up in the studio, but I rarely refer to them. I also have a drawer full of photos that might be a jumping off point someday. I do have a shelf full of books - art books, Dover books, reference books...about costume, medieval design, beaded flowers... all kinds of stuff. And, a lot of music to listen to when I'm working.
When I fill a canvas with thousands of images, photos, words... it all makes sense to me, I could point at my head and tell you "You should see what it looks like in here."
When I was a little girl, my Grandmother taught me many things. She didn't live with us, but she did visit quite a bit.
She was born in Hungary. When she was a child, she lived on a farm. When she was an adult, she lived in the city - but never forgot.
She was an extremely proud person and very religious. She prayed every morning and every evening.
She taught me how to cook - by intuition, by feel. No cookbooks, no thermometers, no measuring cups or spoons. Everything was delicious. I still cook the same way - and hardly ever use a recipe. I guess when you learn to cook the way I did, you learn to rely on your own senses- sight, smell, taste, you can just tell. You feel your way.
She also taught us to garden. Each of us kids had a garden patch in the backyard. We had to grow our own vegetables. I grew the easy stuff - potatoes, carrots, marigolds to keep the rabbits away from the carrots, pole beans, radishes. We also had baby chickens, but that didn't really work out.
And, she taught me how to make jewelry - how to bead, to glue, to design. No patterns, just by feel. Yes, I can re-string your pearls.
And, she taught me how to sew. Wait - not with a machine - everything by hand. How to hem, how to darn socks, how to embroider, do crewel work, crochet, knit, cross stitch and needlepoint. Yes, I can sew a button on that will never fall off.
Didn't know how to do something? Figure it out. Feel your way.
I created a needlepoint "sampler" when my niece was born. I drew on needlepoint canvas and stitched. Once again, just used my senses.
People stopped me everywhere I went [I worked on it on the bus, at the laundromat, on breaks] and wanted to know if I would make one for them!
I went to a needlepoint store in Beverly Hills [I lived in West Hollywood at the time]. I asked them how to "design" needlepoint - and how to paint canvas. They taught me... in a couple of minutes - on my part by glancing around and the canvas and yarn - and telling me how to "stitch paint." Okay - here it is. Needlepoint is a grid. You design something, you put it behind the grid [canvas], draw on it with a sharpie. Paint with acrylics. Each intersection is a stitch, so you must paint with the grid. People pay a lot for stitch-painted needlepoint! It is also really hard on your eyes... depending on the size of the stitches.
Anyway - I started painting - and selling my designs. I couldn't keep up with my orders, I couldn't hire people to help... so I stopped. These days, when I see those gorgeous stitch-painted canvases in needlepoint shops I get nostalgic... but I digress.
This morning, when my google alerts for "mosaic portraits" led me to a beaded portrait of Heath Ledger as the Joker - I realized many of these projects I see are the same as needlepoint, just using beads or push pins, or sticky notes or gum balls. Or, a mosaic portrait of Jay-Z using swarovski crystals, or all the photo mosaics all a grid - and tile companies use computer programs to create a amazing patterns in glass tiles are on a grid... when I created my bathroom floor, I hand fit and hand cut thousands of tiles - no grid.
Obviously, all of this made me think - my art now is no longer on a grid and there is no computer. It is different - it's organic.
It is by feel. I use my senses. I respond to different images, I feel my way around a variety of colors to create a piece that will express my feelings at the moment. I touch every single piece of paper many times - to choose it, to cut it, cut it again, fit it, glue it. The entire process is a sensory explosion. The sound of the paper cutter when I am chopping up my raw materials, listening to music or the radio, smelling paint or glue...
Because I make art based on my senses, what I feel - I don't like suggestions...Hey, you should do dogs [!] hey, you should do a portrait Johnny Mathis or Johnny Depp or Johnny Appleseed [!]... I really want to do what I want to do, that's the work that turns out best.
I have to thank my Grandmother for teaching me how to use my senses - to feel my way. I use my hands as a response to inspiration of one kind or another - to create something entirely new.
That said, I'm going to embark on a experimental week - no faces this week - stay tuned to view new stuff -
Check out my new work and updated web site here. Sign up for my newsletter and don't forget to follow me on Twitter!
I got these questions for an interview with a magazine. Not sure what will be published, but here are my answers - Why I got into art and what I do day-to-day. Let me know if you think it's interesting!
1. What made you decide to pursue art?
I have always been one of those "creative types." When I was a child, I started playing the piano at 4 [I have perfect pitch] and was always drawing… drawing shoes, drawing people, drawing clothing. There were better artists [from a technical standpoint]. I had a great art teacher that encouraged me, but my parents did not. I'm of the generation where marriage was the goal [not to me, though!] - and career choices ranged from nurse to teacher... and only as a fall back.
Although I majored in Art in college, I ended up with a degree in Psychology... mostly because I spent a lot of time in that department. It was discovered that I am an Eidetic [it's sort of like a photographic memory] and spent a couple of years as a guinea pig and research assistant. I did go back to school for a BFA.
After college, I actually had to find work. I started in retail - working my way up the corporate ladder but was jealous of the display people. I ditched the career arc to dress mannequins, do windows, etc. I stayed in Visual Merchandising - which is a legitimate art form [read: paycheck!]. I started my own Display company and designed and built displays for clothing companies, boutiques, shopping centers, etc. Our company also created decor for special events - and I learned about event management from my clients.
I was also in charge of the company's advertising, marketing and sales - which I learned on the job.
The business closed after several years and I went to work for a non-profit in marketing and events - my boss gave me amazing challenges - creating events, managing volunteers, shooting campaign videos, corporate communications, graphic design, writing assignments, sponsorship marketing - and I was a quick study - these events were highly successful and creative.
I stayed in non-profit, eventually becoming the Senior Vice President of our state's largest non-profit organization - directing all advertising, marketing, public relations, community relations, special events, non-traditional fundraising, educational programming, - including online presence, e-marketing... web storefront, etc. Although I had no formal education in technology, I knew what I wanted and how I wanted it to work. We were early adopters of web based marketing and online fundraising.
I always painted at home - or did some kind of crafty stuff. I taught myself mosaic, [you should see our bathroom floor - 40 shades of glass tile!], can make jewelry, fuse glass, throw a pot... but painting is my dearest love. Slowly, I developed a new art technique, my style really jelled, and I started pursuing opportunities to show my work.
Once work started selling, my husband encouraged me to quit.
I did. That was 3 years ago.
2. What were the biggest obstacles and how did you overcome those?
Insecurity is a big one - I kept expecting people to say "How dare you call yourself an artist!" I still die a thousand deaths creating custom work. I am sure the client has a strong vision which I don't fulfill... and half expect my clients to hate their finished product. [it hasn't happened] It takes a while to develop a thick skin. I may not be the most talented artist on the planet, but I am better than most people. And, I am better at creating art than I am accounting, driving a fork-lift or blowing up bridges. In the beginning, I thought someone had to bestow the title "artist" upon you, but after a short while, I decided to print cards. They say - Sandhi Schimmel Gold - Artist. That's all you need! See, I'm an artist, I have cards that say so. So, I don't have the MFA, I didn't go about this career in the traditional way, that's the way I am.
Money is an obvious obstacle. I was lucky our family could live on my husband's income. That said, our lifestyle changed drastically. No more vacations, dinner out less often and eating less expensive food. Turning off lights, getting rid of cable channels, not shopping for new clothes – the same things we all do to cut back. We have had our share of bad luck – medical expenses or the crazy lady that totaled my car [still no settlement]. I made sure my art expenses were paid out of my art earnings – but those are quite slim at the beginning! A financial advisor friend called me crazy.
Time-Management – when you work at home, you’re never at home, you’re never at work. It is easy to get distracted by TV, email, the phone, laundry, or meeting friends for coffee. In addition, as an artist, you do a lot more than create art! You’re also responsible for marketing and advertising, applying to shows or galleries, accounting, customer relations, web-site maintenance, shipping, inventory, taxes, travel planning, event preparations, framing, and networking. The best advice I learned is to have a place to go [I have a studio outside] and go there. Just because you work at home does not mean you’re available. Get up, get dressed [okay, I work in pajamas] have your coffee or tea and GO TO WORK. Stay in there until you’re done. The truth is, I get up by 7 every day. Work in the studio or office until 5, make dinner, relax for a little while and then work in the studio until 11 p.m. And, take care of a child, 3 dogs, a husband and a house. We have to work as a team.
Standing out in the crowd. I have a hook. It is imperative to have a unique voice or vision. And, I have a big mouth. I look for every opportunity to promote my vision, to market my work. It is not about me, although it seems like it to many people. I don’t want the attention for me, but I do want my art to be seen, I want it to sell. I am not shy about this. I am not good at networking events, but I am good at marketing through direct mail, email, pr, etc. I am good at using social networking sites to talk to people I would not otherwise meet. I have a lot of friends that are artists. They don’t know why they have not been discovered… I put myself out there and take opportunities to promote my work – from Hollywood gifting lounges to First Friday events, hanging work in restaurants, as long as my art is not compromised, and I have the time to do it – I’m there. Oh, I’ve made mistakes – I’ve wasted time and money, but I look at it this way – I am building a business brick by brick. But if I hadn’t put myself out there, I would not have met people who have propelled my work forward. The “starving artist” persona – not me.
Dealing with the public.
So, you’ve created a masterpiece. You take it to an art festival. You will be asked a million stupid questions. You will be asked personal questions. Children with sticky fingers will touch your precious work. You will be insulted [I did this in grade school!]. This is part of the process. You have to learn to be patient, gracious and kind. You have to decide if you want to give away proprietary information or not. If you feel like teaching art or selling art. You will make an impression – one way or another. You can be nice or you can be temperamental – it’s a hard lesson to learn, but you’ll find out who you really are.
3. What do you enjoy more about art in comparison to your previous job?
There’s no I in team. My art is all about me. I thought of it – I make it – I market it – I love it. I know what inspired me, I am involved in process all the way – physically, emotionally, technically.
I work in my pajamas. I am not a suit-wearing, high-heel type. I don’t like wearing make-up if I don’t have to.
My boss is myself and my clients.
I love the day-to-day routine. I love being in my studio. I love it when I’m inspired by something that keeps me working until 2 in the morning. It’s almost instant gratification.
I love that I can take care of my child when she’s sick without the wrath of the boss.
I love selling my work – it is SO rewarding!
I do what I want when I want. That sounds like fun, right? Yes – but I am disciplined.
4. Tell me a bit about your business, and a typical day now, compared to a typical day running websites.
What I don’t do now [not that I didn’t enjoy it, just different]:
Go to meetings – staff meetings, strategic planning sessions, community event meetings, budget meetings…
Please a boss, or board or directors
Direct staff or deal with their issues
Do payroll or budgets
Juggle a hundred different projects with different deadlines, staff, outcomes, etc.
That said, I still do strategic planning, manage a budget, go to meetings, and juggle different projects. However, I enjoy a lot of it – and have to squeeze in things like paper work. I handle my calendar, attend gallery openings and events, clean the house, do the laundry, see family and friends, etc.
What I do on a typical day:
Check email, Facebook & Twitter
Drink water & tea – take vitamins
Answer important emails.
Most days, I head straight to the studio and work.
Take a break, check email, eat lunch
Back to work in the studio
Family time
Back to work in the studio
Check emails
Try to go to bed.
This is 7 days a week.
5. Any suggestions for those looking to leave their current job and become an artist?
I truly believe actual artistic talent is only a small fraction of the equation.
Can you afford to quit? If not, start by doing as much during the hours you are not working. Say good bye to a social life and sleep. Start part time – take your work to art festivals, galleries, find places to show it and see if it sells. This is important. If you want to quit, you must be selling. This is a business. You must be prepared to treat it as such, otherwise, it’s a hobby.
Are you disciplined? Can you set aside a space and time for your work – where everything and everyone is else banned – no one can hang out with you. Maybe music, that’s it. Can you spend hours every day creating – with no attachment to an outcome?
Do you have ideas – more than you can possibly turn into artwork? Do you have sources for inspiration? My favorite place is the library. Or the History Channel. I find inspiration in nature, in history, and in other disciplines.
Do you have a role model or mentor? Find some and pick their brains.
Can you create a business plan, a marketing plan and stick to it? There are many resources available for small businesses. It is a good exercise in getting you focused.
Do you know how to set goals? Learn the techniques of creating a strategic plan with goals and objectives and strategic outcomes. You many veer off course now and then, but it is a good way to keep you focused on your ultimate goals.
Do you have money to spend on marketing efforts? If not, learn how to barter, and use social networking to your advantage. It takes time – and time is money.
Can you blow your own horn? You’ll have to do it yourself for a long time. I made myself a T-Shirt that says “I talk to strangers.”
Can you create your own story – and stay on message? Are you camera-ready? Practice what you’d say during an interview – and have a friend tape you – watch yourself and see what you have to do to come across clearly.
Can you develop a thick skin – you can’t be sensitive or easily hurt by criticism. Everyone is a critic, everyone has something to say. You can’t let it bother you.
If you have a burning desire – and can do some or all of the above – go for it!
