Interview "Lost and Found"

Nataliya Bregel and Maggie Connors at the opening reception for Lost and Found

Above Photo Courtesy Of : Daniel J van Ackere

"Lost and Found" opening reception

"Lost and Found" opening reception

The ladies behind "Lost and Found" share their story:
Maggie Connors &
Nataliya Bregel
FPAC Gallery.
300 Summer Street.
On Exhibit until July 1. 2011

FPAC: What is the concept behind "Lost and Found: and where did this concept stem from?

NB: Maggie and I have known each other and each other's work for some time now. Though much in our work is different, much is the same. We both have an intensive process that comes from printmaking (for Nataliya) and sculpture (for Maggie) as well as painting. Additionally we both have an involvement in drawing and mark-making throughout the painting process.

FPAC: So the "Process" of the work has been the catalyst behind the exhibition?

MC: I saw that we both seemed to spend a lot of time editing our paintings. We were working on them long enough for them to have been several paintings in the process...I see that we both use a unique process to create paintings, that develops into paintings that often become intensely layered.

FPAC: What inspires you or what do you find most interesting about each other's work?

MC: I love that Nataliya can be so particular and focuses on very specific details. She immerses herself in her two inch tall paintings and makes them become her life. At the same time she creates a completely different work along side that detailed work, using similar forms, sources and material, but applies the paint freely to map out the general position and motion of forms. In "Lost and Found," the two smallest paintings of Nataliya's are like this. It seems a bit musical to me. In the way that a note can linger and sound wonderful, even if its just part of a whole work - but its only a tiny part of this involved process.

NB: Maggie's work manages to remain open, to improvise and accept passages that unconsciously occur in her paintings. That is something that I am trying to allow more in my work. She has such a deep knowledge of the human body, that the ethereal figures in her paintings (painted completely from memory and from the imagination) are utterly convincing.

FPAC: What is the most difficult thing in the process of creating your work?

MC: the most difficult part of the process is having to leave the studio to go to work but because my work schedule in this economy is so fragmented- I'll have an hour here and there but not a six or eight hour stretch.

NB: Knowing when to stop! I constantly want to get rid of distracting, inessential elements in my paintings, after the initial elements are placed, but the challenge is to do that while still being investigative - not bound by faithfulness to details. In these multiple-frame paintings it is also sometimes hard to develop the individual frames, while still making sure the painting reads as a whole.

FPAC: Who or what is the motivation behind you as an artist?

NB: I think I have an impulse to create narratives...I love the way composing an image creates a world, and I use the process of painting to make sense of that world.

MC: I am inspired by movement of the body, my own body, gestures and postures.

FPAC: When can we expect to see more from you?

MC: I'm participating in the chain letter project at Sampson Projects in July. I'll be adding a few more works to MIFP in July as well. I will be participating in FPAC"S fall open studios third weekend of October, 2011. 15 Channel Center Street, Boston- look for details at http://maggieconnors.com

NB: I have a one person show at the Hollister Gallery at Babson College, in Wellesley, coming up in October. For that exhibition, I am working on a couple of paintings on the inside surfaces of wooden hoops horizontally suspended from the ceiling. They will still be strip paintings from videos, but a viewer could step inside the hoop and scan the images that surround him or her.

Open Studios Sneak with Ari Hauben

Boobs Not Bombs

Make Fun Not War

"My artwork consists predominately of a style I've developed over the past few years which is essentially painting with newspaper. The content of the articles reinforces what the art is saying. For example, in Boobs not Bombs, the entire plane is made from articles written about current wars being fought across the globe. I like the idea of taking this passing moment, which usually has a one-day life span, and freezing it into permanent relevance." ~Ari Hauben

Want to se more of Hauben's work?

Stop by Fort Point Spring Open Studios. May 6-8th, noon to five on Saturday and Sunday

Hauben's Studio is #211 at 15 Channel Center Street

www.arihauben.com

It's Coming ...

Art Walk

Friday May 6: 4:00-7:00pm

Saturday and Sunday May 7 and 8: noon-5:00pm

Explore the studios of painters, jewelers, ceramicists, photographers,

sculptors, textile artists, and more. Talk with artists in their studios and discover new works and treasured favorites. Visit Fort Point’s art galleries and creative design shops. Explore Boston’s changing Fort Point and see the unique waterfront warehouse district that is one of New England’s largest arts communities. Enjoy the opportunity to purchase works of art and fine craft directly from local artists.

Artists’ Demonstrations • Talks • Hands-On Activities

It’s also Mother’s Day Weekend, making it the perfect place to

shop with or for your family.

mark your calendars for our Fall Open Studios

October 14, 15 and 16

Jonathan Stark Featured Artist at MIFP!

FPAC: What is the inspiration behind your work?

JS: All of my work, whether street photography in Paris or working in thestudio with the human form is driven by my desire to communicate what is beautiful and/or important to me. And by beautiful I also mean ugly, in the sense that some of my images will address in a hopefully visually beautiful way "ugly" topics such as human trafficking. I feel I communicate best visually and find photography is the medium that I can bemost clear and expressive in. It is also the medium in which byinteracting with my subjects and collaborators I learn the most about whatI am photographing.

FPAC: "Ugly Topics" made beautiful through photography. It is so hard to communicate topics that need to be heard. You do this so beautifully. There is this great video by musician friends of mine that you would perhaps appreciate: The Click Five, new album about human trafficking.

FPAC: Do you always shoot in black and white, if yes why?

JS: I almost always shoot and print in B&W. For me, art always has at its root an expression of complex and or deep emotions. If my photographs donot have emotional resonance, I feel they are missing their mark. B&W images to me are emotional where as color photographs are representational. I am not saying that there aren't color images that express profound emotions. I mean this as a hopefully very global but accurate observation. For example, if you look at wedding photographs and you see an image of the bride and groom kissing. If the image is in color you think: "There is the bride and groom kissing and you notice their skin tone, their clothes, their hair, the environment around them, all the colors , matching and not matching

etc." If you look at the same image gray-scaled in B&W your are more likely to simply go:"Ahhh. They're in love". Having said that I am currently working on a project called "Security" that is based in people's choice of attire and I am shooting in color because the subject demands it and I hope the emotional resonance will be there.

FPAC: In this digital age why do you work in film?

JS: I believe that shooting film is a very different process than shooting digitally. Shooting film is an act of faith. You make your setting and then you photograph, engaged in the process of shooting and staying incontact with your subject whether animate or inanimate. You are not constantly checking the back of the camera looking to see if "you got the shot" while "the shot" is actually occurring right in front of you. I work a lot with people who are unclothed, trusting me with the work we are doing. When I shoot film I am in constant contact with them, visually andemotionally. If I were looking at the back of a camera or at a monitor,the trust, the moment, the image would be lost. And the darkroom is a place of mystery and magic. Yes, I think I know the images I am putting inthe enlarger put as the print slowly develops in the chemistry I seethings that weren't there, (sometimes good sometimes not so good) but Iwork slowly, patiently, in a more spiritual manner. To me, this isimportant. And at times I work with multiple exposures and the revelationsthat occur are wondrous to me. To use another analogy, its like the lostart of letter writing and that feeling of getting touchable handwritten correspondence and not just an e-mail. It's not just the physical sensation of the paper, but the obvious time and pace of writing that changes the very nature of what is written.

FPAC: Sounds like you are into traveling! How does this influence your work?

JS: Traveling, by taking one out of what is familiar simply open's one's eyesand perceptions. From this awakening new and interesting work can occur. There is a sociological construct called marginality, which is a group ofpeople who are part of a society but somehow apart from it. I did a film on people who worked the night shift. Yes, they are a part of or society and we expect them to be there, (e.g. nurses), but these people are seen by society as slightly different and they have different observations about the society they live in. To me, traveling makes me marginal to theculture I am in and I can observe and see things that I cannot in my own comfortable milieu. Hopefully this helps me create different images.

FPAC: What is the Zipper Project?

JS: The Zipper Project was an exploration of the moments when we decide to reveal ourselves to others, physically and emotionally. This project evolved into a series called Skin Deep that explored this concept furtherbut losing the artifice of clothing and where I used mud as the medium forcovering and revealing. In the past two years this has evolved into thebelief that we can be most powerful when we are the most vulnerable. Arecent show "Hits Back" as well as a benefit exhibition called "StopTraffic" explore this concept of strength through experience in moredepth. I am hoping that images from this body of work can be used to helpaddress and fight human trafficking.

FPAC: Who are your favorite artists? Why?

JS: Krzysztof Kieslowski: His films speak to me of the incredible need forfaith in a world where chance seems to dictate so much. Edward Weston: His photographs are what inspired me to take photographsand to this day when I see his work I smile from the core of my being.

Michael Eder 35 Channel

Large Abstract Landscapes

Michael Eder

Open by appointment through May: 617.980.2565

Opening Reception: Thursday March 24th from 5-7pm

FPAC is catching up with Michael Eder about his work on view at 35 Channel Center Street:

FPAC- What inspires you to paint landscape paintings? How did it all begin?

ME- I was always drawn outdoors to paint, from college days at RISD 30 years ago, and still today. I love the chaos and energy of working from an enormous still life, even if it's moving and changing. I carry that energy indoors to my studio and finish my larger work there.

FPAC- Rice Fields, Vietnam and the Desert Paintings at 35 Channel Center Street, are both inspired by black and white photos. Why/how did these photos become a focus in your work?

ME- To my surprise I found a similar energy and wealth of ideas in black and white photos that I get from working outdoors. An added bonus is they bring me places I can't go, and allow me to have greater choices in subjects and moods. It began when I came across photos of deserts in the US and tried and found plenty there to inspire larger oil paintings. I then found the photojournalist book from the 70's "Vietnam, Inc" and was inspired by the landscapes surrounding the victims and perpetrators of the war. I made studies in a series of woodcuts, and moved to larger and larger canvases, to better surround the viewer in the mood of the landscape.

FPAC- As an artist who uses color, how did you choose the colors for your paintings when working from black and white photos?

ME- When I paint outdoors I look more at the way light works than at color relationships. I leave those to chance, which can sometimes fail, or it can create surprises. The black and white photos move me in the same way being outdoors can, looking at the drama of lights and darks.

FPAC- How does your medium (oil paint) become parallel in your vision for the final outcome? I guess I am asking, what is it about oils that contributes to your work, what is unique about them? Are all of your works done in oil?

ME- Oils allow me to layer large areas easily, and work the subtleties with the slow drying wet paint. The surface stays "alive" longer. As lights and darks are so important to the final outcome for me, I find oils give me the greatest scope to work with. All my paintings are oils. I also use monoprints and woodcuts for studies, as they are good for layering, and are a great tool for exploring ideas.

FPAC-Your work appears to have many layers, can you tell us a little about your process?

ME- It's mostly intuitive. I refer back to studies, more recently to photos, and to other paintings to help me along. I respond to people's responses, and might continue on a piece for years. More often it takes several months to finish a painting. The layers are not intentional, but are the result of searching for better answers. Failed paintings are usually ones I cover up with color and hide that process of searching.

FPAC- Do you always work in large format? -( all of Eders' paintigns at 35 Channel Center Street are between 5-8 feet )

ME- A majority of paintings in the last 5 years are large. I do many small oils on wood, 12 inch square or so, as

outdoor studies. I also do prints and smaller watercolors. I like the large size because of the fuller experience it can give the viewer.

FPAC- Who is your favorite artist (s) and why?

ME- I constantly change my preferences. Long ago it was Arthur Dove and Hartley. A room full of Kandinsky at the Fogg stuck with me for years, as did a Florine Stettheimer. I love the fragile carvings and watercolors of Anne Chu. I admire many strong artists, like Gerhard Richter and Baselitz, but I love more tentative work.

FPAC- Whats next on the horizon for you?

ME- I'm working on a series on Gettysburg after a visit there last spring. I'm using Mathew Brady's civil war photos to build woodcut studies and currently three large paintings.

Check out Michael Eder's work at 35 Channel Center Street, Fort Point Boston and learn more about him at http://www.michael-eder.com/

All photos courtesy of Michael Eder, except black and white photo- by Phillip Jones courtesy of Vietnam Ink

Studio View with DannyO

Danny O Studio View Interview: www.dannyostudio.com

FPAC: Tell us a bit about your

process for working and how your space where you work helps this process...

Danny O: My working methods have changed over the years, a long time ago I loved a studio that was cluttered and a floor covered in layers of torn paper. Now I prefer a

clean and organized space. Especially after I have finished a project. Then I like to do a full clean and organize so I can focus on the next project. This doesn't always happen, but my head is clearer when I do. The biggest influence is the area where I live with my family. We moved to the shores of NH and we are constanly surrounded by beautiful landscape, both rural and close to the ocean, so the light is always dramatic and wonderful. But the space itself is really nothing more than an empty living room with great north light. When I have larger work to do, I borrow Eric Legacy's studio barn. Otherwise I work small and use the outdoors as much as possible as my drawing studio during the day and paint from the sketches at night.

FPAC: What is the concept behind your work and how are the works created?

Danny O: This is constantly changing. I don't think about concept too much. At the core I am a

resourceful creator. Using paper instead of paint, came from being too poor to buy any paint. Once after spending $30 on a tube of red paint I spotted a stack of brightly colored magazines waiting for the garbage pick up. The colors were so vivid (and free) that I took them home and went to work. That led to a decade of pursuing collage. In recent years I began to collect half finished thrift store paintings and paint over them. After doing collage and cutting for so many years I have a strong desire to use my hand again, this time returning to drawing and painting in a chunky collage, carefree manner. So I guess the answer is that I follow my heart rather than my head and the compass is pointing toward loose, free intimate drawings and paintings rahter than well defined collages.

FPAC: Your work has a hometown, nostalgic feeling. Can you talk more about this? It reminds me of watching America Pickers! (have you seen the show?)

Danny O: My work does have a folk art fe

el, this may come from my early years as a cartoonist and later as an illustrator. Trying to walk that line between fine and folk art gives my work a feeling that it is more naive perhaps than it actually is. I am thrift store junkie and I think that has worn off on the work. When I was young I did a lot of cartoons for my dad, and later the US Navy. I think it became ingrained in me to make approachable work. This was later cemented when I read a quote by Matisse that talked about making work that was for the eyes not the mind. I feel a natural kinship to that quest.

FPAC: What is the most unique part of the space you work in?

Danny O: Proabably that my nine month old daughter has a play pen in there and often keeps me company.....this is special.

FPAC: Adorable!

FPAC: Neat or Messy artist?

Danny O: MESSY to the core, but no

w that I am married, I have learned that organization creates balance and speeds the whole process of creation. Thank you Jen!

FPAC: Most inspirational artist that you are inspired by and why?

Danny O: Milton Avery, Sally Micheal and March Avery. For over twenty years I have been studying the whole family. The approach to art makes sence to me in a way that I am still in awe and discover deeper levels all the time. The color, design, improvisation and humor are the best in American Painting. I think Milton is an underated American, even though he is thought of as an American master and given praise for influencing so many of his generation and being the catulus for the great works of Rothko and Gotliebb. I think their life is worthy of a stunning movie that would unravel one of the most important creative collaborations of this past century. He and his wife lived together for over thirty years making paintings everyday in their living room. Sally's speed as an illustrator and her ability to capture the essence of a scene was on par with Milton's, and a quick study reveals how much her work had on his. So in the end it is Sally Micheal who I think is the greatest art figure of the past, for without her Milton would have been too stoic and formal. Her influence on him, and her supporting him allowed the work to flow from him freely. If you folow the family you can see that it was Sally who influenced Milton and Milton who influenced Rothko. Sally Micheal has a show up at the Childs Gallery now that illustrates this poit well.

FPAC: Your work embodies a lot of different materials, would you say your space for creating work can get a little overwhelming at time?

Danny O: YES! Sometimes there are too many images triing to get in, too many options with so much material. This has been the source of mental clutter and chatter, niether of which helps the process. Seeing this and feeling the work can sometimes feel over worked is why in recent years I have longed paint again and par down the available choices. Paint still can cost $30 bucks a tube, so I can still get very excited and inspired when I see a chunk of red paper on the cover of a magazine in a waiting room....quietly I tear it out and sneak it into my jacket for later.

FPAC: thanks! Your site looks great! www.dannyostudio.com

all pictures courtesy of DannyO