ELIZABETH GLAESSNER'S QUIET CONFIDENCE

Have you had the chance to see the "2014 Fellows Show" at the Academy?  If not, RUN don't walk to Wilkinson Gallery, 111 Franklin Street, before it closes on Sunday, September 29th.  At the show you will be drawn to Elizabeth Glaessner's (MFA 2013, Fellow 2014) work. Her post-apocalyptic paintings slowly reveal intricate allegories suspended in time.  Her chromatically vivid, psychologically dense, personal narratives take the viewer on a journey through the artist’s interior life.  Both intensely strategic and wildly intuitive, each detail of her work has a jewel-like quality that is the result of the artist’s extreme focus.  And yet, when taken as a whole, the improvisational nature of the work links every component into a rapturous symphony of exotic symbols and voluptuous color.

For Elizabeth, the Fellows Show came at the right time - fresh on heels of her debut solo exhibition at PPOW Gallery in August, a show that started a trajectory that we're excited to follow.  For the last installment of the Fellow Interview Series, we caught up with Elizabeth Glaessner whose quiet confidence shines through in her work and presence.  

Q: What are the major themes you pursue in your work?
A: Ritual, absurdity, meaning, invented mythology, shifting landscape, horror

Q: Where did you grow up? 

A: I grew up in Houston, Texas and my mom taught classes to kids at the Glassell school of art so seeing and making art was a big part of my childhood. We spent a lot of time at the Menil and the MFAH and I joined the teen council at the Contemporary Art Museum in Houston when I was in high school. There, I had the opportunity to visit artists’ studios whom I still greatly admire (especially Trenton Doyle Hancock). I also spent a lot of time outdoors - digging in the bayous, fishing in Galveston, hiking in West Texas and the Rockies. The vast, open (often toxic) landscape definitely still appears in my work.

Q: What inspires you?
A: Things I see everyday - often the most banal objects seem to have the most potential to be transformed into something totally ecstatic.

Q: Tell us about your practice, do you start with a picture, idea or story in mind? 

A: I start with a feeling or a mood and then I try to conjure imagery for that and channel that feeling the entire time I’m making the piece. I first learned this from taking Inka Essenhigh’s monotype master class and it completely resonated with me and inspired me to adjust my own way of working. Everyone should take her painting from imagination class!

Q: If you could retake any class at the academy what would it be and why?
A: All of the master classes I took - Julie Heffernan, Natalie Frank, Inka Essenhigh - those were all incredibly influential and encouraging for me. Also, Wade’s animal class (but with a mask to eliminate the smell), Jacobsmeyer’s comp and design, Catherine Howe’s alchemical painting, Margaret Bowland, Monica Cook, any class where Kurt Kauper lectures.

Q: What materials do you like to use and how do you know when your work is finished 

A: I use inks and water dispersed pigments mixed with different binders in order to create a saturated world, sometimes allowing the medium to dictate the narrative. I really started using the materials I use now during my residency in Leipzig during the summer between my 1st and 2nd year.  I know it's finished when I don’t want to go back to the studio the next day and destroy it.

Q: During your post-graduate year, what did you learn most about yourself and practice?
A: I learned to trust my instincts more and the importance of community and conversation.

Q: What was the best advice given to you as an artist?
A: Be idealistic and read the news.

Q: What 3 quirky things can we find in your studio?
A: My stuffed chipmunk, Chester, plaster chicken feet and a studio mate.

Q: Do you paint to music or paint in silence?
A: both, today I was listening to Nancy Sinatra and La Luz but I switch it up often.

Q: If you weren't an artist what would you be?
A: A little more bitter.  

Q: Pick a piece and tell me about it
A: “Those that Prefer to Stay in Trees” This 4 by 6 foot work on panel depicts a creature half born out of a tree bearing mutations which are indicative of what we might call a toxic environment, however in this world these mutations are celebrated and the toxic landscape becomes a place where new creatures and mutants thrive. This particular creature is enamored with the Lady of Ephesus (the Ionian fertility goddess) adapting her accessory breasts and presenting herself as a source of nourishment and birth. She has a commanding presence and watches outward with an ominous eye.

Q: Finally, what's next? Any immediate plans to share?
A: I'll be working in my studio in Greenpoint, continuing to work with all the incredible people at P.P.O.W. and teaching once a week at Montclair University. I also look forward being a part of another critical and inspiring community!

Elizabeth Glaessner (MFA 2013, Fellow 2014)

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To see more work from Elizabeth Glassner please visit her website.  Currently, her work is featured in the "2014 Fellows" exhibition, a three-person show that also features 2014 Fellows Nicolas V. Sanchez and Yunsung Jang.

Annually, the Academy awards Post-graduate fellowships to three exemplary graduating students chosen through a highly competitive selection process. During their Fellowship year, the Fellows receive studio accommodations, a stipend, exhibition opportunities and teaching assistantships to expand the depth and breadth of their artistic practice. The "2014 Fellows" show represents the culmination of their Fellowship year and entree into the art world as professional artists.

Yunsung Jang's Universal Spirit

Portraits by Yunsung Jang (MFA 2013, Fellow 2014) reflect both vulnerability and strength simultaneously.  His  process is a painterly excavation that is extremely physical and personally revealing.  Jang’s application of paint is similar to the way one would plaster a wall.  Trowels, knifes and brushes slather paint onto the faces of his subjects.  Once dry, he is as likely to carve back into a cheek as gently glaze over an eye or a wisp of hair.  Ultimately the paint has a mesmerizing ability to transmit the dynamic terrain of the human landscape.

For the second installment of our Fellows Interview Series, we had the opportunity to sit down with Yun Jang, whose 'Mother #1' portrait is currently on view at the National Portrait Gallery in London and was recently given the 2014 Visitor's Choice Award.  The people have spoken and since we love to give the people what they want, here's more on this artist-on-the-rise and the inspiration behind his work. 

'Mother # 1', 2013, oil on canvas

Q: What an honor and accomplishment Yun! Can you tell me what winning the National Portrait Gallery's Visitor Choice award means to you? 

A: There are so many great paintings in the show.   Just the idea that over 2,000 people saw and voted for my work is the best gift ever. It means so much to me. I feel so supported and very blessed.  

Q: What were you trying to convey in your painting? 
A: My painting is bigger than my relationship with my mom. 'Mother #1' is about the universal relationship and love between mother and child. I wanted my feelings to transfer to the viewers to be able to connect them with their own childhood memories and love for their parents (if that's even possible).

Q: What are the major themes you pursue in your work?

A: I am interested in how a picture can replicate a living being, interpreting the subject’s internal and external qualities in communion with my own.

Q: What and who inspires you? 

A: Humanism, nature and anyone who dedicated to humanity.

Detail, 'Aki,' 2014, oil on canvas

Q: Can you tell us about where you grew up and its impact on your work?

A: I grew up in a suburb area in Seoul, Korea. It is a very densely populated area and I see lots of faces and emotions that I'm interested in.

Q: Do you start a painting with a picture, an idea, or story in mind? How do you know when it's finished?

A: I do think of an idea or picture in my mind but I don’t want to think about it too clearly so I can make a room to something else to develop.  I think the most difficult stage is conclusion. Ernest Hemingway wrote 47 endings to A Farewell to Arms. I don't always know when I'm finished.

Q: Tell me about your rituals?
A: I always try to eat an apple before I start to work so I wont get hungry and have to stop in the middle of something. I set up working and put headphones on with some classical music or Disney music and start to work. I always clean up and put everything back in its place.

Q: What three things can we find in your studio?

A: Pencils, sketchbooks and candies.

Q: How has the Academy shaped your practice? 

A: I spend more time thinking about the concept.

Q: If you could retake any class at the Academy what would it be and why?

A: I should have taken a monotype class. It looks fun to me!

Q: During your post-graduate year, what did you learn most about yourself and practice?

A: I learned how to prepare for the real world. I got to stretch my body before jumping into the ocean.

Self-Portrait, 2014, oil on wooden box

Q: Would you pick a piece from the Fellows Show and tell me about it?

A: Jun, He is my friend, teacher and my mentor. His life was very interesting. He is so dedicated to art and spirit. He has struggled with emotional and physiological issues but religion and art is his escape. I want to depict that human struggle.

'Jun,' 2014, oil on canvas

Q: Can you finish this sentence: The reason why I'm an artist is...?

A: The reason why I’m an artist is I like to create new things.

Q: If you weren't an artist what would you be?

A: I’d like to be a musician.

Q: Finally, what's next?
A: Getting a studio and starting to work!

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Currently, Yunsung Jung's work is featured in the "2014 Fellows" exhibition on view at the Academy's Wilkinson Gallery through September 28th.  This three-person show also features the work of 2014 Fellows Elizabeth Glaessner and Nicolas V. Sanchez.

Annually, the Academy awards Post-graduate fellowships to three exemplary graduating students chosen through a highly competitive selection process. During their Fellowship year, the Fellows receive studio accommodations, a stipend, exhibition opportunities and teaching assistantships to expand the depth and breadth of their artistic practice. The "2014 Fellows" show represents the culmination of their Fellowship year and entree into the art world as professional artists. 

To see more work from Yunsung Jang please visit his website.  Stay tuned the last installment of the Fellows interview series featuring Elizabeth Glaessner

An Unforgotten Past: The Work of Nicolas V. Sanchez

Nicholas V. Sanchez (MFA 2013, Fellow 2014) is driven by a prolific compulsion to bear witness to everything he holds dear. In paintings that depict blind horses, decaying walls and scabrous surfaces, Sanchez suggests a world that is not only falling apart but one that is also slipping through his fingers.  By painting memories that could easily fade into oblivion, Sanchez creates an illusion, first for himself and then for the viewer, of their continuity which satisfies his quest to preserve his family's heritage.

In Nicolas' newest body of work created specifically for the "2014 Fellows" exhibition opening at the Academy on September 3rd from 6-8pm, Nicolas reveals some of his most intimate paintings yet.  On the eve of the show's opening, we caught up with him to discuss his Fellowship year, learn about his inspirations and what's next for this artist-on-the-rise. 

Q: What are the major themes you pursue in your work and can you tell me about your work from the "2014 Fellows" show?

A: Family, heritage, tradition, preservation, identity, space, and preservation are themes I tend to explore in my work.  For the 2014 Fellows show, my work continues to center around the idea of inheritance through family, specifically through my family's history. Linking different worlds by means of family photos, rural animals, and painting methods, a new identity is simultaneously created and lost through the preservation of traditions, myths, and legacies of past generations. 

Q: Would you tell us about your childhood and its influence on your work? 

A: I was born and raised in Michigan where I had equal access to urban neighborhoods and the dirt roads and open farmland. It's that quaint Midwest kind of area. I first started seeing influences of home in my work during my time in New York. I would say my bi cultural experience growing up is what influences my work the most. I would also say my connection to nature influences my work as well. As a child I went outside and ventured into the woods beyond our backyard collecting bugs and teaching myself about nature. I always had an affinity for animals and nature. I recall those times when finding links and overlaps to my past and inherited legacies.

Q: How did you start painting? Do you start with a picture, an idea, or a story in mind?  

A: I have been drawing all my life. Since I could hold a pencil. I started painting in undergrad. I can't say I start in any one way. Sometimes the work starts with an image in mind, other times its a feeling, or a technical execution that motivates me. Sometimes I'll see something and think, 'oh...yea, that should be painted like this...' So sometimes it starts with clarity and other times it starts with moments of curiosity and I have to paint or draw something to find out why I was so attracted to it. A sense of elasticity in my studio practice is important to me. When simultaneously working on a large oil painting and a small ink drawing, each medium is revisited with fresh eyes, hands, and mind. Contrary to the non-erasable and 'restrictive' idea about drawing in ink, my colored ballpoint pen drawings offer a sense of freedom. My first mark is also my last mark. There's no taking it back, so why worry about it? I just keep drawing. It pushed me to become more disciplined and develop a sense of agility.

Q: How has the Academy shaped your practice? 

A: I came to the Academy to develop my technical skills and it has done that. Because the Academy has given me a stronger foundation, I feel less restrictive and encouraged to try new things. I've acquired skills that allow me to express my ideas and explore unknown territory.

Q: If you could retake any class at the academy what would it be?
A: Wade's drawing class 

Q: What did you learn most about yourself and practice during your post graduate year?
A: I learned more about what drawing and painting mean to me. 
 

 

Q: Can you share any rituals you may have in the studio?
A: The only thing I do consistently in the studio is clean up before I leave. I need a clean and somewhat organized space so I can focus when I return. I love being able to arrive at my studio and within minutes begin working. 

  

Q: What was the best advice given to you as an artist? 

A: A wise artist named Guno Park (MFA 2011) told me to "Just draw!"

Q: If you weren't an artist what would you be? 

A: I also like teaching dance (pop-n-lock, isolation, footwork, and body waves) so maybe that's what I would be doing. 
 

Q: Pick a piece and would you tell us about it?

A: Heir, 2014 (oil on canvas, 24 x 30 in). This is Ethan. He is the youngest first cousin in my family. He battles me every time I come home. He keeps my dancing skills on point. 

Q: Finally, what's next? 

A: Immediately after the opening reception for the "2014 Fellows" show, I am assisting international artist Liu Bolin on a project in Chelsea. Then, my work will be featured in a two- person show in November.  I will also be working on a few projects with Accesso Galleria in Italy. Besides that, I will be painting and drawing every day, living and working in the city. 

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Currently, Nicolas V. Sanchez's work is featured in the "2014 Fellows" exhibition on view at the Academy's Wilkinson Gallery through September 28th.  This three-person show also features the work of 2014 Fellows Elizabeth Glaessner and Yunsung Jang.

Annually, the Academy awards Post-graduate fellowships to three exemplary graduating students chosen through a highly competitive selection process. During their Fellowship year, the Fellows receive studio accommodations, a stipend, exhibition opportunities and teaching assistantships to expand the depth and breadth of their artistic practice. The "2014 Fellows" show represents the culmination of their Fellowship year and the beginning of their promising careers beyond the Academy. 

To see more work from Nicolas V. Sanchez please visit his website.  Stay tuned for more interviews from Elizabeth Glaessner and Yunsung Jang during the exhibition's three week run.

Studio Portraits: Elizabeth Glaessner (MFA 2013, Fellow 2014)

Elizabeth Glaessner, Fellow 2014, MFA 2013

Studio: 4th floor

www.elizabethglaessner.com

Studio Portraits: Nicolas V. Sanchez (Fellow 2014, MFA 2013)

Nicolas V. Sanchez, 2014 Fellow (Class of 2013)

Studio: 2nd Floor

www.nicolasvsanchez.com

Studio Portraits: Yunsung Jang (Fellow 2014, MFA 2013)

Yunsung Jang, Fellow 2014, Class of 2013

Studio: 3rd floor

nyaa.edu/nyaa/fellows

TRIBECA BALL TOP TEN (for artists-in-residence)

by Nicolas V. Sanchez (MFA 2013, Fellow 2014)

Tribeca Ball is an annual event produced by the Academy to showcase its stellar artists. The Academy invites a tremendous amount of people who are all eager to visit the school’s artists-in-residence and see all of their work.  As a student, you participate in the event by displaying your work for easy viewing or by simply just working in your studio like any other day. It's a great opportunity for emerging artists to gain experience in a social environment where your work is front and center.
As artists, we each have different goals, some of which may include meeting people, introducing your work, and possibly selling a piece or two. When asked by the Academy to give my top ten list of preparations and things to keep in mind during the days leading up to the Tribeca Ball, here is what I came up with...

1. Arrange your work. You can choose the "all over" salon style, the clean selected works gallery look, or somewhere in between. Think about your goals for the night and what arrangement will help your work shine. 

2. Clean up vs natural work space. Again, you don't have to go through all of the trouble of re-arranging your studio. Letting people in to your unique work space can be just as interesting and exciting as organizing and exhibiting your work. 

3. Be prepared. Have business cards, a sign-in book, your website updated, prices for your work (price list), and a pen. Always have a pen in hand. You look amazing with a pen. Preferably a ballpoint pen. 

4. Dress good to feel good – not to impress. If putting on a suit and tie or nice dress brings out the confident and outgoing side of you, then great! If not, just don't be scraggly. 

5. Practice your moonwalk before the event. Do whatever helps you shake off any sweaty, shaky, awkward nerves. I may or may not give an "impromptu" dance lesson before the event. Easy on the liquid spirits. 

6. Mi casa es su casa! Be a good host. Smile and welcome people into your studio. 

7. Be engaging. Don't be afraid to highlight your work or yourself to let people know a little something about you, especially if they are looking intently at your work. Speak up! A conversation starter could be, "I made that while on my residency in China.." or "Please buy that. I haven't eaten in 73 days." 

8. Don't start with the end in sight. Be open to any conversation about anything. It may turn into a great opportunity OR an incredibly interesting fun fact about their cat, either way, free yourself and the person you're talking to of any expectations or forced commitments.

9. Be yourself, not that other guy...unless that other guy is very sociable, positive, funny, smart, talented, incredibly good looking, and overall so much cooler than you, then yea...sorta, kinda, maybe be a little like that guy.

10. Your closer- "Thank you so much for stopping by my studio. Enjoy the rest of your night." Done.

There are many other helpful do's and don'ts for Tribeca Ball. If you want more specific help based on your work, your studio location, how to feel more comfortable meeting new people, make the night an overall positive experience, what pen looks great on you, dance moves, what hat to wear, and goat sounds to make, I will be available anytime leading up to the event to visit your studio. Holler! See you at the Ball!

To learn more about Nicolas V. Sanchez (MFA 2013, Fellow 2014) please stop into his studio on the second floor at the Academy.