Academy Awards - Most Experimental Media - Sarah Elise Hall (MFA 2009)

by Claire Cushman (MFA 2015)

Ruptured Slab: hydrocal, spray paint transfer,
 dry pigment, calcite geode (2015)

I first met Sarah Elise Hall (MFA 2009) two and a half years ago, in Toronto, where we are both from. I was painting out of a shared studio space, and Sarah happened to stop by to visit the space’s owner. When she mentioned that she had gone to the Academy, I excitedly told her I was applying for the following year.

Soon after, Sarah and I met for coffee. She told me all about her Academy experience, and helped me select images for my application. A few months later, when I was accepted to the school, she was very encouraging. Thankfully we've stayed in touch, and Sarah has been a kind and helpful mentor throughout my entire Academy experience.  

This fall, when I was beginning to delve into abstraction, Sarah recommended I get a little crazy with my materials and media. “Use the most insane tools you can think of,” she told me. “Like, get a broom, put your canvas on the floor, and see what it’s like to paint with a broom. And really mess around with medium – pour a whole can of shellac over your oil paint. There are all these rules about ‘fat over lean,’ but see what happens if you completely disregard them.”

Unsurprisingly, this spring, Sarah was nominated for “Most Experimental Media.” 

Sometimes, when something in a work of art isn’t working, all you really need to do is switch up your tools or medium to fix the problem. For example, brush size can make all the difference. Hall, who went through NYAA for sculpture, pushes materials to their limits. She’s been exploring themes of mortality and decay for about ten years now and is currently working with geodes and dry pigments to further this investigation. Her work was recently on display at Los Ojos in Brooklyn. Below, she answers some questions about her materials.

System 2 (Grey Aggregate with Carbon Stack).
Plywood, enamel floor paint,
dry pigment, acrylic paint skins, hydrocal.

What are you doing with geodes and dry pigment? How do these materials relate to your investigation of mortality and decay?

As my work has evolved, the expression of this idea (mortality and decay) has become progressively more abstract. The geodes and the cast dry pigment fit into a larger category of work called Cavities - ruptures in paintings, walls and sculptures. Cavities are about what's inside or underneath a facade, surface or skin, and make me think of the body, urban decay such as sinkholes and dilapidated infrastructure, and hollowed-out spaces in nature such as caves and other geological formations. In my work, sometimes these ruptures are natural forms such as geodes, and sometimes they are hand made with cast forms that I sink into walls or paintings. Casting dry pigment is another way of creating an area of decay in a given form. Working with dry pigment and hydrocal is also a way for me to investigate new ways of painting.  

System 1 (Ultramarine R7)
plywood, enamel floor paint, dry pigment,
spray paint transfer, hydrocal (2015) 

You majored in sculpture at NYAA, and now are working more with installation- What caused this shift? What information that you learned at the Academy have you held onto/let go of? 

I don't really see it as that much of a departure. I've studied both painting and sculpture, and what I'm doing now is a continued investigation of both, although I now consider the architecture I'm working within as well. My parameters have more to do with my ideas (memento mori) than with a specific form, and so this has allowed me to shift between medical imagery, the body, disease, contaminated landscapes, fossils, and decay within a form in a cohesive way. What I learned at NYAA was invaluable and in many ways is the backbone of my practice. I think the information and skill I acquired at the school will continue to resurface in my work in the future

Studio shot (untitled) - materials: plywood, enamel floor paint, 
dry pigment, acrylic paint skins, hydrocal (2015)

in different ways.

You tend to shift around a lot in terms of media - how does this process of changing gears happen for you? How long will you stay in one medium/process before moving on?

I really like working with different materials as a way of expressing different ideas - materials have inherent meaning, and I like either pairing or juxtaposing materials with my overall concept. Materials are as much part of my visual language as my form sense, so I don't really move on and leave something else behind. It's more like expanding my language where at times I circle back and pick something up again if it serves a purpose. I like to have a lot of things in my tool box, so I usually end up working with multiple media at the same time.

What music do you listen to while you work?

That's all over the place and not always music ... Miles Davis, Dosh, New Order, Nine Inch Nails, NPR, Rachel Maddow… and sometimes nothing. Silence can be a good thing, especially in this city.

Detail of Grey Aggregate (2015)

Check out Hyperallergic's review of Sarah's show at Los Ojos.

Studio Portraits: Gabriela Handal (MFA 2015)

Gabriela Handal, Class of 2015

Studio: 4th Floor

gabrielahandal.com

Creating an Academy Community in Bushwick

By Maggie Mead
Photos courtesy of Jaclyn Brown

Jaclyn Brown in her studio

Bushwick Open Studios (BOS)—the three days every spring when artists working in Bushwick, East Williamsburg, Bedford-Stuyvesant and Ridgewood, Queens, invite the world into their workspaces—has become one of the city’s must-attend arts parties and, according to the New York Times, “the coolest place in the five boroughs” during the weekend it takes place.  

Dozens of Academy alumni participate in BOS each year, but did you know that Academy artists were some of the first residents of one of the event’s largest venues? Jaclyn Brown (MFA 2009) was part of the first group of Academy alums who moved into an almost empty building at 1717 Troutman Street in 2009, after responding to an ad offering studio space for less than 99 cents a square foot. 

1717 Troutman Street

“We thought it was a trick,” Jaclyn said. It turned out the building had just recently begun renting studio space after two years of renovations. Before that, artists had been illegally working in the large studios until they were evicted in 2007. Jaclyn and a group of alums—including Branden Wallace (MFA 2009), Sang Yong Cho (MFA 2009), Sarah Hall (MFA 2009), Cecilia Roberts (MFA 2009) and Jason Talley (MFA 2008)—moved into a single 17,000 square foot studio (number 318), signing a lease under Branden's name.

“We were one of the first to rent there besides some wood builders, a group from NYU and artist Angel Otero, who moved in across from us at the same time," Jaclyn said. "The area only had a couple of restaurants, so we lived off of cheap tacos.”

There were other things about the neighborhood that took some getting used to besides the limited food options. “Cars would pull up to me and I was like, ‘Why do I keep having cars pull up to me?'" Jaclyn recalled. "And then I realized it was because of prostitution.” Today, Jaclyn says she feels much safer. The surrounding blocks now include murals, an organic deli, numerous bars and restaurants.

Jaclyn in the studio before the artists installed walls to separate the work spaces.

Several other Academy artists soon moved into the building, including Chris Marshall (MFA 2009), Nico LeBarge (MFA 2010), Lorra Jackson (MFA 2008), Peter Mühlhaußer (MFA 2009, Fellow 2010), Amber Mühlhaußer (MFA 2009), Stephen Sheheen (MFA 2005), John O'Reilly (MFA 2010, Fellow 2011), Meredith Rachel (MFA 2010), Stephanie Lindquist (MFA 2011), Jackie Dingle (MFA 2010) and Eric Mavko (MFA 2005), among many others. 

The group of artists in 318 has shifted over time. In addition to Jaclyn and Branden, the current roster of Academy alums in the studio includes Mike Gibson (MFA 2009), Mark Opirhory (MFA 2009), Heidi Elbers (MFA 2010) and Alvaro Luna (MFA 2011), all of whom participated in this year's BOS, from May 31 to June 2. 

(From left to right): Cecilia Roberts, Amber Mühlhaußer, and Heidi Elbers.

Jason Talley (Jaclyn's husband since 2009) stretching out in his studio space.

Jaclyn's studio space

Mike Gibson's space, ready for BOS.

Paintings by Mark Opirhory

Branden Wallace with his transformer made from vintage porn VHS tapes!

Heidi Elbers in her space, surrounded by her paintings

Work by Alvaro Luna

Nico LeBarge with her work

Chris Marshall's studio space

“I love working here and being around people I graduated with,” Jaclyn said. “You always have someone there to help you out, give you a critique when you need it, or grab a drink from a local bar."  

The network of Academy artists at the Troutman building has become more than just a social group. It has also become a real support system for the artists. In August 2012, when Jason Talley was diagnosed with leukemia, Academy alums came together to find a way to support him, which led to an exhibition/fundraiser hosted by the Academy.  

"That was pretty amazing," Jaclyn said. "Even though I am miles from my family [in Canada], it made me feel like we had family here: our Academy family."

Jaclyn and Chris Marshall relaxing on the roof.

Stephanie Lindquist, Heidi Elbers and other alumni hanging out at one

of the many BBQ parties on the roof deck.

 

501-9 at Clemente Soto Velez Cultural & Education Center

How three Academy Artists put together a pop-up art show --
and why they think you should do it too.

Two weeks ago (May 9-13), the cutLog Art Fair, sponsored by the Franco-German television network ARTE, was held at the Clemente Soto Velez Cultural & Educational Center on New York's Lower East Side, featuring three floors and 45 galleries chock full of contemporary art exhibits, installations, performances and other art pieces.

The same weekend, in a corner of the building's fifth floor, three Academy artists--Sarah Beatty (MFA 2012), Jonathan Beer (MFA 2012, Fellow 2013) and Lily Koto Olive (MFA 2013)--hosted a pop-up art exhibit, featuring their own pieces along with work by six other artists: 2013 Academy graduates Meg Franklin, Elizabeth Glaessner and Nadene Grey, as well as DC-based artist Lee Gainer, Boston-based Christopher Mir and Christine Gray, who is represented by New York's RARE Gallery.

Beatty hosted the exhibition in the studio space that she has rented at the center since January. Because she was in the midst of curating another show Finding Space: Artwork Inspired by Urban New York, she asked Beer and Olive—who together run the art criticism website Art-rated—to curate the show, called 501-9 after Beatty's studio number. Though it was not associated with cutLog, it benefited from the hundreds of art lovers the fair brought to the Clemente building that weekend. “The decision to have it was about – ‘Hey, why don’t we just jump on this opportunity,’” Olive said. “It seemed perfect for a pop-up art show."

 

Beer and Olive were excited to bring together work by their peers at the Academy with work by Grey, Mir and Gainer, which they believed to be “in dialogue.” They handpicked the pieces, which ranged widely in size and included a piece by Beer that hung from the ceiling, covering a closet door like a tapestry.

Though the show was not defined by a particular theme, Beatty, Beer and Olive saw connections between the pieces. “Almost all the artists in the show are interested in communicating something about what it is to be contemporary and the conditions of contemporary life,” Beer said. “That’s a big part of who we chose and why.”
 

Olive observed that many of the pieces seemed to include “unique depictions of light,” even though that was a conscious decision. “In Christine Grey’s piece, she has these two hands holding an open space, and the hands are made of snakeskin and there’s kind of a little window cut out and it’s this bright blue sky with a bird flying through it, so it’s kind of like this warm bright feeling,” Olive said. “In Meg’s pieces, they’re darker palette with a kind of subdued glowing luminents. Jon had kind of a similar aesthetic, and Sarah was painting some architecture at nighttime. [Light] was a key part of all the paintings.”

Beer said the biggest challenge came with arranging the show in the space, because up until that point, no one had seen all the art together in one room. On the whole, all three were pleased with the way the pieces fit together—and with the number of visitors who followed their signs and ventured up to the fifth floor. "No matter what, people do come to see art--even up on the fifth floor in the darkest corner," Beatty said. "People still made their way up there--it surprised me."

Beatty, Beer and Olive see the experience of curation as an empowering one for artists. “We all show our work, we show in galleries—we have that experience,” Olive said. “But it feels good to go, ‘You know what?’ I feel like doing this.’ We can curate the show, we don’t have to sit around and wait. If something sells, we can control it all. It’s more of a powerful position for the artist to be in, honestly.”
 
Asked what advice she'd give to artists interested in trying their hand at curating, Beatty said, “Just try it. Look for opportunities and seize on them yourself. No one’s going to make an opportunity for you, so why not see what you can do?”

Artist Portraits: Grayson Ronk (Class of 2013)

Grayson Ronk, Class of 2013

Studio location: 2nd Floor

graysonronk.carbonmade.com

Artist Portraits: James Linkous (Class of 2013)

James Linkous, Class of 2013

Studio location: 2nd Floor

http://jameslinkous.com

Inside the Studio with Dave Wagner

Interview with Dave Wagner (MFA 2013) by Maria Teicher (MFA 2013) 

When I came to Dave Wagner’s summer studio I was impressed to be immediately greeted with a gallery.  I don’t believe I’ve ever gone to visit a studio and been struck so immediately with how wonderful the place was run and how very “for the artists” it was. The Brooklyn Artists Space, formerly the Brooklyn Artists Gym, is rather unique in what it has to offer.  The space Dave had was a shared one that he would set up every day.  Other artists were around working constantly and the sense of community seemed quite wonderful.  It was rather similar to the feeling you get being at the Academy. I quickly learned that Dave was utilizing the great studio he had for the summer and painting nearly every day.  His progress and dedication really showed in his work.  

After spending some time with Dave at his studio and admiring what he was working on, we decided to head off to a great coffee shop right down the street to continue our chat.  Here’s a bit about what I learned about this incredible artist and fellow New York Academy of Art student.

Dave is originally from Northern California. He spent the first half of his childhood in the Bay Area and the rest in Sacramento.  He’s currently living in Brooklyn but the adjustment to New York was not easy for him.  He explains, “I had a rough landing! I went from living in the peaceful redwoods of Northern California to a noisy street in Brooklyn. I showed up to an apartment I’d never seen in a place that I found daunting, knowing practically nobody. I love living in a place with so many artists and a thriving art scene, but I still feel like I’m in a big hamster cage.” 

Dave’s artistic background is extremely interesting and unique.  This starts with wanting to be the next big cartoonist when he was young.  He even started getting his cartoons published when he was just sixteen.  He describes his interest in painting and airbrushing during those teen years as well: rushing through homework assignments to go into the garage and paint. The next step was college.  He tells me, “Of course the common sense thing to study if you’re into art is graphic design, because ‘you can get a job when you get done with school.’ Although I disliked my time there, I got a degree in graphic design from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. I’m glad I have those skills now, but I was a disgruntled little design student.”  What followed for this disgruntled design student is pretty incredible.

“My first real job after school (after being a bouncer for a while-not as cool as I thought it would be!) was a painter and designer for a “Fine Art and Mural” company. I did projects for Vegas casinos and was sent to Saudi Arabia to paint in a Four-Seasons hotel. After that, I traveled to Europe a lot and ended working with some friends as their graphic designer and business manager in Barcelona. We threw pub crawls and I ran an underground hostel out of an apartment in a bad part of town.”

“After that I taught high schoolers art and geography at an inner-city charter school and lived at home to save up to study illustration. I did an illustration degree in two years at the California College of the Arts. This is where I fell in love with painting. After that school experience I made a living as a handyman in Southern Humboldt. It wasn’t a great place to pursue art, but I had a steady job during the recession and time to work on my own projects. When I was a student at CCA one of my teachers was the artist Shawn Barber. He hosted a trip to New York for some of the graduating students and NYAA was a place we checked out. I saw what was happening at the school and pretty much made it my mission to return. I couldn’t get it out of my head. It took four years to make it to NYAA.“

Maria: “How would you describe your first year at the academy?”

Dave: “My first year at the academy was a roller coaster. Some major victories were experienced and some major bitch-slaps were endured. This was an intense year for me.”

M: “What's the most valuable thing you learned last year?”

D: “I learned that I’ve got a lot to learn. I came into my first year feeling like I knew a lot about painting and art. It became quickly apparent that I didn’t even know how much I was ignorant of. Like a floundering Donald Rumsfeld, my “known-unknowns, and unknown-unknowns” became something to focus on.”

Dave describes his painting I class from his first year as being epic.  His teacher was the incredible Jean-Pierre Roy. “I learned a lot from that class and still go back and look at my notes from it. It was a true game-changer for me.”

M: “Why have you chosen to pursue becoming a fine artist?”

D: “I’ve chosen the field of fine art because I’m not somebody who is happy making compromises with my paintings. I really want to have free reign to make the paintings I want to make. I’m in love with painting. I’m inspired by what’s happening in small sections of the art world and I want to be a part of that.”

M: “Where does your drive to create come from?”

D: “My drive to create comes from an active and visual imagination. I’m a semi-pro day dreamer. I get antsy when I don’t have something to work on. Working makes me happy.”

M: “Any favorite painters?”

D: “Favorite painters? Charles Bragg really captured my imagination as a kid. I love Klimt, Michelangelo, Shawn Barber, Todd Schorr, Phil Hale, Mark Ryden, Maxfield Parrish, John Currin, and David Choe. The cartoonist Eric Decetis and the illustrator Randy Chavez have been mentors to me. More recently I went to Laurie Hogin’s web site and started reading her writings which really set me to purpose.”

M: “How important is your studio space to your creative practice?”

D: “ Studio space is important to me, but I don’t need much besides light, space, and quiet. I actually prefer silence when I work because it helps me focus. But sometimes I like a little diversion, then it’s all about dance music. John Digweed, James Zabiela, and Hernan Cattaneo play music that has a great flow for working. It’s damn sexy music.”

M: “Any advice for artists thinking about grad school?”

D: “Advice to artists regarding grad school: think long and hard. Think about what you want to get out of it. Many of the best artists have no formal education, but for me it has been essential. I think there’s only one way to take on the art world, and that’s by jumping in head first and with guns blazing.”

Dave has certainly been “jumping in heads first with guns blazing” this year.  He is currently showing in Baton Rouge at the Baton Rouge Gallery.  The show is called The Surreal Salon. He found the show through Juxtapoz Magazine and entered into an open call juried by N.C winters.

Dave has been developing his business practice in addition to his skill while at NYAA.  He tells me, “The Surreal Salon accepted two of my paintings. This was the first time I've had to build a crate and ship paintings.”  After some push from fellow students, Dave decided to attend the opening and had quite a blast.

“The evening was also a costumed ball with a variety of interactive installations. There was live music and I would guess that well over a thousand people attended. It was a great night! I made a couple of contacts, saw some of New Orleans' art scene, and learned some things about what to expect when being part of group show.”

Congratulations on your success, Dave!  I know this is just the beginning.

To learn more about The Surreal Salon check it out here: http://www.batonrougegallery.org/surreal-salon/

 To see more of Dave’s work check out his website:

http://www.davewagnerart.com