Interview with Judith Kindler

1)First of all,..can you present yourself..?
1) I am an artist living in Seattle, USA, working in a number of medias. I am most known for my work in mixed media combining photography with encaustics and oils on panels. But I also work with large scale photography and mixed media sculpture. I tend to work on a body of work under a specific idea for anywhere from one to three years at a time. Currently I’m focused on the good and bad of consumer consumption that the US especially is addicted to.

2) If your persona were immortalized as a cartoon character, who would it be?
2) I can’t answer that as I don’t follow the cartoons.

3)What is creativity?
3)The manifestation of an impulse that does not necessarily have a good reason to be manifested other than an internal desire by the artist to push beyond what is known at that moment or what is done at that moment. Creativity pulls from our pressing need to express some intangible idea that reflects, in a mostly unconscious way, the psychology or inner world of the artist as it is impacted by actual impressions and events from life. But one can find creativity in every act of life, not just art. It is an understanding that every moment presents possibilities. The truly creative person tends to explore the possibilities in all aspects of life not just art.

4)In your capacity as an artist, what do you hope the effect of your work will be on the people?
4) Of course, I hope that the audience will be moved in some way. My work is narrative in nature and I imply a universality within those narratives, which I would like the viewer to respond to and connect with. The work is also deeply personal and I am not looking for a direct response to any idea I have but an ephemeral response instead. I mentioned earlier, I am currently working on a body of work about consumer consumption. I just completed a 6 and ½ foot painting of a giant hamburger. American’s are addicted to this type of food and as a result are obese and incredibly unhealthy. Wouldn’t it be nice to think that you could shake things up, even if in a playful way, and enlighten our social consciousness regarding gluttony. The truth is, some will look at the giant hamburger and only see something that is desirable. They will miss the evil eyes that lurk beneath the tomatoes. The burger is up to no good, but the viewer can be horribly drawn to it.

5)What are some of your influences and inspirations?
5)I am always influenced by contemporary culture and my own material attachments, mundane habits and special interests. I paint the subjects, the struggles, the issues which currently impact me and in doing so, endeavour to philosophically deal with them.

6)What’s your favourite mediums(pen,charcoal,paint,canvas,etc…)to work in/on?
6)Mixed Media combining encaustics with my photography and with oils.

7)Who are some of your favourite painters/artists?
7)Christian Boltanski, Marlene Dumas and Frida Kahlo, because they evoke emotion in their work. I also have always loved the Venetian religious paintings between the 14th and 18th centuries. I respond to the delicacy in the work of Giovanni Bellini and Fra Angelico; the sense of transcendence.

8)How long does it normally take you to complete a piece of your artwork?
8) Anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months.

9)What else are you interested in besides visual arts?
9) Golf, Community Service (especially in the arts), Collecting art, philosophy and sociology.

10)Got any new projects planned?
10)I am working on a major public art installation. I am completing the work on consumer consumption for a solo exhibition at Woodside/Braseth Gallery in Seattle in January 2007. I also am working on a series of works for the Bakersfield Museum of Art for an exhibition of encaustics to be held in 2008.

11)How would you describe your art to someone who could not see it?
11) Iconic imagery in very textual environments created through build up of encaustics and oils over photography. A sense of mystery is created through the transparency of the encaustics and that is contrasted with symbolic markings on the surface. Those markings represent my own visual language which reveals a narrative.

12)What other talent would most like to have?
12)To play Chopin on the piano.

13)What is your favourite toy ,game or other artefact from your youth(and do you still own it)? 13)The I Ching. Yes, I still own it.

14)Favourite books?
14)I Ching, Not Afraid-The Rubell Family Collection, Peggy Guggenheim (Biography), Chanel (Biography), The Power of the Myth (Joseph Campbell), The Bhagavad Gita

15)Are there any web sites that you would recommend?
15)It is a good question and makes me aware that I should take the time to look at more websites.

16)What kind of music do you like and do you listen…And is the music important for your art…? 16)Yes music has been an extremely important part of my art. I listen to meditation cd’s when I first come into the studio, to calm me from the chaos of life around me. Once in that state, I listen to an array of music that best suits the energy I need to expend.

17)Any advice do you have for artists?
17) Have confidence in what you are doing and push yourself. Remember that it is the journey that is important not the end result. Enjoy the pleasure of the creative experience and remain detached from the results. If good things happen, celebrate with friends but always remain humble. If bad things happen, don’t become discouraged by the negativity in life, pick yourself up and keep going.

18)What do you fear the most?
18)Dishonor

19)Are there certain colours,shapes that you are drawn to?
19)Sepia (dramatic darks and lights), the shape of birds, boxes, and bottles.

20)Your contacts…E-mail….Links…
20) www.judithkindler.com
jkatelier@aol.com