George Rodriguez
George Rodriguez addresses sensitive sociopolitical issues through his highly ornamented figurative ceramic sculptures. There is a tongue-in cheek-ease that is evident in the sense of warmth his works convey. Themes of culture and identity recur throughout his sculpture, celebrating the unique attributes of diverse cultures as well as the similarities that unite us all.
Rodriguez’s ceramic sculptures eloquently communicate the emotions they embody, through figures spanning a wide range of forms and personalities. Aspects of certain forms echo elements of African, Italian, and South American ceramic traditions, yet the resulting pieces are dynamically modern.
George received a BFA in ceramics from the University of Texas El Paso then went on to receive an MFA from the University of Washington. His world curiosity grew as a recipient of a Bonderman Travel Fellowship where he traveled the world through most of 2010. His work can be found in the permanent collection of the National Mexican Museum of Art in Chicago, Hallie Ford Museum in Salem, Oregon and the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery amongst others. George is represented by Foster/White Gallery in Seattle, WA and is the Artist in Residence at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture in Philadelphia.
The book he was reading that was mentioned in the interview was Natalie Diaz Book of Poems.
Rebirth
“The chief beauty about time
is that you cannot waste it in advance.”
-Arnold Bennett
Every moment is a new beginning. What’s done is in the past and the future lies, untouched before us. Whether we have made mistakes does not matter, it is the choices we make in this moment that propel us forward. Internalizing this endless opportunity for renewal is what builds strong, successful lives. When one does not allow the follies of what’s passed before to hinder taking control of what’s ahead, the world and the constant stretch of time become the canvas on which a masterpiece is rendered.
Rachel Adams spoke to us in late August from Omaha, Nebraska where she lives and works. She describes Omaha as a “blue dot in a red state” which means that the city itself has kept many of the pandemic safety measures in place. In her role as Curator and Director of Programs at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, she oversees three programming branches – an international artist residency, exhibitions and public programs. The center now has a new experimental and sound art venue that brings in a few performances each month. Since the beginning of the center 40 years ago, the mission has been artists supporting artists. This includes the artists coming in for residency as well as those exhibiting and around the community. To hear more about the center and Adams’ role, listen to the complete interview.
Kristine Stiles connected with us from Durham, North Carolina in early September. At the time, the circumstances of the pandemic were still quite unpredictable. A Distinguished Professor of Art, Art History and Visual Studies at Duke University, Stiles reports that she was able to remain online with her current seminar class about trauma in art, literature and film. Early on, Stiles made the case that a course such as this could not be taught with masked faces as it robs the ability to see students’ faces and was granted to teach the seminar online. Stiles began as a painter, initially painting herself as an African American. Eventually, she was told by African American colleagues that she could no longer do this and so she moved away from painting. To hear more about this and more about her evolution from artist to academic, listen to the complete interview.
A Few Words to Keep in your Pocket:
Allow yourself to be bold, to live in each moment as though it was your first, to look always for how you might be reborn in this moment. Or this. Or this…
Interviews are available on iTunes as podcasts, and for Android please click here. All weekly essay pieces in a shareable format are here. The full archive of interviews here.
Books to Read
What are you reading? Add your titles to our reading list here. Rachel Adams was reading Ninth Street Women by Mary Gabriel. Kristine Stiles highly recommends the documentary The Last of the Unjust.
Deadlines:
NARS Studio Relief Program offers three months of subsidized, work-only studio space to artists in need. This program focuses primarily on artists who have experienced financial hardship as a result of the pandemic. For more information and to apply, visit the website. Rolling deadline.
From 24 June to 20 August 2021, Marian Goodman Gallery and Holt/Smithson Foundation will present the first exhibition of Robert Smithson’s work in the gallery’s New York space. The exhibition, Abstract Cartography, will focus on a crucial five-year period in Smithson’s development: 1966 to 1971, a time when his “inklings of earthworks” began. This careful selection of artworks will trace Smithson’s radical rethinking of what art could be and where it could be found.
Brainard Carey is an author, artist and educator. He is the director of Praxis for Aesthetics. He has written six books for artists; Making it in the Art World, New Markets for Artists, The Art World Demystified, Fund Your Dreams Like a Creative Genius, Sell Online Like a Creative Genius, and Succeed with Social Media Like a Creative Genius. His book, Making it in the Art World, is available now with bonus content here.
What If…
Life is full of unforeseen circumstances. Some we may be able to handle, while others may set us back in many ways, including financially. For artists, this can be a particularly precarious detail. Fortunately, there are resources out there specifically intended to support artists during difficult times. Whether you encounter a sudden emergency, find yourself in need of temporary studio space or have the somewhat enviable problem of stumbling into an unexpected exhibition, there are grants available to help cover expenses. Read on for details.
NARS Studio Relief Program offers three months of subsidized, work-only studio space to artists in need. This program focuses primarily on artists who have experienced financial hardship as a result of the pandemic. For more information and to apply, visit the website. Rolling deadline.
Foundation for Contemporary Arts offers emergency grants to artists who find themselves with an unanticipated opportunity to exhibit their work or who encounter unexpected expenses that lie out of budget when they are near project completion with a committed exhibition or performance date. If you meet these criteria, visit the website to apply. Rolling deadline.
The Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant offers financial assistance to painters, printmakers and sculptors who encounter unforeseen, catastrophic situations and lack the resources to meet the circumstances. Restrictions do apply, visit the website for full details and to apply. Rolling deadline.
Praxis Center is a resource for artists building a career. We offer expert guidance and a toolkit to help you achieve your dreams. Our community of artists speaks for itself, sharing their wins among supportive peers and nurturing each other in every aspect of this path that they all share. Join us today. Find your community, find your future.
Brainard Carey is an author, artist and educator. He is the director of Praxis for Aesthetics. He has written six books for artists; Making it in the Art World, New Markets for Artists, The Art World Demystified, Fund Your Dreams Like a Creative Genius, Sell Online Like a Creative Genius, and Succeed with Social Media Like a Creative.
Photo credit: Foundation for Contemporary Art
Susan Mastrangelo
Susan Mastrangelo was born and raised in New York City and Washington D.C. She studied at the Kansas City Art Institute and the New York Studio School, and received her MFA from Boston University under the tutelage of Philip Guston. Based in New York since graduate school, she has shown nationally and internationally, and is a recipient of a Mercedes Matter Award, a Rockwell Grant and two grants from the Pollock Krasner Foundation. She has been a visiting artist at the American Academy in Rome, a guest at Civitella Raneri, and a resident at Yaddo, The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, The Ragdale Foundation, The Triangle Workshop (as a student of Anthony Caro), and the Tyrone Guthrie Center. For 27 years she taught and chaired the Art Department at the Buckley School in New York City, and now works as a full time multidisciplinary artist at the Can Factory in Gowanus, Brooklyn.