artist's interview: MARISSA ARTERBERRY, #2

Grandmother, Ancestor

it is an honor to share with you my second artist's interview with my sister, Marissa Arterberry. Marissa is "an artist in love with life and all its possibilities." she is based in Oakland, CA. here, for fun, is my first interview with her way back in 2010. love u so, guapa. our friendship is a lustrous thing.

from her "Funkstress Series," copyright: Marissa Arterberry

Marissa y Kelly en Brooklyn

MA & Baby Sage

1. kelly :: what are you working on right now, queen? Marissa :: ​Sooo many things! I'm painting a fan for Oshun, collaborating with a friend on a series of Oracle cards, storyboarding a children's book ... my artist brain is like a faucet, a lot shows up at once!

La Virgen de Regla

2. kelly :: what are some of your creative goals for the next 2-­3 years? Marissa :: ​I should preface my answer by saying that I'm coming out of a period of disillusionment with the "art world" that caused me to withdraw and really rethink how and where my work is presented. This questioning led to the presentation of an exhibit in my apartment where 40+ people showed up, and also showing my work primarily online through platforms like Tumblr and Instagram. So I feel like my goals, aside from completing projects, are really shifting. I have a house full of work, so I would love to manifest a solo show in the next couple of years. I would like to show work in a community garden (have always wanted to do an outdoor installation,) and get my work into some publications.

Untitled, Marissa Arterberry

3. kelly :: how does being a new mom influence your creative processes? Marissa :: ​Oh man, it's a fascinating journey! I work while he naps. Anytime my son closes his eyes, I try to pick up a pencil or a paintbrush. Sometimes it's only for 10 minutes, but the good thing about having such limited time is that it helps me to work with more focus and intention. I don't have time to hem and haw over a particular shape or color in a piece like I did before. I just have to dive right in to whatever I'm doing. So I guess creatively, having my son has made me bolder.

from the "Funkstress Series"

4. kelly :: talk to me about the pertinence of sisterhood in your life. does sisterhood as a concept and practice find its way into your art? your spiritual life too? Marissa :: I've been very blessed to have amazing women friends in my life (you being one of them!) and I'm deeply appreciative of these connections. I'm in awe of the divinity that surrounds me in the form of powerful women. My artwork honors the divine feminine, and conversations and experiences with my sisters lead to paintings. Or sometimes I'll see a woman walking down the street or through an airport, and something about her tells a story. So I make up those stories and paint them. For example 'The Journey' was inspired by a woman I saw walking through the Charlotte airport laughing with her friends.

"The Journey"

5. kelly :: one of my favorite drawings of yours is "Don't Mess With Me Oshun." kindly tell the folks about Oshun and if you care to, what influenced this painting. (sidenote: i'd love to get her tattooed on me w/ your permission.) Marissa :: ​Permission granted! It would be an honor. Oshun is a goddess from Yoruba culture who presides over fresh water and fertility, in a nutshell. She is the source, the life force. She is also very beautiful and sensual, and because of her sweetness, sometimes her strength and her warrior aspect is overlooked and she is taken for granted. But when she is taken for granted, things don't flow. This piece serves as a reminder that although she's sweet and graceful, she's also strong as hell and not to be messed with.

"Don't Mess With Me Oshun"

6. kelly :: i think it is really beautiful that you live in a community where your art is often part of shows. you also have lots of kindreds in spirit, faith, and community. are you feeling at home in Oakland these days? Marissa :: ​Yes, Oakland feels like home! My time in Brooklyn (the place I consider my second home) made me appreciate Oakland even more. I love the community and I'm excited to raise my son here. We got our little spot just in time though, Oakland is rapidly being gentrified, rents are skyrocketing and competition for housing is fierce. A lot of folks, artists and families who have been here for generations, are being priced out. I don't know what will happen when we need a bigger space.

"From the Sketchbook," Oshun-vibes

7. kelly :: we both have our "staples," like, the artists who inspire us visually, and those who we listen to at least weekly, etc. name a few of your staples for us. also, are there any new artists you've discovered who are speaking to you? ... i really love that feeling when you happen upon something new that excites the $*&# outta you, you know? have you felt that lately?​ Marissa :: My staples are for sure Kara Walker and Frida Kahlo. I'm also watching and listening to a lot of Stevie Nicks. Currently gobsmacked by these 5 artists: 

* Sage Stargate

* Emily Butterfly 

* Saya Woolfalk 

* Elrod 

* Amaryllis DeJesus Moleski

8. kelly :: so, this is a big shift, but i want to touch on it. there have been some really sad things happening to Black Men and Boys (in particular) at the hands of the police and racist groups for far too long. in recent times, i'm talking Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown, Eric Garner ... each death brought me to my knees, literally. i think we both agree that discussions among "white and black folks," as you wrote in an email, need to be happening more in regard to these atrocities ​and ​about change ... how we get there. i acknowledge that it's really delicate stuff, but i was wondering if you could expand on two things. 1: what do you hope we achieve in having these conversations? are they happening in your circles? 2: you said in our first interview that, "I can't let a photograph of a lynching or the traumatic history of slavery just 'be.' My paintings and drawings essentially amount to 'laying hands on' a particular memory or person. At the same time, these healing rites are a celebration of life and survival, and the strength and beauty that emerges when one comes out on the other side of pain." when our world knows so much pain right now as a result of these continued unjust deaths, why is expression as medicine or activism in art so very important? Marissa :: ​Great question! The conversations need to happen so that we can hear and feel each other better. If we want real progress and change in race relations, we have to be willing to ask questions and have conversations, even when it’s tough. We have to have real conversations about the effects of things like white privilege and oppression, about trauma and what triggers us. Part of the reason these things have festered is because we are living on land that was stolen from Native Americans with industry built using enslaved Africans. Atrocities took place that carry a heavy energy with them, and from the beginning, that ugly truth and all that came with it has been glossed over and swept under the rug by those in power. This whole nation is choking on that silence and lack of acknowledgement. And some say "get over it," but that’s hard to do when we’re still dealing with the effects of these horrors in the form of institutionalized racism. Painful tensions will continue to boil over until we address these issues in a meaningful way. I was watching an awesome bell hooks talk recently where she spoke of giving someone a "loving critique." When we talk to each other, I think that’s what it’s all about. It’s speaking truth to power, and knowing the message is delivered with love even when it is hard to stomach. Art is part of the healing process. It’s a way to release pain, and to express what we feel when mere words are not enough.

Oshun Altar in Brooklyn

9. kelly :: we both have very active dream worlds. it goes without saying that you've painted scenes from your dreams ... tell me how your dreams have lent to your creative processes lately. Marissa :: To be honest, my sleep comes in such short bursts these days that my dreams are a blur, if I even have them! Abundance has been a running theme in my dreams lately. It comes in the form of money, food, cute baby clothes ... I’ll take it! Yemaya (Orisha goddess of the sea) has also been present. 

10. kelly :: i'm also interested in how your dream life impacts your waking life. what you got?​ Marissa :: My dreams definitely direct my prayers and rituals. A dream will inform me about a particular deity or ancestor that needs attention, and when I take action on those dream messages, it opens the door for blessings to flow in my waking life.

11. kelly :: if you received a grant for $20,000 today, and it could be used for art projects, supplies, and housing/family/life in general, how would you use it up? Marissa :: I would use it to purchase or rent a house somewhere down south, in Africa, or the Caribbean. A little artist's retreat for me and my friends! I would also use some of it for field research. I've been working on this big painting of Bahia, a place I've never been (but my soul has traveled to) ... it would be awesome to travel to some of the places my artwork is based on. 

12. kelly :: i've been talking a lot w/ Arhia lately about our lives as artists ~ they are full of beautiful challenges sometimes, but i'd not trade it in for anything. you? you wrote me that this artist's life is hard­wired into our DNA, and i agree with all of my heart in this truth. it is hard for our world (our parents, sometimes our communities) to understand this path. what do we do with our days? what is our job? how do we make money or aspire to make more? can you speak to all of this in whatever ways you are drawn to do so? i feel it is important to talk about it all, to educate others who may tend to judge our path rather than understand it ... Marissa :: Yes. It can be tough to explain to folks that you are following your calling and that if you don't create art you can't breathe. We live in this odd culture where we are bombarded with the message "do what you love," but if what you love is not immediately lucrative people dismiss it as a waste of time. As far as making money, I'm not very focused on making a living from my art at this point (maybe that will change one day.) I'm really enjoying making things, and I'm less into the business side. Because of that, having a job works well for me. I substitute teach and work in after school programs, which is work that allows for lots of creativity, so I enjoy it. We'll see how well I balance art, a job, and motherhood once my maternity leave is over! In a recent panel discussion about the arts in Oakland, Anyka Barber, owner of Betti Ono Gallery, said that part of the problem is we tend not to view artists as people, and that statement really resonated with me. Artists are not seen as people who need affordable housing, who have to pay bills and put food on the table just like anyone else. Our finished work is seen as beautiful and valuable, but the process of making it­­, our time, materials, having space to produce in­­ is constantly devalued by the larger society and that can be tough.

13. kelly :: what fruits and veggies you got up in your life these days? i know you're a geek for fresh goodies! Marissa :: Right now I’m very into cantaloupe, and also yams!

14. kelly :: and on a light ending note, what 3 shades of glitter are you most drawn to own and work with right now? we both love working w/ glitter ... Marissa :: I am OBSESSED with this pack of Martha Stewart super fine neon glitter I got! All the colors are spectacular, but I’m particularly drawn to the hot pink, neon fuschia, and neon orange.

"Mother Protector"

view Marissa's tumblr here !!!

~ plz appropriately credit the artist if re-sharing images on other sites. all artwork is originally created by Marissa Arterberry. xoxoxo y gracias 4 reading.

Oya

artist's interview: ARHIA KOHLMOOS, #2

this is my second artist's interview with Arhia Kohlmoos. in an effort to keep creative dialogue going within my group of darling sisters, i am doing some "round 2" interviews. for Arhia's bio, click HERE. for my first interview with her, click HERE. 

thank you to Arhia for over ten years of creative encouragement, sisterhood, and best friendship. you know how very deeply i love you, boo-fawn.

may you enjoy this exchange as much as i do. 

xoxoxoxoooo, 

k

Arhia Kohlmoos, painter

1. kelly:: Arhia, your recent painting, "Lady with a Langur," is your most magnificent work to date. anyway, your audience noticed this too, expressing thru Facebook comments that you indeed had delivered your most polished painting (skills.) how did it feel to complete this work? Arhia:: Thank you for your compliments, dear friend. Indeed, it felt wonderful to complete this piece, although I have to say... there's always a bit of sadness involved in "finishing," too. It was highly gratifying to see the painting come into being in our physical world as it had already existed in my mind. I do believe my skills as a painter (both technically and conceptually) grew throughout the creation of this work, which is doubtless a goal of many artists. So, I was elated to complete the piece, but also rather depressed afterward because I'd lived in that world every day for some months... 

Lady with a Langur

2. kelly:: will you speak with us more about this painting? i am most curious about the zinnias in your hair and your red skin. eeeee, the red skin! anything else you wish to share with us about deeper meaning and symbolisms is also welcomed. i know some artists (myself often) prefer not to be blatant about these sorts of things, so go with this where you will, no expectations. Arhia:: There are many things I could say about the imagery of this work. I could write a whole paper on it, for sure! As you mentioned in your question, speaking about art is not an easy feat. However, I do believe the ability to articulate one's ideas is important. In many ways, this painting speaks to the concept of "beauty." I feel that many of us (myself included) often submit to the general societal definition of beauty and are, in a way, trapped by that definition. We forget what we originally perceived as beautiful before we took in our society's opinions. This is inevitable to some extent, but I think it is vital that we also strive to remember our personal definitions. When I was a small child, I was obsessed with the color MAGENTA. I used to color all the most beautiful ladies in my drawings and coloring books with skin of this hue. My sister said, "Arhia, that's not realistic," but I didn't care. Realism was irrelevant to me when pitted against my perception of beauty. So here she is--- this princess I would have painted as a child... if I had possessed the skills. I was also fascinated by beets as a kid; I used to smear them on my hands just to walk around with magenta palms. Beets are very symbolic in nature, being the color they are, and often the size and general shape of a human heart. I like the way my "beautiful lady" seems to grow out of the earth in a root-ed manner, perhaps with a beet for a heart and beet-juice for blood. I like the way her coloring makes her appear almost "skinned," and thus very vulnerable... yet she faces us in a defiant way, sure and calm and still wild. She has risen like that from the beet-forest. The coloring of her skin alludes to the theme of "otherness," while not necessarily commenting on "black vs. white" in a literal way... what race is she? Is she human at all? The zinnias are another nod to one of my particular childhood preferences, as I used to adore this type of flower. Additionally, in the "language of flowers," zinnias symbolize thoughtfulness and friendship; possibly thoughts of a friend in that person's absence. In this case, it is remembering/befriending one's sincere childhood perceptions of beauty. Then there is the structure of the painting, which obviously recalls several pieces by Frida Kahlo. This is intentional, as I want to reference her as a woman of extreme originality and power in her vision of "beauty." There is definitely a current of feminism in "Beautiful Lady," though I think that is a result of other themes rather than an overt theme in itself. Lastly, the beetles... in part they are a bit of humor: beets and beetles, don't you know! But this gorgeous insect comes in many wildly varying shapes and colors, which strengthens the theme of "beauty in originality"... "beauty because I say so." Of course, beetles also carry symbolic significance in many cultures: the Scarab beetle, for instance, meant dawn, rebirth and regeneration to the ancient Egyptians... a powerful fertility symbol. SO, if you've read this far, your attention span is impressive and I won't test it any further!

Fashion Animals, Spring 2014 Collection: Vert Autruche

3. k:: what are you working on now? A:: Right now I am working on several projects, two of which are "for myself." The others are commissions. I have begun the painting of "Portrait of a Woman with a Bird at a Casement," which has existed as a drawing for a year or so but was always intended to have life as a painting as well. I am very excited about this one! At the same time, I am dreaming up a new concept... for which I've been reading books about Hildegard of Bingen, books about the roles of women in the Medieval, and books about witch trials during the 16th and 17th centuries. Also looking at many paintings of the Virgin and Child. 

Self-Portrait as a Beautiful Lady

4. k:: since our last interview, you've completed your graduate coursework in painting. how has this helped you forward in your creative life? has this degree and accompanying grown/growing skill sets helped you to make money as an artist? A:: I would say that the most important aspect of graduate school, for me, was the dedicated time it gave me to spend on painting. For three years, I spent seven hours a day painting. I developed a nasty case of tendinitis, but an awesome case of improved skills! I never could have found the space in which to concentrate so fully on my craft without going to grad school. As far as input from teachers... hm. I suppose that is more difficult to define. I don't know, really, how much that helped me. I was pushed almost daily to leave painting and go into things like video and performance art, since my school was heavy in those areas. I stuck to my intentions like a mule, and thus improved my skill, but I didn't have many "gurus" if you know what I mean. As for money, I do believe the degree as well as the added skills have helped me with that. An ever-developing saga, that.

Oikos Haima

5. k:: is making money as an artist a goal of yours? how is it going and how can it be better? A:: I'm sure making money is a goal of mine, as it must be of all artists. I am fortunate in that I don't have to support myself with what I earn from my practice. I suppose it could be better if I pushed myself to learn more about marketing, rather than spending that time making work. I'm not sure whether my choices in this regard are right or wrong; but I do know I'm lucky in being able to choose the studio.  

in the "studio" ~ 11/2014.

6. k:: your Society6 page (HERE) and website (HERE) are so good. how have sales been going thru Society6? i think it's such a cool forum. will you tell the folks about it? do you have bestselling items? A:: Thank you! My wonderful husband helped me so much with those "techie" aspects of my artistic presence. Society6 is the best place I've found through which to sell my prints. It's great because the quality is outstanding, and you can set your own prices. You just have to find the "sweet spot" between ripping yourself off... and charging so much that no one can afford your stuff. Society6 is pretty hip, and many folks on there are great at creating stuff that is "in." I use it in a slightly different way, so although I do sell things, I'm definitely not making $2,000/month, as I've heard some people do. I'd say "Lady with a Langur" and "Dear Heart" are my best-selling pieces to date. 

Dear Heart

 

7. k:: what are your days like, generally speaking? you and your hubby have a cool thing worked out where you are able to be home working on art, food, life, errands, and whatever else as your full-time gig. you digging it? A:: My days are pretty awesome, I can't lie. I love the morning, so I get up at 3am each day. I cook Myer's meals for his work day, and then I wake him up and walk with him to work. Then I usually go to the gym... and when I get home, if it's not a grocery shopping day, I paint for a couple hours before noon. Then I do some email garbage, and hopefully work on commissions in the afternoon, although many days either morning or afternoon are taken up with phone dates, seeing a friend, doing errands, cleaning, accounting, etc. Then I cook dinner and spend some time with Myer when he gets home. Yes, I'm totally digging it. I'm lucky and life is sweet. 

Myer and Arhia, by: Ivette Salom

8. k:: it's been neat to witness your growth as a mindfulness practitioner. talk to me about the significance of Thay in your life. perhaps let the people briefly know who he is, and how he's contributed to your growth in grace and compassion. A:: Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Zen master who is perhaps the most well-known figure in Buddhism after the Dalai Lama. I actually first learned his name from you, Kelly! I began listening to Dharma talks given by him about four years ago, and was struck by the intense yet gentle presence in his voice and words. I would not call myself a Buddhist... I am inspired by aspects of many religions... but Thay has given me a profound "spiritual tool box" with which to understand and navigate my inner emotional life and the world around me. The way he presents things in his talks is... utterly clear, to the point where I cannot fail to understand. Knowing him through his work has changed the way I relate to other people; it has helped me be more compassionate to them and to myself.  

Thay is the cutie in the hat. #Boston #Arhiawasthere! #thisisherfoto

9. k:: are you so excited for iceland? you and hubby are going this Fall. what sorts of things will you do there in honor of your creativity? A:: Yes, I am out of my mind excited to see Iceland. Traveling in general is not easy for me, but the opportunity to see another country has always been among the most creatively stimulating of experiences in my life. Last time I went abroad was 2010, when I was in Amsterdam. I've not had the means to travel again until now, and it gives me such a feeling of freedom! It is extra special because Myer will be with me; the only other time we traveled internationally together was London in 2005. We plan to walk all over Reykjavik, visit museums and cultural sites of every sort, and hopefully take a driving trip around the island to see the natural wonders for which Iceland is famous. I love anticipation!  

Annwn

  

10. k:: what are your creative goals for the next 2-3 years? A:: That is a difficult question for me. I suppose my goals on a yearly basis are basically equivalent to my goals on a daily basis: Paint. Paint. Paint.  

11. k:: and for fun, if you and i could share 3 separate (one per year for 3 years) vacations together, where would we meet?!!! you decide!!! A:: Oh my! Let me see! Well, I would love to visit you somewhere tropical... and since you already live in such a locale, let's skip across the world to make it exotic for you too and go to BALI! I've always wanted to see that beautiful place. Next... I think Japan. And thirdly, how about Turkey. I have a strong desire to see Istanbul. I can't wait! 

Portrait of Five Sisters

Deathmask: A Fox Dreams of The Hunt

 

... with a Félix González-Torres gold-bead curtain

R. Stevie Moore ~ cuz, love.

R. Stevie Moore has been a neat influence on my experiments w/ making sounds, with recording. i was living in an old farmhouse in Maine for a stint, and we began skyping; i was smitten. he encouraged me to record. i began documenting stream of consciousness ramblings that were primarily about my dreams. before all this, i'd seen R. perform a few months earlier in Brooklyn. i subsequently dedicated myself to learning about him. i saw him several more times when i returned to Brooklyn, which was dope. it has admittedly been awhile since we've connected (R. + k) ... and i miss him. for whatever reasons, i felt like paying homage to him on my blog today.

dude's a rockstar, first of all. he's been coined the godfather of "DIY" and "lo-fi" música. click here.

"In addition to having numerous albums released on labels around the world, Moore has self-released over 400 cassette, CD-R and digitally online albums since 1968, as well as dozens of home videos, mostly through the R. Stevie Moore Cassette Club, his home-based label. His eclectic work incorporates a variety of musical styles, both popular and experimental." 

R.'s website :: http://www.rsteviemoore.com/

and if you feel like geekin, here's an interview :: Bomb Magazine

here are a few collaborations + picture-proof that we bee.

Table For One

bedfordslims

  

words

~ for fun, a track from my Maine-days :: here

~ + a track from my Brooklyn-days :: here

 

RSM by ksw @ Knitting Factory, Brooklyn

RSM by ksw @ Knitting Factory, Brooklyn

RSM by ksw @ Knitting Factory, Brooklyn

RSM by ksw @ Knitting Factory, Brooklyn

post-rehearsal w/ R. in Bushwick

rehearsal in Bushwick

a quick *hello + hug* whilst passing thru thee BK

mi historia de costa rica

in 2001, i came to Costa Rica for the first time. it was kinda nuts and amazing. there was lots of fútbol-watching w/ these peepz ...

it would take me 10 years to get back down here! ... my bff from childhood was studying in Heredia, and i joined her for X-Mas in 2011. we met in Guanacaste. 
(also kinda nuts and amazing.)

photo by: Harmony

shortly after returning to Brooklyn, i fell into a wicked depression. i wanted nothing more than to be in Costa Rica all the time. within two months of my return to NYC, i sold all my stuff, had an incredible farewell party ...   

... and found myself back in Guanacaste. i'd stay for 3 months at a time, visit NYC, and then come back down for another stretch of weeks or months ~ it was a bit haphazard at first. it was a very quiet time, tho. 

i was writing a lot, keeping to myself ...

a few highlights from this period included spending some alone-time en El Caribe Sur de CR, then hostessing Jenn on a visit.

Jenn

i was away all of last year working and playing in The States, but every day, Costa Rica was what i spoke of.

i am very very very blessed to know this homebase now.

i received a letter a few days ago from one my dearest friends who is in her 70's. Patsy writes, "Of course this is from afar, but I feel like you've grown so much, becoming more comfortable in your own skin as time goes on. You are lucky that at an early age, you questioned the voices in your head and from parents or friends who thought of advice 'best' for you. But you've continued to listen to what you have a passion for, what gives LIFE to your life, and what is a keen awareness for the here and now. Mary Oliver, poet, has a line that so fits you, something about staying where you are happy." 

and that's just it. in my 20's, i sought a sense of home. i was kinda obsessed even, with finding my place. some folks talk about home being in your heart or in your body, and i get that, but *place* is/was hugely important to me, and i've found it here in Costa Rica for a moment. 

i am home here ~ for now. 

photo by: Statia Grossman @ hot springs

Statia's recent visit was beyond wonderful.

photo by: Statia Grossman

bonding, by: Statia Grossman

... and this beautiful reminder, hand-written by Elena Brower, is the perfect ending to this article ... and a perfect gesture symbolic of sweet beginnings here in Costa Rica ... 

lovingly,

k *