1 01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:03,559 [MUSIC] 2 01:00:06,440 --> 01:00:08,920 What happens when your body is both the 3 01:00:08,920 --> 01:00:11,000 subject and the instrument of your art, 4 01:00:11,559 --> 01:00:12,960 and your life becomes the canvas? 5 01:00:13,840 --> 01:00:15,400 Welcome to I Love Your Stories. 6 01:00:15,679 --> 01:00:17,960 I'm your host, Hava Gurvitch, and today 7 01:00:17,960 --> 01:00:19,519 I'm joined by Andrea Koch, 8 01:00:20,079 --> 01:00:22,559 a multidisciplinary artist and educator 9 01:00:22,559 --> 01:00:24,280 based in eastern Long Island. 10 01:00:25,199 --> 01:00:27,320 Andrea works across printmaking, 11 01:00:27,599 --> 01:00:29,159 sculpture, video, and performance. 12 01:00:29,880 --> 01:00:32,079 She shares how early collaborations with 13 01:00:32,079 --> 01:00:33,239 other women artists 14 01:00:33,239 --> 01:00:34,599 sparked her creativity, 15 01:00:35,480 --> 01:00:37,280 and how the spirit of connection still 16 01:00:37,280 --> 01:00:38,360 shapes her work today. 17 01:00:39,360 --> 01:00:40,920 We talk about the evolution of her 18 01:00:40,920 --> 01:00:43,639 teaching, how modeling for other artists 19 01:00:43,800 --> 01:00:46,239 transformed her perspective, and how 20 01:00:46,239 --> 01:00:47,480 motherhood shifted her 21 01:00:47,480 --> 01:00:48,880 art and sense of purpose. 22 01:00:49,719 --> 01:00:51,639 From solo studio practices to 23 01:00:51,639 --> 01:00:53,159 community-based projects, 24 01:00:53,719 --> 01:00:55,199 Andrea's story is a reminder 25 01:00:55,400 --> 01:00:57,239 that creativity can be both deeply 26 01:00:57,239 --> 01:00:58,800 personal and deeply shared. 27 01:00:59,320 --> 01:01:01,360 Now, quick word from our sponsor, and 28 01:01:01,360 --> 01:01:02,880 then we'll get right back to the show. 29 01:01:03,119 --> 01:01:04,920 When I started selling my art, I had 30 01:01:04,920 --> 01:01:06,440 absolutely no idea how to 31 01:01:06,440 --> 01:01:08,199 actually turn it into a business, 32 01:01:08,639 --> 01:01:09,920 a professional business. 33 01:01:10,599 --> 01:01:13,039 And then I came across art storefronts, 34 01:01:13,039 --> 01:01:14,800 and that was a game changer. 35 01:01:15,079 --> 01:01:18,000 I've been a customer now for years, and 36 01:01:18,000 --> 01:01:18,360 they've been 37 01:01:18,360 --> 01:01:20,599 instrumental every step of the way 38 01:01:20,800 --> 01:01:21,960 of helping me succeed. 39 01:01:22,480 --> 01:01:23,920 I have a gorgeous, 40 01:01:23,920 --> 01:01:25,599 powerful commerce website. 41 01:01:26,320 --> 01:01:29,519 I have marketing tools and a membership 42 01:01:29,519 --> 01:01:33,079 to a community that is very supportive 43 01:01:33,639 --> 01:01:35,400 and teaches me how to 44 01:01:35,400 --> 01:01:36,719 succeed as an artist. 45 01:01:37,199 --> 01:01:40,119 Check them out, artstorefronts.com, and 46 01:01:40,119 --> 01:01:41,159 tell them how I sent you. 47 01:01:43,079 --> 01:01:44,800 Welcome back to the podcast. 48 01:01:45,239 --> 01:01:48,639 My guest today is an amazing artist and a 49 01:01:48,639 --> 01:01:50,760 really good friend, Andrea Cook. 50 01:01:52,280 --> 01:01:54,199 Andrea, welcome to the show. 51 01:01:55,079 --> 01:02:00,039 And would you like to just come and tell 52 01:02:00,039 --> 01:02:00,920 us a little bit about 53 01:02:00,920 --> 01:02:04,440 your background as an artist? 54 01:02:06,639 --> 01:02:08,039 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 55 01:02:08,039 --> 01:02:09,519 Thanks for having me on here, Hava. 56 01:02:09,679 --> 01:02:11,880 It's great to see you again. 57 01:02:14,559 --> 01:02:16,239 Yeah, so my background as an artist, I 58 01:02:16,239 --> 01:02:17,960 think a good place that I 59 01:02:17,960 --> 01:02:19,760 often think about starting 60 01:02:20,000 --> 01:02:22,639 is when I really started to find myself 61 01:02:22,639 --> 01:02:25,239 the seeds of who I became as an artist. 62 01:02:25,679 --> 01:02:27,840 I think were when I was in the last years 63 01:02:27,840 --> 01:02:29,599 of my undergrad, 64 01:02:30,000 --> 01:02:32,199 actually, in Miami at FIU. 65 01:02:32,679 --> 01:02:35,320 And I was preparing... 66 01:02:36,840 --> 01:02:38,599 We were preparing for our show, and I was 67 01:02:38,599 --> 01:02:40,719 working on a project... 68 01:02:40,719 --> 01:02:42,360 I started off as a painter and 69 01:02:42,360 --> 01:02:43,800 was doing a lot of portraits. 70 01:02:44,440 --> 01:02:46,079 And that led into me doing my 71 01:02:46,079 --> 01:02:47,039 grandfather, and then 72 01:02:47,039 --> 01:02:48,480 I focused on his hands. 73 01:02:48,800 --> 01:02:51,119 And then next thing I knew, I was casting 74 01:02:51,119 --> 01:02:52,320 his hands, and then I 75 01:02:52,320 --> 01:02:53,639 was casting family and 76 01:02:53,639 --> 01:02:56,320 friends and professors and everybody who 77 01:02:56,320 --> 01:02:58,519 had touched me in some way. 78 01:02:59,920 --> 01:03:02,119 And then simultaneously, while I'm doing 79 01:03:02,119 --> 01:03:04,239 that, I'm getting to 80 01:03:04,239 --> 01:03:07,159 know my fellow students, and 81 01:03:07,199 --> 01:03:08,000 especially a group of 82 01:03:08,000 --> 01:03:09,039 women and I started... 83 01:03:09,519 --> 01:03:10,320 We're talking about as we 84 01:03:10,320 --> 01:03:12,960 prepared for this final show. 85 01:03:13,760 --> 01:03:16,599 I'm sorry, casting as in 86 01:03:16,599 --> 01:03:17,880 sculpture, as making... 87 01:03:18,320 --> 01:03:21,000 Yeah, yeah, I was using cheesecloth and 88 01:03:21,000 --> 01:03:22,360 plaster, and I would drape 89 01:03:22,360 --> 01:03:23,960 it across the hands and then 90 01:03:24,639 --> 01:03:26,760 off and over conversations and dinner. 91 01:03:27,559 --> 01:03:29,239 And then I'd flip them over and I would 92 01:03:29,239 --> 01:03:30,039 press cheesecloth 93 01:03:30,039 --> 01:03:31,599 inside and put a little more 94 01:03:31,599 --> 01:03:32,079 plaster. 95 01:03:32,079 --> 01:03:35,559 So they were like these little shrouds 96 01:03:35,559 --> 01:03:36,760 that were a little belief-like. 97 01:03:37,960 --> 01:03:39,639 Yeah, and then at the same time, it was 98 01:03:39,639 --> 01:03:42,960 all that what goes into making art. 99 01:03:43,920 --> 01:03:47,119 And so I was talking to a bunch of my 100 01:03:47,119 --> 01:03:48,159 friends and we're hanging 101 01:03:48,159 --> 01:03:49,639 out and we're all getting... 102 01:03:50,159 --> 01:03:51,239 We're all making our 103 01:03:51,239 --> 01:03:53,239 work and talking as you do. 104 01:03:54,039 --> 01:03:56,239 And so we ended up making... 105 01:03:56,760 --> 01:03:58,159 Together, we decided to make this giant 106 01:03:58,159 --> 01:04:00,119 cabinet, this oversized 107 01:04:00,119 --> 01:04:02,639 cabinet that would hold all of 108 01:04:02,639 --> 01:04:03,880 our process pieces. 109 01:04:03,880 --> 01:04:04,639 So everything that... 110 01:04:04,639 --> 01:04:07,480 Like our notebooks, our sketchbooks, our 111 01:04:07,480 --> 01:04:09,719 experiments, and we each had a drawer. 112 01:04:09,840 --> 01:04:13,440 Everybody made their own drawer and it 113 01:04:13,440 --> 01:04:14,800 was all made out of found wood. 114 01:04:15,960 --> 01:04:17,440 And each drawer was very different 115 01:04:17,440 --> 01:04:19,519 depending on the artist and 116 01:04:19,519 --> 01:04:21,280 what their process was like. 117 01:04:21,280 --> 01:04:23,719 And my drawer was very messy and it had 118 01:04:23,719 --> 01:04:25,119 lots of poetry, both 119 01:04:25,119 --> 01:04:26,440 mine and other people's. 120 01:04:26,440 --> 01:04:27,719 It had all these little strange 121 01:04:27,719 --> 01:04:29,519 experiments and materials. 122 01:04:30,360 --> 01:04:30,679 And it was... 123 01:04:31,159 --> 01:04:31,920 And that kind of... 124 01:04:31,920 --> 01:04:34,559 I think that that opened up that both 125 01:04:34,559 --> 01:04:38,960 collaborating and opening up the process 126 01:04:39,280 --> 01:04:42,400 of what goes into ultimately making 127 01:04:42,400 --> 01:04:45,239 whatever is shown later as a work. 128 01:04:45,840 --> 01:04:48,280 I think I really started living in that 129 01:04:48,280 --> 01:04:50,480 process was really important to me. 130 01:04:51,400 --> 01:04:55,079 I feel like you are so fortunate that you 131 01:04:55,079 --> 01:04:59,480 had this group of women artists 132 01:04:59,840 --> 01:05:01,719 that you were going through undergrad 133 01:05:01,719 --> 01:05:05,119 with had so much synergy. 134 01:05:06,320 --> 01:05:07,239 Yeah, yeah. 135 01:05:07,239 --> 01:05:07,880 And we were from all over. 136 01:05:07,920 --> 01:05:09,880 I mean, there was a lot of women from 137 01:05:09,880 --> 01:05:14,480 like South America, Peru, Mexico, and it 138 01:05:14,480 --> 01:05:16,519 was really a group of... 139 01:05:17,280 --> 01:05:19,880 And it was the early 90s. 140 01:05:20,199 --> 01:05:24,480 Yeah, it was like 1993, I want to say. 141 01:05:25,119 --> 01:05:25,320 Yeah. 142 01:05:25,559 --> 01:05:27,760 And so it was a time where we had all 143 01:05:27,760 --> 01:05:29,280 these male professors that were like, 144 01:05:29,280 --> 01:05:30,159 "What are you doing?" 145 01:05:31,679 --> 01:05:33,480 So that was undergrad. 146 01:05:33,840 --> 01:05:34,559 Did you go to grad 147 01:05:34,559 --> 01:05:35,639 school right after that? 148 01:05:36,280 --> 01:05:36,320 Like... 149 01:05:36,320 --> 01:05:37,079 No, no. 150 01:05:37,119 --> 01:05:41,320 I moved to Seattle and I knew 151 01:05:41,320 --> 01:05:42,840 I wanted to teach right away. 152 01:05:42,840 --> 01:05:44,599 So I started putting up flyers around 153 01:05:44,599 --> 01:05:46,639 town and started teaching right away. 154 01:05:47,159 --> 01:05:47,800 And then I was also 155 01:05:47,800 --> 01:05:49,039 working as an artist model. 156 01:05:50,039 --> 01:05:50,760 And it was interesting 157 01:05:50,760 --> 01:05:52,199 because I worked in so many... 158 01:05:52,199 --> 01:05:52,679 I worked for a lot of 159 01:05:52,679 --> 01:05:53,840 artists in a lot of classrooms. 160 01:05:54,840 --> 01:05:57,880 And I would become like this... 161 01:05:58,760 --> 01:06:00,679 The fly on the wall, the naked person in 162 01:06:00,679 --> 01:06:01,400 the room who's kind of 163 01:06:01,400 --> 01:06:03,039 invisible at the same time. 164 01:06:03,559 --> 01:06:04,679 And I could... 165 01:06:04,679 --> 01:06:06,599 I learned how to teach really well. 166 01:06:07,280 --> 01:06:08,519 Through doing that. 167 01:06:08,760 --> 01:06:11,599 And then also, I was questioning... 168 01:06:12,960 --> 01:06:14,679 I saw other people 169 01:06:14,679 --> 01:06:17,239 portraying me and what I looked like. 170 01:06:17,239 --> 01:06:17,599 I was thinking, "Well, 171 01:06:17,599 --> 01:06:19,079 how would I portray myself?" 172 01:06:19,840 --> 01:06:20,039 Wow. 173 01:06:20,719 --> 01:06:23,119 And then I started experimenting with 174 01:06:23,119 --> 01:06:25,679 painting with my body. 175 01:06:26,119 --> 01:06:27,679 Painting with my feet and my 176 01:06:27,679 --> 01:06:30,239 hair and my ears and my nose. 177 01:06:31,440 --> 01:06:35,239 It's really fascinating, the modeling. 178 01:06:35,840 --> 01:06:37,400 But also, what were 179 01:06:37,400 --> 01:06:38,599 you teaching at the time? 180 01:06:38,599 --> 01:06:39,400 Were we teaching art? 181 01:06:40,039 --> 01:06:40,280 Yeah. 182 01:06:40,800 --> 01:06:42,000 To what level? 183 01:06:42,599 --> 01:06:43,119 To adults. 184 01:06:43,519 --> 01:06:44,559 It was mostly like... 185 01:06:45,400 --> 01:06:46,079 I mean, something about 186 01:06:46,079 --> 01:06:47,960 Seattle, I think is unique. 187 01:06:48,519 --> 01:06:49,440 At least at that time. 188 01:06:49,679 --> 01:06:51,119 You could just literally put up flyers 189 01:06:51,119 --> 01:06:52,519 all over town and be like, 190 01:06:52,519 --> 01:06:54,119 "I'm teaching a class at the local 191 01:06:54,119 --> 01:06:55,880 community center and people 192 01:06:55,880 --> 01:06:57,400 would show up and I would teach." 193 01:06:58,199 --> 01:06:58,400 Yeah. 194 01:06:58,800 --> 01:06:59,440 Yeah, I was teaching at 195 01:06:59,440 --> 01:07:00,239 the University of Washington. 196 01:07:00,239 --> 01:07:01,559 I had this wonderful program called the 197 01:07:01,559 --> 01:07:02,599 Experimental College. 198 01:07:03,360 --> 01:07:05,800 You could just write up your class and 199 01:07:05,800 --> 01:07:06,679 people would come in and 200 01:07:06,679 --> 01:07:07,519 they'd give you a room. 201 01:07:07,519 --> 01:07:09,239 I was in the science building and I'd 202 01:07:09,239 --> 01:07:10,960 drag all my plaster in. 203 01:07:12,159 --> 01:07:13,960 Whatever we were going to do that day. 204 01:07:14,159 --> 01:07:15,960 The first thing I modeled didn't show up. 205 01:07:16,559 --> 01:07:18,360 I actually sat in the middle of the room 206 01:07:18,360 --> 01:07:19,440 and I just took off my 207 01:07:19,440 --> 01:07:20,679 shoes and I put my foot up. 208 01:07:21,239 --> 01:07:22,960 On the chair, I said, "You're 209 01:07:22,960 --> 01:07:24,119 all going to sculpt my foot." 210 01:07:24,400 --> 01:07:26,039 Everybody circled around and 211 01:07:26,039 --> 01:07:27,440 I thought, "Oh, that works. 212 01:07:27,440 --> 01:07:28,960 That breaks the..." 213 01:07:30,280 --> 01:07:34,519 Yeah. So what got you to... 214 01:07:34,760 --> 01:07:36,360 Was that like after that, you're like, 215 01:07:36,360 --> 01:07:38,760 "Let me take off both shoes off." 216 01:07:38,760 --> 01:07:43,320 And then kind of like strip poker slowly. 217 01:07:43,960 --> 01:07:45,599 But I was like, "How do you go from... 218 01:07:46,360 --> 01:07:48,599 How do you get to that 219 01:07:48,599 --> 01:07:49,679 point where you're like, 220 01:07:49,679 --> 01:07:51,519 "I'm just going to disrobe and have all 221 01:07:51,519 --> 01:07:52,440 these people look at 222 01:07:52,440 --> 01:07:54,000 me from every angle?" 223 01:07:55,480 --> 01:07:55,880 Well, I didn't do 224 01:07:55,880 --> 01:07:56,599 that when I was teaching. 225 01:07:57,679 --> 01:07:59,360 When I was teaching, it was my foot. 226 01:07:59,840 --> 01:08:02,119 Although I think that that was the very 227 01:08:02,119 --> 01:08:03,400 first day I'd ever really taught. 228 01:08:03,960 --> 01:08:06,000 So it certainly taught me that you could 229 01:08:06,000 --> 01:08:08,360 make your way through it. 230 01:08:09,719 --> 01:08:10,679 Anything could happen 231 01:08:10,679 --> 01:08:13,079 and I could improvise. 232 01:08:14,760 --> 01:08:16,680 And yes, I guess the first time I did 233 01:08:16,680 --> 01:08:18,079 take my clothes off in a room, 234 01:08:18,520 --> 01:08:20,199 I remember there's that heightened sense 235 01:08:20,199 --> 01:08:22,600 of like, "Oh my God, I'm naked in front 236 01:08:22,600 --> 01:08:23,319 of all these people." 237 01:08:23,880 --> 01:08:25,720 They can see me from every angle. 238 01:08:25,760 --> 01:08:30,479 But I guess one of the things that I've 239 01:08:30,479 --> 01:08:33,279 learned in my life is that I was young, 240 01:08:33,279 --> 01:08:35,880 I was very shy and I was very quiet, but 241 01:08:35,880 --> 01:08:37,600 I wanted to jump out. 242 01:08:38,880 --> 01:08:40,399 And so sometimes I'll just throw myself 243 01:08:40,399 --> 01:08:43,239 into these situations and experiences 244 01:08:43,359 --> 01:08:46,479 and kind of muddle my way through and 245 01:08:46,479 --> 01:08:48,720 learn kind of by 246 01:08:48,720 --> 01:08:52,039 accident that it's all okay. 247 01:08:52,520 --> 01:08:53,720 Self-part of it. 248 01:08:54,640 --> 01:08:56,239 You knew you wanted to teach. 249 01:08:57,600 --> 01:09:02,800 And then this experience of being a 250 01:09:02,800 --> 01:09:07,640 model, thinking about how others see you, 251 01:09:07,640 --> 01:09:10,560 and then from there really starting to 252 01:09:10,560 --> 01:09:13,439 think more about how you see yourself 253 01:09:13,439 --> 01:09:17,199 or how you would portray yourself and 254 01:09:17,199 --> 01:09:20,520 then actually using your body, 255 01:09:20,840 --> 01:09:21,840 physically using your 256 01:09:21,840 --> 01:09:23,600 body to create that. 257 01:09:26,079 --> 01:09:26,840 That's amazing. 258 01:09:28,039 --> 01:09:30,000 And so you did go to grad school. 259 01:09:30,000 --> 01:09:32,119 I ended up going to graduate school at 260 01:09:32,119 --> 01:09:34,039 SUNY Purchase in New York. 261 01:09:35,399 --> 01:09:38,439 And that was in around, that was like 262 01:09:38,439 --> 01:09:39,840 several years afterwards. 263 01:09:39,840 --> 01:09:40,520 I think when I first 264 01:09:40,520 --> 01:09:44,159 graduated, I just wanted to grow. 265 01:09:44,840 --> 01:09:45,840 I knew I wasn't ready to... 266 01:09:46,279 --> 01:09:47,199 I knew actually that at that 267 01:09:47,199 --> 01:09:48,439 time, if you wanted to teach, 268 01:09:48,520 --> 01:09:49,840 it was thought that that was why you 269 01:09:49,840 --> 01:09:50,960 would go get your graduate. 270 01:09:52,399 --> 01:09:54,000 Well, I'll teach, I'll go 271 01:09:54,000 --> 01:09:55,159 out there for a little while. 272 01:09:56,159 --> 01:09:58,720 I just would go find places that would 273 01:09:58,720 --> 01:10:00,439 let me do an installation in their 274 01:10:00,439 --> 01:10:01,520 windows or something. 275 01:10:01,840 --> 01:10:03,159 And I would experiment. 276 01:10:03,520 --> 01:10:04,319 And then when I was 277 01:10:04,319 --> 01:10:05,720 ready a few years later, 278 01:10:05,960 --> 01:10:07,279 I knew I would eventually probably want 279 01:10:07,279 --> 01:10:07,960 to go to grad school 280 01:10:07,960 --> 01:10:08,760 because I did enjoy 281 01:10:08,760 --> 01:10:10,239 teaching and I wanted to... 282 01:10:10,239 --> 01:10:13,520 Your medium, you did pretty much 283 01:10:13,520 --> 01:10:14,399 everything because I 284 01:10:14,399 --> 01:10:15,399 know you do printmaking. 285 01:10:16,239 --> 01:10:16,600 Yeah. 286 01:10:17,520 --> 01:10:20,399 Sculpture, photography, painting. 287 01:10:20,399 --> 01:10:22,079 I did interviews with video. 288 01:10:22,600 --> 01:10:23,039 Video. 289 01:10:23,840 --> 01:10:26,000 Well, in installations, yeah. 290 01:10:26,319 --> 01:10:27,199 And performance. 291 01:10:29,199 --> 01:10:32,319 You're just an equal opportunity artist. 292 01:10:34,119 --> 01:10:35,319 Restless, very restless. 293 01:10:35,720 --> 01:10:36,399 Yeah, I wanted to... 294 01:10:36,720 --> 01:10:39,800 I'd have an urge to try something or a 295 01:10:39,800 --> 01:10:41,239 vision, I think, would appear. 296 01:10:41,439 --> 01:10:42,039 I'd be like, "I have to do that." 297 01:10:42,079 --> 01:10:45,359 It might not have the skills really to do 298 01:10:45,359 --> 01:10:47,159 it or the text that I would just... 299 01:10:47,720 --> 01:10:48,720 But it sounds like you'd do it 300 01:10:48,720 --> 01:10:50,039 anyway and then figure it out. 301 01:10:50,840 --> 01:10:51,119 Yeah. 302 01:10:51,800 --> 01:10:52,000 Yeah. 303 01:10:53,720 --> 01:10:55,000 If you have to describe 304 01:10:55,000 --> 01:10:58,159 what your art is about, 305 01:10:58,560 --> 01:11:00,079 I mean, I know we write 306 01:11:00,079 --> 01:11:01,439 dissertations about that. 307 01:11:02,239 --> 01:11:04,720 But just in a few 308 01:11:04,720 --> 01:11:06,319 sentences, some highlights. 309 01:11:06,840 --> 01:11:08,680 If somebody walks into a room 310 01:11:08,680 --> 01:11:10,960 and it has your art on there, 311 01:11:11,039 --> 01:11:13,319 what would you want 312 01:11:13,319 --> 01:11:15,079 them to come away with? 313 01:11:15,079 --> 01:11:17,560 What would you hope that they experience? 314 01:11:18,399 --> 01:11:20,359 Well, I'd hope that they would see 315 01:11:20,359 --> 01:11:21,520 themselves, even though 316 01:11:21,520 --> 01:11:23,279 I'm often using my own body. 317 01:11:23,520 --> 01:11:24,199 But then that's also... 318 01:11:24,800 --> 01:11:26,560 It's almost like I experiment on my own 319 01:11:26,560 --> 01:11:28,039 body and I trace it to 320 01:11:28,039 --> 01:11:29,560 other people and invite them in. 321 01:11:29,560 --> 01:11:30,880 So I think it's this indication. 322 01:11:31,199 --> 01:11:31,560 Yeah. 323 01:11:32,159 --> 01:11:33,960 The older experience, something that I've 324 01:11:33,960 --> 01:11:36,399 experienced visually, 325 01:11:36,800 --> 01:11:38,199 because I'm mainly a visual artist. 326 01:11:39,119 --> 01:11:43,159 And seeing traces of the body, traces of 327 01:11:43,159 --> 01:11:46,079 an experience or a lived life. 328 01:11:46,720 --> 01:11:50,720 It's personal because it's your body, but 329 01:11:50,720 --> 01:11:52,479 that's sort of what I 330 01:11:52,479 --> 01:11:53,720 always get out of it, 331 01:11:53,720 --> 01:11:57,600 is that it's about a very visceral 332 01:11:57,600 --> 01:11:59,399 connection to the body. 333 01:12:02,079 --> 01:12:03,079 You also do... 334 01:12:03,960 --> 01:12:04,760 So you teach? 335 01:12:05,760 --> 01:12:06,399 You still teach? 336 01:12:06,640 --> 01:12:06,680 I teach. 337 01:12:07,079 --> 01:12:08,279 Do you still teach adults? 338 01:12:10,439 --> 01:12:10,640 Yeah. 339 01:12:11,279 --> 01:12:14,199 I've taught every age over the years in 340 01:12:14,199 --> 01:12:17,479 all situations and abilities. 341 01:12:18,760 --> 01:12:22,439 And yeah, I consider myself an educator 342 01:12:22,439 --> 01:12:24,079 of all ages and levels. 343 01:12:24,439 --> 01:12:27,000 And I think, right, I was running an 344 01:12:27,000 --> 01:12:28,159 education program and 345 01:12:28,159 --> 01:12:29,279 developing it at the Watermel 346 01:12:29,279 --> 01:12:30,319 Center for many years. 347 01:12:30,640 --> 01:12:32,840 And then when I left there a few years 348 01:12:32,840 --> 01:12:33,760 ago, I went back to 349 01:12:33,760 --> 01:12:35,319 freelancing that I'm currently 350 01:12:35,399 --> 01:12:36,880 teaching at Suffolk Community College. 351 01:12:36,880 --> 01:12:38,399 I'm teaching college students, often 352 01:12:38,399 --> 01:12:40,199 freshmen or sophomores that 353 01:12:40,199 --> 01:12:42,640 are rather young, very young 354 01:12:42,640 --> 01:12:43,159 adults. 355 01:12:43,560 --> 01:12:45,840 And then I'm doing a visiting artist 356 01:12:45,840 --> 01:12:47,159 residency at a school 357 01:12:47,159 --> 01:12:48,520 that's somebody working with 358 01:12:48,840 --> 01:12:49,279 schoolers. 359 01:12:49,439 --> 01:12:51,159 And I just worked with third and fourth 360 01:12:51,159 --> 01:12:52,279 graders, and we made this 361 01:12:52,279 --> 01:12:53,520 huge project that was about 362 01:12:54,880 --> 01:12:58,359 huge banner cyanotypes with elements in 363 01:12:58,359 --> 01:12:59,520 their drawings and 364 01:12:59,520 --> 01:13:01,119 their bodies in the keys. 365 01:13:02,039 --> 01:13:03,399 Yes, I enjoy it all. 366 01:13:04,159 --> 01:13:06,319 And you're also really active in 367 01:13:06,319 --> 01:13:07,840 community-based projects. 368 01:13:08,479 --> 01:13:09,399 Do you want to talk about that? 369 01:13:10,640 --> 01:13:10,840 Yeah. 370 01:13:13,399 --> 01:13:14,640 So let's see. 371 01:13:14,640 --> 01:13:17,520 When I first moved out to eastern Long 372 01:13:17,520 --> 01:13:20,560 Island, and we were living in 373 01:13:20,560 --> 01:13:22,159 Flanders, and we were near... 374 01:13:22,560 --> 01:13:25,319 We were very close to Riverhead, a town 375 01:13:25,319 --> 01:13:27,079 that's kind of where the forks, 376 01:13:27,399 --> 01:13:28,600 North Fork and the South Fork, need. 377 01:13:28,640 --> 01:13:30,560 It's kind of the gateway to 378 01:13:30,560 --> 01:13:33,520 the two ends of Long Island. 379 01:13:33,960 --> 01:13:37,199 And there were empty windows. 380 01:13:37,680 --> 01:13:41,840 I had this son who was about four or five 381 01:13:41,840 --> 01:13:42,960 at the time, and I 382 01:13:42,960 --> 01:13:44,520 just wanted to get to know 383 01:13:44,520 --> 01:13:45,840 my community in a way. 384 01:13:46,159 --> 01:13:47,600 I was like, "Okay, I 385 01:13:47,600 --> 01:13:49,600 have roots here for now." 386 01:13:51,640 --> 01:13:54,119 And again, I just kind of had this 387 01:13:54,119 --> 01:13:56,560 thought, "Oh, what if I did a project 388 01:13:56,560 --> 01:13:58,199 where I got to work with 389 01:13:58,560 --> 01:14:00,960 invite people from Riverhead and get to 390 01:14:00,960 --> 01:14:02,159 know this town through 391 01:14:02,159 --> 01:14:03,640 the people who live here 392 01:14:04,079 --> 01:14:05,159 and have worked here and have a 393 01:14:05,159 --> 01:14:06,119 connection to here?" 394 01:14:06,119 --> 01:14:07,600 And it was really just word of mouth, 395 01:14:07,960 --> 01:14:09,880 like, "Oh, you should interview this 396 01:14:09,880 --> 01:14:10,760 person or that person." 397 01:14:10,760 --> 01:14:12,039 So I started making my first 398 01:14:12,039 --> 01:14:15,119 video little mini-documentaries. 399 01:14:15,119 --> 01:14:15,960 Yeah, yeah. 400 01:14:16,159 --> 01:14:16,640 And then I would... 401 01:14:16,920 --> 01:14:18,720 And I photographed people's eyes, and 402 01:14:18,720 --> 01:14:19,600 then that was sort of 403 01:14:19,600 --> 01:14:21,199 the entry to the video. 404 01:14:21,520 --> 01:14:21,960 And then I would... 405 01:14:22,399 --> 01:14:24,039 And then actually, I was transferring 406 01:14:24,039 --> 01:14:25,119 their eyes to these 407 01:14:25,119 --> 01:14:28,039 blindfolds that were on fabric. 408 01:14:28,239 --> 01:14:29,319 And then that was sort of what you would 409 01:14:29,319 --> 01:14:30,039 see throughout the 410 01:14:30,039 --> 01:14:31,159 town, where these posters 411 01:14:31,600 --> 01:14:33,640 of me wearing this person's eyes in front 412 01:14:33,640 --> 01:14:34,840 of a site on Main Street 413 01:14:34,840 --> 01:14:36,079 that connected to them. 414 01:14:36,079 --> 01:14:38,640 And then that was like a portal to 415 01:14:38,640 --> 01:14:40,479 discovering more about them 416 01:14:40,479 --> 01:14:42,000 through the QR codes, which 417 01:14:42,720 --> 01:14:44,199 stuck around about this time. 418 01:14:45,000 --> 01:14:45,239 Yeah. 419 01:14:45,960 --> 01:14:46,920 And those still live, 420 01:14:46,920 --> 01:14:48,720 actually, on YouTube now. 421 01:14:48,720 --> 01:14:49,720 Oh, that's fantastic. 422 01:14:51,680 --> 01:14:54,079 So what makes you happy? 423 01:14:54,960 --> 01:14:57,279 What fulfills you? 424 01:14:57,840 --> 01:15:00,039 I think it's probably very similar. 425 01:15:00,239 --> 01:15:01,560 It's when I'm in that 426 01:15:01,560 --> 01:15:05,359 flow of it's coming together. 427 01:15:06,000 --> 01:15:06,720 And it doesn't happen 428 01:15:06,720 --> 01:15:09,119 really all that often for me. 429 01:15:09,880 --> 01:15:11,199 I mean, I think you can set up all the 430 01:15:11,199 --> 01:15:13,840 conditions for it to happen, right? 431 01:15:13,960 --> 01:15:18,439 Whether you're in your studio and you're 432 01:15:18,439 --> 01:15:19,279 at that point where 433 01:15:19,279 --> 01:15:20,520 you've sort of had an idea 434 01:15:20,640 --> 01:15:22,720 and you're sort of investigating, and 435 01:15:22,720 --> 01:15:23,920 then you're kind of 436 01:15:23,920 --> 01:15:25,720 swimming around in it. 437 01:15:25,760 --> 01:15:26,840 And then next thing you 438 01:15:26,840 --> 01:15:28,399 know, you're like in that mode. 439 01:15:28,399 --> 01:15:29,079 For me, it often don't 440 01:15:29,079 --> 01:15:30,399 happen on the press lately. 441 01:15:30,600 --> 01:15:31,840 It's almost like that becomes that 442 01:15:31,840 --> 01:15:33,439 performance space for me, 443 01:15:33,439 --> 01:15:36,600 where I'll have things I'm pressing 444 01:15:36,800 --> 01:15:37,960 and inking up colors. 445 01:15:38,199 --> 01:15:39,319 And then I have a small press that 446 01:15:39,319 --> 01:15:42,039 somebody gave me a number. 447 01:15:42,039 --> 01:15:43,000 It's about 150 years 448 01:15:43,000 --> 01:15:44,840 old, and it's wonderful. 449 01:15:45,439 --> 01:15:48,199 And it's got a big wheel and a small bed, 450 01:15:48,199 --> 01:15:48,920 but it's big enough 451 01:15:48,920 --> 01:15:50,119 that I can kind of like 452 01:15:50,239 --> 01:15:51,199 engage with it. 453 01:15:51,600 --> 01:15:52,840 It's like this partner of mine. 454 01:15:52,960 --> 01:15:55,119 And I can run things through and take 455 01:15:55,119 --> 01:15:55,840 them out the other end 456 01:15:55,840 --> 01:15:57,159 and just I get kind of lost 457 01:15:57,159 --> 01:15:58,079 in that process. 458 01:15:58,760 --> 01:16:00,319 And sometimes it's wonderful because it 459 01:16:00,319 --> 01:16:01,680 flows and it does feel 460 01:16:01,680 --> 01:16:04,199 like all that struggle to 461 01:16:04,199 --> 01:16:06,039 get to where you are at that moment. 462 01:16:07,640 --> 01:16:08,920 The art gods now have like 463 01:16:08,920 --> 01:16:11,119 blessed you in that flow. 464 01:16:11,760 --> 01:16:12,640 And it can happen like 465 01:16:12,640 --> 01:16:13,560 right there in my studio. 466 01:16:13,800 --> 01:16:15,079 Often I think it does happen more when 467 01:16:15,079 --> 01:16:17,039 I'm by myself, creating. 468 01:16:17,319 --> 01:16:19,239 Although it'll happen with others too. 469 01:16:19,239 --> 01:16:20,199 Then I'll take that, "Oh, 470 01:16:20,199 --> 01:16:21,359 could I do this with other people?" 471 01:16:22,000 --> 01:16:23,520 And then sometimes there'll be these 472 01:16:23,520 --> 01:16:25,239 wonderful moments where it will happen. 473 01:16:26,039 --> 01:16:28,279 Sometimes it's teaching too. 474 01:16:28,279 --> 01:16:29,000 It's like the magic 475 01:16:29,000 --> 01:16:30,439 takes hold of everybody. 476 01:16:31,039 --> 01:16:32,720 And you know you're creating something 477 01:16:32,720 --> 01:16:35,720 bigger than what you would do alone. 478 01:16:36,319 --> 01:16:38,159 Or even this most recent project that I 479 01:16:38,159 --> 01:16:40,000 did in the garden with 480 01:16:40,000 --> 01:16:41,960 the natural materials of 481 01:16:41,960 --> 01:16:44,399 this garden and having to 482 01:16:44,399 --> 01:16:45,239 collaborate with nature. 483 01:16:45,960 --> 01:16:46,880 And when it was over and I 484 01:16:46,880 --> 01:16:47,960 thought, "Wow, that was... 485 01:16:48,239 --> 01:16:48,760 Nature is very 486 01:16:48,760 --> 01:16:50,000 frustrating throughout the process." 487 01:16:50,079 --> 01:16:52,399 Because I was doing these big cyanotypes 488 01:16:52,399 --> 01:16:54,199 in the sun and I'd have 489 01:16:54,199 --> 01:16:55,279 to pray for the sun to 490 01:16:55,279 --> 01:16:58,159 come out and the rain not to stay away. 491 01:16:58,520 --> 01:17:00,159 And it didn't always happen and wind 492 01:17:00,159 --> 01:17:01,279 blowing everything around. 493 01:17:01,279 --> 01:17:02,880 And in the end though, there was this 494 01:17:02,880 --> 01:17:07,439 feeling of like, "Wow, it's bigger." 495 01:17:07,439 --> 01:17:08,760 It was bigger than what I 496 01:17:08,760 --> 01:17:10,159 could have imagined on my... 497 01:17:11,199 --> 01:17:13,159 Even still, it was this collaboration 498 01:17:13,159 --> 01:17:14,319 where something larger... 499 01:17:14,319 --> 01:17:16,079 So do you feel that when you're... 500 01:17:17,039 --> 01:17:19,039 It's not like it happens all the time. 501 01:17:19,920 --> 01:17:20,199 Yeah. 502 01:17:20,600 --> 01:17:23,560 And often inspiration strikes. 503 01:17:24,800 --> 01:17:27,319 And by the time I get to my studio, I 504 01:17:27,319 --> 01:17:28,920 can't find it again. 505 01:17:29,199 --> 01:17:29,800 Oh, yeah. 506 01:17:30,399 --> 01:17:33,399 But and sometimes it comes 507 01:17:33,399 --> 01:17:35,800 through while I'm working. 508 01:17:36,479 --> 01:17:38,840 The muse will come and find you working. 509 01:17:39,159 --> 01:17:42,319 I don't remember the expression, but I 510 01:17:42,319 --> 01:17:44,039 actually was doing that today. 511 01:17:44,079 --> 01:17:48,319 I was touching up corners of paintings 512 01:17:48,319 --> 01:17:49,800 that are going in the exhibition. 513 01:17:51,199 --> 01:17:54,359 And so I mixed some black paint with a 514 01:17:54,359 --> 01:17:56,399 little bit of gloss and I was doing that. 515 01:17:56,800 --> 01:17:57,960 And I finished and I 516 01:17:57,960 --> 01:17:59,319 still had some paint. 517 01:17:59,520 --> 01:18:01,760 So then I just grabbed the painting in 518 01:18:01,760 --> 01:18:05,479 progress and started doing stuff. 519 01:18:05,479 --> 01:18:06,840 And next thing I know, two hours have 520 01:18:06,840 --> 01:18:08,199 gone by and I'm painting. 521 01:18:08,880 --> 01:18:10,720 I just suddenly got new inspiration. 522 01:18:10,960 --> 01:18:14,359 And I sometimes forget, but... 523 01:18:16,239 --> 01:18:17,920 Yeah, what a joy to find that. 524 01:18:18,319 --> 01:18:23,119 Yeah, sometimes just doing something 525 01:18:23,119 --> 01:18:26,720 repetitive, that muscle memory. 526 01:18:27,560 --> 01:18:28,520 And then it's like, "Oh, 527 01:18:28,600 --> 01:18:30,439 yeah, I love doing this stuff. 528 01:18:30,640 --> 01:18:32,159 I love using a little brush 529 01:18:32,159 --> 01:18:34,279 and that shiny black paint." 530 01:18:34,840 --> 01:18:36,199 And where else can I put 531 01:18:36,199 --> 01:18:37,159 that shiny black paint? 532 01:18:37,560 --> 01:18:38,680 I know. 533 01:18:39,680 --> 01:18:41,960 It is time often too, right? 534 01:18:42,159 --> 01:18:44,000 You have to know that, "Okay, I can give 535 01:18:44,000 --> 01:18:45,319 myself a little bit of time here." 536 01:18:46,680 --> 01:18:48,319 Because often I'm not an 537 01:18:48,319 --> 01:18:49,880 artist who finds the time. 538 01:18:50,199 --> 01:18:51,560 Yeah, you do every day. 539 01:18:51,840 --> 01:18:52,840 Horrible, I'm it. 540 01:18:54,159 --> 01:18:54,840 So, yeah. 541 01:18:55,680 --> 01:18:59,680 Can you talk about any times in your life 542 01:18:59,680 --> 01:19:01,800 that were sort of like crossroads? 543 01:19:02,600 --> 01:19:04,880 Things that really sort of changed the 544 01:19:04,880 --> 01:19:07,680 course of what you were doing? 545 01:19:07,840 --> 01:19:10,319 Are there situations like that for you? 546 01:19:11,399 --> 01:19:12,079 Yeah, definitely. 547 01:19:13,319 --> 01:19:15,520 When did we first meet 548 01:19:15,520 --> 01:19:16,560 when you were out here? 549 01:19:16,560 --> 01:19:18,560 Because I think that was like a... 550 01:19:18,560 --> 01:19:23,039 I moved out to the Hamptons in 2009. 551 01:19:24,079 --> 01:19:27,079 And I think we met in 2010, 11. 552 01:19:29,000 --> 01:19:29,560 Was I pregnant? 553 01:19:29,800 --> 01:19:30,800 That's why I had just had an thing. 554 01:19:31,199 --> 01:19:33,159 I remember just having a thing and we 555 01:19:33,159 --> 01:19:34,119 would come up with it. 556 01:19:34,479 --> 01:19:35,800 Yeah, do you remember like we were in 557 01:19:35,800 --> 01:19:39,399 that little hot tub section of the pool? 558 01:19:40,199 --> 01:19:42,159 I remember that. 559 01:19:42,159 --> 01:19:44,039 That's what I remember bringing him over 560 01:19:44,039 --> 01:19:46,840 and he was a little toddler and little. 561 01:19:47,279 --> 01:19:47,840 He was very... 562 01:19:47,840 --> 01:19:49,520 Tell me he could swim, you know. 563 01:19:49,520 --> 01:19:50,800 And I think probably, I 564 01:19:50,800 --> 01:19:53,680 was probably very nervous. 565 01:19:55,840 --> 01:19:57,439 But yeah, we met. 566 01:19:57,439 --> 01:19:58,840 How did the motherhood change you? 567 01:20:01,279 --> 01:20:02,239 Yeah, gosh. 568 01:20:04,720 --> 01:20:09,279 Well, it was a challenging time for me. 569 01:20:10,279 --> 01:20:12,279 We were living in Brooklyn in the city 570 01:20:12,279 --> 01:20:16,000 and then my husband and I, 571 01:20:16,000 --> 01:20:19,079 and then he got offered this job out in 572 01:20:19,079 --> 01:20:20,199 Eastern Long Island in 573 01:20:20,199 --> 01:20:21,920 Flanders and to serve the Hamptons. 574 01:20:22,840 --> 01:20:24,920 And so we moved out here and that was 575 01:20:24,920 --> 01:20:28,399 around like 2007, 2008. 576 01:20:28,960 --> 01:20:30,920 And then I shortly got pregnant. 577 01:20:31,840 --> 01:20:34,920 And we had just moved out here. 578 01:20:34,920 --> 01:20:35,760 I was very alone. 579 01:20:36,039 --> 01:20:37,039 I was very solitary. 580 01:20:37,560 --> 01:20:38,520 It was very difficult. 581 01:20:39,279 --> 01:20:39,640 There wasn't... 582 01:20:40,000 --> 01:20:41,640 Now there's a very vibrant arts community 583 01:20:41,640 --> 01:20:44,399 here, but there was still a time when 584 01:20:44,399 --> 01:20:45,960 there wasn't a lot of... 585 01:20:45,960 --> 01:20:47,479 At least I didn't know a lot of... 586 01:20:48,399 --> 01:20:49,399 Well, I think since then 587 01:20:49,399 --> 01:20:50,199 and now there's much... 588 01:20:50,800 --> 01:20:54,399 There's more arts events and things and 589 01:20:54,399 --> 01:20:55,399 there's more than you can... 590 01:20:56,439 --> 01:20:58,079 At the time, it was just a 591 01:20:58,079 --> 01:20:59,520 very isolating time for me. 592 01:20:59,520 --> 01:21:00,560 It was very difficult. 593 01:21:01,359 --> 01:21:07,159 And yeah, and I had a postpartum mania 594 01:21:07,159 --> 01:21:10,199 and depression actually, a year delayed. 595 01:21:11,159 --> 01:21:14,840 So it wasn't immediate, but it came on 596 01:21:14,840 --> 01:21:17,159 almost to a year to the day he was born. 597 01:21:18,199 --> 01:21:19,199 And that was very difficult. 598 01:21:19,439 --> 01:21:22,079 And that was definitely a crossroads. 599 01:21:22,920 --> 01:21:24,399 It was a very dark time. 600 01:21:24,640 --> 01:21:26,840 I didn't think I would 601 01:21:26,840 --> 01:21:28,039 make art again, actually. 602 01:21:28,079 --> 01:21:31,760 I think we met around then, right? 603 01:21:33,039 --> 01:21:33,239 Yeah. 604 01:21:35,479 --> 01:21:37,319 Did art play a role in 605 01:21:37,319 --> 01:21:40,039 recovery or saving you? 606 01:21:40,279 --> 01:21:43,079 Yeah, I think coming through it. 607 01:21:43,800 --> 01:21:45,359 I think coming out of it 608 01:21:45,359 --> 01:21:46,920 and finding myself again. 609 01:21:48,800 --> 01:21:51,520 Remember when you set up that beautiful 610 01:21:51,520 --> 01:21:53,319 studio in the attic? 611 01:21:54,159 --> 01:21:54,560 Yeah. 612 01:21:55,079 --> 01:21:58,279 Yeah. And so you were sort of starting to get 613 01:21:58,279 --> 01:21:59,560 back into it and then you 614 01:21:59,560 --> 01:22:02,479 were going to Brooklyn to print? 615 01:22:03,239 --> 01:22:03,560 Yes. 616 01:22:04,399 --> 01:22:06,199 Okay, so we did meet then. 617 01:22:06,720 --> 01:22:08,800 Yeah, that was around that time. 618 01:22:09,319 --> 01:22:09,720 Yeah, it was... 619 01:22:10,439 --> 01:22:10,640 Yeah. 620 01:22:10,880 --> 01:22:12,039 So yeah, I was printing. 621 01:22:12,520 --> 01:22:13,359 I think it was going back 622 01:22:13,359 --> 01:22:14,520 in the fourth and the... 623 01:22:15,600 --> 01:22:17,439 That I think threw me into that state. 624 01:22:18,039 --> 01:22:22,159 But then definitely when I found myself 625 01:22:22,159 --> 01:22:25,079 again, I had to be creating again. 626 01:22:25,760 --> 01:22:27,159 I just had to be... 627 01:22:27,159 --> 01:22:27,239 Yeah. 628 01:22:27,239 --> 01:22:28,479 That's where I am. 629 01:22:28,479 --> 01:22:29,279 That's who I am. 630 01:22:29,600 --> 01:22:32,039 But when the dark place that you go to, 631 01:22:32,279 --> 01:22:34,079 you don't know who you are anymore. 632 01:22:34,079 --> 01:22:36,680 And it's not a generative place. 633 01:22:37,039 --> 01:22:39,319 But I think that's where family and 634 01:22:39,319 --> 01:22:41,720 friends and people lifting 635 01:22:41,720 --> 01:22:43,079 you up when you can't get 636 01:22:43,239 --> 01:22:45,520 through it yourself or 637 01:22:45,520 --> 01:22:46,439 how you get through it. 638 01:22:46,439 --> 01:22:46,920 And then I started... 639 01:22:47,399 --> 01:22:48,760 Yeah, and there was a time where I would 640 01:22:48,760 --> 01:22:52,800 be in my studio trying to get back to it. 641 01:22:52,800 --> 01:22:54,760 And it was very difficult. 642 01:22:55,119 --> 01:22:58,039 That feeling of it was very uncomfortable 643 01:22:58,039 --> 01:22:58,960 to be in there and 644 01:22:58,960 --> 01:23:00,279 telling myself that I would 645 01:23:00,279 --> 01:23:00,840 get through it. 646 01:23:01,560 --> 01:23:02,640 And I think anytime... 647 01:23:02,920 --> 01:23:03,920 And I talked about the people about this. 648 01:23:03,920 --> 01:23:05,159 When you haven't been in your studio for 649 01:23:05,159 --> 01:23:06,920 a while and you get back 650 01:23:06,920 --> 01:23:08,159 in, it's not like it's like, 651 01:23:08,159 --> 01:23:09,319 "Oh, here we go." 652 01:23:11,439 --> 01:23:13,399 That's not when the news usually... 653 01:23:14,039 --> 01:23:15,520 It's like you got to kind of muddle your 654 01:23:15,520 --> 01:23:16,680 way back through it. 655 01:23:17,319 --> 01:23:19,960 And then you get there eventually through 656 01:23:19,960 --> 01:23:21,399 getting acquainted with 657 01:23:21,399 --> 01:23:23,560 that making world again. 658 01:23:24,560 --> 01:23:28,840 I find that in times like that, and I've 659 01:23:28,840 --> 01:23:29,840 gone through periods 660 01:23:29,840 --> 01:23:32,720 where I may have not been in 661 01:23:32,720 --> 01:23:35,159 the best place mentally. 662 01:23:37,319 --> 01:23:40,439 And I would think to myself, "I wish I 663 01:23:40,439 --> 01:23:42,680 could just turn to art as an escape." 664 01:23:43,840 --> 01:23:45,680 And then I would try and 665 01:23:45,680 --> 01:23:46,920 I just wasn't inspired. 666 01:23:47,520 --> 01:23:50,239 And it sort of made art... 667 01:23:51,279 --> 01:23:52,560 It pushed it further away 668 01:23:52,560 --> 01:23:54,760 as an unattainable thing. 669 01:23:55,520 --> 01:23:58,600 And so I remember thinking, "I don't want 670 01:23:58,600 --> 01:23:59,840 to put that kind of 671 01:23:59,840 --> 01:24:03,399 pressure on my artist self 672 01:24:04,079 --> 01:24:05,800 to be my savior." 673 01:24:08,600 --> 01:24:11,079 But I found when I moved out to the 674 01:24:11,079 --> 01:24:13,600 Hamptons, that was a kind 675 01:24:13,600 --> 01:24:15,159 of art renaissance for me. 676 01:24:15,199 --> 01:24:20,920 Discovering nature, realizing that I'm 677 01:24:20,920 --> 01:24:22,800 actually very comfortable 678 01:24:22,800 --> 01:24:25,159 being alone for long periods 679 01:24:25,159 --> 01:24:31,560 of time and creating work that's more 680 01:24:31,560 --> 01:24:33,560 connected, more immediately 681 01:24:33,560 --> 01:24:35,640 connected to the place where 682 01:24:35,680 --> 01:24:43,159 I am, and finding community, like finding 683 01:24:43,159 --> 01:24:46,119 artists that I could really relate to. 684 01:24:47,680 --> 01:24:50,399 That bond that we had, that was like... 685 01:24:51,640 --> 01:24:52,600 That was where one of the people was 686 01:24:52,600 --> 01:24:53,760 getting me through that time. 687 01:24:54,000 --> 01:24:55,159 Yeah, that was very precious. 688 01:24:55,520 --> 01:24:59,359 It was a back and forth communication 689 01:24:59,359 --> 01:25:01,920 because getting back into it, 690 01:25:02,079 --> 01:25:06,479 sometimes you can just go in and start 691 01:25:06,479 --> 01:25:09,239 painting edges and get back into it. 692 01:25:09,920 --> 01:25:13,159 Sometimes you really need to be around 693 01:25:13,159 --> 01:25:15,640 people who are creative and expressive 694 01:25:15,640 --> 01:25:20,920 and just have that permission given to 695 01:25:20,920 --> 01:25:24,079 you to explore again and 696 01:25:24,079 --> 01:25:25,640 get swept up in that energy. 697 01:25:25,800 --> 01:25:33,960 And I think that when that happens, and 698 01:25:33,960 --> 01:25:34,720 then you have the 699 01:25:34,720 --> 01:25:37,880 opportunity to lead that, 700 01:25:38,720 --> 01:25:41,600 lead that, and be able to 701 01:25:41,600 --> 01:25:45,279 offer that kind of community... 702 01:25:46,560 --> 01:25:47,640 It's out of yourself. 703 01:25:47,680 --> 01:25:52,119 I think maybe because I often, when I am 704 01:25:52,119 --> 01:25:55,319 alone, like solitary in the 705 01:25:55,319 --> 01:25:57,079 studio or those times in my 706 01:25:57,079 --> 01:25:58,840 life, when I am just very... I can be a 707 01:25:58,840 --> 01:26:01,840 very solitary, introspective person. 708 01:26:02,560 --> 01:26:05,039 And on the other hand, when I can get 709 01:26:05,039 --> 01:26:06,680 out, when I am working 710 01:26:06,680 --> 01:26:08,399 with other people or teaching, 711 01:26:08,399 --> 01:26:11,199 it's not about me anymore. I'm just this 712 01:26:11,199 --> 01:26:13,279 vehicle to help other people. 713 01:26:14,239 --> 01:26:17,640 It all goes back to your undergraduate 714 01:26:17,640 --> 01:26:21,000 experience with this 715 01:26:21,000 --> 01:26:22,640 group of women artists. 716 01:26:23,800 --> 01:26:27,880 I'm so inspired by that. When I was an 717 01:26:27,880 --> 01:26:31,520 undergrad, I didn't have that kind of 718 01:26:31,520 --> 01:26:34,279 conceptual thinking yet. 719 01:26:36,279 --> 01:26:38,439 Some of it comes from community, having 720 01:26:38,439 --> 01:26:40,199 people around you who are 721 01:26:40,199 --> 01:26:42,279 similar in a way that you 722 01:26:42,800 --> 01:26:45,279 find a way to connect. 723 01:26:46,439 --> 01:26:47,319 Yeah, well, I went to Florida 724 01:26:47,319 --> 01:26:48,560 International University in 725 01:26:48,560 --> 01:26:50,039 Miami, and one of the things 726 01:26:50,159 --> 01:26:51,960 that was unique about it was there were 727 01:26:51,960 --> 01:26:57,920 students of all ages. It's international. 728 01:26:59,560 --> 01:27:02,840 I mean, there were women of this group of 729 01:27:02,840 --> 01:27:06,279 eight of us that were at 730 01:27:06,279 --> 01:27:07,920 least 15 years older than me. 731 01:27:08,720 --> 01:27:09,479 Oh, okay. 732 01:27:10,439 --> 01:27:13,000 There was one or two women who were 733 01:27:13,000 --> 01:27:14,079 younger than me, so that's 734 01:27:14,079 --> 01:27:14,840 something I already felt. 735 01:27:15,159 --> 01:27:16,680 Yeah, there were women that were... 736 01:27:16,680 --> 01:27:20,159 Wow, it's almost like you had mentors in 737 01:27:20,159 --> 01:27:21,680 some way. Maybe not mentors 738 01:27:21,680 --> 01:27:23,600 for art, but mentors for being 739 01:27:23,600 --> 01:27:24,479 like how to live. 740 01:27:25,359 --> 01:27:27,479 We came from whatever life experience we 741 01:27:27,479 --> 01:27:28,399 had had, and we were 742 01:27:28,399 --> 01:27:30,399 discovering this place together. 743 01:27:30,399 --> 01:27:36,560 That's amazing. What would you say, what 744 01:27:36,560 --> 01:27:39,600 are you most passionate about right now? 745 01:27:40,720 --> 01:27:41,399 Right now. 746 01:27:45,159 --> 01:27:50,640 Well, I'm kind of between things right 747 01:27:50,640 --> 01:27:52,079 now. I'm teaching, I'm 748 01:27:52,079 --> 01:27:53,520 hustling again, because there's 749 01:27:53,520 --> 01:27:56,680 a lot of loss of fun to the arts and paid 750 01:27:56,680 --> 01:27:58,920 students. It's just 751 01:27:58,920 --> 01:28:00,079 kind of jiggling a lot 752 01:28:00,079 --> 01:28:04,600 right now. I'm trying to give myself even 753 01:28:04,600 --> 01:28:05,800 sometimes just half an 754 01:28:05,800 --> 01:28:06,960 hour to an hour in the 755 01:28:06,960 --> 01:28:08,720 studio just where I'm like, "I don't know 756 01:28:08,720 --> 01:28:09,600 what's going to come out 757 01:28:09,600 --> 01:28:11,359 right now, but I need to... " 758 01:28:11,359 --> 01:28:13,159 I don't know what's next, really. I'm in 759 01:28:13,159 --> 01:28:14,159 that place where you're 760 01:28:14,159 --> 01:28:15,199 kind of figuring out what's 761 01:28:15,199 --> 01:28:17,920 next. You might have a little glimmer of 762 01:28:17,920 --> 01:28:19,439 things, but I want to give 763 01:28:19,439 --> 01:28:20,680 myself that time to kind of 764 01:28:20,680 --> 01:28:21,279 experiment. 765 01:28:22,239 --> 01:28:24,840 Do you find that state 766 01:28:24,840 --> 01:28:27,199 exciting or stressful? 767 01:28:28,680 --> 01:28:29,159 Or both? 768 01:28:30,159 --> 01:28:34,319 I guess a little of both, right? It seems 769 01:28:34,319 --> 01:28:37,680 like you were saying that you're 770 01:28:37,840 --> 01:28:39,600 touching up the corners, getting ready 771 01:28:39,600 --> 01:28:41,720 for a show, and at the same time, 772 01:28:43,439 --> 01:28:45,159 experimenting, starting something new. I 773 01:28:45,159 --> 01:28:46,560 think often there's a 774 01:28:46,560 --> 01:28:47,720 lot of that overlap, right? 775 01:28:47,760 --> 01:28:48,520 There is. 776 01:28:49,159 --> 01:28:51,520 You have to go in a few weeks. Now I'm 777 01:28:51,520 --> 01:28:52,159 starting to think, "Well, 778 01:28:52,159 --> 01:28:53,520 what would I show?" So I have to 779 01:28:53,680 --> 01:28:55,399 kind of pull some work out and think 780 01:28:55,399 --> 01:28:57,880 about that and then get it ready to put 781 01:28:57,880 --> 01:28:58,760 up. At the same time, 782 01:28:58,760 --> 01:29:00,439 I'm experimenting really with what might 783 01:29:00,439 --> 01:29:02,520 come next. I'm very 784 01:29:02,520 --> 01:29:04,000 excited because I have my first 785 01:29:04,079 --> 01:29:05,600 little book. This is what I've been 786 01:29:05,600 --> 01:29:06,479 working on for two years. 787 01:29:06,479 --> 01:29:07,520 Oh, that's amazing. 788 01:29:08,439 --> 01:29:09,439 That was a lot of work. 789 01:29:09,920 --> 01:29:10,760 Can you hold it up? 790 01:29:12,199 --> 01:29:14,479 It's called "The Long Two." 791 01:29:14,479 --> 01:29:15,039 "The Long Two" for the 792 01:29:15,039 --> 01:29:16,399 World. That's amazing. 793 01:29:17,039 --> 01:29:18,920 Is this a book that people can find? 794 01:29:18,920 --> 01:29:19,920 Where can they find this book? 795 01:29:21,079 --> 01:29:25,760 Yeah. Well, this is the proof. I did it 796 01:29:25,760 --> 01:29:28,439 through this website Blurb. 797 01:29:28,840 --> 01:29:30,399 Okay. So it's all published. 798 01:29:30,920 --> 01:29:36,640 Yeah. It'll be accessible there. It's all 799 01:29:36,640 --> 01:29:38,279 a record of the project I did 800 01:29:38,279 --> 01:29:39,560 a year ago at Bridge Gardens 801 01:29:39,560 --> 01:29:41,680 with the Parrish Art Museum. It has 802 01:29:41,680 --> 01:29:45,159 curators forward. I 803 01:29:45,159 --> 01:29:46,479 write about the project. 804 01:29:46,960 --> 01:29:49,479 And the process of that project and 805 01:29:49,479 --> 01:29:51,079 getting to know the gardens and how I 806 01:29:51,079 --> 01:29:52,159 made the work and how 807 01:29:52,159 --> 01:29:53,720 it changed me. Then there's a beautiful 808 01:29:53,720 --> 01:29:57,399 essay by Serge Levy, who is a 809 01:29:57,399 --> 01:29:58,359 photographer and writer 810 01:29:58,720 --> 01:30:00,239 about the work. It has 811 01:30:00,239 --> 01:30:02,760 all these images of... 812 01:30:03,039 --> 01:30:03,479 That's amazing. 813 01:30:03,880 --> 01:30:04,159 ...work that. 814 01:30:04,680 --> 01:30:06,079 Congratulations. Oh, 815 01:30:06,079 --> 01:30:08,520 that's a huge achievement. 816 01:30:09,199 --> 01:30:10,720 I just got that this morning. 817 01:30:11,239 --> 01:30:13,039 That is exciting. 818 01:30:13,520 --> 01:30:16,359 Yeah. So that was... Yeah. 819 01:30:17,039 --> 01:30:18,880 Where can people find you? Where can they 820 01:30:18,880 --> 01:30:20,279 find your work? Where can 821 01:30:20,279 --> 01:30:22,520 they find more about you? 822 01:30:24,239 --> 01:30:27,760 There's my website, AndreaCoat.com. And 823 01:30:27,760 --> 01:30:29,800 then my Instagram is AndreaCoatArt. 824 01:30:33,359 --> 01:30:36,439 I love to just connect with people. So on 825 01:30:36,439 --> 01:30:37,800 my website, it says, 826 01:30:38,000 --> 01:30:39,600 "Contact if you want to come by the 827 01:30:39,600 --> 01:30:42,199 studio. Let me know." I do enjoy that. 828 01:30:44,439 --> 01:30:46,720 Final question for you. And I feel like 829 01:30:46,720 --> 01:30:48,279 you kind of answered it, but 830 01:30:49,239 --> 01:30:52,960 how would you define success for you now? 831 01:30:53,319 --> 01:30:55,960 And how has it changed over time? 832 01:30:58,520 --> 01:31:01,880 I mean, success to me is just being able 833 01:31:01,880 --> 01:31:05,960 to keep exploring and to be creating. 834 01:31:06,399 --> 01:31:08,760 So I'm not... I don't know that I'm very 835 01:31:08,760 --> 01:31:11,279 ambitious as far as a career 836 01:31:11,279 --> 01:31:13,720 goes, except that it's nice to 837 01:31:13,720 --> 01:31:15,800 be able... This project wouldn't have 838 01:31:15,800 --> 01:31:16,920 come to me if somebody 839 01:31:16,920 --> 01:31:19,159 hadn't invited me to do a project, 840 01:31:19,600 --> 01:31:22,039 but then opened up a whole world and new 841 01:31:22,039 --> 01:31:22,760 ideas and new 842 01:31:22,760 --> 01:31:24,439 opportunities that I never would have 843 01:31:24,439 --> 01:31:28,920 envisioned this project before. So that's 844 01:31:28,920 --> 01:31:30,279 exciting. So I don't know that I always 845 01:31:30,279 --> 01:31:31,399 have the visions for 846 01:31:31,439 --> 01:31:33,199 different ideas that kind of percolate 847 01:31:33,199 --> 01:31:35,640 around, but I think it's just the 848 01:31:35,640 --> 01:31:37,840 opportunities to create 849 01:31:37,840 --> 01:31:42,279 and discover new facets of yourself, of 850 01:31:42,279 --> 01:31:46,039 your work. Yeah, so it's just 851 01:31:46,039 --> 01:31:47,720 being able to keep creating. 852 01:31:48,520 --> 01:31:49,359 And that's pretty much 853 01:31:49,359 --> 01:31:50,560 been consistent for you. 854 01:31:52,439 --> 01:31:53,840 But I don't know. It doesn't feel like... 855 01:31:53,840 --> 01:31:54,680 Because most of the time, 856 01:31:54,680 --> 01:31:56,039 it just feels like a juggle. 857 01:31:56,079 --> 01:32:01,319 Headlights. Yeah, I know. I know. Yeah. 858 01:32:02,880 --> 01:32:09,159 Well, that's amazing. Best of luck. Yeah, 859 01:32:09,159 --> 01:32:10,960 let's definitely connect 860 01:32:10,960 --> 01:32:12,880 and have a chat without it 861 01:32:12,880 --> 01:32:16,479 being recorded. Yeah, it's wonderful to 862 01:32:16,479 --> 01:32:19,760 connect and explore these. 863 01:32:20,520 --> 01:32:21,560 Being an artist together. 864 01:32:21,600 --> 01:32:25,279 Mm-hmm. Your journey. Yeah. Thank you so 865 01:32:25,279 --> 01:32:27,199 much. Oh, thank you, Hava.