Interview Series #12: Charlotte Gudmundsson

Charlotte Gudmundsson is as unique as they come...even though she's an identical twin! Half Icelandic and half Swedish, Charlotte and her family have lived all over the world, settling in places as far flung as Thailand, South Korea, Syria, and Sri Lanka. With such an unconventional upbringing, it's no wonder Charlotte has taken the path less traveled in her adult years. On her own, she chose to study art at Parsons in Paris, which landed her, two years later, at Parsons in New York City.

Charlotte pursued a degree in illustration because, as she says, it tells a story in a visual way. Her art has been shown in various galleries, including Greenpoint Gallery in Brooklyn and The Bottle Shop in Paris. Currently, her work is available for purchase on Le Baz'art, a site that connects emerging artists with art-lovers, and acts as a place where "novice and seasoned collectors alike [can] purchase quality, progressive artwork...by young, talented artists." She was also interviewed (yes, they beat me!) on the great pumpkin by way of collaborating with the vegetarian supper club, Brooklyn Fork and Spoon. And though she's only twenty-five, Charlotte has already embarked on an artistic career as a designer for Astor Wines & Spirits in downtown Manhattan. An all around delightful person with a passion for food, wine, travel, and fantasy, I was truly excited to uncover all that contributes to Charlotte's creative --- and contagious --- energy.

Quick Look Birthday: March 1, 1987 Living in: Brooklyn, New York Born in: Mountainview,  California Website: http://charlotteillustration.wordpress.com/

No-Alternative: Growing up, you lived in nine different countries on three continents. How has this upbringing affected your personal relationship with art, and how has it inspired you? Do you have a favorite place, city, or country in terms of artistic inspiration?

Charlotte Gudmundsson: Growing up in nine different countries has definitely shaped my relationship with art. As I moved around so much, it was difficult at times to adjust to a new school, new groups of friends, and a new city. I always had a crazy imagination when I was little, and it would provide a hiding place, a source of comfort that I could enter and feel familiar. I would create whole stories and characters and make them real by putting them on paper. What I do now is pretty much the same thing: making tangible fantastical ideas, so that others can be a part of them as well. 

As for a favorite place, I would probably say the spooky pine forests around my family's house in Småland, southern Sweden. There's just something very, very old about them, where many things have happened unnoticed, and where living things are hidden by the shadows of the pine trees and layers of moss and lichen. It makes me curious and makes me want to explore. 

There's something childlike and sometimes darkly sweet about your illustrations, but then there's the Explosions series, which is far more sexual. How would you describe your general aesthetic and your biggest influences? And is there one particular drawing or set that you feel encapsulates you as a person/artist?

There are two things that have greatly inspired me and my work. One is the art that came out of Germany and Austria at the turn of the century, from around 1900-1930. The other is nature and all the bizarre animals that populate it. 

Die Brücke and the Wiener Werkstätte, two very disparate groups that formed in Berlin and Vienna respectively, both shared similar views that I find incredibly interesting. Die Brücke, which was founded by the expressionist painter Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and his friends in Dresden in 1905, believed that through the revival of old, traditional media such as woodcuts, combined with a rejection of academically approved subjects, they could create a 'bridge' between the past and the future. The Wiener Werkstätte, a production company of visual artists in Vienna founded in 1903, didn't form as casually, but they had the same anti-establishment sentiments when they formed. Their mission was to design art that was accessible to everyone, using traditional media and paying close attention to craftsmanship. I especially love how the artists of the Wiener Werkstätte didn't limit themselves to one field; Koloman Moser, who was an incredible painter and illustrator, also worked in glass, woodworking and furniture design. Their approach that art should be useful and enjoyed by everyone is something I really take to heart. 

The natural world, on the other hand, is where I find the most fascinating forms and characters. Some of the bizarre creatures that exist are just so fascinating to me because they are so alien --- like the 5-foot long Giant Salamander of China, the largest amphibian in the world. What a monster! It doesn't take much more than thinking about such a strange thing for me to get ideas about stories and characters --- I imagine this is how fairy tales and legends start. 

Concerning my 'Explosive' series, it was a bit outside of my usual style of drawing. I was given an assignment in a class to explore the theme 'sexuality'. At the time I was playing around with different watercolor and india ink techniques. The idea I had, that sexuality, if contained or repressed, will still manifest itself, but then in more violent, uncontrolled means. It's best if you embrace it and have fun with it. I thought it would work out very well with the splashy watercolor effects I was playing around with at the time, and I think it came together really well. Even though it does look different from my other work, I think I was enjoying the technicalities of painting just as much as I would creating a screen print.

If I was to choose one drawing that would define my work, I think it would have to be the little 'dreaming' hair monster. He's turning his dreams into a beautiful, valuable and tangible object, with a bit of cranking.

What's your ideal drawing environment in terms of light, sound, vibe, locale, etc?

I am not too particular about my setting when I work. Ideally, it should be fairly distraction-free, but I don't worry too much about a specific light/time of day or something like that. I do love blasting the Knife or Fever Ray when I'm working --- Karin and Olof Dreijer are my absolute favorite musicians in the world. Their music provides the perfect mix of energy, kookiness and creepy humor which I hope to imbue my work with.

You've painted two murals in Brooklyn --- how do you decide what to paint when the canvas is so public and highly viewed? And is there a certain way you go about brainstorming for a mural and then putting it all together? 

When deciding on what to paint for the two (fairly) recent murals I did, I definitely took into account WHO I was painting it for. The first one, which was completely public, was for Jane's Closet, a clothing store  on Grand Street by Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn. The owners of Jane's Closet are inviting artists to paint a mural on the wall adjacent to their store, which stay up for a few months before changing. Because of the temporal nature of this project, I never felt like it was going to be too "precious". The owner of the store is a big animal friend just like me, and she has an adorable cocker spaniel named Ginger. So, I decided to include Ginger in a mural, along with a menagerie to keep her company! I wasn't too concerned with matching the identity of the store too closely, but I made sure to include them as credit. 

The other mural I painted was for Amplify, an initiative organized by the New School's DESIS Lab (Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability). This wasn't exactly "public" --- it was in the courtyard of the St. Nick's Alliance building in Williamsburg. For this I took an equally playful approach; I wanted to paint a city landscape that was colorful and whimsical, which reflects how I see NYC. The city is really a playground, not an urban wasteland --- there are opportunities everywhere for improvement. 

As a full-time designer for Astor Wines & Spirits, which have been your favorite, or most gratifying, projects so far?

The best thing I got to do when working at Astor Wines was designing three wine labels for Astor's private label "Erdenlied". It came in three varietals, two white and one red: a Gruner Veltliner, a Riesling and a Zweigelt. Not only did this allow me to tap into my obsession with the Wiener Werkstatte design style, it would also result in a tangible product that thousands of people would purchase and enjoy. The manager of Astor's private labels came up with the name "Erdenlied," which means "Song of the Earth," based on a symphony by Gustav Mahler, a composer who hung out with all the Wiener Werkstatte guys in the first decade of the 1900's --- in other words a fantastically evocative name. After a number of rounds of designs, I ended up creating a decorative floral illustration that I hoped would reflect the flavors of the wine.  

Art is literally your livelihood --- from your job at Astor to commissioned work --- but I'm wondering how art-as-work might change its personal value. How do you feel about getting paid for art? And do you still have time and/or the desire to do art for art's sake?

Working as a full-time graphic designer/ merchandiser at Astor has really been a wonderful experience. I unfortunately have hardly any spare time to work on my own projects, projects I initiate not out of financial interest but out of a need to not let the ball stop rolling --- I don't want to let myself stall too much on my own projects. Of course, getting paid for your work is immensely gratifying. Creating work for a client and on your free time isn't too different...the only difference is having a shorter deadline when you're creating something for a client. 

Along a similar train of thought, you studied art formally at The New School, in both New York and Paris. Were you ever worried about your decision to pursue art as a major and, ultimately, as a career? And do you think it's necessary for aspiring or budding artists to study art in a classroom setting?

based on a visit to a fortune teller

Personally I never worried about choosing to pursue art as a career. It was a decision I very single-mindedly made when I was still in high school, and I didn't give a second thought to the difficulties I would have to face with such a path. I just KNEW I wanted to make art and draw for a living, and really didn't think anything beyond that mattered. As long as I was trying to do this I'd be happy. I realize that this sounds fairly simple, but it was also a decision I made based on a lot of self-analysis, and considering what my personal strengths, weaknesses and inclinations were, and what I thought I would do well in. In some part I think I wanted to stand out from among my siblings too --- they all pursued "sensible" fields, either political science or engineering.  

I definitely didn't get my best grades in Art in High School; in fact, I did much better in English. Going to school for Illustration was definitely a good idea too. Art school was a great experience, but I did find value in different places than I thought I would. It wasn't so much about the techniques and skills I learned there (although I loved all the printmaking classes I took and wish I had the same access to their amazing facilities now),  but more about the people I met there and the close friends I made. I also have stayed in touch with many of my professors, which has been a great help for me in trying to stand on my own feet after graduation.

I often wonder how an artist measures his/her success. How do you feel you've personally grown --- as an artist or otherwise --- in the past few years? 

The biggest realization I've come to make in the past few years is that you can really only rely on yourself to make things happen. In order to get anywhere or for anything to happen, you have to initiate it yourself, and not just sit and wait for things to come for you. This definitely applies to me personally as well as for my work, and it is something I struggle with everyday. I don't want to be complacent or comfortable, I want to go out and take chances and seize opportunities. As for measuring my own success, the only yardstick I have for that is myself. As long as I make things that I myself am happy and proud of, then I feel like I've been successful in that venture. You can never please everyone, but you can please yourself!

Your boyfriend, with whom you live, is also an artist/illustrator/animator. What's it like for two artists to date?  

My boyfriend, Garrett, studied traditional animation, and we actually worked together on a project, an animated short film, before we were going out. He was the animation director and I was inking pencil sketches --- he was actually the best boss I've had so far. I don't think it's too different from any other two people who date. We may do things a little differently in certain situations: e.g. if we're both sitting in a restaurant together with a paper tablecloth, both of us are guaranteed to start doodling all over the table. We also might make each other little hand-drawn cards for special occasions. 

One of the sets you showcased on your blog is "a series of illustrations inspired by songs [you] obsessively listen to." Tell us more!

Charlotte in Sweden

This is a serialized project I started as a motivation to keep making work regularly. The idea is just to take one of my favorite songs, or a song I've been listening to on repeat recently, and make a drawing of it. I see it as a little mental exercise. The first (and only one) was of "Kino" by The Knife, which is a very playful electronic song that makes me think of a Chinese video game with strange creatures. I drew it on lots of tiny paint chips from the hardware store to reflect the rhythmic, fragmented nature of the song. 

Last but not least... say I wanted to buy a bottle of wine tonight (from Astor Wine & Spirits, of course). What do you recommend? 

One of my favorite wines I've tried  is a white wine from Burgundy called "La Boheme." It's a natural wine, meaning the grapes were grown organically and the wine was made with minimal intervention: no sulfites, extra sugar or anything else added. It's so delicious slightly chilled, perfect for a beautiful May evening. As a plus, it's also got a funny label, and a good price, for around $12.

(all artwork by Charlotte Gudmundsson)

NYC Spotlight: La Sirena.

I tend to gush about independent shops in downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn, and La Sirena (which means "the mermaid") is certainly a note-worthy gem in that category. This past Xmas, I spent some time amid the shop's colorful, ceiling-high clutter looking for little gifts for family and friends. I ended up purchasing a Day of the Dead matchbook, hand-made ornament, miniature angel figure, skull-woman magnet, and a luchador figure... because honestly, what is Xmas without a little rubber Mexican wrestler?

The shop sells Mexican folk art that really runs the gamut: from tiny trinkets to printed shirts to funky jewelry to artful collector's items. I love all of the Catholic iconography and pendants, especially when combined with images of skulls and flowers, and portrayed with glitter in absurdly bright colors. The owner, Dina Leor, is also sweet and helpful (she even gave me a free calendar). But the best part about the store (other than its killer kitsch factor) is that many of the crafts are handmade from Mexican artisans, which reflects "the beauty and richness of the country of Mexico and the people who live there." As it says on their website:

The store is filled with arts and crafts from all over Mexico, from museum quality pieces to traditional marketplace merchandise and in all price ranges. Much of the work is crafted by families whose traditions have been handed down from generation to generation. Families whose lives, in and of themselves, are living art. The pieces are bought directly from the artists, whenever possible. This is very important because it ensures that the artist fully profits and the traditions live on.

It really doesn't get much more authentic than that. Next time you need a quick gift or find yourself in the mood for browsing, stop by this little space. I guarantee you'll see some things you've never seen before, and you'll probably acquire a sudden need for a tiny Mexican wrestler of your very own.

-a.d.

Synchronous.

Some things appear to happen synchronously...images speak to other images, words to words, experiences to experiences. Whenever you turn on your awareness, you start to notice how the things around you connect in ways that may take you by surprise. 

My friend, the poet-artist-musician Spencer Bell (who died in late 2006 and about whom I have extensively written), left behind a myriad of journals filled with art, doodles, lyrics, poems, and dreams. He allowed me to view a couple of journals in person, but I was only exposed to the rest after he died. Some pages became available on the website dedicated to his artistic/musical legacy, and one such image struck me because it seemed un-Spencerian...in fact, it seemed more like drawings I used to do. No one really knows for sure if Spencer drew it, or if someone else did (sometimes he let friends doodle on his pages), but the thickness of the lines and the little notes make me think it was indeed him.

Now for the synchronicity...I bought myself a dance calender for 2012 because, as you may know, I wish I were a dancer. February's image reminded me of that one page in one of Spencer's many journals, which I then found to compare...

 photograph by Lois Greenfield

artwork by Spencer Bell

While the similarities are evident, here comes the strangest part. If the copyright on Lois's page is correct, then she took that photograph of Natalie Lomonte and Marcus Bellamy in 2010. Spencer's art, obviously, was done several years prior. It makes me wonder if he was inspired by something else Lois has photographed (she's an eminent dance photographer), or if there's some kind of cosmic understanding of the human form floating around in the ether. The images themselves are inherently synchronous (two things happening, or existing, at the same time), or at least they represent a very fluid duality --- a dance of romance. A give and take, in either direction. 

And in more synchronous news, I am soon embarking on a new writing venture as a blogger for The Ballerina Project, which I absolutely adore and have already spotlighted here, on my blog. On my birthday last week, I happened to come upon The Ballerina Project in action when I spotted Dane Shitagi photographing a girl in pointe shoes in my own backyard: Washington Square Park. I couldn't believe my luck! When I got back to my apartment, I eagerly wrote Dane for the first time (in a state of giddy birthday glee). Since then, we have met in person to discuss how I will contribute my writing to the blog aspect of his project. So far, only one image has emerged from that Washington Square Park photoshoot with a young dancer named Emma...

photo by The Ballerina Project

"All motion is cyclic. It circulates to the limits of its possibilities and then 

returns to its starting point."  --  Robert Collier

-a.d.

The Ballerina Project

Before my love of all things alternative, I bore an enormous passion for dance, especially ballet. But you already know how that story goes...little girl loves ballet, little girl isn't a good enough ballerina (like most!), therefore girl stops doing ballet. No matter, I'll always adore ballet (and dance around the house to Clint Mansell's Requiem score). Another thing I adore is New York City, ever since I started riding the train down to the village in high school. So when you combine the grime, grit, and beauty of NYC with the ballerina's  phenomenal form, you have created photographs that make me beyond thrilled. The Ballerina Project is like a series of images ripped from my mind. As the "about" page says:

Like a dream becoming reality the Ballerina Project is a series of photographs created by photographer Dane Shitagi. Crafted over the span of ten years, the Ballerina Project is not “dance photography” but an etching of a ballerina's heart and emotions.

Every aspect of the Ballerina Project is carefully crafted and cultivated. The project has  been photographed entirely on traditional photographic film and not with modern digital cameras. The majority of ballerinas who have posed for the project are professional dancers and the minority are advanced ballet students in renown dance schools. The crafts of dance and photography are truly upheld on both ends of the creation of the Ballerina Project.

Here are just a few of my favorites....

 

and all of these prints remind me of one very relevant image (the original shot of the ballerina was actually taken by Dane Shitagi):

Interview Series #6: Meghan Farrell

Meghan Farrell has pursued many projects in her nearly 27 years --- from studying theater and psychology at Sarah Lawrence College (where we met); to creating her own jewelry line; to contributing to music blogs and DJ-ing; to acting in films and plays; to working as a buyer and store manager in Soho; to helping challenged teens and kids. 

Meghan has interned at Teen Vogue and Miramax, and worked for companies like Touchstone/Bad Robot, Miu Miu, and American Apparel. Most recently, she was an assistant buyer at  Opening Ceremony --- "a multifaceted environment comprised of retail spaces, showroom, and gallery that establishes a new international creative forum in downtown Manhattan... and brings together emerging American talent with both young and established designers and artists from abroad." 

Meghan created and launched her jewelry line, MF, which has been featured in such publications as Harpers Bazaar, Lurve, Stylecaster, Elle.com, and Vogue.com. She's already been interviewed in Lucky  for the line, and profiled in Paper Mag for her role at Opening Ceremony. The jewelry is sold exclusively in New York at Opening Ceremony,  at Tenoversix in LA, and now also in Denmark. She maintains a blog called Evidence of Existence, which not only showcases the jewelry, but also her photography, music mixes, and bits of this and that  --- the blog is nearing 2000 hits a month! Below, Meghan provides some very in-depth answers to my questions.

Quick Look
Birthdate: August 7, 1984
Living in: Manhattan, New York
Originally from: Brookville, New York

Website: http://meghanfarrell.com/jewelry/

How and when do you first get into jewelry design, and has this always been a passion?

Growing up, I would have never imagined I would be working on a project like this at all. Even in college, I don't think I could have ever pictured myself carving or sawing --- the idea would have probably seemed way too crazy, and I am always one to think that I'm not good at anything. Sometimes I feel like I can barely sketch! Despite this, I definitely was always crafty and artistic, and most certainly loved any accessories. Growing up, I loved to perform and make videos --- so I inevitably found the theatre, which was my focus at Sarah Lawrence College. Drama is still definitely a love of mine.

But Sarah Lawrence was the beginning in the discovery of the fashion and art worlds. I had come from a private Quaker school on Long Island, where everyone dressed the same and there were a lot of trends...so you can imagine the shock in being exposed to a student body where everyone had an individual and unique sense of style. The friends I met there took me shopping in the city often, and I discovered new small boutiques and brands, along with vintage stores.

I was always drawn to jewelry; I loved how it could change the look of a garment, and how some pieces could be worn multiple ways. On a whim my sophomore summer, I applied to the accessories department at Teen Vogue, which opened the door to this whole new world, it seemed. I learned so much during that period, as I was always seeing new brands and pieces of jewelry before they were in stores, and the people there in the accessories department were just so crafty! That was also inspiring to me. If a stylist had a vision for a certain accessory, it was up to the team to make it. The editors I worked for were really good at that, and so working in that environment really got me thinking. I stayed at Teen Vogue through my junior year, and then until I graduated.

During this period, I had been getting compliments on my jewelry a lot...my collection of accessories ridiculously grew, and people kept telling me: "Take a class!" "Learn!" "Start a line!" The idea seemed daunting and intimidating. I was also working for a television director at the time and was on the set of Rescue Me sometimes 12 hours a day in between my internship, and so it just seemed improbable.

So I worked various places, found myself at Opening Ceremony as their assistant store manager, and used my free time wisely. I started taking a Jewelry Design 101 class during my nights, made friends with my teacher, and just kept taking the same course and used the studio there. I did that for about two years. My teacher was wonderful, and really helped me bring my visions to life, and helped connect me to people in the jewelry district.  The rest is sort of history. Most of my line I actually developed in my class there. Now I have a workbench at home!

How does your jewelry line, MF, represent you as a person?

All of the pieces, without a doubt, are a reflection of my upbringing. When you look at the line, you'll see that it's primarily heavy and has a very clinical feel. You'll also undoubtedly note medical references. That said, I think that the biggest influence on the line was the fact that so many of my family members are in the medical field. My dad is a surgeon, my mom is a registered nurse, and there are so many of my aunts and cousins who are nurses or dentists or something! Growing up, I spent a lot of time in that environment --- there were a lot of wall diagrams and reports, stainless steel and crazy magazines. I remember being drawn to the equipment --- you know, the X-ray machines and such! 

Having studied psych in college, and having always loved the brain, my first collection was about psychology and neurology. As a whole my jewelry is a collection of literal representations of things, and then also symbolic representations of things. So, the neurology was seen in literal representations of the brain, and psychology, since it is more theoretical based, manifested itself into symbolic representations of these theories and ideas.

The other thing is that I really don't always know what I am going to make. Also, I always have a certain vision in mind, but my model never ends up looking how I intended. I guess that the same holds true for most people who create anything. I feel like my jewelry is sort of like my handwriting.

What sort of art, fashion, architecture, photography, or even literature, inspires your design aesthetic?

Art: Rothko, Modernist stuff, Eva Hesse, Louise Bourgeois

Fashion: Believe it or not, a lot of very very old vintage jewelry form the late 19th century:  filigree pieces from Italy and Edwardian rings are in mind when I create my pieces. I think it's ironic because most of the jewelry from that period is extremely delicate, and the pieces I usually create are very heavy. Looking at Edwardian and Victorian jewelry makes it feel so personal, as though it has a story. I find that really cool.

Architecture: Art Deco buildings and the Chrysler Building come to mind. And nearly ever bridge I see. I don't know much about architecture.

Literature: Gray's Anatomy, Tom Stoppard plays, 1984, The Metamorphosis

Films: Star Wars

Other things: Chaos Theory, Fractals, Math

What's currently in the works for MF and how would you like to see this brand grow, change and evolve? Are you currently working on a new collection?

Though it is my business, I treat everything surrounding the company very delicately and never rush through anything. There is nothing that annoys me more than being forced to produce or create a piece under constraints or limits in time or ideas. For me, the most exciting part of creating a piece is WHEN I feel so excited to make it. It feels like an itch, and after that point, I will spend a lot of my time on it, for days and days!

Then sometimes, I just sit down without an idea in mind, and cut a piece of wax and carve and carve. This is perhaps more rare --- but I have created some of my favorite pieces just sitting down and not knowing what is going to come out of what I am doing.

Sometimes pieces come slower than others...and sometimes I hit a dry spot. No matter what, I never finalize it until it feels right.

This summer I spent a lot of time working with the pieces I have. The collection has always been very ring heavy, and so this summer I really started to look at the pieces I created and think about how to work them into different types of jewelry. For instance, I made my cross ring into a necklace, and it is currently being worked into a bracelet.

I am also learning Rhino, which is a 3-D Rendering program for your computer. I can't wait, as a lot of the new ideas I have require this program, as it is all based on measurements and being as exact and accurate as possible. I also think I want to start delving into new sciences, theories, and medical areas. Lately I've been reading a lot about astronomy, cardiology, and marine biology...and I've also been thinking a lot about religion and astrology.

You've mentioned sketching and taking photos as prep work for your designs. Can you talk about how you go about doing this, and how it leads to designing the actual jewelry? 

I am terrible at sketching! But I do always keep a notebook with me. When I do have an idea I do tend to sketch it out. When I had the idea to make the brain ring, I was so intimidated by the whole idea of carving the creases and such. So I found a few images of a real human brain that felt appropriate, got some tracing paper, and just started tracing all the images to see which folds felt right. When I think back on that it sounds kind of gross.

Then, if I'm out in the city, if I see anything that I find really interesting or inspiring, I always take a picture of it. There is this star that someone carved into wet pavement on Howard Street that I noticed every day when I walked to work. So I took a picture of it. When I did this little sub-collection of pieces inspired by the city, I used that image to create my star ring.

Let's talk about acting, since you've spent many years studying theater. What have been some of your most memorable projects, on stage or on film? And do acting and design ever cross paths for you?

I did this film in Williamsburg with this interesting Swedish film production company called Governess Films...it was shot on all Super 8 and Björn Dixgård from Mando Diao did the soundtrack. I sort of just stepped into that project very randomly! It had a very low budget but a great crew, and a crazy fun cast.

The other most memorable project was probably The Good Person in Szechwan by Brecht when I was a freshman in high school. I played Shen-Te/Shui-Ta, and so it was like playing two roles at once, and the dialogue was heavy and tough. I don't know how I managed to get through that, but it was a very intense learning experience, very physically and mentally demanding --- and performing the show was draining but also sort of like getting on a ride. So in the end it was a really huge learning curve for me in acting, as I learned how to develop a character and sustain energy throughout a show. It's always cool when you're in a class or performance and feel like you lose yourself in the role. That feeling is what I really like, and just the overall energy of performing --- particularly in the theatre world. Design and acting never really cross paths for me, though --- I consider them to be two entirely separate interests and areas.

What have been some of your biggest challenges as both an actress and a designer? And how have you overcome, or currently handle, such challenges?

I think that the biggest challenge is that I do still consider myself a novice at jewelry design! As I mentioned before, the whole process at first seemed really daunting to me, and so stepping into it, I really had to learn techniques and the process from square one. It's the same with anything you learn...you do it over and over until you do it well, but then you realize that the piece would be perfect "only if" it had this feature, or connected to the chain like such, or was a little more angled --- it could be any feature! And that tiny thing that seems too easy to learn opens this whole new can of worms --- an entirely new class, technique, or area of jewelry design you still have to learn!

At this point in time, since I am not in school, I rely heavily on the people in the jewelry district. I have learned at this point how to navigate that world, who to trust, and who I work with best. It's like a fine recipe or something, and someone either gets your visions and really wants to help you, or just doesn't get it at all! No matter what, when it comes to art and design coupled with something so heavily driven by equipment and technique, there is always something new to learn. So it's super frustrating, but it's all a process! Like building a vocabulary. You need to learn or at least have knowledge of the techniques in order to make your visions come to life.

In regards to acting, I always find comedy super super hard! I take things very seriously in life, so most of the roles I have played or gravitate towards have been drama heavy, or dark and mysterious. Which is funny because my whole life I have been that silly, funny kid or teen that ends up wearing a bucket or lampshade on my head. So I'm currently finding roles to explore to develop this side of me.

Your blog often showcases your photography, which offers a glimpse into your family and personal life, as well as your interests in fashion. Can you talk about your desire to share your experiences through photography, and why this has been important to you?

My blog and photography are so very important to me, as I really do enjoy putting all of my posts together. Some people look at my blog and really like it, and some don't understand it at all. Some people just follow the mixes, and some the photos, and some fashion or jewelry posts. People have started to write me about it, about how much they like it or follow it, which is a new thing for me, and I find it really interesting.

I guess the majority of blogs out there are really more focused on appropriation of images or writing about something like celebrities, fashion, or music. With my blog, anything goes in terms of subject. The posts are photo heavy, and the throughline is telling a story through evidence --- bits of paper, letters, old photos, favorite passages from books, and scans of lost objects from my life. And then current photos, mixes I make, and things that inspire me. I also like to showcase my friends who are involved in the arts as much as possible.

In the end, it's all about the personal stuff. So I call it Evidence of Existence, because ionce we are gone, all we have are these physical objects, scraps of papers and notes left behind as proof we were here. I kind of feel like it is a museum, as most of what I put together or choose to post is curated in some way.

And it's all because of this, I guess: In an age that is dominated by computers and the media, I find that a lot is getting lost or being phased out, particularly physical objects (like CDs, books, etc.) and also a sense of a direct personal connection. So now that I've had my blog for two years, I guess it's like me saying: don't forget about these things in life!

In terms of my photos and how most are family driven, I am most inspired by my grandmother and father, but also my nieces and nephews. My nieces and nephews are the coolest little people and it has been the most insane thing to watch four of them grow up and discover the world.

In terms of the process, I'll be with my family or in a moment and just have this feeling that I have to capture it in some way. It can be something happy or sad or uncomfortable, but I'll be looking at something from some angle, and it's just a sharp feeling. It's sort of like another sense. So I'll take like 30 pictures of that one moment from that angle. In the end, there's usually one image that just sums it up. I think it's important to document things always in our family, and especially kids. Children really grow and change so incredbly quickly, so I don't want to forget the small details along the way.

As if all of this weren't enough, you're also DJ-ing in the East Village every Monday night. What kind of music do you play, and what role does this particular music --- and this gig --- play in your life?

My parents have always been into music of all forms. At dinner, when I was very young until I was in high school, my parents always played music while we ate our dinner in the dining room. On heavy rotation were a ton of classical composers, The Beatles, Carol King, Frank Sinatra, Gershwin musicals, Elton John, among others. My mom was also a huge music fan in the '60s --- she has this whole scrapbook of Beatles memorabilia and pictures as a 12-year-old sitting with The Searchers and stuff. All of my sisters and I studied classical piano from an early age, and were taken to a ton of musicals and ballets, then I studied musical theatre in high school, so it was always around, and I've always loved it.

I DJ for fun, and only because I like it. Sundays are my days to just listen to music all day, and I really love re-discovering music for myself and others, and also just discovering music (old or new) in general. In terms of what I play, it's really '50s and '60s heavy, doo-wop through your '60s girl groups and garage stuff. But then I mix it with new music as well --- my favorite mixer is Beck. But anything goes, and it heavily depends on the crowd and energy that night, which is always hit or miss. The bar I DJ at is very homey and feels like the TV room where I grew up!

You also spend some of your free time volunteering --- can you talk about what you do, and how you got started?

When I was in high school were all required to do some sort of independent service project of our choice in order to gradate. AHRC of Long Island had a school right down the road from me (AHRC for those who don't know is an organization and school for children who are mentally challenged, their diseases or disorders ranging in severity), so I decided to volunteer there. I really work well with children, and I volunteered there for about 2 months. It was overall a really big experience for me. You have to have a lot of patience and be really strong. I learned a lot about strength of the body and overall being.

Now that I am focusing on jobs that are independently driven, I decided to get back into volunteering. There's this organization called New York Cares, which is member driven and gives the people of New York the chance to lead and begin service projects and recruit volunteers all through an online database. All it takes is to sign up and attend a one-hour orientation.

I recently started volunteering in Chelsea at VISIONS, which I found through NY Cares. VISIONS is an organization that leads programs for the visually impaired. So on Wednesdays, I go and teach visually impaired teens how to cook.

The other day one of the kids wanted to play the piano during a mini break, so I led him to it. I kind of wasn't prepared for what I heard --- the boy could really, really play. It was mainly jazz and gospel, and he explained how he was learning classical from a friend. I asked what classical composers he liked and he sung the graduation march. So he asked if he could play another song, and he started to play a cool version of the bottom part of "Heart and Soul." And so I started to play the top part and he just started getting excited and was like "Is that you?" It made him so happy. That little moment clearly had nothing to do with cooking, but that's a perfect example of why I volunteer. The other volunteers are also really kind people of all ages, and I've already started to make new friends.

(all photos provided by Meghan Farrell, all jewelry by MF)

Stop and Search

One word: Banksy. Need I say more? Here's a new discovery:

"Ma'am, I'm gonna need to search that basket. And your little dog too."

Marina Abramovic is Present (or, was).

Last year, in the spring, I went to the Tim Burton exhibit at the MOMA by myself --- my second attempt, actually, after it was sold out the day I had planned to go with a friend. That exhibit, although crowded, showcased Burton's talent as an original artist and creator, beyond the more recent CGI Alice in Wonderland with which I'd had major qualms. But more importantly, the two hours between scoring my Burton ticket and my admittance time allowed me to explore the Marina Abramovic exhibit upstairs, which interested me far more than Burton's. Her performance art caused quite a stir --- between the naked people forming a doorway, the two women sitting with their hair tied together, and the inappropriate interactions between MOMA members and all of the naked "actors," not to mention her interactive exhibition, "The Artist is Present." In line her own history of physically demanding (and sometimes destructive) performances, Marina sat in a hard-backed chair staring at whoever dared sit on the other side of the table, for the duration of their choosing --- from March 14-May 31, 2010. Every single day.

I loved the idea of "The Artist Is Present" and I loved sitting there on the sidelines surreptitiously capturing photos on my phone while watching brave souls stride up to the chair. I also love looking through the portraits of each participant, taken by Marco Anelli. You'll notice that some people keep turning up again and again, obviously addicted and benefiting from the act of sitting silently and staring into Marina's eyes...or perhaps they were waiting for something to happen. In some pictures, people are wiping away tears; in others, the tears flow freely. Brooklyn performance artist Anya Liftig dressed exactly like Marina (who wore plain, floor-length dresses in various solid colors) and sat across her for the entirety of one day. On the last day of the performance, filmmaker Josephine Decker stripped nude and had to be removed from the building (despite the rampant nudity in Marina's exhibit on the upper floor). For The New York Press, Josephine wrote: 

After waiting for 31 hours, I was the first to be seated with Abramovic on Monday morning. I thought hard about what I wanted to bring to that experience. Seeing her retrospective had been a turning point for me. As a filmmaker, I spend a lot of time alone in a room writing and editing—and fearing failure. All of Abramovic’s work is about failing: It’s about discovering when her body will fail, when her mind will fail, when her voice will fail, when her relationship will fail. When she knows and understands this failure, however, she has nothing to fear. By failing, she doesn’t fail; she learns. She uses and pushes her body in ways many find masochistic, but, in exploring the spaces where she is weak, where her body and her mind break down, she reveals her incredible strength. The incredible strength of a human being.

I wanted to thank her. I wanted to tell her, before she even looked all the way up into my face, that I was awed, inspired, terrified and opened by her work. I wonder now if I was misguided—if I could have said and shared everything I wanted to with my eyes—since I didn’t get to sit with her at all.

All because I tried to sit naked.

Many celebrities, both inside and outside the conceptual art world, looked into Marina's eyes and soul and heart. Among them were Lou Reed, Sharon Stone, Isabella Rossellini, James Franco, Rufus Wainwright, and her former partner Ulay (one of the first people to sit with her). Bjork, along with her husband Matthew Barney and daughter Isadora, also sat across from Marina. In some ways, I wish I had too.  

Check out the Flickr page of Marco Anelli's portraits

(photos of exhibit by a.dupcak, portraits by Anelli)

Brooklyn Pizazz.

I had a whirlwind day in Brooklyn this Saturday...my favorite kind of day, too. Wandering, park-siting, people-watching, bridge-walking, running into friends and seeing where the wind carried us. It was one of those days where I felt like documenting Williamsburg in all of its zany, young, collaborative, creative messiness. And here are just some of the photographs I took...

 a well scultped mohawk if I ever saw one.

space invader? is it you?

 w-burg bridge.

self, taken by Jeremy.

 gorgeous.

 I love graffitied bathrooms, you know?

-a.d.