Interview with Arriba Statureinterviewed by Giorgio Vaselli on August 24, 2008 Arriba may be one of the most original, instinctive, insightful, and excellent artists I have ever met. Ever since I first wrote her a year ago, she has been supplying me with her deep simple wisdom. Her art is full, rich, and fresh in many ways. Her special strength is her compositional talent, which gives power to her works. Her ingenuity shines through all her works, and her obsession with recreating randomness has taken her to great visual depths. According to her artist statement: “Randomness is really hard to achieve. Our organizational behavior takes over unless we remain mindful. Being at home in a random universe takes the consciousness of an artist.” How long have you been creating artwork? I have only got involved in 2D art around 1990. It wasn’t until around 2001, that I was comfortable telling people that I was an artist. Until then I thought it was too sacred a calling for me to casually just say that that was what I was. What media/genre/style have you created in before, and for how long? 1990-2001: acrylic, abstract My artistic endeavors started when I was quite young. In terms of what I do now, it was all sort of artsy-crafty. I did all sorts of little projects to keep myself entertained. This included making dolls for myself. (I played with Barbies, because that is what I was given, but they were too sharp, stiff, and pointy.) I did a lot with beads, macramé, and fabric. After I left home, a lot of my art was about self-adornment. For several years, I made jewelry, and actually had quite a following. Life was easy back then. I spent the bulk of my days creating costumes, jewelry, and for lack of a better word, home decorations. My house was the site of all kinds of experiments. Once I started with art, it has always been abstract that appealed to me the most. How much of what you know in art, did you study in school? Did you attend university or any courses to learn art? Until I went to a class, I had no background of any kind in art. My choice was ballet as a kid, and there was no real artistic support anywhere near where I was growing up. My first exposure, was a class with Peggy Zehring. Even then, I did not attend, because it was art. At that time, I was exploring my own psyche at deep levels. Her class was more about the self than art. After a few times, I got more interested, and started doing art all the time. Did you have any major influence(s) which inspired you to begin creating? I just used to like to make things. With art, mostly I had an idea deep in the back of my head, of what I ultimately wanted to see in my art. I have always been self-taught in most of my creative endeavors, and after I had the basics, this was no different. Since I never thought of myself as an artist, I knew very little about art. Even after I decided I was one, I still knew very little. It wasn’t until I started studying with Mary Tudor, that I got my first exposure to other artists. She had access to slides from the Seattle Art Museum, and gave us brief lectures. I came away with a better idea of what I was after. As for the labels of different types of art, I never really learned any of it. Do you like exploring other artists’ work? Who are your idols, if any? I spend a lot of time on the internet looking at all kinds of art. I have a bookmark section devoted to artists I like, but I don’t really have idols. Somehow, that just isn’t in my nature. I admire artists as a group, because we are both the revered and the outcasts. I am totally in awe of what lengths some of us will go to, to continue as artists. Some of those suffering stories, remind me of stories of the saints and martyrs. There is the same level of devotion to be seen. What qualities do you admire in an artwork? When it comes to my chosen area - abstract - I look for strong composition and depth. That’s it. What does it mean for you to create? What motivates or inspires you? Sometimes it is just plain drudgery to me. Some pieces just fall together like a gift, but others I struggle with. I think all art is self-reflecting, and my issue seems to be that I can’t go deep enough. It is the same in my life as I look at the surface of things, and see the issues very clearly, but I get stuck there and can’t get beyond the facts to the deeper truths. What do you wish to achieve in your work? As I do art, I hope I will find the internal formula to go deeper. What are some criteria or standards you set for yourself? I always look for a strong composition. The more extreme the contrasts that still work together, the better. What are your methods of learning? Is your development conscious? I think lately I have been stuck. Even though it is my nature to learn most things on my own, I do need some input from a mentor now and then. Best case scenario is, to take on the challenge of working with elements that I don’t like. I wouldn’t say my development is conscious in any way. The only thing conscious about it, is the choice to do art in the first place. What qualities do you need to improve in your work? That is a hard one. First I need a vision of what I want to convey. One that isn’t too far removed from what I can actually do. Otherwise it’s a constant frustration that becomes very discouraging over time. The other is vigorous health. With age, it takes physical strength to bear an image from the mind to the world. What are some of your own favorite pieces, and why are you satisfied with them? Birth of the Moebus, Thoughts of an Orchid, Brain Sparks. I feel like I reached a higher level of integration with those pieces. How does your work reach the public? Right now I am mostly networking. I have done a number of shows at places around Seattle. I haven’t been doing that lately. I have been taking a rest. I donate art whenever I can. I love seeing it go for a good purpose. How do you feel about being a member of our movement? I love that you think so much of my work. Right now, I seem to be going through a fallow period, and I think that over time, your interest will help me come back to my creativity. Just answering these questions, have been good for me. I have had to really think about some things that I don’t think about normally. Do you create art full-time? What else do you do or enjoy doing? I think everyone is always in a constant state of creation 24/7, what they wind up with is their life. In terms of what you are more specifically asking, I have shifted my focus this summer to my co-creative garden. I haven’t done any art all summer, all my efforts have been directed to my land. I have been very bonded with it in a deep way, and unlike doing art, the returns are greater and more rewarding for me on a personal level. What are some of your plans for the future regarding your art/life? I want to return to oils without destroying my health again. Though I find digital the most flexible medium so far, I miss the physical action of painting on canvas.  |
