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Conversations with Authors Series
Featured Author
— Cathy Breslaw —
Artful Life
Working In Isolation:
Collaborations and Mentoring Neurodiverse Artists Bring New Direction and Inspiration to the Work of This Artist
Most artists work in relative isolation. Our collective art practices and the creative process demands it. It goes against the human urge to congregate and socialize. Still, we persevere as the ‘call to create’ nudges us. We then deliberately make space – intellectually, emotionally and physically. We move forward quietly, with intention and faith in the process.
Never have we been more aware of isolation than time spent in this Corona Virus pandemic environment. It is not our choice, but as artists we are familiar and in some ways ahead of the game over our fellow citizens by our familiarity and relative comfort with the loneliness of self-containment.
During the pandemic San Diego artist Amanda Saint Claire experiments with new mediums, new themes and a fruitful connection via collaborations, and mentoring to neurodiverse artists.
— Censored —
During
Pandemic
— Carrying On —
1. How has your work shifted during the pandemic?
Has it been a change in the process of your creating art?
The mediums you use?
The themes or concepts you are thinking about?
I have always preferred to work in isolation but when the stay at home orders went into effect I spent the first week at home with my children trying to figure out what it all meant. Once it became clear that the situation would last longer I returned to the studio and completed a large commission that had been ordered in January and put the final touches on a body of work that was scheduled for a summer show at Fresh Paint Gallery in La Jolla. Once the days turned to weeks and I delivered the commission I started working full time delivering groceries because I felt I had to be of service. I was in an emergency responder mode working 10 hours 7 days a week finding items people needed most. In addition to this, the situation in my own studio changed in June and I started subletting one of the rooms in my studio to neurodiverse emerging artist, Katie Flores.
I was still not creating my own work however, and noticing the lack of balance, I decided to set up two new opportunities for myself to explore at the studio to peak my curiosity. I bought a large supply of acrylic paint and mediums (I am an oil painter) and I invited another artist to my large studio to work on my figure drawing. While I have worked with figures in the past, my primary concern is capturing emotional states so looking carefully at references was a new muscle to develop. Also, learning to accept the limitations of acrylic paint and embrace the good parts of the media was another challenge that kept me focused. I found both the media and the reference drawing challenging but I was very happy with the results of that effort and I’m sure I will continue to employ and develop those skills.
I became very focused on the repeating theme of women lifting up and loving other women. I continued to throw myself into the role of Katie’s mentor and our hours together increased due to the closure of all her other programs and I was able to watch her blossom with great delight while continuing to work on my figures of women.
It wasn’t until later that I realized that I was painting about myself and my work with Katie and my role as a mother to two teenage daughters and the need to unite against a patriarchal system that permeates all aspects of society, including the art world.
2. What have you discovered about yourself as an artist during this pandemic?
I have a deep seated desire to seek justice for those whom society has disregarded. I think perhaps this started for me as child watching my deaf grandparents struggle to be treated with respect. I could hear the things people said about them when we were in public and it made me angry. This is likely why I went to Tulane Law and became an attorney and practiced law, although I never went on to work with human rights organizations because I wasn’t truly aware of my motivations. I just felt angry and life had other plans for me once I married, moved to S.E. Asia and had 3 children.
When I shifted to being a full time artist in my mid-40’s I felt like I was finally in my right skin, but I struggled to find satisfaction to effect lasting change in the world. I felt selfish and that I was turning my back on humanity but it was all I felt I could do. I eventually came to understand that by creating a place of peace within I was contributing to peace in the world.
The gift of the pandemic has been the opportunity to work one on one with a talented young woman, Katie Flores, who has a passion, work ethic, and talent to become a professional artist but cannot do so on her own because of the limitations she has due to being diagnosed as Austistic as a young girl.
I have discovered that I have a gift as a mentor. I can finally feel at ease as an artist creating opportunities for another artist that would otherwise be marginalized and excluded from fully participating in the world. I have introduced Katie to other artists and lined up shows for her and set up an e-commerce website.
The pandemic has given me the gift of marrying these two parts of myself and restoring peace within that I am taking right action to affect change in the world.
3. What have been your biggest challenges working in isolation? Surprises?
I can’t say I had a challenge to my work because I have my own studio. The challenges were more mental, emotional, and physical. I just didn’t feel right going to paint, outside of finishing projects. I felt I could be of more value delivering groceries and supplies to those unable to go out.
The biggest challenge was not seeing my friends and not having access to my gym and feeling guilty that my children were just sitting at home all the time. I had just established a fitness routine at age 50 and was finally feeling that I had a nice work/life balance when the pandemic hit. I haven’t been able to find good routines since.
The surprise was that I would return to school to finish my certification as an Expressive Arts Consultant and Educator during the pandemic and discover that I can finally feel like I am living in my truth by working towards justice as an artist working with neurodiverse artists.
Periods of darkness have always held truths for me to discover. I started painting and discovered I was an artist during a long period of depression and so it makes sense to me that another trying situation would reveal another truth to me. I look forward to a long and fruitful career collaborating with and mentoring other artists.