Artists Interview Artists: Amie Oliver

Amie Oliver, an artist from Richmond, VA, participates in the Artists Interview Artists Project. Below Amie responds to another artist's five questions (Christin Ciaccio Briggs from Los Angeles, CA). In order to participate, Amie had to provide me with five questions for some other artist to answer. The assigning of questions to artists is completely random. If you're an artist and interested in participating, let me know.

Jardin du Desire
acrylic and mixed media on linen
60" x 154"
2004

1. Is your art motivated by personal messages or socio-political ones?

Both.

Can one avoid making a socio-political message when one installs their art in a public place? If nothing else you are saying art should have a place in the public eye. My work is very personal but even if I wanted to I don't think I could avoid being affected by socio-political events. I worked in Bavaria for an extended artist residency several years ago. It is one of the few places I've pursued my painting where there was no current Anglo media available: no print, radio or television. I drank my coffee and read a collection of two year old Time magazines. Did it impact my work? Yes. Recently a friend told me that I am a very opinionated woman yet she couldn't tell what I am thinking when she looks at my current work. She didn't say she couldn't tell what I was feeling.

2. Are you interested in being a part of an art movement? If so, within what particular art movement do you associate your current work?

Yes, but not necessarily a movement only concerned with contemporary or historic trends. I do find it encouraging to see drawing and figurative work on view in Chelsea and in the Whitney Biennial for the first time in generations but I am more interested in a real movement that would work to establish the legitimacy of art as a profession in the United States as it is in France. After meeting specific criteria artists in France qualify for national health insurance, worker's compensation, tax breaks, etc. Prior to the 2000 election I participated in a voter registration/artist census of artists in the state of Virginia. It was like trying to herd cats. If all artists were recognized as a voting constituency our collective voice could make a difference - particularly when elections are as close as they have been during the past two elections. (Ahem... assuming that said election is fair and each vote is counted.)

3. Have the internet and/or blogging contributed to the development of your work? If so, how?

Absolutely. Of course it depends on what aspect of "work" you are referring to. The internet and blogging are ideal tools for dialogue, communication and sharing. This technology impacts my work in that it creates a window that can be opened wide or shut tight when the time is right. I can see what my peers are showing all over the world and I can show what is going on in my studio anytime - or not. I would say it has affected the curatorial process more than my practice of making art at his point. It has eased the load of time I must spend supporting my "career" as artist: the writing, documentation, communication, research and teaching one must participate in to survive and thrive.

4. How do you view terms such as: "Emerging Artist," "Mid-Career" and "Established Artist" and in which category do you see yourself?

A retired friend and colleague recently accepted an award. During his acceptance speech he said that his former boss referred to him as the "world's oldest emerging artist" - (which was true until now since he has won this prestigious award!) It was very funny but it also made me realize that one of the reasons he won the award is that he shared something with every artist I respect: regardless of their age or status as grant recipients and commission winners they are all constantly emerging towards something new in their work. I hope I will always be an emerging artist.

5. In your opinion, what do you think defines a "successful" artist?

Please refer to answer for #4 above.

Angels and Infidels XXXVI
mixed media on rag paper
24" x 18"
2004

Previous Interviews:
Juno Doran (questions by James W. Bailey)
Josh Feldman (questions by Joseph Barbaccia)
Lisa Stephenson (questions by Whitney Lynn)
Joseph Barbaccia (questions by Josh Feldman)
James W. Bailey (questions by Matt Hollis)
Matt Hollis (questions by Juno Doran)
Carol Es (questions by James Leonard)
Alexandra Silverthorne (questions by Ami Lahoff)
Christine Buckton Tillman (questions by Carol Es)
Douglas Witmer (questions by Alexandra Silverthorne)
Sky Pape (questions by Douglas Witmer)
Whitney Lynn (questions by Lisa Stephenson)
Heather Levy (questions by Joanne Greenbaum)
Heather Lowe (questions by Samantha Wolov)
Samantha Wolov (questions by Heather Levy)
Timothy McClellan (questions by Heather Lowe)
James Leonard (questions by Sky Pape)
Joanne Greenbaum (questions by Timothy McClellan)
Richard Kooyman (questions by Robert Walton)
Candy Keegan (questions by Warren Craghead)
Robert Walton (questions by Candy Keegan)
John M. Adams (questions by Richard Kooyman)
Prescott Moore Lassman (questions by Mary Addison Hackett)
Mary Addison Hackett (questions by Prescott Moore Lassman)
Andrew Wodzianski (questions by Nathan Manuel & D.Billy)
Nathan Manuel & D.Billy (questions by Andrew Wodzianski)
Michael Janis (questions by Scott Listfield)
Scott Listfield (questions by Michael Janis)
F. Lennox Campello (questions by Sean Hennessy)
Matt Andrade (questions by Adrian Parsons)
Sean Hennessy (questions by F. Lennox Campello)
George Wayne (questions by Michelle McAuliffe)
Eridanus Sellen (questions by Anabela Jevtovic)
Anabela Jevtovic (questions by Eridanus Sellen)
Marianela de la Hoz (questions by A.B. Miner)
Martin Henry (questions by Barbara Johnson-Gresser)
A.B. Miner (questions by George Wayne)
Barbara Johnson-Gresser (questions by Martin Henry)
Adrian Parsons (questions by Matt Andrade)
Heather Schmaedeke (questions by Patricia Hartnett)
Anthony Easton (questions by Melissa Kennedy)
Roz Leibowitz (questions by Anthony Easton)
Melissa Kennedy (questions by Tracy Lee)
Michelle McAuliffe (questions by Marianela de la Hoz)
Tim Folzenlogen (questions by Jason Hanasik)
Rob Willms (questions by Dott Schneider)
Marsha Stein (questions by Gregg Chadwick)
Jason Hanasik (questions by Tim Folzenlogen)
John LeKay (questions by Rosa Naparstek)
Brock Neilson (questions by Richard Vosseller)
Rosa Naparstek (questions by Howard Salmon)
Patricia Hartnett (questions by Verta Reyes)
William Andrews (questions by Bean Gilsdorf)
Howard Salmon (questions by John LeKay)
Corey Amaro (questions by Jason Dean and Matt Nash)
Michael Grayeagle (questions by Chris Ashley)
Marion Boddy-Evans (questions by Deborah Fisher)
Richard Vosseller (questions by Brock Neilson)
Deborah Fisher (questions by Corey Amaro)
Eileen Wold (questions by Michael Grayeagle)
Rob Myers (questions by William Andrews)
Gregg Chadwick (questions by Marsha Stein)
Chris Ashley (questions by Eileen Wold)
Verta Reyes (questions by Heather Schmaedeke)
Jason Dean & Matt Nash (questions by Rob Myers)
Mary Taitt (questions by Adriane Giberson)
Adriane Giberson (questions by Peter Ferko)
Peter Ferko (questions by Amethyst Begley)
Susan Schwake-Larochelle (questions by Jean Hutter)
Jean Hutter (questions by Mary Stebbins Taitt)
Amethyst Begley (questions by Kimberley Lindsley)
Kimberley Lindsley (questions by Susan Schwake-Larochelle)
Prem Singh (questions by Alison Rose)
Erin Antognoli (questions by Karen Winters)
Denis Peterson (questions by Andrea Pratt)
Jennifer Seymour (questions by Erin Antognoli)
Imants Ozers (questions by Denis Peterson)
Mark Malmgren (quesntions by Fiona Ross)
Remi Viger (questions by Brady Hegberg)
Fiona Ross (questions by Susan Constanse)
Susan Constanse (questions by Remi Viger)

Comments

[w]

was the 'world's oldest emerging artist' myron helfgot? i heard richard roth call him that introducing his artist talk a few years ago..

[amieo]

You got it.