Here,
the sisters talk about their early influences, reflect
upon their missions as artists, and—because inquiring
minds want to know—reveal the whole truth about
whether any sibling rivalry ever existed between them.
How did you two initially get into art, and what were
your early influences?
Joan:
When I was 11, I went to Europe to the Sistine Chapel
with my parents. I saw Michelangelo’s paintings,
and I was completely overwhelmed. That’s when
I knew I wanted to make art.
Kathy:
To be honest, when I was in high school, I had absolutely
no idea what I wanted to study in college, although
I had taken a few classes in advertising art in my senior
year. But I was always drawing and sketching on my own.
Joan:
I remember as a child watching Kathy drawing and sketching
these realistic landscapes. Kathy showed me how to do
certain shading techniques and would let me use her
supplies. She would buy me sketchbooks and really encourage
me. Of course, she would get really mad at me if I took
any of her supplies without her permission…
Kathy:
Yeah, I definitely started Joan painting. For me, though,
I don’t know exactly where it came from. Our parents
didn’t really draw, although our mother had good
drawing skills—
Joan:
--Mom was a neat freak. I always thought that her reluctance
to make art stemmed from her belief that art was too
messy.
Kathy: I
didn’t really get into my painting until after
my kids were born. That’s when I started doing
watercolors and participating in local outdoor shows
in Connecticut. I also started taking classes. As the
kids got older, I got involved more and more in art.
When my older son Christopher was in high school, he
joined the drama stage crew and that’s when I
got involved in painting backdrops. I remember the first
one I did was a 20’ x 40’ backdrop for “West
Side Story.”
Joan:
I remember that one. It was amazing.
Kathy:
Long after Christopher graduated, I continued to paint
scenery at his high school. Then I got into the mural
business, doing faux finishing and stuff like that.
At that point, I got some of my oil paintings in a Southampton
gallery, and that’s when I started to do less
mural painting. The real turning point came when I met
Richard Schmid, an internationally known artist who
bought one of my paintings and with whom I started studying
painting. I go up to Putney, Vermont every few months
to paint with him and the “Putney Painters,”
a group of professional artists. We paint portraits
in the winter and landscapes in the summer. The group
has really propelled me and changed the direction of
my art.
How
would you describe your artistic styles?
Joan:
My work is more of an “inner landscape,”
an interpretation that comes through. My earlier work
was abstract, but later it became more identifiable
and representational, then more expressionistic.
Kathy:
Realism. My stuff is more impressionistic and
a looser form of realism. Joanie, how would you describe
my work?
Joan:
Her work is comprised mostly of florals and landscapes
that are orchestrations of moving paths of color and
shapes. They have musical qualities to them because
they contain areas that could be compared to musical
nuances. I think it has something to do with the fact
that Kathy is also a musician.
How
did you first become involved with the National Arts
Club?
Joan:
My work was in a gallery in Connecticut about 6 years
ago, and Babette Bloch, who is a longstanding NAC member,
saw it and liked it. She knew my sister Kathy’s
friend, who was also at that show, and she suggested
I join the club. Babette became my sponsor.
Kathy:
Yes, I also was sponsored by Babette, who knew my work
from a local Connecticut show. I joined a year or so
after Joanie.
How
do you try to further the mission of the NAC?
Kathy:
We both volunteer on as many committees as
our time allows.
Joan:
Yes, and I also try to impart culture and art to my
students through my work as an art teacher [at a New
York City public high school].
Speaking
of teaching art, Joan, how did you organize the Art
Exhibit of students’ work at NAC?
Joan: Well,
long before I became a member of the club, I felt as
an art teacher that students should be given the opportunity
to use professional artists’ supplies. I believed
that it would have a tremendous impact on their work.
Imagine if professional artists did their work on poor
quality paper with cut-rate supplies. Obviously, the
end product would be of a different caliber. So, I came
up with the idea [in 2000] of having an After-School
Oil Painting program that would give the students access
to quality tools and skills. I broached the idea with
my Principal at that time, Matt Angrisani, and he fully
supported it and nurtured the program every step of
the way. In 2001, we produced a show in affiliation
with NAC. The initial idea for the show came from [NAC
member] Rick Nulman, who had seen photos of the students’
work and suggested maybe we could have a show for the
kids. Rick approached [NAC president] Aldon James, and
Aldon gave it his blessing. Aldon’s generosity
and vision allowed the students, mostly inner-city youth,
to gain entry into a world that would normally be closed
off to them.
How
did the Student Art Show go this year?
Joan:
It was a great success. There was a big turn out. However,
it’s a little bit bittersweet, because this was
the last year for the older talents, who have been showing
their work for the past 4 years, because they are graduating
and leaving the nest.
Kathy:
I think Joan has singlehandedly saved the lives of those
students she teaches. Who knows where their lives would
be without art. What she’s brought out with these
kids, the way she is with them—I’m so proud
of her. She’s so amazing.
Joan:
Aww, that’s so sweet!
Do
you two compete with each other? Is there any sisterly
rivalry between you two—artistically, that is?
Joan:
There’s no competition. We are both totally happy
for each other’s successes.
Kathy:
Definitely. I’m convinced that some day Joan will
be discovered as an artist and become incredibly famous.
Joan:
I hope she’s right.
How
large a role would you say art plays in your lives?
Kathy:
Oh, 80% of my life! My husband John is very
supportive of my artistic life and career, too. He not
only takes care of all the computer details—price
lists, my website—but he also makes all the frames
for my paintings. He did all the frames for the upcoming
show. He always built stuff out of wood as a hobby,
but now he has learned how to carve out the wood and
apply gold leaf, too.
Joan:
It’s everything, the thing I treasure
the most. Yet, I don’t feel I have the time to
fully pursue it as much as I would like to. There’s
a tug-of-war within me between devoting time to art
and making a living.
Kathy,
what are your feelings about your upcoming show? And
what are your plans for after the show?
Kathy:
The new paintings are some of my best work
yet. I can’t wait to see them all framed and hanging
in the gallery.
Joan:
Kathy’s work looks phenomenal. She’s
worked incredibly hard on these new pieces. Her paintings
are masterpieces.
Kathy:
Currently, I am in 4 galleries and I have a show in
Southampton in July. It’s great, but also exhausting.
I have lots of future goals. I’ve been studying
portrait painting with Richard Schmid, and my main goal
is to keep growing as an artist. I’d also like
to take some time to learn something I haven’t
learned yet.
www.kathyandersonstudio.com
|
