ARTIST Q&A

Q&A // MATTHEW STEELE



Tell me something about your artistic practice of history that may not be included in your bio.
"I was regularly reprimanded by a faculty member of my undergraduate university for using the style I use today. He once said that 'this aesthetic of wood and pin nails is never going to be synonymous with your style. It's just not going to happen. You need to re-evaluate what you're doing.' I will never forget that. It actually encouraged me to continue in the style I was working in. It was the first time that I recognized that I had a style."

When did you know that you wanted to become an artist?
"When I was very young, I saw a James Turrell exhibition at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. It was a closed room with a black painting and it had a security guard at the door. The security guard said that we were allowed to touch the painting. When I did, my hand passed through the threshold that I believed to be the painting, and I realized that the painting was made with light. That piece did not make me want to become an artist, but it helped me to understand the possibilities that an artist has with the public."

Has travel influenced your work?
"The architecture of the Czech Republic has always influenced me. My time spent in Kenya has also given me a new outlook on systems, fabrication and culture that is indispensable."


Q&A // MARY GIEHL // Carolinas Healthcare AIR



What are you doing when you're not in your studio?
"Working in the condo, eating, going for power walks, rock climbing, or sleeping."

What would surprise someone to learn about you?
"That I was a registered nurse for 22 years."

Tell me something about your artistic practice or history that may not be included in your bio.
"I use many different materials. Sometimes the materials influence the project, while other times the theme comes first and the material comes second."

Q&A // FELICIA VAN BORK



When did you know you wanted to become an artist?
"I guess a lot of people say this: I never thought of becoming an artist, because I was making pictures before I knew what art was. I thought I'd like to be a writer."

Apart from art, what are your greatest passions?
"They're all art-related, but here's a jumbled list: I have LOVED my studio, my friends and my amazing experiences at the Center since I started my residency on April 1st of 2011. I love humor. Like the story of the poor man who lost his whole left side. What happened to him? He's all right now. My witty husband and son are incredibly interesting people, and I never tire of them and their creativity. I love cultivating soil and planting flowers and vegetables in my haphazard garden. I love being in interesting landscapes, especially when the light is dramatic and the air smells good. I love finding out a gift I gave made a positive difference. I love checking things off my list. I love learning a tough lesson. I love learning stuff from NPR. I love getting to know animals."

Do you consider yourself a connoisseur of any subject?
"I used to know a lot about wild edible plants. When I was a teenager, my mother wrote a novel about having to rebuild society, and I thought I'd better find out which weeds I could eat. Connoisseur? My BFF says I am a know-it-all, and I don't know what to say about that."

>> Meet Matthew, Mary, and Felicia during Open Studio Saturday on February 25 from 11 AM to 6 PM when they will each be working in their studio with an open door.