Karen Kirshner

STORY

Becoming an artist

What should I answer?

Well, I scribbled on the freshly painted crisp white walls of my father’s new office as a toddler. I remember envisioning a large lush garden of fantastical colors, pinks reds, yellows, greens, violet, and I thought I was drawing what I saw (as a visual thinking).  Who knew the adults would see scribble and a troublesome matter to remove, while I saw it as my masterful creation.

Then, in the fourth grade an art teacher was excited telling my artist mother of being impressed with my talent, and showcased my clay glazed mask to her, comparing it to the other children’s creations I still have the piece, and it looks like the Mezzo period masks in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is very similar and sits on my dresser today.

Then following my bas mitzvah at 13, I had an epiphany. I began elaborate doodles in an abstract geometric style uniquely my own and I was creating pen & ink drawings that were surrealistic and complex. An English teacher confiscated them and I thought I was in trouble.  He took them to the principal’s office and I was called in, as was my mother and the art teacher and we had a guest teacher, the woman who taught art in the gifted program. She talked to me and examined my work, after introduction and discussion with my mother, who at that time had become certified as and art teacher. They decided I needed to be in the gifted art program and I was bused half a day each day to create art with a total of five other students from across LI, although only four others showed up on a consistent basis. Those were happy times for me. The teacher told my mother that she did not have to show me anything that I knew it already, and she believed it was as if I had been a master artist in a past life. I was already a master artist.  I didn’t realize the significance at the time. I enjoyed art more than anything other than writing, but writing was my passion. Art was my private pleasure.

How do you tell this story and not offend the inquirer with what may appear as narcissism. It may be a healthy narcissism, but egocentric none-the- less.

What artist isn’t narcissistic?

Without a belief that one is talented and original, why would anyone put his or her artwork out for public display? It could result in ridicule!  The artist must have good sense of self-esteem, which requires a healthy ego.

Not every artist has real talent. Much of what people create is messy, unbalanced and demonstrates a lack of skill, technique, and talent. 

I attended a show recently in which a handsome young man was discussing his painting to me. He believed he had created a masterpiece. He was the masterpiece, but his work was a disaster, I thought.

Perhaps he was delusional. The painting was all brown from mixing green and blue and red together, nothing was planned and the use of color failed. He created a pile of what appeared to be “SH_T” (excrement). It rose to a point, as if he had taken a dump on the 20 x20” canvas. What can a fellow artist say? I am too kind to tell him the truth. I couldn’t say, you demonstrate no skill, no talent, and no mastery of technique, nothing original. I could say, “Interesting” which is what I did say, and I excused myself to chat with an acquaintance who showed up unexpectedly.

I am sure I am not the perfect judge.  Nobody is. There is one thing I learned being in dozens of art shows and that is most often the judgments of the best art is subjective.  Artists and critics who are traditional 99 percent of the time fail to acknowledge the modern and original works submitted. Those who are modern rarely favor the representational, traditional and realistic works over the original abstracts. And then those who favor one form of abstract over another, color field Pop-Graffiti style, for example.  An artist must develop a  “thick skin,” I was advised. If not you can feel like you’ve been run through the ringer if you base your perception of the quality of you work on the selections of a juror.

As in the case of the “poop” masquerading as a masterpiece, perhaps the artist is sending a message. Perhaps it is a critique of art being judged?  The best thing to do is talk to an artist to understand the thinking, motivation and context of the artwork.

I believe a sense of aesthetics is a fundamental trait required of an artist, and unless that dashing young man saw beauty in excrement and called it by another name, he was delusional. But, who am I to judge?  It is only my opinion. Someone who suffers from chronic constipation may see it as a masterpiece. 

I’ve observed, artists tend to be critical of their own work, and supersensitive. The way to be a good and productive artist seems to be to be self-confident.

I attend many receptions for art exhibitions in which I participate. Most of them are opportunities to celebrate each other’s art in a public display. Not every painting one creates is accepted in juried shows. Networking is an important aspect of the receptions. Artists discussing their work and what motivated its creation and how they did this or that, inspiring others, and sometimes information about other shows that can be entered or the desire for fellow artists to attend their other receptions.

Some artists become mentors to others. In fact, Kevin Larkin, President of BJ Spoke Gallery was my class instructor at the Art League of LI a few years ago and he recognized my talent and encouraged me. He showed me a few techniques that I exercised and I had a breakthrough. He urged me to show at BJ Spoke in the non-juried Harvest of Artists Show and I did that for a couple of years and set my sight on applying for membership when I felt “ready”. 

The day I applied was anxiety provoking. What would these talented professional artists really think of my work?  Would they approve of me as a new member?  My stomach was in knots as my six samples and resume and philosophy of art were being scrutinized and I was being discussed.  Then the phone call, Karen, Great news, you have been unanimously voted in as a member of BJ Spoke Gallery. It came from my mentor, Kevin. He also revealed that it was unanimous and that very rarely happens. Of course, I was on cloud nine. My goal, my dream became a reality. That was about two years ago and I have had the opportunity to get to know the warm and wonderful artists of the BJ Spoke Gallery, and although I have not been able to find the time to become more actively involved. I sit at the gallery once each month and talk with the artists and art buyers who visit and I attend the monthly meetings and have my vote and I have voted in three new members since I joined. Being a member of BJ Spoke is an excellent way to gain exposure in the artists’ community. Art teachers and students and fellow artists and art aficionados and collectors often gather at the gallery. I have had my solo show in October 2018 and it was a success. I sold four works, and one of them right out of the window.  I had had solo shows before, but at BJ Spoke it was more upscale. 

The gallery has an excellent reputation among LI artists. It has been in existence for 47 years and is going strong.  It is the only cooperative non-profit, member owned and operated fine art gallery in business on Long Island.

It has been a launching pad for my art career. I have won two national juried art awards in 2018. I don’t know how many more awards I will receive, but I am invigorated and motivated to create new paintings -- to display every month and preview them at BJ Spoke.

My advise to fellow artists, especially those becoming serious full-time artists:

Have confidence. Paint or draw or sculpt or cut and paste because you love doing it and follow your passion. You will only grow better with time and practice. And then when you feel it’s time, become an online or apply for full membership in BJ Spoke Gallery!

by Karen L. Kirshner, MBA, MS

ACA Abstract Artist of the Year and member of BJ Spoke Gallery