Interview with Tilleke Schwarz

Embroidery on linen

q)How did you learn to stitch?

a)My mother taught me.

q)Is all your embroidery done by hand?

a)Yes!

q)What material do you use?

a)I stitch on a good quality of linen and use all kind of threads.
I do not use a hoop or a frame.

Mixed techniques on paper

q)What kind of thread do you use?

a)All kind as long as the quality is good.

q)Do you use a mixture of materials along with your threads?

a)Yes, I use tiny bits of other materials. The main thing is embroidery.

q)What technique do you use?

a)I use mainly cross stitch and couching.

q)How do you get the linen in the color of your choice?

a)I dye the white linen.

q)How long does it take to make embroidery?

a)Too long, usually half a year or more. I never count the hours.

q)How do you create your designs?
Do you plan them out on paper first?

a)I never plan ahead and just start to stitch a a piece of linen.
I choose designs from anything I come across and adjust the colours and composition during the process of stitching.

q)Why don’t you use a machine to speed up your stitching?

a)I do not like machines. Besides I believe the slow process of hand stitching leads to a different result.

q)Would you consider designing an image on a computer program and letting a digital sewing machine stitch it out for you?

a)Maybe, I will in the future.

q)Where do you find your inspiration?

a)Everywhere! I collect anything (images or text) that intrigues, moves or amazes me and use it in my work. I love folk art (especially Dutch samplers), Pop art and contemporary art (after 1980). I am also influenced by my parents and the way I was brought up.

q)Have you ever ignored your intuition during your creative process, and if so what was the result?

a)No idea

q)Is the sense of touch (of textiles) is important to you whilst working?

a)I am not sure if the sense of touch is important as textile is not my only medium. I use a lot of different things in different works. I guess first of all I love the looks of textiles.

q)How do you call your work?

a)Embroidery! Or Art! It all depends if you want to refer to the technique or to the function.

Embroidery on linen

q)What would you consider your personal ambition in life to be?

a)I do not have a specific ambition. Like most people I would like to stay happy and healthy etc.

q)You state that you do not feel the need to theorize about your work.

a)You understood me right

q)I understand you do not claim any particular themes in your work and your work can be understood as a reaction to the world around you. Do you see your way of working as more intuitive than logical and with a link to the subconscious?

a)My work is indeed more intuitive than logical. I use scraps of information (texts and images) that I come across. That can inspire me through meaning or the mere sound of it or as a metaphor or what ever. I like this information to be combined in different ways and that is how I see it as a reflection of the world around me.

q)What artists do you admire?

a)There are too many to mention.

q)Do you work free lance or for a company?

a)The art I do is free lance. I sometimes teach workshops, give lectures etc. I would like to do commissions. I used to work for the Dutch government as a policymaker. But now I am free and receiving a pension.

Mixed techniques on paper

q)Where can I buy your work?

a)As you may know a part of my work is for sale and a part is not. I treasure the idea that not everything in life is for sale. For inquiries contact me, because my opinion on selling might change (like the weather). Generally I do appreciate when people enjoy my work so much that they would want to pay money for it. The problem is that those people also want to have that particular work in exchange for their money.
From April 2007 you can buy a book about my work.
For buying work in mixed media on paper, please contact: www.galeriebarendrecht.nl

q)your contacts...

a) www.tillekeschwarz.com/

info@tillekeschwarz.com

Interview with Greg Latch

q)Something on you ….i had a step son killed in the air force and a sister to to die

a)When I was 8.

q) When did you start to make art?

a)My uncle with downs syndrome found out my grandfather was teaching me to paint and would beat me up if I did not draw comic book super heros for him.

q)Explain your inspiration?

a) I just work I usually don’t need a great inspiration.It just comes out….and wont stop even if I want it too.

q) In what way does your inspiration transform into ideas?

a)I want to start with an idea but my mind will do what it wants...if it’s a picture of some one I can control that but even then the idea becomes twisted..

q) Could your ideas be portrayed in any other medium? If so which?

a)The idea of course but then it would become surreal in more ways than one...film.

q) What does being an artists mean to you?

a)A chance to be by myself and go into myself deeper and be surprised at what come out…

q) When does your art become successful?

a)That’s not up to me…or is it?

q) Who prices your work? And how is the price decided upon?

a)I have never been good at that as most artist will say but I judge on the other people I’m in a show with I don’t want to insult them by having the price 6,000 next to someone showing at 600..

q) What is your next; move,project,show etc?

a)I have had a show in new york now so I’m thinking LA or Miami I would like to go out of the States but that’s a little to much right now. I’m having a show at our museum on the 14th of dec.

q) What are the pros and cons of the art market?

a)Depends on the stage your at…if you not making money is different from if you are...you really don’t want to think about that until you have your own style because that is the thing…your own style.

q) Which pieces would you like to be remembered for?

a)the ones on wood…

q) Who has been the biggest influence on you?

a)Ray paul not because of style
q)Other visual artists that you like…

a)I refuse to answere this on the grounds that I might have stolen something…heh heh

q) How much do you think hype affects the public perception of what good art is?

a)The average person a lot…someone into art not that much because it’s like recordes you want to be the first to see or hear something no one else has..

q) Last CD you downloaded ?

a)I would never steal music but stumpbroke wrote a classical number about mu dad and I had to steal that because we are on the outs right now,,oh and tribal styles.

q) What makes you happy?

a)Simple things...food. My walks to my studio in ybor,,my dogs in the back yard with my wife .Working out on the heavy bag doing wing chung chi kung ect.

q) What makes you sad?

a)Thinking about the people that are no longer here Casey ,Donnie, my dad ect..

q) Last book you read?

a) Keith Latch ghost story...Bruce Campbells b movie actor sectret garden that’s last month I try to read three at a time and leave them in different places. Like the car studio ect..

q) What else do like other than art?

a)Kicking people off my land in Mississippi when I go to see my mom who are killing deer…

q) Final thoughts...

a)Think any one will read this? Thanks for this chance to get it out there...also I’m attempting to start a web show about art...stay tuned should be fun and we have guests

q)Your contacts…

a) I want to keep it just me to contact I have tried agents and what not greg@latchart.com