To make a painting a day since May 2018 like Stephanie Krimmel has done is remarkable. To then take that visual diary of sorts and to reconfigure parts of it into three-dimensional sculpture is extraordinary. They are another step in the creation of an abstract self-portrait. To find out more about Stephanie as an artist and her current show at Shift Gallery, we asked a few questions.
When someone says “Wow! You are an artist. What kind of work do you make?”, how do you respond?
For me, making art is more about the practice (the “doing”) than about the product (the “thing”). For the past three — nearly four — years, I’ve been building a series of abstract digital paintings by making art every day. So for simplicity’s sake, I could say I’m a digital painter. These days, I’m feeling more like an installation artist, as I’ve been displaying the entire series (almost 1400 works) en masse in different forms and configurations.
How does the concept(s) of “time” relate to your work?
Because I work daily, each piece represents a distinct unit of time, one day. The starting point for each days’ work is the finished work from the day before, and so as a group, the series represents a continuum of time. Inspiration for the daily works comes from the physical and natural environment, my emotions and experiences. The finished pieces are like time capsules for me, they bring back memories and impressions of a particular time and place. When I show the series as a whole, it’s possible to see how things change and progress over time, a path from then to now that might otherwise be forgotten or overlooked.
Is there a particular piece that is your favorite or you would like to call attention to for the gallery visitor? Why?
This is a hard question – I love all my children equally 🙂 BUT… I really like Solstice and Equinox because they offer so many different micro-compositions, depending on how close you stand and from what angle you’re looking. They are constructed with groups of three images coming together, which helps me see new relationships between pieces of my work. I love these kinds of surprises!
Do you have someone, living or dead, who has inspired you (an art hero)?
My art heroes are my uncles (Bill Botzow, David Krimmel and Max Krimmel) — I am lucky and grateful for their examples and support.