15 Questions About Art :: Shari Altman
Shari Altman is a writer, photographer and gifted observationalist. She is best known for her work as co-curator of the bi-monthly online art and poetry journal, This Joy + Ride.
Her first book, City:Country - a collaboration with Jen Causey - was published in December of 2009.
She originally hails from the South but currently lives with her husband in a 100+ year old house in Vermont where she collects cloud imagery and keeps daily field notes.
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What is your earliest art-related memory?
Playing with mud in my preschool classroom. It was messy, sloppy fun.
Who has had the greatest influence on your work?
Rick Bass, Annie Dillard, John Burroughs, Rebecca Solnit. Also, Maira Kalman is such an inspiration.
What are the main tools of your craft?
Pen, notebooks, Nikon D40x and Pentax K1000, sometimes watercolors.
Is a formal education important?
I think formal education can be useful for certain. Necessary, no.
What is the biggest misconception about art?
That art exists only in galleries.
Which is more important in art - concept or execution?
Ah well, I’m more of a concept sort of gal. However, if you can’t execute said concept, then you’re not reaching anyone.
What theme or aesthetic are you most drawn too?
Currently, I’m drawn to landscape photography and simple line drawings.
What is your favorite piece of art in your home?
The Wolf Assisted Me in My Own Great Train Robbery by Gracia Haby
If you could collaborate with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?
Andy Goldsworthy
Which emerging artist do you think more people should know about?
I’m quite partial to Todd Hido’s landscapes, and even though Molly Wizenberg is known for her food writing and recipes, I think she is an outstanding photographer as well.
What has been your greatest achievement to date?
11 years as a preschool teacher.
What has been your biggest roadblock?
Seeing a project through to completion. I tend to stall out in the middle. Must be part of my Gemini nature.
How do you define success?
That feeling when all seems right with the world.
What will be the name of your autobiography?
She Couldn’t Decide
What is the best piece of (art-related) advice you’ve ever been given?
To trust myself and see where it leads.
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15 Questions about Art is an ongoing series in which we ask our collective favorite artists, writers, musicians, sleepy dreamers and object makers from across the creative spectrum to give us a glimpse into how they perceive art through a standard set of questions.
Please click here for the archives and check back next week for a fresh perspective.
