INTERVIEWS

 

Web Designer: Tracey Berna

1. What is creativity to you? Do you consider yourself to be creative? Why or why not?

Answer: I always tell people who think they're not creative that "any time you make something where there didn't used to be anything, you're creating." Car mechanics are creative. People who design computer systems, whatever. Everybody has some talent for looking at something that is and seeing what could be, and all of it's valuable, so I don't think creativity is as much of an exclusive, mystical club as people think (and I don't think people should put themselves down just because they can't paint or something). But in the traditional sense, yes, I've always been "the creative one." I've got or had my fingers in about a million different artistic endeavors - writing, singing, acting, stand-up, graphic design. I can't do math, but anything pretty, funny or otherwise non-functional, I'm your girl. :) So it's been easy to think of myself as creative because, like I said, I do the things people think of when they think "creativity."

 


2. Do you critique your own work? Explain.

Answer: Well, I think everyone critiques his or her own work - otherwise how do you know when you're done? I keep going till I'm satisfied, or in the case of doing something for a client, until they're satisfied and I've fulfilled what they wanted out of the site.

 

3. How do you manage to stay both personal and original in your creative endeavors?

Answer: I try to keep an eye out for things that have become cliches and not do them - stuff like that just seems "phoned in" and kind of second-rate. I mean, you can do whatever makes you happy and if it does, good on you -- and in some cases with clients I have to settle for something I personally wouldn't do, but that they want and which pleases them. I do it as originally as I can, but at the end of the day it's their site and their personality and not mine. However, in the case of my own site I'm free to do whatever the hell I want. ;) When I did my site I didn't think about what was "proper" - and it was primarily just a personal site at the time, not a professional one, so I didn't feel much pressure about it - so I wrote whatever made me happy in exactly the way I would say it if I were talking to friends (basically I made the assumption that any reader who came by I would talk to like a friend). If a visitor didn't like the casual tone, they were free to surf on out of there, but like the people who made Mystery Science Theater 3000 used to say, I figured "the right people will get it." Anybody who didn't I probably wouldn't want to hang out with or have to please anyway. ;) And generally, if something's gonna represent me then I want to take the road not taken so that people actually sit up and notice and think about what they're seeing. Also, graphic design has to communicate a message, so if it doesn't then I feel the need to dig deeper and make sure I find the message that needs to go out. In the case of my site, the message was "I do a million things and I can't settle on any of them, so I'm just going to make it my signature that I do them all!"

 

One of tracey's websites: Kulak's Woodshed

 

Creative genius: anna flavin

her recent work:

earth series

 

Food Series

 

 

 

1. What is creativity to you? Do you Consider yourself to be creative? why or why not?

What is creativity to you?
     Creativity is the license to free yourself from constraints.  It is an almost magical release of expression in the brain that allows ideas to flow without limits.  At its best, it is an almost childlike happiness or a zen like state that seems to happen on its own. I find the more judgment I apply initially in a process the less creative I feel.  I like to get the ideas out and then hone them.
 
Do I consider myself to be creative?  Why or why not?
    Yes.  I feel like I am very lucky to have maintained a childlike enthusiasm for assembling something that didn't exist before.  It just feels very life affirming to make or say something with art or music.  I like to tell the world I am here.

2. do you critique your own work? explain

    Yes.  This is the flip side of being creative.  I am probably a harsher judge than any one with regards to my own work.  I am always aspiring to improve.  I am always studying the work of people I admire.  There is always more to learn.

3. how do you manage to stay both personal and original in your creative endeavors?

  No matter what you do, you can't help but interject yourself into your work.  I have my own perspective and my vision will be different from the next person.  Some projects will obviously lend themselves to a more personal involvement naturally.  I think originality comes again from allowing yourself to really see the world without limitations and trusting you interpretation.  Being open to life in general is always inspiring whether through travel, meeting different types of people or experiencing new things.

4. has rejection ever affected your creative process? explain.

When it comes to photographic jobs that I have been paid for, rejection can be an issue.  Art directors sometimes have a different view of how to convey a message.  It is less about rejection per se and more about working toward a successful solution.  It can often be positive to get another perspective 
In an educational environment rejection can be positive if it motivates you to improve your work  It can be negative however if the instructor is trying to push their own personal method or agenda without regard for individual creativity.  I have experienced both.

 

5. what kind of jobs did you have before your career took off?

I was a hash slinger.   That is to say I spend a number of years waiting tables.  I also freelanced as a photographer's assistant quite a bit.  I worked on car ads, food ads, people, products, a book of portraits of pregnant women, and anything I could.  These were great learning experiences

6. what was the biggest opposing force that you encountered on your creative journey?

Balancing the need for artistic expression with the need to eat and pay bills is always a challenge.  I don't always take on jobs that I love. 

7. if you had the chance to live during a different artistic movement other than now, which one would you choose?

That is a difficult question.  As a photographer I am so excited about the exciting revolution in our medium.  I feel I have the best of both worlds having the traditional darkroom experience initially and the digital option currently.  I love it.  I really wouldn't want to be anywhere else.  Okay, that doesn't answer the question.  It would have been awesome to hang out with the surrealists.  I probably would have tried to change many of their attitudes toward women however.

8. if you could interview a creative person(past or present), who would that person be? please explain your choice.

Only one?  That's a tough choice.  Brett Weston comes to mind.  I remember the first time I saw his amazing black and white prints I was ready to throw my camera away.  That kind of ability is not of this world.  He was not only technically brilliant, his compositions were perfect. I really respected his integrity for the entire photographic process from the initial idea through the final print.  Upon his death he had all of his negatives burned.  He understood that the printing process was just as relevant as shooting and no one would print his negatives with his sensibilities.

9. if you were our president, what would your first order of business be?

  I'm not quite sure how this question fits in.  I wouldn't know where to start cleaning up the mess we are in.  One really easy fix however would be to stop discriminating against people who are willing to join the armed forces and sacrifice their very lives for this country.  It seems ridiculous to question the professionalism of person based on their sexual orientation. 

10. how would you liked to be remembered?

I would like to be remembered as a person who cared a great deal about this world and the people in it.  I would like that reflected in my work.

 

Creative Genius: alice zilberberg

www.alicezilberberg.com

  • What is creativity to you? Do you consider yourself to be creative? Why or why not?
      • Creativity to me is a thought process which goes beyond the notions of right or wrong. It is a way of thinking which comes from a place that is not fixed, but is different than the ordinary . Sometimes it derives from something that already exists, and is twisted and reworked to create a new way to seeing. Other times it is purely a subconscious decision without a particular source. I consider myself creative because I work intuitively. I see, hear, smell and create something new our of what I conceive using those senses.
  • Do you critique your own work? Explain.
      • I think every good artist critiques their own work. Weather you’re happy with your work or not, you’re the one making it. You’re the one looking at the work enough times to know what’s wrong and what’s right, what the work is missing and what you need to make it better. I definitely critique my own work. Every times I finish something I feel like it is never finished. I can go back and remake it infinitely.
  • How do you manage to stay both personal and original in your creative endeavors?
      • I think originality comes from both looking at a lot of art work and being a creative person. Looking at other’s work can generate ideas, you then have to frame your own perception into your own art. In photography, what you chose to photograph and how makes your work original, and the work is either original or not based on how far you’ve taken your ideas.
  • Has rejection ever affected your creative process? Explain.
      • I don’t believe I’ve ever faced as much rejection as other artists have. What I do know, is that rejection definitely shouldn’t interrupt a creative process. For one, the world is very subjective in it’s selection of what art is chosen or not, and it most times does not mean that you’re art is bad if you do face rejection. Second, if you’re a good artist you are making work for yourself, not for others. I would never be upset if I faced rejection, but simply try to gain as much as possible from the situation.
  • What kind of jobs did you have before your career took off?
      • Sinse I’m only in school now I am trying to involve myself in as many photography oriented activities as possible. I imagine that before I have an actual career in the arts it will take a great deal of volunteering and interning.
  • What was the biggest opposing force that you encountered on your creative journey?
      • The biggest force which keeps me from creating art times is lack of inspiration due to my environment. I try to surround myself with as much creative people, and places. Change of environment also helps. Sometimes there’s just not enough sources around you to learn from and inspire one to create.
  • If you had the chance to live during a different artistic movement other than now, which one would you choose?
      • I would join the surrealists. I’m completely fascinated by surreal work, with their ideas about the mind and the subconscious and how this translates into a physical creation. I would definitely benefit from being surrounded by individuals who are interested in the same ideas which I repeat in my work.
  • If you could interview a creative person (past or present), who would that person be? Please explain your choice.
      • If I could pick Salvador Dali’s brain one afternoon that would be a dream come true. I think he’s crazy. I think that the crazier an artist is, the better their work is. The more outside the box it is, the more unique it is, the more challenging it is. I would really love to hear him speak about his work and art in general.
  • How would you like to be remembered?
      • I want to be remembered as an artist who is really into their work. I really love art, and it is everything to me. I want people to recognize my dedication to my art, and my obsession with it. I almost want every other aspect of my life to remain irrelevant.


 

* The Background is Purple and yellow strikes of what looks like electricity. I liked it for this page because it just reminded me of creative juices flowing.