Interview with Denise Kupferschmidt
q) Introduce yourself first please?
a)I am and have been Denise Kupferschmidt.
q) Where do you live and work?
a)I live in Brooklyn, NY, and work in the city.
q) How did you started? How have you realized you wanted to become an artist?
a)I've wanted to be an artist from as far back as I can recall. And eventually I went to art school, and then after some years of wasting time I've come back to really only wanting to be an artist, which is nice.
q) What materials do you use and why?
a)I mostly use paper. Because I was a printmaker in college I developed a lot of respect for paper; for materials in general. Paper is beautiful, and so versatile. I dye paper, and cut it. You can draw and paint on paper, or you can use it to make something by cutting or weaving it, which is kind of an inside-out drawing.
a)I am and have been Denise Kupferschmidt.
q) Where do you live and work?
a)I live in Brooklyn, NY, and work in the city.
q) How did you started? How have you realized you wanted to become an artist?
a)I've wanted to be an artist from as far back as I can recall. And eventually I went to art school, and then after some years of wasting time I've come back to really only wanting to be an artist, which is nice.
q) What materials do you use and why?
a)I mostly use paper. Because I was a printmaker in college I developed a lot of respect for paper; for materials in general. Paper is beautiful, and so versatile. I dye paper, and cut it. You can draw and paint on paper, or you can use it to make something by cutting or weaving it, which is kind of an inside-out drawing.
q) Who is your biggest influence, both art and non-art related
a)When I was younger it was Andy Warhol, then it was Matthew Ritchie, and now I have to say for fear of showing my true colors that it's J.R.R . Tolkien. In a small way I pay tribute to him in every thing I make, and through him I've discovered so many other things that make my world so much bigger. It's super nerdy, but at least I'm not writing fan-fiction. I don't go there.
q) How do you dream up with your wacky ideas? What is your creation process?
a)I read a lot, and write stories. Writing has always really helped me to get my ideas out of my head. And Iook at so many books and do a lot of "research", and I spend a lot of time staring at nothing and daydreaming. All that somehow ends up with me making things.
q) What haven't you done yet that you definitely want to try someday?
a)I want to make music to go along with my work. Hopefully I can do that soon.
q) Are there any contemporary artists that you love?
a)I love Chris Ofili, and Kim Keever, and Michael Bell-Smith. I also love Eddie Martinez, Suzannah Sinclair, and Colby Bird. I am really inspired by my friends and acquaintances, because knowing them helps me to realize in such a greater way why there work is so awesome, and then it makes me want to work harder.
q) How long does it take for you to finish a piece?
a)It depends, some things are done in minutes, but there are parts of pieces that I have sometimes had laying around for months, and then they get incorporated into a larger piece. I save everything. And things can always change a little after they're done. I try to keep an open mind.
q) What music, if any, do you like to have on while you're working?
a)I can listen to lots of different things, sometimes I'll just listen to hot97 (new york hip-hop and R&B station), or sometimes I'll listen to reggae. For a while it was Paul Simon, Fleetwood Mac, a couple records I have of traditional African singing, and the new Joanna Newsom album. And a lot of times I'll just put on talk radio and space out to whatever is on even if it's really weird. Also there are so many weird podcasts…I like to just listen to people talking.
q) Do you do many art shows?
a)If people ask me to be in an art show then I say yes, 99% of the time.
q) Tell us about a recent dream you had.
a)I recently had a dream where I was finding waterbugs (you know, huge cockroaches) all over my home, some dead, some dieing, and some just parts, like legs and wings; and then I went to work that morning and there was a dead waterbug laying in the middle of the hallway, right next to my desk. It was CREEPY!
q) What are you doing when you are not creating?
a)I have a day-job, and I am pretty good at taking it easy. And I like to try to see a lot of music shows.
a)I can listen to lots of different things, sometimes I'll just listen to hot97 (new york hip-hop and R&B station), or sometimes I'll listen to reggae. For a while it was Paul Simon, Fleetwood Mac, a couple records I have of traditional African singing, and the new Joanna Newsom album. And a lot of times I'll just put on talk radio and space out to whatever is on even if it's really weird. Also there are so many weird podcasts…I like to just listen to people talking.
q) Do you do many art shows?
a)If people ask me to be in an art show then I say yes, 99% of the time.
q) Tell us about a recent dream you had.
a)I recently had a dream where I was finding waterbugs (you know, huge cockroaches) all over my home, some dead, some dieing, and some just parts, like legs and wings; and then I went to work that morning and there was a dead waterbug laying in the middle of the hallway, right next to my desk. It was CREEPY!
q) What are you doing when you are not creating?
a)I have a day-job, and I am pretty good at taking it easy. And I like to try to see a lot of music shows.
q) Do you get emotionally attached to your work and do you miss your work when it is sold?
a)I get emotionally attached, but sometimes I try to challenge that by working on things even after I think they are perfect; sometimes I get really into something, but I realize that it's superficial or just looks cool and that is why I love it so much. So I have to change it completely to make it better.
q) What new projects or exhibits are in your future?
a)I'm going to be in a show in April at Allston Skirt gallery in Boston.
q) What is your favourite art related web site?
a)I like artloversnewyork.com and fecalface.com. Also my friend Leslie has a really cool blog where she talks about lots of art, it's http://scarletfever11211.blogspot.com
dkupfers@gmail.com
q) What is the strangest thing you have ever seen?
a)I see a lot of strange things living in New York, one time I saw someone walking a handicapped dog who had one of those little strollers for back legs, and they came upon another couple who were walking a dog who also didn't have functioning back legs but it sat in this little hammock thing that held it's back legs off the ground, so it kind of wheel-barrowed. And the two dogs who both didn't know any better met and started to play with each other like they were perfectly normal dogs just out for a walk. But they're not at all. Also, couples on Segways on the sidewalk going the same speed as everyone else who is walking is kind of weird. I'm sure I've seen stranger things.
q) What is the strangest thing you have ever done?
a)It changes every day, believe me.
q) any advice you can pass onto aspiring artists/designers?
a)Work hard and don't lie to yourself. And get out of your house a lot… don't spend the money you need to buy paper or get something framed on new fancy jeans.
q)your contacts….e-mail…links
a)Denise Kupferschmidt
a)Denise Kupferschmidt
posted by Claudio Parentela at
08:58
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