Art Saint Louis is pleased to present our third in our “Varsity Art” Artist Q&A Series highlighting artists who have participated in our annual show in years past.
In 1995, we created our unique
“Varsity Art” exhibit with the goal of highlighting undergrad and grad level student
artists who were studying in the STL region’s many colleges and
universities. In the 25 years that we've
presented this exhibit, we've had the great privilege of working with
over 700 collegiate art students as well as hundreds of art faculty.
This year's 2020 presentation of “Varsity Art XXIV”
featured works by 40 undergrad and grad level art students representing
20 area universities and colleges in Missouri and Illinois.
For our third "Varsity Art" Artist Q&A we are honored to feature artists Kimberly Mayden and Michelle J. Streiff.
Our gratitude to the participating artists and to ASL Staffers Roxanne Phillips and Robin Hirsch-Steinhoff for their continued work on our Art Dialogue Blog.
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KIMBERLY MAYDEN
KIMBERLY MAYDEN
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| Kimberly Mayden. “Oliver.” 2020. Oil on Cradled Panel, 6”x6”. |
Kimberly Mayden participated in Art Saint Louis’ 2018 “Varsity Art XXII” exhibition and represented Saint Louis University for which her work received the Award of Excellence. Mayden earned a BA degree from Saint Louis University (2018). She currently works as Registrar and as an art educator for Craft Alliance Center of Art + Design (since 2018).
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| Kimberly Mayden's studio. |
Roxanne Phillips: How has your studio practice changed since graduating from college?
Kimberly Mayden: Establishing a routine and consistent studio time is still an evolving process for me. I've gone through times where I didn't get into the studio for weeks, or even months. I am truly still learning to balance my day job, studio time, and all aspects of my life.
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| Artist Kimberly Mayden. |
RP: What advice would you give to current art students?
KM: It is so important to prioritize your art making. Do not let other things in your life cloud the value of making art every day. Art is a process, and as an artist, you have to remember most things you create are just part of your process. Do something in your studio each day and keep in mind you do not need to complete that piece. The more you work, the easier it is to see your progress and understand what you are creating. Don't lose momentum just because one piece, or even a whole group of pieces, aren't turning out right. Make more! You will find your voice through all of the chaos.
RP: Have you continued working in the same medium or switched to a different medium?
KM: I’ve worked with several mediums including wool felting and paper sculpture, but ceramic and oil paint are my favorites. I have found that each medium feeds into the other. My studio space is quite limited, so I switch between media every so often. I have had some logistical troubles working in clay after graduation. It's messy, dusty, and very fragile. Although I love working with clay, so far in 2020 I have only been painting.
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| Kimberly Mayden. “Sister The Dog.” 2020. Oil on Cradled Panel, 6”x6”. |
RP: How has your subject matter changed?
KM: Animals are my favorite subjects and I don't really ever see that changing. In school, and at the time of the “Varsity Art” exhibition, I was working with species that are disappearing from our planet. Recently, I have been fortunate enough to have some commissions in 2020, but such work can make the art process restrictive and take up the majority of my studio time. Right now I am struggling with painting dog portraits while finding time to create works that speak in a different voice.
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| Kimberly Mayden. “Brer Fox.” 2019. Oil on Cradled Panel, 8”x8”. |
RP: What is the most challenging aspect of being an emerging artist?
KM: Establishing an audience and getting your work out there. It takes so long to get people to notice your work, and remember what it looks like, let alone remember your name. As an art student, you constantly draw on other artists for inspiration; teachers, famous artists, fellow students, everyone is an influence; but this makes it difficult to find your own voice. I have struggled a lot with the idea of creating a cohesive body of work, or an artist “brand” that people can recognize as “me”. Honestly though, as an emerging artist, your work should be constantly evolving. So, I try to remind myself that if I restrict my work with that idea, I will never actually find what my own voice truly is. Being an emerging artist is a struggle. Put in the work, make work, and network is what I say!
MICHELLE J. STREIFF
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| Artist Michelle J. Streiff. |
Michelle J. Streiff earned a BFA in Graphic Design from Missouri State University and continues her fine art education in painting at St. Louis Community College Wildwood. After a career as a full-time graphic artist in St. Louis where she gained valuable experience in advertising, illustration and television, Michelle is now a full-time studio artist and participates in plein air painting events and workshops. She works on commission and her paintings are included in private collections throughout the area. Michelle also participates in juried and curated exhibits at Art Saint Louis, St. Louis Artists’ Guild, Foundry Art Center, Heartland Art Club, Stone Soup Galleries, OA Gallery, COCA, and other regional venues. Dogs are a key element in many of her paintings, as Streiff serves as a volunteer at Stray Rescue of St. Louis.
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| Michelle J. Streiff. “NapDog.” 2019. Oil on Paper on Canvas, 36”x36”. |
Roxanne Phillips: You participated in the 2013 “Varsity Art XVII” exhibit. How has your aesthetic evolved since this time?
Michelle J. Streiff: I would say I have stayed in the figurative lane, but have become much more (or at least try to be) impressionistic. My graphic design background always seems to bleed through, and I’m learning to embrace that instead of fight it.
RP: What advice would you give to current art students?
MJS: Stay involved in organizations such as Art Saint Louis. It is the best way to keep in touch with what’s going on in the area, find like minded artists to create with, be discovered by collectors and buyers who might not have access to your work, and keep inspired to make new art!
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| Michelle J. Streiff. “View from the End of the Leash.” Oil on Canvas, 40”x30”. |
RP: Have you continued working in the same medium or switched to something else?
MJS: I had just started painting with oils when my instructor Mark Weber at St. Louis Community College Wildwood asked me to be included in the “Varsity Art” show. I was experimenting at the time with using only a palette knife. I have since loosened up, using all available tools and media, not limiting myself to any one in particular, Letting the piece dictate what direction to take.
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| Michelle J. Streiff. “Dreamface I.” 2018. Oil on Canvas, 30”x30”. |
RP: How has your subject matter changed?
MJS: My subject has not exactly changed, I’m still very inspired by the dogs at Stray Rescue of St. Louis where I volunteer and donate my talents, but I have expanded, using people in my work frequently, and outdoor plein air subjects.
RP: What is the most challenging aspect of being an emerging artist?
MJS: Getting your work seen and represented, staying on top of the endless self promotion and media exposure.
RP: When you are in school, you have a built-in community of other artists. Some artists find their studio time very isolating—do you? Do you find it necessary to have an art community?
MJS: I love being isolated in my studio, and since I have been doing more plein air painting, being outdoors is a favorite place to be in touch with my isolation, even if it’s my own backyard. But, I do find it essential to have an art community, entering exhibitions and staying involved with the many art organizations in the area and nationwide keeps me current. In fact I have gone so far as creating a drawing group with another friend at The Lenu Figurative Salon located in Stone Soup Galleries at Chesterfield Mall. We found a need for a group in West County and made it happen, though currently we are not meeting, we hope to have that started up again soon.
MJS: I love being isolated in my studio, and since I have been doing more plein air painting, being outdoors is a favorite place to be in touch with my isolation, even if it’s my own backyard. But, I do find it essential to have an art community, entering exhibitions and staying involved with the many art organizations in the area and nationwide keeps me current. In fact I have gone so far as creating a drawing group with another friend at The Lenu Figurative Salon located in Stone Soup Galleries at Chesterfield Mall. We found a need for a group in West County and made it happen, though currently we are not meeting, we hope to have that started up again soon.
RP: What have been the biggest challenges in finding a public voice for your art? What methods have you used to market / present your art to the public?
MJS: The most challenging aspect is the time it takes! The opportunities are out there, and you have to develop a tough skin concerning rejection, but there is always an exhibit, or invitation waiting. Social media, especially Instagram has been very useful in getting work noticed and finding new artists to follow and inspire. Donating to different causes and organizations has also played a large part in giving my work a public voice.
Learn more about Michelle J. Streiff: www.michellejstreiff.com and www.instagram.com/mjstreiff and www.facebook.com/michelle.streiff
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