I had the privilege to be able to ask the amazing Alex Selkowitz some questions about his work! Check out the interview below!
1. Tell us a bit about yourself and how you became an artist? What inspires you to create?
My name is Alex Selkowitz and I currently live in Los Angeles with my wife and son. My day job is in the entertainment industry working on lighting crews for various tv shows and movies. I have always had a very artistic/creative side of me that has taken shape in various forms over time. About 10 years ago I discovered oil painting. At first I was curious more than anything and hopeful that I had found a medium I might thrive in. I had tried water based paints at first but everything dried too quick and while it was interesting to play with I wasn’t seeing the results I wanted.
Due to the fact that lighting is a huge aspect of my day job I have spent thousands of hours watching how light and shadow play together. I see it all over the place out in the real world too. I think my eye is just drawn to it now. That’s where a lot of my inspiration comes from. Places I am walking by or driving by will jump out at me and I just start snapping photos. Sometimes a particular scene of a movie or a photograph I see might combine with a place or memory of mine and will spark creativity. I never really know.
2. Did you study art or are you self taught?
I never studied formally at a college. I have studied under a fantastic artist named Scott Yeskel over the years. He has been a great guide in navigating my painting career so far. In addition to this I have taken a couple of workshops and watched some painting videos.
Also, do you think that art is a subject that can be taught inside a classroom, or does it require more internal motivation?
I believe the technical aspects of art can be taught to almost anyone. There are many students that go the art school route and they thrive. In order to pursue any creative endeavour further than a hobby though it definitely requires more internal motivation. You have to be willing to fail a lot and still keep trying!
3. What is the most challenging aspect of being an artist and what has been a pivotal point in your career so far?
To me one of the most challenging things about being an artist is balance. I have an amazing wife and son. My day job requires that I am gone for long hours at a time. It’s important that find time for everything.
A pivotal point in my career was being accepted into my first art fair. Since I had little experience talking about my artwork it was a real challenge. Also, because it was a fair there were a lot of people there looking for different types of artwork other than in my style. It’s humbling to have someone be disinterested in your art. It was a pivotal point that I remember thinking that not everyone will enjoy my art and that’s a good thing. It means I am being honest in what I am creating. By the time the fair finished I had gained a more confidence in my vision of what I wanted to convey as an artist.
Are there any misconceptions about being an artist that you don’t like?
Something I find strange is some people assume I can draw anything on the spot because they know me as a painter.
4. I think that your work is extremely fascinating and I get a sense of subtle disquietness from it, as if I’m looking at a film still in which something profound is about to occur.
Is this sense of mysteriousness and intrigue something you hope to achieve in your work and what kind of themes and topics do you like to explore within your art?
Wow I love that description! I do take some inspiration from films and television and their ability to build tension. I don’t always have a story in mind for each piece but when I do I find that people seem to be drawn to my work more. The mystery aspect is definitely something I always strive for. It’s like watching a movie that has a very ambiguous ending. I’m not trying to explain every minute detail but rather give the viewer all the pieces and let them decide the rest. I have had people share with me a story or memory that they see in my painting and that brings me a lot of joy.
Why do you think that is painting is the right medium to express these ideas?
I think painting works for me because it allows a bit of mystery to remain in the piece. I love illustration but it’s so precise I think it wouldn’t work as well for what I am trying to convey. Oil paint specifically is great because it is so versatile. You can layer thin varnishes of colour or paint with thick buttery chunks. It just gives more options to directing the eye and moving the viewer around the painting.
Additionally, are there any themes that you think are overused by artists, and are there any themes or concepts you’d like to explore that might be more divergent from what you currently create?
I honestly can’t think of any theme that I feel is overused. Art allows people to express themselves and invariably there will be common themes that artists use as the basis of their creation. For instance I don’t consider the themes of isolation or subtle tension to be incredibly original but its such a universal theme that there will always be people that relate to that.
In the future I would like to paint larger pieces more and get much more abstract and messy.
5. What’s really intriguing to me is that even though your work very indicative of suburbia, there is no actual people present in most of your work, yet there is a suggestion of human presence through the placement of chairs, open doors and trolleys within your images.
How do you think images of landscapes or spaces we occupy allow us to reevaluate the human condition and do you think that people can learn about more about the world we live in through images of our environments?
Yes. I think images of where we exist help us better understand how we have taken over this planet for better or worse. My hope is that moving forward we can all be better about treating our environment like a living breathing organism. That being said I can still find beauty tucked away in the strangest places.
6. In your bio, you state that your images ‘negotiate the balance between physical encounter and a faded memory’, which I think is a very apt description of your work, as they do seem to hover somewhere between reality and fantasy and I really like the idea that I’m not really sure if I’m looking at at a real or imagined place.
Additionally, is it important for you for your work to be lifelike and reflective of the world we live in, or do you consider your paintings to exist in their own reality? Is work that is more photo-realistic inherently better art?
Also, why do you think that the concepts of memories and nostalgia are so prevalent in the arts, and do you think that using such elements in your own work allow the viewer to be more engaged with the art they’re viewing?
It’s important for my current work to be grounded somewhat in reality because I am constantly trying to ride the line between what I have seen and what is a made up. It’s more effective to have something the viewer can identify with before they look around the painting.
Photo-realism is awesome if you are strictly a photo realist painter but it’s not better than any other kind of art in my opinion. There is not one type of music that is “better” than others, people just like what they like. Same goes for visual media as well.
Humans are cyclical creatures. We long for nostalgia and distant memories of childhood etc. You see cycles in everything: music, fashion and food. It evokes emotion and further brings us into the painting.
7. Looking through your website at your work, I can’t help but notice how interesting your use of composition is. There are many images, such as Barker Hangar and Surrounded, that are quite traditional in
the way that you’ve chosen to compose the image but one image that really caught my eye was the images called L Train.
Unlike your other images, this image is more akin to a ‘point of view’ shot in a movie, where we are looking down a flight of steps into the never ending blackness of a train station.
Can you talk a little bit about your use of composition and why this image is somewhat divergent from a lot of your work?
That image came about from a random walk in New York one day. I think my original intent was to focus more on the sunlight on the steps. When I looked at the photo later I thought about what really attracted me to the moment and that it would be better to try and capture the whole thing – meaning I would try and establish a ground plane and then depict the stairs descending into darkness. It’s a more extreme perspective and I don’t do it that much. I recently tried it again with my painting “Observe 3” which had a high horizon line and had the viewer farther back looking down.
Also, is perspective an important consideration in your art and how do you determine where you want the viewers eyes to linger?
Perspective is always an intricate part of almost all of my paintings in some way or another. Linear perspective is a critical aspect to the illusion of depth. There isn’t a specific formula for where I want the viewers eye to linger but I tend to be drawn to a diagonal from top left to bottom right. It depends a lot on the dimensions of the canvas.
8. Another set of images that really caught my eye are your ‘viewer’ images, especially Viewer 3, which is actually the first painting of yours I saw.
I find these images especially fascinating as we are essentially viewing an image of someone viewing another image, which really makes me think about the viewer/subject relationship in art.
Whilst creating an image, how often do you consider the way that a viewer might react to the subject you’re painting or do you prefer to see how people react to it once you’ve finished and released it?
Additionally, how important is it for you to get feedback about your work and how do you stay true to your artistic intent?
I try to create art that I find interesting and I hope that viewers will feel the same way. I find if I consciously try and imitate something I have made before it comes out “fake”. That’s not to say that my paintings don’t have similar subjects or themes but I find in my own experience I have to find the painting in an organic process rather than attempting to “make a product”. It’s a self imposed artist code, but I kind of like being as honest as possible about my thoughts at the time.
9. What is your typical creative process for a painting like?
Where do you source your ideas from and what kind of pre-production do you do before creating an image?
Do you write down or sketch your ideas when they come to you and how do you know when an image idea will make a good image?
Do you paint from memory or from photographs and how do you choose the location you’re going to paint?
How long does a painting usually take and when do you know an image is finished?
My process has evolved a little but it usually involves seeing something that inspires me, collecting photos and videos which I use as “notes” later and then making a sketch either analog with pencils or digitally on my iPad. I have even mocked up some scenes crudely in a 3D modeling program and “lit” them. I then transfer it to a canvas and go from there. I do my best to get a solid foundation. At this point I begin feeling around for colors or mood that I want to create. Some paintings have come very naturally and do not take long to complete. More common is they are a struggle of building and destroying until I get something just feels right. It does not always happen at which point I paint over the painting and try something else.
Inspiration is all around me since at their core my paintings are focused around light and shadows falling on an object. I add objects or things that I believe will add interesting colour or shape. I mostly paint from the drawings I make and then revisit the photos I took for little details or inspiration later. I actually don’t always know when I am finished. I will sometimes ask my wife her opinion or an artist friend I trust.
10. As well as building a growing audience, you have exhibited your work at events such as The Other Art Fair.
What has your experience of exhibiting your work been like and what goes into the process of having a gallery show? Is there anywhere particular you’d like to exhibit your work?
Additionally, do you think that it is important for artists to have their work exhibited and do you think that the seeing your work in a physical space or online affects the way that it is read by the viewer?
I enjoyed showing work at The Other Art Fair. It’s challenging to go and engage with potential collectors and be asked questions about my process etc for my art in real time. It helped me build confidence in being able to engage with people about my art and art in general.
I do think it’s important to have some physical representation. Certainly the world is forever going online and I have made a number sales at this point online but certain types of media such as oil paint just looks better in person in my opinion. When I take a picture of my work I feel as though it loses a little bit of the subtle details. A lot of that can be solved by lighting the painting well and knowing a little about photography.
I would love to get some pieces up in galleries in Los Angeles and New York. (so if anyone is looking let me know!)
11. Social media has bridged the gap between artists and the general public, allowing us to to interact, view and access art in an entirely new way.
What are your thoughts about social media and how has it impacted your practice? Is it something you enjoy and does it help or hinder your creative process?
Also, are there any drawbacks to social media and how much time to do you spend online vs creating new work?
I spend as little time on social media as possible. I think it is incredibly addicting and can be very time consuming if not careful. Having said that I acknowledge that there are benefits to using it for sharing and promoting your art work. I have an Instagram account in which I just follow other artists and so it’s actually cool to scroll through and see what people are working on etc. I don’t think it hinders my process although I will admit it does feel good to get likes and comments on posts that I make of my artwork. I would say one of the positive things about it is simply the exposure to so many people which would have been impossible prior to the move online.
12. It’s no secret that the art market is oversaturated with people making art, but from this constant creation, there are many supportive communities that arise.
Do you feel like you are part of a larger art community and is it important for you to feel some sort of acceptance from your contemporaries?
Also, how do you market your work so that people are engaged with it beyond a like or a follow?
I am beginning to feel like I am in a larger art community. The art fairs that I participated in have plugged me into a handful of people and it just expanded from there. Earlier this year I had some forward momentum and then COVID came and I shied away from contacting galleries. Hopefully that will change soon. How do I market my work? I don’t know really know… I make it up as I go along.
Additionally, do you think that the rise of ‘influencers’ or ‘content creators has changed the way that people now engage with the creation and perception of art? Do people who create for ‘views’ lessen the overall creative experience?
I try not to get too wrapped up in the debate of who is making “real” art and who isn’t. There are much more pressing matters in the world at the moment. Speaking for myself I do not make art specifically for likes or views. When I share something online I hope that people enjoy it but I never know if they will. I am flattered if someone does like it or comment a positive comment but that isn’t my initial goal.
13. In your opinion, what makes a good piece of art? What was the last image/piece of media that captivated you and what was it about it that left an impression on you?
If you stop for a moment and stare and it makes you feel something then it’s good.
Recently I discovered a Japanese artist Hiroshi Nagai. I bought a book of his. His use of composition, color etc is stunning.
14. What do you think it means to be a successful artist and has your idea of success changed since you first started making art?
Also, how do you measure the success of your images and do you care about social media statistics?
What kind of feedback do you find the most valuable to help you to understand how your work is being received by the general public?
Success is different for everyone. Sort of a cop out answer I know but it’s true! In order to “succeed” at something you must first have a goal set. Everyones goal is going to be a little different so the success metric will adjust slightly. When I started in the film business long ago I used the metric that you “made it” when you were financially sound just from the gigs you got. Years later I think that holds true to some extent for what my goal is now. As I begin the long game of transitioning out of my current career and into full time painting I am aware that I have had some modest success so far but I have a long way to go.
I appreciate when someone shares with me how the painting affected them. As I said earlier I have had numerous people share with me how a particular piece made them think of childhood or a faded memory that they can’t quite put their finger on. To me this just reminds me that I am touching people with my art and that is something very special to me.
15. One of the most under discussed aspects of art is the business side and the actuality of making money. I think that there is a huge misconception of the ‘starving artist’ yet it seems that a lot of artists never really talk about the journey of building up the confidence to turn their art into a business.
At what point in your career did you realise that you could make money from your work and how much hard work did it take for you to get to where you are now?
What was the first image you sold and how did you make the transition from art being something you did for fun, to having a focused artistic mindset?
The starving artist term comes from a mindset of not “selling out”. It is the by-product of an old way of thinking where you are told that you need to go to school, get a job and make money. If you choose an artistic path then you will not make money and therefore “starve”. I think it’s very unfortunate and it speaks volumes of the society that we live in and what is valued. People should be able to follow passions and have their own business. I am in the middle of establishing my business side of things and I am learning as I go.
I realized I could make money from art the first time I sold something. It was a smaller piece I made called “Stairway to somewhere”. It blew me away someone liked it enough to purchase it. It has been countless hours of frustration and joy making art since then. It’s exhausting and exhilarating and I balance it all with a “day job” and family. I’m hooked though so I have no choice…
16. At the time of writing, we are currently in the middle of a global pandemic with the continuation of Covid-19, which has impacted various industries across the world.
How has this crisis affected you, both personally and professionally, and what is the biggest shift you’ve seen in the creative industry during this time?
Additionally, do you think that this pandemic will affect the creative industry in a positive or negative way over the next few months and what will be best and worst thing to come out of it?
Both creative fields that I work in have been affected. The entertainment industry was shut down but we are back at work now with strict guidelines. I wear a mask for like 12 hours a day now. The art world closed galleries for a bit but I think they are starting to reopen. In my opinion it seems like artists that have transitioned to selling artwork online have perhaps faired better than those that have not. There are lots of contrasts though. People are spending more time at home and want to decorate a blank wall they might not have noticed. On the other hand money is tight for some people and artwork may be lower on the list of things to buy.
The creative industry as a whole will continue to create because those that do it, have to. That is my optimistic outlook on it. People preserve through tragedy and continue to make and create. On a personal note the pandemic affected me like it has many in the world. I empathize with people that have suffered financially or have lost loved ones.
17. If you could curate a gallery show in which you exhibited your work alongside 3 other creatives, who would you exhibit with and what theme would you choose?
Hiroshi Nagai, David Lynch, Wayne Thiebaud. I’m not sure what the theme would be, but I would love to meet all of them and talk about art and creativity.
18. What do you like to do when you’re not creating art and what do you think that your art says about you?
Additionally, how do you balance creating art with daily life and how do you keep motivated and engaged with what you’re creating?
When I am not creating art I am most likely spending time with my family. My son is 4 so he keeps us quite busy. My non-painting studio time can also incorporate things like prep work for other paintings, drawing, and keeping my website up to date.
I have no idea how I stay motivated. I am constantly juggling everything in my life but I think there is an inherent drive for me to continue pursuing art. If I didn’t have that I’m not sure I would have the motivation. It can be frustrating and disappointing sometimes but there is a thrill that I get from it when it goes right that keeps me coming back. One thing I do to help is I tend to work on at least 3 or 4 paintings at a time. That way when a couple are drying I have at least 1 or 2 more I can mess with.
19. A question from artist Jane Clatworthy:
“When did you first recognise yourself as an artist/creator?”
I feel like it really started when I was a kid. I would spend hours drawing and doodling and I always enjoyed it. At that time it was comic books and comic strips that I liked imitating and copying. The fine art oil painting came much later in life but I always have been a daydreamer and I always enjoyed creating.
Do you have a question you’d like me to ask the next person I interview?
What’s a mistake that you have made along the way that ended up being a great learning experience?
20. What are you currently working on and where can people find more about you and your work?
Currently I am working on another half dozen paintings, one or two which might be done by the time this is published. Any questions you may have about any paintings please email me or contact me on Instagram You can find me at:
@alex_selkowitz_painter on IG