Flash Interview Series - with Ruby Wang

"Flash: From the studios at the CMU School of Art", is a group show presenting work by 10 talented young artists from Carnegie Mellon University's School of Art opened on Friday, April 3rd. "Flash" refers to a sudden appearance of inspiration, just like how art is born. Ruby Wang has participated in the "Bountiful" group show last November, and Visual Programming Manager Kate Lin is happy to conduct a second interview with her to know more about her recent work.

Could you give us a brief introduction of who you are and how you became an artist?

Ruby: I am a beauty-driven shy woman in her early twenties, who is using art to express her struggles with food and what it means to be a female artist. As a child, I have always enjoyed making art and known that my future will involve the creative mind.

After the last successful show “Bountiful”, Future Tenant is very excited to show your work again at "Flash". Food is the common theme for both work showcasing at two different shows. Can you talk about how they are different and was there any new inspiration or ideas you have since the “Bountiful” exhibition?

Ruby: Food and desire is a common theme throughout my artistic studies and career. I have been exploring food in the pure visual pleasure and sensations, in which echoes almost a sexual arousal. As more experiments with this theme went on, the artworks have become more personal. In the last show "Bountiful", the paintings of wine and bananas are inspired by an intimate experience of personal conflict. The objects of the paintings are the central emphasis, associating with the play of bodily fluids and sexual organs. The newer pieces in the show "Flash" exhibit my branch to the aesthetics of a female body. I try to bring together the idea food and the female form, and my own concern with body images in my newer works. 

What is your creative process for your newer work (Yogurt series and M&M)? How long does it usually take you to complete a project/artwork?

Ruby: The process involved many messy but fun photo-shoots with models or simply just myself. Then, I made decisions of how to print them and paint these photos in a way that provokes an emotional arousal and response. The work required photo taking, printing, and layering of paints and other media, so this project took around three months to complete. 

Are you working on any new projects at the moment? And where can we follow your work?

Ruby: I have been continuing the idea of female body in balance with sensuous food subjects in new photography and painting series. These new projects can be seen on my website.

We know that you are graduating CMU this summer, what is your plan and where do you see yourself in five years? 

Ruby: After graduation I am hoping to extend my artistic careers in other countries. I may settle in Asia for a year or two, and travel to Europe or come back to the States to further my education in the arts.

Flash Interview Series - with Jamie Earnest

"Flash: From the studios at the CMU School of Art", is a group show presenting work by 10 talented young artists from Carnegie Mellon University's School of Art opened on Friday, April 3rd. "Flash" refers to a sudden appearance of inspiration, just like how art is born. During the exhibition period of Flash, Visual Programming Manager Kate Lin will be interviewing the artists to know the stories behind their work.

Could you give us a brief introduction of who you are and how you became an artist?

Jamie: I attended an arts high school, The Alabama School of Fine Arts, with a concentration in visual art. I did not want to be an artist in high school, in fact, I wanted to be an ophthalmologist. Most of my family is in the science field, including my twin sister. I just auditioned for the high school because I enjoyed making art and knew it was an interesting background to have on my resume for applications to medical schools. Upon continuing my track at this high school I realized that there is nothing more than I want to do with my life than to make art. I am able to answer and ask questions about the world around me through art making, I have to please no one. I get to work on my own account. From there I began to really challenge myself in my work and I am proud of where I have gotten to so far. I will never stop making art. 

Can you talk about the concepts behind those three pieces that are showcasing at the space?

Jamie: The three pieces in the show are from three different years, thus I feel that my work is hard to explain as a single concept for all three. All three works derive from my impressions of interior space. Dante in my Basement is my most recent work and is an example of a way that my work is headed. I am interested in how one perceives domestic space that they encounter daily or have encountered daily in the past. What aspects of those spaces live on through memory? My work tackles these questions. 

What is your creative process? How long does it usually take you to complete a project or artwork?  

Jamie: My creative process is somewhat flawed compared to that of other artists. I tend to start working on a piece once I have about 40% of an idea of what I would like to do. This kind of process creates bumps along the way, but I enjoy working like this because once I complete that 40% I am familiar with, I am able to challenge myself to finish the other 60%. I like the challenge of problem solving while working as opposed to planning a painting out color by color and line by line, then translating to a large canvas. I like to make mistakes, sometimes my mistakes become a part of the piece itself.
It normally takes me a 3-5 weeks to complete one painting, though I am often working on at least 2 at once. 

Do you admire any other artists?

Jamie: I admire student artists, that is the most challenging of all. I admire so many artists I cannot begin to list them all, but here are a few: Olafur Eliasson, Henry Taylor, Robert Motherwell, Do Ho Suh, Iman Issa, Vito Acconci, James Turrell, Robert Irwin, David Hockney, Sinta Werner, and Uta Barth and John Divola. Some architects and writers I admire are: Peter Eisenmann, Luis Barragan, Rudolf Arnheim, Victor Burgin, and Rem Koolhaus. 

Are you working on any new projects at the moment? And where can we follow your work?

Jamie: I am working on several new paintings right now as well as a photo/installation project, my website is where I put up photos of finished works as they come along. 

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Jamie: I see myself finishing graduate school and earning my MFA.