We were lucky to catch up with Lori Horowitz recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lori, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

At the tender age of eight, I visited a historical beach site on the shore of Long Island, NY. There, I scooped clay from the earth and fell in love. From early childhood I sculpted and painted and knew that I was destined to be an artist. Throughout my education, I studied and pursed this love for a lifetime. Soon after graduating college, I realized that I needed to make a living and it was unrealistic to bank on fame and fortune. My first professional job out of college was working as a set designer for television commercials. I later pursued a career as a set designer and union scenic artist for film, television and theater. I wore many hats throughout my artistic career, using skills and creative applications I learned along the way.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

As a NY native, I am fortunate to enjoy the vast treasures of art available. There is an abundance of opportunity to share my work and learn from the great wealth of culture. I have enjoyed a multi-faceted career through a variety of roles, greatly influencing my studio artwork. Throughout this journey, I have worked as an arts educator, scenic designer for theatre and television, producer, exhibit designer and fabricator and as a curator and gallerist. Each has brought new perspectives and informed the development of my artwork and career while deeply connecting me back to my sculptural work. Through experimentation and knowledge of diverse materials, I incorporate painting, sculpture, drawing and photography and push inventive methods to reflect my message. Using eclectic techniques and materials, my work unveils facades and penetrates issues revealing their underlying truths.

Creating art takes dedication and discipline often with interpreting issues and creating new media to share these ideas. I have created works using theatrical techniques of lighting and shadow with copper sculpture that evoke the transient quality of life and memory. These delicate forms not only depict physical beings but also cast haunting shadows that symbolize the significance of intangible aspects. Through meticulous attention to body language, gestures, and expressions, these works explore the intricate relationship between emotion and character, offering viewers a window into the complexities of the human condition.

Another facet of my sculptural work pays homage to the natural world delving beneath the surface—both literally and metaphorically—to reveal the hidden beauty of decay. Fungus and mushrooms, often dismissed as mere decay, become symbols of transformation and rebirth. The textures, colors, and patterns captured through my new process of sculpting with photographs blend the two-dimensional and three-dimensional worlds. These sculptural reliefs evoke a sense of wonder, inviting viewers to appreciate the intricate details that nature offers. Anthropomorphic roots, once captured through the lens of her camera, find new life as they are sculpturally transformed. These organic sculptures remind us of our intertwined destiny with the natural world, highlighting the coexistence and shared power between humanity and the environment.

Since 2015, I have exhibited in over 80 national gallery and museum group shows, art fairs and have had thirteen solo exhibitions. As I continue my studio artwork, I enjoy supporting other artists through curation and involvement with arts organizations. As an independent curator, and former curator/director and founder of a not-for-profit gallery, I have 20 shows and continues curating independently. In 2019 and 2020, I participated in two residency programs in Bushwick NY and Havana, Cuba. Currently, I serve on the board of directors for two not-for-profit arts organizations and is vice president for the NY Society of Women Artists. I am proud to be represented internationally and is featured with Zeitt Blatt media group, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Art Trends, Paris, Fine Art International, Project High Art International, and recently in Newsday, Metropolitan and 25A magazines, NY., Hamptons and Palm Beach.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The purpose of creating my artwork is to evoke a response from my viewers by simply striking a chord creating an emotional deep connection to my artwork. I am sharing social issues that are often unseen and unheard. Many subjects are difficult to confront and speak about. My work addresses these issues and brings them to the surface. In my recent solo show, many people shared their stories relating to artworks that show emotional hardships and loss. These subjects related to loss due to Covid, immigration struggles and sexual abuse. They shared their very personal and emotional experiences, reaching a place deep within their past. This intimate response validates the importance of my work as a catalysis for communication, healing and remembrance and the importance sharing through art.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

For many years I worked in the commercial art field. Yes, I was paid well and created for designers and companies according to their specifications and needs. I learned to create for the camera and fabricate everything from animated Christmas displays on 5th Avenue to a life-sized Spiderman for Marvel. After years of work, I had no concrete samples of artwork, nor did they communicate any real social importance or message. I did learn skills and had a financial gain but that was not enough. It is important to enjoy your work and it helps to make a living while doing so. Creating an art exhibit with a large body of work is a herculean task. The most frequent question asked is, “Did you sell anything”. No, my ultimate goal is not to sell, it is to share and communicate. My work is not intended to simply match a couch or accent a carpet for decorative purposes. My intent is to share my work with an audience that will connect, appreciate and be open to experience and understand my message. My work is sold or gifted to those who can relate.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lorihorowitz.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lori_horowitz/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lori.horowitz.33/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-horowitz-29056712/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnlbzNG217eo77pQe3E9oQQ

Image Credits

Lori Horowitz