We recently connected with Joanne Ungar and have shared our conversation below.

Joanne, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?

After I graduated from The School of Visual Arts in 1984, I left New York for what I thought would be a fun summer in Nantucket, Mass. I ended up staying there much longer than the summer, working menial day jobs and making collages in my free time. Over time I made friends there who introduced me to the local artist’s association. Sadly, I can’t remember the name of the association. But with their encouragement I applied to my first ever juried show there on Nantucket. I got in to the show, which really stunned me, and I won an award (Best Mixed Media), which stunned me even more. But what really blew my mind was that when I brought a friend to the gallery to show them my work, my piece was missing. I could not figure out why my piece wasn’t on the wall next to my gold prize-ribbon! I had to ask at the desk what had happened! Well, of course, it had sold, and I had earned my first art dollar.

Joanne, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I began as a collage artist, assembling disparate elements together on paper to form a cohesive image, sometimes narrative, sometimes non-narrative. The trajectory of those early collages led me to pursue new ways of layering things using transparency, which eventually lead me to wax (otherwise known as encaustic), which has been my main medium since the late 1990’s. By following my nose, and by being absolutely captivated by the materials, I inadvertently created my own method and process of working with encaustic. It is truly original, and each piece I make is a singular unreproducible archival memento of life in my world. In this way I am gaining insight intuitively through process. I am dedicated to re-using materials as much as possible and maintaining a sustainable art practice. For approximately the past 10 years, this has involved using discarded packing materials: boxes, corrugated miscellany, and found detritus. In this way I am creating mementos that function as time-capsule-like objects, possible future reminders of how casually careless we were with our only earth. The resulting abstract art pieces are suggestive of many things and mysteriously elusive.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Think and buy locally! Support your local artists! When you buy a piece of local original art you are meaningfully supporting an artist. The more any given artist thrives, the more they can give back to the community. Plus, by opting out of buying mass-produced art, you’ll own a piece that is unique, unlike any other artwork in the world. Engaging with all types of original art can encourage creative thinking and even ease anxiety. Art makes the world a more thoughtful and beautiful place and it all can all start with your community. I am part of a wonderful community of artists here in NYC, for which I am always grateful.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I was raised to follow the rules. All of the rules. And I still do, as best I can, possibly to a fault. But in my art studio, there are no rules. When I am working in my studio I am following my nose and following my innermost dialog born of free-association. Yes, I have “guidelines” and “boundaries”, but they are not set in stone. I can explore as much as I want and this makes me happy and relaxed.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.joanneungar.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanneungar/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joanneungar
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JUFineArts
• Other: recent interview:
  https://www.radarcuratorial.com/interview-joanne-ungar/https://www.radarcuratorial.com/interview-joanne-ungar/

Image Credits

installation shot by Michal Gavish