We were lucky to catch up with AnnMarie LaBollita recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi AnnMarie , thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
I feel the most meaningful project I made was about the invasion of Ukraine in the winter of 2022. I made a fabric collage on a curtain valance the following spring while at the same time emptying my mothers house as she was entering a nursing home.
The idea of losing one’s home, physically and mentally was constantly on my mind. My mom’s kitchen curtains brought back years of memories of sitting at her small table and began to symbolize safety, comfort and home which I felt was what the Ukrainians and my mom would lose. Using the curtain as the background felt like a way to honor her and to use a tangible everyday object in the home as part of the project.
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 background and context?
I spent a lot of my time as a child drawing and I found sitting in my bedroom at a desk my father made me as my retreat, and although my parents wanted me to do something more practical with my life, I went to art school anyway in 1981. I had a classical art education focused on drawing, painting and sculpture. I learned about anatomy and how paint is made by hand. But it is very hard to support yourself with an art degree alone and I returned to school and got my Masters degree in Studio Teaching. The philosophy of the program focused on learning through experimentation and exploration. These two years impacted my way of being an artist and teacher profoundly.
I taught in high school in the 1990’s and then left to raise my kids. I spent twenty plus years exploring various materials not accessible to me while in art school from decorative paper making to bookbinding and much more.
I teach at a local university in the program for professional studies and write grants yearly to offer free art classes and workshops in my area. I believe everyone can make art and that it does not require special talent, and I teach to demystify a given process so participants can feel like they have played, learned and had a positive and fun experience.
My work is diverse and I enjoy painting, printmaking and collage. Currently, my work combines those three mediums and is sometimes representational or abstract.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
In a practical sense I’m very fortunate to have a home studio where I work and escape the world.
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is how art making reveals what is often hidden inside yourself. I don’t do a great deal of planning when I begin, and try to be present for the journey and respond to what is unfolding without expectation. It’s wonderful to finish a piece that you like or think someone might buy. Creating is an essential part of my life that I find meditative and engaging, and it helps be feel alive everyday.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I had some lovely art professors in college, and some not so great. Some of the male instructors had huge egos which didn’t make them great teachers. It’s unfortunate also, to have been in an environment where everyone is passionate about art but not discussing the challenges of maintaining a practice and making a living. The message was if you work constantly you’ll be successful. Regardless of the medium an artist chooses a life style and not exactly a career. I found balance in teaching and in my studio.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://annmarielabollita.com
- Facebook: Ann-Marie LaBollita
Image Credits
Ann-Marie LaBollita images gives permission