Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Angela Finney. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Angela thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
My curiosity of materiality has guided me through a creatively rambunctious career. I began by studying the physical properties of raw materials and how to manipulate them into three dimensional objects. Metal, fiber, clay, and wood guided me to the world of furniture design and build, interior design and visual art. I am most intrigued by objects and their significance in physical space.
Confidence in the process has always and still can stunt me a bit, luckily I have grown to be more patient with myself. Power tools are no joke, intimidating, I broke up with the table saw decades ago.
Angela, 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?
My work traverses multiple boundaries from two to three dimensional, from handheld to experiential scale, and across a spectrum of materials: wood, ceramic, textile, paint, encaustic, and incorporating built and found objects. My practice is informed by experiences in furniture and interior design, as well as diverse skills developed while running a vintage shop, a small gallery, and leading a team of elite interior architects. The one constant through all this is my driving fascination with materiality.
My style has been best described as “Playful Sophistication,” with light hearted character-esque shapes and bold color pairings. Much like designing furniture, I think of the entire space that will cohabitate with the work: the negative space that surrounds them, the juxtaposition to the architecture—how the planes and surfaces interact. For larger scale projects, I work closely with architects and interior designers creating “vignette” installations in commercial and public spaces.
Most recently I have been building on a series of graphic wall sculptures primarily in painted plywood that shift and undulate off of the wall.
While my career has taken me to Chicago and New York, I’ve resettled back in the Appalachian Mountains that have always been “home”. From here I draw on my diverse experiences as well the abundant inspiration around my studio, surrounded by National Forests.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
I’m a maker and have known that all my life. I’m finally fulfilling the goal of being a full time working artist.
Constant inspiration is my driving force.
With a background in architecture and interiors my favorite and most sought after projects are large scale three dimensional installations in commercial and public spaces. The thought of a physical and sculptural element evoking thoughts in the minds of people whom I will never know is most intriguing to me. I feel that curiosity and exploration are qualities left out in our current built environments, often most elements that do exist are mundane and lack intentionality.
Color, form, shape and their relationships to one another in physical space is my language.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
My career and life are symbiotic. When I look back on the terrain I navigated it is clear that all the twists and turns are foundational building blocks of what I produce today. I studied furniture design and construction at VCU, designed furniture and lighting for Holly Hunt in Chicago, owned a vintage home shop called Post 27 in Chicago , directed the interiors department for SHoP architects in New York City, created a modern art gallery in a tiny Appalachian town and now I paint and build sculptures in my home studio in Marshall NC. My work usually ends up in Chicago and New York.so it’s full circle, although I am ready to expand to other places in this world. It’s so rewarding that most everyone I have interacted with in my past are still part an integral part of what I create now. I am most grateful for the community that has been built through all of these pivotal points of my life. Intentionality is key.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Marta Sasinowska