We were lucky to catch up with Ginger Levant recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ginger, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I can’t say there was one aha moment when I knew I wanted to pursue a creative path. For me there were several moments, epiphanies and realizations that pointed to a creative life. The most important thing was I listened to these moments and let them guide me.

My earliest memory which I now find funny was before I entered kindergarten, I was obsessed with learning to draw. I thought drawing was the most important skill needed before entering school. Drawing provided the opportunity to express myself in my own way.

My grandfather was an orchestra leader during the big band era in the 1930’s and 40’s. He composed and arranged music; his artistic sensibility was an influence on me.

By the time I was a teenager I was continually painting and drawing. I attended art classes at the Art Institute of Chicago while in high school. I also was fortunate that my high school had great studio facilities and art teachers who were supportive and extremely involved. I attended Carnegie Mellon’s precollege program my junior year in high school which had a big impact on me. To be able to do art all the time was an immersive and impressionable experience. These experiences solidified my commitment to be an artist and had a deep and lasting effect on me.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I grew up in a middle-class household. Our townhouse was located next to a factory in Evanston, Illinois. This urban environment inspired my longing for nature which led to my focus on plein air painting. My family would go on long drives through the countryside of the Midwest. This made a huge impression on me as I was struck by the beauty of the cornfields and farmland. I wondered how people sustained themselves off the land. I longed for this kind of natural existence and the vast and endless space.

After attending undergraduate school at Washington University in St Louis, I moved to New York to go to Queens College. Even though the art studios were relegated to a repurposed gymnasium from the last century, I was fortunate to be in the company of great faculty who were intellectual and artistic giants. They came out of the New York Abstract Expressionist movement and pioneered a surge in figurative painting. In addition, at both Queens College and Washington University I met students in these programs who are, to this day, among my closest friends. We continue to inspire each other, attend gallery shows and do studio visits.

After graduate school I decided to leave part time work to seek artist residencies that would allow me to focus solely on my painting. My dream of living in Europe came true when I spent a year painting on a Fulbright Hays Scholarship in Madrid. My project was to draw at the Prado Museum from the Spanish masters and use these influences in my own invented painting. I continue to seek out artist residencies that allow me to paint free of distractions and fuel breakthroughs in my work. I am truly grateful for these residencies like Yaddo, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Djerassi Foundation, and Ragdale Residency. International residencies include Alfred Klots Foundation in Brittany, France, Centre D’ Art Natura, Farrera, Spain, the VCCA International Program in Auvillar, France and Altos de Chavon Residency in the Dominican Republic. I also received awards from Artist Fellowship Inc. and the Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Emergency Foundation.

Teaching art became a pivotal time in my career. While teaching, I keep painting front and center. Teaching appeals to me as it provides a break from working in isolation, in my studio. Students keep me fresh, and influence me as much as I hope to influence them.

Of my four solo museum exhibitions, my most memorable was at the Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum in Milwaukee. My Italian and French landscapes were exhibited and melded perfectly with the Italianate museum’s architecture, situated on Lake Michigan with a courtyard and surrounding gardens. I exhibit my work widely, at George Billis Gallery in New York City, as well as nationally and internationally.

After technique and training, an artist is fundamentally a person who channels their personal experiences. I grew up in a loving family although my mother was ill for much of my childhood and passed away my last year of undergraduate school. Art filled my time and a need for expression. I bring memories, feelings and sensitivity to my painting making something meaningful, permanent and lasting.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

It is complicated for a young artist to establish themselves. Being financially secure while doing your artwork can be difficult. Throughout my career I had to be resilient. I did not receive financial support from my family and had to support myself. Consequently, I worked as a waitress, painted houses and did art restoration. While these jobs took away from my painting time they gave me valuable life experiences.

When I was a waitress at Great Jones Café in the East Village, I had the opportunity to meet Jean – Michel Basquiat who had a studio across the street. Being new to New York, I also had the thrill of being invited to a party by the quintessential New Yorker, Tom Wolfe. Although having to take these jobs took time away from my painting, they also gave me strength and personal confidence.

We all have challenges in our life, and they are not always related to our art career or painting. You must be able to stay the course and work long hours despite the many distractions that interfere with our goals. My painting is my passion and the most important thing in my life.

While exhibiting and selling is important, it’s even more important to stay true to oneself, not swayed by what is trending or popular. I believe that staying true to oneself ultimately shows in the art, and the artistic message is much deeper and profound.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

After I returned from painting on a Fulbright in Spain, I pursued art restoration. I worked five days a week at a large New York City art restoration company. My job was called “in-painting”, meaning, I would repair torn, cracked and damaged paintings, blending the restored areas seamlessly with the original work. My keen eye for colors and technique, is something I bring to my own work to this day. The physicality of the job was taking a toll on me. I did not have enough free time to paint, the fumes were hazardous and at the time there were not enough precautions for a healthy environment. While in graduate school I taught a drawing class and decided this was the time to go all in and pivot to teaching.

Working in academia was a huge adjustment. It has its own culture, and I learned to adapt. Early in my teaching career, I decided not to pursue a full-time teaching job. For me, it would take away from my painting time. Even though I wanted to teach studio classes I was flexible and accepted a position teaching art history in an effort to get my foot in the door. A few years later I was happily hired as a part time instructor to teach painting and drawing classes.

I was not sure I could be financially secure by solely selling my work and teaching gave me the financial stability and balance I needed. Teaching has been very rewarding, and I know I make a difference in students’ lives. I was fortunate to have a broad array of teaching experiences. I taught at Dartmouth College as a visiting professor for 12 years and currently at Parsons School of Design for the past 25 years.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://GingerLevant.com
• Instagram: Ginger Levant
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/shorts/adrDeClAEz4?feature=share

Image Credits

Photography- Kevin Noble Personal Photography- Betsey Garand