Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to JL Schwartz. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
JL, appreciate you joining us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?
My love of art began in preschool when my mother signed me up for classes at the Tampa Museum of Art. I continued my formal artistic training throughout college.. However, I decided to pursue an alternate career path in information technology while continuing to create artwork as time permitted. The main reason for this switch was my lack of confidence and fear that I would not be able to support myself as a full-time artist. That being said, I wish that I had worked harder to create a more balanced lifestyle, enabling me to spend more time developing my artistic skills through formal training and experimentation. Had I done so, I could have begun shifting my focus toward a professional art career much sooner while still maintaining the safety net of an alternate career. Fear can be debilitating both in life and art. It can hold you back from achieving greater things than you ever thought possible.
JL, 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 artwork, up until the last five and a half years, was focused on realistic and impressionistic painting and drawing. I still delve into realism in my drawing however, I am currently focused on abstraction utilizing acrylic paint, crayons, pastels, graphite, charcoal, found objects and found paper. My artwork ranges from small works on paper to much larger works on canvas and wood. I am inspired by nature, both physical and metaphysical. Currently, a large number of my abstracts are biomorphic in nature, which is a term that became ubiquitous when used by Alfred H. Barr, the first director of MOMA, to describe a sculpture in a 1936 exhibition. The definition of biomorphic abstraction is abstraction that “incorporates a visual language based on biomorphic shapes—bulbous, lush, sumptuous looking forms—that are neither representative nor geometric.” These shapes began to intrigue me during the pandemic when I started a new series with artwork and titles that were meant to be whimsical. I felt that not only I but others needed some comic relief during this rather grim and isolating timeframe. I have continued working in this vein while interspersing other forms of abstract art.
I was most honored and encouraged to continue my pursuits in abstract art when my work gained recognition in the Best of Acrylic Competition within a year of working in this genre, Honorable Mention in Artists Magazine’s Annual Art Competition within two years and First Place in Artists Magazine’s Annual Art Competition within three years and most recently recognized in the Best of Acrylic Competition and publication in 2023..
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Organizations, such as yours, definitely help get the message out to a broader audience for which we are most grateful. However, artists also need to be given the opportunity, space and audience, to show and sell their work in person. As many visitors to museums know, you can’t really get a feel for the artwork unless you are standing in front of it since pictures cannot capture the depth and intimacy of the work. Local art museums, at least in South Florida, do not do enough to support local artists. They need to provide ways for them to exhibit their artwork within the space of the museum possibly via juried shows. That would give artists the recognition and credentials they need to progress in their career.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I feel so lucky and privileged to be an artist with the opportunity to be creative in my own space at any time of day or night. Creativity is built into my soul and I cannot live happily without it. When I paint in larger formats I am at my happiest. I feel as though the artwork is enveloping me, bringing me into that world, rather than standing on the outside looking in. I want the observer or audience for my work to get that same feeling.
It is rewarding just to create artwork that is innovative and successfully conveys how I interpret the world around me visually and emotionally. However, I must admit, it is also deeply rewarding and makes my heart sing when my work is recognized, complemented on and purchased by fellow artist and collectors.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jlschwartzart.com
- Instagram: jlschwartzart
- Facebook: jlschwartzart
- Twitter: jlschwartzart