We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Madeleine Soloway. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Madeleine below.
Madeleine, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
I knew I wanted to pursue a creative path in elementary school. Initially, I aspired to pursue a career in acting when I was taking classes and performing in theater productions at Boston Children’s Theater beginning in elementary school. Early in high school I refocused my creative path toward the visual arts. I attended art school for college and received my BFA from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston and an MFA from Washington University in St. Louis.
Madeleine, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Often combining universal symbols with personal imagery, I examine underlying, collective narratives in an unpredictable, unsettled, and transitory world. My current multi-layered, digitized monoprints and photographic images of houses, landscape, and water express a sense of vulnerability, profoundly relevant to the complex relationships with our changing and precarious planet.
Originally from Boston, I have been an exhibiting artist in the Atlanta area for the past 33 years and was a former member of the art faculty at The Paideia School for 25 years. With several solo exhibitions at the Jeremy Stone Gallery, San Francisco, in the 1980’s my work landed in many important private SF Bay Area collections and developed a strong following. I regularly exhibit my multi-layered digitized monoprints and photographic prints in solo and group museum and gallery exhibitions throughout Georgia including a solo exhibition at Ponce City Market during Atlanta Celebrates Photography, a two-person exhibition at Reeves House Visual Arts Center and numerous juried group exhibitions including: Museum of Contemporary Art Georgia, Marietta Cobb Art Museum, Atlanta Photography Group Gallery, Swan Coach House, and Terminus Gallery.
I am very excited about my March 2024 artist residency at Kala Art Institute in Berkeley, California for Printmaking and Photography.
In the summer 2023, I was invited to teach in The Georgia Governor’s Honors High School Art Program. I frequently participated in student portfolio reviews for The Georgia Governor’s Honors Program and Portfolio Day for Washington University in St. Louis. In 2011 I received an Excellence in Teaching Award from Savannah College of Art and Design.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
My high school art teacher supported my creativity, but never offered any guidance in my senior year with my art portfolio. Consequently, I struggled with the art college application process and was initially rejected. The experience was stressful and filled with much disappointment. After regrouping and getting some help, I was accepted at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, where I thrived and graduated with a top award. As a result of my experiences, I take a supportive and proactive approach when mentoring students with their college art portfolios.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
Technology has opened the door for many creatives, both as a career path and tool for the arts. I wish there were more granting opportunities for younger and emerging visual artists as there are in Europe.
Contact Info:
- Website: WWW.madeleinesoloway.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeleine_soloway/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msoloway/
- Other: www.artcollegecounseling.com
Image Credits
Madeleine Soloway