Artist Interview Series-Nina Maniscalo

Are you a full time or part time artist?
I am a part time artist with a full time artist's attitude. I have to put it that way because I have never been able to make a living from art alone, so I do many other forms of work to make that happen. Somewhere along the way... about fourteen years ago... I got married and became a parent, and that took up a lot of time. The good thing is that as my children grow older I am afforded more time to create art, yet I still work part time to help support my family and my art.

Is there a business name and how did you come up with it?
Yes my business is called Blue Lotus and this is how I came up with it...

It had been a while since I'd been painting furniture on my own and thought it would be nice to have a logo, and ID so to speak. My name is really a mouthful, and I wanted to have some way to identify my art that would be easier, so I started to brainstorm. After filling 5 or 6 pages of a notebook with little sketches, I then called my friend Kathy to run the ideas past her. She was very helpful in pointing out the flaws in most of my ideas and what I was left with was the Little Blue Lotus that I shortened to Blue Lotus. I then painted an original image of the Blue Lotus that is used to create all my promotional graphics. The Blue Lotus image comes from Tibetan Buddhist Art. I am influenced very heavily by this art and the philosophy.

Are you self taught or academically trained?
I am academically trained, but I like to think that part of my training is self taught as well. I received my degree, a BFA in Painting at Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, but I don't think that my receiving of that document somehow made me an official artist. I believe that becoming an artist is a process that begins with an aspiration to want to become one, followed by many years of working toward that goal. I continue to grow and refine my artistic tools through both formal and informal training.

What is your description of an artist?

This description is as difficult to define and intertwined with the concept of "What is Art?" There is no universal opinion of what art is. So from my point of view, art is something that calls to the viewer. It shines and sparkles and draws us into it, while raising questions and telling us stories. Art is rarely boring and needs to please someone, be it the creator or the audience. Art can express a vast array of emotions and attitudes.

So what is an artist?

To me, it is someone who spends most of their time either thinking about or creating art.

When did you first call yourself an artist?

It was some time after I'd left school and lived in the real world--the world where I needed to make money to afford rent and food etc. I had worked in many venues that were not art related and others that were. Regardless of these things, I continued to keep sketch books to draw and to paint. I realized after a while that no matter what I did to make a living, in my heart it was the art that mattered.

Did you have or would you like to pursue other careers?

As I mentioned in the previous question, I have worked in many venues. Some of which were: prep cook, salad chef, house cleaner and cell painter for an animation house. I found my way into computer animation for video and continued on that path for about 11 years, until I became a mom. Throughout this span of time, I continued to make art, usually in the evenings or on weekends. What I see in my future is something that will relate more closely to my art and somehow include it. I'm very interested in interior design and helping people visualize things, I want to be a visualizer for hire.

In what way does your art make you feel vulnerable?
My art doesn't really make me feel vulnerable, well not too much anyway. Maybe I used to have doubts about my abilities, but over time I was able to see a pattern emerge in the creative process, one which included making mistakes and throwing some things away. The cycle always comes back to finding something I like and am happy with. I don't really do any art that would expose myself so to speak, but there is always a feeling which is hard to pin down when I begin of an art piece, in which I think I'm not sure of what the outcome will be. Will it match my inner vision... or will it take on a life of it's own? I never know for sure... so I just keep on creating.

In what ways, if any, are you trying to make your business more earth friendly?
I began in the last couple years to use Low and No VOC paints, I still have a little of my older paints left but not much. For finishing products occasionally I use a water based polyurethane but more often I have been using a polymerized linseed oil with beeswax which is non toxic. It feels great when I clean my brushes in the sink, that what is going down the drain will not harm the environment.

What is your current project?
Currently I have been creating mirror and picture frames using reclaimed base board wood. I paint them with interior house paint. I create color patterns and textures on them. The current series I have been working on is influenced by Tibetan Buddhist Art. Many of these patterns are simplified representations of the basic elements like fire, earth, water, air and space. I also enjoy making these patterns come alive a little. I do not try to make them perfect... rather I like to see them dance on the painted surface with a bit of irregularity.

What is your next project?
I look forward to collaborating on some furniture pieces with Anne Steinle. She has given me a few chairs and stools to work on, some of them she has some specific Ideas about, and the others I will come up with the inspiration. I'd also like to some more paintings on canvas. I began a series of studies called "Shiny Things" and hope it will lead me somewhere.

Where and how can I find your work?
You can find my work currently at the Belle Mellange Gallery. Also I'd be happy to speak with you about commissioned work. My phone number is 607.227.5770 and my email address is maniscalco4@verizon.net