Forces Bound to Coexist

When artists collaborate, it is like a world of creative possibilities. But what is a remarkable task in this process is the ability to work well together while developing ideas that will spark something new individually, and then collectively. For artists Nikki Brugnoli and Anne C. Smith, this task has become part of their professional lives, and though each artist individually showcases work, when the two collaborate, it becomes second nature to their overall process.

Brugnoli remarks on the close relationship the two of them share:

“It has always been a part of the widening conversations about our practices, our lives, our families, and our friendship - to connect in this way. [The past] 10 years have been fruitful and we've evolved from initially an academic mentorship to be very close friends; sisters,” she says.

The two first met at George Mason University in 2012, when Smith was a graduate student in the MFA program and Brugnoli was teaching and advising. Over time, they developed a bond discussing art, poetry, motherhood, and academia. They formed a deep friendship that would eventually evolve into that of collaborative creators.

Inspired Thoughts

Nikki Brugnoli, Horizon Lost, 2020.

When you look at Brugnoli and Smith’s works, you can’t help to notice the differences in their styles. Brugnoli works with screen printing, layers, mylar, and figurative aesthetics to her imagery, while Smith’s work tends to be more abstract in context. Both artists merge well from their distinct perspectives thanks to their deeper understanding of their inner visions and each other. They both produce beautiful work that converges to show similarities in subtle ways but still remains solely that one artist’s voice. 

Brugnoli’s work touches on metaphorical layers of depth, as one finds when viewing it, it is like uncovering pages upon pages of a bigger work, and when you find the gist, it is even more perplexing. As for Smith, her work is highly detailed as she plays with scale and ensures you take your time with every part of her art pieces; a fascinating way to appreciate the work itself. Both artists have a strong approach to their work, and it is that intentionality in technique and detail that allows for a beautiful coexistence when presenting their work together.

Brugnoli speaks on how important it is for her and Smith to get in touch with the physical aspects of their practices, and how this serves a greater purpose. “I think what stands out for us the most is our approach to materials. We are both very physical "makers" and we like drawing, as a practice, but also discuss drawing as a metaphor to larger ideas about our lives - like memory and ritual,” she says.

The differences in aesthetics between the two artists allow each to voice their opinions, consider new viewpoints and possibly take those in and implement them. They see this practice as essential to their collaboration style, which is open and communicative, and in turn, allows them to broaden their perspective, technique, and process.

Smith remarks on this experience, “Nikki always asked questions that took me aback because they were so direct and challenging! I really valued that, and our conversations helped sharpen my focus in the studio. I was also inspired by Nikki's resourcefulness and that she provided a sort of model for incorporating family and studio practice.”

Process Matters

Anne C. Smith, Sift, 2018. Artwork from the Forces Fleeting exhibit.

The behind-the-scenes collaboration between Brugnoli and Smith is what makes their work even more compelling. It takes time, effort, and communication to be able to work well with someone, but that’s not all. There also needs to be a sense of understanding of one another’s styles and a support system that holds space for creative freedom, where both artists feel comfortable creating and being expressive. In Forces Fleeting, their recent exhibit at the Athenaeum Gallery in Old Town Alexandria, Brugnoli and Smith both showcased dark color pieces that were contrasted by the materials each artist used, with Brugnoli using mylar, and Smith using ink-stained linen. Both sets of works allowed for the artistic elements in every piece to show the artist’s style and skillful technique in her own way.

For Brugnoli, the creative process can be transformative and helpful in accomplishing goals:

My practice is geared more toward process - a very clear process of incubation, ideation, and transformation that tends to be very immediate and intense. I tend to procrastinate and wait until only a small window of time remains to actually do the physical work, while months and months, even years, can go into the preparation and writing. 

 Anne and I decided in the beginning that we would document, via text message, email, etc our emerging conversations, specifically about Forces Fleeting, and use that as a springboard. All of the planning was very intentional. I think we both benefit from clear deadlines and the high expectations we have for one another to create our best and strongest work. There was never any question that the outcome of Forces Fleeting would only deepen our respect for one another as artists and friends. 

Nikki Brugnoli, Copper and Gold, 2021. Artwork from the Forces Fleeting exhibit.

In Forces Fleeting, both artists played into their differences and bond at the same time. They intermixed their personal process and individual experiences into an expanding universe, where their work created insight into one another in its own way. Brugnoli touched on thoughts of personal moments, time, and loss, in her layered technique, where dark and shimmering shades complemented her screenprinting. While Smith allowed for specific places and spaces to serve as a platform for her stance on how we live our lives as we move, drive, and explore from one place to another, and how all this adds to one individual, complex experience.

Smith remarks on this:

In our work, we've found connections between what we think about: landscape, place, and home. And also in our practices that fuel: walking, silkscreening, and drawing, for example. We've wanted to collaborate on a show for a long time, and we finally get to do that with this show, Forces Fleeting, at the Athenaeum. The work in that show touches on those overlapping themes, each with our own perspective and experience brought to the work. We're both working mostly monochromatically in these pieces, with areas of deep, dense black ink -- I think we both find poetry in those shadowed areas. By showing together, our work can have some of those conversations visually that Nikki and I have had in the studio over the years. 

Concluding Musings

Anne C. Smith, Point of Longing, 2020.

Successful collaboration is a fascinating thing, and in art even more so. What we see in Brugnoli and Smith’s work is the interconnectedness of two distinct forces in the art field that allow for growth and support in one another’s voices, own challenges, and sense of direction. 

Brugnoli points out, “For me, what reveals the strength of a successful collaboration is the shape of trust exchanged and created between two makers.” It’s true that this aspect can really build on the momentum of making things happen in a positive direction, and these two artists know exactly how to make that dynamic work for their individual and collective styles.

For Smith, there is an added intuitive exercise that allows for the creative success of their work together. She says, “There's a shared goal of wanting to see the other person realize their most gut-felt vision in a way that sings. With that kind of foundation, the outcome of the work grows naturally into something we're both proud of.”

Collaborative creativity can only flourish in places where it’s fostered. These places are found where even a challenge is seen as an opportunity to learn more about the process and how to better create together. That level of understanding is what Brugnoli and Smith share, and that synchronicity allows for a successful collaboration that can stand the test of time.

Today’s poem reflects on the blossoming collaboration between these two artists:

FROM THE SUN AND HER FLOWERS BY RUPI KAUR

it isn’t blood that makes you my sister

it’s how you understand my heart

as though you carry it

in your body

Making Things Whole

Our perspective on life is constantly being influenced by external factors. External influence has the capacity to sway the way we act, think, and feel. When it comes to what externalities we assimilate and make part of our beliefs and daily lives selectivity matters. Ana Rendich, an Argentine-born artist based in Virginia, is in tune with these external complexities and how to transform them into the paintings and sculptures she envisions and creates. 

Process 

Study, small work.

The way Rendich presents her artwork is selective, and it all begins with her unique creation process. Much like dissecting information, she is discerning on what matters to her first subconsciously, then consciously. She connects with her inner narrative to turn it into art. This process honors her strong sense for the creative process behind every piece. For Rendich, specific themes come to mind and act as primer for her creations.

She explains:

The base of my art is bringing presence through absence. There are different types of absences: not only physical absence, but also the lack of the fabric that could make us better human beings. All these have created the need to incorporate other elements, according with the sensibility of each piece, like the use or wood, metal and paper, besides oil, silicone, etc. I enjoy immensely the closeness with my materials, the tactile and physical connection too. It takes time to find materials that work with the guiding nature of my process. For example, I often visit lumberyards and I seldom find something that interests me. It takes time to find a piece of wood that I feel I can grow and work with.

Aesthetic 

Semilla, mixed media.

Some of Rendich’s works look like candy on the wall, especially her sculptures. Her use of color acts like an added element of surprise that blends in beautifully and intentionally. There’s structure to the color itself, which creates boundary-like effects on the paintings and sculptures. Where each space is defined within the whole. Almost portraying a sense of individuality to the piece itself and its shape and shade in relation to the rest, including the exhibiting wall space. 

“In both my paintings and my sculptures, color and shape are secondary to the overall composition. They are not separate elements—both form a symbiosis of the whole work. When I make an artwork that contains individual pieces, I always keep in mind that each piece belongs to the other part, and that the space that all the pieces occupy together is what makes the work,” Rendich comments. 

The use of color creates contrast within and around its outer space. Each shade does this in a non-restrictive way, as the edges are soft, yet it makes the viewer aware of the effect. The raised clear surfaces on the resin sculptures do a beautiful job at encapsulating an area and keeping it contained through an almost clear boundary. Every piece is timeless yet frozen in time, as it exists individually first, then in relation to one another - even in the sculptures she showcases as pairs.

Deeper Meaning

Untangling Single Vision, oil on linen.

In her latest exhibit, Untangling Single Visions, at the Quirk Gallery in Richmond, Virginia, Rendich showed how simplicity can unfold. Yes, a single idea can connect through shape or color in art, but these components, much like thoughts themselves, have the power to transform. All it takes is influence, perspective, and time of fill in the absence of what not yet exists in our minds.

She notes:

My creative process is very personal and internal. In general, it is about something that awakens in me and it is then that I have this need to create the work based on a deep-rooted sentiment that came to me. What influences me most probably is the absence of consciousness, the lack of empathy. All these “ingredients” that make us less human…so I need to bring some light, not with the intention of preaching or judgmental, but to reflect and contemplate in our humanness.

When closely observing her sculptures, you begin to appreciate the depth and complexity, much like our own thoughts. This to me is saying that when we unravel a thought or vision, it naturally can lead to more context, more information, more knowledge, to make that vision richer and whole. It provides us with perspective or that consciousness Rendich refers to. It is what we gain here that shapes us to continue becoming who we are meant to be as part of our human journeys. When we open ourselves to these possibilities, we become better versions of ourselves by becoming more aware of the world overall. 

As an example of how Rendich’s mind incites her creativity, she shares thoughts on her current projects:

Right now, I am making a couple works based on an event that happened in Argentina. In September 1976, 10 adolescents were abducted by security forces in the city of La Plata near Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is called the "Night of the Pencils" because they were students between 13 and 18 years old. Six of the 10 were never seen again. I grew up with violence, and the disappearance of human beings has created more questions than answers. I want to investigate visual ideas involving human loss through violence, bringing hope and healing joined together by our common humanity.

Concluding Thoughts

Untangling Single Visions, oil on linen.

We have the power to compartmentalize everything, be it thoughts, feelings, perceptions, or even material items. These pieces are part of something greater we have created even subconsciously with all the influence that surrounds us. Everything we experience, like these lovely artworks by Ana Rendich, matter.

For more on Ana Rendich’s work, please visit her website.

Today’s poem reflects Ana’s deep connectivity to humanity, what we lack, and what we need:

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud 

BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed—and gazed—but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

Pouring Meaningful Colors Into Art

Imagine a world where one’s race or class doesn’t provide a meaningful advantage toward their notoriety. We still have a while to get there. The good news is that today’s world is now taking notes on why inclusivity matters in art. Over time there has been an undermining of creative voices, especially those of women of color. These female artists haven’t been given an equal opportunity for the spotlight in all museums or galleries. By omitting their stories, there’s potential permanent damage to the history of art, which they are an important part of. 

Delita Martin, Soul Keeper, 2016; Gelatin printing, acrylic, conté, hand stitching, and decorative papers on paper, 52 x 41 in.; Private collection; Photo by Joshua Asante.

Virginia Treanor, associate curator at the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA), shares her thoughts on women of color artists’ importance. Also, two movers and shakers in the Latinx and Black art communities and beyond, artists Scarlett Baily and Tenbetee Solomon AKA Trap Bob join our discussion.

Solomon is a beloved artist in the D.C. community, who empowers viewers with her artwork to embrace authenticity and freedom. She has gained national notoriety by working alongside Refinery29, Giphy, Pabst Blue Ribbon, the Elizabeth Warren Campaign, BET, among others. She is also known for her eye-catching murals across the DMV area, and for promoting female creative opportunity through GIRLAAA.

Baily is a muralist and painter based in Mexico City. She intertwines cultural identity and cultural experiences. Baily showcases the duality of being Latinx from a personal and social perspective. She is also an advocate for women muralists through Mujeres Muralistas, a collaborative platform that brings attention to the street art form being embraced by female artists.

Know Your History 

Suzanne Coley, All I Have, 2018; Artist’s book; Courtesy of the artist; On loan from Private collection; Photo by Emily Shaw, Courtesy of Betty Boyd Dettre Library & Research Center.

It wasn’t until the end of the 19th century that a woman of color made her mark in the art world for sculpture. Mary Edmonia Lewis, "Wildfire," was the first African American woman sculptor to achieve national and international accolades. Augusta Savage, a Black sculptor from New York of the 1900s, on the other hand, was rejected from an art program in France during 1923 because of her race, yet became one of the leading artists of the Harlem Renaissance.

Notwithstanding these two documented historical accounts, it is hard to fathom the full extent of unrecognized artistic talent lying dormant in women of color since the 19th century. Challenges persist today in the form of lack of exposure and opportunity. Being a woman of color myself, it is natural to desire to see your cultural peers’ names displayed by a painting or sculpture in a variety of art expressions. 

The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) is a pioneering entity for representing all women, including women of color artists. During the past 30 years, they’ve held countless exhibits featuring such artists.

Treanor from NMWA comments:

There is no particular narrative that drives us to showcase a particular artist - it's the work itself that is the deciding factor. It's important not to pigeon-hole artists of color by showcasing work that is only about identity. There are many artists of color who make work that is not specifically about identity. This was explored in Magnetic Fields, which highlighted abstract works of art by African American and Caribbean women artists. Also, Colombian artist Fanny Sanín works exclusively in geometric abstraction.  

Scarlett Baily in front of her beautiful mural in Mexico City.

Artists should get a fair shot at having their work displayed, without being corralled into an identity-based category. Sure, there are cultural aspects of works that allow audiences to learn more about the artist’s journey and reason behind the work. Fairness also calls for a delicate balance between works that represent culture and those that do not. Some artists do share their through cultural identity, as Solomon and Baily do, and that should be represented by art entities as organic expression without labels. 

Baily expands on her vision of culture and art:  “Everything I read about Mexico was negative, you never really heard about other things. I wasn’t really  taught to value my own culture, but instead to negate the noise. This is when I felt the strong need to tell our story of what makes us unique, to talk about the journey, and to diversify how people are perceiving Latin culture. I felt I had so much work to do to recuperate this. You have to work from the heart. I hope my kids are born loving their heritage instead of having to recreate it. It’s okay to be bi-cultural. It’s cool and it’s a superpower. This is the time to use your art as a benefit.”

Making a Difference

Magdalena Cordero, Poems by Gabriela Mistral, Translations by Ursula K. Le Guin, Long Chilean Gaia, 2016; Artist’s book; Photo by Emily Shaw, Courtesy of Betty Boyd Dettre Library & Research Center.

There is so much depth to be explored artistically aside from how women of color choose to express their cultural identities. These artists should prominently be part of all museums and galleries as they are telling an important story, the artists’ story, that is frozen in time in their art. Through abstraction (like renowned artist Alma W. Thomas), minimalism (like Zilia Sánchez Dominguez), and installations (like Teresa Burga). 

Solomon comments, "I think in the past women of color's voices were not accounted for as they are now, so it automatically will create change and influence moving forward. Our perspective and creativity is not subtle, it's impossible for us to not make noise. Most importantly, I think it will open the flood gates to other women of color wanting to enter the industry, but maybe never saw a place for themselves or didn't have anyone they could relate to, to look up to. I myself was in that position before I became an artist, never even thought it was a possibility for me. Now things are so different, it's beautiful and really gives me a sense of pride." 

An inclusive stance creates a rich, collective art history, one that future generations will share and learn about. Inclusivity should, like justice, be “blind,” and that calls for more opportunities for women of color artists. Through fellowships, scholarships, art gallery and museum exposure, and in art careers generally. 

TRAP BOB alongside her colorful, empowering artwork.

“There has clearly much more of a push among galleries and museums to showcase artists of color over the past few years - and women, too! As demonstrated in my response above, NMWA has been dedicated to doing this from its beginning (the museum opened in 1987) but we are thrilled to see such a commitment from other institutions and we hope that this trend will grow and continue,” says Treanor.

Treanor is right, as it is not a trend, it is a call for a consistent implementation of art practices going forward that will make a difference. The current need for more inclusiveness within the art world will lead to increased demand for women of color artists, which will then lead to two important things: increased value of women of color artworks and leveling out the legacy women of color artists leave behind as part of the collective art narrative, which will then become part of art history.

Baily recognizes recent changes in the art scene for women of color artists. “It’s changing. Female artists have fought their way to be in a man’s territory. It has been incredible to see this fearlessness, you just see that women are not waiting for permission anymore, they’re just doing it. For many years, we haven’t been celebrated the way we should have,” she points out. 

According to artnet News, “Just 11 percent of all acquisitions and 14 percent of exhibitions at 26 prominent American museums over the past decade were of work by female artists. According to a joint investigation by artnet News and In Other Words, a total of 260,470 works of art have entered the museums’ permanent collections since 2008. Only 29,247 were by women.” An astounding fact that shows the challenges women artists face as a collective. These numbers also show the imbalance women of color artists face, as they make up a lesser percentage of the total works displayed by women artists.

Yes, things are improving and it’s important to constantly promote inclusiveness in the arts. Not just for artists, but also for people who work behind the scenes in the art community like curators, museum directors, and creative directors. The path is there for these women artists to have a bigger voice, but it needs a collective effort originating behind the scenes, including from those in prominent positions within the art world.

Today’s poem illustrates the hope and beauty that is found in diversity:

Give Me Your Hand

by Gabriela Mistral

Give me your hand and give me your love,
give me your hand and dance with me.
A single flower, and nothing more,
a single flower is all we’ll be.

Keeping time in the dance together,
you’ll be singing the song with me.
Grass in the wind, and nothing more,
grass in the wind is all we’ll be.

I’m called Hope and you’re called Rose:
but losing our names we’ll both go free,
a dance on the hills, and nothing more,
a dance on the hills is all we’ll be.