“Moments like this Mike are what makes the creation of my art worthwhile.
Without individuals like you, this would not have been possible”
That’s how my friend, artist Susan Olmetti chose to start a recent email.
What have I done to deserve such praise?
Frankly, very little.
All I did, and continue to do, is try and support Susan in her latest charitable venture.
Over 25 of Susan’s works and installations will be offered up for auction during the “Andersonville Arts Weekend” and proceeds from the sales will benefit the “The Chicago House“, a well renowned charity that provide housing and supportive services to HIV-affected families and individuals who may also be impacted by poverty, substance abuse, and mental illness.
The event will take place on the 2nd of October from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m, and is generously hosted at the SIR Spa at (5151 N Clark St. Chicago)
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For inquiries just email Susan at
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or call Pete Hillman, the SIR Spa’s owner at 773-271-7000.
Susan says that:
Life provides us so many opportunities to help others.
I guess this is something I believe in too.
With all my heart.
Which is exactly why I’m asking you to share this post onwards and spread the word.
One of the things I love most about the Web is how it has enabled all of us to connect and foster friendships with people we’ve never met.
People living in our apartment block, and people halfway round the globe.
People we wouldn’t grace with a glance on the street, and people we’ve admired from afar our entire life. People.
Susan Olmetti - artist and friend
I can’t recall how Susan and I met and frankly it doesn’t matter. I do remember the huge murals she created that were the reason for my initial fascination with her. Anyone with the energy to paint on such a colossal scale has my respect. Susan’s Biblical inspiration, vibrant colors and fundamental “Joie de vivre” are all things I relate to personally so our naturally a friendship developed.
Susan
About a week ago Susan emailed me and asked me to help her with the online publicity for her upcoming show. I’ve long thought it would be interesting to do an interview her here on my blog and this seemed like a great opportunity. I hope you enjoy it…
An interview with Susan
M:
“So Susan what was your inspiration for the ‘The Jonah Series?’”
Susan:
“My inspiration is my determination to overcome all adversity through my creation and live a happy and healthy existence by letting go of negativity. My new series is very chaotic in flow. I see it as an explosion of color.”
M:
“Sounds like we share that much in common. - I’ve long said that:
‘I do art because it makes me happy. Everything else is a bonus…’”
Susan:
“I’ve adapted over time.
I’ve developed a ‘You can’t hurt what you can’t touch (my heart)’ attitude, although I always struggled with maintaining this protective barrier in interactions with people close to me.
God forgave Jonah. From my perspective, it takes a lot to forgive people.
I have a personal secret with Jonah. I finds myself everyday uttering the words, ‘Not today,Jonah’ whenever I feel myself being pulled under by others around me. I find I’d prefer to say goodbye and let go because they people don’t change.”
Jonah
M:
“Which is your favorite piece in your coming exhibition and why?”
Susan:
“Well Mike they all are the same to me. I look at my art like they are my children and I do my best to love each and every one of them. They’re all different yet the same.”
M:
“Where did you meet Rachel Cohen-Lunning and Merrille Lichenstien-Cohen and how did the joint exhibition come about?”
Susan:
“Rachel and Merrille are sisters and they both lived in the Chelsea Hotel at one time. Rachel still lives there and Merrille moved right around the corner. I’ve known them for a decade and we all admire each others work and have wanted to do a joint exhibition for a long time. We’ve been working closely for a year now on this one.”
M:
“How did your relationship with the Tappan Z Gallery begin?”
Susan:
“I stumbled across his Gallery online. I contacted the gallery director and told him a bit about myself, my art, my long term goals. We clicked right away and I’ve been simply going with the flow.”
M:
“Well I wish you all the best of luck it’s been great chatting to you and I hope you send me pictures form the opening : )”
Well, that’s all for this morning…
As always, if you’ve enjoyed reading I’d appreciate it if you’d link back and share this with your friends.
Also if you’re an artist and would like to feature in an interview on my blog, or if you’re familiar with an artist whom you think might be interested, be sure to give me a holler. I’m always on the lookout for cool people to talk to… : )
Acclaimed artist Susan Olmetti will return to New York in the summer of 2009 for the unveiling of the Jonah series. Olmetti’s newest series of oil paintings are intertwined in a fluid movement and frantic energy.
Olmetti commonly refers to tackling a new creation as: “Setting out to kill the canvas”.
Her passion becomes interwoven with twists and turns of color communicated from the depths of her minds emotional darkness. The strength of her strokes gives life to her works with a mood akin madness. A menagerie of comically exaggerated characters take on a whimsical and humorous light. The obscurity of the figures reflect the bridling of spirit and entrapment of soul from those who want to be set free of that which binds them.
The song Open Season was originally written as lyrics for the debut album by the same published by my friend Oded Zukerman.
I think it’s high tim I republished it here as well
Open Season
Grandpa Box and Grandma Bag, you battered prune you barren hag. Cash in your bottles and get a gun. It’s open season it’s time for fun.
Save up on anger and reload hate. They had it coming it’s only fate. Slay that fucker and kill that bitch. It’s open season so let’s hunt the rich.
“Molesto” Molly and “Hot-Pants” Tom, you got kicked out by dear Dad and Mom. You work your ass and you pout your lip. Now get a chain saw and bring your whip.
Save up on anger and reload hate. They had it coming it’s only fate. Slay that fucker and kill that bitch. It’s open season so let’s hunt the rich.
Recently, at the recommendation of Ahuva Berger I bought myself a pro Flickr account. Ahuva was right, I’m enjoying the social interaction on Flickr immensely and I’m also constantly running into cool and interesting photographers and artists.
I guess I’m an ass for not realizing earlier on that I would enjoy a social network dedicated to images.
Normally I wouldn’t bother to blab about this but earlier today I bumped into someone truly extraordinary. His name is Merkley??? (question marks in the original), and his photography is exceptional, alluring, critical and intelligent. So much so that not only do I dig it entirely but I’m feeling jealous as well…
The long bizarre titles that Merkley??? bestows upon his work can only be described as Spam Art, yet Merkley??? is merely describing for us the reality he is shooting. Paradoxically because we judge Merkley???’s captions to be too absurd to be precise we cast aside the reality he creates, despite the fact that it is tangible enough to be captured on film (or memory card in this case). To add to the confusion, not all the objects in a Merkley??? photo were actually there when the shutter clicked. Merkley??? has no compunctions about using Photoshop to add objects, animals and sundry doodads into his photos after the fact.
Merkley??? is definitely not a “photographer’s photographer”. He holds nothing sacred in his process and from the little material I read from him before writing this I’m willing to venture that he actually takes pleasure in blaspheming against the traditional dogma of photography. I’d go so far as to say that blasphemy is the closest thing to a hobby that Merkley??? has.
BUT…
Despite the whimsical Redneckish vibe he exudes it is very clear that beyond the tomfoolery and clowning about Merkley??? is a serious artist, committed to his concepts and messages, and very much in tune with the culture his photographs so eloquently criticize. Merkley???’s commitment to art and dichotomous disdain for it’s trappings reminds me of Chuck Dodson and the rest of my friends from the Hot Springs art scene. I guess I feel the same way pretty often but being “A nice Jewish boy” I tend to repress it…
The widget below depicts Merkley???’s work - notice the captions. If it doesn’t appear try reloading the page.
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