by Franco Tarsitano
Christine Sikora, one of the original artist members and founders of Lemon Street Gallery opens her solo exhibit “Botany,” at the gallery through November 28, 2007. In a recent Kenosha Interview by Bill Robbins, Christine said,
“Maybe I love plants because they are related to the warmer seasons and to growth. It’s just that feeling you get when everything is growing and smells fresh – it’s life affirming.”
I got to preview the show at the opening reception and it is surely life affirming. Her plants and flowers are lively bright colors that bloom off the canvas and come to life giving her artwork personality and animation. I’m sure I heard one of them say “feed me”.
F. One of Lemon Street Gallery’s artist members told me how your work has evolved over the years. I learned for example that one of your solo exhibits was photography and that you started with collage. How have you reinvented yourself as an artist?
C. I have done so many different kinds of art throughout my life, “dabbling” I guess you’d call it. I dabbled in photography in the days of “film”, playing around with double exposing and manipulating images through collage techniques. When digital photography came along, I no longer saw a point to what I was doing.
F. I felt the same way.
C. I was taking the slow, risky route, when a new, quick risk-free method was available that produced quick and impressive results. The old way allowed me to “bond” with my work because it took planning and hands-on time. I love digital photography, but it does not have the hands-on quality I need in my art form.
I spent some time with hard shell gourds, making vessels. There was such a lag time from purchasing the fresh gourds, allowing them to dry over a whole winter, then scrubbing off the mold and cleaning out the insides, finally getting started on the artistic part. After doing them for a couple of years, I realized that my favorite part of the process was the last step, designing the vessel and painting it. I often painted vines, leaves, and flowers (surprise!)
F. LOL, that’s when you moved to painting on canvas?
C. When I finally got around to trying painting, I started with oils. Once I got a handle on the behavior of the materials and combined that with my developing style, I became more confident with the label “artist”. I am teased about my severe addiction to burnt sienna, but maybe I can explain that. It is not only warm and comfy to look at, it cooperates with me the best of all the oil colors. An analogy might be a relationship between people who seem to work well together, cooperate with each other, and feel at peace and totally relaxed together. I can always rely on burnt sienna oil paint to do the right thing at the right time for me. In return, I give it lots of glory on many canvases!
BUT, I’m over it!
F. So you didn’t like working with acrylic?
C. I tried working with acrylics several times, always going back to oils because of their slow drying time. I loved to create soft edges, which I could not reproduce in acrylic. On the other hand, I wanted to speed up the time it took to actually finish a painting. Oil paintings can take months if one is to add enough layers to get a strong, substantial image. I tried again over the summer to paint with acrylics, with a new exuberance. First, I discovered black gesso. I no longer had to be concerned with coverage of the white gesso, which can make a painting look unfinished. I allow the black to show, which actually seems to strengthen the colors and make the images “pop”. Additionally, I crawled out of the uptight perfection hole I was in, and adopted the free and spontaneous mode. Oh, what fun I am having! I’m now using every color I can buy or mix, even BLUE, which to me is the polar opposite of the “safe” burnt sienna. It’s not that I’ve deserted burnt sienna, I still love it, but I am developing some strong affection for quite a number of other colors, too.
F. However, you have a bit of a “green thumb?”
C. I’ve always been around plants. The family vacations my dad planned were always to natural places. I’ve never been to Disneyland or any other commercial vacation spot. Instead, we went to National and State Parks. We never experienced big cities, only the countryside, woods, lakes, the ocean, the desert. All that nature seeped into me and is now part of me. My mom always had things growing, from flower gardens and houseplants, to avocado seeds! Dad always had a vegetable garden, keeping our family supplied with fresh vegetables. He grew a few fruit trees, too, apples, pears, plums. In turn, my own children have never been to those commercial vacation spots. I truly do not understand what value those places have in the lives of children. My kids are adults now, and isn’t it wonderful when young adults, in today’s electronic world, can appreciate a delicate flower or a walk in the woods?
F. I know you went to art school, can you tell me a bit of your education?
C. I have not been to art school. I grew up with art in my life every day. My mother Diana Becker is an artist and has been her whole life. We always had art supplies and that is what I liked to do for play. I didn’t grow up with much television. Maybe that explains why I don’t watch it now as an adult. I’m not much of a spectator; I like to be an active participant in life.
I went into education in college, earned my BA from UW-Parkside, Masters from National Louis University, Evanston. I love teaching my third graders all subjects. When I was deciding about my career, I wasn’t sure whether our educational system would continue to value the arts. There are many school districts that have cut costs by eliminating the arts. So far, I am happy to report, that hasn’t happened here. I believe the nurturing of creativity is crucial in the development of our young people. Not only is it enriching culturally, creativity is a way of thinking. The ability to think creatively is valuable in every profession, as well as in our daily lives.
F. You are one of the original founding members of Lemon Street Gallery. Tell me a little bit about your involvement with it’s formation.
C. The small original group was diverse in terms of possessing the various necessary skills to make an art cooperative work. Melanie Hovey was the one gifted with the “big picture” vision. Others had particular interest and skill at implementing one or more of the many details involved in this endeavor. It was a learning experience for everyone involved. Nobody was the “expert”. It is the work and dedication of many fine people that has made this gallery grow into such a prominent position in the Midwest art scene. I am honored to be witnessing the evolution of Lemon Street Gallery, from its very beginning, through its recent growth spurt, and into the future.
Christine Sikora you have been “Exposed”.
Laura’s Solo Show “BOTANY” will be running up to November 25 at the Lemon Street Gallery
Franco Tarsitano is the General Manager of Lemon Street Gallery & Artspace, Inc.
Subscribe by Email
Follow EK in twitter
1 comment so far ↓
Christine’s artistic evolution has been phenomenal! Her paintings are not only beautiful, but she has developed a style that’s instantly recognizable. I look forward to seeing her current show.
Leave a Comment