Exclusive interview with Alexis Arnold

Alexis Arnold is an artist that turns usual objects into sculptures. We found her work very creative and impressive and we wonder how her sculptures come to life on the artist imagination and inspiration. You can find more about Alexis in this exclusive interview.

“You can find more about Alexis Arnold in this exclusive interview.”

How and why did you get into the art Industry? Where did you study, etc?

Art has been a passion of mine as long as I can recall. I was fortunate to receive wonderful art exposure and instruction throughout childhood, which led me to pursue a BA in Art, with a concentration in Furniture Design and Fabrication, at Kenyon College. After college, I worked building sculptural staircases for a little while before going to Barcelona to live abroad and make art pre-graduate school. I received an MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute in 2010, and have been working in the arts since, along with art teaching and other odd jobs along the way. While I didn’t always envision getting to work for myself as an artist for a living, I always knew I would be doing something creative…or working with dogs.

How would you describe your style? How varied are your work? Do you have a signature touch in your works?

I don’t set out to have a signature style and enjoy varying my materials and methods; however, once I look at my work together, I see stylistic and thematic connections.

What do you love about being an artist?

I get to work for myself making art, and everyday is different! There are plenty of challenges involved, but I feel pretty fortunate to be able to spend time on my art, and share it with others. I also love the community aspects and exposure to other art and artists.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

My inspirations vary. Many come from the materials or processes I use, other inspirations hail from nature (often geologic in origin), visual perception, day-to-day life, and subconscious places I can’t explain.

See more creative sculptures HERE!

What are some of your most popular works? Tell us a bit about some of your works and what you love about them. What’s your favorite and why?

The Crystallized Book Series has been the most popular of my series. I particularly enjoy creating commissions of specific titles for collectors, as well as how each no two crystallized books will ever be the same.

I don’t have any favorite pieces and my preferences change regularly. I enjoy experimenting and constantly working on new things. Of my most recent work, I enjoy the Concentricretions series (geode-like, wall-mounted sculptures of cast concrete, spray-painted plaster, and foam) as they present a nice play of materials, have a strong visual presence, and can be varied in a myriad of ways, both within each sculpture and in installation. I also enjoy the Little Universes series (small, free-standing sculptures of cast concrete, spray paint, and optical glass spheres) as they demonstrate visual perception and misperception through interesting material juxtapositions. The experience of them is constantly shifting, and there are also many varieties possible within the series.

Is there anything exciting that you are working on at the moment that you can tell us about?

I have work in a few group shows in the San Francisco Bay Area and elsewhere in the country over the next few months, as well as work continuously available through the Aspen Art Museum in Aspen, CO. I am also creating centerpiece works of Crystallized Books for the Berkeley Public Library Foundation Authors Dinner in February 2016. Additionally, I am collaborating with a friend for her jewelry line, Stella Fluorescent, on a line of basalt column inspired jewelry.