Interview by Jimon

1-One word to describe Shai?  If you can give up on that question, I’d be glad. I just can’t come up with anything.

2-Where do you currently live and create?  In Cologne, Germany, in a one-year residency program with my wife, artist Naama Roth, and our child, Elish.

3-When did you first realize you wanted to become an artist?  When I realized I couldn’t do anything else.

4-Did you have any formal education or training?  Yes, I graduated from the art department of the Bezalel Academy in Jerusalem,  Israel.

5-Who are some of the artists or movements that have influenced your style?  Too many to name. I fall in love too easily and too  fast.

6-Are there non-artistic influences that play a role in your creative process, such as literature, music, or nature?  Yes.

7-What role does your personal background or culture play in your work?  I don’t think my work would exist without both. Sometimes I wish there was less of it,  it would be free of my world, so to speak, but I am at an age where I am coming to terms with limitations.

8-Can you walk us through your creative process, from initial concept to finished piece?  There is no initial concept. There are definitely thoughts, but they are usually about a certain color or shape, at least in the beginning. After that, things usually come together on their own.

9-Do you follow a daily routine or ritual when creating art?  I usually start a work day by sitting and staring for a long while. It can be something I am currently working on or just a blank surface. I will probably attend to it for a while and then move on to other paintings I am working on at the time.

10-Is every piece you create pre planned or spontaneous?  Nothing is pre planned except the plan to work. But nothing is really spontaneous either- sorry for the cliche but my subconscious works overtime.

11-Is there a message or emotion you’re trying to convey with your art?  I really hope not.

12-What is the most challenging part of being an artist?  The absurdity of it.

13-What do you find most rewarding about being an artist?  I get to paint and call it work. What could be better than that!

14-How do you balance the commercial aspects of art with your creative vision?  If you can give up on that question, I’d be glad. I just can’t come up with anything.

15-How do you measure success as an artist?  When I am jealous of them.

16-What are some mistakes or lessons you’ve learned along the way?  I have learned to pay more attention to my own instincts and to believe in myself.

17-How do you stay motivated over long periods, especially when not actively exhibiting or selling work?  Motivation has never been a problem.

18-Do you create with an audience in mind, or is your work more personal?  I see no contradiction. My work is very personal, but there’s always an audience in mind. It could be a particular painter, or a friend, or an enemy, or even my mother.

19-How do you feel about the role of galleries and social media in showcasing art today?  I don’t feel much.

20-How do you manage the business side of being an artist (marketing, sales, etc.)?  I have no problem sharing my work, but I have never enjoyed the practical business side. I would have liked to, but I don’t.

21-What role do you think art plays in society?  I truly believe that art profoundly changes people’s lives and their perception of everything. It may be subtle, and it may take more than a single look, but this stuff is powerful.

22-If you weren’t an artist, what do you think you would be doing?  I dread the thought.  I would probably be a clerk somewhere, slowly losing my mind.

23-The future is ————–unpredictable .

24-You have unlimited money to buy one piece of art what would it be?  Would probably buy NFT. We have no available space in the house for more artworks.

25-How would you like to be seen as an artist years from now?  A good artist would be enough.

26-Do you have a place/person/thing that you visit for inspiration?  The most constant pillar of fire in my studio would be music. It mostly ignites me to be a follower.

27-Name three things you can’t live without in your studio?  Music, coffee, paint.

28-How would someone find you on social media?  Instagram @shai_yehezkelli