Interview with Feature Artist Collaborator & Gallery Coordinator Sandy MacDonald
This Month’s Feature artist Collaborator is The Collaborative’s very own SAndy MacDonald, whose emotive and WHIMSICAL paintings are on display for the month of November — Think PORTRAITS of classic toys with a twist!
In an interview with us, Sandy discusses the origins of her toy portraits, the HUMANNESS of INANIMATE objects, favorite memories at The Collaborative, and more!
Sandy will be having an opening on Thursday, November 16th from 6-8pm.
Given that the work in your show centers around toy portraits, do you have early memories of owning any of the toys in your paintings? If so, which toy was your favorite and why?
No. None of these toys are from my childhood. I played with my toys; not a single one survived. My current toy collection started with Pez Dispensers in my 20’s. They had faces, so I didn’t have the heart to throw them out. Friends and family would give me theirs; this turned into a PEZ rescue/collection. I still have 200+ in a big box. The toys might not have survived my childhood, but the visuals and characters in cartoons did, especially Popeye. I always loved Olive Oyl and the way she held herself up.
Did you always want to be or know that you were an artist? Or, was there a particular moment in your life when you realized that the arts were something you wanted in your life?
I never really planned to be an artist, but my strengths have always been visual. After graduating with a BFA, I made a few attempts at producing and showing my work. Then I had pretty much put away my paints for a decade until my mid 30’s. I wanted to get back into painting, so I started with the object that began all this: my Olive Oyl PEZ. She had a certain vibe that spoke to me. The toys might have changed, but the intentions behind each painting hasn’t.
In your artist statement you write, "Even though [the toys] are inanimate objects, I don't perceive my work as “still life;” the angles and perspectives have almost a human quality to them - their look or physical language." Are there other toys or objects you have yet to paint that intrigue you in this same way? If so, what are the other items that have this human quality to them?
The big reason I never threw out those PEZ is because they had faces. I do see faces in a lot of everyday objects. They aren’t necessary to express human characteristics, but it does help. That being said, I once painted a can of beer because it looked put out and seemed to be humoring me.
When curating a show, whether at the The Collaborative or elsewhere, how do you chose the layout and order in which pieces are displayed?
Every space is different. I install the works to tell a story and to interact with each other. At the Collaborative, we have limited wall space; to install a show is like one big design. The works read from left to right and bring you back around again.
What is your favorite memory at The Collaborative?
I’ve been with The Collaborative since the start, so there’s too many memories list. I love laughing with so many folks. My favorite part as Gallery Coordinator is meeting so many creatives and having a part in their development as artists.
