An artist profile of Vanessa Maltese.
Describe your process of creating a piece. What materials do you normally work in?
Most recently, I have been making paintings exclusively on birch plywood panels. All my paintings exist initially as small sketches that I enlarge with a projector. I base these sketches off ‘sets’ that I build of patterned fabrics and other things I find lying around my apartment. I am into collecting things, I have bags upon bags of fabrics, small pieces of wood that I have saved from the OCAD wood shop scrap bin and dozens of rolls of old wallpaper that I can’t seem to let go of. Sometimes the ‘sets’ I build exist as actual sculptures and other times I create them in the middle of my bedroom floor and destroy them once the painting is completed. I jump back and forth between oil and acrylic, and recently have been combining the two mediums in single works. Pencil marks sometimes get left behind as well.
What projects are you working on? What do you have coming up, any shows?
Over the past week I have been winding down from participating in this years Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition which was totally exhausting but fun. Projects, well painting is always an on-going project and whittling teeth out of found woods and drawing and sewing strange forms and building things.
When are you most productive?
I guess early morning, or late at night. Lately I have been all over the place, trying to find time in between being here and there to really sit down and focus. I cook myself lots of meals, I think that counts as being productive. Painting, baking, sewing, and making. It all counts as long as I am doing something that I can base my worth on.
When did creating art become something important in your life?
Ever since my grade 2 teacher Mrs. Andrews told me she liked my drawings. There have been times since then when I had convinced myself making things wasn’t that important, but eventually I realize I am just being stupid.
What are some of your favorite spots in the city? Some favourite places to go, eat, drink, bike ride?
My number one favourite place to eat is Utopia for a crispy vegetarian chicken burrito and a pint of KLB. If the line is long have someone save your spot and run around the corner to grab a scoop of chocolate peanut butter ice cream from The Big Chill. Eat it in line while waiting to be seated for dinner. Also St. Lawrence market on Saturday mornings for peameal bacon on a soft country bun, Montreal bagels and New Zealand honey. And the Monday market in Sorauren Park from 3-7 for bread from De La Terre. Oh and Brunch at Aunties and Uncles. Brunch anywhere actually, I love brunch.
I pretty much like riding my bike everywhere especially with friends to places far enough that when we dismount our bikes we can turn around and see the city skyline and pretend for a few hours that we aren’t in the city anymore.
Oh and also Simon Sushi at College and Spadina is especially delicious as well!
What are you currently obsessed with? Any blogs, pod casts, films, artists?
Bread and Honey blog, mostly because my sister Sabrina who is also my roommate is obsessed with it, and mostly because she’s really good at baking things so I always have tasty treats to come home too. Everyone should definitely try the no-knead bread recipe that you can find on this wicked awesome blog. As well, I am obsessed with cheese and chocolate and Beck and Knots by R.D.Laing, and this other book by M.D. Vernon called The Psychology of Perception.
What is your survival food? Cheap eats for the starving artist?
I wouldn’t say I am starving really, ever. Food is probably the best thing in the world, I think about it all the time. If I were starving though I would probably vote, apples, canned tuna wrapped in lettuce, granola, coffee, cheese, bread, eggs, more coffee, more cheese. Mostly cheese.
Any last words?
Eat chocolate everyday.
[rssbreak]
