JJ: No� Because my wife and I have watched each other work for years, we appreciate what the other does. Our work is extremely different; in fact it couldn�t be more so. Whereas I am perhaps more improvisational she tends to plot out her pieces. It�s almost like she�s a story teller or a filmmaker. JW: A narrative is important for her? JJ: Yes, a narrative framework that the piece grows out of. For me the narrative is my own experience; my sense of shared human experience; of space, of color, of atmospheric light, you know, all the elements that surround us on a daily basis. Those are the things that excite me; the act of being conscious. For instance, I�m a bird watcher and I almost never feel more conscious then when out looking at birds. You go out into the woods, scan the treetops and maybe there�s just a flicker of life. It�s analogous to painting I think (laughs). JW: But it does make sense. JJ: Well, you�re working along, making marks, shifting colors and forms and suddenly, the light comes in. JW: One thing I�d like to finish up with is how would you contrast operating a gallery in Brooklyn versus Manhattan? JJ: Yes, I was thinking about that question and I don�t think there is a huge difference. I think that the art world in New York is growing. Being in Brooklyn now� most of the artists live in Brooklyn, which is like a collection of small towns. Every town should have art, in my opinion. Coming from a small town that had an art museum, well, it gave me a special place to go and I feel I�m creating the same thing here. I want to provide an extremely high-quality esthetic experience as if the gallery were in Chelsea or anywhere else for that matter. |
