Los Angeles based Art educator and award winning fine artist and public artist Caryl M. Christian Levy gives a rare glimpse into her views as an artist in this informative exclusive interview by The Hollywood Sentinel.
Artist Biography and Statement
As an artist, my painting and studio work comes from a Midwestern influence during the late 60’s and early 70’s. Most of us working during this decade saw the shift in object to process, the impact upon my studio art manifests in current installations created with my long time art collaborator and husband, John Levy. These monumental installations touch every aspect of my art and performance music background in addition to combining my tendency towards collaborative projects.”
-Caryl M Christian Levy
Hollywood Sentinel: What is your music background and why is music important to you?
Caryl M. Christian Levy: I was lucky to be a part of a very musical family environment. The musical languages were easy for me and I excelled in keyboards and stringed instruments. I actually began my arts interests as a musician, which has now manifested itself in my public artworks that combine bas relief-sound-composed musical scores and lighting performance.
Hollywood Sentinel: Why is art so important to you?
Caryl M. Christian Levy: Art is my contribution to the contemporary act of living. It is my method for sharing experience and joy.
Hollywood Sentinel: I love that. Who are some of your favorite living and non living artists and why?
Caryl M. Christian Levy: Favorite is a misleading word for me as I have a very broad litmus of appreciation. I think i have favorites in many genres, but some artists that have been very influential. The impressionists first opened my palette to understanding color and my mother along with many Western representationalists I revere for the technical drawing and line they can express.
Hollywood Sentinel: Are you able to like artwork by a artist you don’t like personally due to their politics or similar? Why or why not?
Caryl M. Christian Levy: Again, like is like favorite. If I have difficulty engaging a work due to the content, then I can admire the skill or technique but may not engage the work because of the content.
Hollywood Sentinel: What is superior, classical realism such as by the masters, or modern contemporary abstract? Why?
Caryl M. Christian Levy: They are both the same for me – they just use different languages to express formal aesthetics.
Hollywood Sentinel: I love that too! How can a modern artist be revolutionary with their work? Should they be?
Caryl M. Christian Levy: “Nothing is new.” Yet, everything is new the first time it is viewed.
Hollywood Sentinel: I love your views Caryl! Thank you for this discussion, I look forward to talking with you again soon.
Caryl M. Christian Levy: Thank you!
To be continued in a future edition of News Blaze.
For more information on artist Caryl M. Christian Levy, and to see her work, visit her official website at:
