Category: Art & Culture

Psalm and Celebration 
by Holly Markhoff 
In the Bodzin Art Gallery until June 26, 2026 

Holly Berger Markhoff is a contemporary mixed media artist known for her figurative and expressive paintings.  Her work incorporates sculptural elements as she builds up paint between layers of glaze, creating a glass-like translucence. Holly lives in Richmond, Virginia, and her work can be found in galleries; private, nonprofit, corporate, and museum collections; and staged in the 2021 Hulu mini-series, Dopesick. 

For several years, Holly was my counterpart at the Sara D. November Gallery at the Weinstein JCC in Richmond. Curator to curator, we would share ideas and introduce each other to artists. On a visit to NYC last spring, I happened upon the Heller Museum at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Greenwich Village and saw Holly’s name included in a group exhibition called Seeking Joy. I hadn’t known she was an artist, and this show emerged from that auspicious gallery visit.  

Psalm and Celebration is a commentary about the gift of resilience and responsibility to move forward during or following times of loss and challenge. It was inspired by her personal reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic and international tensions and tragedies, including those in Israel beginning on October 7, 2023.  

I’m delighted to share my conversation with Holly, curator to artist, about her show.  

You describe this body of work as holding both grief and celebration. How do you visually balance those emotional opposites within a single piece? 

I visually balance grief and celebration by allowing both emotions to exist subtly within the same scene. Much of my work has always centered on uplifting moments, hopefulness, and the sacred beauty found in everyday life. The prolonged experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the devastating loss and conflict in Israel on and after October 7th, challenged me to explore how joy can still exist alongside profound sorrow. 

That tension became an important question in my work: how can my art honor pain and loss while still offering optimism, continuity, and hope? In response, I began curating a collection of pieces that hold these emotional opposites together rather than separating them. 

Silent Celebration, created in 2022, was the first work in which I consciously explored this balance. The women in the painting wear festive clothing and party hats, symbols of joy and celebration, yet their expressions are quieter and more restrained. Visually, the piece carries both warmth and emotional weight, reflecting the reality that even in moments of celebration, someone nearby may be carrying deep sadness. 

That painting became the foundation for the larger body of work, Psalm and Celebration. Centered on the idea that joy can coexist with grief, and that celebration expressed with humility and sensitivity can itself become a form of resilience and hope, the collection is deeply rooted in Jewish tradition. Beneath the joy of the wedding chuppah, a glass is broken, suggesting that it is a sacred responsibility to remain sensitive to brokenness while also celebrating life and engaging in repair. 

Shabbat and Simchat Torah appear in your art, among other Jewish imagery. When did Judaism start to inspire the content of your art?  

It is through my art that I began to recognize how deeply I see and express the world through Jewish eyes. I did not begin by consciously setting out to create “Jewish art.” Rather, over time, I began to notice that many of the artists and works I was most drawn to were created by Jewish artists. That realization helped me understand that my own work also carries a distinctly Jewish voice, even in pieces that are not overtly Judaic in subject matter. 

During my time as curator of the Sara D. November Gallery at the Weinstein JCC in Richmond, Virginia, I had the privilege of looking closely at the work of other artists. I absolutely loved that process, and I grew as an artist by being exposed to so much beautiful artwork. I discovered a number of qualities I value and would like to continue or develop in my own work. I still spend many hours learning from the works of other artists through museum and gallery visits, websites, and social media. 

I think that my specifically Judaic work has been shaped by a lifelong involvement in Jewish learning and education. I have taught Hebrew language and Judaic studies for more than 25 years, and I have also continued with ongoing Judaic education through courses, workshops, and educational opportunities.  Judaism offers me a deep sense of beauty and a meaningful view of the world. I think the optimism that runs through much of my work is inspired by Jewish concepts such as the belief in sacredness, resilience, responsibility, and hope. 

Your art has been inspired by Amadeo Modigliani (1884–1920, Italy – and Jewish!) and Gustav Klimt (1862 – 1918, Austria). Can you share more about these inspirations in your artistic process for this body of work? 

Both Amedeo Modigliani and Gustav Klimt have had a large influence on my artwork, though in different ways. I am especially drawn to the gold highlights in Klimt’s paintings, which inspire my use of materials and detail work, such as the metallic gold throughout much of my own work. When many of my pieces are viewed under proper lighting, the golden accents become more pronounced and bring an added dimension and luminosity to the paintings. I am also inspired by Klimt’s intricate patterning, rich textures, and his expressive portrayals of women.  

I also love the work of Modigliani, and his influence can be seen more in the composition, movement and emotion of my figurative pieces. I am inspired by the body language in his work and the way his figures communicate feeling through their posture, gesture, and elongated form. 

What advice do you have for aspiring artists? 

Create a space where your artwork can remain set up, and dedicate consistent time to practicing. I believe making art is about much more than waiting for creativity or inspiration to happen. Some of my most creative pieces have emerged after spending time on the more tedious details of other works, or even simply organizing my studio. If you give yourself the consistent time and space, the rest will follow! 

Take photos of your work, both completed and in stages of progress. Keeping a visual record allows you to track your growth, revisit ideas, create reproductions, and better understand how an idea has developed. 

Keep in mind that the way you frame or present your work communicates its value. Think about how meaningful a gift feels when it is beautifully wrapped and thoughtfully presented. Presentation shapes the initial perception people have of your art before they even begin to engage with the work itself. If self-hanging work, don’t clutter. Less is more! When framing, no frame is better than a noticeably damaged frame or one that doesn’t present the work well. 

The power of a cohesive body of work will open doors. One exceptional piece can spark recognition and boost confidence, but a thoughtfully connected collection of work makes a powerful statement when presenting yourself for potential opportunities or to galleries.  

Find a good mentor, someone you feel comfortable with, and who is willing to share their journey and guidance. Learning from someone else’s experience is very valuable.  

Dream BIG, while also setting small, manageable goals that will help build confidence and develop a following of people who recognize your work. Powerful pieces will always be noticed, but building a career as an artist is a step-by-step process. One of the most important parts of that journey is developing a style or voice that people recognize as uniquely yours. 

WANDER 
Photography by Matt Makara  
In the Bodzin Art Gallery: February 3 – March 9, 2026 

I was introduced to Matt Makara because my friend bought one of his photographs at the Workhouse Arts Center’s Arches Gallery when she came to visit me. (I’m also the curator there.) For her, Matt’s work evoked a sense of calm she wanted to introduce into her home space.  After getting to know Matt, I realized that that sense of calm is part of who he is. Like many artists and scientists, his demeanor and ethos are apparent in the work he does. 

Aside from being a talented photographer, Matt also holds a master’s degree in public health. He has worked for and consulted with nonprofits and federal agencies on initiatives to educate and engage stakeholders on health-related issues.  

Matt was diagnosed with an invisible autoimmune illness and has found that the arts have helped him process his diagnosis and make the necessary physical and mental adjustments required to live with his symptoms.   

Here’s what Matt has to say about his artistic influences and how he balances his photography practice with his autoimmune disease. 

How did you get your start as a photographer, and what keeps you going? 

My interest in photography began in tandem with traveling. I wanted to capture the places I was visiting.  

I’m mostly self-taught. My approach began with a point-and-shoot camera in automatic mode and the mindset that taking more pictures is better. It has evolved into traveling with photography as a main purpose and a more refined and intentional approach to the images I make. Photography has been a primary interest of mine since around 2019, which also coincided with making changes in my life due to emerging health concerns. 

I’m primarily a nature photographer. A sense of exploration and an enjoyment of being outside play a large role in keeping me going. There are endless places to explore, and the scenery can change day to day. I hope that the images I make encourage other people to explore and conserve the outdoors as well. 

You make digital photos, but you’re also into the pre-digital processes such as wet plate collodion, platinum and palladium, cyanotype, oil, gum bichromate, salt, and dry plates, and you have a collection of antique cameras. How easy is it to access these art forms in 2026, and what can you share about using analog equipment in a heavily digital age? 

When I started focusing more on photography, I quickly became interested in learning about the evolution of the art. After a brief foray into film and large format photography, I went even further back and started learning about the handmade photographic processes. For me, this was mainly platinum and palladium and cyanotype. I was fortunate to find classes in the region and really like that there is ample room for creativity in the processes to make unique pieces.  

There has been a bit of a resurgence in film photography over the past few years, and it is quite accessible. There are niche offerings for some of these other processes and a small but growing community of practitioners. 

As for the antique cameras and equipment, I’ve always been a collector of sorts. It’s been really fun learning about, and obtaining, cameras that were used at various points in history. I enjoy thinking about all the images that they may have made and the people that may have used them.  

I have cameras and lenses dating as far back as the 1850s, and I always have my eye out for new and unique things. It’s hard to pick favorites, but one is a piece known as a multiplying camera from the late 1800s that was originally used to make up to 27 small images on a 5×7 tintype.  

Using the old equipment also helps you appreciate the efforts that previous generations had to go through, the knowledge they had to have, and the ingenuity they needed to create their images. Furthermore, since all of the old equipment is manually operated, working with it helped to facilitate my use of digital equipment in manual modes, as well. 

A Joyful Noise: Photographs of Klezmer Musicians  
In the Bodzin Art Gallery December 15, 2025 – January 26, 2026 

Closing reception and klezmer concert with Mrs. Toretsky’s Nightmare
January 24, 2026
7:00 PM-9:00 PM 
Register here

Fun fact: The very first time I showed my art outside of school was at the Bodzin Art Gallery (yes, this very one) in 2007 in a group photography exhibition called Living Tradition, curated by Lloyd Wolf.  Sharing Lloyd’s A Joyful Noise: Photographs of Klezmer Musicians is quite a full-circle moment — and a blessing. 

The exhibit’s 45 dynamic images serve as a large-scale glimpse into Lloyd’s A Joyful Noise: Klezmer in Motion. The book, published in 2025 by the Klezmer Institute, contains three decades worth of Lloyd’s photographs depicting historic and modern klezmer musicians. These photographs sizzle with energy, capturing the soul and sound of the performers in visual form. Books will be available for purchase at the J. 

For me, Lloyd Wolf is kind of a big deal. Here’s what he has to say about his work and this exhibition.  

Your documentary photography spans many topics from musical movements (klezmer, the Grateful Dead) to the diversity of our local community (Columbia Pike Documentary Project (CPDP) to Jewish joy in your Jewish Mothers and Jewish Fathers series and Jewish pain in your March of the Living series. It’s all so very… human. How do you decide what to turn your lens toward and share with others? 

Hard question! The camera has given me a visa to travel into many aspects of life. Some projects I have done that were particularly meaningful came from editorial or non-profit organization assignments; others were self-directed.  

My personal strengths and interest are in exploring the human condition. I am interested in how individuals and communities experience life and have done numerous projects exploring both the joys and travails of existence.  

I have obviously done quite a bit of work in the Jewish community. Coming to grips with my own, with our, Jewish identity, particularities, history, customs, and culture is something I can interface with in depth using a camera.  

The ongoing DC street shrines to homicide victims photographs (Shrines – Washington’s Other Monuments) come from my work volunteering with “Shooting Back” and “Streets to Skills,” programs where I and other artists mentored homeless and formerly homeless kids in photography. I developed a close relationship with one of the kids I worked with, Dion Johnson. During the 1990s he lost four relatives to murder in 13 months. It was terribly hard on him.  

I began to have a more visceral awareness of the impact ongoing violence has in our society and how society at large so often ignores the fundamental causes of violence, particularly when it occurs in minority communities. Each person killed is an entire world — a fundamental Jewish concept. 

I am not a public policy expert, police officer, elected official, or social worker, but I know art can be the catalyst for conversation and action.  

When did you start making photos of klezmer musicians, and when did you know it was going to be an ongoing project and book?  
 
I was 40 years old when this collection of photographs began. In December 1992, I got an assignment from Jeff Rubin, then the editor of Bnai Brith’s magazine, Jewish Monthly. I was sent to New York City to do a photo essay on two of the new klezmer revival groups, Kapelye and the Klezmatics.  

I met up with Kapelye at a rehearsal space in the Workman’s Circle building. It was a plain room, and I had to light the whole thing in order to render the pictures at magazine-quality on transparency film. It made things a bit awkward with the big strobe lights flashing.  

I didn’t know any of the members — Henry Sapoznik, Adrienne Cooper, Ken Maltz, Eric Berman, and others — who put up with the interference with grace and began to weave their musical spells. I can’t recall the particular melody but do remember being in awe of Adrienne Cooper’s deep, commanding, matronly voice and presence.  

The next night I was to meet Frank London from the Klezmatics at the Bottom Line club. We talked and shared a meal before their show, and we hit it off. Here was a Jew of my generation, who fully expressed his passion and art in an explicitly ethnic context, and with exceptional skill and brio.  

He, and the other band members at the time — Dave Licht, Alicia Svigals, David Krakauer, Lorin Sklamberg, and Paul Morrisett — delivered a masterfully exhilarating concert, with music I had never heard expressed so vividly and knowledgably. Their rendition of the Chasidic tune “Shnirele Perele” (String of Pearls) opened up something deep, a grand opening of the soul in sound. 

I began to photograph their other performances when I could and, as time went on, to document other klezmer ensembles, sometimes on assignment but more often to fulfill my growing interest in and love for the music and the musicians themselves. I began to know more about the music — the repertoire, the history, the practitioners, the dances and other cultural expressions associated with it.  

From one side of my family background and school studies, I had a passing knowledge of German and, because of linguistic relationships, was able to appreciate bits and pieces of Yiddish, intertwined with the music. I had heard what we now term klezmer music at my mother’s parents’ home in the Bronx, where the radio was often tuned to the Yiddish station, but I did not consciously know of or listen to the music until the late 1980s.  

As my relationship with the scene grew, I created album cover art for some of the bands, and after some time realized I had created a perhaps unique archive of many of the musicians and the music itself, though in visual rather than sonic form. I have photographed hundreds of bands and individual performers, from the internationally known to small community ensembles and one-gig projects.  

Somewhere about 10 years ago, I realized I had a unique and coherent collection of work and began the process of getting the work published in book form. It took some time to get the right publisher, but the work of three-plus decades has come to fruition in what I trust is a meaningful, uplifting, and engaging form. 

This body of work has concentrated my focus and held my attention for over three decades. I just like klezmer music. A lot. And I trust the pictures convey some sense of what I find so compelling about it. 

Taking photos at a concert with low lighting and lots of movement poses some challenges. Tell us more about how you overcome those obstacles with the right equipment. When do you know you’ve captured a winning shot? 

This project was made over three decades, so the technical issues have changed. In the first years using film, it was harder to render indoor concert performances with any assurance. There were some very high-speed black and white films available by 1992, but they were rather grainy, and I couldn’t predict the outcomes with much certainty — both technically and aesthetically.  

In the Bodzin Art Gallery October 28 – December 15, 2025 
Each year, the J seeks fine art and craft to feature in its Annual Open Exhibition, highlighting the creativity and talent within our community. This unjuried show is open to all artists 18+ who are members, staff, or friends of the J.  

This year, 27 artists are showing their creations, and each has a unique approach to making their art. Sarah Berry, the curator of the Bodzin Art Gallery, interviewed three returning Open Exhibition artists to learn more about why this exhibition is important to them. 

“Community is such an important concept for Jews,” says fiber artist Rachel Braun. “I love being part of a community of artists. Visiting the exhibition and seeing the variety of expressions, the choice of themes, and the engagement with raw materials is astonishing, and it mentally expands my relationship with my own medium.”  

Rachel Braun had a solo exhibition, Embroidery and Sacred Text at the Bodzin Art Gallery in 2019 to dovetail with the release of the same-titled book of her Judaic needlework, and continues to enjoy showing at the J.  

“It is important to me as a Maryland resident to be participating with the Virginia Jewish community,” Braun says.  “We are incredibly lucky in the DC area to have a broadly unified community. It’s a tough time in the Jewish world right now, so being in community with one another shores up our sense of klal Yisrael — our inseparability and mutual devotion.” 

Kelly Snyder, a self-described “eclectic artist that creates on whims,” has shown in several previous Open Exhibitions and in Choosing Peace, an exhibition mounted in the Bodzin Art Gallery in 2022 in partnership with the Fairfax Art League. “I am drawn to making art that is fun and playful, and I love that all ages get to admire the art at the J,” says Snyder.  “I once heard that a child was admiring one of my pieces and it made my day!” 

Longtime member Marilyn Feldman talks about her connection with the J fondly, saying “I definitely have a long-term personal relationship with the J! We live close by, our children grew up here, and now I spend quite a lot of time here. The Bodzin Art Gallery is an integral part of the J, and the open exhibit is of particular importance as it provides the member artist an opportunity to visually communicate with the viewer  –  fellow J  members and guests, lots of them.”  

Marilyn is a ceramic artist, creating functional hand-built pieces. She has participated in many of the Open Exhibitions over the years. “In December 2024 a woman said to me, ‘I bought your piece because it spoke to me.’ An artist can’t ask for anything more.”   

The 2025 Open Exhibition features work in an array of media, including photography, ceramics, painting, paper arts, fiber, and more.  

Participating Artists, 2025: 
Larisa Ayash, Joel Boches, Rachel Braun, Eric Coulter, Spoorthi Dandridge, Marilyn Feldman, Jim Finkel, Bill Firestone, Nataliya Gurshman, Melinda Hofstetter, Michele Holtzman, Jinny Isserow, Alan Kolnik, Richard Levine, Naomi Lipsky, Lisa Miller, Catherine Mommsen Scott, Sylvie Muldoon, Sophia Pineda, Alyse Radenovic, Melinda Roth, Cynthia Schoeppel, Kelly Snyder, Monica Tucker-Harley, Sarah Vejvoda, Varia Voloshin, Elizabeth Wassel 

Curator, Sarah Berry, and the Community Impact and Engagement team invite you to visit the Bodzin Art Gallery and enjoy the Open Exhibition and the artistic and community spirit that thrives here. 

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Your support will help us bring diverse and inspiring cultural arts programs to our community. By donating to the Pozez JCC’s cultural arts programs, you will make it possible for us to host events and showcase a variety of artists and exhibits, including those in the Bodzin Art Gallery. Your contribution directly enriches lives through the power of art.  
Donate Now 

Upcoming Events with the Artist (RSVP required):

Meet the Artist Reception: Thursday, September 18, 2025, 7pm-9pm
Children’s Shadow Puppetry Workshop: Sunday, October 26, 4-6pm

Dr. Maya Nadison works in global public health, but never stops making art. Her range of media and intention is enormous; from drawing, puppetry, wood, leather, to mural painting, Maya makes it. Whether it is with her children and in her community, or to be used in large-scale public health campaigns, Maya makes it. She never wanted to choose between the arts and public health, and the exhibition on view through October 27, 2025, proves that she never had to.

1. When did you start making art and what keeps you going?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been making things. As a child, one of my favorite pastimes was collecting found objects on the street and transforming them into little figurines. Art quickly became my favorite subject in school, and I still fondly recall a teacher telling me that I had a very defined style at a young age. That encouragement fueled my natural curiosity, and over the years I’ve thrown myself into experimenting with different materials and methods such as silk painting, bookbinding, woodblock, etching and linoleum printing, upholstery, welding, and many more. For me, art has always been about exploration and learning by doing. What keeps me going is knowing that there is never an end to the possibilities. There are always new techniques to try, new methodologies to explore, and new topics to take on. Even when I return to materials I’ve worked with for decades, I find something fresh to discover, a technical challenge to solve, or a new story to tell. That ongoing process of discovery is what makes creating both stimulating and deeply rewarding.

2. You work in so many media and styles. How did you gravitate towards each of them, and do you have a favorite?

I’ve always been open-minded and eager to learn, so whenever an opportunity arises to try a new material or technique, I take it. That curiosity has led me to explore many different media and styles over time, each one teaching me something new. Along the way, I’ve gravitated toward a few favorites, especially sculpting—whether with wood or with Super Sculpey. I find it deeply satisfying to begin with an idea and then watch it shift and evolve as the work takes shape. There’s a fluidity to the process: you may start with one vision, but

as you build and refine, the piece can transform into something unexpected. I love that sense of discovery, of going with the flow, and of letting the material itself guide the final form.

3. As an artist with a PhD in public health, you have an inspiring history of using your puppets to entertain and educate children around important issues like literacy, bullying, and sexual abuse. Can you share more about how the arts can help us have tough conversations?

I’ve always been equally drawn to science and art, and I’ve never wanted to choose between them. As an undergraduate, I created my own major in medical humanities to explore both fields together – a program that has since grown into a full master’s degree at Northwestern University. That’s where I first discovered how theater and puppetry could be used in public health campaigns, and I became fascinated by their ability to spark meaningful conversations about sensitive issues.

What began as an interest soon grew into a practice. With the support of two research grants, I created an anti-bullying puppetry campaign, performing in Chicago and later in Japan while studying Bunraku. As a doctoral candidate at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, I received two more grants to develop a sexual abuse prevention program in partnership with the Baltimore Child Abuse Center. For that project, I designed insect puppets that used animal behaviors as metaphors for safety and consent: playful on the surface, but deeply effective at opening difficult conversations.

Over time, I’ve learned that puppetry creates just enough distance to make hard subjects approachable. It is imaginative, disarming, and rooted in storytelling, which allows children to see themselves in the characters while keeping a safe emotional distance. Storytelling invites empathy, sparks dialogue, and makes participation feel natural in a way few other methods can. I talked about this in Johns Hopkins Magazine (‘Strings Attached’), describing how puppetry serves as both artistic expression and public health intervention. For me, it represents the best of both worlds: science and art working together – not only to change how we talk about the issues that matter most, but also to transform education itself.

4. Do you have any advice for aspiring artists or those going into public health?

When you find a passion in life, follow it. So often we’re told to pick one lane, to choose between science or art, or between practicality and joy. But in my experience, with persistence and a commitment to what you truly love, you can find ways to bring seemingly disparate paths together. The truth is, when you combine different fields, people don’t always know how to make sense of what you have to offer. That’s where self-advocacy

becomes essential: you need to explain, insist, and keep showing people the value of wearing multiple hats. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it.

My advice is to stay true to yourself, to keep showing up for the work that excites you, and to trust that, over time, the pieces will come together in ways that are both meaningful and unexpected. I certainly never imagined that my path would lead me to UX research, visual storytelling, and developing graphic novels for the Department of Defense – but that’s the beauty of following your passions: they can take you places you never dreamed of.

Maya Nadison is a public health design strategist and researcher, puppet-maker, and multidisciplinary artist.

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Your support will help us continue to bring diverse and inspiring cultural arts programs to our community. By donating to the Pozez JCC’s cultural arts programs, you will help make it possible for us to host events and showcase a variety of artists and exhibits, including those in the Bodzin Art Gallery. Your contribution directly enriches lives through the power of art. Donate Now

Comics and cartoons certainly seem to be having a moment, and maybe because many of us recognize a collective need to lighten up and laugh over the satire. Artists are still here for us, turning a mirror on reality – however crude the reality and the mirror – as a reminder of our shared humanity.

Can we lighten up and use humor to bring joy to others? Local “Artoonist” Jim Wise and his co-illustrators Larry Wiedman and Ola Betiku think so. And I agree. Giggle and groan with us in the Bodzin Art Gallery through July 1 and learn more about Jim’s process behind gag artoons below.

1. When did you start making cartoons, and what keeps you going?

I began cartooning back in my college days when I had the privilege of writing my own byline column, “On the Loose.” Back then, I wrote mainly political and satirical articles, sometimes drawing cartoons to supplement the content of my columns. In retrospect, I’d have to admit my graphic “artistry” left much to be desired. After college, my interest in writing continued. I resumed cartooning when I was close to retirement and “wisely” chose to employ skilled illustrators, Larry Wiedman and Ola Betiku, to visually convey my concepts. What keeps me going, I think, is bringing joy and laughter to others.

2. How did you gravitate to the medium and style you are working in?

I suppose I gravitated to cartooning as a way to combine my love of writing humor in a medium that allows for a quick turnaround from creation to completion to sharing with others. Historically, cartoons have always appeared in art galleries in various formats (single panel, comic strips, pop art etc) and there are a few museums in this country and abroad that focus solely on cartoons. My particular contribution is in creating single panel gag cartoons such as seen in the New Yorker or other publications and massively enlarging, digitally printing, mounting, framing and displaying them in solo art gallery exhibits as “artoons.”

3. You are a retired psychologist. Did humor and art play a role in your career, and does your experience helping people lend itself to inspiring your humor and art?

Early in my career I realized that it is impossible to stay angry, depressed and anxious when laughing. With some patients, I sometimes found that a humorous story that resonated with them worked better than Prozac and with far less side effects.

I think my professional work, observing the many facets of human behavior through a humorous lens, provided me with a gold mine of material as a writer and cartoon creator.

4. Do you have any advice to share with aspiring artists?

Here is my advice: First, it is imperative that as an aspiring artist you believe totally in your art, no matter what. Even if critics say you have no talent, that your art sucks, that art galleries will not exhibit your work unless you provide barf bags for visitors – do not be deterred. Secondly, you must devote 100% to your art, even if that means quitting your job, ending your marriage, having your kids forget who you are, and even your dog seeking a new owner. Eventually, you may end up living on the street, begging for change, rooting through garbage cans for scraps to eat. Then, one day, you may find yourself facing your darkest hour, realizing that no one may ever know or care about your art while you are alive or gone. This is the time, my friend, that you need to remember the story of Arnold Snerdly. Whom, you may ask, is Arnold Snerdly? Exactly.