Interview with Francesca Tabor-Miolla
See Tabor-Miolla’s work in WTP Vol. III #2
What are you working on in your studio right now? Right now I’m putzing a bit, just coming off a four-month hiatus after surgery. That being said, I enjoy working with encaustic and basic metalsmithing, so I’m just about ready to begin a new ‘Talisman’ series, where I plan on incorporating acrylic, encaustic, metal and fiber into my two-dimensional work.
What is your primary or favorite medium and why? I work in many different mediums and enjoy each one individually. However, my passion gets revved up and my heart really begins to soar when working in mixed media…there are no boundaries…I can fly!
Can you tell us a little about your creative process? As an intuitive painter there are so many variables that can influence the direction of a painting once begun. Regardless of the medium I start with, it usually takes me to an additive/subtractive process of incorporating, tearing down, building and rebuilding. Like many artists I struggle and strive to create order and balance out of chaos.
How would you describe your style? Contemporary Expressionist is what I like to call myself, after all, I am a woman of today and am expressing myself! But it may boil down to the fact I’m just an old-fashioned experimentalist; I want to try and do it all.
What does your typical studio day look like? Fortunately, my studio is in my home so it’s easy to slip into that creative mode.
I have a short attention span so there are usually several different works in progress all the time. On average I spend six, maybe seven hours a day in the studio. Continuous stimulation allows for a lot of flexibility. However, it can also be overwhelming so I’ve learned to stop, take breaks, step back, listen to music and chill out.
For today’s artist, the spirit of experimentation always seems to be around. Have you tried something new recently? Yes, that experimental side is always in flux, I’m always searching and trying something new! Assemblage is fun and has been dancing around the periphery of my mind for ions, so that will be my next exercise in serious study.
How do you keep motivated? For some, staying motivated is not always easy and for me there are times when I simply need to back off and let things maturate for a bit. I no longer (though I used to) feel guilty when not producing art every day. I may work and be totally focused every day for weeks on end…then I crash.
Personally, I can only stay on a creative high for only so long, so for me, down time is a requirement. I use that float time to absorb, regroup, rekindle and hopefully begin again with new ideas and a fresh eye. And sometimes it is not easy. People often ask where I ‘find’ my inspiration and I must say without sounding glib, it is everywhere, at any time, on any day. We have to look and see and feel, and today with the internet, we have the whole world open to us.
