Meet Artevaggio’s Featured Artist: Temme Barkin Leeds

When did you first realize you were an artist?
I always suspected even though I was never encouraged as child or young adult, since at that time, one had to “make a living”. I think it was when I finally made the commitment to abandon my Art History degree and Consulting careers and go back to my first love of making art.

Could you tell us about your work?
My work has always had a socially-conscious component. The great Benny Andrews said to me at one point, “If you are going to make art, have something to say”. My work can range from concerns about inequality, genocide, gaming, loss of cultures, etc. Recently, at the Hambidge Residency, however, I forced myself to detach from my usual work to become immersed in that environment and to make that immersion visual. That is what you see in the two pieces uploaded in Jan. 2015.

Attempting Regeneration by Temme Barkin Leeds

What artists have influenced your work?
So many! Robert Rauschenberg, because of his depicition of “a slice of life” and his social consciousness, Carrie Moyer, because of her mastery of materials, Philip Guston, for his distilled imagery and use of impasto, Tom Nozkowsky for his color, imagery, and ambiguity of form, Martha Rosler, and great masters–Picasso, Matisse,Duchamp. There are too many more to name. I get somethilng different from each influence.

What is your creative inspiration?
I have learned not to wait for “inspiration” but to get into the studio and work. The more I can work, the better my results will be. Editing is an important part of my process.

What other interests do you have besides creating art?
Spending time with my two daughters, reading, being out in nature, learning new things, spending time with friends and traveling.

What advice would you give to a new artist?
Go with your passion. Don’t worry about sales. Work, work, and work some more. And take time to have fun–even with the work too.

Hambidge GA Clay Drawing 1 by Temme Barkin Leeds

Could you give some advice about the business side of being an artist?
Be part of your community, stay in touch with other artists and museum people, be supportive of other artists, keep your website up to date, attend as many openings as you can. Be involved in the actions of friends, put together a crit group, volunteer.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years from now?
Working on my work! Enjoying the gift of life.

CLICK HERE to go to Temme’s personal website.