Friday, August 12, 2011

Interview for Libélula (Dragonfly) Revisblog

I have been flattered by my friend Sarah Valerio, with an interview about my work on her cool Spanish blog Libélula RevisBlog. I took the liberty to translate it so those of you who do not speak Spanish can read it. I thought it was great and wanted to share it with you.  I also want to thank her for including me in her blog and would like to invite you to follow her. 

I have to say that this interview caused me to think a great deal about myself and my artwork. 

Please comment.

Thank you............

A rare woman in the everyday ...


Arlette Cepeda gets up every day and drinks her coffee in the morning while smoking a cigarette with her husband. She gets her three children ready for school and then takes the ferry from Staten Island to New York to work. Her laughter is infectious and melodious as only jingles the laughter of a Caribbean women. From looking at her, no one would imagine the seething sea of ​​ideas under her calm appearance.
This artist is a wonderful human being who makes music, photography, painting and ceramics, among other things. She describes her art as "direct, emotional and questioning."


She has participated in various group exhibitions and won an honorable mention in the XXIII Biennial of Visual Arts of the Museum of Modern Art in Santo Domingo, DR. She taught digital photography for the Brooklyn Arts Council, Public Schools 111 and Kingsborough Early College School and was a visual arts instructor for The Children's Aid Society. She was the Administrative Director for CAS / AileyCamp Staten Island and a Public Relations Assistant Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
After all the years she has been my friend, I can not but feel fortunate to have someone  special close to me. I invite you to get to know her in this short interview.


Libélula (Dragonfly) RevisBlog . Where are you from? What makes you who you are?
Arlette Cepeda. I was born in New York and raised in Santiago. I am the only child of single mother. I grew up in a bubble where I was the center of the universe; thinking I could do and deserved everything. I grew up believing I was special, unique, and different and with an incredible need to express my feelings. It goes without saying that the bubble has long burst. I come from a matriarchal family, from much love and sacrifice. I come from a Third World country where the power goes out and you can still find Mabi in glass soda bottles  I come from the constant struggle to be better. I am the product of a mother completely dedicated to me and a grandmother who was and still is the protector and provider. The falls and rises are what made me who I am today. I was always in contact with art, it was my childhood companion, my guide as an adult and my goal in maturity.

LRB. Tell our readers about the things you love.
AC. I fully enjoy the magic of discovering something done right, no matter what it is. I love food, flowers, Jazz, Bosanova, independent music (underground) and sharing with friends. I am passionate about finding the details that go unnoticed in everyday things, and somehow give them justice and the importance they deserve through photography.
Ceramics is so relaxing for me. I love the touch with the clay, making something from nothing. What I feel is comparable to what happens to the photo paper when I'm in the darkroom, magic.
Painting is what really fulfills me. The fabric and the brush allows me to invest my feelings in the most physical and intense way.

LRB. What kind of artwork you do and how does art become part of your life?
AC. As a child I was always inclined to the arts. I studied theater, music theory and played the violin for several years. I was a very busy girl! The emphasis on the arts came in the adolescence, when I started taking painting classes at the Instituto Dominico Americano. In college, I had the opportunity to experiment with different media. Photography became my preferred medium, being it practical and immediate, but I also enjoy painting and ceramics.

LRB. What do you think about the emerging generation’s artwork in general? How do you see contemporary art?
AC. I must admit that my knowledge of contemporary art is limited, but from what I can see around me, there is much young talent with big ideas. However I feel they rely too much on what has already been created. Thanks to the many tools available today to duplicate and manipulate images, I get the impression that the execution of ideas is done very lightly, I feel that they lack more process, a more polished end result. Consequently, I find that many artists feel the need of having to explain their work to communicate the idea generating it.

LRB. How is being married to artist Homero Herrera-Chez, being both so talented?
 AC. It's fascinating! I admire his dedication and versatility. I am the biggest fan of his work and his harshest critic. I respect the professionalism and consistency in his work. To witness the creative process of an artist is a unique experience. I have the privilege of seeing the birth of works and witness how they evolve and become great pieces. There is a feedback during the creative process that allows us to both to see and make adjustments that maybe we would not have done if we were not together.

LRB. You are a mother of three children, a wife and you also work. In other words, you have your hands full. Where does the artwork fit into your day?
AC. The truth is that it has been difficult to find a space to create, but I think without art my life would not have any sense. The small moments in which I can think and create happen when I go to and come from work, either on the train, ferry, bus or walking down the streets. And very late at night, when everyone is asleep and I have a little energy left.


LRB. What are the challenges facing women as artists in New York City and the society in which we live?
AC. From my point of view, the challenges are the same ones they faced a few decades ago, but on a smaller scale. The artistic circle is still dominated by men. I think the recognition of their work is their greatest challenge.


LRB. What is Arlette Cepeda, the artist, trying to reach ? What can we expect from your work in the future?
AC. I plan to continue capturing images and would like to have an exhibition of them in the near future. Life itself will mark the steps of my artwork, as it has always been the result of my experiences. In the mean time, my priority is my family. Art will always be in my life, that I'm sure.

A sample of her work...
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