Carole Loeffler : Member Q & A
Q: Firstly, tell us about yourself!
A: I live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and am married (been with my husband since 1994!) with two kids, Bodhi who is 6 and Graciela, who is 11. We have two dogs that are 12 and 14 years old.
My most recent text and found object based sculptural works are a reaction to the post-election, toxic political environment that is enveloping the United States and the world. These pieces are an attempt for me to process what it means to be a woman, be married to a family of immigrants and attempt to raise kind, thoughtful children in a world that feels upside down and inside out. I've been thinking not only of my role in society but am trying to give a voice to the experiences my mother, father, relatives and friends have had, and may continue to have, in their everyday lives.
I utilize found objects obtained from thrift stores, estate and yard sales to create sculptural works. These objects help to tell the stories of generations of women that have come before me. I am particularly interested in handmade items and 1960s era clothing and objects as they relate to my own story – the story of my mother’s generation.
Q: How do you continue to engage with your art practice alongside raising children? Do you have a dedicated studio space and routine, or do you work from home in between other things?
A: I’ve been making work that is exhibited in parallel ways for the past few years – work that is meant for gallery exhibitions and work that is more community oriented and shown in churches, on the streets of Philadelphia and dropped at public locations through my travels. While my kids are involved in everything I do – they get most excited to help me install work in non-traditional spaces. They really enjoy my “heart affirmation drops” which are small felt hearts with positive affirmations rolled up and inserted into the heart. They are then dropped as I travel throughout my day. I often keep a stash in my car. They get a kick of being kind and leaving messages for people to find. And while they see me work and help to carry and install in gallery and museum venues -they aren’t as connected (or excited) about it.
My studio is on the first floor of our house – between the kitchen and living room – so they check in on me when I am working and I can pop in and out for a few minutes every day whenever I need.
Q: What does a typical day look like for you and how much time do you manage to carve out for your own work?
A: I have one day a week when the kids are at school and I am not teaching. This VERY sacred day is spent with my yoga class – I’ve been going for years – and then I spend the rest of the day working in the studio, doing admin stuff, installing exhibitions, getting materials or whatever else needs to be done. It’s also the day I pop in laundry, clean up the kitchen and put the robot vacuum to work. This way, I can be fully invested in our weekends so I am not complaining about chores. The other days of the work week I am off to my job from about 9-6 teaching art to college students and running the Department of Art and Design. My life is all art, all the time. And even though I am stressed sometimes – I am so lucky to be surrounded by what (and who) I love every day.
Q: Have you come up against specific challenges as an artist and mother? What were they and how have you navigated these challenges?
A: One of the biggest challenges of being an artist mother is finding time to make work. I think I’ve trained myself now to work in small chunks of time. I can’t work alllll day on anything – I’ve trained it out of myself. I also think that juggling everything that needs to be done in a week can be stressful. I’ve found that yoga and meditation paired with volunteer work help me balance stress and the pressure of motherhood.
I think one of the other challenges I’ve had is being “written off” or seen as “less than” because I am a mother/artist. My work is valid. My story and experience aren’t a weakness. But, it’s taken me a while to lean into who I am and what I do. I feel like I am finally hitting a point of comfort with this.
Q: What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
A: The BEST piece of advice was from a mom-friend who had three kids. She said, “do what is right for your family and don’t worry about the advice you are given.” I am not sure why I needed to hear it, but it somehow gave me permission to stop worrying about judgement in all areas of my life and that my husband and I dictate what works best for us. We may make different decisions and plans than other families.
This advice also suits my artistic practice. I do what helps me thrive, what I am passionate about. I live in a city where I haven’t gotten much attention or notice from the art community – or, not the amount I’d like – but I’ve kept on making, have made a small handful of friends and friend/curator/artist supporters. Life isn’t a sprint – this is a marathon (if we are lucky) and I need to keep doing what I love and to stay the course. I want to look back on my life and my career and be proud of what I’ve done and that I stayed true, honest and authentic to myself. I need to do what is right for me and my family.
Q: Who are your role models? Who or what inspires and encourages you?
A: My role models are the women in my life. From every moment, time and place. I want to know their stories. Our existence is but a mere blip in time, but right here – right now – I want to learn from the women before me, the women that are here and think about what we can leave for those after us.
I have two friends at work who are my lunch buddies, my listening ears and help me keep everything in perspective. We laugh, we chat, we plan, we dream.
My yoga teacher also offers me so much guidance and direction in life. The practice isn’t overly spiritual or physical but learning to listen and observe my own body and how that translates into the world around me is an ongoing skill I continue to nurture with her love and support.
My high school art teacher, Marge Coyman, showed me that being who you are – a silly, caring person was ok. And that our work can reflect who we are. She also took me into NYC for the first time and showed me art that left an indelible impression on me.
I love (and connect with) the work Louise Bourgeois, Annette Messager, Meret Oppenheim, Yayoi Susama, Kim Soo Ja, Nancy Rubins, Constantin Brancusi, Anne Hamilton, Kara Walker and so many more!
And, finally, what inspires and encourages me are the handmade objects made by generations of women before me. Whenever I find handmade objects at thrift or estate sales I HAVE to buy them and keep the spirit of the women’s work alive and honored.
Q: How has the experience of motherhood impacted your practice on an emotional/intellectual level? Has it made you view yourself/your work differently? Are there things that influence your work now that you didn't think about pre-kids?
A: I do think that my work has changed since becoming a mother. I am not sure I can point to motherhood directly – but that in combination with the political climate and becoming more comfortable with myself that I’ve learned to be more direct. In my work before kids – I think I was afraid to be judged. I made abstract works that offered a feeling, a subtle hint at how I wanted the viewer to feel. In the past few years I’ve been including text in my work because I feel like I’ve been quiet for so long (because of my own anxieties) that I have a lot I want to say and share with the world. The stories of women matter.
Q: If your child(ren) were asked “Tell me about your mother” what do you hope they would say? Are there particular things you are trying to show/teach them as an artist, a mother, a woman?
A: I saw a quote that I shared on fb a while back thanks to the Timehop app. My daughter said something like, “my mom is always making art and cleaning.” It made me laugh because that is exactly what I spend my time doing when I am at home!
I hope they also would describe what I do – in my life and art – is to be kind.
Q: What drives you to continue to create work?
A: The political climate right now really helps me focused and motivated to make work. We need more moments of kindness and joy. And I hope my work offers that.
