Practical Magic: Theresa Bloise
Theresa Bloise, Rift, 2020, acrylic and silver leaf on canvas with vinyl floor decal, 60 x 84 in
Practical Magic is an online interview series with early and mid-career creatives. Through a selection of prompts we spotlight each person’s practice and (hopefully) prove art world creatives are the real influencers of today.
interview with: THERESA BLOISE
visual artist
For the month of August, each twice-weekly PM interview will be with a selected artist from our 3rd Open Call Exhibition Celestial Opera, Human Cathedrals. Theresa Bloise’s paintings defy the laws of physics by playing on scale, spacial relationships and the combination of natural with synthetic. Her erid rock desert landscape painting immediately caught our attention and was ultimately included in the OC Show. A bit more about Theresa:
Theresa Bloise creates metaphysical landscape paintings in her Brooklyn Studio. She has been awarded residencies at the MacDowell Colony, the Lower East Side Printshop, the Wassaic Project, the Bronx Museum and received a NYFA Painting Fellowship. She has exhibited at the Bronx Museum of the Arts, Smack Mellon, Kentler International Drawing Space, PS122 Gallery, and Governor's Island. The Brooklyn Rail gave recent praise to her work exhibited in "Messenger," a two-person show at Ortega y Gasset.
We learned that a two month trip in the US has informed years of Theresa’s painting and installation practice. The Moon is also a major influence, which we’re not shocked to find out. Read further for the full gamet!
PP: Did you receive a formal education for the work you do currently? Either way, do you think it has supported/informed the outcome of your career and your future goals?
TB: I received my BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design. I majored in Illustration because I needed more structure than the painting department offered, but I always knew that painting was my ultimate goal. I loved my time at RISD. I learned so much about the creative process and made many lifelong friendships and connections.
As a junior, I participated in a year-long independent study in Rome. It was like living in an art history class. I sought out and drew so many incredible archaeological sites. This time was a transformative experience: I became fascinated by the relationship between human history and the environment. This theme continues in my present work.
PP: What are you listening to in your studio or when you work?
TB: I mostly listen to the news and podcasts, which in 2020 is the source of a lot of anxiety. So lately, I have been working in some ambient music like music scores and Philip Glass.
Butter Moon, 2019, oil and acrylic on canvas, 65.5 x 53.5 in
PP: Who or what are major influences for you right now and why?
TB: The most obvious influences are landscape and nature. The majority of my reference material comes from a two and a half month camping trip I made out west. I came home with a treasure trove; paintings, photos, and new objects of interest. I am still exploring this material and ways of working that started on this trip.
I am also interested in science that feels like science fiction. My Moon series is inspired by the geological history of the Moon and its relationship with Earth. The prevailing theory is that the Moon is slowly moving away from Earth, and 4 Billion years ago, it was so close that it would have appeared 15 times larger in the sky!
PP: Current binge-worthy tv/film recommendation?
TB: I love the TV series Fargo.
PP: What's your favorite article of clothing to wear and why?
TB: I can't wait to wear my full-length leopard print puffy coat. I am very dedicated to animal print, and it is the best expression of that devotion.
Close to the Terminating Line, 2019, acrylic and Mica flakes on paper, 20 x 16 in (this painting was included in Celestial Opera, Human Cathedrals)
Theresa in her Brooklyn, NY studio
PP: What is the next big milestone you've set for yourself? How close to achieving it are you?
TB: The next significant milestone would be a solo show. Exploring relationships between my paintings and objects and the spaces around them has been the focus of my recent work. I'd love to transform an exhibition space completely, where I could fully realize some of these ideas and create a truly immersive experience. I want all the work to feel tailored to the site so the timing is contingent on an exhibition opportunity, hopefully sometime soon!
PP: Success & failure is subjective - what to you was the most successful moment that you’ve had as a creative, and why was it successful or meaningful to you? What was a moment of failure that you've had, and how did you overcome it?
TB: The MacDowell Colony was my first residency and it should have been a fantastic experience. But, I was too insecure and probably didn't have the confidence to be as productive as I should have. Luckily, I learned from it and now I am more strategic with my time at residencies. I consider what my work needs at that moment and how to sustain it when I go home.
An excellent example of this was my time at Wassaic Project. I felt good about the work I made there, but I also got the idea for my first site-specific painting installation for their summer show. This work pushed me way out of my comfort zone and ended up being, by far, the most ambitious work I have ever made.
Drippy Mountain, 2017, acrylic on canvas and concrete, 66 x 63 in
Practical Magic interviews post weekly on Thursdays - check back to see who we’re chatting with next.