Sparky Campanella

 

Why are you an artist?

 

Making art is important work. I find it spiritually fulfilling and it's a means by which I learn more about myself. good art has the much the same effect on the viewer.  

 

Could you tell us some more about the kind of art you make?

 

Minimalist photography - my best photographs have a calm purposefulness. my approach emphasizes subtraction, removing distracting elements, distilling the message down to its essentials. I shoot abstracts, people and am working now on a series of urban landscapes called "horizon." 

 

What made you decide to create this kind of art?

 

 It just comes naturally, reflects what I’m trying to achieve in my life I guess. 

 

What artists have influenced you, and how?

 

Minimalist painters like Agnes Martin and Ellsworth Kelly, and Hiroshi Sugimoto among photographers. I’m amazed at how these artists are able to say so much with such simple elements in their work. 

 

What inspires you to make art and how do you keep motivated when things get tough in the studio?

 

Doing a little bit every day is magic. the days pass and you look back over a year and see incredible progress. then of course the big deadlines help a lot too!   

 

How have you handled the business side of being an artist?

 

Nothing succeeds like success. people like to buy from artists they perceive to be on the rise. promotion is key - I have a mailing list that grows with each show and I enter contests and call for entries where there are good opportunities for exposure. the san Francisco photography scene is pretty tight - exposure in the right venues opens other doors. and if you keep your mailing list informed about it, the word starts to spread.

 

What do you do for fun (besides making art)?

 

Enjoy the outdoors, hang with friends, learn, explore.