My Job: Painter
by Glenn Goldberg
Work by Glenn Goldberg
I believe strongly in the experimental aspect of making work and living. We try things, explore, ask questions, fail, stumble, prevail, and actually win sometimes, which is a funny way to look at making art or life. Exhilaration occurs as a function of the stretch, the reach, the attempt. Unfortunately, so does falling on one’s face. I like the gamble of art as a life choice, and the secondary gambles that get played out in each piece. As a result of that belief, I accept the range of works that I have made despite having preferences. As we grow in the realm of self-acceptance, regrets seem to float away one by one. I feel that way about my work. All of the things that I have made are part of the richness of my fortunate life…they don’t have to be good or meaningful all the time, they just have to be a function of my allowing myself to live.
I work with a bucket of water, a handful of brushes, a surface to make a picture, and some colors. When I build, I build with my hands and generally use wood, foam, fabric and/or glass. The process is not elaborate. Complexity is a function of the addition of one decisive move after another. I used to jump into complexity quickly and try to fight my way out. Now I build complexity brick by brick, touch by touch. I imagine that is somewhat ritualistic. It feels like a practice akin to chanting, working out in the gym, breathing, pitching or shooting. Shooting is part of the game and as one shoots several times, a game is ultimately formed (along with all of the other acts that comprise the game). Making art is a replacement for religion, shamanism, and other forms of spiritual/alchemical development. It is not healthy for art to be driven by negativity, cynicism, decadence or fighting some fruitless man vs. nature battle. For me, making art is about heading towards the ideal, gift giving, offering, and a degree of selflessness, awe and statement of appreciation. It is qualified and absorbs other deviant qualities but it is best to try to limit those forces if we are able.
Sports are important to me, particularly team sports. I am interested in leadership, sacrifice, repetitive tasks, improvement, fair play, development, coping with winning and losing, and working towards goals day by day. Despite the solitary nature of my work, many of the things I have learned and have taught (I have coached a lot) have been learned through sports. Perseverance is another great quality, as are humility, focus, patience, relentlessness, purpose and respect. It is what we do, not what we say, that counts the most. As my father taught me in relation to baseball: “Do your talking with your bat!”
This is an interview with Deanna Sirlin. She has removed the questions so that only the artist voice is read.
Works by Glenn Goldberg
Glenn Goldberg is an artist who lives and works in New York City.