We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Caroline Guilbert a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Caroline, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Initially, I didn’t realize that so many people deal with it every day. But in my opinion, this state comes from the idea that there is one way of achieving goals or tasks, one way of seeing the world. And that is far from the reality in the field of Art or creative expression.
While there can be some (self) expectations as to how to “be successful” as an artist, it liberated me to understand that there are multiple routes and points of view to achieve a desired outcome and that as an artist, it was my duty to find and express my voice. One cannot make a mistake if one expresses their work through their authentic voice. There’s no point in comparing ourselves to other artists (or even beings) since a personal art practice, and even our lifestyles, are… personal.
We shall all have something very unique to share with and for the world. It is that uniqueness that should be celebrated and that I seek. It takes courage at times, of course, because some messages and goals are non-conformist, therefore they can raise some judgment and criticism. But in my opinion, one is not pushing the boundaries of their art practice enough if they are not disturbing the status quo at least a bit.
Once I was able to understand this and ask myself the right questions, such as “What type of values do I want to offer to my viewer?” or “What is it that truly inspires me in pursuing this?” or “What do I want to show through the medium of color?” only I could decide what was “aligned” or “misaligned” during my creative process.
This mindset helped me a lot to build confidence and self-esteem in my practice. It also opened me up to connect with so many other color designers, creators, and aficionados to exchange our specific understandings of color. This has been so enriching.
So every time imposter syndrome thoughts have risen in me, I simply ask myself if I am diverging from my artistic message and then reroute if necessary.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am an artist, designer, and strategist focused on color and sustainability.
I create sculptures and limited-edition products to challenge how people perceive and experience color. Other services I provide are giving a second life to my customers’ loved items by recoloring them and accompanying brands in their sustainable color development needs. Based in New York City, I am fascinated by the impact of color on our daily lives through psychology, theory, and more.
I make art from a curated live/work space in Brooklyn, which allows me to fuel the daily organic rhythm of my creative process, immersed in my artistic environment. However, lately, I have been on the road, traveling for several months, to expand my understanding of not only color but also energy work and ancestral healing modalities. It has been an excellent opportunity for me to re-think the way of creating my everyday life more holistically, partnering with other artists from several parts of the world and being exposed to various ways countries and communities use waste as a creative matter.
Reframing the psychological issue of waste is an essential part of my approach. With sustainability at the core of my practice, I gather materials from local and second-hand sources. Through natural dye techniques, I extract chromatic properties from my own daily food scraps, as well as floral waste. By doing so, I curate what is around me and enable nature to be part of the artistic process. I add layers of UV-sensitive paint during the making of my pieces and use colored light as a medium. When exposed to the black light, the naturally dyed colors step back, and the UV-sensitive parts are highlighted, playing tricks on our eyes.
I aim to show how our vision and brain can lead us to misperceive the spectral composition of visible light and to convey that color is a changing sensation, even an illusion. My latest collection named The Colorful Blacks, including some wearable pieces, is a great example of challenging the usual subconscious perception of what black should be (https://www.carolineguilbertstudio.com/colorful-blacks-collection).
I view my works as an opportunity to offer a healing and escaping journey for the senses through light and textures. The healing aspect of color is a vast topic that I am exploring so much more during my current travels. It is a therapeutic approach to art and color that I am so excited to be soon revealing in my upcoming new body of works. I invite readers to get in touch and follow my platforms to receive the latest updates.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back on my creative journey, Curiosity, Creativity, and Consistency, what I call the 3 C’s, have been the driving forces shaping my path. These were and still are the most impactful in my career:
Curiosity fosters an open-minded approach to the world. In my work, it drives exploration, encourages experimentation, and fuels a continuous quest for fresh ideas. Artists with a curious mindset pay attention to evolving trends, break conventions, and ask questions that lead to personal growth and narrative development. In my artistic journey, curiosity has been my compass, guiding me to explore various ideas, build a strong sense of self, and discern what aligns with my identity and purpose. It’s not just about knowing my preferences but also discerning what doesn’t align with my vision, determining what is for me or not.
Creativity is another key one. For me, it extends beyond technical skills. It’s a mindset that thrives on unexpected blends. The most exciting pieces emerge when I challenge conventions, fuse traditions, practices, or even entire worlds. It is important to find the right balance between trying new skills to expand the practice but also personalizing these findings to adapt them to each of our respective styles, not just repeating what has been done already which would bring no value. Through that perspective, placing things in a different context than their usual one adds a unique flavor to my work. This creative approach allows me to bring forth innovative and thought-provoking expressions in my art.
Consistency is the backbone of my artistic growth and that of many other artists. One might be good at something, but to master a skill, consistency is key. And sometimes, (many times in my case), my color experiments don’t lead to what I am hoping for. While there is beauty in the accident, and I tend to celebrate that, sometimes I need to achieve a specific result. Through consistent practice and dedication, I refine my skills, learn from experiences, and evolve as an artist. It’s the daily effort that transforms passion into expertise, turning my artistic endeavors into a journey of continuous improvement. And I tend to discover way more than I initially thought when I continue to test the chromatic possibilities in my work.
Also, consistency in all aspects that running an art business represents is key. Some days, I wish it was as easy as posting nice images on a social media account but of course, the reality is about wearing many hats regularly. And this helped me learn a lot of helpful skills.
I believe these three C’s are valid in any role in the creative field.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Yes, I am actively looking for folks to partner with, especially this year! Approximately one-third of my activities involve collaborative projects. So far, I’ve enjoyed co-creating with photographers and NYC dancers, providing them with wearable art for dance performances.
Now, I aim to broaden my scope, in terms of creative positive impact and especially in terms of taking over space in strategic places:
I want people to access my pieces publicly, experience their color illusions, and understand the value of waste. Therefore, a first focus of mine is on partnerships with hotels, restaurants, bars, cafes, and public spaces that have sustainability at the core of their business model and prioritize unique experiences for their customers.
Additionally, I aspire to scale my art into human-size installations in museums for immersive experiences. Currently, I’m connecting with sustainability-focused artists to collaborate on themed exhibitions and unique pieces, welcoming a diverse range of practices. I also consider exploring collaborations with event planners who organize sustainable and eco-friendly events as well as professionals in architecture and urban planning to integrate my art into sustainable and aesthetically pleasing urban spaces.
Finally, my work is at the crossroads of so many fields: I would see much value in collaborating with organizations dedicated to environmental causes to raise awareness about sustainability. A partnership with companies focused on responsible waste management to highlight the value of waste in my art could be quite impactful as well. This collaboration could emphasize the importance of recycling and sustainable waste practices.
If you’re inspired by collaboration possibilities, I strongly invite you to reach out via the studio email: [email protected] and I look forward to hearing from you.
Contact Info:
- Website: carolineguilbertstudio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolineguilbertstudio/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Caroline-Guilbert-Studio/100091893922767/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolineguilbert/
- Other: For sustainability consultancy, contact [email protected]; For other topics related to the art studio, contact [email protected]
Image Credits
3 pictures of photograph Tanya Nowossjolova (@nowossjolka Instagram handle). Her pictures attached are labeled in the name of the file. Other pictures are Caroline Guilbert Studio rights.
