We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Camille Ashkenazi a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Camille, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
Many times in my life I have had the love and support of others to help get me through tough times, so I can never say that my resilience comes from me alone. However, there is one story that has always stuck with me and remained as a source of perseverance and strength. It was told to me by my grandma one day as I was sitting on the edge of her bed, confessing to her all my fears and insecurities. She responded by telling me about “The Parable of the Talents,” Matthew 25:14-30. In this Parable, a master leaves his three servants with talents (a form of currency in the Old Testament). One is given 5 talents, another 2, and the last only 1. When the master returns the first servant reports that he has doubled his earnings, giving the master 10 talents. The next one states the same, despite having less he doubled the worth of his talents and returned four. Finally, the last servant reveals that he buried his only talent in the ground out of fear of losing it, and is therefore punished. While the story itself may sound harsh, the meaning that I took from it goes deeper than just investing money. I believe that our passions in life are gifts that are meant to be nurtured and pursued. Even though I can relate most to the last servant, because so often I let my fears consume me from moving forward, I feel an inherent duty to persevere despite these doubts. Through resilience not only do you become stronger, but you also become strong enough to uplift others, and ultimately that is my goal.
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 grew up around the art museums in Washington D.C., so I was fortunate enough to be exposed to my heroes at a young age. These inspirations included Nam June Paik, James Hampton, El Anatsui, and other notable figures from every corner of the world who hold a standard of greatness that I yearn to reach. There is nothing truly remarkable about the materials I use, I take foil balloons from anywhere they can be bought or found, some polyester thread, and also aluminum sink foil. However, it is through the hand stitched compositions full of color and vibrancy do these mediums transform into something of value. My sculptures are permanent forms that resemble inflated balloons, and are intended to be hung from any wall or surface mimicking the appearance of a floating balloon. Currently I am selling these works through my website, where I leave my email to be contacted for any purchases or inquiries, but I also have pieces on display at two galleries in Alexandria, Virginia as well as ShopSCAD in Savannah, Georgia. Currently, I am preparing for a group exhibition at Galactic Panther alongside other talented artists titled, “Raw Visions.”
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I would say there is one skill I have that was already a part of my process prior to receiving any artistic education, and that was the ability to visualize what I wanted to create in my mind and bring that to life. This is because I tend to think of things from finish to start, so that allows me to know what steps I need to follow before I begin creating. As a result this prevents any spontaneity in my technique, however the visual aspects do change and evolve. When I started college at the Savannah College of Art and Design, I realized early on which areas I fell behind in. Although I was able to actualize my ideas- they lacked craftsmanship. I viewed it as secondary to the visual result, but my professors instilled in me the importance of putting intentional care into everything you do. To any new artists, I would tell them to hold aesthetics and craftsmanship to the same level of significance in your art. Every detail matters, from the physical piece as well as its presentation.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
While I have received recognition and opportunities that I am truly grateful for, I share a problem I know many other artists struggle with, and that is self-promotion. There comes a lot of vulnerability with making art, and even more to tell the world that it matters. It is exposing a part of yourself that at times you want to keep hidden. I believe all artists have to be a bit arrogant in one way or another, otherwise how else could we continue to create in the face of adversity? However, keeping this in mind, when I do promote my art, I try to set those feelings aside by allowing myself to be humbled or even rejected, that way I am also opening the door for support and celebration. The people in my life who love and encourage me are what give me the most motivation to grow from my failures.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://camilleashkenazi.cargo.site
- Instagram: ca_mylar
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ca_mylar/videos
Image Credits
The photo that includes a tag at the bottom left is where I put the only name credits necessary, the rest of the photos were taken by me
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
