Meet Sydney Yeager

We recently connected with Sydney Yeager and have shared our conversation below.

Sydney , 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.

I am still wrestling with “Imposter Syndrome”. The best antidote I have discovered is reading and re-reading this quote from Martha Graham in a letter to Agnes De Mille:
“There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening That is translated through you into action, And because there is only one of you in all time,
This expression is unique.
If you block it, It will never exist through any other medium
And be lost.
The world will never have it. It is not your business to determine how good it
is,
Nor how valuable it is,
Nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep lit yours, clearly and
directly,
To keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or
your work. You have to keep open and aware
Directly to the urges that motivate you.
Keep the channel open..
No artist is pleased.
There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, A blessed unrest that keeps us marching
And makes us more alive than others.”

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I paint large abstract and gestural canvases. I use linen as a support, and often I leave part of the linen exposed. I enjoy the contrast between the raw linen and the thick gestural paint. The muscularity of the paint in contrast with the bare linen is part of the content of the work, and emphasizes the “alla prima” technique which I favor. This method allows for little revision, and requires that I accept what the paint “gives” me. Each mark dictates the next.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I didn’t begin my education as an art major. In fact, I originally majored in English. My love of literature has influenced my development as a painter. This might seem odd, as my work is abstract, not narrative. It’s often a phrase or a description that sets the stage for my work, rather than an entire story. For example, for years, a quotation from Italo Calvino has been a touchstone for me:
The quotation is from Italo Calvino’s book, Mr. Palomar, and is a description of a flock of blackbirds flying over Rome. The narrator describes the flock as a “…moving body composed of hundreds and hundreds of bodies, detached, but together forming a single object…something…that even in fluidity achieves a formal solidity of its own.”
This description provokes a visual image for me, and ultimately becomes a prompt for my work.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

I must credit my partner and spouse for being my most steadfast “cheerleader”. At the point when I was considering whether or not to pursue an advanced degree in art, he supported me, despite the added burden of responsibility he had to assume. Ever since that time, he has stayed fully behind my decision, regardless of the irrationality of my decision to devote myself to becoming an artist.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sydneypyeager.com
• Instagram: Sydney.p.yeager
• Facebook: Sydney Yeager

Image Credits

Dwayne Barnes Photography