We recently connected with Carla Falb and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Carla , so happy to have you on the platform and I think our readers are in for a treat because you’ve got such an interesting story and so much insight and wisdom. So, let’s start with a topic that is relevant to everyone, regardless of industry etc. What do you do for self-care and how has it impacted you?
The most stressful time of my life was back in 2016, when my mom was very ill and had entered a nursing home. As an only child, it was my responsibility to oversee her care and help with end-of-life decisions. At that time, I relied heavily on daily guided meditations that I used to practice with my husband, to help me balance my emotions. I would also go for early morning walks along the ocean and enjoyed the solitude. During one of my walks, I saw a yoga class on the beach and realized that this was exactly what I needed to help me release stress during this traumatic time. Now, seven years later, I have continued to engage in mindful meditation and yoga regularly. These self-care practices have helped me navigate a career change, a cross country move, a global pandemic, and an ongoing home renovation. The main benefit of a combined mindful meditation/yoga practice is that I have learned to live more in the moment, and not be as anxious about the future. I have also become more self-aware and consequently less reactive, and more reflective. When stressful situations arise, with this training, I am usually able to remember to take a breath, pause, and decide how best to respond. Being able to maintain focus in the moment allows me to enter a flow state and as a result, be more effective when I engage in my art practice as well as in the classroom as a fine art professor.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I began my series of oil paintings based on roller coaster structures in 2002 when I was a graduate student at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. The paintings take viewers on a thrill ride through space and are metaphors for the complexity of our lives, symbolizing the courage to face our fears, as well as our desire to escape reality. In 2017, after I moved from New Jersey to California to teach at Fullerton College, I went to the Santa Monica Pier at night to capture new images for my paintings. Later as I reviewed the photos, I realized I was more fascinated with the light streaming across the sky than the rides, and this marked the beginning of a new iteration of my Roller Coaster series. This mystical quality of light emerging from darkness is now the central theme of my work.
Right now, I am creating paintings for a solo show in early 2025 at the Billis Williams Gallery in Los Angeles, which will include works that are inspired by two roller coasters in Orange County: HangTime at Knotts Berry Farm and the Incredicoaster at Disney California Adventure Park. The imagery for HangTime was recorded during a nighttime helicopter ride over the amusement park, where the illuminated coaster appeared as light streams configured in a complex Möbius strip. To capture images of the Incredicoaster, I rode in the front car at twilight and shot a video with a GoPro, so I could infuse the sensations I experienced into my paintings – like the 19th century painter, J.M.W. Turner, who tied himself to the mast of a ship to viscerally experience the effects of a storm at sea. While I am working on my paintings, I periodically document my creative process by taking photographs and videos to share on social media and in video tutorials on YouTube.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The 3 most impactful skills that have helped me thrive on my artistic journey are the ability to draw and paint from observation, to be present in the moment, and cultivating grit – passion and perseverance, to achieve long-term goals.
Shortly after I decided to become an artist, I realized that I needed to master technical skills in drawing and painting that would enable me to achieve my artistic vision. At that time, I decided to enroll in the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts to learn representational drawing and painting by working from observation of still lifes, plaster casts of ancient sculptures, and live models. Through this practice, I trained myself to record what I actually saw, instead of what I thought something should look like. I also learned that part of the creative process requires pausing to evaluate what works and what doesn’t. Deciding what revisions to make and executing them with confidence takes the artwork to the next level.
Another important skill that enables me to fully engage in my art practice is being present in the moment. As I mentioned earlier, I practice mindful meditation and yoga to enhance my ability to maintain focus. Additionally, when I paint, I listen to music, instead of getting caught up with my internal dialogue. Music helps me get into a flow state and establishes a sense of rhythm that minimizes distractions and allows me to concentrate on my painting.
Finally, I believe that my success in art has more to do with my relentless drive to express myself, than sheer talent alone. In fact, whenever I receive a complement about my work that focuses solely on my talent, I cringe inside. Angela Duckworth, psychologist and University of Pennsylvania Professor, validates my belief that effort, not talent, is the main factor responsible for achievement in her book, Grit: The Power and Passion of Perseverance. She conducted research with high achievers to determine what quality contributed most to their success and discovered that grit – a combination of passion and perseverance toward a singular goal, mattered at least as much as talent and intelligence. Her conclusion was that we can achieve true fulfillment through devotion to an activity that gives us joy and purpose.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
This past year was transformational for my professional growth as an artist. In late January 2023 I was invited to bring in one of my paintings to the Billis Williams Gallery in Los Angeles, so the quality of my work could be examined in person. At the meeting, I was offered a solo exhibit that would open the next month, and I enthusiastically said yes! Fortunately, I had a new body of work focusing on light emerging from darkness, that I began when I moved to California several years earlier.
At the time of the meeting, I was about halfway through a large, 60 by 40-inch, painting of a chrysanthemum fireworks display featuring an explosion of golden tailed stars. Initially, I felt overwhelmed by the short timeline and didn’t think I could finish the painting for the show. However, I decided that this was an opportunity of a lifetime, and I became determined to complete it for the exhibit. It was an intense, invigorating month-long challenge, where I discovered that painting on a strict schedule with a deadline improved my fluency and productivity. I finished the painting and titled it Expansion, which describes the actual fireworks, my state of mind during meditation, as well as the potential for growing my art career. Several months after my exhibit, I was asked to join the roster of the Billis Williams Gallery and happily accepted!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.carlafalb.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlafalb/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carla.falb/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlafalb
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@carlafalb2199?si=lZQsLkJla4XfxSk6
- Other: http://www.billiswilliams.com/carla-falb.html
