Director Statements

Why we made this film.

Shirl first conceived of the idea for this film while listening to Lillian Orlowsky and a few other artists reminiscing about the “good ‘ole days.”  Her first thought was, “We have to preserve this.”  And that is, in part, what we have tried to do with this film. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The most memorable moment during the making of ArtSpirit.

All:  We were blown away each and every time we walked away from an interview with one of the artists.  Their passion and devotion to visual literacy was awe-inspiring.  No one moment stands out; the collective moments created the big bang!

 

Shirl:  Interviewing the older artists in particular left me feeling so validated not only as an artist but a as a person. Not having any elder role models growing up who were creative  or artistic in nature. So for the first time, I felt like Anne Packard, Ilona Smithkin, Sal Del Deo, Lillian Orlowsky, Norma Holt, Jim Peters, and Lois Griffel were all the aunts and uncles I never had. My creative extended family so to speak. I am truly inspired by each and every one of them and feel so blessed that I live in such a "rich" community.   

 

Secondly, dreaming of one day being a filmmaker and having the privilege of working with documentary veterans like Deb and Lauren, I learned a great deal in making that dream a reality. Anything is possible!

 

 

How our lives have life changed as a result of making this film.

Deb:   I have learned, and still am learning, to let go of all the voices that keep me tethered to rules and conformity.  It’s very easy to start believing that things should look a certain way, that your life ought to be lived based on someone else’s standards.  But to truly open up as an artist, you have to answer only to yourself. 

 

During the making of ArtSpirit, I experienced a huge life transition: left a career in television; fell in love and moved to New York; followed my desire to work in nonprofit; helped to start a local arts organization; and, the list continues to grow.  Making this film while all of that was in motion was no coincidence. 

          

Shirl:  I won the housing lottery in July of 2007.  I feel that winning this lottery has significantly changed my life.  I now own my very first home, and STUDIO whereby I am not intermittently seeking studio space to create.  It is ongoing and I cannot convey how wonderful it is.  The creative process is a continuum.  To begin, stop, ponder, and revisit the  work is so instrumental… so different than having months in between creative outbursts.  I haven’t had that in many years. 

 

I know that my perseverance and belief system played a major role in all of this.  I kept seeing this home and studio and would visualize over and over again the actual winning of the lottery.  As The Secret conveys, recognizing the potential and making it become part of your belief system too the point of it becoming cellular, really works. 

 

I feel extremely grateful for acquiring such a wonderful home.  I would not have been able to apply for this unit had it not been for my father who made it possible to me to afford the higher down payment.  Thanks, Dad!

 

 

Lauren:  History has always been a favorite subject of mine, that's one of the reasons I loved making this documentary.  Some of the artists interviewed are living witnesses with a very unique perspective, giving a first hand account  of the way life has changed in a little community that's rich in American art history.

 

 

What we hope audiences will take from watching ArtSpirit.

It would be too easy to just say, “FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS.”  There’s more to it.   Fear is the greatest block to all achievement.  Live courageously.  Let your ideas come to fruition.  Just try.   Persevere when the road gets rocky...put on boots and find a walking stick.  Trust that your passion is leading you down the real path, your path.  Even if your dream looks and sounds utterly impossible to others.  It’s not...and deep down you know it.  Be true to yourself.  In so doing, you teach the world to do the same.

 

 

Everyone is asking, ‘what’s up with those olives?’

One evening, after a long day of shooting, and after our second round of Bloody Marys, we started playing with the olives, and, well, you can imagine how it went from there.  We now affectionately call each other olive, and a logo icon was born.

 

 

Okay, they’re also curious about the black cat.

The black cat found us, literally.  It started as a piece of clipart added for the sake of whimsy.  Within 24 hours, a very real black cat, hobbling on only three legs showed up outside of Deb’s office (aka ‘the cave’).  It would lie in front of the door, and scamper away whenever anyone came too close.  Its name is now Tripod and it still hangs out around Deb’s house, probably because she and her neighbor feed it, and most assuredly because the black clipart cat remains in all of our materials, including this website.  And, of course, the three legs must have something to do with the idea of the three Triumbrants. 

Also, for Shirl, slowly watching the CAPE SCHOOL close and artist friends moving out of town because of the rising costs of rentals and home purchases raised the question...what’s going to happen to this wonderful art colony when artists can't afford to live here?