Sheila here at Peaceful Art Jewelry/Design LLC and the Studio of Cindy Thorrington Haggerty Art we have gotten to know some of our associate artists through the years. We would also like for the public to get a sense of whose art they love with answering some of our questions here... So with that said.
1. Can you please tell us your name and a little about your family or where you grew up?
My name is Sheila Wolk, born in Washington DC.
My mother came from Poland and my Dad from Russia. I have 2 sisters and one brother.my maiden name was Fisher. Although my fathers name was different from that (before he came to the United States), Ellis Island couldn't spell his name right so they gave him the name of Fisher. When I got divorced years ago, I didn't have enough money to buy my name back and when I finally did, I was too well known as a sports artist and my gallery and attorneys told me not to change it, it would have caused too much confusion to the clients who were collecting my art, so I left it as Wolk.
2. Sheila can you please tell us if your family had a influence in you life of a artist and/or if they are a part of your art career now?
I was totally miserable as a child, and I had a nanny named Annie Bell Hicks. Annie was my savior, my guardian angel. She always insisted for me to draw and color when times were hard for me, we would pick out pictures in the yellow pages and she would make me draw them, then she would staple it all together like a book, then let me sit and color them in.. This saved me! Annie also told me to see the world like is was a television show, so when times got too hard to handle, just mentally turn it off. I remember all this and still practice her method, on occasion, to this very day. Annie raised me from 6 months old to 21 years; she retired when I left home and moved to NYC.
3. Sheila can you tell me if you went to school for art and where you accredit your teaching as a master detailed painter relating to your teachings.
I studied fine arts in the beginning then switched majors to commercial art. I knew I was going to leave home, so I needed to find a job and it was easier to earn money through commercial arts/advertising than struggle too hard and long as a fine artist waiting to be discovered. On weekends I painted, so I had it all! I became an art director in pharmaceutical advertising, then after 8 years I went into freelancing so I could paint more at home.
I opened a business with tote bags I invented, I made the first canvas tote bag and animal carriers made of canvas and silk-screen and had printed the Volkswagen bus on it. I called Volkswagen of America everyday until they caved in and met with me (I knew I needed their copyright permission), they gave it to me and actually helped me advertise it. Then I expanded into designing children's T- Shirts and nightwear. It all ended after I filled a huge order to all major stores, paid off all the bills and debts knowing I was having a huge cash flow come in from those sales, and then everything died the next morning when a major article was released to the newspapers on " tris'' the fire retardant chemical, (mandatory to be in all nightwear) was banned for causing skin cancer .so all the stores return my goods and I went bankrupt. I was then asked to be a model, did that for a short while but got bored, and then a good friend had mentioned to me, that with my business savvy, my looks, me being female, and talent in anatomy that I should try sports art and that's the day my art world came together in the fine arts. I never ever took the title of illustrator; I always insisted on being called a `fine artist' and still do to this day.
All of this has contributed to my paintings from hand lettering, being an art director, modeling (killing off all fears of the public watching), cloth and the feel for it and draping and textures and how it falls on body, inventing, selling, doing the business and P.R, all of it is what I am today in its totality.
1978- School of Visual Arts, Evening Courses on Drawing: Nick Meglin & Jack Potter
1975 - Salmagundi Club, Oil Painting with Jerry Knipscher
1970 - 1966 Diploma Graduate of Corcoran School of Art, (Affiliate of G.W. University) Washington D.C.
1966 - 1965 Kansas City Art Institute, MO.
1968 - Exchange Student at Leeds School of Art, England. Studied in Oxford, Stratford, Leeds and London with
Corcoran Dean of Art, Roy Slade
4. Can you please tell us the artists that influenced you in the way you paint?
Michael Angelo and De Vinci.
5. Sheila do you have a favorite painting that you have done? If so what is the name and why it has become your favorite painting?
I will share what I wrote for another article, it really describes the moment the best and I can't change one word to unveil what happened, so here is the story of which painting is the most important to me as it happened in my life..
".. The Gatekeeper, the painting that opened new insight to my life!
Preparing for this painting I took hundreds of photographs of pink roses and watched as they bloomed and died everyday. I needed more inspiration as to the heart of the rose and life, but during this period I had to spray six paintings to get them out of my way since my paintings range from four to six feet.
I wear a professional gas mask to do the spraying but after the job was done I realized that I forgot to put the filters on the mask, I passed out. I didn't feel well after I awoke so I went to sleep and the next morning I had no vision or hearing, I thought I was dead until I touched my arm and then I realized I was in severe trouble. Being rushed to hospital I was told that I had severe toxic poisoning and it would take a long recuperation. Two years of no sight and hearing left me frightened and desperate. Along with Prednizone and the swelling of the flesh, the realization came in that I was a useless person.
I remember standing in front of the Gatekeeper sketch staring at it in vain, nothing but black, but I also found myself pondering survival and how I could translate this into the Gatekeeper if my sight and hearing ever came back. I turned on my 1500 watts of light everyday and prayed to see the light and one day I saw it, like a small pin dot, a speck that gave me hope. This procedure went on for months, approximately five minutes, which grew to ten then fifteen, oh! Happiness. Each minute that I could see a little I would paint a rose, or a petal, a vine or leaf. I felt the importance of patience and persistence. I realized that prayers could be heard; I realized that pain could yield joy. I realized that my impairment was replaced with wisdom, the lesson that I can be strong at my weakest moments.
The Gatekeeper was my savior; the dripping roses, which I added later, were my prayers being answered by my angels. By the time the painting was completed, my vision was reasonably restored and my hearing (outside of a small permanent loss) was back. I learned at that point that each painting had to have great meaning and importance, no matter how long it takes."
6. Sheila do you have a favorite style of painting that you would rather paint?
We all see the broad styles of categories you use from your web site. I know that it is all what we all call Fantasy Art but you have developed some categories that others are not familiar with.
Can you explain to us the one called Hyper-realism so people understand your depth?
I was doing a book with Marcel Marceau and he was the one, years ago, that tagged my style with that name, he said people in France were painting and using that title `hyper- realism' but I was the first American he met doing the same.it's defined as taking art one step further than what a camera can do. Back then there was no such thing as computers or computer art.
It is a series of paintings I had done for a Gallery show, of man's inner conflict with self. This show was a total success but I remember a very wise man from a museum that had said to me " in order to be totally committed to the fine arts, you will need financial backing to support the time it would take to create a huge portfolio", and I didn't have any financial support. I had retired from Sports Art and was trying to find another venue of fine art. I remember crying allot, and one day I said I felt like I was drowning in a pool of my lonely tears, so, I painted a mermaid. And that's it! I stayed within the fantasy realm.
7. Sheila please tell the people what it takes for you to come up with a piece of art. I am sure that people say as with all artists where did they think of that from. Can you tell us what comes to your mind to make a piece of art transform from a vision or a dream to the canvas?
I have mental visuals that pop into my head, just for a nano-second, I started writing them down immediately so I wouldn't forget. Allot of my ideas come from silly jokes, but I hear them as they roll out of my mouth, and I write it down, then one day I thought "hmmm wouldn't that be neat if those were my angels and fairies whispering visuals to me?" tee hee.. just a moments fantasy! I really rely on my notes, have accumulated pages and books full of them, and occasionally I combine certain ideas and find what the message is `wanting' me to do. Some come to me in moments of meditation, those are the deeper paintings of emotional sorrow or loneliness, some I have painted and others I have saved for later.. but what's most important is that they are all places I have been to (emotionally) or places in my heart or soul of where I would like to be.
I take great pains and time to do research; I study everything that has to be in the paintings. I have a gazillion research books from flowers to butterfly's, anatomy, to fashion. It's all encompassing to the fact that you have to really know what you are painting, to make it believable, so I can take people into the painting and have them feel secure that it's a reality within a dream.
8. What size of paintings are you most comfortable with at achieving the ultimate detail and what is the medium of choice for you?
I use dry pastels, on 100% acid free, PH balanced, cotton paper. I have worked in almost every medium but I find that pastels are the best for me, I can blend so many shades and tones that the other mediums can't do, and it's magic when looking at a pastel painting under different lights, the pastel dust just does something magical. I use Rembrandt Pastels because they are the cheapest on the market, being that my paintings go from 4 to 8 feet in range; the other pastels would make me go broke. Rembrandts are also toxic free~ that's important.
9. Sheila you are near and in one of the largest states in the United States and do you think that has attributed to your success? If so can you tell us what you think has helped along the way to get your art out there being near a major city?
I live in Manhattan and this is the only place, I feel, that an artist should live and/or experience. It's so full of energy, even when I don't go out I can feel it's high energy right outside my window. I would say yes, that it has helped, it offers everything that an artist needs in order to live and create.. but that's just my opinion. I have traveled to many places and see why people have chosen their homes where they live; it's all personal choice in the end.
10. So can you tell the people what it is that is the best move for you to make your art succeed to a line of products and do you factor in that in the way you make a painting?
First I would like to say that when I paint I am true to that creation and products DO NOT come into play, not at all. It is the painting that counts first.
11. Sheila we all see your art in many products. What people do not know is what it takes to get it there.
It's amazing how much work goes into getting a product to market! If all the companies got paid true value for their labor, every item on the shelves would be in the thousands instead of 25 or 45 dollars. For instance, a figurine company will first analyze it, and the master sculptor (usually in China) makes his first approach in interpreting the painting into three dimensions.
Now, what's most important is that I am a `hands on' artist. I bring in all the skills from my past and become an art director again and insist on changes for the product to be interpreted and simplified with artistic integrity to the painting. I will make certain changes and either draw or make corrections on photographs of the sculpture. Then resubmit to China factory, at that point they make secondary changes to the sculpt. This sometimes takes three to four changes (I try not to do more than that since the costs goes up higher with too many changes). Once I approve the sculpture, it starts all over again with the paintjob. This process takes many months of communication. I am also a believer that if I deal with a company that sells my art for 40 dollars or 400 dollars, I want it to look the best for the consumer, it's my name that's on it, you see? I only want it to be the best it can be.
12. Sheila all of us in the art world have a dream and an ultimate goal. Can you tell me what yours are?
My goal is to be remembered through the beauty I leave behind. Most importantly is that my paintings live on.
13. This is a question that I ask everyone since we are Earth Minded people and leaders of our industry. Please tell us how you feel about the earth and the environment and the welfare of our animals and children?
I feel that if the human race runs'-a- muck with our planet long enough, this planet will get rid of us, so it can live on. I happen to think this Earth is such a beautiful planet and am so grateful to be here for a little while, it provides all species with everything we need to survive, the only problem is that the humans created the dollar bill, and that ruined everything for us, (there should have been a better way). Years ago it had on the bill that it was a bartering tool, but that was changed, now there's a pyramid on it, with the third eye, and the word God on it as well-all symbols to cover up the main purpose of barter. People live for it and die for it, and that's not the purpose (to me) what life and living was intended for.
14. Do you have any animals yourself?
No animals now, did have a dog years ago that I loved very much, and a few cats later but none now.
15. If you were granted a wish can you tell us what it would be?
Yes, to have remembered to put filters on my gas mask years ago, when I forgot. I went blind and deaf for a few years suffering from toxic poisoning. It changed my entire life, I learned allot from the experience, but it sure did take it's toll on my health, and living a so called `normal life' isn't normal anymore. It's a struggle but I just keep on painting.
16. Sheila I always ask the people I interview to give advise to the people that read our interviews on what you can tell them about how to achieve your dreams. So can you please tell the public what it is that you would say to someone who ask for your advice to become successful?
When you have made a commitment to become an artist, you have also committed to hard times and a struggle. If you are willing to make great sacrifices getting to where you want to be as an artist, then I say you should go for it.but there are no guarantees. This should be in your blood and inner sense of being, never to question if your decision was correct or not, just keep going. If you are willing to go down that path for your art, and to also learn the business behind the arts, then most definitely go on that path, and never ever let anyone get in your way with negativity, or lack in belief in yourself. When I gave lectures I never talked about my successes, instead I shared my failures. Failure is what taught me and educated me to get over the next similar hurdles to get where I was going. Failures is what gave me the courage to keep pursuing my dream, not to let anything stop me, keep creating, keep inventing, keep searching, keep painting. If you are willing to fail on the way to success, then there is NO fear; it's all an adventure. You will earn all your rewards, in art, and also in life.
17. If you had a chance to paint somewhere in the world where would it be?
Italy
18. Can you please tell me a little bit about the atmosphere you need to paint in to feel comfortable? Also can you show us a picture of your painting area or your studio please?
I live in a tiny place; I went bankrupt after my illness happened with toxic poisoning. I depend on the TV being on all the time to keep my vertigo from going crazy (the sound helps with direction and balance), and the light from the TV (when I am sleeping) prevents panic attacks from the embedded horror of waking up blind again. I had most of my furniture removed, I was falling all over the place to get around, and familiar things became my enemies. I broke so many bones while trying to get used to getting around in the dark, but now I keep it simple because it's easier this way, living sparse. Mostly art references and supplies all around, a few neat little mementos, but that's about it.
I just do the best I can.
19. Sheila please tell me your favorite flower, gemstone, music and color?
I love them all as beautiful things to look at but I have no favorites.. sorry.
20. Sheila I have a burning question in my heart for you. We all know of the tragedy of 911 in New York. I see that you have a picture of the TV on your MySpace Page from that day. Can you please tell me what it is that made you take that picture and how that impacted your life as evident it is in your heart?
OH! What a day that was! The answer is simple, late at night we always see that annoying ticker tape and terrible noise warning us what to do in case of emergencies, well I took that picture because after the screen went black on all stations and that emergency channel as well, I flipped channels and channel 9 was the only station that had anything on it. I knew we were all in trouble, but at that split second I could see how all of that emergency stuff was a lie, or better yet, we don't have proper protections to go by, we actually were on our own with our own instincts of survival.
So I took the picture to never forget! It's easy to think that all the lies are there, but to actually see it, and take a picture of it, is a unique point in time. My camera was sitting there, and so I instinctively picked it up and took the shot.
Later that day I went out to the bank to get cash, to do all the right survival things, buy some food, ask questions, etc. BUT. as I got to the bank I saw such a huge crowd of people running uptown here, it was obvious that all those herds of people had run from the downtown area miles away, all the way uptown here. Well an awakening happened, I started telling everyone in line at bank that we should stop those people because you could see in their eyes that they were still in great shock. We ran into the streets and just started to scream that they were all safe and we grabbed people and made them sit on the ground, right there in the street. What great sorrow that was for me, to see them in total shock, and then come back to reality and cry, just fearful weeping. Some couldn't get back up, they just froze.. what a nightmare. I lost 6 young neighbors that day. they just never came home. I knew there was no one left in those Towers, I used to live with a fireman and I know about those things. Another lie was when the Mayor and all those officials said that maybe someone was alive down there in the pits were the towers used to stand, impossible! More lies. It has done something to me deep within my soul; to witness all the blank stares that day in all those people's eyes, and to live here and still remember all those young neighbors of mine that perished that day. It would take pages if not a novel to describe what went on in my heart and soul from that experience here in Manhattan, but I just keep it in now, I am haunted by it everyday and trust nothing anymore, I just keep painting.wanting to share the beauty from my "within".
21. Sheila I am sure that people would like to know why it is that you do not sell your art or products on your web site. Can you please explain to them why and can you direct them to where they can get your products and art .
Since I am fully represented, exclusively, by a Licensing and Publishing Agent, I am loyal to my clients by not being conflictive. My website is a business one, no frills, and anyone can go to my links page and find on the right side, most of the companies hyperlinks that sell my products. They can also type in my name in ebay or Google search and tons of stores appear.
Sheila this concludes my interview with you and if you would like you are welcome to add anything you feel is important for you public to know. I would like to say that we are honored here at Peaceful Art Jewelry/Design and Cindy Thorrington Haggerty Art to have you here. We wish you all the love and peace that life brings and please know that you have a home here with us and you are welcome to link to your interview. We will keep your page in an archive for you to have a special place... Blessings Cindy.. and her Girl Friday Mystic (Dana)
You are quite welcome Cindy,
And thank you for allowing me this opportunity to share a bit of my life
With your fans and mine
