Marjorie Pezzoli
Marjorie Pezzoli
is a silk painter over 30 years, a visual artist, storyteller, and haikuist.
Her work has been featured in "The Best of Silk Painting" and "The Fine Art of Painting on Silk".
Marjorie’s hand painted silks have been in boutiques and museum shops over the years.
Her poetry and haiku have been published the following anthologies -
A Year in Ink: Volumes 15,16, and 17, Dadakuku 1, Folk-Ku Journal Issue 2, Hauling the Tide, Hetrodox Haiku: Cutting Letters, Headnotes, and 7 Deadly Sins, Palabra: Open Mic, San Diego Poetry Annual 2019- 2024, Tea-Ku, The Taste of Sunlight.
Online journals include Charlotte Digregorio Writer’s Blog, Cold Moon Journal, Fivefleas.blogspot.com, Haiku Summer Girl, Starbeck Orion, SetuMag.com
The Asahi Haikuist Network, The Pan Haiku Review Inaugural Issue, The Poetry Pea, The Wombwell Rainbow, Under the Basho Personal Best.
Weekly audience contributor to The Poet’s Tree Youtube series 2020-2021
Youtube VAMP performance “Can You Stay 10 Minutes Longer?
View her website for collaborative spit sequence, concrete poems, and tan-renga.
Her writings cover joy, hope, grief, and cosmic wonders. Nature is a huge inspiration.
She started writing when she found her daughter Alyssa's nearly blank journal in 2018, Marjorie filled its pages when she could not. This act began her writing journey. Her work deals with grief, hope, earth stewardship, and cosmic wonders. Photos taken while out walking Beau, the dog with Betty Davis eyes, inspires much of her work. Marjorie looks for words worth more than a thousand images. wwwPezzoliart.com
The Interview
Q:1. When and why did you start making artworks?
I recall as a young child my mother showing me I could use more than one color for shading. That opened up my love for art, I still have that coloring book.
During 4th grade my teacher once a week would skip an academic class and teach us fiber arts. We carted and spun wool for weaving, did natural dying, then macramé. I still have one of the weavings on my wall because I wouldn't sell it to one of the art teachers for $25, that would be over $100 these days.
My high school days I was in gymnastics 5 evenings a week, an injury stopped that pursuit. I was so used to being out of the house at night, I needed to fill that time. My father and I took art classes at a local museum, first metal smithing then drawing. That was the beginning of getting serious about pursuing art as a career.
I went to the Art Institute of Philadelphia, then finished my second year in Ft. Lauderdale to receive an Associate’s degree in Commercial Art and Communication. I worked in small print shops, then at Sea World as a production artist. The time came and I made the decision to stay at home to
raise my children.
When my son was two I took up silk painting. Stain glass is another enjoyable art form of mine. During lockdown down is when I really got into photography using my cellphone. All of these creative endeavors inspired my writing which I have been shifting into since 2018. Art will always be a part of my life, it applies to everything for me. I make a salad the same way I paint a silk - add colors and textures, build them up until I am happy with the results. Same process works for gardens and landscaping.
The Creative Process keeps me going, it adds much joy, healing, and connections of many types.
Q:1.1. How did your mother showing you how to use more than one colour for shading open up a love of art?
She picked up a couple crayons and demoed how to blend them, once was enough for me to understand the concept.
It amazed me that browns could contain reds and greens, that white could have blue and purple components.
Q:2. How aware are and were you of the dominating presence of older artworks traditional and contemporary?
It was during the art classes at the museum while I was in high school that I became aware of the different artists styles.
I remember seeing Norman Rockwell’s exhibition. Seeing 4’ oil paintings of his magazine covers was amazing. The luminosity of his pigments blew me away. How he could tell stories with images opened my thinking.
He really was a fine artist though most considered him a commercial one.
I was able to visit the Guggenheim Museum in New York during this time as well to see traditional and contemporary works.
Calder’s mobiles introduced me to kinetic artwork.
Q:3. What is your daily artworking routine?
My day has to start with a cup of tea, usually Earl Grey. My routine is more of a non-routine.
Noticing what is around at any given time creates a mental catalog of design elements to work with any chosen medium. Seeing how the pieces fit is always running in the background.
I do like to get outside, find things that catch my eye, take photographs and write thoughts down. Everything has a story to be told in shades and hues, with or without words.
My favorite way to paint silk is to pick out a few colors and let them flow across the fabric. It is like painting on air, why this medium has kept me intrigued for years. I like to experiment, play with different textures and shades. It is very similar to watercolor with its own quirks.
Q:4. What is your favourite material to work with?
It depends on what day it is, and my mood.
I enjoy the fluidity of silk and the precision of glass.
My favorite way to paint silk is to start with white fabric. Create a spontaneous texture foundation and find the “hidden image” to coax it out.
The Cosmic Jelly, is an example of planned-unplanned design work. You can see I left a white area, then build up the colors.
Size- 36” x 36”
I enjoy mixed media, collage, along with
upcycled and repurposed art forms.
This question is like asking me what my favourite food is. The answer- the one I am eating.
Q:5. What motivates you to make artworks?
My motivation is exploration and satisfying curiosities. Creating joy is a big factor.
Right now I am motivated to make stained glass doors for my bathroom cabinets.
I still need to plan the designs, thankfully I have a good stash of colored glass.
Last thought on motivation-
It is finding the first step than leads to the next step.
That is what exploration and curiosity creates.
Q:6. What is your work ethic?
Creating art does not feel like work. I have
met deadlines for commissions and other projects by giving it my all. It is fun when I am in the flow zone. Writing micro poems or haiku daily inspired by my observations, photography or artwork is a must.
Q:7. How do the artworks you saw when you were young influence your artwork today?
Visiting museums and taking art classes showed me that subject matters can be portrayed with different styles, techniques, and perspectives. How color brings forth emotions, or even tells time. The importance of negative shapes within the composition.
I recall learning about Picasso, and was amazed that he started his art career with realism before shifting into abstract painting.
That taught me to learn the rules, bend them, or even break them in to create my artistic visions. Photographic arts showed me the importance of light.
All artists have their own unique way to create which encouraged me to approach the blank paper, canvas, or silk, to start making my marks.
Q:8. Whom of today's artworkers do you admire the most and why?
I consider nature and the cosmos the greatest designers and artists that inspire all of us.
Q:9. Why do you make artwork, as opposed to doing anything else?
Artwork is integrated into everything I do.
It brings me joy to see how it affects those who view it, wear it, or even eat it.
Q:10.What would you say to someone who asked you "How do you become a artworker?"
Follow your passion, put time and effort into it. Take some basic classes or self educate yourself to build a foundation. Buy good art supplies from the start, including paper!
It makes a huge difference in the final outcome.
For example:
My kids could tell the difference between generic colored pencils and the Prisma Color brand. They contain more wax so the colors blend smoother.
Mainly, stay curious, never stop experimenting, and try to sketch every day.
Go to places where you can view original art in person, that is when you truly see the power and impact it has. Know your work can make a difference to someone else in unexpected ways.
Q:11. Tell me about the artwork projects you have on at the moment
Last summer Deborah Ramos and I curated The Electric Womb gallery show for ten womyn artists who also write poetry. We are now working on The Electric Blender show, the same concept that is all inclusive. It is really lovely to see art and poetry up on the walls together. I am deciding what my contribution will be along with updating the website to help land the show.
I create photo collages, text art, or silk paintings for my weekly newsletter, The Cosmic Gumball Machine. The name comes from my graphic novel hybrid project that includes poetry, it is a work in progress.
I have an idea for a mixed medium octopus piece, and will work small before doing a large scale piece.
Soon I will work on a new batch of hand painted silk scarves for a gallery opening up this fall in San Diego.
I keep the ideas coming, use them like stepping stones to see what comes next.
Playing with color, design, and pondering words keeps me a “happy camper”. It offsets the difficult days. The Creative Process is what heals me.
I am more than honored to be part of this Anthology 🙏☺️