‘Artists can succeed beyond their current potential when they work towards moving past their insecure feelings. Having the courage to express oneself is a powerful dynamic.'
Sheryl Luxemburg is a hyperreal painter, living in Ontario. Her dedication to her art is evident, this genre requires patience and perfectionism. She is justifiably one of the figurative artists selected to contribute to the Count Ibex Collection. Sheryl gives her unrelenting attention to producing work that is highly detailed and precise, and has developed unique ways of using water based media.
Where is your current studio? What would be your dream studio? I used to rent a studio in an artist run centre, but 20 yrs ago decided to build one in my home. This is good because I can control the environment as I have allergies to dust and oil paint. My studio is ok, but it is in my basement so the light isn’t that great. I have been working on a large scale project, and have since moved the project into my kitchen extension. This is now ideal as there are three very large skylights over my head.
Do you prefer to work in silence or does certain music inspire you?
I work with either the tv or podcasts on or listen to music. I guess it depends on my
mood?
Studio life can lead to isolation, how do you address this/ keep a balance?
Yes, I feel extremely isolated, but since social media has developed, I feel less so. Like my relationship with you, I can connect with people all over the world.
Describe a moment when you had an epiphany concerning your creative life.
I had an epiphany about 20 years ago when I realized how much my subject matter was a direct projection of the psychological struggles I have had in my life.
Do you have a personal mantra or quote which serves to motivate you? My mantra is -‘The secret to success is the ability to fail many times’. In the design stage, I try to establish the soul in the work. If this is not readily apparent, I go back to the beginning and start all over again. Establishing the soul in the work is the most important thing. I must admit being able to comfortably establish this, has taken me a solid 25 years. I am 65 years old and have painted my whole life. For the first 40 years I simply concentrated on developing the technical skills. I then painted as a relaxing hobby. I am laughing, I am not sure my work is relaxing anymore. In the last 15 years, I have received considerable international attention... there are a lot of eyes on me, which can translate into the pressure to produce at a top level. My style is expressive hyperrealism and painting as tight as I do is quite tedious. I paint slower than I used to in order to keep relaxed.
How has your style evolved and what contributed to the changes?
Yes, I began painting architecture and street scenes. About 25 years ago, I transitioned to figurative work. Albeit my figurative work is tedious, I feel a tremendous sense of catharsis when the work is completed.
Nature versus nurture- do you believe you have inherited abilities from creative parents? Can you identify environmental factors or influences which led to your choices or directions?
My grandfather was a Cubist painter. He taught me how to mix pigment from scratch at age 4. I have struggled with the debilitating auto immune illness Lupus which certainly has put a physical and psychological dent in my life. My subject matter is a metaphor for these issues.
Is there something you regard as essential to your preparation or process?
In my design process, I always have to be clear about what it is that I want to say.
Then I have to establish the soul in the work.
Detail a time which was the highlight for you, thus far.
My current project is called ‘To Everything There Is A Season’. It is a triptych, 3 panels, each 3x6 ft. This is the largest scale project I have ever worked on. To paint tight and large scale feels like a force to be reckoned with. Again I am laughing. The subject matter has in part to do with The Me Too/Times Up movement.
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