Today we’d like to introduce you to Carrie Fucile
Hi Carrie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My story is a search for how I want to express myself in term of medium and in relation to others.
I have always been profoundly moved by the arts. As a young person I loved painting, drawing, crafting, and working with tools as much as playing the piano and singing in choir. I have always adored looking, listening, watching, and reading the work of others.
When I went to college, I thought I had to choose one thing. I decided on visual art. I also had a hard time selecting whether or not I wanted to study art or make art, so my major was a combination of Art History and Studio Art.
Though my parents encouraged my artistic pursuits, I had no models outside the academy for creative professionals. My entry to this world was initially tentative as I did not really understand how it was possible to pursue this kind of life.
After college, I moved to New York and worked in publishing for awhile but quickly realized that I needed to make my own work and not be cooped up in an office building. I did meet many lovely people and gained important skills with creative software during my time in this field. But after four years, I decided to get my MFA and pursue art making professionally, in spite of the risks.
As a graduate student, my story changed to what kind of artist I would be. I started off painting and drawing and quickly moved into installation, video, sound, and performance. When I completed my degree, I actually was just starting to understand what I wanted to do.
After I got my MFA, I focused on making a living teaching art at the college level while also fabricating work and searching for a creative community. That stabilized in my mid thirties so I think that it is no coincidence that it was not until my late 30s and early 40s that I realized that I could blur the lines of art and music into what I do now.
Recently, I have also recognized that I prefer working with others, as opposed to alone. I would currently describe myself as a collaborative multimedia artist.
I see what am doing now as a refutation of traditional boundaries of art making in terms of medium and authorship. It is a celebration of connection and it is joyous to make!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest struggle has always been how to make enough money to support myself and simultaneously make work.
One needs to eat, sleep, pay the rent, and afford materials. Unfortunately, meeting these very real needs can carve away the mental and emotional space to make quality creative work. Artists have to be strong enough to resist pressures from everywhere and insist on this kind of clearance for themselves in their lives.
I have worked hard to structure my schedule in a way that supports my creative work. I say “no” a lot. For me, stability of income, residence, relationships, and health are the keys to maintaining my practice.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am sound artist who creates installation, sculpture, performance, and experimental music. My work interprets the effects of political power, technological shifts, and global economics on the human condition. I am interested in exploring how traces of these events are found in objects, architecture, and landscapes. I frequently collaborate with others.
I am most proud of how I have been daring enough to constantly change and learn new things.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Sunshine. Flowers. The beach. Exercise. Friendship. Reading. Snuggling with my cat. Completing good work. Being myself without apology.
Nourishing myself in these ways allows authentically connect with the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.carriefucile.net/
