Artist Spotlight: Joe Tsambiras

Sunday, September 14, 2014

We're teaming up with WonderRoot to highlight local artists from their 2014 Art CSA. Inspired by agricultural CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture), they have set up a Community Supported Art program in which folks can buy a share and get 6 unique piece of art created by local artists. Shares are still available so don't miss your chance to enjoy curated local art for a great price!

Our Eat Local Art Local partnership will highlight each of these local artists as they prepare for the debut of their artwork at their Pick Up Party. The first Pick Up Party is this Wednesday, September 17th from 6:30pm to 8pm at the Hammonds House Museum, featuring two very talented local artists: Joe Tsambiras and Danielle Brutto. The event is open to everyone and anyone. You can RSVP here.

We know that cooking is an art, so we wanted to see what local artists thought of the G&G experience. We shared a meal with each of these artists and sat down to chat about their art, their experience with G&G and their favorite veggies. We started by chatting with Joe Tsambiras.

G&G: Tell us about your style of Art

Joe: I make etchings and ink drawings of mostly representational things. Currently my work is most similar to Surrealism, yet it may not be called Surrealist because of Andre Breton’s strict definition of the art-form.

G&G: Tell us about the pieces you’ll be doing for the art CSA

I am making an etching that is called Cairn that I will print multiples of. In ancient Greece, a cairn (herma) is a stone heap which embodies the spirit of the god Hermes, the guide of souls and protector of wayfarers.

G&G: What is your process like?

First I complete an actual size drawing. Then through laborious alchemical means, I manage to etch all of the linework and tones onto a small sheet of copper. Nitric acid is used in this process to eat away at the metal and unveil what was before invisible.

G&G: What inspires you? 

My inspiration comes from nature. Lately it has been specifically the nature of nature itself and how things like intuition and imagination are closely tied to it. This summer I spent quality time interacting with nature at Cumberland Island and in North Carolina. Most recently I attended a two week residency at Hambidge Center for the Creative Arts and Sciences located on 600 acres of land in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The cove forest, meadows, streams, waterfalls, plants, flowers, insects, and animals made an impact on me. I like to pay attention to things like the shapes, textures, sounds, rhythms, and cycles in this sort of environment.

G&G: What does local mean to you? Why is it important to support local?

Local means “belonging to a specific area”. I think it is important to support your local environment and its activities because it can help to create and maintain a vibrant local culture.

G&G: What do art & cooking have in common?

Cooking is the highest art-form to me. It is a visual art, and yet it also sustains life.

G&G: What do you like to cook at home?

I do like to cook. I’m a semi-regular cook at home. I like to cook Greek recipes my mother has taught me. Hearty stuff like lemon chicken and potatoes. Fish may be the most regular thing that I cook though.

G&G: You cooked the Pasta in Sweet Corn Sauce with Mushrooms & Green Beans. Tell me about your experience with your G&G meal?

It was an awesome meal. Everything I needed to make the meal was included. I have never made a corn-based pasta sauce which was exciting and gave me another cooking idea for the future. All of the ingredients were fresh and I appreciated the cayenne pepper which added the extra kick.

G&G: If you could be a fruit or vegetable, what would you be and why?

Hmmm. I suppose a fresh summer watermelon. It is refreshing and juicy. That’s how I would describe myself… refreshing and juicy. I’ll go with that.