Cindy Bernhard is in the process of establishing a solid foundation in her painting career. Through addressing topical content and experimentation, she has built a series of works that offer insight into contemporaneous modes of self-portrayal by way of humor, illusion, symbolism, and tactile technique. This week the COMP Magazine took the Rock Island Metra down to Beverly to discuss with Bernhard the role art played in her youth, why painting is her medium of choice, the various techniques she employs to create illusion on a 2-dimensional surface, and her role as an educator.
You are from the region, grew up near Joliet, Illinois, studied at the American Academy of Art, then moved out west and attended the Laguna College of Art and Design. Now, you are back. What piqued your interest in pursuing a career in painting? Was there any specific event or people that you see as prompting your investigations?
I often wonder what really piqued my interested in wanting to be a painter. I grew up in Elwood, Illinois on a farm in the middle of nowhere, and no one in my family even really enjoys art! I remember when I was around 15 bribing my dad to drive me to the city to see galleries, and he was not amused.
But, paint has always been my medium of choice. First I used watercolor, but then I started using oil. After my first year of graduate school I had an exhibition in Paris, and spent all my days at the museums, mostly the Louvre and the Pompidou. I will never forget how overwhelming it was my first time at the Louvre. I walked around with tears streaming down my face for hours. I was completely blown away, and I think that was one of the main reasons I began oil painting. Being a part of the tradition of painting seems like such a magical thing to me.
You note that the rectangularity of the painting canvas works as a window. Frequently you create elaborate frames within. These can be empty or work as mirrors. For instance, in Funfetti F*ck (2018), there is a use of symmetry, yet this is counterbalanced with elements that take on a whimsical tone. Can you walk us through your painting process?
I think of my paintings partly as a window, because in areas of the canvas I am painting illusionistic forms. But, at the same time, I like to call attention to the materials I am using by creating thick mounds of paint that sit on the canvas calling attention to it’s flatness and object-hood. I have fun playing with thin layers of paint creating the illusion of depth, and the thick sculptural forms creating a shallow field. In my current body of work things are less symmetrical, and I am playing with compressed space and layered 3-dimensional illusionistic forms. I really feel like just within the last month my work has really grown, and I am really excited about the new things I am working on in the studio!
48 x 36 in, 2018
Can we discuss your tactile approach? You often work with cake modeling tools to create decorative elements that organize the 2-D space. What prompted this? What do you see this formal application conveying?
Well, I love cake, everything about it. Like I previously stated, I was raised in rural Illinois on a pig farm and I grew up in a very traditional household where the man works, and the woman cooks, bakes, and cleans. Although this is an out dated representation of most men and women today, this stills holds true for all of my immediate and extended family. As a kid, my mom let me decorate all the desserts she made and it was (and still is) one of my favorite things to do. When I started painting, I liked the idea of taking these heroic masculine painting strategies of abstract expressionism (like thick impasto and viscous paint), and re-creating the marks with traditionally domestic tools as the vehicle for the mark making. So, for me there was a sort of re-contextualization of these tools from a child to an adult.
But, I think a lot of painters have this sense of gratification when they squeeze a tube of paint and watch the beautiful pigment slowly appear. In graduate school after I started oil painting I bought these cheap plastic cake tips and would squirt out paint and play around in the studio during my breaks. That was the beginning of the cake tip exploration.
The Self Portraitsseries uses a similar color palette to that found in much of your work, yet holds a different tone in terms of content. The heavy impasto of the medium feels abstract, while you use simplified tactics to render the eyes and mouth. How do you see this effort in contrast to other painting pursuits?
I am actually currently asking myself this same question in the studio! I think the Self Portraits with thick impasto did what I wanted them to do, in a very simple way. They address issues of gender, artificiality, performance, and humor. I am trying to find a way to bring that technique of painting into my other works successfully. I think they are funny paintings, and I love using humor in my work.
14 x 11 in, 2018
In addition to your painting practice, you teach at the American Academy of Art. Are there specific approaches or items that you see yourself regularly conveying to younger artists? What do you see your role in assisting them in establishing a career in the arts?
There are so many things that I try to regularly convey. I try to stress the importance of self-motivation, life long learning, and finding a mentor. One of the best things I did was find a strong woman painter as my mentor when I moved back to Chicago. I am lucky to not only teach, but also be a studio assistant for one of my favorite artists, Phyllis Bramson. She has shared so much knowledge with me about both panting and teaching, and I think that mentorship has been an invaluable experience for my career.
60 x 72 in, 2019
What do you value most in your painting practice?
Self-motivation. I keep regular hours in the studio and I keep a pretty strict and structured practice. I wake up at 5:30am, work out, make coffee, and paint for 7 – 8 hours in my studio. At the end of the studio day I research for future paintings, respond to emails, and apply to exhibitions, run errands, etc. For me, making sure I keep a consistent schedule allows me to be the most productive.
What’s the plan for the summer? What are you currently working upon? Do you have any exhibitions or projects you are currently working upon?
Each summer I paint in the studio full time and I have so many paintings I am excited to finish! I’ll also be working on putting some upcoming shows together and seeing as many exhibitions as I can.
For additional information on the painting practice of Cindy Bernhard, please visit:
Cindy Bernhard – http://www.cindybernhardart.com
The Gathered Gallery – https://www.thegatheredgallery.com/single-post/2019/05/22/Cindy-Bernhard
Cindy on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/cindybernhard/
Artist interview and portrait by Chester Alamo-Costello
