Maine Artist Emily Blaschke on Creative Reinvention

Lisa Belisle: Hello, I'm Lisa Belisle, and you are listening to or watching Radio Maine, our video podcast where we explore and celebrate creativity and the human spirit. We are sponsored by the Portland Art Gallery in Portland, Maine. Today I have with me a dear friend and fellow resident of our fine coastal town here in Maine, and also Portland Art Gallery artist, Emily Blaschke. Good to see you today.

Emily Blaschke: Good to see you. Thank you so much for having me.

Lisa Belisle: Well, it is my pleasure. I've really enjoyed your art over the years and how it's continued to evolve in such interesting ways. So I can't wait to talk to you about it because I think your art is unique. At the Portland Art Gallery certainly, but probably within Maine.

Emily Blaschke: Yeah, it is pretty different from Maine, but I see it changing, especially at the gallery. You have a couple California artists now.

Lisa Belisle: Yes. To California, and we definitely have mixed media artists, but your art in particular.

Emily Blaschke: Goes to a different level.

Lisa Belisle: Absolutely. So describe to me your art. And first, let me say that you studied at UC Berkeley, you studied at Maine College of Art. So you have a very impressive educational background in art, but you've also been practicing it and developing your own style over decades now. So when people look at your art, what are they seeing, and describe to me how you get them.

Emily Blaschke: Oh, what I want the viewer to experience.

Lisa Belisle: I guess they're different questions. So describe your art first, and then maybe that leads into the next question.

Emily Blaschke: My art, well, it began when I went to UC Berkeley. It was more figurative, and when the girls were born, I was doing portraits, but I always loved collage and mixed media, so I had that on the sideline. And when I moved to Maine, 16 years, that's where it evolved into these assemblage, almost sculptural mixed media pieces.

Lisa Belisle: I remember some of the earlier pieces. They actually had, they were like Barbie doll heads and other interesting. There would be faces and other things.

Emily Blaschke: It's so funny because when I moved to Yarmouth, one of my favorite days of the week, I'm embarrassed to say, but I loved going to the dump. We didn't have trash pickup, and that's where I found the Barbies and many other projects that I worked on. But the Barbies, I came home with this gigantic box of Barbies from some kid that the hair was cut off and I had fun with those. I did several pieces. I still have maybe two left in my studio.

Lisa Belisle: So you didn't steal them from your children, you didn't dismantle their toys in order to make your art?

Emily Blaschke: You know what, I probably would've, but both of 'em weren't really interested in Barbies.

Lisa Belisle: So you bring in found objects?

Emily Blaschke: I do. I live for found objects. That's basically how my work starts, going to vintage antique stores, salvage, the dump. I grew up with a mom who is a designer, a collector, and I think I found my calling with my art in that way. I like reusing too, turning things that are thrown away, giving 'em new life. And I find a lot of my other sources at the dump. They also have this area of paint that's unwanted, so I'll come home with gallons of people's house paint that I incorporate in my work.

Lisa Belisle: And nail polish.

Emily Blaschke: Nail polish is something else I really love too. I think I started nail polish because I liked that shiny, fast drying part to it. And I also assemblage pieces on it. If I used jewelry in my work and then I started getting the stuff on sale or discounted or people would give me their expired nail polish. But I can get a little bit of trouble with using it with the toxic smell. So I'm not using it as much these days, but if I do, I go outside and add a little bit here and there.

Lisa Belisle: First of all, I didn't know that nail polish expired, so that's actually good information to have.

Emily Blaschke: Yeah, so you know who to call.

Lisa Belisle: Apparently during the warm winter months so that we don't toxify you in your system.

Emily Blaschke: Oh my gosh. I have people, like my old neighbor who moved, they'll bring me boxes of stuff. I made this one creation from her rusted cookie cutters and I went to town with those. But I have people now that call me up and say, do you want, I have this, or I still get lots of calls with Barbies. Do you want my old, so word's gotten around, I don't really need to go to the dump anymore.

Lisa Belisle: This actually makes me feel better, Emily, because there are things that I run across in my everyday life and jewelry is one example. You have that one, not one earring.

Emily Blaschke: One earring.

Lisa Belisle: It's not super valuable. It's not like a

Emily Blaschke: Yeah, but you save it.

Lisa Belisle: But you save it because there's something, at least in the back of my mind, I'm thinking, I can do something with this someday.

Emily Blaschke: Yeah. Well, I'm lucky in that area because on my husband's side there is, they have a jewelry store in Connecticut and they know that I do this with my work and they'll send me parts, stuff that pile up there. So that's what was fun. When I get those, it's like treasures coming in the mail.

Lisa Belisle: Do people ever commission you to do work with objects?

Emily Blaschke: One of my favorite things. I love commissions because then I can start collecting, planning. Even exhibitions I love, especially themed ones, but that's when you can be a little bit more disciplined too and get the excitement of building a project, gathering all this stuff for the pieces.

Lisa Belisle: So you talk about how you love commissions, and it seems like artists go one way or the other. Most people, if you're an artist who loves commissions, you're an artist who loves commissions. If you're an artist who doesn't like commissions, you're like, I did it once, I'll never do it again. Or I've never done it, I'll never do it. So what is it about working with people who have asked you to create a piece for them?

Emily Blaschke: Well, I think, I don't know if I would do portraits again. So far I've had a really good experience with commissions. I had one where somebody gave me a wedding dress and she said, you can burn it, do whatever you want. And I asked her all about her wedding, where it was in Casco Bay. They love boating, so I started collecting old maps. They had these little, those old fashioned bell jars I think they're called that you drink out of, they were blue. So I started collecting the little round tops to those, and I added some pictures that I aged in the background, but it was the size of a door. And what was fun with not being nervous about destroying the dress, I was able to make it translucent so you could see all the images below it. It was their wedding dress, but also it could be in anybody's home. It was passed down to their son or daughter. I think that they would still enjoy it, or their next door neighbor.

Lisa Belisle: So I'm getting this visual of almost like a mermaid situation, just this, well, a mermaid with a beautiful dress, I guess. I don't know what mermaids wear, but yes, this sort of interesting crossover.

Emily Blaschke: Yeah, it was neat. I used resin on it, and sometimes what I love about resin, it can change fabrics into almost this see-through image, and then you can see what's underneath, and if you're writing messages or having pictures or adding material, have any effect.

Lisa Belisle: I guess another question that you mentioned earlier, what is it that you want people to get out of interacting with your art?

Emily Blaschke: I think when people view my art, I would like them to have a sense of discovery, joy, interests. I do a lot of, not all the time, but sometimes I write things or have words, so I hope that they connect to that in some way, if that makes sense.

Lisa Belisle: Yeah. I'm thinking of a few of your pieces in the past that I've really enjoyed that incorporate hearts and love, and they're particularly beautiful and striking. So I'll stand there and I'll just look at your art for a while and I'll think, wow.

Emily Blaschke: There's usually a lot in my pieces, a lot of layers.

Lisa Belisle: In doing this sort of work, how have you evolved as an artist over time?

Emily Blaschke: Well, I definitely have my own unique style now, so that's kind of interesting. And I've been doing it for years and years, but it seems to be always evolving. I'm always changing it up a little bit, but usually people know if it's something that I did, they come into a room.

Lisa Belisle: And do you ever work in series?

Emily Blaschke: I love working in series. My studio is packed with, I have one of my neighbors had a relative that passed away that worked with clocks, and they asked me if I wanted all these parts. And so I have this one area that's like all these parts of clocks, and I'm using them actually as a canvas, the inside of 'em, and adding all these fun things. I have that in one corner, and then I have another corner, the love section. I always do something in February. And then I had something for a wedding that I was working on with words, so I think I'm putting that over there. That was fun. And then my mom, who's this interior designer, has all these fabrics and is a big collector of folk art, and I think I get all this from her. In the later years in the gallery right now I have that fabric abstracted piece that is built up. I'm doing a couple pieces like that, but I also tend to go back to doing pieces with fabrics that are almost quilt, but with paint and mixed media and messages. I'm trying to think what else I have. I have so many different things going on in there. Oh, I was doing these 3D. I have a couple of 'em, and they all started from a broken face, but I have a series of bouquets that I'm working with.

Lisa Belisle: There's a term that I wanted to ask you about, and that is, I don't even know if I'm pronouncing it correctly.

Emily Blaschke: That was a Missy Dunlap word that she was looking at my bio had put in. I don't know if it's a word too much that I would use, but down the line I'd probably use something a little bit different. But I do use, I mean, my work is very collaged and layers and mixed media. I think she was just a colorful word to describe my work.

Lisa Belisle: So this was a word that was given to your work. You're not sure you completely agree with that?

Emily Blaschke: Yeah. It's so funny that you brought that up because I was looking at my bio before I came in and I crossed that out.

Lisa Belisle: Interesting. So in your mind, this is not something in my language, a word that I would normally use.

Emily Blaschke: But I liked it for that, so I just left it.

Lisa Belisle: Well, and that was another question that was related to the question of what is it that you hope to get people to feel or see when you're having them stand in front of your works? Because if you're a landscape painter, you're possibly evoking a sense of place, but if you're doing mixed media and you're not necessarily figurative, then what do I want the viewer to feel?

Emily Blaschke: Yeah. Well, I hope when people see my work, they have a sense of discovery, joy, interest, with all the words. I hope they connect with it in some way. I know everybody's going to have a different feeling or come out of seeing my work in a different way, but I hope that it brings some kind of something.

Lisa Belisle: Another thing that I wonder if people know about you is that you, in the time that you've been here in Maine, you've really been quite a community builder in the art.

Emily Blaschke: I know. I was surprised because moving from California, San Francisco, I had a great community there and there's lots of art in the museum. I was a docent, a teacher, and so I was a little worried when I moved to Maine that I wouldn't have all the arts, but I almost feel like it's even more so in some way, or maybe I've been here now 16 years. But yeah, I'm a big part of the Portland Museum of Art. Husband's been on the board, a steering committee, and we've gone on trips. So we've made friends from the interest in the same thing with arts. I'm on the Yarmouth Arts Committee. I'm in charge of all the gallery activity with that. It's the Merrill Library and Three 17 Music, so that keeps me busy. Of course, Portland Art Gallery's a big community. What I love about Portland Art Gallery is even if you're not in the first Thursday exhibition, you always have a piece in every month. So that keeps you focused and always bringing a piece of work in.

Lisa Belisle: I also wonder how many people know that your connection to Maine is a family connection that goes back a really long time and goes back to a very esteemed publication within our state.

Emily Blaschke: I've been coming to Maine my entire life every summer, and I would spend summers at my grandparents, but my grandfather started Down East Magazine on the kitchen table with my dad and his three brothers, and I would spend most of my time up in Midcoast, Camden area with them. And it's ironic now that here I live in Maine from California.

Lisa Belisle: So somehow you kept being drawn back to this place.

Emily Blaschke: And my brother's here too, which is really fun. Yeah, both California born, are both here. He's a veterinarian up in Lincolnville area. Well, Northport is his hospital.

Lisa Belisle: So what do you think, as a California person, what do you think has kept you in Maine? I've been to the part of the world that you're from. It's quite beautiful. There's a lot it has to offer.

Emily Blaschke: No, that's a good question. Great, wonderful place to have your children grow up. Yarmouth schools were amazing, and summers is the only place I want to be. I do miss California winter months. I'm hoping in my future it'll break it up a little bit, so maybe seven months here and the rest California, because I still have a lot of roots there.

Lisa Belisle: That would be a good balance.

Emily Blaschke: Yeah.

Lisa Belisle: Well, I appreciate your coming in and talking with me.

Emily Blaschke: Thank you.

Lisa Belisle: It's been a lot of fun.

Emily Blaschke: Thank you for having me.

Lisa Belisle: It's always interesting because of course, you and I have children similar age. We've known each other on the sidelines. We've known each other at the gallery, and I can't believe it's taken this long for us to actually have this prolonged conversation about your actual artwork that I've been aware of and really admired for so many years.

Emily Blaschke: Thank you so much.

Lisa Belisle: Well, you do beautiful work.

Emily Blaschke: Thank you.

Lisa Belisle: I know that you show up at the art gallery openings on the first Thursday of every month. So I'm hoping that people who are listening can come to the gallery. And I really think, although online your work is quite striking, I think in person it's particularly compelling. So I would invite people to come see you at the art gallery openings, first Thursday.

Emily Blaschke: Thank you. I'll look forward to first Thursday, next month.

Lisa Belisle: Absolutely. I'm Lisa Belisle and you've been listening to or watching Radio Maine, our video podcast where we explore and celebrate creativity and the human spirit. And today I've been speaking with my lovely friend and a uniquely creative spirit, Emily Blaschke, who is an artist with the Portland Art Gallery. I encourage you to go online to learn more about her work. As we said, go to the actual art gallery, and if you come on the first Thursday, you'll probably be seeing Emily, which would be quite a treat. She's a wonderful individual. Thanks for coming in today.

Emily Blaschke: Thank you so much.