Today we’d like to introduce you to Ali Gemmer.
Ali, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I have a vague memory of going through screenings in preschool measuring students’ preparedness to move on to kindergarten. I remember the excitement I felt when the person issuing the tests told me to “draw a person. It can be anybody.” I slowly and meticulously began marking a face with a smile and lips, eyes with eyelashes, blushed cheeks, a pointy nose, a long dress with a lace trim. However, throughout my process, I kept getting interrupted: “Thank you, you can stop now. Let’s move on to the next test.” And I, in the most dignified way my 4-year-old self could muster, would politely decline. “Just a minute please. I’m not done yet.” The more they tried to cut my process short, the more I thought, “These people have no patience.” Could they not see that CLEARLY? I still had a long way to go. I hadn’t even drawn arms yet. My mom explained to me later that day that they only really needed to know if I could draw a recognizable smiley face. I understood, but that didn’t stop me from finishing my drawing at home: not a detail left behind.
I think this is representative of how I conduct my practice and career as an artist. Being 22 years old and self-taught, my abilities developed through practice starting the moment I could pick up a pencil. I am fortunate enough to have been surrounded by people who encouraged my creativity as I grew up, even if they weren’t textbook creatives themselves. It was no surprise that I made the decision to pursue a career in art.
About a year and a half ago, I moved from northwest Ohio to the Cleveland area after accepting a job at Valley Art Center in Chagrin Falls. I’m navigating the art world one exhibition, sale, event, and interaction at a time. I’m eager to continue exploring this space despite it still being new to me. But in the words of my younger self, “Just a minute, please. I’m not done yet.”
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’ve never met an artist or businessperson that haven’t struggled on their path to success, and I am no exception. In fact, I am consistently challenged by my practice and career choice. Over the years I’ve been faced with quite a bit of rejection and failures, examples being the numerous (and counting) rejections from exhibition opportunities or my “failed” Etsy business I’d created very early on in deciding to pursue art. I also entered the field without any resources or connections and have had to navigate quite a bit on my own. A theme I find myself running into is feeling pressure to create work that compromises my creative integrity for the sake of making something that resonates with a wider audience. But with these and the many other struggles I encounter, I’ve learned to look at them as opportunities for something greater. “How can I look at this situation or outcome differently?” “Maybe what I’m doing now isn’t my best option. What aspects of this scenario could be changed in order for me to grow?” “What other opportunities are available to me? How can I find or create them?” It’s not always easy to maintain this optimistic view on struggle, and I think it’s important to take time to acknowledge how difficult each scenario is. However, getting creative in the midst of challenges has always brought me further than I thought possible.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am an artist specializing in white charcoal and chalk pastel on black paper, a combination that I taught myself in order to effectively incorporate the hyper-realism and abstract elements of my work. My work is a continuous exploration of the raw and often unsettling aspects of the human condition. I think what sets my work apart from others is my use of materials, style, and subject matter. People often think of drawing as the “prequel” to the final project or masterpiece, and this reverse shading technique, in particular, is often used as practice to stretch one’s ability to portray light upon objects. I hope to change that narrative with my work one piece at a time. Additionally, my art offers a unique combination of realism and abstraction that is authentically my own. My style aids in my depiction of the human experience that isn’t always brought up in art or conversation. My mission in my work is to start that conversation and welcome viewers to confront how my work speaks to them.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I definitely do not view myself as a vigorous risk-taker and often find myself challenged by perfectionism and general uneasiness toward taking risks. However, I’ve taken enough risks to know that despite how unpredictable the outcome may be, it is important to practice this for growth. Knowing whether or not to “just go for it” is knowing what the stakes are and what they mean to you. We all know that taking a risk and having things “go wrong” is always going to be more helpful to one’s development than things happening in the best-case scenario. Unsuccessful outcomes make room for creativity in your approach moving forward.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aligemmerart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069925561900
