Artist Collaborations

Collaborating with others to find creative synergy and access a beginner's mind

My art practice thrives on mutual collaboration with other artists, from interior designers and chefs to floral designers and metalsmiths. These collaborations continually help me refine and redefine my practice, push my limits and build trust in my process. 

One of the biggest benefits of collaboration is seeing my art through new eyes. The Japanese Zen term shoshin translates as ‘beginner’s mind’ and refers to a paradox: the more you know about a subject, the more likely you are to close your mind to further learning. This Psyche article discusses ways to cultivate a beginner's mind in everyday life. The top recommendation is to explain a theory to someone else. My collaborations always begin with an explanation of my art process to another artist. That conversation helps me think creatively about new ways to adapt my art practice. As I explain I think about steps I do automatically, and imagine doing them in new and different ways. It’s like magic. 

Working with other artists also invites rich creative synergy. There are intuitive reasons why collaborative art makes such a difference, but I appreciate how this article in Art Business News delves into the details, pros and cons of collaboration using examples like Banksy and Robbo, Warhol and Basquiat. The article explains that while there are certainly challenges in artist collaborations – negotiating creative differences, coordinating communication, managing financial implications, and balancing egos – the rewards are substantial. By pooling resources artists foster opportunities for learning and growth within the collaboration and in their own practices.

This past year I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with two artists – Windy Chien and Jason Stropko. Windy and I collaborated on a “Knot a Hook” for the JB Blunk gallery exhibition 100 Hooks. It went so well we plan on releasing a limited edition run of them in June. Stay tuned for more details on that!

My collaboration with glassblower Jason Stropko is rooted in our common ground of culinary art — we both create custom art for restaurants and both artists have over two decades of experience in our respective crafts. When I visited his hot shop, I was drawn to his solid, oversized pomegranate seeds, from which we collectively had the idea to create glass caviar that would nestle in my Ink Texture Caviar Server. Our goal was to create a focal centerpiece for the home. Caviar is a rare indulgence, enjoyed only a few times a year, so between uses and celebrations, it allows collectors to display my server with Jason’s solid-glass eggs.