THE INTERVIEW > The Interview- Laurie Freitag
The Interview- Laurie Freitag
L.A. Photo Curator Interview
Douglas Stockdale interviews Laurie Freitag. Laurie is an artist, independent curator, the founder/director of L.A. & N.Y. Photo Curator and Printworks print sales newsletter.
Douglas Stockdale is an artist located in Southern California who is the Editor & Publisher (founder) of PhotoBook Journal, the contemporary photobook magazine. He is also the Associate Editor (& founder) of the SoCal PhotoExchange Journal as well as contributing to his personal photo-blog Singular Images.
He is on the faculty of the Los Angeles Center of Photography (LACP), providing Portfolio Reviews, Book presentations, Mentorships and Workshops, as well as providing workshops with the Medium Photo Festival (San Diego, CA). Previously Stockdale was a portfolio reviewer for LensCulture and a photobook reviewer for photo-eye magazine.
Gallery representation: Fabrik Projects, Los Angeles, California and on Artsy.net.
www.douglasstockdale.com
Douglas Stockdale:
"Laurie, to help us better understand your current exhibition call (Life’s Work), can you tell us about your photographic background? What brought you to photography and subsequently inspired you to create L.A. Photo Curator and recently, N.Y. Photo Curator?"
Laurie Freitag: "I'm not exactly sure when I became interested in photography but my earliest memories are of my uncle Jack who was always photographing or filming the family. He worked for GAF in New York and though many don't remember GAF they were actually competitors of Kodak.
Also GAF was the manufacturer of View-Master. Growing up in a pretty strict environment being "allowed" to actually touch View- Master and change the images as I peered through the small viewing window had some magical empowerment to it. My uncle and his family lived upstairs from our family so I had access to many of these moments.
When asked what I wanted for Chanucah I always said the same thing. I wanted 10 rolls of film and a good camera. I never got it. I never knew why but I was disappointed for years until I left home and bought my first "good" camera. It was a used Nikkormat SLR.
I started L.A. Photo Curator in 2015, a few months after I attended a workshop where Daniel Miller of the Duncan Miller Gallery spoke of the importance of an artist getting their name and work out there.
He spoke of the importance of social media and blogs and networking. After that workshop I began submitting my work to blogs and online magazines. That was a tedious and daunting process.
I felt frustrated that I had so little control over this whole process of getting my work seen. I was getting older. A birthday had just passed and there's a lot of power in realizing that time is not your friend! I never had a biological clock but I felt something in me that I would imagine is akin to one.
So I started L.A. Photo Curator. I recruited Jane Szabo as my first curator. I really didn't know many people in the artworld but our work had hung next to each others at a show at the 825 Gallery at the Los Angeles Art Association and I asked her to curate- via email. I thought we had met but I had met a blonde Jane- not the Jane whose work was hanging next to mine!
Jane was a big help and her input was invaluable. And because everything is done online all of our interaction was online. She could have been in Oshkosh and this would have worked. With the results of the first competition came a whole lot of self-confidence for me. I knew I was on to something. It seemed obvious that I wasn't the only person that needed to get their work seen.
The competitions had initially shown the work of the first place, second place and honorable mentions including the artist statement, bio, CV and website info online but a couple of months into the monthly competitions I saw that I needed to do more.
So I decided to show ALL of the work that entered the monthly exhibition - in an online exhibition. Along with the 3 images that are submitted I include the artist statement, bio, website/ Instagram info and parts of the artists CV. So no matter if the artist is just starting out in their art career or an artist has a new body of work to promote- they can have an online presence.
Did I mention that as a child I wanted my own magazine? I wallpapered my bedroom from floor to ceiling with images and words from magazines.
Another feature of L.A. Photo Curator that I'm proud of is the philanthropy part.
About the same time that I started L.A. Photo Curator I noticed the News reporting on an unusual amount of catastrophic weather and I felt helpless listening. I wanted to help and it seemed I was donating money every few weeks to the Red Cross.
I saw a lot of people helping and I wanted to do more. As a way of helping, I instituted a philanthropy component to L.A. Photo Curator. Twenty per cent of all artists entry fees goes to 2 charities per competition. Ten percent goes to the curator's choice of charity and another ten percent goes to the first place winner's choice of charity.
The photographic community has donated to over 80 charities through L.A. Photo Curator!
I was so happy with L.A. Photo Curator that I decided to create N.Y. Photo Curator because 1- in my heart I'm still a New Yorker and 2- I could recruit curators from the other side of the country."
Stockdale:
"Very cool, btw, my first borrowed camera was a Nikkormat, but after I dropped and broke it, my wife said no more borrowing camera equipment, buy your own and then I got a great deal on a slightly used Canon FT.
Second question: How does the current exhibition call for L.A. Photo Curator, ‘Life's Work’, one in which you are actually the curator for this time, resonant with you and your own Life's Work as a photographer? How do you see this theme as part of your artistic practice?"
Freitag:
"I have always been curious about my ancestors and I was that child who always wanted to hear my grandparents' stories. It began as curiousity but as I aged I felt an urgency to keep their stories alive. Perhaps if I didn't keep the stories alive it would be like they never lived?
When I left my 20 year career in local TV News I worked jobs here and there but nothing felt like I had hit the jackpot like when I became a nanny.
Working with infants and watching them day to day showed me how 'in the moment' they lived their lives. The reality hit me that these wonderful days filled with giggles and struggle would not be something the child would remember. I became their witness to their stories and their self-appointed documenter of the times they wouldn't remember.
My series 'The Lost Years' was born which documents the years before the age of five years old- the years most people cannot remember.
I have gained such insight into who I was by looking at my own childhood photographs. I WAS a happy child. Who knew?All I remember is the dissapointment and what I didn't have. Plato said know thyself. Great advice.
Influenced by the idea that there is value in the ordinary spurs me on to continue to document with my camera. Keeping stories alive with my camera is my life's work."
Stockdale:
"How does you own life's work influence you in how you will evaluate the submissions to this current exhibition call? What aspect of a submission might resonate with you more? What are you looking for?"
Freitag: "Well there is no right or wrong with art so the submissions will basically be judged on how clearly the artist is able to identify their life’s work and how effective their choices are to convey the feeling the work emotes.
An important theme in my work has to do with validating an experience and being seen. Being that all work entered will be seen in the online exhibition whether they are chosen first, second or honorable mention- that guarantees a visible platform for every artist.
Being that work is all subjective I really cannot say what work will stand out to me. I’m really just looking for honesty in the work and a commitment to the call."
Stockdale:
"What are some things you are the proudest of and what is something that people would be surprised to know about you?"
Freitag: I am the most proudest of having the ability to finally follow my instincts. They have steered me from relationships that are toxic and taken me past pride and anger towards love.
I don’t know what people would be surprised to learn about me. I’m basically an open book. Feel free to ask me anything!"
Stockdale: Thank you Laurie for this opportunity to know a little more about you and your artistic career."
L.A. Photo Curator Call for Entry
Theme: Life's Work
Prospectus: https://laphotocurator.com/current-call-for-entry-life-s-work-curator-laurie-freitag-deadline-to-enter-feb-23-2020
To see more of Laurie's work click on arrows here or go to www.lauriefreitag.com
Douglas Stockdale interviews Laurie Freitag. Laurie is an artist, independent curator, the founder/director of L.A. & N.Y. Photo Curator and Printworks print sales newsletter.
Douglas Stockdale is an artist located in Southern California who is the Editor & Publisher (founder) of PhotoBook Journal, the contemporary photobook magazine. He is also the Associate Editor (& founder) of the SoCal PhotoExchange Journal as well as contributing to his personal photo-blog Singular Images.
He is on the faculty of the Los Angeles Center of Photography (LACP), providing Portfolio Reviews, Book presentations, Mentorships and Workshops, as well as providing workshops with the Medium Photo Festival (San Diego, CA). Previously Stockdale was a portfolio reviewer for LensCulture and a photobook reviewer for photo-eye magazine.
Gallery representation: Fabrik Projects, Los Angeles, California and on Artsy.net.
www.douglasstockdale.com
Douglas Stockdale:
"Laurie, to help us better understand your current exhibition call (Life’s Work), can you tell us about your photographic background? What brought you to photography and subsequently inspired you to create L.A. Photo Curator and recently, N.Y. Photo Curator?"
Laurie Freitag: "I'm not exactly sure when I became interested in photography but my earliest memories are of my uncle Jack who was always photographing or filming the family. He worked for GAF in New York and though many don't remember GAF they were actually competitors of Kodak.
Also GAF was the manufacturer of View-Master. Growing up in a pretty strict environment being "allowed" to actually touch View- Master and change the images as I peered through the small viewing window had some magical empowerment to it. My uncle and his family lived upstairs from our family so I had access to many of these moments.
When asked what I wanted for Chanucah I always said the same thing. I wanted 10 rolls of film and a good camera. I never got it. I never knew why but I was disappointed for years until I left home and bought my first "good" camera. It was a used Nikkormat SLR.
I started L.A. Photo Curator in 2015, a few months after I attended a workshop where Daniel Miller of the Duncan Miller Gallery spoke of the importance of an artist getting their name and work out there.
He spoke of the importance of social media and blogs and networking. After that workshop I began submitting my work to blogs and online magazines. That was a tedious and daunting process.
I felt frustrated that I had so little control over this whole process of getting my work seen. I was getting older. A birthday had just passed and there's a lot of power in realizing that time is not your friend! I never had a biological clock but I felt something in me that I would imagine is akin to one.
So I started L.A. Photo Curator. I recruited Jane Szabo as my first curator. I really didn't know many people in the artworld but our work had hung next to each others at a show at the 825 Gallery at the Los Angeles Art Association and I asked her to curate- via email. I thought we had met but I had met a blonde Jane- not the Jane whose work was hanging next to mine!
Jane was a big help and her input was invaluable. And because everything is done online all of our interaction was online. She could have been in Oshkosh and this would have worked. With the results of the first competition came a whole lot of self-confidence for me. I knew I was on to something. It seemed obvious that I wasn't the only person that needed to get their work seen.
The competitions had initially shown the work of the first place, second place and honorable mentions including the artist statement, bio, CV and website info online but a couple of months into the monthly competitions I saw that I needed to do more.
So I decided to show ALL of the work that entered the monthly exhibition - in an online exhibition. Along with the 3 images that are submitted I include the artist statement, bio, website/ Instagram info and parts of the artists CV. So no matter if the artist is just starting out in their art career or an artist has a new body of work to promote- they can have an online presence.
Did I mention that as a child I wanted my own magazine? I wallpapered my bedroom from floor to ceiling with images and words from magazines.
Another feature of L.A. Photo Curator that I'm proud of is the philanthropy part.
About the same time that I started L.A. Photo Curator I noticed the News reporting on an unusual amount of catastrophic weather and I felt helpless listening. I wanted to help and it seemed I was donating money every few weeks to the Red Cross.
I saw a lot of people helping and I wanted to do more. As a way of helping, I instituted a philanthropy component to L.A. Photo Curator. Twenty per cent of all artists entry fees goes to 2 charities per competition. Ten percent goes to the curator's choice of charity and another ten percent goes to the first place winner's choice of charity.
The photographic community has donated to over 80 charities through L.A. Photo Curator!
I was so happy with L.A. Photo Curator that I decided to create N.Y. Photo Curator because 1- in my heart I'm still a New Yorker and 2- I could recruit curators from the other side of the country."
Stockdale:
"Very cool, btw, my first borrowed camera was a Nikkormat, but after I dropped and broke it, my wife said no more borrowing camera equipment, buy your own and then I got a great deal on a slightly used Canon FT.
Second question: How does the current exhibition call for L.A. Photo Curator, ‘Life's Work’, one in which you are actually the curator for this time, resonant with you and your own Life's Work as a photographer? How do you see this theme as part of your artistic practice?"
Freitag:
"I have always been curious about my ancestors and I was that child who always wanted to hear my grandparents' stories. It began as curiousity but as I aged I felt an urgency to keep their stories alive. Perhaps if I didn't keep the stories alive it would be like they never lived?
When I left my 20 year career in local TV News I worked jobs here and there but nothing felt like I had hit the jackpot like when I became a nanny.
Working with infants and watching them day to day showed me how 'in the moment' they lived their lives. The reality hit me that these wonderful days filled with giggles and struggle would not be something the child would remember. I became their witness to their stories and their self-appointed documenter of the times they wouldn't remember.
My series 'The Lost Years' was born which documents the years before the age of five years old- the years most people cannot remember.
I have gained such insight into who I was by looking at my own childhood photographs. I WAS a happy child. Who knew?All I remember is the dissapointment and what I didn't have. Plato said know thyself. Great advice.
Influenced by the idea that there is value in the ordinary spurs me on to continue to document with my camera. Keeping stories alive with my camera is my life's work."
Stockdale:
"How does you own life's work influence you in how you will evaluate the submissions to this current exhibition call? What aspect of a submission might resonate with you more? What are you looking for?"
Freitag: "Well there is no right or wrong with art so the submissions will basically be judged on how clearly the artist is able to identify their life’s work and how effective their choices are to convey the feeling the work emotes.
An important theme in my work has to do with validating an experience and being seen. Being that all work entered will be seen in the online exhibition whether they are chosen first, second or honorable mention- that guarantees a visible platform for every artist.
Being that work is all subjective I really cannot say what work will stand out to me. I’m really just looking for honesty in the work and a commitment to the call."
Stockdale:
"What are some things you are the proudest of and what is something that people would be surprised to know about you?"
Freitag: I am the most proudest of having the ability to finally follow my instincts. They have steered me from relationships that are toxic and taken me past pride and anger towards love.
I don’t know what people would be surprised to learn about me. I’m basically an open book. Feel free to ask me anything!"
Stockdale: Thank you Laurie for this opportunity to know a little more about you and your artistic career."
L.A. Photo Curator Call for Entry
Theme: Life's Work
Prospectus: https://laphotocurator.com/current-call-for-entry-life-s-work-curator-laurie-freitag-deadline-to-enter-feb-23-2020
To see more of Laurie's work click on arrows here or go to www.lauriefreitag.com
