What is your favorite art medium to work in, and why?

Montel with Andy Rydzewski, photo by Maria Matteoli

Having to choose a favorite medium is a tough decision. I feel like I can do a top three, because to me they are intertwined and can't really be separated. I am an actor, a sculptor, and a filmmaker and each medium augments the next. Much of my film and video work is highly sculpturing, experimental, and sometimes involves puppetry. Even the act of deciding out to shots will cut together feels like sculpture, because it is what defines the texture and shape of the experience. My work on stage, particularly understanding how I will be perceived, informs and is informed by my time behind the lens. My sculpture, primarily masks created from ceramics and found materials, take shape guided by my sense of nuance and expression gained from acting and film editing.

When did you first figure out that art was important to you?

I've always valued imagination as far back as I can remember, and was lucky enough to have supportive parents who made sure we had access to Art materials. Theatre, sculpture and filmmaking came later. I truly realized the importance of art in my life while I was in college pursuing a law degree. I had very little time for art, and one day while reviewing my notes, I realized I had more drawings in the notebook than actual notes. The next semester I finished the paralegal program, quit my internship, and dove head-first into digital media.

Who is your art mentor?

There are many artists who I look up to semicolon Frida Kahlo, Werner Herzog, John Waters, Terry Gilliam, Robin Williams, Jodie Foster, Picasso, Dali, and the list goes on. My mentors along the way include Kathleen Kirkpatrick, Clyde Johnson Kit Davenport, Glen Nagy, and Art Zipperer. Kathleen was my high school art teacher, and she taught me to appreciate art in all its forms, and encourage exploration of my own unique Style. While attending College of the Redwoods, Clyde Johnson (digital media) and Kit Davenport (ceramics) both offered encouragement that kept me on the path to the art side. When I attended Hsu, Glenn Nagy and Art Zipperer were extremely supportive, offering counsel, advice, and excellent instruction. Without their support, I probably wouldn't have been able to make Leftshoe the Bunny Slipper, my unofficial "thesis" film. There are many others, including my peers who have also contributed to my growth as an artist and I fear I don't have the time or space to list them all. You know who you are!

Finish this sentence: My art is my...

My art is a world of infinite parallel universes. I live countless lives on stage, build fantastical creatures from dirt, and create my own reality on the screen.

What advice would you offer someone just beginning their exploration of their own artistic self?

1. Give yourself permission to try 2. Forgive yourself 3. There is no such thing as failure 4. Never stop learning

Do you have a website or blog you would like us to link to?

Mercymeproductions.com