Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Basile.
So, before we jump into specific questions about what you do, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My serious interest in art began in New York in a small public high school on Long Island where I met a high school art teacher who guided me down my true life path of being an artist and educator. I knew in high school that in order to be successful at these careers I needed a B.F.A and an M.F.A. I continued my education in art and received a B.F.A. from University of Miami 1996 and an M.F.A. from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 1999. Right out of graduate school, I started my professional practice of being an artist. Also, at that time, I started adjunct teaching at local universities like my alma mater University of Miami, Broward College, and Miami Dade College. After three years of part-time teaching, I landed a full-time position at Miami Dade College Kendall Campus. I spent much of the early part of my career honing my academic skills and building my career as a professor first and then an artist.
A few years into teaching full time around 2007, I landed a studio at the Bakehouse Art Complex. Being at the Bakehouse for seven years was paramount in putting my art career first and my teaching career second. The students weren’t second, the college was, and this helped propel my art career forward to a place where I was making a few random sales from time to time, finding my artist identity, learning how to be creative again, and getting into exhibitions. At some point during my tenure at the Bakehouse, I was re-juried to keep my studio space. That juror was Bernice Steinbaum. Bernice came for a studio visit and poured fuel on my fire. I was met with very encouraging positive critique advise and juried my re-acceptance to the Bakehouse. She single-handedly set my love for creating work not on fire but ablaze. For the next few years after meeting Bernice, we developed an artist mentor/dealer relationship. She commissioned me to do an installation of one of my works in her home. She has included me in various exhibitions locally and in New York. She gave me the exposure I needed and had worked hard for since the age of 15. Finally, my art career wheels were in motion. One afternoon, Sergio Cernuda and Luisa Lignarolo owners of LnSGallery were meeting with Bernice and discovered my work in her collection.
During their visit, they fell in love with my work and shortly after asked me to be a part of their Coconut grove based gallery the LnSGallery. In the last few years, I have had much success with awards, artist residencies, and having my work collected in some of the most prestigious collections around the world. I am humbled and honored that these two highly gifted professional dealers are helping me further my art career. My current artist goals are, to get invited to prestigious residencies and professional printshops like Tamarind Institute and teach printmaking classes or workshops at different prestigious institutions around the world.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This has definitely not been a smooth road. While I had emotional support which is very much needed, I had financial struggles that seem insurmountable. I had a senior colleague at Miami Dade College who would not allow me to use the printshop. I also went through the process of coming out. After coming out, my mother and father stopped speaking to me its been a total of almost 14 years. The biggest struggle is always the balance of being a full-time artist and teaching as a full-time faculty member.
Please tell us about Basile Art – what should we know?
I am a printmaker and there aren’t alot of us here in Miami maybe a dozen or less. I make large scale relief prints of landscapes that are documentary and capture the moment. All of the large scale work I produce is hand-printed as I do not have equipment large enough to print them on a press. All of my work is traditionally made by creating a drawing first, then hand cut with traditional Japanese tools and any prints over 48″ are the hand-printed. I think what sets my work apart from others here in Miami is that I am making prints and all of my work is on paper, and the large format of my works. I am most proud of my recent solo exhibition at the LnSGallery with over 25 works and an Installation room called “Florida Room”. This was the first time I used technology in creating my work. I used 3d printers to create 3D wallpaper in a repeat of 140 crocodiles. I also reproduced my drawing repeats on fabric which then became pillows in my installation.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Perseverance, Persistence, Consistency, Discipline, Transparency, Equality.
Contact Info:
- Address: LnS Gallery
2610 SW 28th Lane
Miami, FL 33155 - Website: www.jenniferbasile.com www.lnsgallerycom
- Phone: 305-987-5642
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Jbasile40 lns_gallery
- Twitter: @BASILEJ1973
Image Credit:
Tony Chirinos, Yael Boverman (black and white images)
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