Today we’d like to introduce you to Art Vandenberg.
Art, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I began drawing by copying pictures and comics from the newspaper, then making my own maps for when we played buried treasure on the farm where I was born. After college I lived in Delaware, painting and drawing pictures from my dreams and beach walkabouts. I was very honored to have a large painting in the 59th Annual Delaware Art show at the Delaware Art Museum in 1973. I figured I had it made in the shade!
I moved to Atlanta in 1974, inspired in part by the election of Maynard Jackson as Mayor of ATL and the New York Times’ coverage of Atlanta and the new south. For the next 7 years I did what many artists do: worked odd jobs, made art, joined group shows in abandoned store fronts (“951-957 Peachtree” was a great show!), and completed a Masters of Visual Art at Georgia State University.
And my luck was that at the Georgia State Library I met a beautiful muse who was to become my wife. So, we married, raising three finest of sons. In 1985 I completed a Master in Computer Science at Georgia Tech and then worked in Georgia’s University System. I was very pleased to have had a small part in working with Georgia State University to build out some really fine research visualization systems – such as the University Library’s CURVE (Collaborative University Research & Visualization Environment – https://library.gsu.edu/home/services-and-support/services/curve/). And along this roundabout path, I continued to draw and paint and used photography to document my walkabouts.
When I retired in 2012, I undertook a “Year of Walking” to reflect. Completing over 3,000 miles in Atlanta in that first year (I covered EVERY ROAD north of Memorial, West of Clairmont Rd, East of Peachtree, and then some!) I found a way to bring my art and information science together.
To wit, the mathematician Emmy Noether described the “Noether Theorem” proving the connection of physical laws of symmetry and conservation. Essentially, “If a system has a continuous symmetry property, then there are corresponding quantities whose values are conserved in time.” (For instance, a wheel has radial symmetry, looking the same in all directions when it spins, and is linked to the conservation of angular momentum.) (see: https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/27/science/emmy-noether-the-most-significant-mathematician-youve-never-heard-of.html)
I asked, “If a symmetry in my life is walking, what value is conserved?” What is conserved is NOW, this intersection of past and future possibilities. Memories, dreams, and reflections collapse space and time into a rich singularity. I coined the term Vandenberg-Noether Singularity for this melding of life, dreams and art.
And so, I do what many artist’s do, create artefacts that reflect their experiences and inspirations, and that, hopefully, are also works that others may find of interest.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I paint, draw, make things, do installations. I’ve come to consider myself a #FreeRangeArtist – I am not constrained by boundaries… I mean, #Walkabouts are about being free to explore, right? #DreamTime is about staying open to the realms of the collective unconscious, yes? For I am intrigued by the sources of inspirations, about how creativity (in science, in art, in life) hears or senses ideas and concepts.
When I am working my best, I am “in the zone.” I have that sense that what I am doing “right now” is itself creating a reality. Being “in the zone” is perhaps most fervently experienced in art, but also along any path in life. Indeed, everyone is an artist when they do their best, when they contribute value, kindness, and respect to the fabric of our community.
Is that Pollyanna speaking? Ha! Maybe! But one could do worse than to see optimism in the world around us, than to look at what someone creates and sense that “They really enjoy doing that, don’t they? They really do!” So, yes, I certainly enjoy my work. And if others enjoy some art of it, well, then, how sweet being is!
What do you know now that you wished you had learned earlier?
Listen to your dreams, your inner voices.
Work every day – each step takes you on your path.
Be open to where the walkabout path leads.
Major Insight: Don’t set out to find what you’re looking for… look at what your finding!
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Depending on your level of adventure, here are five options:
1) Look at artefacts on my web site, artvandenberg.com for an idea of what I do.
2) Follow my path on Facebook (art.vandenberg/39), Instagram (artvandenberg) or Twitter (@ArtVandenberg)
3) Search me out at the High Museum of Art – ask to see Art Vandenberg’s “Deep Dive” drawing! “Deep Dive” is somewhere there in the High’s collections (imagine the Indiana Jones deep storage catacombs!) I know that “Deep Dive” will appreciate a visit and will be pleased to tell you it’s story…
4) Visit Poem88 Gallery (http://www.poem88.net) where I am represented. I will have a show soon (deo volente): #Day25000 opening June 30, 2018. You certainly can support me (and other artists) by visiting Poem88 – Robin Bernat is a really nice person and a knowledgeable member of ATL’s art community!
5) Donate to Georgia State University’s CURVE (via the Library Innovation Fund endowment) to provide support for student scholars at the juncture of research and visualization. (see: https://netcommunity.gsu.edu/give-to-library and select DESIGNATION=Other and then Type “Library Innovation Fund” in pop-up box)
Contact Info:
- Website: artvandenberg.com
- Email: avandenberg23@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artvandenberg/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/art.vandenberg.39
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/@artvandenberg
Image Credit:
All images by Art Vandenberg
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
Grace
May 17, 2018 at 3:03 pm
Brilliant