Today we’d like to introduce you to Eddy Segal.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Eddy. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am a visual artist known for my emotive portraits, voluptuous painted wedding gowns, mixed-media collages, murals and installations. Using quotidian materials and personal talismans, my practice explores themes of anatomy, magic, sexual intimacy, bodily transcendence & planetary healing.
Born in New York, I was raised on a farm in Pennsylvania. I received a scholarship to study anthropology at Fordham in NYC. New York converted & perverted me into the artist I am today, but I had to leave after ten years to find the lighter side of myself & my craft. I have been in deep love with LA ever since.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road has been beautiful & bumpy. In my 20s, I lost many friends & lovers to the dark side of creative life, depression & drugs. In order to become a true artist, I had to beat my own heroin addiction. Broken hearts, debt, self-doubt, family illness, feeling lost. It took 11 years of consistent practice to start earning from my work, I wake up every day so happy I didn’t quit.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I think what sets me apart is that even though there’s money involved, I never treat art like a business. Every commission I’ve ever received has lead to a long-lasting friendship in addition to beautiful work. Each piece I create is deeply personal… for portraits I always interview my subject and find personal details to weave in. I’ve painted memorials on clothing from relatives who have passed on. Painting is indirect alchemy, I could never streamline the process because the mystery is what fascinates me.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I want to create larger scale paintings & installations. I’ve started to incorporate performance. I’d like to do more collaborations with designers.
Contact Info:
- Website: EddySegal.com
- Email: eddysegalart@gmail.com
- Instagram: Eddy.mami
Image Credit:
My personal photo is by Gabriel Magdaleno.
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