Olivia Zlota: Interview

She canceled a major show in London. The decision shocked her dealers, but it saved her sanity. "You have to protect the idiot who makes the thing from the executive who sells the thing. Fortunately, my gallery stood by me. Now, I have a rule: One major show, one year. No exceptions." Given that this Olivia Zlota interview will likely be read by thousands of aspiring artists, we asked for her bluntest advice.

"Loneliness is the human condition. Sadness is a weather pattern. I wanted to paint the structure, not the storm. Those figures—the woman in the diner, the man fixing his tie in a rearview mirror—they aren't waiting for a rescue. They are witnessing their own life. There is power in being the sole witness to your existence. People look at ‘The Orphan Cycle’ and think it’s about loss. It’s actually about autonomy." olivia zlota interview

Let’s start at the beginning. A lot of our readers want to know: When did you first realize you were an artist? She canceled a major show in London

"I reject the idea of ‘realizing’ you’re an artist, as if it’s a genetic mutation. For me, it was a survival tactic. I was a terribly shy kid. I stuttered. In third grade, I drew a horse for a girl across the aisle because I couldn’t figure out how to say ‘hello.’ She smiled. That was it. I realized that images could bridge places where words collapsed. I never wanted to stop being that bridge." Fortunately, my gallery stood by me

How did you develop your signature technique? The one everyone tries to imitate now?