Interview by Jimon

1-Where do you currently live and create?  I live in Brooklyn, New York and my studio is nearby inside the Navy Yard.

2-What is your earliest childhood memory of making art?  Drawing with my mother on the kitchen table while she made her ceramics.

3-How long have you been making art and what lead you to start?  Eight years ago –  I’m a late bloomer. There were a lot of signs I should have seen earlier but here we are.

4-What did your path to becoming an artist look like?  Organically and unexpectedly. I suddenly had the urge to draw so I started very privately drawing with a mirror, my face, my hands and feet . Then my family , my dog every day. I did that solidly for a year and realized I wanted to do that forever.

5-Did you study art or is it inherent?  I studied graphic design and photography but I am a self taught painter.

6-How would you describe Christina Zimpel?  Open and determined.

7-Is there any reality behind the characters in your paintings?  Always, even if the characters are quite wild and unnatural looking there is always humanity and dignity.  They are not representative of anyone real but they are composites of the kind of people I have always been drawn to. Enigmatic individuals, outsiders, women you pass on the street and historical portraits. I want the subjects to portray a full interior life so viewers can imagine their stories like a great photograph.

8-Does the colors in your paintings signify the state of your mind?  Yes. Color is one of the most important components in my work. I enjoy the puzzle of balancing the brights with neutrals . Plus I think you can get away with a lot if the colors are beautiful.

9-What emotion do you expect to be on people’s faces when they look at your art?  Interesting question, maybe first a laugh then a frown – some curiosity.

10-Do you have motto on how to live life?  One step in front of the other.

11-What influences you as an artist?  Anything really, I love getting random inspirations on the walk to my studio when I might see a striking person or some graffiti or a bird. I notice it all. Otherwise I am inspired by other artists and photographers. The list changes and expands. At the moment it’s James Ensor and Leon Spilliaert, Weegee, Bob Thompson, Miriam Cahn charcoals, and early David Hockney.

12-Do you have a place/person/thing that you visit for inspiration?  I’m very lucky to be living in NY, If I need a boost I visit The Met and MOMA.

13-When you are not painting where would someone find you?  At the moment it feels like I am never not in my studio, but I try to sit or dig in my garden every day.

14-How do you describe success as an artist?  Being able to work!

15-Name three things you can’t live without in your studio?  At this moment gesso, acrylics, yogurt

16-If you could live in a museum anywhere in the world which would it be?The Prado.

17-If you could have dinner with 3 artists living/dead who would be at your table?  Carol Rama, Louise Bourgeois and Vivian Maier.

18-How would someone find you on Social media?  I have two accounts @christinazimpel and @zimpelthings on Instagram

19-Please name the first thing that comes to your mind while reading the following:

Art=nourishment
Food=pleasure
Sports=action
Politics=conflict
Poor=resilient
God=nature
Rich=family
Luxury=time
Sex=intimacy
Picasso=masculinity
Religion=trouble