Rosalie Smith is a found objects artist based in New York City.
(00:00) Moving to New York for an MFA at Hunter
(01:30) Choosing New Orleans over New York after college
(04:10) The turning point: leaving an office job after a cancer diagnosis in the family
(06:30) Building a career in New Orleans and hitting a ceiling
(08:10) Why New York offers the challenge and energy she craves
(10:20) A family history steeped in art and performance
(13:00) Creating DIY art spaces in New Orleans, including Lucky Art Fair
(16:00) The contrast between New Orleans’ DIY art scene and New York
(17:50) Deciding on a lifelong path as an artist
(20:10) Found object sculpture: origins and inspirations
(23:20) Influence of grief and preservation on her early sculptures
(26:40) How collecting objects changed how she sees the city
(30:10) Why found objects and the act of looking keeps her present
(32:50) How this niche form of art became her calling
(36:00) Strategies for surviving as an artist in New York City
(40:20) The importance of networks, DIY projects, and saying yes
(43:10) Is the struggle worth it? Reflections on fulfillment vs. hardship
(45:10) Numbing yourself to rejection and the freedom it brings
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