INTERVIEW BY H. CANDEE

LOVE/Red

UPDATE WITH SCULPTOR ROBERT WILK

Interview by Harryet Candee Photographs courtesy of Artist

You're always keeping busy with creating sculpture, sending me and others humorous and enlightening emails and just being in the moment. How has this past year been for you? What have you been mindful of that may be new to you? Immortality. I'M Reminded of how Woody Allen once responded to a question about how he would like to achieve immortality, he answered, "By not dying". It's hard to disagree with that, but some people have achieved the next best thing, by keeping "alive" in achieving it in a unique, memorable way. This "second tier of immortality" has been awarded to The World's Most Brilliant People, who have created something so incredibly wonderful, that, in effect, they're still "alive" ... like Shakespeare, or the great Polish scientist, Madame Sklodowska Curie (google it), or, in my field, Michelangelo. Well, I can't help but realize I'm not in that rarefied atmosphere. However, in a modest way I'd like to "keep alive" for my friends and others by writing the memoirs of my most adventurous, fun, and wildly fortunate life. I've been working for about 10 years on "A Vineyard in Venice", referring to my home until recently in Venezia, a 15th century palazzo that had a huge garden and a long, long pergola of fragolino grapes, which produced roughly 70 liters of wine. I decided that was a "vineyard"! I'm sure no one can doubt that, right?

Are you working on new sculpture ideas? Oh, indeed ... the world's first Pop Up Sculpture. And I already have a sponsor. for it. I've always loved mobiles, but, let's face it, Calder already owns that. Intrigued with "sculpture that moves", I dreamed of something

that would move more than a mobile. In my work it would open as you pass it, it would open, and then close when you moved on. (photos on right)

When are you planning to come back to the Berkshires? We miss you! And I know how much you love Tanglewood and summer stock. I hope later in the summer for a couple weeks. Can't wait! Happily, theatre, ballet and opera are starting to reopen here in Sarasota. Extraordinary quality, too! The Sarasota Ballet was at Jacob's Pillow a couple years ago, with great reviews from The New York Times.

Are your sculptures on view in the Berkshires this summer? I just have one in the sculpture show at the Sandisfield Art Center. All my other pieces are in private collections.

Taking Love/red for example, explain what elements in this piece for you were successful and satisfying? What brought about the thought of making this beautiful and minimalistic sculpture? What did you enjoy most about creating it? I loved doing something really BIG and challenged by figuring out a construction that would make it easy to transport from the Berkshire to near Boston. So it was made in two pieces. What fun it was!

Red and blue and yellow -- why these primary colors? Why not others? Why do these colors work for you? Where did the inspiration originate from? Simplicity. And primary colors are powerful. It complements the minimalist forms I create. When people ask what my medium is, I say, COLOR. The material is secondary, usually chosen for practical reasons.

Over the years you have travelled extensively, and lived in Venice for 16 years until rather recently. Can you tell us about what it was like there for you, how you lived, what you did, what you remember and loved about Venice life? Was it at all related to the magnificent art to behold? I chose and loved Venice because it's a totally original creation ..... unique beyond words. (And no stupid cars, which I hate.) Plus lots of dolce vita! From the beginning there in 1994 I first created a special kind of "cooking school", called ROBERTO'S ITALIAN TABLE/Culinary & Cultural Holidays in Italy, weeklong programs based at the great Orient Express Hotels in Venice, Florence, Rome and Portofino. It really took off and got wonderful reviews in The Sunday Times in London, Le Monde in Paris, and New York Magazine, as well as several papers in Tokyo, where I had lived previously for 25 years as a Marketing Consultant to foreign companies. (But that's another story!)

What is your most favorite thing to do? I know, drinking Prosecco at a cafe and having interesting conversations. Continued on next page.... New work: Pop-Up sculpture by Robert Wilk

Kiss / Impending BEFORE

Kiss / Impending INSTALLED! How LOVE/Red was constructed and made by Robert Wilk...Started with ideas on paper, often used.

The two pieces were then made into aluminum and painted red.

The two pieces were slipped into each other by five terrific guys and installed in place.

Flashes/Red/Yellow/Blue Origami Table/Yellow

BEFORE: Ménage à Trois. Slice/RED Private collection, Sarasota, Florida

Robert Wilk stands beside his sculpture. Ménage à Trois. Private Collection.

I love to daydream. I guess that's where my "inspiration" comes from. Like "out of nowhere"! I can sit for hours at a cafe thinking, dreaming, sketching, imagining, and getting really "into it" with each new glass of Prosecco. I find bubbles work.

I hope you still have great encounters with people you find interesting. And now that COVID may be at its end, the good times may actually be starting slowly again. What is on your list of things you are planning to do that you had to hold off on? How did it affect your artistic work? Travel, of course. But differently from my youthful, super-energetic ways of yesteryear. I now long to be with people rather than to be "seeing things". So cruises are good. The transatlantic QM2 is classy in the Noel Coward sort of way, black tie for dinner, impressive cultural programs, in addition to the fun, outrageous shows. I love it. And it offers a peaceful 7 days to write, which I do a lot of these days. That's how I've been travelling between the two continents for over 30 years! I've met some great people,whom I still keep in touch with. New friends are good!

I know how much you love Opera. What sculpture of yours that you have created brings a smile to your face and possibly the echoes and sound of a great diva for you? Well, to start with, Eartha Kitt, the first goddess in my life when I was about 15. Brilliant woman. The Andrews Sisters fit in there as well. My Polish family often danced to the Beer Barrel Polka during the Sunday Polish Music broadcast.

If you had the chance to put a sculpture up in the Sistine chapel, what would be the idea you would come up with? OY! Lighting, with James Turrell.

Thank you!

KATHI RILEY

LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPIST Kathi Riley, LMT is a Licensed Massage Therapist who uses the energetic systems in and around the body to heal common aches and pains from the holistic viewpoint, bringing harmony to body, mind and spirit. Energy medicine naturally calms the nervous system, releases tension and activates your healing throughout your body. Some of the common ailments that respond well to this work are bone misalignment, muscle tension and range of motion issues. It is also beneficial for recovering from the stress of big changes such as divorce, life stage transitions or the loss of your loved one. Kathi Riley at Rhythms Massage and Energy Work Lenox Commons, 55 Pittsfield Road, Lenox. Bookings are by appointment only. Call or text 413-822-2292. www.RhythmsMassage.net.

TERREL BROUSSARD

FOOD AS MEDICINE In last month’s column, I mentioned the need to be persistent and consistent with certain foods and herbs in order for them to have an effect on the human body. Once accumulated these nutrients can have an anabolic reaction, leading to the growth of healthy tissues and positive changes in the body. Similarly, unhealthy foods and practices accumulated by the body can lead to negative changes. As a student of herbal medicine, I remember taking a walk through the neighborhoods of Silver City, New Mexico with a teacher who was introducing us to different plants that were growing through cracks in the pavement, randomly and wildly climbing fences, overtaking abandoned yards, and pretty much thriving in any place that humans allowed. These were referred to as weeds by most, however, my instructor made it clear that the plants he referred to should be revered as medicine. Milk thistle is a perfect example of one person’s poison being another person’s medicine. It is considered a noxious weed because it can kill cattle if eaten in large amounts, however, when ingested by humans over long periods of time, it has been proven to protect the liver and is known to have positive effects on the heart, skin, and kidneys, as well as aiding digestion. The key to milk thistle’s magic is a constituent known as silymarin. And like with every magic trick, the beauty (or in this case, the value) is not in what you’re doing, but how you’re doing it. The most effective way to extract silymarin from milk thistle seed is with alcohol. My process is to collect organic milk thistle seed and extract its medicine using organic alcohol. Once this is done, I remove the alcohol and replace it with organic vegetable glycerin. My final product is an organic, glycerin-based milk thistle tincture. When producing herbal medicine, I try to use organic or wild-crafted products whenever possible. I feel it is also important to eliminate the ingestion of alcohol by substituting it with glycerin when it “makes sense”, for instance with milk thistle and other formulas, like my Immuno Umph!, Relax and Recover, and Lion’s Mane. In this day and age, we are conditioned to reach for immediate gratification. Vitality is not achieved in this way. It is a journey. One that can start in your own kitchen. Ayurvedic philosophy is the oldest form of practiced medicine in the world, and many of its remedies can be found in the kitchen, growing in your own backyard, or even, growing between the cracks of pavement. Be well and heal thyself! Please see our ad in this issue! Terrel Broussard- Ayurvedic Practitioner, Herbalist, Bodyworker; 413-329-5440