We had the good fortune of connecting with Gigi Fields and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gigi, what role has risk played in your life or career?

Risk is at the base core of my entire life. I live out of the box.

I’m in love with Europe. I’ve lived in many parts.

I was honored to be awarded 4 artists residencies and 2 Scholarships in; Italy, Tuscany, Rome and Puglia, Spain, Barcelona, Germany, Berlin and NYC.

I risked everything I had going on in my life to go on these adventures.

All of them altered my life views and advanced my passion, creativity and career.
I started as a stone sculptor.
Well, actually I was a therapist for teens in LA.
I had a summer off and took a stone sculpture class and my professor flipped out when he saw my 1st piece starting to appear in the stone.
He shouted “It’s a Brancusi “
Who?
“ You must go to Italy and study.”
Ok
I went to a school in Tuscany, in Pietrasanta where Michelangelo lived and worked.

He learned to carve marble from the river and so did I, in the ancient form as he did with a hammer and chisel. Incredibly I won a scholarship to stay.

I always wondered why I felt different than most humans.
Then I heard “ you’re an artist” !
My whole life, in an instant made sense.
I still travel about 3 months of every year finding inspiration
I risk everything to be inspired.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

I am an abstract figurative artist. The art world consumes me.
Alternative people fascinate me.
(In my pre artists life, I got a masters degree in psychology and truly love counseling those in need).

In my art I never plan anything
I let it all appear on the canvas or from the stone.

My father passed away suddenly in 1997
My mother took me for the 1st time to Rome , Italy.
I instantly fell in love and studied Italian for 2 weeks.
I quit when I met an Italian man in the middle of a street in Rome and fell instantly in love (with no language in common).Mama Mia!
During that time I realized Italy was in my bones.
I’ve been back 18 times.
I speak Italian like no one can believe for never having really studied.

I am many things out of the box.

I carve stone and oil paint .

I worked in the wine industry in Northern California and Italy.

I also worked art dept in tv and film. I had the amazing pleasure to art directed an indie film in Florence, Italy. I dream to find a way to meet an Italian man, own a small home and live there forever, painting , growing food and making sculptures.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If we were in Rome,Italy We’d go to Trastevere, ( translates to across the Tiber) a little area in the “Centro Storico” ( the historic old center) . Its the proverbial other side of the river, so it’s incredibly authentic and charming beyond belief.
Then we’d take wine ,some Sangiovese of course as it’s grown right there and sit on “The Ponto Sisto “ bridge that crosses the Tiber back into the center of Roma.
People from around the world would be playing guitar and singing on the ancient bridge and sitting far enough away to enjoy but still be in our own postcard.
Then we’d walk down the 500 year old stairs to walk along the river bank.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

Fort Mason SF painting classes gave me a cooperative studio next to the Golden Gate Bridge, on the sea .
I was able to go and paint with 20-30 incredible varied souls of all ages and nationalities for a 10 year period , where my painting career began and flourished.

Website: artslantgigifields

Instagram: artistgigifields

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gigirosafields

Image Credits
All work is done solely by me Gigi Fields

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