Meet Marty Katzoff | Visual Artist

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

Hi Marty, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Choosing a career in the arts has always felt like taking a wild risk. I still question what it means to call myself an artist, and Im constantly shifting that definition based on my experiences. I never thought that dropping out of school to paint on walls would lead me into a career where the heart of my creative experience flows through art education. Of course, there have been risks that didn’t go exactly as planned, but that’s also what has provided me with the foundation to know how to bounce back from unexpected moments in life while I work through a creative project. As a painter, risk-taking is ever-present, and for me, the result is mostly about perspective. How does movement flow into form, and what can another person’s shared experience with my work reveal that was hidden from me at the time? As a printmaker, Im most inspired by experimental processes in copperplate etching. I have never been much of a rule follower when making art.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I grew up playing hockey and football and didn’t realize I loved making art until around 16. At the time, it felt like a massive switch from playing team sports; suddenly, I was spending way more time in my head, relying on myself to find a visual voice. I spent a considerable time in Philly and the Hudson Valley experimenting with painting without formal training before returning to school. At the time, it seemed like a long road to enroll in community college. At Bard College, I was able to transfer into their art department through a return to college program, which changed my life and career. I learned to fuse my interests in Near Eastern studies and religion with copperplate etchings. My print practice wouldn’t have developed through experimental processes without my chance to study with artist Lothar Osterburg. He has a wild imagination and showed me that, as a professor, connecting with students about their practice is essential for artistic growth. Right now, I’m experimenting with a 19th-century etching press I found on an island off the coast of British Columbia; I love the heavy cast Iron wheel and thinking about all the previous owners who cherished the press.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
LA has so many different experiences to explore. I would probably take them to my favorite spot above Sunset Ranch near the Hollywood sign for an epic hike through Griffith Park. Seeing 100 horses grazing between a canyon in LA can feel surreal after driving through the city. There is also so much citrus hanging onto the streets around the hills, and they make for the freshest ingredients to add to some Mezcal after a long hike! I would take them to the Getty to see some incredible artworks and architecture and LACMA, which is a must, followed by drinks and a swim at The Broken Shaker and Freehand Hotel. Of course, what’s a trip to LA without a day walking on the beaches up in Malibu and a drive into the desert?

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Without a doubt, my beautiful and talented wife, Lauren D. Zbarsky. Her love for portrait photography reminds me to try looking at the world outside of my lens and recognize the light in others. Her kindness, love, and patience are attributes that strengthen the foundation of our home and creative worlds. Im grateful for every day we spend together.

Website: www.martinkatzoff.com

Instagram: @martykatzoff

Image Credits
Lauren D. Zbarsky Charlotte Hourston