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[ February 12th, 2007 ] Joanie Bernstein, representative, has sat on both sides of the metaphorical table as art rep and art buyer. This 360 degree experience gives her 8 artists a uniquely savvy and preceptive advocate. Enthusiastically and energetically, she makes a point to represent the producer as well as the product. After 20+ years in the business, Ms. Bernstein remains engaged, enthused and delights in her artists' successes. Joanie also knows when to let her artists represent themselves, like in the balance of this piece. Writer Jeff Mueller at Floating Head asks Joanie's artists quirky questions to give a little insight into their personality and art.
Why do you do this kind of work?
Marian Heibel Richardson: Because I'm darned lucky. Because I always wanted to be an artist. Because I still have lots of images to bring to life.
Allen Brewer: The therapist advised me to.
Reps. Are they really necessary? Elvis Swift: Illustrating with good representation is like taking a walk. A stroll alone is pleasant, but walking arm in arm with a friend is better.
What's the worst job you ever had?
Name a television program, past or present, that best aligns with your illustration style.
Jack Molloy: Dragnet. "All we want are the facts, ma'am".? I loved that show. Oh, and Perry Mason too.
What's the longest time you're ever gone without leaving your house? Why? Elvis Swift: I can go a good long time without ever leaving my home. As long as there is food in the icebox and a television set to watch, everything is dandy. I buy ink by the case and have several lifetimes' worth of pen nibs. I try to get out of the house every once in a while to walk in the park with my rep. Jason Greenberg: I was going to say that there was an illustration assignment i got that required me to finish five, full color, illustrations in five days. My process and style are a bit time consuming so I had to pull five consecutive 15 hour days in order to finish.....But, Im a California transplant living in Minneapolis right now and we're looking at ten days or so of -5 to -20 (add on a good -20 degrees for wind chill) and I'm wondering what did I just do to myself?!?! I might never go outside again.
Describe your favorite personal sporting moment?
Stan Fellows: Moments after the U.S hockey team won gold in the 1980 Olympics a reporter grabbed Minnesota native, Neal Broten, and gushed a typical, predictable question, "This must be the most exciting moment of your hockey career!..." and held the mike for Neal to follow the party line and say something about National Pride or whatever.
Broten, deadpan, answered, "Not really."
The reporter, unprepared for the script not being followed, (and this exciting event for the nation being rained on) managed to ask Brotten what the highlight of his career was.
He answered simply, "Winning the Minnesota State High School Hockey Championship."
I love every part of that little story; a dull question returned with a surprising answer, and the reminder that what matters to one person may matter less to another.
Describe your dream job (second of course to this one). Robin Williams: There is really nothing I'd rather do than paint. Jason Greenberg: Actually I had two childhood fantasies of what I wanted to do with my life. Mind you I was 10 at the time. I wanted my own my own comic strip, and if that fell through I wanted to be a rabbi.
Who is your favorite relative:
What's your favorite unhealthy treat?
Jack Molloy: The 4-pound jug of jellybeans from Costco, I'm eating them right now.
Robin Williams: St. Cafe in Providence R.I. makes chocolate chip cookies the size of your head. Graeter's Ice Cream in Columbus, OH makes flavors with chocolate chips the size of icebergs. I like to go BIG!
Creamy or chunky?
Have you ever cooked a Thanksgiving dinner, how did it go?
Do you believe there are no bad ideas or stupid questions? Stan Fellows: We are very obviously up to our eyes in bad ideas, (in some arenas called "strategies"), and what I prefer to call naive or impertinent questions are a part of daily life both at work and socially. The trick is to look for a way to gently steer the idea or question from bad or useless to something constructive or edifying or creative. And if you can do this deftly, in such a way that the originator of the bad idea / question is made to feel that their thinking was not worthless but just needed a little input or adjustment, then everyone feels good about the outcome. Doing this also encourages those around you to offer their own ideas, some of which will be very good, but if you harshly slapped down an obviously dumb idea those resources shut off. Marian Heibel Richardson: There are bad and stupid everything's. But questions in general are a pretty good invention. Can't get too far without any.
Describe your favorite dream or nightmare?
Is falling in love good or bad for your art?
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