Kendra Fleishman

Tell something about your family, where you grew up, went to school, etc.

I grew up in the Denver area of Colorado and recently lived in Loveland, Co. before moving to Canandaigua in October 2024. My family were pioneers of the west and my roots go back to the very first settlers of the northern Colorado area.

What were your early childhood influences regarding art?

My family was very supportive of my exploration in art. My grandparents introduced me to oil painting when I

was 9 and my Dad and I started bronze sculpture classes when I was 15. They always encouraged my talents and even backed me financially when I wanted to start making larger works.

Did you go to college? Any mentors? I graduated from Colorado State University in 1987 with a major in art and art education. My concentration was in sculpture. Gary Voss was my mentor in sculpture and taught me how to carve stone. When I graduated, I didn’t immediately start working in a studio. I started teaching art in the public school system and creating my own work when I could. I taught art for over 22 years and continued to work as a professional artist as well.

Which artists have you been most influenced by?

There are so many it’s hard to name just a few. Constantin Brancusi for his simplified human form, Nam Jun Paik for his innovation in digital media, Martha Graham for her work as a dancer and Vincent Van Gogh for his courage to paint his truth.

What type of art do you create? Has your style changed over time?

At the moment I am working in acrylic painting and porcelain doll sculptures. My style is in constant motion. I started as a painter and stone carver, then moved onto bronze including large monumental works. Then I discovered digital art forms and animation which lead to many fun pieces in stop motion, projection mapping and installation. I still enjoy the idea of installation work, but I am exploring the smaller world of creating intimate settings with dolls. I am also painting again after a decades long break from 2d work.

What inspires you to create art? I enjoy creating narratives, telling a visual story. My past works were mainly expressions of emotion through movement and interactions between figures. Currently, I am bringing more personal expression into my work, drawing from my life experience.

What do you want to express through your art? Do you have certain themes that you pursue? The human experience. Or at least the human experience from my perspective. I know that is a very broad answer to the question. I am striving to break the human experience into intimate expressions that are universally relatable.

What is your favorite artist tool? Anything that allows me to tell a story.

How important are titles to your art? I do title my pieces but I try to let the viewer bring their own interpretations to my work. Many of my titles give just enough information to suggest a meaning without giving the whole picture.

What are the hardest and best parts of creating art?

I would have to say time and money are the hardest parts. Before I retired from teaching, it was a real struggle to find the

time to pursue my art, teaching gave me some extra income to keep creating but left very

little time to be in my studio. It is a delicate balance that can be frustrating. I have had periods of success which is wonderful and validating. However, being a success in a certain subject matter or medium can influence you to keep creating in a style that you no longer wish to explore. You can get stuck and before you know it your work holds no meaning for you. Being able to be true to yourself and your desire to express can be very challenging.

Do you listen to music or podcasts when you create? I listen to jazz, electronic, classical and sometimes oldies. It all depends on my mood and the energy needed for a

particular piece. I often put on the television as white noise when I need to concentrate. Don’t ask me how many times I have watched/listened to any version of Jane Austen novels, it’s embarrassing.

Where can people go to see your art? Do you have a website or Facebook page for your work? My website is www.kfleischman.com or you can go to my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/KFleischmanArt

Here are a couple of links to my work in animation:

https://vimeo.com/717606318 most recent animation called “Run” 2022

https://vimeo.com/397988077 “Ceraunophilia” 2020

Here are links to a couple of my projection mapped pieces

https://youtu.be/bJf4akJyXWY?si=v9uGoGY5nTR3vzlI Holiday projection mapping of Denver Union Station

https://youtu.be/IDRHusQ9kRg?si=64x10HvuKk69-ylF Projection mapped piece for Side Stories in Denver, CO

Do you accept commissions? I love commissions and I have worked with many cities, colleges and private collectors.

Do you have a piece of artwork that you are most proud of?

I am very proud of my public art works, whether it is the large bronze sculptures or my digital projected pieces. Being in public collections means many people get to enjoy them. I am also very proud of a large digital installation I did called “The Little Chapel of Our Holy Motherboard”. It was an ambitious work that turned out really well and I was able to install/show the piece in Santa Fe and Denver.

Professionally, what is your goal? Keep on creating with purpose and hopefully find venues to share my work with viewers.

Do you have a dream project that you would like to create?

I would like to have a show that features an installation of 2d and 3d works exploring my journey through loss and change. It is a current body of work. I would also love to create an illustrated book or interactive animated book.

Caption:

“Cyber Telly” - video sculpture that plays different video elements and sounds. You can change the video by pushing different buttons. The idea is that this robot is a story teller that is collecting images and sounds and sharing these with the little alien children that are sitting on the robot.