Artist Ant Interviews People Summer Series #4: Sharlotte Fondeur-Casas 7/10/19

Interviewer: Anthony Andujar Jr

Interviewee: Sharlotte Fondeur-Casas

Self portrait by Sharlotte Fondeur-Casas

   Hello! Welcome to the latest edition to the Artist Ant Interview People Summer Series! I have a special guest that I’ve had the privilege to collaborate with in the last few months. This individual left a major impact on me many years ago when I was invited to illustrate portraits of the models that were featured in Short Stack’s 2011 roster. Not only did I discover that this individual was a photographer and a writer, but a like minded individual that consistently transformed her reality with every portrait that she made. 

Q0. Who are your inspirations?

SFC: I don’t particularly have a certain person or group of people that inspire me. I’m usually inspired by moments/ principles/ ideas. The source of those things usually varies from social media, paintings, books, artists, friends, family, even strangers. The sources themselves don’t take away from the authenticity of how much they inspire me. A quote on Instagram hastily made in Photoshop vs Nietzsche’s philosophical arguments both inspire me equally.

Photo by Sharlotte Fondeur-Casas

Q1. How did you get into art?

SFC: There wasn’t an isolated “aha!” moment in my life that directed me into the arts. It probably started when I was young, I was obsessed with the 1950 animated film “Alice in Wonderland” – it was really the fantasy and nonsensical nature of the film, not to mention the use of colors. Still obsessed with it now!

Q2. When did you take art seriously?

SFC: Probably in undergrad, but that’s because the curriculum forced us to really commit and become completely consumed in the arts. It was exciting, a different energy from the mundane routine of life post-undergrad. However, post-undergrad life offers more freedom. A catch 22 it feels.  

Q3. What drives you in your daily life?

SFC: Possibilities – it’s nice waking up with the thought that today can be an “almost” clean slate. Some emotional residue from the previous day spills over but time helps dissolve that. That has to be one of the simplest things – hope.

Sabina 0 by Sharlotte Fondeur-Casas

Q4. What made you the person that you are today?

SFC: I still don’t know THE person that I am today. But I guess you can say it’s been a culmination of my relationship with others. I’ve learned a lot from those closest to me by just listening to them, learning and understanding their reactions to their own personal crisis or situations.

Q5.  If you could speak to any living creator or inspiration, who would it be, why, and what would talk to them about?

SFC: Elon Musk – how he manages to keep his confidence (or so it seems) intact when challenging the infrastructures we have in place in our society now. Most people hate change, spectators are ready to doubt as soon as he pushes a new idea. Tell someone that we might all have automated cars a couple of years from now and watch as they squirm inside their skin.

Untitled by Sharlotte Fondeur-Casas

Q6. If there were any deceased creators, actors, singers, writers, etc that you would want to speak to, who would it be, and why?

SFC: Frida Kahlo – I don’t think I’ll ever care how ‘overrated’ the media will make her. That woman seemed incredible and so was her artwork. Her life was definitely her best ‘art’.

Leonardo Da Vinci would be next on the list. How the hell does one person excel at everything they do?

Q7. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?

SFC: India.

Binary 3 by Sharlotte Fondeur-Casas

Q8. What is one thing that you fear?

SFC: Losing control – it has been the very foundation for all my other ‘sub’ fears.

Failure is a close runner up.

Collage Art by Sharlotte Fondeur-Casas and Anthony Andujar Jr

Q 10.  If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

SFC: Teleportation – traveling in our society is still incredibly time consuming and just bothersome.

Q11. What catches your attention when you meet people?

SFC: Their physical mannerisms – they become comforting after a while. I tend to associate the mannerism to the person when we’re conversing.

Sabina 1 by Sharlotte Fondeur-Casas

. Q12. What is one word of advice that you would impart to your younger self?

SFC: Be kinder to yourself. Also ignore the assholes you meet, they’ll become incredibly unimportant strangers a few years from now.

Q13. What are three books that you always remember or return to, and why? How did they shape you?

SFC: 

1. Imagine: How Creativity Works by Jonah Lehrer – I read this book this year after a friend let me borrow it. It keeps sticking with me because of the victories achieved by a particular group of people who have challenged the very norms in our society through their creativity – i.e. Pixar’s rough beginning and the “aha” moment of the inventors of the Swiffer.
2. Tenderness by Robert Cormier – I read this book my freshman year of high school. I fell in love with the impossibility of the love story. How is a psychopath capable of falling in love?
3. Steal like an Artist – a suggestion from my art professors, it’s a great little manual when you’re in an artistic rut or feel discouraged. Almost like a little pamphlet every artist should own.

Q14. If you could continue or remake a movie, or franchise, what would be your film of choice ?

SFC: Not really a franchise but Netflix’s “When They See Us” was absolutely profound – I think I’d like to see more of that content on my dashboard.

Q15.  If you were to make a film, novel, or comic book based on an album, what album or artist would you pick?

SFC: Pink Floyd’s The Wall – but that’s already been done! ;)

Non Sharpen by Sharlotte Fondeur-Casas

Q16. Who In this life, has motivated you to stay true to what makes you who are?

SFC: My father and mother.

Q17. Where do you hope to see yourself in five years?

SFC: In research, working with a team to create a lighting product that can aide in the treatment of psychiatric patients.

Q18. What are three albums or songs currently, that you listen to on repeat? And why?

SFC: Oh god it’s really been only top 40s stuff on repeat lately. But two weeks ago I was listening to “Save the Last Dance” movie soundtrack. Great R&B tracks in that movie.

Binary 2 by Sharlotte Fondeur-Casas

Q19. What color speaks to you the most and why?

SFC: Cyan + Magenta – they remind me of fantasy worlds and the absolute freedom I have to create worlds in those colors.

Q20.What's one thing that you're proud of?

SFC: Purchasing my own place before my 30s.

Q21. What is a mantra that you tell yourself?

SFC: Nobody was born knowing – so keep learning. When people doubt you, ignore them since they're really expressing their own self doubt. 

MiNina by Sharlotte Fondeur-Casas

To find more of her photography work and other entries, you can go to her website to see more. https://sharlottefondeur.com/