Peri Schwartz of Far Rockaway, New York is one of many artists to showcase their talent within the University of Mississippi Museum in an exhibition that highlights her talents in several different media.
“Peri’s practice of constantly finding new compositions of the same space and subject matter with repetition relates to every level, as it is a foundation for all art — whether a child who is beginning to draw or an accomplished artist,” said Marti A. Funke, the museum’s collections manager. “This is just one reason her art resonates with visitors of any age.”
It all began when Peri Schwartz stumbled upon an article on the Complex Art & Design website, listing the University of Mississippi Museum as number 17 on a list of 20 of the best college campus art museums. Schwartz then contacted Funke in the fall of 2013.
“Peri has had exhibitions or has art in collections at many of the museums that were on the list, and she was very interested in exhibiting at ours,” Funke said. “Once we saw the educational and programming opportunities of this exhibition and of Peri’s work, we selected this timeframe of 2015 for her exhibition.”
Her artwork professes her expertise of each medium she uses, as well as in working with elements of light, color, line and shape. Schwartz’s hard work is evident in the detail of her pieces in the exhibit, which span an entire wall of the museum, ranging from completion dates from 1988 up until 2015.
Located in the center of the exhibit is an oil on canvas self-portrait of Schwartz, done in varying shades of brown. The largest of the works, “Studio Self-Portrait” was completed in 1996 and aesthetically serves as the exhibit’s focal point.
Surrounding this piece are works that demonstrate her mastery of different media, from the colorful watercolor pigments in “Bottles & Jars” of 2012 to the darker and more monotone charcoal in “Studio #1” of 2004. Schwartz’s artwork and its notable uses of line and light create beautiful depictions and capture the essence of her artistry.
From her studies in art at Boston University and Queens College, where she received a master of fine arts, Schwartz is certainly well versed, with experience in painting, printmaking and drawing. She has a deep love for each medium that does not trump another.
As for the success of her work and seeing it displayed in public museums, Schwartz said the feeling is surreal.
“I often feel like I can’t believe I did it,” Schwartz said. “I feel connected. It’s like looking at an old photograph of yourself.”
There is often great anxiety that comes from choosing art as a profession, from rejection to comparing your work to another artist’s, but Schwartz has advice that can be applied to more than this field.
“That’s the point when you really have to be disciplined. That can’t stop you from working,” she said. “Keep working at it.”
Though Schwartz is now experiencing steady success with her art, which is being shown in museum collections in the United States and Europe, the journey to where she is now was no walk in the park.
“I had to keep the faith,” Schwartz said. “Our culture doesn’t necessarily encourage people to be artists because of financial uncertainty. It’s not considered a profession.”
Around the year 2000, while caring for two children and living in the suburbs, Schwartz became very proactive in getting her work out to the public and living her childhood dream of becoming an artist.
“It was a lot of perseverance and being willing to be rejected,” Schwartz said. “You’re very vulnerable because it is subjective. Everybody’s art is subjective.”
Peri Schwartz’s exhibit of paintings, prints and drawings will be displayed in the UM Museum until Jan. 3, 2016 as part of the Oxford Arts Crawl.
