Spotlight on artists: Mike Zisser

Can the public view your work at any particular location?


Yes, my work is always viewable at my studio. Simply call me at 749-3064 to make an appointment. In addition I am frequently in juried group shows, mostly in the eastern part of the United States, and my work is also owned by a number of Shelter Island residents.


Do you specialize in one specific type of art?


I am primarily a non-representational painter, and currently (for the past year) I have been working in extensive explorations of geometrics and color.


What is your preferred medium? 


Although I have worked in almost every existing medium, for the last 10 years or so I have concentrated on acrylics on canvas or paper.


What is the most interesting place you’ve seen your art displayed? 


Surely one of the most memorable places was a beautiful show at the Borghese Winery, with the inside temperature near freezing due to a ferocious February blizzard! It was interesting, all right — art and weather battling for everyone’s attention. Luckily we had wine. And the work looked great. 


Where would you most like to see it?


I am always happy to be seen in very well-curated group shows in the company of artists who are better than I am. (This takes a really excellent curator to pull it off.) And in solo shows, almost anywhere. For instance, I just finished a show at our Town Hall, which showcased my newest geometric work and was up the entire summer — it was very well received by the community, and it was a wonderful place to display these large, colorful pieces.


What inspires your art? 


Almost anything can inspire me — a thought, a scrap of conversation, a photo from a newspaper, a paper napkin, straight lines, curved lines, anything that seems to me a dynamic jumping-off point for a painting, something that has “legs.”


Why be an artist on Shelter Island?


When inspiration arrives, you need a calm, well-lit space to create. Shelter Island has relatively few distractions, so you have more time for creation, and I am fortunate that my good-sized studio has wonderful light. I have known a cherished number of artists out here — the “Art Mob” — for years, but lately we are getting more new arrivals, some younger people, more varied work, new perspectives, and I think this influx of new talent is wonderful. In fact, we just organized and gave ourselves a new name, “ARTSI,” which stands for Artists of Shelter Island, and we had a very successful studio tour this summer. 


What is your biggest challenge as an artist?


My personal challenge is to satisfy myself — and I am a tough critic. If you see my acrylics, you immediately see thick, heavy surfaces. That’s because I often repaint directly over some of the former work that does not, finally, meet with my approval (a technique, I should mention, that has been used by painters since the Renaissance. Every artist has his or her moments of total exasperation.) This over-painting almost always leads to a richer, more interesting surface texture, though; it adds character to the finished work.


What is your greatest joy as an artist?


My greatest joy as an artist is to see a painting of mine go to a person who is knowledgeable and discerning about art. That is the best compensation an artist can have.


Who is your favorite artist?


I don’t really have one artist I would call my favorite, although there are many whom I admire greatly and who have influenced my work. A few who come to mind are Mark Rothko, Cy Twombly, Joseph Stella, Josef Albers and Henri Matisse.