Meet Fox Gradin | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Fox Gradin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Fox, what role has risk played in your life or career?
When I think about the alternative to taking a risk, things seem to fade from full color to black and white. Things lose value, definition, excitement, and realness. With risk comes continuous shift and a change of scenery. I can’t imagine a life where I’m safe and unchallenged. I can’t imagine a life where I’m certain of the next step.

John A Shedd said, ““A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are built for” With risk comes reward and sometimes loss. but the gamble is where real life happens. The struggle to make things materialize is where I’m most creative and intelligent. The rush of uncertainty giving way to clarity is when I feel most alive.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My vintage/pinup/cinematic photography, which I’ve been doing for over 20 years, has evolved from a form of fun and experimental art to something that I really believe can change a person’s life. People seem to find me in transitional phases of their lives; they’ve just lost 100 pounds, they’re empty nesters, they’ve survived cancer, they’ve just gotten out of a toxic relationship, they just turned 30,40,50,60 years old, etc. A simple photo shoot where they can play a caricature of themselves can remind them of who they are. I’m convinced that people have no idea what they actually look like. Having a third party to show them their own magic, which they’ve misplaced or lost touch with along the way, can really put things in an inspired new light. I get a real high from being a tiny part of people’s reinvention. Introducing magic back into people’s lives is the reason I’m here.

I’m also a big proponent for public art. Being outdoors and painting on a huge scale is when I feel most alive and most myself. I love heights. I love the utter drama, stress, and seemingly insurmountable odds of large scale art. I love talking to people about what I’m doing. I love taking a break when kids want to talk to me about the painting they do at home. I love knowing that people are passing by several times and watching a piece of art unfold. I love the way it wears out my body and demands my complete focus. I love the mystery of how these pieces are going to come to fruition and the rush of it all coming together in the end.

Teaching art to children through my art camp in the summer at the Quinlan Visual Arts Center is probably the thing that makes me the most proud. Every summer, I get the honor of taking art kids a little farther on their journey. When we visit the gallery and a kid can talk about art in front of other people using correct language and observational skills that I’ve taught them, I get a little teary eyed. I heal a little of my own spirit when I see kids expressing themselves through art when they find it difficult to express themselves any other way. When my students look at something they’ve created and say, “I can’t believe I made that”, it’s the only thing that matters in the world at that moment.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I had a visitor to the area, I would definitely take them to some of my favorite unusual spots in Atlanta such as a couple hikes through Doll’s Head Trail and Sweetwater Creek Park, a history tour through Oakland Cemetery and The Fox Theater, a stop at the Center for Puppetry Arts, some shopping at The Junkman’s Daughter and Tannery Row, then good food and weird atmosphere at Big Bang Pizza and R. Thomas Grill

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband, Olaf, has been a nonstop source of support, encouragement, love, and direction in my life. I’m prone to not just thinking outside of the box, but outside of the universe. His engineering mind reigns me in just enough to make me focus on intent and process. When I’m seeing fireworks, he’s calculating the cost and risk of injury.

Website: www.celestialstudios.art

Instagram: celestialstudiosga

Facebook: www.facebook.com/celestialstudiosphoto