Interview
Anthony Apesos
Anthony Apesos, Professor Emeritus at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is an artist and art historian. He is the author of Anatomy for Artists: A New Approach to Learning and Remembering the Body and The Long Desired Medium: The History of Oil Painting. Apesos has had numerous one person and group exhibitions. He founded and was the first director of the MFA program ay Lesley University College of Art and Design.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I always drew and painted as a kid, but I never took it seriously until my senior year at Vassar College when working on my thesis on William Blake. I realized then that I must be an artist.”
What inspires you?
“The invisible in the visible.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“I use my art to see, and I hope my work encourages my viewers to look deeply and lovingly at the world.”
How would you describe your work?
“My work can be described as classical realism.”
Which artists influence you most?
“William Blake, John Constable, Samuel Palmer, and my teacher the late Sidney Goodman.”
What is your creative process like?
“It is my entire life: I draw every day, read, walk in nature, and daydream.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“The artist is the soul of every society, although it is rarely acknowledged.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I exhibited my work of Roman Meditations at the Nesto Gallery at Milton Academy in 2013.”
Website: www.apesos.com
Instagram: @anthonyapesosart
