Fabienne Bismuth Captures the Female Form in Bold, Sensuous Bronze

Fabienne Bismuth

A biochemist by training, Fabienne Bismuth's love for the human body evolved from a molecular level to an emotional one when she decided to pursue her passion as a sculptor full-time. Modeling her figures in clay prior to casting them in very limited editions, Fabienne describes her process - and her connection to the feminine - in poetic terms:

"I create each sculpture with my heart. My raw material is emotion, pain and joy, love, impossible dreams and terrible suffering. My medium is clay. Energy, tenderness, struggle and bliss flow from my hands to model it. A pressure of the thumb, the cut of a tool, and the first line appears. I let water drops fall on the piece. Their journey is smooth, dripping from a shoulder to the hips, rolling down to die at the feet. The light bounces off the surface, and the shadow becomes the curve's secret. Round, sharp, deep; little by little the shape emerges. I cast the finished piece in stone or bronze, to give it strength, texture and color."

Born into a family of Parisian artists in the late 60s, Fabienne (aka "FaB") moved to California with her husband and two boys in 1996. Moving from Europe to the U.S. allowed her to reinvent herself, leaving the biotech industry to embrace the world of Art. In the past twelve years, she took what was at first a "surprising hobby" to a way of expressing beauty and emotions.

© Bismuth Sculpture by FaB ArtExpo -NY 2011

In March 2011, Fabienne presented her Ladies in Bronze at the International ArtExpo in New York. "So Fashion!" was a huge success - powerful, fierce women that could be seen in fashion magazines as well as in daily life; entrepreneurs, businesswomen, mothers and spouses. FaB's award-winning artwork is represented in collections worldwide and shown in galleries in California, Arizona and France.

FaB's "Fashion ladies" will be on display at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco, CA from October 21-23, 2011.

A.C.T.: What prompted you to start your professional art career?

"Luck is the first word that comes to my mind. I was lucky to grow up in Paris, France. I was raised until the age of 15 in a place where 'beautiful' and 'creative' were important words. My parents were interior designers in Saint Germain des Près, the artsy area of Paris, where they had their own line of furniture. I created my first table at age 7. My dad had it built for me and it was for sale in their boutique the following month.

"Creating, painting and writing, were encouraged and sure enough, my two brothers each became an architect and a fine art painter. I decided to study biochemistry. And, by becoming a biotech engineer, I was the 'different one' in my family.

"Moving to the United States in 1996 with my husband and two boys was a huge challenge. I had left behind my job in biotech and my family and I felt lost. It was actually a blessing. By then I understood I was more interested in people than in molecules. A few months after moving to California I bought a pack of clay and created my first sculpture. It was far from a masterpiece but I found so much joy in the creative process that I was hooked.

"I went back to my creative roots and a year later went back to school. I studied at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco with few local masters and reinvented myself.

"With this second chance in life, I consider myself very lucky."

A.C.T.: What makes an artist professional?

Bismuth Sculpture by FaB Booth ArtExpo -NY 1 2011

"For me, it's hard work... and it's a daily challenge.

"There is of course the creative aspect of art, the one we artists crave. For sure, practice makes you better. So you have to make a point to go to your studio, inspired or not (which is usually not a problem for me).

"You have also to take care of showing what you created. It means: signing up for shows, contacting galleries, submitting work to competitions, maintaining a website... Then you need to market your work: take good pictures of your art, update your website on a regular basis, post on social media, send invitations, create marketing material...And so on...

"The part I really don't enjoy but that you have to do as a professional artist, includes: the office work, keep track of your finances, get your taxes ready, pay your sales taxes on time, insuring your work, update your mailing list...

"It's a lot. In 'professional artist' there are two words: artist - which is what we do because it's who we are, and professional - which we have to do even if it takes away from our art time."

A.C.T.: What is your artistic direction? What is your "life's work" as an artist, i.e. what legacy do you want to leave?

"My subject matter has always been women. I like human beings, the shape of the human figure and probably relate more to women because every artist tends to be a little narcissistic - I understand women. My women, whom I call my 'ladies,' have evolved a lot in the past 10 years. They are both more figurative and more abstractly distorted.

"I often let the clay guide me. I start with an idea, an image. I usually don't use a live model, other than the people I see in the street. I don't draw. I take what I want to say and start building a metal armature. Then I apply the clay and within an hour my first impression emerges. It is sometimes close to what I had in mind, but most of the time, it is quite different. I find some volume or line that speaks to me and go from there. Little by little, the shape of what I want to express emerges. I always love to play with the lines, the shapes and I probably distort the reality of the human shape more than I used to... and I love it.

"In the last ten years, I went through several phases. More recently I embraced the fact that I enjoy the 'beautiful.' Beautiful doesn't mean meaningless. I find inspiration a little less in the struggles of daily life and a little more in fashion magazines. This fashion part may be the 'French' in me, being raised looking at this surreal world of fashion as part of my daily life.

"My 'ladies' convey a message about what it is to be a woman in the 21st century, with so many different roles and attitudes to assume, to excel in and to be proud of: spouse, lover, mother; strong, fierce, playful, sassy, successful, sensitive, emotional. We are also more emancipated than before.

"My direction? Let's see what the future will bring. I tend to go bigger and bigger. I am also ready to abstract more and more, but sometimes the clay still decides what it wants to become. So I listen.

"I want to leave a 'collection of ladies' that people enjoy looking at and touching (part of the enjoyment). I want to represent the strength, the elegance, the emotion, the diversity, and the tenderness of beautiful women."

A.C.T.: What is your art business direction?

Bismuth Sculpture by FaB Booth ArtExpo -3 NY 2011

"At this point, I would really like to spend less of my time marketing my work and more time creating. For that, only one solution would be to find good gallery. So this year, I really want to spend some time in my car going to find new places to show my work in California or anywhere else."

A.C.T.: Please describe a typical day, and a typical month so readers can understand how you manage your time, money and energy.

"There is not really a typical day. I have two teenage boys and sometimes their schedule will prevent me to have mine, but now that they are growing up, it happens less and less.

"I try to start by exercising for an hour. Five years ago I injured my back: I couldn't walk, sit, stand, or carry anything over 2 pounds. Being a sculptor requires a lot of physical strength, so pilates, jogging, and weight training are now part of my life as professional artist.

"Other than that there are two aspects to consider.

First the creative part. I usually work on 4 to 5 pieces at the same time: the one I am creating in clay, the one I am casting in cement, the one I am doing patina on, the one I am finishing to be gallery ready or bringing to the foundry to be cast in bronze and then the next one that is always in the back of my mind.

I tend to go to the foundry to work on my bronzes every month and I love it. It's like my day off when people I love help give even more life to what I put my heart into.

I teach half day a week and take classes when I have a chance. Teaching and learning challenge me to be always better.

Second, the marketing and office aspect. It can take between 20% and 50% of my time depending if I am closer to a show or not. I try to update my web site every other week. I take pictures of every piece coming from my studio and add it to my inventory. I create and send invitations, reminders or little notes about once a month. I post messages on social media as soon as there is something new. I apply to 1-2 shows monthly. I update my hard copy portfolio every 3-6 months. I try to take care of my expenses every other month (I should do it more often, but I hate this part so I procrastinate). I sit at the Los Gatos Museum gallery once a month and try to go visit galleries or museums at least every other month. There is always something to do, and for me it's hard to not let this marketing part take too much space and to take time to go back to my studio.

"It is a balancing act and to be successful you need both."

A.C.T.: What peak moments have you had as an artist?

"My first peak moment happened unexpectedly. I was part of a Gala event at the San Jose Museum of Art when the museum director was looking for some pieces to install in the museum entrance. I happened to be there, I had my portfolio and they liked it. The next day, I entered the museum to see my work on display!

"Another peak moment was during an Open Studio a couple of years ago, when suddenly everyone wanted to buy my work. I sold over fifteen pieces in less than two hours. For a moment it looked like people were fighting to get one of my pieces and it felt great.

"Recently, one of my collectors fell in love with one of my pieces. He bought it - which is great in itself. A few days later he sent me a picture of it at his place, he told me that he took it to work to show it to his coworkers and that he was planning to take her on some family trips. That's special!

"Also, on a couple of occasions, I have seen someone crying when looking at one of my pieces. It meant something special to them at that point in time. I wish I could have given them that piece that touched them so much. Maybe some day... In the meantime I just enjoy talking to them and discovering what it means to them. These moments shared with someone are my biggest success."

A.C.T.: How do you define success and how do you celebrate it?

"Success can be so many things from seeing emotion in the eye of the viewer to making enough money in a show to afford the casting of a new piece.

"Last year, someone suggested I inventory all of my work. I discovered that I had sold over 100 sculptures in the past 7 years. One hundred of my ladies had found someone who loved them enough to buy them and make them part of their home. That really feels like success.

"I celebrated this 'discovery' by going back to my files and spending the time to write a 'thank you' letter to every single person who owns at least one of those ladies and who, by doing so, allows me to afford doing what I love."

A.C.T.: What obstacles have you encountered in your art business and how have you handled them?

"On the artistic side, the worst is self-doubt. Each year I go visit my family in Europe and for one month I don't get to sculpt. Each year I come back thinking I can't create anymore. You handle that by pushing forward, going to your studio and working. You cannot forget creativity - it's part of you!

"On the business side, finance is my biggest obstacle. My medium is costly, so if I don't sell, I can't cast in bronze; if I don't have new pieces, I don't sell. I recently began offering a discounted price for people who order a bronze from me before it's cast, by looking at the plaster or clay piece. It's hard, but some of my collectors are starting to see the value in that."

A.C.T.: Who are your role models and mentors? What was the best advice they gave you?

"My main role models are other artists. Some of them are so professional and so tenacious in one aspect or another. I pick and choose what I admire in each of them and try to follow their example.

"My best advice came from my early teachers: 'Never quit. If it's broken and you can fix it, you fix it.' Another great piece of advice: 'If you are not sure if you love the piece, destroy it.'

"On the business aspect, the two best pieces of advice I got -possibly from you - were: 'Know who you are' and 'Follow through.' I hate this second one because it's so much easier to not call back than to hear a 'no' when you apply to a gallery for example. But if you don't call them back you might never hear a 'yes.'"

A.C.T.: What is your art marketing strategy? What promotional materials and actions do you use most often? How do you incorporate social networks?

"I update my web site at least once a month, sometimes more. Twice a year I create brochures or small books that I use to present my work to galleries or to give as a present to clients.

"When I have a show, I email my list (about 300 people) through Constant Contact - thanks for suggesting it to me - I love the convenience of it. I send the invitation three weeks in advance and a reminder one week before the show. If it's a big event, I also send postcards to my main collectors or people who came to previous shows and live in the area of that particular event (usually 100 - 200 people).

"I also announce the event on Facebook and Twitter. But it's harder to see who's reading it or not. I use it mostly to give news and fun facts during the actual event."

A.C.T.: How do you use your art to support causes you believe in?

© Bismuth "Survivor"

"I used my work for fundraising a couple of years ago when I signed up for the three-day walk for Breast Cancer. I gave a percentage of sales of my work to the Susan Komen association and contacted my mailing list for this special event. I even created a special piece called 'Survivor.' People followed me on Facebook and donated for the cause. It was a great experience!

"I always donate a percentage of my sales for a cause or another. It's very important for me to give back."

A.C.T.: What changes have you experienced in the art market and how have you navigated them? What lessons have you learned?

"When I first started, the market was really good, but the quality of my work was not where it is today. At this point in my career, if a piece is not up to my standards, I just destroy it.

"Now the market is way more depressed but I probably sell as much, if not more, than I did then. I sell my bronze in the $2500.- $6000. range. People who could afford them 5 years ago usually still can. Sometimes I offer them payment in installments. I am happy with that because it creates an income flow and I create my pieces for collectors to enjoy - not to store - so my 'ladies' get to leave my garage.

"I used to create smaller, less pricy pieces ($200 to 300) in cast stone and unfortunately they don't do as well. Probably people want the best and that's it.

"Over time I learned that price is not the main issue. Your work has to look professionally done, perfectly presented and finished. The bottoms of my sculptures, which nobody looks at, have to be as perfectly finished as the top."

A.C.T.: What legal measures do you take to protect your work?

"I had my bronzes insured last year on my home insurance as a floater for their cast price. It cost me less than $40 per year for a value of $10,000 of artwork."

A.C.T.: What advice would you pass on to artists who want to succeed in any economy?

© Bismuth "Songe"

"Create YOUR work. Please, don't try to be commercial, don't change who you are or go from one thing to another to please your market.

"Don't lower your prices to something you are not comfortable with. Yes, it's a bad economy, but some people still buy art and those ones will buy YOUR work and not a lesser or cheaper version of what you can do. And show your work, if they don't see it, they won't buy it."

A.C.T.: How has your involvement in one-to-one coaching, the A.C.T. program and community of professional artists furthered your career?

"My one-to-one coaching with Aletta helped me on many levels:

First of all, she helped me focus. She asked me to define myself as an artist and as a professional. If you don't now who you are as an artist, it's becomes really difficult to pass on the message you want to the outside world. 'I am a sculptor' is not enough. 'I sculpt strong, sensuous, sassy ladies in bronze' will probably give you a better idea about my work.

Professionally, she asked me to define my view of success. You can only reach something if you know what you are aiming for. She also gave me marketing tips, encouragement, and constructive criticism.

"Being part of the A.C.T. community helped me to work on my marketing:

Looking at how other artists proceeded to make their vision seen by others was the most inspiring way to see what I wanted to do or not to do. It also helped me emotionally. When I had a question about doing a show, or when I was in self-doubt I would ask the community and I would get a quick answer or just a few reassuring words.

Being part of a community is like being part of a family. In this case, the members of this family are all artists, so there is a chance they will understand you better than anyone else.

"The A.C.T. membership program, the artist community and Aletta helped me really focus and push further than I thought possible. My sculptures are my creation but the way I present them to the outside world, the professional part of me as a 'professional artist,' is stronger also because of these wonderful people who helped and are still pushing me along the way."

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