Lori Schember is a multitalented Charlotte NC artist: She is a painter, metal sculptor, and photographer who says her interest in art first started back in middle school. “But, it wasn’t until I was accepted into the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts that I knew I wanted to go to college for art,” she explains. “Meeting other extremely talented artists, musicians and dancers from across the state was very inspiring and motivational.”
From her work locally with ArtPop to having a painting featured in Times Square this year, Lori tells us more about how she works, what inspires her, and why balancing painting and sculpture is so essential to her process.
Have you ever worked within/explored any other artistic pursuits?
For a decade after college, photography was my main source of income. One of my favorite accomplishments was being one of the few on-track photographers for the Kentucky Derby for multiple years. I also had the rare opportunity to work with a public sculpture company based out of Denver, Colorado. It was there that I learned about the full process of creating large scale sculptures from design to installation. It wasn’t until we moved to Charlotte that I started focusing completely on painting and sculpture again.
What sparks your creativity and what inspires you to continue pursuing art in your career?
Nature and traveling has always been my primary source of inspiration for my sculptures and paintings. Being accepted into the ArtPop class of 2024 was a huge inspiration to only focus on creating art. It really gave me the hope I needed to know it’s possible to be a full-time artist. Charlotte has been the most artist-friendly city I have ever lived in. There is so much opportunity, support and funding here, no matter what your background or race is. Having a community that cares and advocates for the arts is what makes artists thrive.
What is your artistic process like? Do you create daily?
When I am not doing commission work, I have been creating paintings and interior murals. I just recently discovered MakerSpace Charlotte and the McColl Center, and am beyond excited to have access to a large metal and wood shop again. As with college, I need to create sculptures while I am creating paintings. Now I have access to work on layers of paintings, then work in the shop while the layers are drying. Painting is very meditative and precise, while sculpture is very exciting and technical. But yes, since I moved to Charlotte I do create daily. Most of my pieces, paintings and sculptures take around 100-200 hours to complete.
How does painting make you feel? What do you wish your work made others feel?
The process of both painting and sculpture makes me feel complete. I know it’s my purpose to create, the biggest feeling of accomplishment is finishing a painting or sculpture. Painting and sculpture make me feel very free of constraints and structure. When so many things in life have to be done a specific way, painting is my liberation from that. I love the final layer of a painting where I can experiment with transparencies or change certain aspects of an image into a dreamlike state. When people see my work, I want them to feel excited and satisfied with the intense saturation of color and flow. I tend to work large because I want people to feel like they are there, in a recognizable place, but slightly off and heightened like in a dream.
Where do you see yourself as a Charlotte NC artist and your work in the future?
The sky is the limit! This year has been so amazing, from having my painting in Times Square for a month to creating my first large scale solo public sculpture, every month has just been unbelievable for me. I plan on continuing to do more large public sculptures, and start experimenting with large outdoor murals. I also intend on taking commissions for years to come.
Where can people find your work, and do you take commissions?
If anyone would like to donate to a good cause, ArtPop Street Gallery is a non-profit that runs solely on donations. Founder/Charlotte NC artist Wendy Hickey and her team work endlessly trying to advocate for local artists to get their work out in the public eye. They make it possible for artists like me to get our work on billboards and media advertising, even in NYC.
lorischemberart.com
@lori_schember
