Max Goldsmith: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became An Artist
An Interview With Edward Sylvan
Make what you love: When I started making art, I always tried to make work that proved I could draw. In other words, I often thought that at first, I had to be an amazing life drawing artist. yet all of my favorite works came from abstract artists. During my education, it was explained that the masters were classically trained and they could all paint and draw perfect, photo-realistic art — but they chose to paint abstract. So, if I wanted to paint abstractly, I had to first master photo realism.
As a part of our series about “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became An Artist” I had the pleasure of interviewing Max Goldsmith.
Max Goldsmith is a Los Angeles-based, Dadaism-influenced artist whose work includes sculpture and paint form pieces. In 2019, Max published a collection of his 100 Dadaist and surrealist collages in the book “Nudes by Max Goldsmith” (Kill Your Idols Publishing) and today, is producing a new NFT digital and physical crossover project that includes a generative 10,000-piece collection featuring one of his popular works, Dada Headz. You can learn more about Max and his work at dadaheadz.com.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
Growing up with learning disabilities (Dyslexia and ADHD) wasn’t easy. It’s hard enough for a “normal” kid to navigate the trials and tribulations of middle and high school, as we all know it’s a time when most people struggle to make sense of this crazy thing we call life. However, from an early age I knew that my mind worked differently than others.
I struggled a lot as a kid to find the words to express what was going on in my mind. I felt like I didn’t have an outlet. While some kids might have used a journal to unload their thoughts and feelings, for me my limited vernacular made it difficult to journal — which held me back — and shows an example of how my differences became limiting.
It wasn’t until I started making art in high school that I found the experience to be an outlet for what goes on in my head. With art, I was able to be present in my thoughts and feelings, and I wasn’t concerned about what other people thought. In art I was a master of my own reality and I could pick apart the day and put the pieces back together my way.
As a child, I was told that my learning disabilities would hinder my ability to succeed in life. Yet, one thing no one taught me was that my disabilities were exactly the tools I needed to become an amazing artist. That realization came later, especially since at the start of my career the idea of making mistakes often made me rethink some of my creations. Had I been taught that there are no mistakes in art, I would have learned early on how to push through some of that negative self-talk I wrestled with. There were moments in my artistry where my own critiques worked against me — and I focused too much on the imperfections and flaws in my pieces.
Now, every time I look at my work, I am transported back to what I was feeling at that moment. Art now gives me a visual language to express things that I can’t put into words and it’s one of my goals to share that message with as many people that will listen. I truly believe that every person has greatness in them. I feel like the hardest part for me was figuring out what the key was to unlocking that greatness.
Over the years, I eventually learned that life is full of imperfections and it’s these imperfections that make us all unique.
And while so many held this belief that I would have difficulty succeeding in life, in 2010, I graduated from the University of California — Santa Cruz, where I studied art history and earned my Bachelors of Fine Art. Upon graduation, I moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in art.
Today, when I’m not in the studio, I work as a line cook for a local Los Angeles restaurant where I enjoy serving amazing food to locals. Even here, I get inspired to make new art through the experiences and interactions I have with guests and colleagues.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
My mother was a strong influencer for my love and passion for art. Growing up, she worked as a florist and I remember watching her make amazing floral arrangements. I remember how she used to talk about how fulfilling and meaningful the work was to her and just how much of herself she would put into each arrangement. Floral arranging is a true artform and the skills that it takes to design, craft and make extraordinary displays is mind-blowing.
As a kid, I was privileged enough to witness her in her element. When I think about it today, I realize that how I approach my own artwork — especially my collages and sculptures — is very similar to how my mother would work on her floral pieces. In the same way she would build her arrangement one flower at a time, I move my shapes around to build a sculpture — one at a time. My mother studied Ikebana, the Japanese art form of arranging flowers — which loosely translates to “making flowers come alive.” She would explain things like negative space and movement within an agreement and these lessons, these inspirational moments guided me to look at life through different lenses.
One of my earliest and most fond memories was in the eighth grade, where my mother brought me to San Francisco’s famed Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) to see the retrospective work of American pop artist, Keith Haring — whose work emerged from the New York City graffiti subculture of the 1980s. Haring’s work was among the first works of art that truly resonated with me.
And it wasn’t until that trip to SFMOMA that my only artistic interest at the time had been in comic books. Thinking back, seeing Haring’s work — which resembled cartoon characters with more complex and nuanced themes — really spoke to me and lit a flame to explore more of this type of art. Up until this point, comics seemed to be the only art I was exposed to — since they were the most accessible art to me at the time.
After seeing Haring’s work, I thought to myself that “Wow, this is punk rock — and anyone can do art and it doesn’t all have to look like the Mona Lisa!” Haring’s work seemed simple and yet spoke volumes to me in a very clear and meaningful way.
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
In 2017, I was working in a construction shop alongside a friend of mine. My friend seemed impressed with the work I was doing and told me about this other project he was involved in. He was helping to build an art installation for the famed artist, Teen Angel. My friend asked if I would be interested in helping with the project, of course I said yes.
‘Teen Angels,’ was an exhibition at the LA Art Book Fair, and highlighted the work of Teen Angel and his namesake zine he created, “Teen Angels” — which was a publication dedicated to cholo and Chicano culture.
I was thrilled to be part of an art exhibit of this magnitude and one that centered on an inspiring artist who stepped outside of the norms and published his own works — without constraints. It was with “Teen Angels” that the artist himself was able to create what he wanted featuring artwork, dedications, photographs, poems, and articles — all focusing on life in the streets of the barrios of California and the southwest. “Teen Angels” gave voice to young Chicanos — from gangsters in prison to the young girls looking for love, and where others saw blight and despair, Teen Angel, through his artistry and publishing, saw beauty and life.
It was during this art installation project that I was introduced to Bryan Ray Turcotte, co-curator of the exhibit. Bryan is well known within the punk music and publishing scene and has worked for Los Angeles label Slash Records, played bass in the band Black Market Flowers, and also founded his own music supervision company, Beta Petrol, and the Kill Your Idols publishing company.
I was truly inspired to see how an exhibit of this proportion would come together. Bryan showcased hundreds of covers of Teen Angel’s zines and also included many pieces of his artwork, as well as messages, paintings, and so much more from different people who were inspired by the artist. The exhibit really held up the abilities of so many amazingly talented people — especially many who have often been marginalized or shunned by communities. Working inside the exhibit was a dream come true. I was truly inspired and gave me the encouragement to know that the things I want to do and achieve in life should speak for themselves.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
I’m currently working on a non-fungible token (“NFT”) project of a generative 10,000-piece collection of my work. This project is opening me up to new and innovative ways to create art that will be available to anyone, anywhere.
The NFT series is a digital and physical crossover collection where my canvas becomes a digital platform and the software, my tools to make 10,000 pieces that will be a celebration of one of my more popular art series, DADA HEADZ. This series was originally made with acrylic on shaped wood paneling and now will be digitized as a NFT collection.
I’m excited by the prospect that my art will now be able to be seen and purchased by a global audience while using new forms of payments like cryptocurrency. This burgeoning marketplace for unique and rare collections is giving opportunities for young artists like me to showcase my work without relying on agents, galleries, curators, or others who often hold the keys to the art world.
This NFT project is also allowing me to create exactly what I want, while keeping the entire project true to myself. And, with each NFT sale, I will use a portion of the proceeds to benefit the Oakland, CA-based non-profit organization Creative Growth — which serves artists who have developmental, intellectual, and physical disabilities by providing a professional studio environment for artistic development, gallery exhibition and representation.
Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?
Meeting Bryan Ray Turcotte opened me up to the art book world, and he helped me publish my first book, “Nudes by Max Goldsmith” (Kill Your Idols, 2019), a 180-page, 8” x 10” artbook of 100 of my Dadaist and surrealist collages. Bryan’s experience in publishing encouraged me to consider other platforms in which to share my work. His book publishing company, Kill Your Idols, continues to publish art books and limited-edition zines that feature punk musicians and artists.
But I also got to step inside Bryan’s world a bit more — and dive into his extensive collection of punk memorabilia and gain an even deeper appreciation and knowledge for the art that is aligned so closely with the punk movement. I was able to help Bryan with so many exciting things like an art installation featuring old punk flyers which was on display at Van’s Costa Mesa headquarters. With Bryan’s wisdom and mentorship, not only did I get to experience larger-than-life art projects and installations, but he helped me produce my book. Bryan’s expertise in art, music, publishing, and more was exactly what I needed to get this collection published.
Where do you draw inspiration from? Can you share a story about that?
It was during the university studies that I was told to “harness my voice,” a goal that’s not easily achieved. As a person with ADHD and Dyslexia, learning and studying can be challenging, so at a point when I was struggling to understand some aspects of what I was studying, I asked my professor for help. The professor encouraged me to go to the library’s art section and peruse the many books on the shelves. This definitely helped, and I began to scour the volumes of books to absorb as much as I could. Even today, I go to art bookstores and flip through pages and pages of art material. But I also find that these stores are great community centers where I can brainstorm with other artists, ask for recommendations and find camaraderie. As a collage artist, I also find a wealth of resources to create meaningful pieces.
Today, I find inspiration in the daily routines of life. Ideas might come from a movie or TV show I’m watching, or maybe from comic books or listening to the radio. I might even be inspired just talking to other artists. I lean on nearly every type of medium and social media platform to find the inspiration for my work. Yet, with all of this stimulus feeding me, it might take years before a piece comes to fruition. It can take me time to process ideas before I can put them into a final piece. But I’m constantly working on new ideas and inspiration, and truly appreciate the fact that an idea can come to me at any time, at any place, or in any situation. But in the end, it all has to speak to me and come together cohesively.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
I always try to share my practices of making art with other artists, and when someone comes to me with a question, it is important that I answer truthfully. I always try to be positive and encourage everyone — especially others just getting started in their career.
Art is not an easy road to walk and there are many people who don’t understand what it is like to be the kind of artist that I am. For me, art is not just a job, it is what gives my life meaning. I have a hard time putting my thoughts, feelings, or emotions into words — and I find that sometimes, it’s easier for me to create art that conveys ideas and thoughts in order to work through the things I am thinking about. I feel very privileged to have learned this skill in order to process my feelings, and I have no doubt in my mind that this technique has positively impacted my life.
And I appreciate the moments when I get to share this concept with other artists — especially those who are just starting out. It’s been important to me to share how I get the most enjoyment out of the process of making art and less about the finished pieces themselves. I try to share this technique with everyone who is just starting out in their own art career.
Additionally, I believe in giving back to communities — especially those that serve artists and those with learning disabilities. As I mentioned previously, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each of my NFT’s will benefit the non-profit organization Creative Growth — which helps artists with developmental disabilities through their supportive studio environment and gallery representation.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
Overcoming obstacles: For me, one of the most important things I wish someone had told me before becoming an artist, was that my learning disabilities would become the very tools that made my art. Over the years, I found that through my art, I have been able to use my brain differently, thus making my own learning disabilities my superpower rather than a limitation. For a long time, I worried about making mistakes, about the imperfections in my work. But I’ve since learned to not worry about things being perfect.
Make what you love: When I started making art, I always tried to make work that proved I could draw. In other words, I often thought that at first, I had to be an amazing life drawing artist. yet all of my favorite works came from abstract artists. During my education, it was explained that the masters were classically trained and they could all paint and draw perfect, photo-realistic art — but they chose to paint abstract. So, if I wanted to paint abstractly, I had to first master photo realism.
Every piece I tried to make felt like a chore. It was frustrating trying to make things perfect and even when the piece was finished, I felt like no one would care. I never felt my attempts would be as good as the photo and felt as if I was wasting a lot of time. My frustration grew because I wasn’t truly making the art I wanted to see exist. It just seemed as if I was doing self-prescribed homework during my free time and quickly, I was finding myself becoming burned out and wasn’t enjoying making the art I wanted to make.
Torched but not tortured: I do not prescribe to the concept of a tortured artist. In fact, it angers me that I was sold on this idea that to make great art, you need to be fucked up and living on the fringes of society. And for me, there’s a strong difference between an artist and a hobbyist: The hobbyist works when they are inspired, but the artist is compelled to work as much as possible. I grew up indoctrinated in the idea that an artist sits idle in their studio waiting for the moment the inspiration hits them like a lightning bolt. What works for me is if I am working on art that I enjoy looking at and making, I will always be inspired. What keeps me coming back is trying to push my own needle a little farther forward with each piece of art, and I try to lean into a new process a little more each time.
Talent takes time: In my opinion, it’s a lie that people are either born with talent or they’re not. Talent takes work and certainly doesn’t happen overnight. An actor might spend years studying their craft or character to give a performance of a lifetime. A musician spends years working with coaches and producers to get their harmonies, melodies, and sounds perfected. Artists want to make things that are truly unique to them and therefore need to put the work in to improve their craft. It helped me to look at other artists from the past and then try to understand what it was about their work I was so drawn to. Through my own practices, I tried to take the same techniques from generations of artists and introduce them into my own artist language.
It’s about your community: There have been so many important people that have come in and out of my life and have contributed to the work and art I make. So often we forget that the people around us might be more important than we realize. For me it’s been the professors I’ve had during my education, colleagues who’ve introduced me to the right people, bookstore clerks who’ve shown me amazing books to check out, and friends who’ve helped me along the way. These people have all played important roles in my art career and we can never forget that we’re surrounded by amazing people who support us and encourage us every step of the way.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
The message I feel that is most important to share is that there is artistic greatness in everyone. I believe that we are all creative people and some of us have been given the opportunity and support to cultivate that creativity. And for those who may have yet to harness their inner creativity, I say it’s never too late. It’s my greatest dream to inspire people; to try to cultivate their own artistic creativity. Creating art has given my life purpose and it is truly one of the only things I have complete control over.
There’s a drawing by David Shrigley that depicts a hand with a brush followed by the quote, “art is an opportunity to register one’s existence.” This is exactly how I feel whenever I am creating my works of art or looking at the art I have created. If it wasn’t for my own existence in the world, these pieces wouldn’t exist either. No matter the imperfections, it’s an opportunity to create something that previously didn’t exist. That’s a powerful feeling.
We have been blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she just might see this.
One of today’s icons that I would love to have a meal with would be the American rapper, songwriter, and record producer, Kendrick Lamar. I would love to understand what influences his creativity and how his spirituality is incorporated into his creative process. Much like visual arts, there’s a collaborative effort within the music industry and I believe that Kendrick Lamar has tapped into these things very well. I think it would be an amazing learning experience. But I’d also ask what things led to his journey and what things have changed from his success. His music has been inspiring to the art I make and his critique of contemporary life has inspired me to try to do the same in a Dadaist way. Lamar uses moments in his life to inspire metaphors in his music, and I try to do the same visually.
I’d love to understand if he has dealt with similar things that I’ve dealt with at the start of his career and if there are particular creative processes that he uses to create the music he does on a regular basis. I really would love to peek into his creative process and understand how he creates the work he does. I believe his music is among the most important music made today and has a real story-telling element that I think would benefit me to learn and adopt some of his practices and principles.
What is the best way our readers can follow you on social media?
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!
About The Interviewer: Growing up in Canada, Edward Sylvan was an unlikely candidate to make a mark on the high-powered film industry based in Hollywood. But as CEO of Sycamore Entertainment Group Inc, (SEGI) Sylvan is among a select group of less than ten Black executives who have founded, own and control a publicly traded company. Now, deeply involved in the movie business, he is providing opportunities for people of color.
In 2020, he was appointed president of the Monaco International Film Festival, and was encouraged to take the festival in a new digital direction.
Raised in Toronto, he attended York University where he studied Economics and Political Science, then went to work in finance on Bay Street, (the city’s equivalent of Wall Street). After years of handling equities trading, film tax credits, options trading and mergers and acquisitions for the film, mining and technology industries, in 2008 he decided to reorient his career fully towards the entertainment business.
With the aim of helping Los Angeles filmmakers of color who were struggling to understand how to raise capital, Sylvan wanted to provide them with ways to finance their creative endeavors.
At Sycamore Entertainment he specializes in print and advertising financing, marketing, acquisition and worldwide distribution of quality feature-length motion pictures, and is concerned with acquiring, producing and promoting films about equality, diversity and other thought provoking subject matter which will also include nonviolent storytelling.
