"Homeland Security"
8 1/2 in x 11 1/2 in - Mixed Media
©Elena Mary Siff
"Far Out"
8 in x 10 in - mixed media
©Elena Mary Siff
Solo Exhibitions ...
- 2002 Birdsong, installation in Clover Park, FRESH ART project, Santa Monica Arts Commission
- 1993 Speaking Thunder, Installation, Santa Monica Place, Santa monica, CA
- 1992 Speaking Thunder, Installation, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, CA
- 1989 Sanctuary, Installation, Gallery 25, Fresno, CA
- 1988 Life is a Lottery, Installation, Window Space, Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa Barbara, CA
- 1982 Koplin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
- 1981 Alice Benjamin Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA
- 1978 New Media Galery, Ventura College, Ventura, CA
- College of Creative Studies Gallery, University of California, Santa Barbara
Selected Group Exhibitions (last ten years)...
- 2002 Forumulations, Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa Barbara, CA - Reactions, Exit Art, New York, NY
- 2001 Chouinard: A Living Legacy, Oceanside Museum of Art, Oceanside, CA, catalog - Cut and Paste: Collage, Etherington Fine Art, Martha's Vineyard, MA - From the Hands of the Maker, Temple Judea Museum, Elkins Park, PA - Not for Publication: In the Spirit of the Book, Hillwood Art Museum, C.W. Post College, Long Island University, New York
- 2000 Third Biennial Artists' Books Exhibition, Athenaeum Music and Arts Library, La Jolla, CA - On Paper, Skidmore contemporary Art, Malibu, CA
- 1999 Fifth Wexford Artists' Book Festival, Wexford Art Centre, Wexford, Ireland, catalog - Reassembled Perceptions, Sales Gallery, Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach, CA
- 1999 - 2002 So Called Books: Diversity in Artists' Books from Southern California, The Center for Book Arts, San Francisco, CA (traveled to Center for Book Arts, New York, Marriott Library, Rare Books Division, Univerisity of Utah, Special Collections, Library, UCLA), catalog - Open and Closed: Artists' Contemporary Books as Sculptural Form, Fullerton College, Fullerton, CA
- 1998 Fourth Wexford Artists' Books Festival, Wexford Arts Centre, Wexford, Ireland, catalog - PT Gallery, Hamamatsu, Japan
- 1997 The Pink Wink, New Image Art, Los Angeles, CA - Splice, Side Stree Projects, Santa Monica, CA, catalog - Gallery Art Salon II, Chiba Japan - Third Wexford Artists' Books Festival, Wexford Arts Centre, Wexford, Ireland - 118W/24N, Galerien Minoriten, Graz, Austria - Women of the Book: Jewish Artists, Jewish Themes, selected venues through 2003, catalog - Book Objects, Artworks Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
- 1996 Blessings and Beginnings, The Skirball Cultural Center Museum, Los Angeles, CA, catalog - Pandora's Box, Antikenmuseum, Basel, Switzerland, catalog - Books in the Living Room, The Living Room, Santa Monica, CA
- 1995 Global/Focus: Women in Art and Culture, The National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C. - U.S.A. Within Limits, Galeria Millan, San Paolo, Brazil - Eco Nation: Patriots of the Earth, Bedford Art Gallery, Regional Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, CA
- 1994 Only the Shadow Knows: Revelations from the Unconscious, Tree Art Access Gallery, Salt Lake City, Utah - Artists' Response to AIDS, 1994, Ventura College, Ventura, CA - Alchemy of Fire, Channing Peake Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA - What's Next, Merging One Gallery, Santa Monica, CA - The Book Unbound, The Ormond Memorial Museum Ormond Beach, FL and other U.S. venues, catalog
- 1993 World of Difference: Art, Tourism and Cultural Dialogues, Euphrat Gallery, De Anza College, Cupertino, CA - Shaped Structures: Bookworks in Form, Palos Verdes Art Center, Palos Versdes, CA - Teenagers, Teenagers, Fullerton Museum Center, Fullerton, CA - All that Glitters, Frameworks and De la Guerra Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA
Other Related Activity...
- 1998 Co-curated Japanes Mind, Artworks Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
- 1997 Curated L.A. Slide, The Living Room, Santa Monica, CA
- 1995 Curated The Transformative Object, Channing Peake Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA
- 1995 - 2003 Co-curated Women Beyond Borders, Santa Barbara Contemportary Arts Forum and international venues (catalogues)
- 1994 Curated mail art exhibition for In the Spirit of fluxus, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, CA
- 1993 Work chosen for 1993 Women's Artist Calendar
- 1987 Greeting Card, European National Committees of UNICEF
- 1986 Curated Southern California Assemblage: Past and Present, Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa Barbara, CA, The College of Creative Studies Gallery, University of California, Santa Barbara, traveled to The Museum of Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz, CA (catalogue)
- 1985 Curated Found and Fabricated, The Art Corner Gallery, Standard Brands Paint Co., Santa Barbara, CA
- 1983 Curated The Magic Show, Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa Barbara, CA (catalog)
- 1977 Be Somebody, an animated film, distributed by Creative Film Societ, traveled in 'Dreamachine,' a festival of Expanded Animation
Grants...
- 1993 NEA, Art in the Marketplace, Santa Monica Arts Commission, for residency at Santa Monica Place, CA
- 1992 W.M. Keck foundation, Special Education Project, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, CA
Work and Professional Experience...
- 2003 Semifinalist for 'The Wall-Las Memorias' AIDS Memorial, Lincoln Park, Los Angeles
- 1995 Board Member, Tri-Counties Regional Center
- 1995 Professional advocate and consultant for people with disabilities
- 1990-1992 Board Member, Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum - Taught filmmaking, mixed media and bookmaking, Education Department, Santa Barbara Museum of Art
- 1989 Taught film animation, Children's Creative Project, Santa Barbara County Schools
- 1978 CETA postition, teaching art and video to high school students, Santa Barbara Public Schools
©Elena Mary Siff
____________________________
My son, Noah Erenberg,
is a fantastic visual artist
who creates paintings and drawings.
_______________
Noah is challenged with autism
and this definitely informs his art.
is a fantastic visual artist
who creates paintings and drawings.
_______________
Noah is challenged with autism
and this definitely informs his art.
_______________Elena Siff Erenberg has long
been creating political art,
lately focusing on antiwar mini-shrines
and one-of-a-kind miniature
political books (see right).
Her website: ElenaMarySiff.com
Elaine LeVasseur & Elena Mary Siff
Reading at "Track 16", Los AngelesMarch 21, 2008
"Cost of Freedom"
Howling Dog Press
Thomas Sipos, Mike Palecek,
Rex Butters, Elena Siff Erenberg
http://libertarianpeacenik.blogspot.com/2008/04/uniting-for-peace-and-liberty.html
_______________
"My passion comes from studying the natural world
and looking at and creating art...
visual art is my discipline and my inspiration!"
and looking at and creating art...
visual art is my discipline and my inspiration!"
_______________
THE
New American Dream Interview
ELENA SIFF ERENBERG lives in Santa Monica, California.
She is an artist and activist.
She has exhibited at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the New Media Gallery at Ventura College and the College of Creative Studies Gallery at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She has received grants from the NEA and the Keck Foundation.
Elena is a co-organizer of "Women / Beyond Borders," an international traveling exhibition, which recently appeared at the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History, as well as co-founder of the organization presenting it.
Her work is also in many collections, and she has received grants from the National Endowment from the Arts and the W.M. Keck Foundation.
"I am an active advocate for artists with developmental differences and act as agent for Noah Erenberg, my adult son who is a professional artist challenged with autism."
More about Elana Siff Erenberg:
http://elenamarysiff.com/resume.html
c. Illustrating the new Big Lebowski children's books series
d. Obama's new New Deal Art Czar
e. Stuck in Lodi, alas, again
f. Official muralist for Obama's White House
Answer:
I would fill the White/Black House with cutting edge political/socially relevant art..how refreshing would that be!"
NAD: Elena, hello, thank you for taking the time for this.
Where are you from?
Where did you go to school?
Where did your passion come from?
I am originally from New York City, but moved to Santa Barbara , California. when I was 12 and went through high school there..then attended art school and university in Boston, Perugia, Italy and London ending up getting an MFA from UCLA in film/tv production and studied ethnographic film.
Did not end up working in film/tv as I like to work alone in my studio..not much of a team player.
My passion comes from studying the natural world and looking at and creating art....visual art is my discipline and my inspiration!
NAD: How long have you been making a living as an artist?
You don't have a day job, do you?
Did you used to?
What's it like living in Santa Monica.
I have never made a living at my art..while I do not have a 9 to 5 job, I run a supported living program for my son, Noah, with four employees, and I manage some real estate.
Also have two online shops.
Santa Monica is a politically progressive and very artistic community right by the Pacific Ocean..
I like it here very much, plus we have a Whole Foods market with a sushi bar three blocks away.
NAD: Would you like to choose one of these to answer, elaborate on?
I don't ask this to make fun. I ask because I really seek the answers.
— Are UFOs real?
— Did we land on the moon in 1968?
— Did Bush knock down the towers?
— Was Paul Wellstone's death an accident?
— The Oklahoma City bombing? Wasn't that just another U.S. government terrorist exercise? Or not.
— Waco. We burned kids, right? You can see flames shooting out of the tanks. Or not.
— Is Bigfoot real?
— Is there a God?
... What makes you think that?
I want to believe UFOs are out theren and I hope they come and visit in my lifetime..I refuse to believe we are the only creatures in the universe...how disappointing that would be..there must be more evolved beings somewhere...please come and visit!!!!
NAD: Do you have a link to Noah's work? What kind of art does he do?
How does he do that with autism?
Or, does the autism somehow help the art?
My son, Noah Erenberg, is a fantastic visual artist who creates paintings and drawings.
Noah is challenged with autism and this definitely informs his art.
His work has been described as edgy, eccentric and outsider.
His art and my art can be seen on my website and in my two online shops:
http://www.elenamarysiff.com
http://www.elenamary.etsy.com
http://www.elenamary.1000markets.com
NAD: Do you have hope in Obama?
Why?
Why not?
Do you spend time thinking about Obama? Bush?
I must have hope in Obama...the last eight years have been disastrous and we have much to repair!
I do not spend much time thinking about politics..my studio time is most precious and I am focused on that!
NAD: Does your favorite coffee cup have words on it? What are they?
My favorite coffee cup says “WILD WISE WITTY GRANDMAMAS."
This is a team I started on Etsy the on-line shopping site where I have a shop..I organized 100s of grandmamas (when I became a grandma) who also run shops there...we rule!
NAD: What did you absolutely have to get done by noon today?
Today I want to finish and list two new Bestiary charm bracelets in my etsy and 1000 markets shops.
NAD: How about by Christmas 2009?
By Christmas 2009 I want to have created a whole new body of work and I want to have had a great deal of quality time with my granddaughter, Lyla, who is my greatest joy..also hoping for the UFO contact!
____________
About
THE New American Dream Feature Interviews
If you search the archives below, you will find, in a sort of order [last to first], interviews with:
Allen Ruff, bookstore worker and author in Madison
Len Osanic, Black Op Radio, Vancouver, Canada
Levi Asher, a writer and literary critic in New York City
Geov Parrish, Seattle journalist, activist
Bill Polonsky, Yukon 9/11 Truth
Daphne Webb, Denver writer, activist, green wedding planner
Michael Boldin, a populist blooms in L.A.
Greg Mitchell, editor of Editor & Publisher magazine
Will Braun, editor of Geez Magazine, Canada
Ben Heine, political artist in Belgium
Matt Sullivan, editor of The Rock Creek Free Press, Washington, D.C.
Sam Smith, editor of The Progressive Review, from Maine
Jarek Kupsc, 9/11 Truth filmmaker, "The Reflecting Pool"
Bill O'Driscoll, arts editor, Pittsburgh City Paper
Gerry McCarthy, editor of The Social Edge, Canada
Jim Cullen, editor of The Progressive Populist magazine, Austin, Texas
Bartcop, old-school blogger from Tulsa
Lee Rayburn, radio show host from Madison, Wisconsin
Aimee England, bookseller in Michigan
Al Markowitz, poet for the working woman & man
Timbre Wolf, a Tulsa peace minstrel goes to Hawaii
Steven Stothard, a radical grows in Indiana
Dale Clark, an artist in the desert near Bisbee, Arizona
Jacqui Devenuau, Green Party organizer in Maine
Don Harkins, co-editor of The Idaho Observer
Stewart Bradley, independent film producer in Indiana
Rick Smith, Cleveland area radio host
William P. Meyers, independent book publisher, political activist in California
Ian Woods, Canadian publisher, 9/11 Truth activist
Richard D. Brinkman, Edmonton, Canada 9/11 Truth
Lynn Berg, New York City actor
Alejandro Rojas, of MUFON, the Mutual UFO Network
Brian Kasoro, publisher of The Liberator magazine, Brooklyn, New York
Brother Raymond, walked from Denver to D.C., for truth
Korey Rowe, one of the producers of Loose Change, New York State
Dave Zweifel, editor of The Madison Capital Times
Cathleen Howard, expatriate, from Tucson to Mexico, to pursue her dreams
Sander Hicks, Brooklyn radical entrepreneur, writer, publisher
Joe Bageant, America's blue-collar author, living in Belize
Frida Berrigan, a lifetime of faith, hope and love, living in NYC
Denise Diaz, brewing up a revolution, at The Ritual Cafe in Des Moines
Deanna Taylor, Green Party activist, teacher, in Salt Lake City
Rossie Indira-Vltchek, writer, filmmaker in Jarkarta, Indonesia
Nora Barrows-Friedman, Pacifica reporter in Gaza, sometimes in California
Delaney Bruce, Friends of Peltier
Keith McHenry, co-founder of Food Not Bombs, in Taos, New Mexico
Michael Sprong, South Dakota Catholic Worker
Brian Terrell, Des Moines Catholic Worker
Bob Graf, One of the Milwaukee 14
Loren Coleman, Bigfoot researcher, living in Maine
Monty Borror, Sci-Fi artist from Virginia
David Ray, Great American Poet, in Tucson
Jack Blood, radio show host, in Austin, Texas
Danny Schechter, A Real Reporter, from New York City
Bob Kincaid, host, Head-On Radio Show
Tony Packes, Animal Farm Radio Host, Keeping An Eye on Big Brother
Richard Flamer, Working With the Poor in Chiapas
David Ray Griffin, 9/11 Truth activist author, from Isla Vista, California
Barry Crimmins, U.S. comedian, author, social activist
Bret Hayworth, political reporter for the Sioux City [IA] Journal
Lisa Casey, publisher of website All Hat No Cattle, Florida
Joe & Elaine Mayer, activist couple in Rochester, Minnesota
Fr. Darrell Rupiper, U.S. priest revolutionary [deceased]
Whitney Trettien, MIT student, Green Party activist
Meria Heller, radio show host, in Arizona
Phil Hey, professor, poet, Sioux City, Iowa
John Crawford, book publisher, Albuquerque
Steve Moon, Iowa Bigfoot researcher
Carol Brouillet, California social activist, 9/11 Truth
Russell Brutsche, Santa Cruz artist
Kevin Barrett, professor, radio show host, 9/11 Truth activist, in Wisconsin
A'Jamal Rashad Byndon, social activist in Omaha
Chris Rooney, Vancouver, Canada Catholic Worker, website publisher
Marc Estrin, political novelist, from the left, in Vermont
Peter Dale Scott, poet, professor, author, activist, in California
Anthony Rayson, anarchist zine publisher, works with prisoners, from Chicago
Alice Cherbonnier, editor of The Baltimore Chronicle, an independent newspaper
