After visiting a friend while on vacation in Arizona, Aileen Frick found herself craving to be in the sunshine. Frick ventured to the Valley from Chicago in 2000 when she first took an art class at Phoenix College and was instantly hooked.
Many years later, Frick has made a name for herself in the Valley with her unique style of art. Frick is known for her detailed collage pieces created with recycled and torn magazine paper and acrylic and oil paints. A majority of her recycled mediums come from her own magazine subscriptions. Frick has discovered that she has become a recycling center of sorts for her family, friends, and patrons.
“I can appreciate the use of repurposed materials,” Frick said. “It seems responsible to make the best use out of materials that we have. My interest in the use of collage adds more meaning and story to each painting. I’ll be riding this wave for many years to come.”
Couture in the Suburbs was lucky enough to get a free moment with this busy Arizonan artist. Learn a little more about today’s featured artist, Aileen Frick, for our series, Arizona Art Reimagined.
“The Great Escape” – Aileen Frick
MR: What made you decide to become an artist?
AF: I believe I’ve been an artist in some fashion all of my life. I’ve always sketched people and my surroundings, and have always been creating with my hands. When I was taking a class at Phoenix Center for the Arts, I had a teacher encourage me to approach an art gallery after seeing my first collage paining. I also had fellow students ask to have a collage painting I just finished to be hung at a restaurant.
Aileen Frick in the process of creating
MR: What do you enjoy most about being an artist?
AF: Freedom. It’s so stimulating on an emotional, mental and spiritual level. It is my meditation.
MR: How does where you grew up influence your work?
AF: I grew up in Chicago and I believe that it has influenced my work. My recent painting series titled ‘We are Phoenix’ was my attempt to capture the landmarks and monuments of this city in the same way I would associate Chicago with monuments like the Bean and the Sears Tower.
“The Making”
“Hanny’s”
MR: Does your own personal sense of place find its way into your work?
AF: My work is definitely a refection of my sense of place. Often I find myself scrambling for my cell phone or camera to take photos that I will later use as a reference for painting.
MR: How did you choose your signature medium?
AF: A teacher introduced my oil painting class to collage. My take on collage was so different that she encouraged me to create a body of work and approach a gallery.
MR: Do you feel differently today about throwing away things than you did 10 years ago?
AF: I definitely feel different about throwing things away than I did 10 years ago. I’m not sure if it is because of my art, or that society in general is looking at ways to reduce. I find that I do not throw things in the trash that can be reused.
“Where Beauty Begins”
MR: My art is unique from others because…
AF: I am using collage and paint in a modern impressionistic fashion. At every show I always hear, “I’ve never seen anything like this before!”
You can find Frick’s pieces at various Pita Jungle locations throughout the valley. Although Frick will be traveling plenty this upcoming summer to Texas and Colorado she will be having a solo show at {9} The Gallery in Phoenix in November 2015.
“The Pioneer”
