Craig Zammiello

Artist Interview – Neiman Center 25th Anniversary Catalogue

LNCPS:  Why did you accept the invitation to make prints at the Neiman Center for Print Studies and did you accomplish what you had hoped to do in terms of the finished project?

Craig Zammiello:  I’ve considered it an honor to be invited to join such a prominent and diverse group of artists published by the Neiman Center. In the true spirit of collaboration, what we accomplished went beyond my original concepts and developed into prints that I would never have conceived on my own.

LNCPS:  How do the prints you made at the Neiman Center relate to your larger body of work?

Craig Zammiello:  Seamlessly – but they do add another dynamic to my body of prints, one that would not have been realized without the group effort of the Neiman team and critical guidance of the Artistic Director. 

LNCPS:  Had you ever made prints before your residency at the Neiman Center?  If not, why were you open to trying printmaking at that time?

Craig Zammiello:  Yes – I’ve been making prints since high school for myself and professionally for other artists since 1978.

LNCPS:  When you came to the Neiman Center did you have a project in mind?  How would you describe your collaboration with the master printer?

Craig Zammiello:  With the first set of prints published by the Neiman Center, I did have a project in mind, related to a series of photographs I had produced of a Tommy Gun taken out of context so one just concentrated on the design elements and not the actual subject of a killing machine. We approached this in a straightforward manner producing a suite of elegant photogravures in black and white. Classic!

The second project was actually instigated by the Neiman Center’s Artistic Director, Tomas Vu, on the occasion of my Insect Collection being ascended into the American Museum of Natural History. He was instrumental as both the catalyst of this project and a creative editor when the prints were coming close to completion. Cary Hulbert was instrumental in shaping this project, working out the complex details involved, interjecting great advice as well as coordinating the production team. Master Printer Nathan Caitlin topped off the group with technical expertise and sound suggestions.  

LNCPS:  The Neiman Center has a pedagogical mission statement and its workforce is comprised mainly of graduate and undergraduate students.  Did this aspect interest you when you decided to work at the Neiman Center?  What was your experience like working with the students? 

Craig Zammiello:  Absolutely. I think it’s a brilliant model that has been duplicated in other learning institutions. Hands-on experience and the socializing and producing directly with such a diverse group of artists is something that cannot be taught in any other setting. Priceless.

LNCPS:  For many artists working outside their studios, which is often a solitary space, can have its own set of challenges.  How did you find the collaborative nature of printmaking at the Neiman Center?

Craig Zammiello:  Wonderful – There is a dynamic of creativity that takes over in a group setting that is not evident in solitary creation of one’s own studio. In the classic sense of collaboration, two people creating a third person, the Neiman Center excels.

LNCPS:  Did any of the print processes you tried at the Neiman have an effect on your working method back in the studio?

Craig Zammiello:  Yes, it taught me not to try and attempt this by myself!

LNCPS:  Please share any additional comments or anecdotes about your time at the Neiman Center.

Craig Zammiello:  It’s an instrumental introduction to the social creative space that gives students the opportunity to experience such different approaches, techniques and methods to the birth of a work of art, again and again, but each time different. Also, it yields the cohesive effect of a tight group that borders on family. This is all made possible and orchestrated by the Artistic Director, Tomas Vu. His direction and commitment, not only to the Center but the students, truly conveys the vision that LeRoy Neiman had in mind with the creation of the Print Studies Center.