The CJM Blog

In That Case: Havruta in Contemporary Art  Helena Keeffe and Jessica Prentice  Photo by Johnna Arnold. The Contemporary Jewish Museum's (CJM) Associate Curator Lily Siegel and Curatorial Associate Claire Frost sat down to discuss working with artists and looking at contemporary art. In That Case: Havruta in Contemporary Art is an ongoing exhibition program at The CJM that encourages learning through fellowship for Bay Area artists, established professionals, museum staff, and the entire CJM community.   

Hand drawn sketch by J. Otto Seibold. Photo by Jeremy Fish I discovered J. Otto Seibold 's artwork many years ago through a holiday store display using his character Olive The Reindeer. At the time I was just out of art school with a degree from a strictly "fine arts" institution. I was struggling with what I wanted to do with my artwork. Illustration vs. painting. . . art galleries vs. commercial artwork. . . The idea that this artist's reindeer he created was making SO many more people, including myself, happy all over this big department store as opposed to being on the wall someplace in a gallery, or even in a children's book. I found it deeply inspiring that his drawings could translate onto many platforms, and affect a much larger audience. Technically, I felt his illustrations were very ahead of their time. A digital illustrator who was obviously using a computer to generate his art, but somehow kept the drawings very loose, organic, and ...

  J. Otto Seibold, Untitled, 2014. Vector illustration, dimensions variable.  Artist J. Otto Seibold was interviewed by Australian artist Kim Evans for Culturezone . They talked about books, art, graphic design, and licensing. Kim Evans: Can you please write a short introduction blurb about yourself, how wonderful you are etc . . . J. Otto Seibold: Hi, I am J. Otto Seibold. I am wonderful etc. . . I have done seven or so childrens books as co-author and primary illustrator. I also did one coffee table type of book for the Japanese market. Who/what inspired you to become an illustrator/artist? Wen did you know this is what you wanted to be? I don’t know, I am only just recently telling people that I am an artist . . . . . before that I said I was into “pictures for money” but I don’t feel that way anymore . . . . I really liked what John Hersey was dong back in the day, know what I’m saying? That shit was ill.