Interview
Consenses Interview with Sally Taylor:
Your Name: Chris Sack Where you live: beautiful Glen Arbor, Michigan in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Where you came from: Detroit area, a little town called Beverly Hills… Michigan Your Medium: Tea Merchant/Blender The name of your work: Midnight Harmony
What made you want to participate in this project? Sally presented it well. I like to take on a creative opportunity when I can. Timing was just right.
What was your first reaction to the image? (thoughts, emotions, memories, tastes, smells etc?) Deep space night and aromas of summer flowers… A euphoric feeling merging the visual of the stars and deep red colors with a musical connection with the guitar strings and the birds in the background
What was this image about in your mind? This image is of a place where one would go to think deeply and creatively – a late evening creative space (or place where one can achieve that same feeling at any time).
What did you title your work and why? Midnight Harmony – it is very much in tune with the painting and its essence.
What part of the image informed you’re interpretation the most (colors, content, shapes etc)? The deep dark sky and the reds of the chair and the carpeted room inspired my senses. The reds of the carpet and chair induced a luscious flavor feeling, the deep midnight sky and full moon a serenity yet wakefulness.
What part of the tea came to you first? The part of the tea that hit me first was the reds of pomegranate.
What was your process? How did you take your original reaction and turn it into this tea? I opted for ingredients based partially on the colors of the painting, but the wakeful properties of Yerba Mate helped to fulfill the wish for a creative energy giving substance without actually having caffeinated tea.
How do you normally create? How was this experience different? Normally I create based on a sought after flavor profile. This creation was based on a color and emotional response to a piece of artwork. Not that this doesn’t come in on my process at other times, but it doesn’t typically lead the process.
What techniques/tools did you use to help you express you’re interpretation? I had to rely on my life experiences – some creative and musical background beyond just tea and spices.
Are there certain choices you made which mean something specific to you that the observer might not know?Not that I can ascertain…
Extra credit: Did you enjoy this project? More you want to say about your experience? I enjoyed this project very much. I can’t wait to see the entire string of artworks involved!
