In Eric Fischl's 2013 memoir, Bad Boy, he recounts the time when respected contemporary curator Jean-Christophe Ammann stopped by his studio and gave Fischl what he describes as "the harshest, most devastating critique" of his unfinished painting Sleepwalker. Fischl notes there was "no malice to his comments, only genuine concern." Amman was previously a champion of Fischl's work but said he couldn't support this new direction. The painting, an adolescent boy in a kiddie pool at night, followed Fischl's narrative techniques but showed signs of vulnerability not masked by his earlier formalism. Fischl tried to change the painting, to make it more contemporary like his successful modernist peers, but he couldn't. "I was painting my painting," Fischl writes.
Student Art Critique
Such is the power of a critique to liberate an artist. "I had to live or die by who I am," Fischl wrote. He persevered through his doubts, and Sleepwalker became one of Fischl's first paintings to receive notoriety and commercial success. In his yearly critiques of PC students' artwork as part of the Eric Fischl Series, which began in 2005, liberation seems a driving force for Fischl, sharing the insights he's gleaned from his years making work to encourage other artists from free themselves from outside constraints and focus on the internal work of creating art. Eleanor Naire, Keith L. and Katherine Sachs Curator for Modern and Contemporary Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, joined Fischl for this year's critique.
Naire, who previously served as the Senior Curator at the Barbican Art Gallery in London, brought her curator's perspective to student work. "It doesn't matter if subjectively I like or don't like the piece," she said. "I'm asking if there is a compelling story being told?" She cautioned emerging artists to avoid starting with a concept or being forced into a bigger notion of what the work is about. "I don't trust artists who are too articulate about their work," she said. Instead, she encouraged them to explore the distinctiveness of their voice. "Nothing bad comes from risk," she said. "There's just more potential of where you can go." Then she quoted Oscar Wilde: Put the things you love in peril where accidents will prevail and figure out what to do with peril.
As painter and sculptor, Fischl focuses on feeling: "I move from feeling to execution that betrays my preconception of what I think I'm seeing, like great works of art that I dismiss immediately and then can't get them out of my mind," he said. "The purpose of art is to find a way to show what's inside on the outside. Are artists getting the inside out?" To illustrate his point, he described seeing a homeless man with a blue towel wrapped in a turban on his head held together by yellow caution tape, suggesting that what's inside this man is now visible on the outside.
Eric Fischl's legacy
Fischl is considered an icon in the art world, one of the most influential figurative painters of the late 20th and early 21st century. He's a Fellow at the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Science. Together with his wife, artist April Gornick, they created The Church, a non-profit art space in Sag Harbor, New York, focused on collaboration, education, and outreach. Yet, his two-decade commitment to emerging artists at ĢƵCollege has become one of his greatest life works.
In addition to the critiques, Fischl and Naire selected artwork from student submissions for a Best-in-Show exhibition at the ĢƵArt Museum. From those works, they chose four students working in different mediums (2-dimensional Arts, 3-dimensional Arts, Digital Arts, and Photography) to receive the 2025 Vanguard Awards, which includes $2500. Following the awards ceremony in the museum's Whiteman Hall, Nairne engaged Fischl in conversation about his work.
The 2025 Vanguard Award winners
Marina Naito
“Dance of the Kimonos” (3D)
Naito, a UX designer who took up ceramics after moving to ĢƵpost-pandemic, began her journey in clay as a prerequisite for an industrial design class. She appreciated the opportunity to hear Fischl and Nairne's views on other artist’s work to apply their suggestions to her process. She's also received valuable feedback from PC Ceramics faculty Tiffany Bailey. Looking ahead, Naito plans to push her artistic boundaries in clay to balance perfectionism with creative exploration. Inspired by a book Bailey recommended called , she now asks herself: "How far can I go with my art? How far can I reach and still be me?"
"Confetti" (Digital Arts)
Erickson, an animator and digital artist, has worked for companies like Hasbro and Fox Entertainment. Originally from Phoenix, he studied at the Savannah College of Art and Design before moving to Rhode Island and Atlanta. After experiencing burnout, he returned to ĢƵto pursue freelance work and further his education in graphic design at ĢƵCollege. Erickson's work explores nostalgic Americana themes like cakes and candies and finds inspiration in the warmth and whimsy of nostalgia. "I see edible subject matters as art pieces themselves. When we consume and absorb it, it's like we're subconsciously wanting to become it." In the same spirit of poet which eternally captures a bold lover in pursuit of his beloved, Erickson added, "When I capture something in such a hyper-realistic way, you [the viewer] recognize what it is, and you can taste it. You can smell it and feel it. It's a dessert that you can eat with your eyes. It'll never, like, melt away. It'll always be there."
Jade Deming
“Up in Smoke” (2D)
Deming's painting, her first significant work, was done from memory and focused on her father as he watched their house burn down in 2023. The painting class, part of her graphic design studies, focused on color and emotions. "I chose my dad for this project because he has gone through so much," she said. Her color choices were intentionally limited. "I only had three colors: red, black, and white. Red is the focus because that color captures the anger, fear, and grief my dad was going through. He's looking at the house on fire." Deming is grateful for the Vanguard Award, which allows her to continue her studies. She had considered taking a semester off to work due to financial constraints. She plans to transfer to university to pursue a master's degree in graphic design. "I've never had my work displayed before. It might be the first time, but it's certainly not the last."
"Lady in Waiting" (Photography)
Castanada described the week leading up to the Vanguard Awards as a whirlwind. "I didn't expect any of this to happen so suddenly. I've been describing this moment to friends and family as spending years looking through a window, and finally, there's a door. It's incredible." Castanada highlighted the value of a diverse critique session with artists from various mediums. She has been working in the darkroom on and off since 2012, but in the critique with Fischl and Nairne, she noted the difficulty of finding words to describe her work as it has been such a private endeavor. "I started in portraiture, telling a story while leaving the context out." She continues to ask herself, "How much story do I want in an image?" She plans to explore film and digital photography in the year ahead: "It's going to be a year of branching out and trying new things."
If you're experiencing burnout in your career, looking for a creative outlet, or eager to be part of the Eric Fischl Series in the future, consider your art options at ĢƵCollege. Our award-winning faculty in the Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) department are ready to encourage you in your fine art endeavors.