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Hillel O’Leary is a sculptor, educator, and installation artist whose work deals in place, time, and belonging. These artistic pursuits coalesce in white cubes, distant wastelands, and in places nearby, but forgotten. Hillel’s work has been featured both in the United States and internationally. He recently completed a series of site-specific works in collaboration with the International Sculpture Center, and at Joya Arte+ Ecologia, an “off-the-grid” residency in southern Spain. He is a founding member of “the Wurks”, a Providence, RI artist resource center, and is an active collaborator in academic and alternative artist spaces. Hillel is currently working as a visiting professor, freelance designer, and professional drifter.
Published on May 9th 2020. Artist responses collected in months previous.
What projects are you working on right now?
I’m currently working on a number of things in my personal and professional work. Right now, i’m developing ideas for some large-scale installation work, while trying to figure out how to create some smaller-scale, more accessible painting and sculpture work. In my professional life, I’m managing the design department of a local museum where I create interactive installations, co-curate a collection, and work as a mentor.
How do you keep yourself accountable in your practice?
When it comes to accountability, I kind of having a sliding scale of deadline imposition and anxiety. I try to keep organized with lists, spreadsheets, calendar reminders, and a number of upcoming deadline screenshots on my laptop. Systematic thinking helps me to get into a somewhat structured routine of researching, logging data, applying, and keeping track of statuses for a variety of external and self-directed opportunities.
How do you stay motivated to pursue your creative work?
Motivation is easy when you can’t stop thinking about making some particular strange experience. I have flashes of installation or sculpture images, and some of them seem real enough (and appear frequently enough) that I have lots of reminders. My work also has a great deal to do with some of the strife that exists in the world, which is a constant reminder that I need to be doing something, saying something, or making something to address these situations.
Where do you hope to be 10 years from now and what would you like to say to yourself?
I hope that in 10 years i’ll have found a fulfilling long term job (hopefully in education), a safe, stable place to live, and a community that i have a loving, reciprocal relationship with. I’d also like to be showing work in more contexts, and in larger institutions.
What projects are you working on right now?
I’m currently working on a number of things in my personal and professional work. Right now, i’m developing ideas for some large-scale installation work, while trying to figure out how to create some smaller-scale, more accessible painting and sculpture work. In my professional life, I’m managing the design department of a local museum where I create interactive installations, co-curate a collection, and work as a mentor.
How do you keep yourself accountable in your practice?
When it comes to accountability, I kind of having a sliding scale of deadline imposition and anxiety. I try to keep organized with lists, spreadsheets, calendar reminders, and a number of upcoming deadline screenshots on my laptop. Systematic thinking helps me to get into a somewhat structured routine of researching, logging data, applying, and keeping track of statuses for a variety of external and self-directed opportunities.
How do you stay motivated to pursue your creative work?
Motivation is easy when you can’t stop thinking about making some particular strange experience. I have flashes of installation or sculpture images, and some of them seem real enough (and appear frequently enough) that I have lots of reminders. My work also has a great deal to do with some of the strife that exists in the world, which is a constant reminder that I need to be doing something, saying something, or making something to address these situations.
Where do you hope to be 10 years from now and what would you like to say to yourself?
I hope that in 10 years i’ll have found a fulfilling long term job (hopefully in education), a safe, stable place to live, and a community that i have a loving, reciprocal relationship with. I’d also like to be showing work in more contexts, and in larger institutions.
Find Hillel O'Leary on Instagram
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