Volume 06

AYSIA STIEB
Written by Ana Stina Rimal
It can be difficult to spend so much
time and energy in school when the world
is moving forward with or without us. Art
school can feel like a bubble. In my personal
experience, I have struggled with the prospect
of going to school to learn how to write or to
try to get a job or internship writing as means
of learning the craft and forming connections.
The fact of the matter is; it is crucial to have
both. In the classroom one’s art is challenged
by people it may have never interacted with
before. College provides supportive and sustainable
environments to experiment and grow
as artists. It is important, though, to step out
of the classroom and ask people to consider
one’s art on a professional level. Aysia Stieb
balances the tension of working as a professional
photographer, interning in a museum,
studying full-time at California College of the
Arts, maintaining a top-notch Instagram, all
while creating interesting and engaging art.
I asked a few questions to Aysia about
her work, her style, and her inspiration.
1905: Your work relies heavily on principles of
design and it seems as though, when I look at
your earlier work, this is your commercial photography
influencing your personal projects. Is
this perception true? Is there a duality between
the commercial and the personal or have the two
developed separately from each other?
AS: The two “ways of working” are completely
intertwined now. I think that I used to
(not very long ago) try to separate them. But
recently I have been making work that uses the
technical aesthetic of commercial photography,
especially in food photography, to discuss
something larger… or stranger and often times
more personal (which is opposite of commercial).
1905: In terms of design, what is an aesthetic or
style that is interesting to you? Any specific art or
design inspirations?
AS: In art, I am inspired all over the place
by lots of things, mostly thanks to amazing
professors at school who feed with me exciting
work they know I will enjoy. For a general
aesthetic - Northern California artists and
designers and their sense of style in lifestyle,
art, and design always inspire me, specifically
of the 1950’s-70’s.
1905: Do you feel like your personal style reflects
your interests as an artist? Who are your fashion
inspirations?
character analysis