Episode 30: Ayelet Amrani Navon - Interdisciplinary Artist that Inspires Thought

Episode 30: Ayelet Amrani Navon - Interdisciplinary Artist that Inspires Thought

Our guest, Ayelet Amrani Navon, is an artist living and working in Israel. She paints, makes objects and installations, and experiments with one-on-one performative work. She shares her life and artistic journey with us and how she is navigating re-imagining her life from corporate lawyer to accomplished artist.

She is concerned with the human body, self and not-self, and points of contact with the other. Swans, pianos, and her personal biography are also recurring themes in her work.

On the Thought Row podcast, we are always excited to have a guest that is very accomplished in their artistic expressions. This interview with Ayelet is filled with a genuine passion for working and living creatively.

If you're truly interested in creativity, this episode will not disappoint.

Show Notes:

Opening music

I: Did you shut off the fan and the air cleaner?

R: Yes, this time. Let’s give Elliot, our sound editor, a break, although I have to say he’s really good at taking out the background fan noise.

I: Good because I don’t want to send another podcast where I have to tell him we accidentally left the fan on…again.

R: Yeah…unfortunately, it’s been really hot here. 

R: Hi everyone...And here we are...Celebrating what people love to do creatively by giving them a voice... I’m Rod Jones 

I: And I’m Inci Jones...Welcome to the Thought Row podcast. We invite you to subscribe wherever you listen. We are available virtually anywhere you listen to your podcasts. 

R: No matter what you do creatively, this is the podcast for you. 

Inci, what are we discussing today? 

I: Today, we’re going to be speaking with Ayelet Amrani Navon, an abstract artist. 

R:  You know I have been following Ayelet for a few years on Instagram, where she posts her art... Let’s hear this week’s quote. 

I:  Okay, so this quote for this week: Creativity comes from a conflict of ideas - Donatella Versace 

Discuss - 

I: Now it’s your turn, Rod...We are ready for Rod’s motivational moments. 

R: You might want to look at the closed doors in your life as an opportunity to move on a better path. 

Discuss - embrace change

I: What does re-inventing one’s self really mean? 

R: It’s become a bit of a cliche term these days. But if you talk to people that have achieved great accomplishments, they really have re-invented themselves. 

Discuss 

I: Wouldn’t it be nice if we all could live in different parts of the world and different cultures? 

Discuss - always good to come back home from our travel adventures, though. 

R: What about today’s guest? Someone we have both wanted to have on the podcast for quite some time. 

I: You know...we’ve had the opportunity to speak with creative people from all over the world, and they have been very candid and open about their lives and their experiences. 

R: Okay...well, let’s go onto our interview 

Transition music

R: Ayelet...welcome to the Thought Row Podcast; we are excited to have you as a guest. 

I: Hi Ayelet, I agree with Rod...and I know our listeners will find your life and your creative journey to be inspirational and fascinating. 

R: Ayelet... We’ve known each other through social media for several years, and I knew once Inci and I started the podcast, we would want you to be a guest. I must let everyone know that Ayelet lives in Israel, and we’ve had to reschedule this interview a few times because of the turmoil that seems to be pervasive in many parts of the world. 

Ayelet - replies

I: Ok, Ayelet, before we officially start the interview...We always like to ask our guests what they had for breakfast.

R: We know that you have been living an artistic life. Tell us about your early life in the U.S. and how you ended up living in Israel. 

I: We hear from people how they’ve had to reinvent themselves, which seems to be something you have done. Tell us about it. 

Discussion

R: While we are exploring your life as an artist… and I don’t want to get too political, but I know in one of our early conversations when we discussed how to craft this interview, you talked to us from your bomb shelter. Can you tell us how that challenge has impacted your creativity?    

Discussion - 

I:  You have a very unique name for your website. Can you tell us how you came up with the name? 

Discussion

R: I’ve always been fascinated by your paintings that have featured the theme of swans. Tell us about it. 

 Discuss  

I: Your paintings are primarily black and white. Why do you focus on those two colors? 

Discussion - piano keys 

R: Your creative output is fascinating to see...and you talk about the human individual and the points of contact between human self and not-self. Can you shed some light on that? 

Discussion - 

I: We talked about this briefly regarding your early life, but tell us how living the bohemian life has influenced your creative outlook.

Discuss - 

R: When I’ve had the opportunity to look at your website, which is quite excellent, by the way...I see that you’ve also created performance art. Tell us about that. 

Discuss

I: You’ve had several art installations. Tell us about Fleshboxes with Swan Taxidermy. 

Discuss - 

R: What is the significance of the white shirt? Along with the swans...it seems to be a recurring theme.

I: Tell us about your creative environment. 

R: Can you remember the very first piece of artwork that you created? And did your family immediately recognize your talent? 

I: What advice would you give to someone that wants to live more creatively?

Discuss

R: You’ve been very successful in presenting yourself creatively. What would you like to accomplish in the next two years?  

I: So now... we’re going to ask you a question that we have been asking all of our guests. If you could sit on a park bench and chat with anyone from the past, who would it be?

R: Ayelet, thank you for being our guest today. And thank you for sharing your thoughts and ideas about creativity and living the life of an artist.   

I: I agree with Rod….our listeners are going to enjoy this interview. Also...I want to let everyone know...if you want to know more about Ayelet, we will have links for her under the show guest tab on Thought Row podcast.com. So everyone can learn more about her and connect with her on social media and her website. 

Rod & Inci - Thanks for being with us today...bye for now. 

End music