A little commitment goes a long way for one UI couple
Two graduate students at the University of Idaho have not only committed themselves to the fine arts, but also to each other.
James and Lindsay Mammone met through a mutual friend one month before graduating from the Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida. The two came to UI last fall to pursue masters of fine arts degrees. They are enrolled as full-time students taking graduate level courses, and they each take on the task of instructing a couple of art classes each semester.
Jackson Flynn | Rawr
Graduate Student James Mammone has two massive acrylic paintings displayed in the Reflections Gallery in the Commons. His work will be up until the end of the semester.
“We have to have different supervisors, because we are married,” Lindsay Mammone said.
The couple said they consult each other for help, but they haven’t collaborated on any projects as of now. They also said they weren’t sure if they ever would, since they have different focuses.
James Mammone said his focus is large-scale paintings. His current project is theoretical physics-based and imaginative, taking natural elements and combining them with technological elements.
Lindsay Mammone said she delves into numerous art mediums and is currently working on expanding in media.
The two artists agreed art is, and has been, a huge part of their lives.
Lindsay Mammone’s grandfather taught her to draw when she was young. She said at 13 years old she made the decision to fully commit to art on a serious level. She grew up in Marlton, New Jersey, and attended a large high school, where she took advanced placement art courses and college level art workshops.
Lindsay Mammone said she loves the experience of creating a new piece, especially being able to get into the zone.
“When an artist is really focused and they’re creating something, it’s almost like pieces of their soul come out,” she said.
James Mammone grew up in Clinton, Massachusetts, and began drawing at a young age. He said he abandoned it until he was about 23 years old.
“I think I just stayed up through the night one night, did a drawing and realized it was what I wanted to do the rest of my life,” he said.
Jackson FLynn | Rawr
Graduate Student James Mammone has two massive acrylic paintings displayed in the Reflections Gallery in the Commons. His work will be up until the end of the semester.
James Mammone said he loves the freedom and independence of the arts, and it fits him perfectly. He often spends hours in the studio and said he appreciates the fact that Lindsay shares his passion for art, so she understands what it is like to reach that level of focus.
Lindsay Mammone said it helps that they are both artists, so they have a mutual understanding and can provide motivation for each other.
“If we are stuck on a piece, we can go to the other person and talk about our frustrations and work through it, emotionally, mentally and formally,” she said. “That’s huge, to be able to talk to your spouse about the formal issues of the art.”
The couple was full of laughter and smiles while talking about what makes their relationship work, and they were so in sync they could even finish each other’s sentences.
They said they allow each other to be themselves and have an unconditional love for each other and don’t have any expectations for one another. The two also said they are comfortable in their own skin.
Lindsay Mammone said being able to work together helps them be completely open and understanding of what’s going on in the other person’s life.
“We are 100 percent living the art,” she said.
Whitney Hilliard can be reached at [email protected]