Art & Spirit
In Art & Spirit, filmmaker Dale Schierholt, best known for his intimate film portraits of renowned artists such as Robert Indiana, Will Barnet and many others, takes us inside the studios of one of his former subjects and dearest friends - the painter Harold Garde. Schierholt spent time filming Garde at work, first at his winter studio in Florida and later at his studio in Maine. While together they of course talked about Garde's art - his processes, motivations and career. Their conversations quickly fell into the familiar rhythms shared by old friends but Schierholt noticed something different in their dialogues. Garde, now at 91, had transitioned into yet another stage of his long and celebrated career. Accepting the finite amount of time he had remaining, Garde had embraced his time in the studio and focused his energies solely on making paintings, in fact some of the largest of his long career. No longer concerning himself with the next gallery show or museum exhibit, Garde was creating art on its’ own terms. In the editing room Schierholt realized that their conversations spoke to something larger than Garde and his art. In Art & Spirit the thoughts shared by the 91 year old painter offer insight into a fulfilling and successful life.
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Dale SchierholtDirector
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Dale SchierholtWriter
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Dale SchierholtProducer
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Harold GardeKey Cast
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Project Type:Documentary
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Runtime:52 minutes 29 seconds
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Completion Date:March 18, 2015
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Production Budget:9,500 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Newport Beach Film FestivalNewport Beach, CA
April 30, 2015
World Premier -
Princeton Independent Film FestivalPrinceton, New Jersey
September 19, 2015 -
Orland Museum of ArtOrlando, Florida
September 27, 2015 -
Laguna Art MuseumLaguna Beach, California
December 17, 2015 -
Miami UniversityOxford, Ohio
April 11, 2016
A documentary filmmaker known for his intimate, conversational portraits of visual artists. Schierholt’s subjects have included such renowned artists as Will Barnet, Robert Indiana, and Tony DeLap. Over the course of a film’s production, Schierholt films the artist at work in their studios and sits with them to talk about their work and lives. There is no crew, just two artists together with a goal to present an unfiltered insight into an artist’s work, allowing each viewer to develop a personal connection with the artist and the work they produce.
With a degree from Miami University’s fine arts program, Schierholt began his career as a print designer and photographer. He started making short advocacy films for clients in the 1990s before switching to full time filmmaking. His films have screened at venues across the country and on PBS affiliates from New York to California.
Schierholt’s most recent film - Tony DeLap: A Unique Perspective is currently screening across the US and is part of the series - California Masters. Films by Schierholt, currently in production for the series, include the artists Charles Arnoldi, Billy Al Bengston and Peter Alexander. More information on the filmmaker and his films can be found at: www.daleschierholt.com.
Filmmaking is often described as the most collaborative art form and although I work alone that certainly applies to my work because it is the singularly important collaboration between myself and my subjects that is the secret to the success of the films. I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to work with such talented individuals at a time in their lives when they are willing to look back and place their careers in such a personal perspective. I’m looking for a level of honesty and self-exploration from my subjects. I don’t interview, I have conversations. My goal is to be enlightened by these dialogues and if I’m learning something as we talk, I know the viewer will as well. I want the people watching to feel like they are the ones sitting across from these fascinating people - having a coffee, sharing a laugh, discovering.
The finished films offer a uniquely intimate portrait of an artist and his or her work and life. Art & Spirit proved to be somewhat of a departure for me. While the film deals with the life and work of the Artist Harold Garde, a personal friend of mine, it also touches on our friendship and how his philosophy of living a productive and successful life has guided my own development as a working artist.