Footlight Players Artist Spotlight: Lola Podolner
We had hoped to make this introduction sooner, and since we don't know exactly when we might get back to the stage we are going to do it now! We'd like to take the opportunity to introduce La Grange Park resident and artist, Lola Podolner. Lola is a member of the Community Footlight Players of La Grange Park, and the artist behind the design of our Seussical Jr. promotional materials!
We are thrilled to be able to share her work with you through the promotion of our "See you at the Solla Sollew Virtual Cabaret"! We discovered Lola's talent when Stage Manager Tina Cucci Fischer saw her "doodles" during rehearsal. When we asked if she wanted to design the cover of the program for us, we had no idea how incredible and versatile her work would be.
About Lola Podolner
Nickname: Lolita (but only my mom calls me that)
Age/Grade: 13 years old
School: Park Junior High
Siblings: Gloria, 11; Roxanne, 8
Pets: Brunhilda the Crested Gecko, Speedy the Bearded Dragon, Caliana the Ball Python
Sports: Ever since I was a really little kid, I knew one thing about myself: I hated sports. And while through the years I’ve changed and grown a lot, that’s the one thing that's always stayed the same.
Other Extra Curriculars: I’ve been playing since 4th grade, and I am in Park’s concert band and jazz bands
Favorite Artist: Leonardo da Vinci
Why: How can someone be that smart and good at art?! Ask Leonardo! He’s just plain impressive, and if anything, how cool would it be to be like him? To be remembered as, “How can someone be that good at that many things? It’s amazing!”
Favorite Musician: Cosmo Sheldrake
Favorite Food: Eggs. They are the only things that I know how to cook. What I have in artistic skill, I lack in baking ability.
Favorite Color: Green! I love green! Pastel green, mossy green, all green! It reminds me of everything that I like about myself and the world, and has a slightly toxic (pun intended) and dark history that really interests me, not to mention it’s just a really nice looking color.
Favorite Work of Art: That I did? Right now it’s this realistic fish I digitally painted. That others did? The Birth of Venus. I love classic Greek art and their attention to detail and realism. I like modern art and new technology, but wow, does that classic art impress and inspire me.
Role in Seussical: A Wickersham Brother
How long have you been a Footlight Player? Lola joined Footlight last year. She was Tweedle Dum in Alice in Wonderland Jr, the Camp Director in the summer stock production of Summer Camp, a Musical Caper, Pabbie in Frozen Jr, and now as a Wickersham Brother in Seussical Jr.
What was your favorite role and why? Camp Director, definitely. Tweedle Dum is at a close second, but I just felt so comfortable playing the camp director, not to mention Dee (the previous Footlight players director) said I was very funny. and if there's one thing that I loved to be called above all else, it’s very funny.
What was your favorite performance and why? Alice in Wonderland. All performances were amazing, but Alice in Wonderland takes the cake. It was my first Footlight Players show, and I was just entranced by the magic of the experience the entire time.
What was your favorite set? Alice and Wonderland.
When did you first discover your talent for art? Maybe 5th grade.
Talk about your favorite medium to work in: Digital, acrylic paint, and pencil and ink. There's just so much you can do with digital art, and acrylic paint has such strong colors, and of course nothing is better than doodling with my number 2 pencil in class.
Talk about your favorite subject (what do you like to study and create): I have a habit of only drawing girls from the ages of 12 to 19 because it’s easy for me, but I’m trying to break off of that and explore some new subjects. Other than that, I like to focus on color pallets and aesthetics of art. Lately I’ve been experimenting with how to draw different fabrics and textures, but whatever I make, it will almost never be an animal, because animals are just too weird looking and hard to draw.
Is there a work you’re most proud of? Since I’m constantly improving in art, it’s hard to say, it's always changing! Right now it’s this digital painting of a realistic fish I did. I just like looking at it and thinking, “What great art” then saying, “I can’t believe that I made it!” Realizing how much you've improved and how far you’ve come is very satisfying, and that fish gives me that feeling. I’m sure I’ll hate it in half a year, but for now I love it.
What are the next steps in your artistic journey? As the great comedian Bo Burnam once said: “So people think you're funny? How do we get those people's money?” Replace funny with good at art and you have me! Art is something I really enjoy, so why not get paid to do it? I’ve started a makeshift business of painting water bottles for 15$, and I hope I can expand it. It’s an ambitious dream, but wouldn’t it be nice to be once of those artists who makes a stupid amount of money from their art?
What are your next steps/plans for your educational journey? Simple stuff. Do my homework, study for tests, and try to stay on top of the class. Education wise I’m just going with the flow and casually trying not to drown. I don't really have a big plan for my education.
What’s your dream career (right now)? That one’s hard. Right now I'm debating between an artist, actor, or a lawyer. Three not-so-easy to achieve jobs, but I’ve chosen not to worry about it right now. I have time to figure out what I want to do with my life, and I’m gonna use it.
What else would you like the world to know about you? I’m scared of bees. Those buzzing stinging monstrosities never cease to petrify me, and I can’t even properly hate them without remembering that they keep our planet alive and are going extinct! I just want to be scared gosh-diddly-darn it! Not ponder how destructive mankind might be!
