Marcia Gay Harden is a living work on the beauty of art: The art of mothering, the art of creating, the art of acting, the art of caring. Marcia Gay has two Oscar nominations and one win under her belt. She has a statue on the mantle from her portrayal in 2000 of Lee Krasner, wife or artist Jackson Pollock, in the film “Pollock.” Her filmography is about a foot long, and if you think of one of your favorite movies, odds are she is in it. Marcia Gay was brought up in locations around the world in a military family, which is most likely the root of how she learned to become a chameleon of sorts. One of Hollywood’s most versatile actresses doesn’t follow trends, just her heart. She and her family moved to Harlem, New York, a few years ago just before that address became fashionable. She goes from goo-laden mom to glam in minutes, and does it regularly. When we spoke, she was being picked up from a publicity event in New York City, and was on her way to pick up her eight-year-old-daughter, Eulala, from school. During the drive, she talked about how her crazy, harried, exciting lifestyle is a CHOICE. When I suggested we talk later that night, she reminded me that she had to attend her daughter’s open house. And, without a change in tone, mentioned she’d be jetting to Los Angeles for a Julia Roberts tribute the next day. It’s all in a days work for this Oscar winning actress who thinks she has an explanation for it all with an animal-analogy: “Life is like juggling frogs.” She also juggles a frog that turned into her “Prince Charming” of more than 10 years – husband Thaddeus Scheel, with whom she has three children. Marcia Gay delivered twins three years ago at the age of 44. Since their arrival, she has made time for every drop of life she can squeeze.

Dina: “Okay, Marcia Gay. You put many of us moms to shame. How do you do it?”

Marcia Gay: Sometimes I think it’s like juggling frogs. You go home, walk in the door – it doesn’t matter what you’ve come from, what gown you are wearing; everyone needs you and everyone wants you and that’s the joy of it. You just don’t have enough hands, so you surrender to it. I do the laundry, make the dinner. Occasionally, I am doing the laundry in my high heels. For certain events I will have a make-up artist at the house, and one or two of the kids will be on my lap, and I’ll be putting lip gloss on them while the artist is working on me. Then, someone will be screaming, “I want this or that” from the other room. Some days I can smile, and feel, “this is it!” Other days I feel, “I want a private vanity!” It’s all my choice. In order to have it you do what you are good at – multi-tasking.

Dina: How’s your patience?

Marcia Gay: Sometimes I am abrupt. Three hours later, I think, “Why do I have to be so streamlined – so focused?” One can be pulled by the incredible magnet of demand. You ARE pulled by it, and it takes your breath away. It sure doesn’t allow for the serendipitous moments of peace, and those moments you hope for. I hate the idea of scheduling down time, but you have to. We exist on both sides of the contradiction. You just have to say what you want to do… say, “This is important to me.”

Dina: You will soon be seen in the movie “Canvas,” which looks amazing. In it you play a mother, Mary Marino, who is suffering from schizophrenia and paints to make voices in her head go away. That is a heavy role with a lot of responsibility attached. Are you pleased with the outcome?

Marcia Gay: We actually shot that in summer of 2006, and it was a very challenging shoot which included a hurricane. You know, on that one, I was “out of pocket.” At the end of the day, once I paid the nannies and everything else, I made no money. Still, we made a beautiful film! People in the mental health industry say it is the most accurate depiction of mental illness they have seen. It is so special. My character ends up in an institution, and paints to find her way – to heal. The story is about her husband, Joe Pantoliano and their young boy as they try to heal from the mother’s abandonment and ultimately her healing.

Dina: You are in a film in just about every multiplex in America right now! You also star in Sean Penn’s new film, “Into the Wild.” You worked with him, both of you as actors, on “Mystic River.” But working for him as a director, how was that?

Marcia: Sean is incredible, and he directed like Clint, knowing exactly what he wanted. He was a maverick. I think it’s the confidence and research and knowledge. It was very calm on set. The movie is doing super well, and it’s a great story, and again, the message is great: UNPLUG! When you unplug from demand, you can actually hear yourself.

Dina: In “Rails & Ties” you play Megan Stark, a woman with breast cancer who wants a child so badly that she will take a great risk to raise an orphaned boy. So, a little family gossip here; tell me about working for my step-daughter (Alison Eastwood, Director of “Rails & Ties”).

Marcia Gay: Alison did not need direction. She was concise, fast, under budget, on time, and knew what she wanted. She was open to input and we talked about some scenes that I felt maybe weren’t true to the character – too many words. I also helped with a few edits. With Alison, underneath, is a tender girl with the tenacity of a forest. She has the strength of an army. Certain trees can bend but can’t break, and that’s what Alison felt like. She had great capacity for the love of her characters. She spoke to her crew and led the crew. Now that we see the film, with people responding the way they are, it really meant something.

Dina: You are one of the most employed women in Hollywood, and you don’t seem to discriminate between big and little projects, veterans and amateur directors.

Marcia Gay: First time directors are such a thrill! The last couple projects I have done, I understood that both of them had the understanding of the language of film. They haven’t set a pattern which is a very exciting process!

Dina: Art seems to come into play in many of your films.

Marcia Gay: Yes, in “Hoax,” Edith was an artist. In “Canvas,” Mary Marino did art as part of her healing. Of course, in “Pollock,” Lee WAS the artist. All forms of the arts heal. Lee Krasner lived the life of the artist. Think about artists – the thought of someone being slightly out of the box. That’s what’s great about artists is that they do feel the way of expressing the connected link in humanity. Art talks about that, writes about that, films that, sculpts, paints, composes about that.

Think about societies. The ones on the brink of going Communist, the first thing to go is the arts. You can’t control freedom and expression. But controlling them is the first sign of a decomposing society. You can judge societies by the love and attention paid to the arts. Art is not a small thing. This administration treats art like it’s only doodling. It is human expressing and as old as the beginning of man. Man needs and seeks beauty of some kind to make life meaningful. We’re talking about expression.

Dina: I imagine there is not a lot of time for you to be creating art, although you do cram 36 hours into each day, so maybe you DO make it happen? I think of that every time we use that beautiful piece of pottery you made us for Christmas.

Marcia Gay: Yes, pottery! I am not a great glazer, but I love pottery, pulling up the pots, getting my hands dirty. The fact that you can put your hands in Mother Earth and turn it into something practical and beautiful, throw it, fire it twice – it’s fantastic. I don’t paint. I don’t have a reason to put color over color. Color, paint and oils don’t speak to me.

Dina: You do have such a creative streak.

Marcia Gay: I have learned flower arranging from my mother. We like to practice Ikebana, the Japanese art of placing flowers in an exquisitely beautiful way. It’s a peaceful meditation. My mother and I are writing a book about it called The Flower Path. We will suggest three arrangements a month using the balance and line of Ikebana. The book will include stories of my mother’s dedication to finding that which is beautiful. When I was a kid, we could tell my mother’s mood by the arrangement she made. If mom and I stay in a hotel, she rearranges the flowers! She always finds beauty.

Dina: You gotta go grab Eulala. Thank you for reminding us what is beautiful, Marcia Gay.

Marcia Gay Harden will next be seen in the films, “Thomas Kincade’s Home for Christmas,” “Home,” and “The Mist,” a scary movie that opens November 21. Look for her book The Flower Path in 2008.

Written by Dina Eastwood

ARTWORKS Winter 2007