“I feel as if I have a lot going on in my head—and making a collage out of a slew of disparate pieces covering my desk feels [...] like I’m solving my own puzzle.”

— Libby Schoettle

New York City dominates the arts with more galleries and institutions than any other city. Its diverse and cosmopolitan population makes New York a magnet for artists worldwide. Libby Schoettle, better known by her alter ego PhoebeNewYork, joined the city’s artistic community from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Libby skillfully uses the city as her canvas to display her work. In fact, when you walk in Soho, the West Village, or Chelsea, you are practically guaranteed to come across Phoebe, a fashionable slender character with a large cartoonish bobbed hair head à la Betty Boop. Keep an eye on construction barricades, light poles, and walls of older buildings; if you are lucky, you will catch her “Walking on Air” or sharing witty, thought-provoking messages about feminism, politics, and other contemporary themes. While Phoebe likes to hang out in the stylish neighborhood of Soho, the worldly icon has also been spotted in the streets of Los Angeles, Philadelphia, London, Berlin, and Copenhagen. We were lucky to catch up with her at the West Chelsea Contemporary on a Saturday Winter afternoon while she was dashing from a store opening in Soho to a swanky soirée in Chelsea.

“Finding Phoebe was a process, not a plan, and I trust where my instinct takes me. It reminds me of one of my collages, ‘Something good is worth finding.’ It is! ”

David Gargiulo __ Tell me about yourself. Let’s start with your background and how you got into the arts.

PhoebeNewYork __ When I was least expecting it, I took a photo of an idea I had, and that moment changed my life. By trusting the feeling I had as I took that photo, and continued to have about it afterwards, I created an unbreakable connection to creating art.

DG __ Could you share your beginnings as an artist? Your initial work and how it eventually led you to create your alter ego Phoebe?

PNY __ The first collages weren’t Phoebe but they eventually led me to Phoebe. Finding Phoebe was a process, not a plan, and I trust where my instinct takes me. It reminds me of one of my collages, “Something good is worth finding.” It is!

DG __ Who is Phoebe? How does she differ from Libby Schoettle?

PNY __ Phoebe is a fictional character I invented to explore myself better. She is a vessel, a way to express myself and communicate freely with people—often better than I could on my own.

DG __ What can you say as Phoebe that you couldn’t say as Libby Schoettle?

PNY __ I consider myself quite fortunate to have found a way to explore and access other sides of my personality and a healthy outlet to convey my inner feelings. Creat- ing Phoebe can be fantasy-like for me, similar to dressing and playing with my dolls when I was little. I certainly have more fun with PhoebeNewYork than on my own.

DG __ Do you think PhoebeNewYork is an agreeable extension of Libby Schoettle, or does she surprise you in what she says at times?

PNY __ I would say Phoebe is a direct reflection of me, whether agreeable or not. I feel right when I see her looking back at me, although she does teach me things about myself.

DG __ Why did you choose collage as your medium?

PNY __ I feel as if I have a lot going on in my head— and making a collage out of a slew of disparate pieces covering my desk feels very satisfying. It can almost feel like I’m solving my own puzzle. I also love the act of cutting things out from paper and finding imagery.

DG __ Where do you get the pieces for your collages?

PNY __ I find imagery everywhere, from the internet to magazines, books, and photos. However, I worry that I’ll run out of sources, so I’m always on the lookout for anything that catches my eye!

DG __ What is your process? How do you create your work?

PNY __ I look for and collect anything that inspires me, and from there, I cut everything out, throw it all on my desk, and then see what happens. It takes a lot of trial and error; some collages are easier than others and come together quickly, while others are more difficult and take me a while to figure out.

DG __ PhoebeNewYork is fashionable; why is fashion an important part of Phoebe?

PNY __ I have always loved fashion and have been in awe of anyone who is fashionable, looks cool, and intuitively understands how to wear clothes. I always tried to do that, but I could never fully express myself. Fashion is a language unto itself, and Phoebe tells a story through her words in combination with her outfits. I am very particular about what she wears.

DG __ Any memorable collaboration with a designer you want to tell us about?

PNY __ Well, I loved working with Victoria Beckham Beauty. It was an incredible street art campaign and will always be memorable. I know Phoebe was very excited about it as well!

DG __ I love seeing PhoebeNewYork images around the city. What made you decide to prioritize posting your art around the city instead of going the route of building a social media presence as many artists do?

PNY __ That’s nice to hear; thank you. I started experimenting with stickers, and the vibe of seeing her around the city really hooked me, and Phoebe too. I tend to do what feels most inspiring to me, and Phoebe. Social media has changed a lot, and I still try to maintain a presence, mostly through stories. (I’m still trying to figure out reels!)

DG __ I have heard that you are working on a book. Can you tell us about it?

PNY __ It’s about my life at a particular time period, and it’s just about the hardest thing I’ve ever encountered. It’s kind of like working on the biggest collage ever. I just want it to be right. I would say New York City inspires it.

DG __ You also have a docuseries in production, “Bemused.” What is it about?

PNY __ Yes, the docuseries is about my life as an artist. The director, Jyll Johnstone, began filming me long before I became a street artist. It's amazing that she could document my art through so many phases and see it evolve and become more public. The filming started before I was on social media or even had a cell phone! So many things have happened. Hopefully, it will be coming out in 2023.

DG __ Can you tell us about your collaboration with West Chelsea Contemporary?

PNY __ It’s an unexpected and thrilling collaboration! I met Gary Seals, the owner, in 2019. I will never forget him climbing my six-story walkup to see my artwork while he was visiting NYC before a show he was having in Austin. He acquired some pieces for that show, and the rest is history! We have been working together ever since. It’s been a magical relationship, and I feel very lucky.

DG __ What new exhibits/events can we look forward to?

PNY __ Concrete to Canvas at West Chelsea Contemporary just closed, which went really well! But we are also trying to come up with a public event, so that will be TBA, and West Chelsea Contemporary always has works on hand. Other than that, I’ll be looking forward to the release of my docuseries and, of course, making art and staying determined. To see upcoming announcements, please follow me on [Instagram] @phoebenewyork, or visit my website www.libbyschoettle.com

photographed by Kevin Sinclair, Location: West Chelsea Contemporary. Libby Schoettle