Three artists walk into a gallery. The first artist says to the other two artists… I know it would all make for a good joke but it’s all in a day’s work. Last Friday, I went up to NYC with two artist friends to be inspired, get some answers and hopefully find some opportunities, a.k.a. representation. No, that’s not the joke, that’s the work part. It is harder than it sounds. In hindsight, I’m thinking the best part of the trip was the two-hour car ride. We discussed art; what it is, what we do, who looks at it, are we as good as we think we are and it ended with a small debate on where the art world is going. The wiser, dare I say, older sage of the group shared his view that it was on the path of exploitation. He stated that we had ventured so far as artists, that we had reached the end of exploitation and it would have to change because we had exploited all we could exploit. I, being the youngest of the group and driving, had control of the ship and our destiny…at least it’s safety until we would arrive in NYC. I exclaimed that exploitation was not at its end for Rubens had been exploiting the art market with prints for a long time. Spin it however you want but isn’t art history all exploitation? My point was made and my job was done. We arrived safely and I parked the minivan leaving the keys to our ship with some young man in the basement of a $200 million high-rise. Yes, we had made it to NYC.
We crossed 9th Avenue and worked our way through the 20th Street blocks of Chelsea in search of inspiration, answers and work. Each gallery could be described as heaven; bright white walls reflecting the light from above and a St. Peter behind every door seated at a desk dressed in a black turtleneck hovering over an Apple computer. I just assume he is checking his list to make sure everyone’s name is on it. I assume he is expecting us because he never looked up for identification. We entered and looked around… nope, definitely not heaven. I’m still not sure what gallery it was or what the show was but, it made me think that painting is dead and exploitation is up and alive. The show wasn’t living up to the expectations of old masters where flesh was beautiful. Don’t get ne wrong, I’m not a prude but I saw more flesh and stray hairs than I needed to. It seems like all this can’t be captured with paint anymore so the artists decide to capture the whole thing on video. I had to quickly leave the dark room in the corner for I feared it would appear on my cable bill.
Mary Boone seemed like the only gallery we visited that had paint applied to canvas. Of course the artist that applied it was up for debate. I enjoyed the brush-strokes and grandeur of the imagery. My other musketeers thought otherwise. I stayed a few minutes longer to soak in a bit of inspiration. “If I could just mimic a few of the color choices in my studio”, I thought. We continued our pilgrimage to many of the white walled storefronts looking for answers and work. We came upon a wooden door with a red awning. This was our answer. The sign on the door said, “Drunken Horse.” Three artists walked into a bar and the bartender said, “Why the long face?” We all smiled at each other and thought it was just a day’s work.
It started with an online call for artists. A place in Kentucky needed a mural. With a budget in mind, this organization was looking for skilled artists. I did not know if I could do it but at least I had the artist part. I and two other artists were selected out of hundreds of others to produce a concept and mock up. I spoke with the owner of the building, another person I did not know, and he described what he was looking for.
The assignment was to design a mural for a place that I had never heard of, somewhere in Kentucky. While I did not have the measurements for this place, I had a photograph of the building, but knew nothing about the building. Due to the area, I figured it had to include a horse; which, again I know nothing about. Despite all my unknowns, I decided to begin.
So I got started with a bunch of ideas running through my mind. After spending many days on the Internet: searching the area, looking at photos, and coming up with some numbers that would fit within the given budget, I formulated ideas for efficient means to tackle this project. The plan was to paint within the walls of my own studio and then install it on sight because the budget given to complete the mural was not large enough to support a two-month stay “somewhere in Kentucky.” My other thought was to work with a paint-by-number horse to avoid creating a horse that was not from Kentucky that I know nothing about.Furthermore, in case I counted the bricks wrong, I would create the mural horizontally. This would help avoid unnecessary complications. Lastly, to keep within the budget, I would include some free labor from my family.
With my completed plan and work, I ventured out to the Unknown and began to learn. I learned: This place in Kentucky, that I had no idea where it was, was called Lexington and was ten hours away. Furthermore, Lexington is home of the Kentucky University.Ironically the University’s school colors happened to match the same blue that I chose to put into my mural. While I still know nothing about horses, I found out that people in Kentucky invest a lot of money in these animals and can tell them apart as well. Another thing I became aware of was that the wall was longer than I realized and not as high as I had planned. However, it was not a problem because it is easier to cut from a work then to add more to a mural.I also discovered that the building, which I was painting on, was a great restaurant. In their hospitable manner, they treated my family and I to delicious food the whole time we were there! Lastly, I learned of my ability to work with my family; and while I am an ok boss, I could use some patience as a father.
I met artist Robert (Bob) Jackson in his Kennett Square studio, sitting at his easel with his painting upside down. He was filling in the background color of a painting of tight rope walking Oreo’s strategically placed between a tower of crates, while others found their demise in a big tub of milk. Really, I’m not making this stuff up, but Bob is. A realist still life painter, he had the whole thing set up in his studio, and there he sat in front of it capturing every highlight and reflected shadow. His paintings are tight beautifully created scenes of apples or balloon dogs. It is refreshing to see an artist taking humor so seriously.
Since this was the first time I actually met him in person there were a lot of things I wanted to get caught up on. I could have stayed in his studio for hours looking at all the shiny eye candy stuff that a whimsical artist collects for inspiration or to paint. I edged closer to the door not to be rude but for self-preservation and I wanted to talk and find out the inspiration in his art. So he closed the studio door behind us and we walked a few short blocks to Half Moon. The hostess thought he was in for his regular seat by the bar where he later told me he comes in and sketches frequently. We took a seat in the back and ordered two Colorado brewed beers. That’s another place he knows having spent a week out there to paint with another artist. Isn’t the life of an artist grand?
So we sipped beers, shared stories of art and galleries and compared notes on raising girls and boys.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
How did you get started making art?
I went to school for electrical engineering. I went to Delaware Electrical engineering. Last semester senior year I took a throw away elective. I took painting 101 and thought it was the coolest class I had taken in 4 years. And the only reason I took that was because my girlfriend at the time, who is now my wife, gave me a set of oil paints for Christmas which she probably regrets ever since. So not knowing what to do with it, being an electrical engineer, I took painting 101. The guy was an abstract painter who painted with squeegees. Nothing like what I do, but I loved it.
Did you receive any formal art training?
You know that professor saw how much I liked it and said why don’t you stay and go to grad school with me. I said, “So, pretty practical, I have an engineering job lined up so if I stayed on with you what’s the chance of this working out?” He said at that time, “Those that actually are making a living from art, not teaching, I can count the numbers on my hand.” I said, “What do they do?” He said they get another job and paint on the side.” I said, “I got an engineering job. I’m going to paint on the side. I promise you someday I’m going to quit and be an artist.” And I’ve been an artist 15/16 years now.
Can you describe your work in general for the readers?
I’m definitely a realist still life painter but its very humorous and playful. It’s got a very contemporary slant to it.
How do you choose your subject matter?
I think so many artists have trouble figuring out what to paint. I have a skill but what do I actually paint? I think a lot of artists spend their whole life trying to figure that out and never get there. I used to be just still life and you go to an antique shop and like, “Oh that would be fun to paint” and it’s just for the sake of painting. You get a wine bottle and some grapes or whatever and then maybe 6 /7 years ago, I said, “You know, I’m not going to paint without a conceptual idea behind it. I’m not going to paint for the sake of painting anymore.” And so I come here, sit at the end of the bar down there, have a beer with just my sketch book and freeform brainstorm, you know, and I come up with my ideas before I ever paint. I’m not just painting what I see. A lot of realists still do that. They paint a still life and it’s just a bunch of apples. And everyone jokes that I’m the apple guy, the guy who paints all the apples but my apples are actively engaged in social issues.
Rumor has it you set everything up in your studio. True?
Yes, I have them all there but its all glue guns and strings and nails. Everything’s held into place because I want to see how they reflect off of each other. I want people to have the illusion that it’s happening and so I need to see it to be able to do that. Sometimes I will do things in phases like that painting in my studio right now. That tub of milk is still sitting in my studio. Oh you know I still love traditional art and I like how the shadows play off each other. Does that mean I don’t deviate or exaggerate? Realism isn’t coping reality. It’s all life, especially my stuff. I have apples in a war or things like that.
There is a humor to your paintings, what inspires that?
Humor is a taboo in art. Its one of those things that I thought I’m going to embrace. You know there are certain people, guys like Wayne Thiebaud, who do and it’s always been the “no-no” and I thought I’m going to embrace it. I’m not ashamed of it. Its funny, even in Hollywood, the Coen brothers finally won an Oscar for a dark movie. There’s nothing funnier than Big Lebowski. It holds up for years.I loved True Grit or No Country for Old Men. It’s hard to make humor that you keep laughing at and you look at over and over again. I try to do that with my work. Humor is just a punch line. You go “HA” and then it’s done. You want something that engages.
Where do you get all your props?
Props I get from eBay. I used to roam around antique shops, like so many people do, and consignment shops. Now that I’m based off of ideas I know what I want and its too much of a pain in the butt to go to the antique shop and shop. I just want to buy it and get it. I even prefer buy it now. I want that crate. I’m going to win it!
What are your thoughts on perfection?
Perfection. Oh my gosh! You mean can you ever obtain it? No. I always know when I’m done because I’m pretty deliberate when I am working and I know when I am finished with an idea, a concept. The good thing about artists is that we aren’t like pop singers who already hit it by 22. I think a really good artist hits at 50. I’ve always set that like I’m going to be really good at 50. Even then, it’s not perfection.
Who has been the biggest influence on your life?
As an artist you know you’d like to sit there and go oh its Rembrandt or whatever and in reality it’s the people you interact with. There’s a painter Scott Frasier who’s been my best friend for years, even though he lives in Longmont CO which is all the way across the country. Much to the humor of our wives, we talk everyday. Whether it’s a catalog or an art show that I’ve seen or things we found on the Internet, we’re just, boy, here’s what I’m thinking of doing with this painting. Talking business like, “What do you think I should do with this gallery.” We get each other. And every summer I usually go out for a week and we paint together and spend way too much time in pubs.
Do you have any habits or morning routines you do before going to the easel?
Yeah, I stop at the store every single morning and get the newspaper and do the crossword puzzle before I start painting.
What tip do you have for an artist that wants to paint realism?
Look. I’m amazed at how many painters don’t look or don’t know what’s out there or don’t go up to NYC and look at art. I come from an unschooled background but the schools don’t teach it anyway. So you have to look.
What are you eating right now? The crab melt which is quite enjoyable
What is your favorite food?
Sushi
What does home mean to you?
You know its funny. The first time I felt at home was when I moved to Kennett Square. You have so long that your moving around in life and you get married and you feel like you are at a slumber party. It felt like the first time I really bought a house that I wanted to be there. I really wanted to raise my kids there. A place I feel comfortable raising my kids.
Your proudest moment?
When the kids were born.
Where did you grow up?
Everywhere. I’m the oldest of 5 kids and we’re all born in different states
You collect?
I guess art.
Something that is important on your nightstand?
My cell phone. That’s the only thing I have on my nightstand. I use it for my alarm and everything.
Your strangest possession?
I have a banjo. I play banjo. That just has that stigma of being an awful thing.
Firsts
Album
Kat Stevens
Piece of art you sold
still life painting.
Another 2-hour lunch had passed. We had both ordered the daily special of crab melt on an English muffin with salad, which came with plenty of extra potato chips. You can’t go wrong with quality and price. We walked back to the studio and followed up more. Again I was like a deer in headlights. And then, I became the curious little rodent, checking out the bookshelves. You can gain a lot of information about an artist by looking at his bookshelves. Then there were the movies. That was another 20 minutes. Bob would pass the easel, pick up a brush and touch up an area. I knew if I didn’t head to the door I would have pulled up a chair and spent the rest of the day there. But, he wanted to paint and I was itching to get back to my studio filled with inspiration that was all bottled up.
I did break out the camera and filmed the intro to my speed round questions. See a little more insight into Bob’s studio and random answers to random questions.
I don’t really have a 9 to 5 job… it is more like 10 to 6. Ok I’m not going to lie to yoou, I work whenever I can and am almost always thinking about work. But this post isn’t about me being overworked, it’s about a painting I overworked. The hardest part about my job is knowing when to stop. It isn’t easy searching for perfection.
It started last week while working on a new piece for my wallflower series. I had the background all done. It was a baroque wallpaper pattern in silver on white. It was soft and subtle, just how I imagined it would be. I had concocted the idea during my morning run and now here it was before me. I drew the image out perfectly, cropped it just enough to make it interesting. I was excited to start. I painted my darks, roughed in the mid tones and worked my way to the highlights. For all the non – artist readers…I’m just painting. Everything is going great. The wax is flowing off the brush, the birds are singing, the sun is out. All is good at PinkCow Studio.
I continued painting blissfully for a few hours, developing the painting and excited with my efforts. I stopped and had lunch. It must have been something I ate that changed my eyesight. I walked back into the studio to find that what I thought was perfection was really a deconstructed Mr. Potato Head. How could I have been so wrong, so off my game? This is what I do. I’ve made a full time job out of it. I decided to add a few gestural brush strokes, some flicks of confident brush strokes, a bit of panache. French words always make things seem fancy. Nothing…nothing was working. There were some great parts but the face just wouldn’t come together.
I continued on this fruitless journey for 3 days, adding and scraping away, getting closer to perfection only to pass it with another brush stroke in the wrong direction. For everything I love about painting in wax there is one terrible drawback. The accumulation of bad brush strokes leads to a very thick painting. I scrape it away and start again. The only thing that made me stop was that I needed to hang it to show someone. So I called it done. Maybe I just wanted to stop and ease the frustration.
Here it sits on my wall as I write this. It has been a week since I hung it. It has had time to settle in and be admired. There are some beautiful parts and there are some parts that rake on my nerves like talking to a “customer representative”. While eating breakfast this morning I thought I’d write about the painting and after lunch I’ll take the blowtorch to it melt it off and use that beautiful silver baroque wallpaper for something else.
I admit, I’m a bit envious of people that have hobbies. The idea of tinkering on a project or scouting antique shops in search of collectables is intriguing. I have dabbled in such tasks as making beer and collecting rare pink elephant bar supplies. This of course seemed more like a means to an end. I have tried to relax and do crossword puzzles but that lasted as long as my vacations did. Boating or collecting cars seems like it would be a nice hobby if you had the money. I really don’t think watching TV counts as a hobby.
After some unscientific research observing friends and family, I jumped to the conclusion that hobbies are related to the amount of time spent at their work. Sometimes a hobby can lead to work. After all wouldn’t we all enjoy what we doing what we love and get paid for it. This is where my hobby, work, passion comes in. I enjoy, No I love to paint and create art. Making ideas come to fruition seems to be my hobby.
The work part comes when I convert those ideas into artwork. Some days the paintings seem to paint themselves with little or no effort. This I consider a good workday. Then there are the nine-hour days of moving paint around hoping to capture the likeness of something. This is a bad day at work. The problem with these days are that they cut into my nights making them sleepless. Looking at that daunting painting of misplaced brush strokes and thinking, if I place a few of those strokes in the right place I’d have a recognizable image instead of a deconstructed potato head.
I guess its better than a day job. Since I’m up at night trying to figure out where I went wrong and what I need to correct, I should watch some TV. That seems like an expensive hobby. So from now on I’m going to call it art-work because after all it is work.
I thought it was noon but the hostess and waiter at Firecreek in Downingtown both said “good morning.” I was there with artist Kerry Sacco catching lunch. I say catching because Kerry is always moving if she isn’t traveling between her studio in Philly and one in Lancaster, she can be found painting or referring a lacrosse game. After morning salutations we both looked at our watch and concluded it was a good minute after twelve, so we both ordered a pint of Victory’s Summer Love. We were well on our way of catching up on all the art happenings in the area. Kerry is well versed in teaching and displaying at all the local art centers and shows. We go back 10 years when we were both represented by a local gallery and continue to watch each others artistic journey through art crits and open studios.
Kerry has a nack for catching sunlight at the perfect place at the perfect time. All her paintings have an inviting story that leads you in and your eyes dance with every brush stroke. I had one agenda for this interview to find out why her chicken paintings are so awesome! You’ll have to read some of the painting and arty questions before you get to the chicken.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
1.When did you start making art? I started when I was a little girl. I was the one in my family that always was drawing and painting.
2.Did you receive any formal art training? Where and what did you major in?
I did. I got a degree from Millersville University. It was Millersville State College at the time. And then I continued my education with Fleisher Art Memorial, I received my graduate in printmaking at Millersville, then Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
3.What do you prefer Oils or Acrylics? Why?
Oils! Oils…I don’t know, something about the depth that I can get with oils, and I can work on them a little bit longer. I can let them sit, come back to my paints, I can remix a color pretty accurately. Acrylics, I never really gave them a good try. But it’s something about the translucent part of oils that I love.
4.How do you do chose your subject matter?
I usually choose by first impressions, something that hits me. Light falling on something. Cute chickens running around someone’s yard. I look for the basic compositional thingys like good time winding road that kind of stuff. I also use my camera a lot.
5.Describe for the viewers what you paint.
I paint very realistic light filled landscapes that have an impressionist quality to them. I think that when I paint animals and portraits that still comes into play I like light falling on subjects no matter if they are human or a building.
6.Do you paint from photos or do you paint plein air? Both but mostly from photos.
7.You travel a lot, where is the happiest place you painted?
Oh my god, I was just talking about this. In a little square in a town in Umbria in Italy called Montefalco I sat right in the middle of the square. The people that I went on the trip with were all hanging out they were having their wine and spritzes and I had my plein air easel up and it was like a crystal clear night and all these family’s were coming out and kids were running around playing and I couldn’t believe I was in that place and I was just sitting there painting. Jim (her husband), that’s one of his best memories too, that was a very happy time.
8.You paint awesome chickens, what is it about chickens that you love?
Oh its their expressions, especially roosters, how they can be ridiculous looking or have such command and expression on their faces, that’s why I love them.
9. Do you have a tip for novice painters?
Learn how to draw first. I am a firm believer in that.
10.How do you decide when an artwork is done?
Well, that’s an interesting question because until I taught I didn’t know how to do that. So in critiquing other people’s work, and being a teacher and knowing how to encourage students to go and add a little bit here a little bit more there, punch up darks punch up lights. That’s how I became more comfortable knowing when my work was done. There are paintings that I will have framed and pull out for a show and take it out of frame and redo it. Someone once said a painting is done when it stops in an interesting place. I think that is a loose enough guideline that it can change later on down the road.
11.Who has been the biggest influence on your life?
I don’t know I’m really stumped. I can say art wise, my professors at Millersville, Robert Nilson, Sheba Spharrow. But I don’t know, my mom was a huge influence on me as far as her patience and the way she was a good teacher. Just life things, so I think id say mommy.
12.What inspires you?
Like emotions and tiniest little things can inspire me whether its taking in a sunrise a sunset, seeing somebody do a good deed and you want to be a better person and you want to be like that. Also, music inspires me especially singer songwriters who are poets. So whether or not somebody like bob Dylan or more recently contemporary people that I have become friends with I think that some of them have a harder life than artists traveling out there on the road and singing from their soul. I listen to music all the time when I paint. All different kinds.
13.Do you have any habits or morning routines you do before going to the easel?
Coffee. Let the dogs out and make the coffee or start the coffee before you let the dogs out.
14.What are you eating right now?
Chicken sandwich with avocado.
15.What is your favorite food?
Italian and Thai
16.What does home mean to you?
Home. Home is where the heart is. Home, lets see, it’s a metaphor for safety for me.
17.Your proudest moment?
My lacrosse team got inducted into the hall of fame in October and I was so proud to be a Millersville Marauder.
18.Money is OK, but it isn’t what life is about. What is it about?
Life is about family and friends and being a good citizen.
19.Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Norton in Deleware county.
20.What is the last book you read?
The last book I read was “The Help”
21.You collect?
I collect, now I collect paintings. I collect bottles of wine. Then drink them.
22.Something that is important on your nightstand?
Ear plugs.
23.Your strangest possession?
My dog Buckwheat’s ashes that are on my kitchen shelf in a can.
24.Your best birthday?
I had 2 best birthdays one was 40 and one was 50. 40 I was in Austin celebrating and 50 I had a weekend of friends and family and music and eagles winning a comback victory and food and wine. And it was good.
FIRSTs
What was your first word?
fa-dada.
Big Break
first big break probably was a solo show with DeBottis Gallery.
Album
Jim Crochie Photographs and Memories.
Concert
First concert was Billy Joel at the academy of music.
Plane ride
I probably was 19 or 20 and I think it was California.
Piece of art you sold
I sold a lithograph at a student show at Fleisher Art Memorial.
So I figured out why she enjoyed painting chickens and roosters so much. She smiled and didn’t seem to mind biting into the $13 dollar Left Coast chicken sandwich that she ordered. We discussed why it was named “Left Coast” because of the avocado placed between the bread and chicken. It was great to sit with Kerry and catch up all this time I had known her I didn’t realize how many things we had in common. We talked about the music we play while painting yet love the silence when we drive. How important it is to stop and enjoy the moment, which usually centers on food and beverages. When she shared her enthusiasm for her wine club and food pairings she could even be a sommelier, but I think she would have to give up one of her extra activities the days just aren’t long enough. I did get to ask her five more questions, for which I call the speed round.
I guess the answer depends on where you are standing. My brother-in-law was recently at the Philadelphia Museum of Art standing in the Modern & Contemporary Art wing, looking at the “Fountain.” Upon returning to my in-laws house for dinner, where my family and I were ready to partake in libations and some good barbeque; he thought it would be a good idea to get some perspective regarding this little porcelain thing resting on its back placed high upon a pedestal in this prestigious museum. So he began by asking, “Why is there a urinal in the Philadelphia Museum of Art?” My first response should have been, “Every building needs a bathroom thanks to building codes.” But that wasn’t my reply. Instead I exclaimed with great joy, “Oh Duchamp, isn’t it awesome!”
Let the debate begin. Step one: determine the definition of art: Something that is beautiful and extraordinary. If you look at the context and time period, extraordinary would not be a problem. However I knew I would have trouble convincing someone that a vessel a man uses after processing beer is indeed beautiful. First of all he thought it was ludicrous that it needed to be justified. I explained to him that a lot of stuff in museums needed to be explained. That’s why in museums you find a collection of things arranged nicely with little explanations next to them. I brought up many examples to illustrate my point. Score a point for me!
Beauty was still the problem. I know Duchamp. I love Duchamp. Most of the artists in the 21st Century wouldn’t be doing what they are doing if it weren't for him. I use type in my paintings because he describes words as plastic. I was in awe when I first read that. WOW! It resonated, and I got it. I wanted to use that, it’s my own little readymade. This urinal was the pinnacle for art becoming an idea; art was no longer a pretty picture. Artists were born! After that moment anyone and everyone could become an artist. Now at this point in my argument I was straying down a bad path. There was no way I could convince him that the birth of an idea was beauty. My path led me to good ideas and bad ideas, which results in good and bad art. I say it was a draw; he said score one for him.
I sat with long time friend and artist David Oleski at Wasabi , a fairly new sushi restaurant tucked away in the Bradford Shopping Center. It is modestly designed with low lighting, maybe too intimate for old friends to get together. Once again, a key feature was BYOB. We sat down with a bottle of Gekkeikam Sake and the questions began.
I met David more than ten years ago at the Rittenhouse Art Fair in Philadelphia. It is one of the oldest outdoor art fairs. David’s career has taken him all over the US setting up shop in different towns, selling wonderfully painted still life’s, mostly apples. Our relationship has a good competitive edge, always pushing, questioning, and jabbing each other when the opportunity arises. But we do agree on many things; good food, good art, and making the most out of life as an artist.
How did you get started making art?
Good question. I have always done art. My parents were artists so I was doing art as soon as I knew how to do anything.
Did you receive any formal art training? Where and what did you major in? Yes, I went to art school. I went to the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland. I started in general fine arts until I realized I should be more specific so I focused more on painting so my degree is in painting.
Describe your work in general for the readers? Traditional still life with strong colors and bold brushwork.
What is the excitement in using oil paints? You have plenty of time to work. You have days and days to work and rework a painting. Colors can evolve and become much more sophisticated over several days and there is a perceived value to certain materials.
Why do you paint so much produce? Color! It’s the most colorful thing there is. Other than a plate of sushi, I don’t know what else has such vivid colors as apples, vegetables, and fruits.
Why is the mark or brush stroke that you leave in your paintings important to you? It’s the mark of the human hand. Its how we know a human did it. I don’t want to erase the mark that I was there; it’s like footprints.
“How do you decide when an artwork is done?" Usually if the day is over, I am either finishing one session or committing to another session. Or I feel like I can’t go any further or I feel like I’ve learned enough and I am ok with how it will sit.
What are your thoughts on perfection? Its over rated. On one hand, there is no perfection and at the same time we are all perfect in our own way.
You have taken a unique approach to selling your art by doing outdoor exhibits? Why have you avoided the gallery system? I am a control freak. I like meeting the client. I like making sure the client knows who I am. I like that connection. I believe galleries are building a different kind of professional connection than what I build with my clients.
There is a lot more freedom in your approach, what do you enjoy the most about it? That’s assuming I enjoy anything. No part of it feels like work. The whole time I set things up because I think they’ll be interesting or fun. I finish them and move on to whatever I want to explore next. There is really no part of it that feels like work.
Are you living the dream? Yeah, I think so.
Do you have any habits or morning routines you do before going to the easel? There is a ritual of coffee, email, procrastinate as much as possible, look for other things to do, take a break, go for another walk. Spiral and spiral until I get closer to the easel. There is a sweet spot of the day. The sun turns a certain color once it passes noon. I only paint by natural light. In the morning the light is completely different. At a certain time everything lights up. Boom! Go!
What tip do you have for an artist reading this? Do what you do, make mistakes, make corrections, have fun.
What is your favorite food? All food is so great. Thai food of course, all Asian food, Greek food, Italian. It’s all great. There probably isn’t a food I don’t love.
What are you eating right now? Sushi sashimi lunch special.
Why did you choose Chester County as your home? To be a neighbor of Jeff Schaller. I saw where you live and said, this is awesome I should be your neighbor.
What was your mother right about? People do like me. She didn’t make predictions. She just says she knows I will do well. Even if I fall on my face, I fell well.
Money is OK, but it isn’t what life is about. What is it about? It’s about experiences. It’s about adding up to something, building something.
If you were an apple what kind would you be? At first I’d say Granny Smith because I’m sour, but then I’d have to say soft and crunchy like Royal Gala.
Have you seen the apple and annoying orange skits? I have seen them but, I’ve never actually watched one.
We had kicked the bottle of sake over our lunch of sushi and sashimi. A reasonable price paid for the 6 pieces of sushi and 4 pieces of sashimi, even though a choice of soup or salad was offered before, I was still hungry. We added the green tea ice cream drizzled with chocolate sauce to the bill. The novelty of Chinese cookies, a good fortune, and the check signaled the meal had come to an end. We cracked open the fortune cookies to see where we were headed. I got, “There is no glory unless you put yourself on the line.” David, well his was empty. I’m not sure who got the better deal.
While getting ready for a show the other day I was speaking with an artist. We were talking about last minute things. Now I’m not talking about packing for a 10-day vacation the morning you leave. I always pack the night before, give or take a few minutes before midnight. I’m talking about last minute painting or creating. Every artist has done this. Some call it “finishing touches.” For me personally, there are a lot more than touches that need to be done. It usually starts with “if I could just…” followed by, “make 3 more paintings.” Or “make 20 limited edition prints.” The other phrase I play in my head is, “Wouldn’t it be great if…” That expression could be completed with, “I printed 100 t-shirts for the show.” or, “I changed all my matts to white and reframed everything.”
Here is the best part of the story. It usually is a great idea. When the artist and I discussed this we both agreed that whatever was created was usually good. Better yet, it usually sold. This has happened to me time and time again. The last minute phenomenon happened in high school when I submitted my work to an art show. The entry forms were done way in advance and I had committed myself to many categories. I had everything done except one pastel drawing. I just couldn’t get it together. I finally scraped the 1st idea and did a quick drawing to satisfy the entry forms. I have to say it was rather sweet. The judges thought so too and awarded it “Best of Show.”
So maybe the pressure of deadlines puts a little more confidence in your stroke. The ticking clock makes your hand quicker while enabling the brush to dance across the canvas. Procrastination brings focus to your mind and an acute tunnel vision for perfection. It’s not the finishing touches but rather it’s the heat of the moment that drives the desire to create.
Yes, I should have wrote this Sunday night and posted it Monday but I’m so last minute.
It’s Sunday night and we just feasted for Mother’s Day and blew our calorie count with fried snickers for dessert. I preface this blog thought with my eating habits because it’s quickly getting me closer to the dead artist.
I have been told this little fact more than once by gallery owners. Not sure if I should take this as an insult or a goal. I do a quick assessment of my art history classes and recount the more famous artists, the ones that are selling for high dollars at auction houses or don’t even hit the market because they are in museums. Then it occurs to me. It’s a business model. Art becomes a commodity. Once the artist is dead, the commodity becomes limited. As long as I am still alive and kicking I’m making stuff.
Take Van Gogh for instance. Everyone has heard the story about how he never sold anything while he was alive. Once dead he could no longer make the stuff, so his sister in law takes the reigns and starts shopping his art around. I’m sure with a little marketing, a little luck, and a limited quantity she could create a demand. Everyone knows how the story ends. He is everywhere, on umbrellas, totes, handbags, and even has a line of vodka.
Then I think of Patrick Nagel. Believe me it isn’t that great of a leap. He is an artist that captured the epitome of the 80’s. Every Miami Vice viewing house had at least one hanging over their black leather sofa adjacent to the black lacquered side table. He did tons of prints and editions, but I never saw an original. Can’t really say they are hanging in museums. So I googled him and lo and behold he died in 1983 just at the beginning of the 80’s and the end of his career. Now I’m wondering if he has a sister in law or family member that is business and marketing savvy.
What does this have to do with my artwork and career… nothing. It’s inevitable, I’m going to eat more fried snickers and I’m going to have to pay more taxes.
