Artist’s Statement
Everything is made up. We’ve agreed upon a set of things that we consider real, and those things forms our reality, but it’s all subjective, and filtered through unreliable brains that let us think we’re in control, but in reality we are just flinging along the sliver of a universe we barely comprehend that is observable, predictable, and amazing.
Things get all screwed up when we start deciding the meaning of things, and come up with ridiculous notions like religion, and shame for our sex parts. We decide that things we fear, or don’t understand, are evil. Oh, and those other people over there that we don’t know? The ones that look different, eat different, sound different? Different is scary, so they must be evil. We better get them, before they get us.
We make up governments that are all about money, a.k.a power, and power corrupts the best of us. We’re mostly feeble-minded creatures that are easily influenced, so a few of us decide they know what’s best and try to impose that on everyone else. Of course, it’s usually fear, hate, or greed motivating those that seek power.
At any given moment something can happen that changes everything, and blows our collective minds. But change threatens the rich and powerful status quo, so they decide to destroy the thing, but it’s too late. Eventually, it makes its way back in the world and everyone is better for it. Then we normalize it, get bored, forget what we learned, and go on making up problems, making amazing discoveries, and making babies. Those babies grow up, the impossible things become routine, and the world is saved, momentarily.
But I digress.
I build mythical creatures because I like them, have since I was a little boy, and making them life-sized is awesome. It’s also very hard, which makes it very rewarding, and other people get to enjoy them. The response has been big smiles, and ‘whoa,’ and excitement, and a creates more than a few moments of happiness.
It’s also about power mongering greedy shitbags. They can go fuck themselves. All they can do is wear comically priced trinkets to impress each other. Artists can create beauty and happiness and wonder and awe.
Art for arts sake. Ars gracia artis. If you don’t like it, go look at something else.
I work primarily with paper-mâché. The stuff used for little kids art projects and piñatas. It’s cheap, non-toxic, doesn’t stink, and is easy to clean up. It’s also incredibly strong, flexible, durable, and complex.
I build my structures with wood and cardboard, hardware, and a bunch of masking tape. I use almost entirely recycled material. The insides are boxes, grocery bags, junk mail, packing material, and scrap paper but mostly the Portland Mercury and Willamette Week newspapers.
Biography
I didn’t have much adult supervision growing up. I was a “latchkey kid” in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s being raised by a young, ambitious, single mom. Drawing was my thing and I found an art store one day wandering home from school. I started frequenting the place and saved up to buy the book “Animation: Learn How to Draw Animated Cartoons” by Preston Blair along with a big pad of newsprint and sticks of vine and pressed charcoal. I practiced drawing every character, and tried different mediums, pigments, pencils, and papers when I could afford them.
I sold my first illustration in 3rd grade, and as my interests changed, so did my art. I'd draw or paint whatever I was into at the time like rockets, jet airplanes, horses, unicorns, skateboarding, punk rock, Italian scooters, then the mod scene. By my senior year in high school I managed to convince the faculty to let me spend most of the day in the Art classroom and skip my other classes. To this day I cannot recall how I pulled that off.
I went to the Otis/Parsons College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, but by the third year I was restless and wanted to drop out. When I met with the chair of the department hoping she'd have some magic words that'd convince me to stay, she just said "Not everyone belongs in school, it's a system designed for a mass group and some people just fall through the cracks." No magic words, just a parting "Good luck.” Subsequently, I dropped out and pursued a design career.
CV
Shows
Sculpture Now! Juried Show
International Sculpture Day
Unmatched Pairs Exhibition at the Multnomah Art Center
The Art of Quarantine at Art at the Cave Vancouver, Washington
Events
First Fridays PDX
Buddy Fest 2018
Art in the Pearl 2019 - Artist Demo: Paper Maché Sculpture for the Pacific Northwest Sculptors Group
Christmas Unicorn and Friends 2018-2019 - Cambia Health Solutions Portland, OR
Other
Motrik Artificial Head music video featuring the Laser Unifox
Professional Organizations
Pacific Northwest Sculptors Group
Education
Otis College of Art & Design 1995 - Communication Design
Academic
Cogswell Polytechnical College San Jose, CA - Adjunct Professor - Digital Imaging Concepts
Professional Experience
User Experience Designer 8 years
Web Designer, Developer 26 years
Graphic Designer, Illustrator, Art Director 32 years
Complete professional resumé available on request