So, kick back, and relax with these entertaining and interesting question.

1. As a self-taught artist, what initially inspired you to take your artwork to the next level?  How were you able to do achieve this success?

Wait… did I make it to the next level? Sweet! Finally! Nooooo…Seriously… I met my wife Kelly Tunstall and she told me to put up or shut up. She helped me take my art a bit more seriously. I have achieved all of my success by working really hard, knowing rad people, and getting really lucky.

2. What sorts of comic books have been especially influential in your artistic development and why?  Does the imagery, storyline, or a combination of the two draw your attention?

I read everything I could get my hands on. However, Frank Miller made me want to make comic books and draw batman on my binder when I was a kid. I also worked at a comic book store in high school. I think everybody that draws characters should be trying to tell a story or else it’s stagnant, static and boring. Even if the technique is amazing… I tend to want more than a portrait.

3. You have a background in creative writing and literature – how have you been able to integrate this sort of character development within your paintings?

All my characters have stories attached to them. I think that my creative writing experience helps me build my stories and themes that I like to work with in shows.

4. Does the title of the show, “Rest for the Wicked” reference any particular character,  story, or personal experience?

I have to believe that there is rest for all of us. I mean, before the big sleep. The title is  me focusing on aesthetics of the characters instead of focusing on the over-all theme of  the body of work.

5.  What were your favorite stories as a child?  Is there any specific story or experience  you remember that often comes through in your work?

1) Farewell to Shady Glade by Bill Peet

2) Lone Wolf and Cub was probably one of my favorite stories…

3) I also loved the sleep book by Dr. Seuss.

I feel like Mercer Mayer is probably one of my biggest influences. I loved his drawings.  My mom was a preschool teacher so our house had every book imaginable in it.

6.  What are you nostalgic for from your childhood?  If you could, would you go back to that time in your life?

Oh man. I guess east coast summers, cowboys & Indians, slurpees, skate boarding, checking out Sherlock Holmes books from the library, climbing trees, chasing rabbits, chasing cars, chasing girls, eating ripe tomatoes out of the garden in our backyard, skateboarding some more… I am going back to that time in my life right now as a first time poppa.

Visual Questions:

1.What would it look like if you were in a scene of a comic book or story?

2. What do the paintings in this show remind you of or call upon in your head?

3. What do you picture when you think of the title, “Rest for the Wicked?”

4. What do you hope people envision or imagine when they look at your art?

1. In these new works, your subject matter centers on famous women literary figures, challenging seemingly static identities of these women.  What informed or inspired your choice of subject?

These works are re-interpretations of known stories and characters from classic literature most of us are forced to read at a young age. They are written in a super- formal style so I wanted this series to be super dramatic interpretations of the characters from these novels. Not necessarily of the plots but of characters most people have some familiarity with.  Take the Camille painting for example, it is from a very morbid scene where this woman is dying, surrounded by bloody hankies.  So after reading that, I decided I really wanted to take this description and, somehow, make a graceful image out of it.

2.  When you begin a new piece, do you have a set idea of what message you aim to convey, or does the conceptual meaning of the piece develop in conjunction with your process?

Rarely, but when it happens it’s great. For the most part I have a plan in mind and I like to stick with it. Certain things change about the paintings, like color, but usually I have a clear idea when I start. Some pieces in the past were just things I thought of and really wanted to paint like, women flying with torches or something. There wasn’t much of a concept I just thought it would be great to paint a series of women flying with torches.

3.  Sin and deviance seem to be predominant themes within your imagery and within the tales of these characters.  How do you grapple with both exposing and redefining such a transgression from normative or appropriate standards, while also maintaining a sense of agency, respectability, and a strong identity for these women?

Justine is a great example of this, because most people would not notice that the beads she is actually swallowing  are coming out of her ass. You’re not really supposed to notice, but when you do, you get what I am trying to convey. I was really striving to avoid any type of pinupy-ness though. Really trying to fight the pin up but not make them cutesy at the same time. That is the challenge of working with live models because they tend to automatically want be pretty and I have to find the balance between these physically attractive women and what I want.

4.  Does your collection speak to a larger theme, or is each piece meant to express its own message?

This series was an evolving idea. It started with Charlotte and wanting to do a show with classic imagery. After that one, I painted Ophelia, which was a super popular theme in the 1800s.  I think I like that I am working with women in classic literature and can create these smaller, individual pieces for each one because I am not going to be doing smaller paintings in the future. The small pieces are nice because they are more affordable but, I want to work on a larger scale like the Ophelia piece which is 48×24” its really nice to have breaks within the painting, it allows for people to breath and not have everything so concentrated.

5.  How has your artistic process and style developed throughout your career, and where do you feel it currently stands?  Could you to speak to this in relation to what you self-label as “Uber-Mannerism?”

Working with different mediums has really allowed me to develop my style. When I started, I was working with acrylics, which are more expressive and bright. Oil has allowed me to make more nuance, serious work and, working with live models which helped my work a lot. Over time I achieved a balance from trying to get a model to do extreme movements that look simple, but that in reality, are difficult. Trying different things is important and allows for more range; I am pretty far into my career, however, that even when I do try new things many people can’t tell (laughs). I would like to have more fun with the brush strokes though, more expressive and try new colors.

6.  Coming from Chattanooga, Tennessee, how does your upbringing and early experiences come through in your work?

I actually only lived in Tennessee for 6 months, I just think it’s fun to say that I am from Tennessee, but I actually grew up in St. Louis. There, I went to a religious school from K-12. I’ve done a lot of religious work and people always ask about my beliefs, but it’s more about being able to referencing western art history. I was always really drawn to religious imagery, like the saints and apostles because of how dramatic their stories were. Take Jesus, everyone in western art history has done a painting of Jesus, so it’s more about referencing these people and their stories.

In high school I would do a lot of cartooning but it wasn’t until I was out of high school that I really wanted to be serious about art. I did illustration for 10 years and made decent money doing dumb things, like inspector gadget merchandising, where I would trace inspector gadget onto a towel and get like 600 dollars. I decided I wanted to become serious about being a fine artist and set a goal to have a solo show in 5 years. I came up at a really good time though, now, there are so many artists and so many sub-niches that it’s a lot harder to get noticed.  Back then, the scene was small enough and underground enough that it was fun.

He will be showing at the Shooting Gallery on August 7th.

For more on Ferris Plock, click here.

Hope you enjoy!

1. Your use of “nonconventional models” as subjects of aesthetically classical oil paintings draw attention to the ways in which style and subject matter interact to relay a specific message to the viewer.  How has this combination of nonconventional and conventional elements developed in relation to one another to celebrate or critique what you call “nonconformity in contemporary America?”

I am interested in making paintings of people in our time. I look for individuals who through their appearance are not afraid to be noticed. This is what I define as nonconformist; someone who behaves and dresses differently. You risk judgment and critique. I see my painting style as not being the standard style of our age. It is a personal style for fulfillment that I pursue for my own joy rather than conforming to the standard aesthetics of paintings.

2. What inspires the subject matter you choose to portray in your paintings?  In choosing models with atypical dress and character, how do you comment upon a desirable visibility in both society and in the art world?

The people I painted I met at the Burning Man festival last year. I was very inspired by their personal style and their passion for life.

3. You aim to emphasize subjects that appear rich in character; how does your classical aesthetic allow the character of your subjects to better emanate from your work?

My painting techniques allow me to go beyond simply depicting costume but attempt to emotionally portray the individual. I hope that each of the paintings transcends the outlandish costume and can be seen as a real portrait of character. The costume being the first thing to catch the eye, and draw you in.

4. In each portrait you state that you aim to express a sense of “perseverance, love, and staying true to oneself.” ‪To depict this mantra, you portray unconventional subject matter in your work while simultaneously exposing their non-conformity to mainstream society.  How do you feel this duplicity is perceived?

The friends that became the inspiration for this work inspired me because they were willing to dress in the manner that could draw attention and therefore critique a judgment of themselves. To do so, is to risk rejection with the desire to stay true to ones self. This attitude is one I can relate to as an artist whose style is not the mainstream modernist aesthetic. It takes perseverance to hold to ones ideals.

5. Your portraits seem to really connect with the viewer in  relaying a sense of intimacy and privacy in which the subject  appears to invite you into their own very unique and personal  space.  How do you create and channel this sense of intimacy in  your portrayal of these subjects?

I hope my paintings do this. It is hard to say how exactly I achieve it, but  my goal is to convey an emotional state. Although my technique may seem  to be about verisimilitude the real aim for me of accuracy is to convey  character and feeling.

6. The title of the collection “Fur and Feathers,” evokes an  immediate sense of otherness, naturism, and primitivism that is often subverted within elite art circles.  How do you deal with this interaction and com-modification in a way that gives agency to the subjects portrayed?

“Fur and Feathers” alludes to the aesthetic of Burning Man that is tribal, primitive, and also a bit heroic. Meaning the antithesis of minimalism. Part of what inspired me about the Burning Man was people’s willingness to express an aesthetic through a sense of tribalism or steam punk that went against the standard, modernist, stream line, and what I see as conformist in currentcontemporary art world. I see a lot of conformism when I look at the Chelsea art scene. For me art is suppose to be about creativity and risk taking, so its ironic to see so much conformism in a world that is suppose to be about creativity, but which often critiques a more baroque aesthetic. I found the Burning Man aesthetic dared to break the current fashion trend for the sake of its own enjoyment.

Click here for more on Chris Pugliese

Van Arno, based out of Los Angeles, California, has progressed throughout the years as a pioneer of the contemporary art scene. Van’s work presents themes of mythology, folklore, self-identity, and pop culture, all of which shine its ways through the sculpted beautiful, often nude, figures he paints. Van’s artwork pushes the envelope of the contemporary art scene, and takes risk by emphasizing that more is always better.

Van’s current paintings present a softer tone, with lighter brush strokes, but still have the “Van Arno” dark and mysterious meaning to them. His works that will be shown are on women in english literature that have dominating themes of strong female identity, transition from dark to light, undying passionate love, and enlightenment. Van’s expertise is evident with his impressive eye catching artwork, imaginative subject matter, and the unique symbolism which characterizes and connects each piece.

Enjoy the sneak peak of photos!

For more on Van Arno, click here.

Van Arno’s website

"Dawn Warms the Cadaver Ophelia"

"Consumption Consumes Camille"

"Charlotte Bronte is Carried to Heaven by Morning Sickness"

"Hester Prynne Pricked"

The exhibition launched the gallery into full effect showcasing artists from the urban and contemporary art genres. The inaugural show featured works by established and emerging artists such as the Clayton Brothers, Kofie One, Erik Otto, Tim Biskup, Joshua Petker, Cheryl Molnar, Michael Page, David Bayus, David Grant, Lina María Rincón, Oliver Vernon, David Choong Lee, Henry Gunderson, Scott Hove, Robert Minervini, Jon Todd, APEX and Hush. The 3,000 square foot warehouse was packed with art lovers and connoisseurs of all kinds enjoying and absorbing the multifaceted exhibition.

Please visit Gallery 941Geary here!

Click here for more photos of the show

Myrtle Alley view of 941Geary

Robert Minervini's VLC (very large chandelier)

Checking out Robert Minervini's piece

Overview of the space

TOMORROW night, White Walls and The Shooting Gallery opens their new space with the debut show – A New Beginning:

Introducing 941 Geary, a pioneer exhibition space dedicated to artists and projects of cultural distinction contributing to the landscape of contemporary art. The 3,000 square foot converted warehouse offers a platform for artists to implement the environment to further enhance their vision and offer viewers a heightened experience of their work.

941 Geary’s debut show, A New Beginning, brings together the work of several emerging, mid-career and established artists working within  urban and contemporary art genres.  The exhibition features works by the Clayton Brothers, Kofie One, Mark Warren Jacques, Erik Otto, Tim Biskup, Joshua Petker, Cheryl Molnar, Michael Page, David Bayus, David Grant, Lina Marie Rincon, Oliver Vernon, David Choong Lee, Henry Gunderson, Scott Hove, Robert Minervini, Jon Todd and Hush.  The opening reception will be held on Saturday, June 26th, 2010 from 6-9pm. The exhibit will be on display through July 10th, 2010 and is free and open to the public.

-Hope to see you there!

Fahamu Pecou “Whirl Trade” @ Shooting Gallery

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