Artist Interview: Stephen B. MacInnis

This interview is with Prince Edward Island artist, Stephen B. MacInnis. Parts of the process MacInnis enjoys most are the "history of the accidents that occur" along with the "ghost images" that sometimes appear will working on multiple layered paintings. Catch some of the thinking that went into titling his ongoing "Long Series" and how studying art can bring a creative freedom. Listen below for more!

 Long Series #1334

12" x 12"

mixed media on paper

 Long Series #1385 with Phillip J. Mellen

12" x 12"

mixed media on paper

 Long Series #1425

12" x 12"

mixed media on paper

 Long Series #1438

12" x 12"

mixed media on paper

 Long Series Confederation Centre of the Arts

 Long Series Arch Series. Painting Too, Nottingham

MacInnis' studio

The artist's website: Stephen B. MacInnis

Audio interview with the artist:

Artists etc. mentioned in the interview:

Henry Purdy

Nigel Roe

Russell Stewart

James Kalm Report

Gorky's Granddaughter

Joan Miro

David Manley

Andrew Parkinson

Rachael Pinks

Clay Smith

Proto Gallery

Pablo Picasso

Robert Rauschenberg

MacInnis' "Have you met...?" Series

Patrick Herron

Lori Ellison

Sarah Saunders

Brian Edmonds

Curating Contemporary

(Original intro song by David T Miller and Phillip J. Mellen. Outro music by Ani DiFranco and Utah Phillips)

Artist Interview: Ashley Garrett

Ahtcast talks with painter, Ashley Garrett, for this interview. You will discover great descriptions of experiences that are both universal and specific in their private nature. To Garrett, art making is the tapping into the "energy and/or space that hovers around us all the time." It brings us together, both artist and non-artist. According to Garrett, there may be no such thing as 'non-artist.' 
Her work needs no sketch, because it would "take away the mystery and drain the energy of the discovery." Learn the inner workings of her process and how listening to creative impulses can keep one on the right track to being present and "aware." Listen below for more! (some strong language).

The above text becomes part of the conversation...

 3pm, 2013, oil on canvas, 30 x 36 in.

 Flood, 2013, oil on canvas, 36 x 34 in.

 Jelly, 2013, oil on canvas, 16 x 20 in.

 Eaves, 2013, oil on canvas, 38 x 34 in.

Martingale, 2013, oil on canvas, 16 x 20 in. 

The artist's website: Ashley Garrett



Audio interview with the artist:

Ashley Garrett in her studio

 Artists etc. mentioned in the talk:

Janice Nowinski

Mark Dutcher

Kyle Staver

Willem de Kooning 

Philip Guston

Chaim Soutine

Rene Magrittte

Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov

James Joyce

Lucio Pozzi 
Farrell Brickhouse
Peter Acheson
Julian Pretto
Duccio di Buoninsegna

  Giotto di Bondone
 Painters' Table
Hyperallergic
Gorky's Granddaughter
The Flaming Lips song: The Spiderbite Song

 ROCK EDGE, PALISADES, 1953

 Oil on canvas, 19 ¾ x 22 ⅞ inches

by Edwin Dickinson

 Still Life, 1949

by Giorgio Morandi 

Below are two quotes I shared in the conversation:


 "I come into the studio very fearfully. I creep in to see what happened the night before. And the feeling is one of, 'My God, did I do that?'" -Philip Guston

"A painting is never finished. It simply stops in interesting places" 
- Paul Gardener

Below is a text read by Ashley Garrett in the interview:

"Unmarked Boxes," Rumi

Don't grieve.
Anything you lose comes round in another form.
The child weaned from mother's milk now drinks wine and honey mixed.
God's joy moves from unmarked box to unmarked box, from cell to cell.
As rainwater, down into flowerbed.
As roses, up from ground.
Now it looks like a plate of rice and fish, now a cliff covered with vines, now a horse being saddled. It hides within these, till one day it cracks them open.
Part of the self leaves the body when we sleep and changes shape.
You might say, Last night I was a cypress tree, a small bed of tulips, a field of grapevines.
Then the phantasm goes away.
You are back in the room.
I don't want to make anyone fearful. Hear what's behind what I say.
Tatatumtum tatum tatadum. 
There is the light gold of wheat in the sun and the gold of bread made from that wheat.
I have neither.
I am only talking about them, as a town in the desert looks up at stars on a clear night.

  

(Original intro song by David T Miller and Phillip J. Mellen. Outro music by Ani DiFranco and Utah Phillips)

Artist Interview: Matt Schaefer

"There's no place for being careful when making art." This episode is with Rapid City, South Dakota artist, Matt Schaefer. Schaefer's beginnings with art worked in tandem with playing music. Painting shortly took over his focus and his unique ways of studying art history was born. He let's you in on his thoughts over an important artist that has let him down. He also share's his feelings on planning as it relates to process. Listen below for more! (Some strong language)

 24" x 37" Mixed Media on Paper

  24" x 37" Mixed Media on Paper

  24" x 37" Mixed Media on Paper

 24" x 37" Mixed Media on Paper

 Artist, Matt Schaefer

Artist's etc. mentioned in the interview:

Robert Rauschenberg

Mark Rothko

Vincent van Gogh

Nirvana

Black Flag

Joan Mitchell

Alberto Burri

Barnett Newman

Walker Art Center

Piet Mondrian

Anselm Kiefer

John Cage

Brice Marden

Willem de Kooning

Jean-Michel Basquait

Marcel Duchamp

Jerry Saltz

(Original intro song by David T Miller and Phillip J. Mellen. Outro music by Ani DiFranco and Utah Phillips)

Artist Interview: Marion Lane

California based artist, Marion Lane, joins ahtcast and reveals aspects of her process and practice. Lane's philosophy on working is as fluid as her paintings would suggest. Highly experimental techniques, that didn't develop overnight, are executed in a masterful way. Listen in as we discuss the importance of the internet and building and supporting an artist community for oneself. Interesting takes on creative block and letting the process naturally unfold are also part of this episode. Listen below for more! 

 Untitled
24 in square
acrylic on panel 2012

 Well Hello Kitty Cat
46 in square
acrylic on panel 2013

 Sunset Alley Tamale
46 in square 

acrylic on panel 2013

Wild West

 Acrylic on Panel

 46 in. square 2013

The artist's website: Marion Lane

Audio interview with the artist:

Artist quote that Marion Lane would like to share:

"Painting is paint on a flat surface.
Nothing more nothing less.
Make something happen there, I dare you." 

-artist statement by Doug Edge 2013

Below is an exceptional video detailing Lane's process as she works. You will notice the skillful way the paint is handled and even get some nice glimpses into the mysterious techniques used. Worth watching:

Lane would like to thank the community of artists in Los Angeles, as well as the community of artists on-line that she has connected with.

(Original intro song by David T Miller and Phillip J. Mellen. Outro music by Ani DiFranco and Utah Phillips)

Artist Interview: Julie Torres, Brian Edmonds: Artist as Curator

To curate. To collaborate. To D.I.Y. Join ahtcast in this conversation with Julie Torres and Brian Edmonds. Both artists and curators etc. In this episode, they have shared the details of their experiences in curating along with a bit about their other projects and things on the horizon. Listen in as we are taken into how their respective projects have come together via connecting with other artists, both at home and abroad. Torres and Edmonds continue to delight with their projects and show no signs of an end in sight. Artists that curate. 
I hope that you enjoy this episode as much as I have. Listen in below!

Julie Torres collaborating with Justine Frischmann in San Rafael

(photo: Justine Frischmann)

 Brian Edmonds in his studio

Julie Torres and Brian Edmonds in Conversation:

*UPDATE: For info on "Do It Yourself" B.O.S. 2014, 10 exhibitions under one roof, curated by artists from around the U.S. and organized by Julie Torres, please visit this link: Do It Yourself BOS 2014

Projects by Julie Torres:

W.I.L.A.Y. 2013 coverage on Paul Behnke's blog, Structure and Imagery: W.I.L.A.Y. 2013 

Julie Torres' website: Julie Torres 

Projects by Brian Edmonds:

Curating Contemporary

Brian Edmonds' website: Brian Edmonds 

Artists etc. mentioned in the conversation:

Jason Andrew, Norte Maar

Joy Curtis, Mike Olin, Pioneers of Inspration

Paul D'Agostino, Centotto

Curating Contemporary

Neon Sky (web hosting)

John Elderfield 

Julian Schnabel

"Heroes" at Small Black Door: Covered by James Kalm Rough Cut on YouTube

T. J. Donovan

Sabine Tress

Paul Behnke

Vincent Hawkins

Karl Bielek

Inga Dalrymple

Fred Valentine

Valentine Gallery

Julie Alexander

Soil Gallery 

and coming soon:

Curating Contemporary Projects by Brian Edmonds

Works by the guests:

Julie Torres
Untitled, 18x14 Acrylic on Canvas  

Ground Floor Gallery 2013

(photo courtesy Anne Russinof)

 Brian Edmonds

Morning Lightning (2013)  

36 x 36 in. 

Acrylic, paint stick, and pastel on board

W.I.L.A.Y. BOS 2013 participating artists at Imogen Holloway

(photo by Lorna Milburn)

(Original intro song by David T Miller and Phillip J. Mellen)

Artist Interview: Tim McFarlane

This interview is with Philadelphia based artist, Tim McFarlane. In the interview, McFarlane mentions how he discovered art in High-School and the effect it had on him. He also describes his process, in detail, and how the computer is sometimes a part of his practice. Dealing with creative block is also part of the discussion and how he has come to accept that taking a day away from the studio can bring a "fresh perspective" when returning to work. McFarlane also shares his personal 'mantra' for when studio life needs a recharge. Have a listen below for more!

  "Deer In The Headlights", 2013, acrylic on panel, 24" x 30"

 "Fragment (blue shadow)', 2013, acrylic on panel, 16" x 20"

 "Little Universe (night pond)", 2013, acrylic on panel, 16" x 20"

 "Pink Mirror", 2012, acrylic on panel, 36" x 36"

"Small Grey Mirror", 2013, acrylic on panel, 16" x 20"

The artist's website:  Tim McFarlane

Audio Interview with the artist:

 

 Tim McFarlane in his studio

Artists etc. mentioned in the interview:

EC (previous ahtcast guest)

David Carson

Richard Diebenkorn

Richard Serra

Christopher Wool

Susan Rothenberg

Philip Guston

Caravaggio 

(podcast intro/outro music by Ani Difranco and Utah Phillips)

Artist Interview: EC

London based artist, EC joins ahtcast for this interview. We discuss the value of preliminary work and all of it's different forms. EC also talks about the beginnings of a painting and how "automatic writing" plays a big part of the initial marks on the canvas. Responding intuitively and improvisation are important to EC's process as well. Some great quotes shared in this one! Listen below for more.

   

UNTITLED (HIS WORDS NOT MINE), Ink on canvas, 

60 x 80 cm’s, (23"x31") EC 2013

UNTITLED (SOTTO), Acrylic, Gesso, Spray paint, 

60 x 80 cm’s, (23"x31") EC 2013

UNTITLED (Toward Splitting), Acrylic & ink on canvas, 

52 x 41 cm’s, (20"x16") EC 2013

 Untitled, Acrylic, oil-based household paints, oil & permanent marker on cotton, 123 x 153 cm’s, (48"x60") EC 2012

Untitled, Oil, oil-based household paint, oil stick, acrylic & spray paint on cotton 123 x 92 cm’s approx, (48"x36") EC 2012

The artist's website: EC

Audio interview with the artist:

EC's studio

Artists etc. mentioned in the interview:

Stephen B. MacInnis "Have you met...?" Series

Mark Rothko

Pablo Picasso

Piero della Francesca 

Francisco Goya

Raphael

Giotto

 Josef Albers 

 Barnett Newman

Clyford Still

Robert Motherwell

Lee Krasner

Jackson Pollock

Frank Stella

Ad Reinhardt

Roger Hilton

Forrest Bess

Alfredo Volpi
 Jannis Kounellis

Robert Ryman

Agnes Martin

Milton Avery

Rudolf Arnheim

Carl Jung

A couple of the quotes shared in the interview:

"The profoundest order is revealed in what is most casual." 

– 
Fairfield Porter

 "I come into the studio very fearfully. I creep in to see what happened the night before. And the feeling is one of, ‘My God, did I do that?’"--Philip Guston

(intro/outro music by Ani DiFranco and Utah Phillips) 

Artist Interview: Suzanne Laura Kammin

Suzanne Laura Kammin, a Newark, New Jersey based artist, takes us into her process and thoughts on being a painter who likes to play with the reversal of figure ground only to flip it back again. Suzanne talks about the processes she uses to "eliminate the anxiety of destroying a work." She also speaks of her highly experimental past and what enjoying both representational and abstract painting can do to one's process. Listen below for more.

Lowrider

2013; oil on panel; 36 inches by 36 inches

Many Happy Returns  2013; oil on panel; 36 inches by 36 inches

Rocket's Blast

2013; oil on panel; 40 inches x 40 inches

Rudder

2013; oil on panel; 16 inches by 12 inches

Snake Charmer

2013; oil on panel; 16 inches by 16 inches

The Over Under

2012-2013; oil on panel; 20 inches by 56 inches (triptych)






The Artist's website: Suzanne Laura Kammin






Audio interview with the artist:

 Suzanne Laura Kammin in her studio

Artists etc. mentioned in the interview:

Jean Dubuffet

Edgar Degas

Willem de Kooning

Frank Nitsche

Neo Rauch

Andrew Baron

John Singer Sargent

 James McNeill Whistler

Jackson Pollock 

Carl Rogers

Bruce Samuelson

Alberto Giacometti

Notan Design

(intro/outro music by Ani DiFranco and Utah Phillips. Also appearing in this episode is the song: "The Shaping of a Helpless Joy" by Saxon Shore)