Interview with J. Shea

PDX Art interview with J. Shea



Did you always feel the call to be an artist ?

I've always enjoyed creating.......I studied illustration because I thought it might give me a better chance to work in the arts........that was my goal..............and still is.........make a living making art......weather its commercial.......personal........whatever......lock some skills in and
earn while being creative.........
after gigs in illustration.........sneaker design........puppet fabrication........and rock poster art, I began to focus more on my own ideas for personal art...........combining painting, sculpture, assemblage and installation........

Do you consider your self an urban artist and what is an urban artist?

no.....not really........i have done a fair amount street art in cities i've lived in..........but that kind of work i do is very subtle..........as i paint with brushes in lone corners of the city......its not like graffiti or wheat pasting ,where folks are "getting up" to be seen.......i just do little street paintings in my neighborhood.......you really have to look for them.......but its fun to go out at night and paint...........there's enough visual stimulation already with advertising.........sometimes when you see a little original painting mixed in.....it makes you smile.....i hope.....


urban artist.....? i always thought it was someone who had roots in graffiti...........or some other form of street art.........i know many artist's who consider themselves "post graph"....
and they are amazing painters..............though i've never heard them consider themselves "urban artist".......even though they still go out and paint at night.......i think a gallery curator came up with that label.............





Even though you paint beautifully I see that you like to work with sculpture ?

For the past few years I've been focused on "my style of sculpture"........combining assemblage, found objects and clay modeling........because I enjoy all those forms of art............and felt no one was really combining all those mediums...........i love painting too.........but its limiting in many ways.......i guess i want there to more dimension to my work.....plus the process in making the sculpture is alot more involved ............i really enjoy its process......


Where do you find the unique pieces for them?
I enjoy the process of scavenging through flea markets,thrift stores,and yard sales looking for junk........mostly old things.......broken and forgotten..........but they still have an essence of craft and quality to me.........maybe because most things made today are plastic and disposable....
made with no attention to detail or craftsmanship..............nothing is handed down like an old tool,toy or record .......its just thrown away.......


What inspires you?

These places I look also offer a form of inspiration of me.......much like museums,galleries,and art books.........but in order to find the real gems you have dig deep.........and get your hands dirty..........its like looking for great old records........you gotta dig through the crates.......they are not always sitting on top..............it takes a little work to find the good stuff...........inspiration is everywhere.........it comes in all forms........



You seem to prefer your sculpture as wall pieces?

My idea behind the wall hanging work is to open peoples minds to sculpture........most folks think that only collectors buy sculpture.......so I try to make people comfortable with sculpture.........and price it reasonably.........so folks can buy into the idea.........it can hang on a wall just like a painting......but theres a bit more to it dimensionally......I think sculpture gets a bad rap sometimes.........but its nice to make art that people can look at for while and see something new every time they take new look...........



You describe your Art as purely "analog", what do you mean by that
and do you see a need for artists to preserve historical art practices?

by "analog"..... i just mean.......its all "hand made"....with manual equipment.....i don't use computers as a tool in any of my work.......aside from the fillmore poster work ......i don't make prints.......or molds of pieces.........when you see one of my pieces its handmade by me.........and its one of kind........thats the way i perfer to work......in a studio with good natural light and with manual tools......computers programs are not for me...even with my illustration,sneaker design,& puppet work.......its all analog.......all hand drawn.......hand crafted..........


i feel its essential for artists to preserve historical art practices........the computer is an amazing tool........but it can make some young creatives very lazy.......we need to work at drawing.........color theory.......composition.......draftmenship..........the computer can't think for us..........its a tool to help us.......but we need to learn the foundations first and foremost..............and experiment and pass down the historic art practices............its vital for the future.......



Your Sculptures are more than decoration and seem to tell a story. What are the main concerns you are addressing?


i work in narratives.........each piece is a little story.........i create collections ......each collection has themes that vary.........


a lot of my work is sorting through junk and found objects to come up with an idea.........thats works within the collection theme.......


sometimes the objects are camouflaged........other times they are easily noticed........but still works within the narrative..........


my goal is to evoke a feeling..........of something very familiar from the past........but contemporary at the same time.......



What are the Ghosts that haunt your memory?

the "ghost's collection" was based on something i had been experiencing at the time.........a struggle with status....relationships........technology...society.... my art and its direction............


those pieces are personal narratives..........my way of dealing with those issues.......in my life at the time.........


i'm very fortunate to have my art as a release..........when many of us can not express ourselves in that form...........



What is ideologically an American and who's is an American in your eyes?

"American folk" was another collection of work i produced after a cross-country trip...........i've been fortunate through my design work to travel.....throughout asia.......europe........and central America..........but some of the most fascinating places i've visited are right here in this country.........the idea was to travel collecting
bits and pieces for new works........inspired by the trip.........and it was amazing.........but over the years.........our country is slowly becoming more homogenized....
and its breaking down cultures..........our idea of the small little town with the general store...... post office.......coffee shop... barbershop...... is disappearing......its becoming 7 eleven......target......kinkos.......gap.....supercuts...&..ikea..........the little run mom & pop shop is disappearing.......and the corporate shadow is covering everything.........its removing the individual spirit of the many cultures that this country is built on........


Americans are all around us........in my eyes they are the ones that keep an open mind.........and are not afraid to express their thoughts......
my favorites are the ones who rock their own style..........disregarding societies uniforms...........



You have lots of amazing artist friends. Is their a kind of Brother hood that looks out for each other and do you see your self as part of a silent or loud Art revolution?

i've been fortunate to meet and work with some amazing creatives.......over the years.......at one point a group of us met in one city and formed a small collective.......but its important for artists to support each other..........in numbers we have power........its also essential to collaborate with other creatives.........its how new idea's form.......and styles grow..........


i'm not sure about a revolution...but there is certainly a new movement of art happening......it's much more of an open playing field for exhibiting work.......when it used to be very limiting...........if your expertise was from the fields of illustration,graffiti,tattoo,sign painting,graphic design,pin striping,set design,etc.......it was never welcomed in a true gallery setting.........thats been changing over the last decade or so.........and new galleries have opened with new curators and new ideas towards art.........my work has been exhibited by a few of these curators & galleries.........and i've been fortunate .......but i'm certainly not one of the trail blazers of the movement............i'm just happy to exhibit work.......not long ago........it was extremely difficult to have a gallery exhibit your work.............i'm very thank full


What are your thoughts on commercial sponsorship?

i guess i never refer to it as sponsorship............i mean........i've always done commercial work........so when the fillmore commissions a poster,or a sneaker company wants some designs.........or a production company needs some puppets made..........its all work to me..........i hope its creative.........and not heavily art directed.....
but i take pride in my work.......and i get payed........every now and then........there is a sponsorship opportunity.........and if i have an opportunity to add my style of art and the company has good ethics...........i'm down...........scion is one company i enjoy working with.........they always let me rock my style..........they never art direct.....or ask me to paint or sculpt an automobile.........the love to foster creative expression..........and they are a great group of folks........they have been nothing but supportive of my personal art.............


What is your involvement with the Scion installation tour?
I lived in Los Angeles for 3 years and while I was exhibiting work at lab 101 gallery......... run by Freddi C........a great artist in her own right......I met her husband.........who worked for scion........so 2 years ago he asked if I could create a sculpture for the tour......with the theme........"it's a beautiful world" in mind.........for the 2007-2008 tour..........


this year they asked me to paint a self portrait.............for the tour..........they are an amazing group of curators @ scion.........they truly foster creative expression...........they pay you to create a piece for their tour.......which travels to 9 U.S. cities...........and ends in Los Angeles at their huge installation space..........where they auction off the work to a charity...........last year they picked Yoskay Yamamoto's and my charity "art from scrap" and raised 50 k for them..............pretty dope.......


they invite the artists to 3 shows a year as well.........Miami, during art Basel........NYC......and Los Angeles..........they even let me curate a show at their Los Angeles space which is 5000 sq. ft.....................scion is a great supporter of the arts........


the tour will be coming to Portland this year........during first Thursday in august @ igloo gallery and 2 adjoining galleries........my good friend Bryon Schroeder runs Igloo..........and it was scion's way to pay it back to artist run/supported galleries in Portland.........
for more info. on the tour.......check.....


http://www.scion.com/installation



What would make you happy to see happening in the World during your life time?



it would be nice to see our new leadership create some positive energy in this country again..........we are a country that is hated in many parts of the world.......


it would be nice to if we could all look after one another.........as a global community.........and work together to solve our problems........


hopefully we are moving in the right direction now.............


What other projects are you you into?
i'm not sure if i mentioned the fact that i own a coffee house with my girl keiko.......and we've been having art shows there since January.......

here is our little blog.......
http://www.pdxfinegrind.com


if you are in the portland area.........feel free to drop by and check it out.........
also
just wanted to let you know that tina from huntandgatherart.com in london re-posted this interview.........


http://www.huntandgatherart.com


tina is an old friend..........she is deeply emersed in the street art scene..........the pop surealism art scene........and the new underground movement.....


she's been running this blog for a few years now........and has run galleries in los angeles......barcelona and now london........


her book........'hunt and gather " will be released this fall........with art from 40 diverse creatives from around the world.......we'll be puting on a
launch and book signing event here in portland this winter for it........


just thought i'd fill you in......


j.




sincerely........

j.shea & keiko okuda



sincerely........


j.shea




thanks for your time


Richard