Brian
What is your favorite art medium to work in, and why?
First of all its performance art. When I'm in costume and hamming it up for crowds I'm at my best. Improvisation is my bread and butter. I love to work that crowd and I really love making others laugh. I was a class clown in grade school so doing it as an adult was a natural progression. After that I love using Metal, Foam or Cardboard & Papermache to make BIG Sculptures. And Fabric, I love costuming. Making unique never before seen costumes is a blast. I designed a bumblebee costume that I wear several times a year (I wear it to beer festivals because you cant have beer without B-E-E). For now I do all this mostly for kinetic sculpture racing but have lots of art plans for when I retire from my regular job.
When did you first figure out that art was important to you?
I new I was meant to do art in 1998 when I built my first art body for the kinetic sculpture race in Humboldt Ca. Raised in a very conservative christian home, the only art I experienced was illustrations of bible stories. But I had a mom who liked to sew, knit and crochet and she taught that to me. So I made costumes for my GI Joes and other toys but it wasn't something that I got to serious about. It wasnt until I was in my late 20s and became part of a kinetic team that my artistic side started to blossom.
Who is your art mentor?
There were three, June Moxon, Ken Beidleman and Duane Flatmo. In the Arcata Kinetic Sculpture lab I learned how to express myself through art and it changed my life.
Finish this sentence: My art is my...
My art is BIG! Whether I'm making a sculpture or a costume, I make sure I an my costume(s) get noticed.
What advice would you offer someone just beginning their exploration of their own artistic self?
Do lots of different things. I started making costumes as a young man but didnt really embrace art as a hobby until I built a large sculpture. So try all kinds of art until you find your niche and know that you may have several different media that excite you. Art will free your soul.
Do you have a website or blog you would like us to link to?