The main theme of the interview is how to balance your art with other interests.
One of Randy's questions: "It's hard for us to imagine now, but if the whole art-thing hadn't worked out very well for you, professionally, what might you have done instead?"
A: Scary thought. My only job skill was dishwashing. It was paint or starve. I was lucky to marry a woman who was thrifty and willing to go long stretches with no income. We figured we'd make it in art or die trying." Read the rest.
As a fellow Ann Arbor local, I've had the pleasure of seeing Randy Asplund's work on several occasions. He has a booth at the annual Kerrytown Bookfest. It's a time warp to look at his lovingly-crafted books and manuscripts.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing this! The insight is much more valuable than you know. I read this and I see a lot of myself there, and that tells me I must be doing something right!
ReplyDeleteThat was a beautiful and inspiring interview, and I loved your insights into the whys of art in general, illustration in particular, and maintaining a vigorous hunger for learning throughout one's life.
ReplyDeletethats a wonderful quote in your post! i think you have to have that kind of determination to be a full time artist.
ReplyDeletei've recently started working as a full time artist. and i can say that there are times when its terrifying, from finacial issues to stress it creates in relationships. but i can also say that i experiance joys and freedom on a daily basis that i would have never experianced working on a production line 9-5.
but i think if you can have a tough attitude like in your post, and your doing what you love, things have a wonderful way of working out!
Very helpful interview.
ReplyDeleteMaybe my favorite quote: "Now a lot of contemporary pop-cultural references are often lost on me, but I kind of enjoy being an alien on my own planet."
ReplyDeleteFantastic interview! I really liked the areas the interviewer covered. And great answers too.
ReplyDeleteConcerning the "4 Food Groups of many young genre artists," I think that these do in fact produce a lot of sameness a lot of the time. Especially design elements, which are repeated like crazy and often used as a crutch, though for understandable as well as lazy reasons. Follow enough artists online and it'll become apparent, I think.
Wonderful interview --great questions and insightful answers! I especially like your philosophy about art and life and hunger for knowledge. and value another thought you shared - "But I do believe it’s important for an artist to resist conventionalism of any kind. By conventionalism, I mean becoming enamored of the surface, and allowing the style to get in the way of the ideas and emotions that you’re trying to convey." and “…many people spend too much time thinking about procedures and techniques, and not enough about the universal ideas that should be driving them as artists.” Thanks for sharing as generously you do!
ReplyDeleteI read your blog post when it first came out, but today I circled back and read the full interview at your link. A most inspiring and welcome story, as so many of your contributions are! Thanks for all you do, James.
ReplyDelete(I have to get rid of my TV!)