thank you all so today I’m going to talk to you about a body of work I’ve been
to you about a body of work I’ve been
to you about a body of work I’ve been working on for about the past five or so
working on for about the past five or so
working on for about the past five or so years called occupants which you see
years called occupants which you see
years called occupants which you see here and it’s essentially sort of my
here and it’s essentially sort of my
here and it’s essentially sort of my reinterpretation or reimagining of a
reinterpretation or reimagining of a
reinterpretation or reimagining of a form of portraiture called occupational
form of portraiture called occupational
form of portraiture called occupational portraiture in which you see the
portraiture in which you see the
portraiture in which you see the subjects through the lens of their daily
subjects through the lens of their daily
subjects through the lens of their daily lives roles or professions before I get
lives roles or professions before I get
lives roles or professions before I get to the current work though I’m going to
to the current work though I’m going to
to the current work though I’m going to talk about some of my earliest
talk about some of my earliest
talk about some of my earliest influences and then some of the research
influences and then some of the research
influences and then some of the research I did into this genre and how those two
I did into this genre and how those two
I did into this genre and how those two things sort of came together to help
things sort of came together to help
things sort of came together to help sort of create this body work so first
sort of create this body work so first
sort of create this body work so first thing we go all the way back to the
thing we go all the way back to the
thing we go all the way back to the beginning like many children of the 80s
beginning like many children of the 80s
beginning like many children of the 80s Star Wars was sort of the first thing
Star Wars was sort of the first thing
Star Wars was sort of the first thing that kind of exploded my visual
that kind of exploded my visual
that kind of exploded my visual imagination I grew up in suburban rural
imagination I grew up in suburban rural
imagination I grew up in suburban rural Kentucky and I didn’t really have access
Kentucky and I didn’t really have access
Kentucky and I didn’t really have access to museums or art galleries the sort of
to museums or art galleries the sort of
to museums or art galleries the sort of art world wasn’t really part of the
art world wasn’t really part of the
art world wasn’t really part of the vocabulary my early life so popular
vocabulary my early life so popular
vocabulary my early life so popular culture was really the way I came to
culture was really the way I came to
culture was really the way I came to understand the sort of imaginative
understand the sort of imaginative
understand the sort of imaginative visual world and Star Wars like many
visual world and Star Wars like many
visual world and Star Wars like many young kids in that scenario was the
young kids in that scenario was the
young kids in that scenario was the first thing that really spoke to me so
first thing that really spoke to me so
first thing that really spoke to me so when I saw these movies at you know age
when I saw these movies at you know age
when I saw these movies at you know age six or seven I started sort of
six or seven I started sort of
six or seven I started sort of obsessively making drawings of these
obsessively making drawings of these
obsessively making drawings of these characters and also of my own characters
characters and also of my own characters
characters and also of my own characters that were basically kind of rip off of
that were basically kind of rip off of
that were basically kind of rip off of the star wars star wars world another
the star wars star wars world another
the star wars star wars world another thing I discovered early on in the small
thing I discovered early on in the small
thing I discovered early on in the small town I grew up in was that if you went
town I grew up in was that if you went
town I grew up in was that if you went to the magazine section of the grocery
to the magazine section of the grocery
to the magazine section of the grocery store you could also discover sort of a
store you could also discover sort of a
store you could also discover sort of a wider world of pop culture and I became
wider world of pop culture and I became
wider world of pop culture and I became a fan of Mad Magazine I like the way
a fan of Mad Magazine I like the way
a fan of Mad Magazine I like the way they would take figures from popular
they would take figures from popular
they would take figures from popular culture like Yoda for example and sort
culture like Yoda for example and sort
culture like Yoda for example and sort of tinker with him poke fun of them sort
of tinker with him poke fun of them sort
of tinker with him poke fun of them sort of satirize them is I got a little older
of satirize them is I got a little older
of satirize them is I got a little older I got very into baseball cards kind of
I got very into baseball cards kind of
I got very into baseball cards kind of like the Star Wars action figures I like
like the Star Wars action figures I like
like the Star Wars action figures I like the way that they were sort of uniform
the way that they were sort of uniform
the way that they were sort of uniform they were all the same but if you looked
they were all the same but if you looked
they were all the same but if you looked at each one they were also
at each one they were also
at each one they were also Oh syncretic the uniforms were different
Oh syncretic the uniforms were different
Oh syncretic the uniforms were different the poses were different the colors were
the poses were different the colors were
the poses were different the colors were different they ultimately sort of all
different they ultimately sort of all
different they ultimately sort of all fit into one specific design again I
fit into one specific design again I
fit into one specific design again I liked sort of versions of popular
liked sort of versions of popular
liked sort of versions of popular culture that would tinker with and
culture that would tinker with and
culture that would tinker with and establish format and sort of poke fun at
establish format and sort of poke fun at
establish format and sort of poke fun at it garbage pail kids would take a format
it garbage pail kids would take a format
it garbage pail kids would take a format like the baseball card and satirize it
like the baseball card and satirize it
like the baseball card and satirize it so early on all of those things were
so early on all of those things were
so early on all of those things were sort of swimming around in my young head
sort of swimming around in my young head
sort of swimming around in my young head and recently I discovered this drawing i
and recently I discovered this drawing i
and recently I discovered this drawing i did when i was ten years old I’d
did when i was ten years old I’d
did when i was ten years old I’d completely forgotten that I made it this
completely forgotten that I made it this
completely forgotten that I made it this was published in my local newspaper when
was published in my local newspaper when
was published in my local newspaper when I was a kid and what you see here if you
I was a kid and what you see here if you
I was a kid and what you see here if you look closely it’s actually George
look closely it’s actually George
look closely it’s actually George Washington he’s got his George
Washington he’s got his George
Washington he’s got his George Washington haircut he’s got his Ascot
Washington haircut he’s got his Ascot
Washington haircut he’s got his Ascot but he’s dressed up like a skateboarder
but he’s dressed up like a skateboarder
but he’s dressed up like a skateboarder with his flip hat checkered shorts and
with his flip hat checkered shorts and
with his flip hat checkered shorts and his Chuck Taylors so seeing this image
his Chuck Taylors so seeing this image
his Chuck Taylors so seeing this image and you know again I’d completely
and you know again I’d completely
and you know again I’d completely forgotten that i did it and sort of
forgotten that i did it and sort of
forgotten that i did it and sort of struck me like a thunderbolt first to
struck me like a thunderbolt first to
struck me like a thunderbolt first to see just how much those early things
see just how much those early things
see just how much those early things influenced me that I spoke of earlier
influenced me that I spoke of earlier
influenced me that I spoke of earlier but also to see the degree to which an
but also to see the degree to which an
but also to see the degree to which an image like this that I drew when I was
image like this that I drew when I was
image like this that I drew when I was ten still sort of presents itself in the
ten still sort of presents itself in the
ten still sort of presents itself in the work I make now as I got to be a
work I make now as I got to be a
work I make now as I got to be a teenager my sort of pop culture
teenager my sort of pop culture
teenager my sort of pop culture obsession kind of laser focused into the
obsession kind of laser focused into the
obsession kind of laser focused into the realm of music and kind of like baseball
realm of music and kind of like baseball
realm of music and kind of like baseball cards before the album cover became a
cards before the album cover became a
cards before the album cover became a format that I was similarly obsessed
format that I was similarly obsessed
format that I was similarly obsessed with album covers were all the same but
with album covers were all the same but
with album covers were all the same but they were all different they had to fit
they were all different they had to fit
they were all different they had to fit into a certain format they tended to be
into a certain format they tended to be
into a certain format they tended to be a portrait of the artist but those
a portrait of the artist but those
a portrait of the artist but those individual qualities of each artist were
individual qualities of each artist were
individual qualities of each artist were sort of brought forth in each individual
sort of brought forth in each individual
sort of brought forth in each individual album cover so here you can see some of
album cover so here you can see some of
album cover so here you can see some of my early works and I think what you’ll
my early works and I think what you’ll
my early works and I think what you’ll see is it’s like all those early
see is it’s like all those early
see is it’s like all those early influences sort of or put in a cauldron
influences sort of or put in a cauldron
influences sort of or put in a cauldron swirled around and these images speak to
swirled around and these images speak to
swirled around and these images speak to a lot of those influences I think
a lot of those influences I think
a lot of those influences I think sometimes the first decade or so of your
sometimes the first decade or so of your
sometimes the first decade or so of your making as you become an artist is really
making as you become an artist is really
making as you become an artist is really just about processing your
just about processing your
just about processing your influences establishing what format you
influences establishing what format you
influences establishing what format you want to work in figuring out how things
want to work in figuring out how things
want to work in figuring out how things work technically and at the end of this
work technically and at the end of this
work technically and at the end of this period I’d sort of established that some
period I’d sort of established that some
period I’d sort of established that some sort of alternative form of portraiture
sort of alternative form of portraiture
sort of alternative form of portraiture was the thing that I wanted to do and
was the thing that I wanted to do and
was the thing that I wanted to do and pursue but I also wanted to figure out a
pursue but I also wanted to figure out a
pursue but I also wanted to figure out a way to kind of unify it and bring it all
way to kind of unify it and bring it all
way to kind of unify it and bring it all together in a fashion that might make
together in a fashion that might make
together in a fashion that might make some sort of a broader statement so I
some sort of a broader statement so I
some sort of a broader statement so I had to really kind of investigate what
had to really kind of investigate what
had to really kind of investigate what was it about portraiture that interested
was it about portraiture that interested
was it about portraiture that interested me and I came to kind of a paradoxical
me and I came to kind of a paradoxical
me and I came to kind of a paradoxical conclusion which was I was fascinated
conclusion which was I was fascinated
conclusion which was I was fascinated with this genre of portraiture but I
with this genre of portraiture but I
with this genre of portraiture but I wasn’t interested in individuals you
wasn’t interested in individuals you
wasn’t interested in individuals you know I didn’t want to bring my friend
know I didn’t want to bring my friend
know I didn’t want to bring my friend over to the house and put them next to
over to the house and put them next to
over to the house and put them next to the window and try to sort of capture
the window and try to sort of capture
the window and try to sort of capture their individual essence the way the
their individual essence the way the
their individual essence the way the light was hitting them I was interested
light was hitting them I was interested
light was hitting them I was interested in all the sort of peripheral things I
in all the sort of peripheral things I
in all the sort of peripheral things I was interested in archetype the
was interested in archetype the
was interested in archetype the symbology of portraiture the clothing
symbology of portraiture the clothing
symbology of portraiture the clothing the settings the objects that surrounded
the settings the objects that surrounded
the settings the objects that surrounded the figures and I thought okay there’s
the figures and I thought okay there’s
the figures and I thought okay there’s this paradox in terms of the way I
this paradox in terms of the way I
this paradox in terms of the way I approach portraiture maybe I could use
approach portraiture maybe I could use
approach portraiture maybe I could use this as an advantage rather than a
this as an advantage rather than a
this as an advantage rather than a deficiency so I took some time to
deficiency so I took some time to
deficiency so I took some time to research at first portraiture at large
research at first portraiture at large
research at first portraiture at large and then became aware that I was really
and then became aware that I was really
and then became aware that I was really interested in a sub-genre of portraiture
interested in a sub-genre of portraiture
interested in a sub-genre of portraiture what you might call occupational
what you might call occupational
what you might call occupational portraiture seeing people through the
portraiture seeing people through the
portraiture seeing people through the lens of their daily roles professions
lens of their daily roles professions
lens of their daily roles professions working lives I started to accumulate
working lives I started to accumulate
working lives I started to accumulate these images and sort of seek them out
these images and sort of seek them out
these images and sort of seek them out from lots of different sources and I
from lots of different sources and I
from lots of different sources and I realized there was a paradox about this
realized there was a paradox about this
realized there was a paradox about this work as well which was as you look at
work as well which was as you look at
work as well which was as you look at these images you can sort of discern a
these images you can sort of discern a
these images you can sort of discern a lot of information about these
lot of information about these
lot of information about these characters maybe something about their
characters maybe something about their
characters maybe something about their socio-economic situation maybe their
socio-economic situation maybe their
socio-economic situation maybe their geography maybe their place in history
geography maybe their place in history
geography maybe their place in history you can probably deduce certain things
you can probably deduce certain things
you can probably deduce certain things about their daily routines but the
about their daily routines but the
about their daily routines but the figures at the core ultimately sort of
figures at the core ultimately sort of
figures at the core ultimately sort of remain a mystery you don’t know anything
remain a mystery you don’t know anything
remain a mystery you don’t know anything about the personal lives you don’t know
about the personal lives you don’t know
about the personal lives you don’t know what their favorite book is what their
what their favorite book is what their
what their favorite book is what their favorite musician is so these images in
favorite musician is so these images in
favorite musician is so these images in a sense
a sense
a sense had sort of a mask like quality and they
had sort of a mask like quality and they
had sort of a mask like quality and they also presented a paradox so I thought
also presented a paradox so I thought
also presented a paradox so I thought okay here’s to paradoxes to interest me
okay here’s to paradoxes to interest me
okay here’s to paradoxes to interest me in terms of portraiture maybe I can
in terms of portraiture maybe I can
in terms of portraiture maybe I can continue to consider that and sort of
continue to consider that and sort of
continue to consider that and sort of filter that into my own work soon into
filter that into my own work soon into
filter that into my own work soon into my research I became familiar with the
my research I became familiar with the
my research I became familiar with the work of august sander who is an early
work of august sander who is an early
work of august sander who is an early 20th century german photographer and he
20th century german photographer and he
20th century german photographer and he essentially made his entire life work
essentially made his entire life work
essentially made his entire life work the pursuit of the Occupational portrait
the pursuit of the Occupational portrait
the pursuit of the Occupational portrait he went all throughout Germany and just
he went all throughout Germany and just
he went all throughout Germany and just found hundreds of subjects which he
found hundreds of subjects which he
found hundreds of subjects which he photographed in the context of their
photographed in the context of their
photographed in the context of their daily occupations and I thought ok
daily occupations and I thought ok
daily occupations and I thought ok here’s someone that really made an
here’s someone that really made an
here’s someone that really made an entire life’s work out of this maybe I
entire life’s work out of this maybe I
entire life’s work out of this maybe I could pursue a similar project but sort
could pursue a similar project but sort
could pursue a similar project but sort of filter it through the aesthetic that
of filter it through the aesthetic that
of filter it through the aesthetic that I’ve developed from the early influences
I’ve developed from the early influences
I’ve developed from the early influences that I had already started to sort of
that I had already started to sort of
that I had already started to sort of seek out in the first ten years of my
seek out in the first ten years of my
seek out in the first ten years of my making work so here you see one of the
making work so here you see one of the
making work so here you see one of the first attempts of me sort of trying to
first attempts of me sort of trying to
first attempts of me sort of trying to establish this occupational portrait
establish this occupational portrait
establish this occupational portrait format and what you see is the subject
format and what you see is the subject
format and what you see is the subject the hunter in the sort of clothing the
the hunter in the sort of clothing the
the hunter in the sort of clothing the object several signifiers in a setting
object several signifiers in a setting
object several signifiers in a setting that speak to that occupation it sort of
that speak to that occupation it sort of
that speak to that occupation it sort of suggests some of the earlier aesthetics
suggests some of the earlier aesthetics
suggests some of the earlier aesthetics I had established in some of my earlier
I had established in some of my earlier
I had established in some of my earlier painting but to me it felt a little bit
painting but to me it felt a little bit
painting but to me it felt a little bit too conventional it felt like I was sort
too conventional it felt like I was sort
too conventional it felt like I was sort of rehashing this sort of sub-genre
of rehashing this sort of sub-genre
of rehashing this sort of sub-genre rather than taking it to a different
rather than taking it to a different
rather than taking it to a different place so I decided I should ditch the
place so I decided I should ditch the
place so I decided I should ditch the settings I should stop thinking about
settings I should stop thinking about
settings I should stop thinking about these as circumstances you might
these as circumstances you might
these as circumstances you might actually encounter in real life but
actually encounter in real life but
actually encounter in real life but maybe the sort of human form can almost
maybe the sort of human form can almost
maybe the sort of human form can almost be sort of like a surface that I’m just
be sort of like a surface that I’m just
be sort of like a surface that I’m just building symbols on and that might free
building symbols on and that might free
building symbols on and that might free me up to take it to a different place
me up to take it to a different place
me up to take it to a different place and once I did that they started to
and once I did that they started to
and once I did that they started to become more sort of overtly symbolic
become more sort of overtly symbolic
become more sort of overtly symbolic more bizarre more humorous in some cases
more bizarre more humorous in some cases
more bizarre more humorous in some cases and they just really allowed me the
and they just really allowed me the
and they just really allowed me the freedom to go in lots of different
freedom to go in lots of different
freedom to go in lots of different directions while still maintaining this
directions while still maintaining this
directions while still maintaining this very sort of specific format so once
very sort of specific format so once
very sort of specific format so once I had established that method of working
I had established that method of working
I had established that method of working i was sort of often running what you see
i was sort of often running what you see
i was sort of often running what you see here our paintings that are actually
here our paintings that are actually
here our paintings that are actually made from real life models I the way I
made from real life models I the way I
made from real life models I the way I construct these actually take a
construct these actually take a
construct these actually take a mannequin bust and I accumulate lots of
mannequin bust and I accumulate lots of
mannequin bust and I accumulate lots of objects that speak to any given
objects that speak to any given
objects that speak to any given occupation for the subject of the
occupation for the subject of the
occupation for the subject of the painting now some of them I just sort of
painting now some of them I just sort of
painting now some of them I just sort of encounter in my daily life sometimes
encounter in my daily life sometimes
encounter in my daily life sometimes I’ll seek out objects on ebay and I’ll
I’ll seek out objects on ebay and I’ll
I’ll seek out objects on ebay and I’ll bring all of these sort of symbolic
bring all of these sort of symbolic
bring all of these sort of symbolic objects together and start to cover up
objects together and start to cover up
objects together and start to cover up the form of the model until it becomes
the form of the model until it becomes
the form of the model until it becomes this sort of mask like creature now some
this sort of mask like creature now some
this sort of mask like creature now some of these objects speak very specifically
of these objects speak very specifically
of these objects speak very specifically to the symbolism of the occupation but
to the symbolism of the occupation but
to the symbolism of the occupation but some of them I started to find I just
some of them I started to find I just
some of them I started to find I just needed to incorporate to hold these
needed to incorporate to hold these
needed to incorporate to hold these models together so you start to see
models together so you start to see
models together so you start to see strings ribbons pieces of cloth and it’s
strings ribbons pieces of cloth and it’s
strings ribbons pieces of cloth and it’s that started to happen I just let that
that started to happen I just let that
that started to happen I just let that sort of become part of the language of
sort of become part of the language of
sort of become part of the language of the pieces when I first started this
the pieces when I first started this
the pieces when I first started this project I didn’t really know how to
project I didn’t really know how to
project I didn’t really know how to approach meaning sometimes when you
approach meaning sometimes when you
approach meaning sometimes when you start a big undertaking you’re just
start a big undertaking you’re just
start a big undertaking you’re just trying to deal with all the
trying to deal with all the
trying to deal with all the practicalities and meaning is something
practicalities and meaning is something
practicalities and meaning is something that sort of arrives later so it wasn’t
that sort of arrives later so it wasn’t
that sort of arrives later so it wasn’t until about two years three years into
until about two years three years into
until about two years three years into this project that I started to have
this project that I started to have
this project that I started to have ideas about the meaning of this work now
ideas about the meaning of this work now
ideas about the meaning of this work now I don’t necessarily think I’m an
I don’t necessarily think I’m an
I don’t necessarily think I’m an authority on the meaning I think anytime
authority on the meaning I think anytime
authority on the meaning I think anytime you’re making creative work meaning
you’re making creative work meaning
you’re making creative work meaning exists somewhere between the maker and
exists somewhere between the maker and
exists somewhere between the maker and the audience in that space and
the audience in that space and
the audience in that space and interaction between the two but I have
interaction between the two but I have
interaction between the two but I have start to sort of develop some ideas
start to sort of develop some ideas
start to sort of develop some ideas about the meaning of these I think on
about the meaning of these I think on
about the meaning of these I think on some level they are about that
some level they are about that
some level they are about that negotiation between revealing aspects of
negotiation between revealing aspects of
negotiation between revealing aspects of yourself and concealing aspects of
yourself and concealing aspects of
yourself and concealing aspects of yourself when you are entering into the
yourself when you are entering into the
yourself when you are entering into the sort of professional adult daily routine
sort of professional adult daily routine
sort of professional adult daily routine sort of working world I think on some
sort of working world I think on some
sort of working world I think on some level they’re also about some of the
level they’re also about some of the
level they’re also about some of the absurdities of the conventions and
absurdities of the conventions and
absurdities of the conventions and conformities that we have to contend
conformities that we have to contend
conformities that we have to contend with when we’re entering into that world
with when we’re entering into that world
with when we’re entering into that world as well I think on some level
as well I think on some level
as well I think on some level they’re about the desire to belong but
they’re about the desire to belong but
they’re about the desire to belong but more than anything else I sort of think
more than anything else I sort of think
more than anything else I sort of think they’re about the kind of never-ending
they’re about the kind of never-ending
they’re about the kind of never-ending improvisational idiosyncratic
improvisational idiosyncratic
improvisational idiosyncratic construction of the version of ourselves
construction of the version of ourselves
construction of the version of ourselves that we want the world to understand and
that we want the world to understand and
that we want the world to understand and absorb that’s sort of a lifelong process
absorb that’s sort of a lifelong process
absorb that’s sort of a lifelong process and you might also call it a work in
and you might also call it a work in
and you might also call it a work in progress thank you all
progress thank you all
progress thank you all [Applause]
”
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