Elephant Room Gallery Blog

Interview with Delisha McKinney

1. What are your first memories of creating art?

I have memories as far back as being unborn. I can remember how I got my finger prints lol… from finger painting on the walls of my mother’s womb… and then carrying that same behavior to her apartment walls.

2. How has your work evolved over the years? Are there certain elements or intentions that have remained constant for you during your creative process?

I’ve evolved as a person and my work has been a reflection of that. My creative aesthetic is the same, but the subject matter has become profound with purpose. The blue bear, Hero, has remained a constant for me; representing resilience.

3. Many artists have certain rituals that they go through as they begin to work. It could be setting the mood with music, having tea, meditation, lighting, etc. Do you have any rituals connected to your art-making or things that help you get in the headspace to create? What are those things and how much do you rely on them to help you feel satisfied with your work?

Tea time is VERY important to my creative process. Good tea, lol. Strawberry matcha for breakfast, English breakfast for lunch, and a nice herbal tea for the evenings; as I sit quietly and look out a window. I love the process it takes to make a cup from loose tea and different components. It’s spiritual even. Keeps one grounded to the concept of time and quality.

4. Your work often includes child-like references and imagery. This makes your work feel relatable as we all remember our childhood and often can connect to one another regarding this common ground, whether the memories are positive or negative. What is it about that theme that influences you and how much does it relate to your life? As a mother, has this theme become more personal for you?

I sympathize with children. I wonder how confusing and hard it is on them to grow up in a world that doesn’t value their best interests. I also wonder what kind of world it would be if adults had that chance, when they were children, to be free. Being a mother has made that subject more personal for me, because I know that all they really want, is to be loved. Not beat, or abused, neglected, screamed at, shamed… just nurtured.

5. You have a solo exhibition coming up in March. There is so much to reflect on in what is happening in the world just over the past year. Do you feel this new body of work reflects your feelings and thoughts on that? If yes, how does it? As an artist, do you feel compelled to respond to current events or moods in your work?

I feel I’ve put all our problems into one box and categorized it as trauma. Plain and simple. Everyone is hurting from the decisions of our past, whether it happened 1,000 years ago, or yesterday. I don’t understand how we all live together just to make each other feel small. It’s stifling. So I create works to combat that.

6. What is this new body of work about and how does it differ from previous work?

The old work is my previous work, disguised as new work.

7. Some artists choose to embrace all reactions to their work, as artwork can mean different things to different people, while some artists are very intentional with how they want their work to be perceived. How important is it to you that viewers see your intentions behind the work? What are those intentions?

I feel as though my intentions are pretty straightforward, and I don’t mind if a person’s interpretation of my work are different from my own (art is therapy). Maybe they can see things I sometimes can’t. I believe my work is more about getting the viewer to feel something.

8. Your artwork seems to be getting more attention lately. Do you feel that you are on a trajectory towards continued recognition for your work? Does this at all affect the work you decide to create or how you share your work?

Yes! I want a long artistic career! I’ve had my entire life to think about what kind of mark I would like to leave, and I’ve been documenting it all along the way; a personal library of ideas, sketches, color-ways, and written stories; at my disposal. However, making it all make sense is another task. Sometimes I have to fill in the blanks in my sketch books but they guide me towards what’s next to create.

9. Who or what inspires you as you begin to sketch out your ideas?

Musicians inspire me! Fashion designers as well. I’m fascinated by the process in which they start an entire album, or create a full fashion line. I definitely take those processes into consideration when sketching.

10. What is next for Delisha McKinney?

A lot! lol The Creativity never ends.

“The Never Ends” solo exhibition by Delisha McKinney runs March 12th – April 10th, 2021 at Elephant Room Gallery in Chicago. The exhibition opens online and by viewing appointment only. For more details, visit the gallery’s website: www.elephantroomgallery.com

Interview with Cujo Dah for “A Quarantine Daydream”

How did you begin this body of work? What brought it about?

This body of work started with several sketches and ideas I thought could become really dope paintings. As the world dramatically shifted with Covid19, racial injustice, protests, etc, so did my thoughts about what I was painting. I wanted the work to create a space for people to stop and think about their place in the world. All while addressing issues like race, time, and the environment, without being overtly literal.

How do you arrive to the characters featured in your work? Your work has been described as both abstract and Afro-futuristic. Are the subjects in your pieces also influenced by these genres?

My subjects are basically Chicagoans. I love my city. We have a very unique style and way we move through life. I try to bring those qualities and vibrations into my characters and wrap them in a lot of culture and colors. The abstract pieces have a ton character as well. Similar to a galaxy or an atom they can be read as a unique source of energy/life.

What are the major differences between this body of work, A Quarantine Daydream and your previous works?

It’s been almost 10 years since I’ve had a solo showing. I have grown a tremendous amount as a person as well as an artist. The obvious differences would be the level of execution and the composition is much more structured and thought out. Another major difference is the relationship between the pieces of AQD. They are much stronger and function more as a complete unit than most previous bodies of work.

Who are some of your biggest/favorite artistic influences?

I like Kerry James Marshall, Chuck Close, Kara Walker, and a host of others. However, my favorite artists are the RK Crew Chicago.

How have those artists influenced the genres you work with and the pieces you create?

I don’t really know. I’m most likely a hodgepodge of several artists from various mediums and craft. I’m a student in general. I love art in all its glory and disfunction.

But, while in the studio, most of my biggest influences have been from my sketch book doodles, animations, movies, and random media. I try hard to stay in my own little bubble while creating. I really enjoy the freedom of allowing my mind to wander and thinking on the fly.

As someone who does a lot of collaborative and community-based artwork, how is your creative process different when you’re creating inside, on a more intimate scale, on canvas, etc.?

When I’m in the studio, it’s just me, it’s the ultimate freedom. I make the rules and control the tone. The only challenge is to extract thoughts and physically create what I imagine.

From the press release for AQD: “Due to the current state of events, many artists are reflecting on their work and how they can best respond to what is happening. Cujo Dah is revealing an introspective perspective which is both personal and universal.” Are there specific details in the work that stand as commentary on that introspection?

This set of characters are not focused on the viewer at all. Even the straight facing Abacus looks through you. Much like us they are all in their own world dealing with their own issues and tasks. With so much happening in the past few months, it would be an understatement to say people have a lot on their minds. This body of work reflects on thought space and thoughts in space. I wanted to try to capture those moments when your body stops moving and your mind drifts off.

What would you like viewers to recognize in this body of work?

I would like people to take a moment to seek out the unique stories of each piece and the relationships between all of them; the abstract paintings as well as the portraits.

What’s the best advice you’ve received on art or creating art that continues to influence the way you create today?

When you paint like you care, it will show through the work.

Is there any advice or recommendations you would give to artists who are inspired by your work and looking to get into abstract and Afro-futuristic genres?

No matter what style or genre, there is only one you. Always be you.

-interview written by Taylor Imel

‘A Quarantine Daydream’ – July 24th – August 22nd, 2020 at Elephant Room Gallery, Chicago

“Momma Raised a Fool; An Interview With Sentrock”

To kick off the opening of his solo sketch show, “Momma Raised a Fool”, I asked Sentrock a few questions about his newest body of work, the boy behind the bird mask, and his connection to youth arts in Chicago. (Pictured above: “Run A Muck” by Sentrock.)

Tell me about the title of the show, ‘Momma Raised a Fool.’ Where does it come from and how did it become the backbone of the show?

It was a play off the old phrase I’ve heard before “Momma didn’t raise no fool.” I felt like the way I was brought up– the environments and situations–defined my character. Like I went against the odds. If society made my community feel a certain way about our lifestyle, I just wanted to embrace that and show that our voices matter no matter if it seems foolish, that there is value there.

2. What can people expect from this show that they haven’t seen from you before? Why sketches? Why now?

People can expect an authentic display of an artist’s inspiration. Not the polished version or the large scale mural, but the source of where a lot of my ideas come from; the blueprint to my work. Sketches are the foundation to my work, they are what spark the next project or idea. I wanted to do this at this time because it gave me an opportunity to be vulnerable, be honest and step outside my “brand” for a moment.

3. In an interview with Sixty Inches From Center, you said you’ve been a long admirer of street art and that’s what influenced you to start practicing graffiti around age 14. Wildly impressive, by the way. How did you maneuver the large controversy surrounding street art at such a young age? Did you realize it, then? Did it shape the way you created?

Like I mentioned before, how I grew up shaped the lens I saw the world. My pops was in and out of jail and prison, my mom used to bang for her neighborhood, both didn’t graduate high school or go to college, so for me art was my escape. It was my freedom from certain paths I saw in front of me. The first time I got in trouble for graffiti in school, my mom went and got me a board to practice on. She basically said If I’m gonna do it, I might as well be good at it. The controversy from street art/graffiti seemed like an innocent child’s play compared to the stuff me and family saw and went through growing up in West Phoenix.

4. Let’s talk about the boy in the bird mask. He makes an appearance in almost every mural you’ve completed. From what I understand, he started as a nod to your home town of Phoenix— aka “Bird City”—and has grown to represent this idea that escape is possible. A monumental image for many young people in Chicago. What kind of responses have you gotten from the community? Have you started a movement? A brand? Maybe both?

It started off as me painting goofy street art-style birds. As a kid, I was just fascinated by birds– there were dogs and birds in the hood. I used to get chased by dogs and the birds were peaceful. I would look up and think how dope that was. Just to get away, whenever you wanted. I wanted to show the humanity behind the characters, so I made them into masks. I feel the masks are more like a superhero costume, but people have said they felt like someone was hiding behind the masks. I get an overwhelming response from the community because people can relate to the message, it’s almost like a symbol or an icon at this point. I started a visual narrative sharing this story and it has become a cultural brand.

6. I understand you came to Chicago and attended Columbia College for a period before branching out on your own. For young people who may not have the opportunity to attend college or trade, your story can be as inspiring as the boy in the bird mask. The message that roads to success look different for everyone. What was your thought process for taking the steps that you did? Why was it the right choice for you?

It’s about direction and projection; understand where you want to be and take steps to get there. I saw art school as a necessary step, maybe not the ONLY step but a step in the direction I wanted to go. There is no right or wrong in this, it’s just about finding what you want, giving yourself the momentum to get there.

7. Street art and graffiti is sometimes construed as a ‘crime’ when it’s a hobby, but an art form as a profession. That can be confusing for young, aspiring artists who want to pursue it. Is there any advice you can give them?

I can’t give moral advice. I can only facilitate or expose the next generation to finding what they need to say and how to say it. For me, I say what I feel in the moment, maybe that’s a mural, maybe it’s a tshirt design, a random wall, or maybe a room full of my sketches.

8. You’ve been involved with the National Museum of Mexican Art after school program and have taught art classes through CPS. Why is it important to you to work with Chicago youth? What has Chicago’s youth taught you? How has Chicago’s youth informed your work?

It’s an obligation I have. Someone came to my school as a kid and introduced me to art and mural painting. If that person didn’t come to my school at that time in my life, I’m really not sure I would be where I am today. Chicago culture has shown the value of art, my art and the art of the students. It’s not just a hobby but a necessity. It’s about the quality of life, Chicago has a history that has built a trail for a lot of creatives to travel on.

9. How has being ordered to stay off the streets impacted your art and your creative process?

I made all the sketches during this period. I guess it has allowed my introverted side to be embraced. I want to be outside but it’s giving me time to be introspective.

10. How have you been staying connected to the community during the COVID-19 crisis?

I try to give people opportunities to be a part of my art. Whether that means a mural about being “In This Together” or creating art for people to purchase during this time, it’s important. People are at home and need their home to feel like home. I am designing a few pieces of clothing wherein the profits will benefit local organizations, and also hosting a design contest for up and coming artists.

11. Do you think this crisis will alter the future of street art and graffiti? If so, how?

I really don’t know. I know a lot of murals and projects are on hold or have been canceled. I know on a street level, it’s going to create an angst to get out and communicate.

12. What has kept you happy during this time?

My studio. Being able to have a safe space to create. The community, supporting the artists, and supporting the gallery owners working with artists during this time. My wife, making me cappuccinos to keep me going. Seinfeld and The Office reruns.

“Momma Raised a Fool” will run May 16th-June 6th at the Elephant Room art gallery, 704 S. Wabash Ave. The health and safety of visitors to the gallery is important to us. The exhibition will only be open online, and in-person viewing appointments will become available once stay at home orders are lifted. Please go to our online shop to view the full exhibition and zines.

Interview by Taylor Imel, Gallery Assistant

“Seen and Unseen”, Newtok and Jennifer Cronin

“Seen and Unseen” takes a ‘detour’ from Cronin’s usual style of magical-meets-realism. Although she’s always precise, intricate and direct, current events in the call to action surrounding climate change were motivation to create this new body of work.

In June of 2016, Cronin traveled to Newtok, Alaska after researching images in an internet rabbit hole.

“About five years ago..I remember coming across a striking image of a tiny plywood house teetering over the edge of a piece of land, about to fall into the water below,” said Cronin.

*Seen and Unseen, Newtok no. 1 by Jennifer Cronin*

Upon further investigation, Cronin found stories on remote Native Alaskan villages (such as Newtok) that are currently and drastically being impacted by climate change.

“What was interesting to me about Newtok is that the people have been trying to relocate for the past twenty years, but were held back by government funding,” said Cronin.

The reason: Newtok is not being affected by a natural disaster in the ‘traditional’ sense. The gradual effects of climate change are not enough to warrant government intervention or relief aid, as, say, a hurricane would—though the effects are also inhabitable.

This moved her to action. As part of her study, Cronin traveled to Newtok, where she was housed in the community’s school library. The people of Newtok talked with Cronin daily about changes they’ve been subject to in the village for years.

Tom John, a fisherman and activist in communication with Washington officials to relocate Newtok, stood out to Cronin. “I remember him, with a warm smile, saying that he couldn’t smile anymore, and that he just wanted to go away and spend time watching T.V. on the couch and relaxing.”

Cronin recalled the children’s spirit being especially moving, like necessary light in darkness.

“Every morning, when my friend and I left the school to walk around the village, we were met almost immediately by a child or two..then five or ten..walking with us and talking about everything under the sun.”

As the inheriting generation, these children made Cronin wonder about what would be left for their future.

“I think many of us feel we should be doing more, and I feel the same way,” Cronin said. “I don’t know how to fix this problem. But I’m starting by sharing a story. I don’t know if it will do any good, but to me it feels like a small step in the right direction.”

“Seen and Unseen” opens with a reception on June 1st, from 6-9pm at Elephant Room Gallery. From 6-7pm that evening, there will be sounds courtesy of Dusty Patches; the electronic music project of Chicago musician Patrick Mitchell. There will be an open artist talk with Jen on June 15th at 2pm.

The exhibition runs through July 27th, 2019.

More about Jen.

More about Elephant Room or to schedule a viewing.

*Seen and Unseen, Newtok no. 8 by Jennifer Cronin*

A Trove Tour to the Darin Latimer Degree

Darin Latimer invited me to his studio (which doubles as his home) so I could get a sense of the environment he creates in. I found that almost every single item in his home has a story behind it, a person associated to it, or a meaning he is happy to explain. I would point and he would speak.

Let’s start with the Robert Deniro trash cans, because this was a crowd favorite.

I’m taking a photo of the city scape from the incredible view out their living room window when Darin starts dragging something heavy across the floor.

He said, “I got these because they reminded me of Robert Deniro and Joe Pesci.”

Okay, Darin is a seasoned script writer. But don’t lie to yourself, these do kind of look like Robert Deniro and Joe Pesci. Is it the rust?

Where did he find these? How did he take them home?

The answer is short, but there is a nondisclosure agreement in the Cool Artists Contract so you’ll have to ask Darin yourself.

He does share, however, a general tip on spelunking: “it always helps to have a willing friend there with you.” More body support to help get contraband to the car. To which his wife, Lina, remarks, “I was not willing.”

As part of the tour was the bathroom (obviously), where Darin showed me the most outdated library pass I’d ever seen, hanging proudly above the toilet tank.

Don’t be mistaken, he never stole. There is a method to his madness. “I would check the last checkout date of a book. If the most recent date was prior to my birth .. I took the book,” Darin says. Strategy. He simply preceded his time with the free library trend.

On that note–I scored a shot of the stack of books sitting next to Darin’s desk. If you’re like me, you wonder what books you have in common with your favorite artists.

After the rowdy tour of the bathroom and hauling the bins around, Latimer had to pop a squat. In his favorite chair, of course.

Is that a sock?!

Lina laughs. Darin says, “Why, yes, it is.”

“He’s had that chair so long, he’s worn out the arm rest on it multiple times,” Lina explains. “I’ve replaced it before, but they (the manufacturers) stopped producing arm rests for that type of chair.”

“We change the sock,” she says.

Darin takes a lean back in his chair and all four of us talk about life. Me, Darin, Lina, and the Famous Sock. Darin even lets me in on his signature black on black, dapper outfit.

“When it’s warmer out, I have a lighter jacket I switch to. The hat is all the time,” Darin says. Famous for his signature pose, the artist is photographed only with his back to the camera, while wearing a black coat with a black hat. He goes by @thewabashian on Instagram, where more photos in his signature pose can be found.

Look below for more photos of the visit.

Spelunking in the Mind of a Mess: Darin Latimer on his Deathless-ness

Self-proclaimed ‘restaurant guy’, scrappy collector, writer and untrained artist, Darin Latimer is stepping into the public eye for his first, and might we say, long awaited, gallery show.

Deathless-ness: 10,000 Works (Eyes & Teeth Dept.) is a show informed by Latimer’s life-long obsessions on collecting from open spaces, writing, and one charismatic nod to a particular Emily Dickinson poem. Spending time around Darin, seeing his work and reading his words will happily shattered any concept school or pop culture has instilled in you as to what it means to be an artist. He is the representation we actually need in the art community. A human who creates.

In an interview with Latimer, he opened up about his background and relationship to the work.

*In the Penal Colony (for James C. Harrison)*
“On conventional checklists I am, or was, one of all the following sorts of collectors – Antique, Record, Book (decidedly), Movie, Movie Poster, Vinyl Sculpture (or Toy), Comic Book, Baseball and Basketball Card, Commercial Sign and Packaging, Art (particularly Sculpture because I can’t yet make my own) – these are the conventional categories and the detritus of most of them are still hanging around in my life somewhere.”
-Darin Latimer

“..on the brass tacks level, I have almost no technical training.,” said Latimer. “If someone walked up to me and said ‘the fate of the Free World depends on you making a lithograph – Right Now!’ – I’d give it my best but the kids at Dick Blick would have to tell me how to do everything.”

And that they would, happily. In hoity artistic circles, sometimes the driving force can become more a game of who has the thorough ‘technical’ training–forgotten is it that the best form of training to art is having lived.

“… (in the past) … I simply could not figure how to make the picture in my head and would struggle quite ineptly towards it. I came to realize this might be a back door to a good thing,” Latimer reveals.

A creator since childhood, his mother would drop him off at workshops when he wasn’t drawing on the job at his father’s store. He would skip school to spend days digging through any and every open lot of land for treasure, spelunking, and photographing.

“I did find ways to get there … but I also started letting go of the urge to reproduce that very image (which almost always started with drawing) and not just accept that I was making ‘something else’ but fight to get to the something else and make it memorable and different..”

*Green Maureen (Quiet Man)*
-Darin Latimer

If life turns out nothing like we plan, and art is a representation of that life, it would only make sense to have the plan in your mind be a stranger to the outcome on the page. But why is this gap so often seen as a failure, when there is power in owning that difference, and power in welcoming the stranger you end up with, getting to know that piece of art and therefore a little more about yourself? We are not our imagination, we are what we do.

“If I wanted to be fancy I could talk about the successful ‘rhythm’ of some drawings versus others, but that would diminish the contribution of those ‘failed’ drawings to the better ones…I now enjoy getting socked in the jaw to see what happens after,” he says.

Who’s going to tell the kids at Blick?

Like all artists, the personal trials of Latimer’s life have played a role in the creation of Deathlessness.

“.. while preparing for this show, I had a health crisis,” admitted Latimer. “It turned this show and my approach to making art into another ‘something else’..” ‘Something else’ being a transformation, and again vastly different than expected.

“In the months running up I went through dozens of tests and was expecting a very grim diagnosis.. (I got) kind of the best bad news possible. I began making 2, 3…half a dozen new works a day. It’s all in the show,” Latimer said.

And he does mean all. In helping load the show, I was able to personally experience the mass amounts of work in Latimer’s portfolio. Would you like to sit? Just hold that on your lap. You’re welcome.

*City of God (Land of Z)*
-Darin Latimer

In preparation for the show, there was discussion of art hanging from the ceilings, or utilizing ceiling space, both of which I had never heard discussed for an opening. There is a small bit of my ‘something else’.

Lastly, I asked Darin to explain what ‘deathless-ness’ means to him. Is that any different than life itself?

“The reason this show is called ‘Deathlessness’ is a movie and literary reference. The movie reference has an echo of regret because it was never made, and I should know. I wrote it,” Latimer said. “The title had a two-fold inspiration for the script. I culled it from an Emily Dickinson Poem. This is the poem – (titled “I Am Afraid to Own a Body”)

I am afraid to own a Body—
I am afraid to own a Soul—
Profound – precarious Property—
Possession, not optional –
Double Estate – entailed at Pleasure
Upon an unsuspecting Heir –
Duke in a Moment of Deathlessness
And God, for a Frontier

Whether anyone else sees it, buys it, even cares – I can realize an image or a thing all by myself. I like that.”

The opening reception for “Deathless-ness: 10,000 Works” will be held at the Elephant Room art gallery, 704 S. Wabash Ave., on April 6 from 6-9 p.m. Artist Darin Latimer will be present. Contact kim@elephantroomgallery.com with inquiries.

Article by Taylor Imel

2017 – An Interview with Artist Rine Boyer

I recently spoke with Chicago-based artist Rine Boyer about her work and her upcoming exhibition opening September 9th, 2017 entitled “People Watching”….

Let’s start by learning a bit more about how you got started as an artist. What were some of your early projects like?

I’ve always wanted to be an artist – apparently since before I could read. I remember as a kid one of my favorite toys was an easel and my mom was always mad at me for getting paint all over everything. But I have been painting in this general style since 2003. At the time I was looking at Seurat and wanted to play with how he used pointillism to pull apart the different hues that make up a color. I started experimenting with it on a large-scale canvas and almost as soon as I started putting dots of paint on the canvas I wanted to turn them into symbolic shapes. The idea turned into a series where I asked friends what their favorite object was and then put that on the surface of their portrait as a commentary on how we use objects to define ourselves. I saw potential in the technique and continued creating different series using the style and exploring a different idea with each series.

How would you compare what you are doing now to what you were doing as a brand new artist?

I would say I’m less afraid to experiment now. I have gotten more comfortable with making things and knowing what I want to say, which lets me be more flexible about the materials and subjects I tackle. When I was younger I was really tied to canvas and always used the same materials and process. Now that I’m more comfortable I try new processes pretty regularly to see how I can improve what I’m doing. I also think each medium can bring a new perspective to an idea, even if it is subtle, so I try to keep experimenting to add new dimensions to my work. And as I hone my ability to communicate visually I can open up to new topics and let my work evolve naturally from series to series.

What inspires you about people and more specifically, strangers?

I believe that people are the most important thing to us and that any work of art is ultimately about people. For example, if it’s a landscape, than it’s about how people think of land. So people have remained my subject matter since 2003 because I think they are so central. In this series I decided to focus on strangers because I realized how much I enjoy living in the city and seeing people from different backgrounds as I go about my daily business. It is also a bit of a reaction to the current sentiment that our nation is becoming divided. I think if we really considered those around us we would realize things aren’t black and white enough to be divided in a way we are frequently presented – that division is between groups who don’t have to represent the majority of people.

Are you conscious about the diversity of your subjects and making sure that is reflected in your final pieces or is that something you do not really think about?

Capturing diversity is something I think a lot about, not only because of the current political climate, but as I spend more time in Chicago I meet people from a variety of backgrounds and want to capture that. I enjoy meeting people who have different backgrounds and perspectives then I do, and often think of someone I have met when painting each character. As I’m painting I try to be aware of my perspective and how that influences my understanding of people. Since I am capturing strangers from diverse backgrounds I chose the title “People Watching” to convey that everyone is painted from a specific perspective.

What are some of the things you have learned about people through both your research and your process?

That some people are more visible than others. When I initially started painting strangers I focused on those who drew my attention – usually people I thought were beautiful or dressed in a way I found interesting. As I kept looking I noticed that there are quite a few people that I was just glossing over. It made me think about how my values and sense of beauty not only influence who I think is interesting, but who I see at all. While my work has always been about how our thoughts influence how we see each other, I’ve come to realize it could also influence if we notice each other.

Your subjects always have a pattern and a color. How do you go about deciding these details?

The patterns always link back to the overall theme of the series, and with this series I am celebrating the variety of personalities in close proximity in an urban environment. To capture the different personalities I created a symbol for what I imagine each person is thinking and put a pattern of it on the surface of the piece. In creating the patterns I put my interpretation on the surface as an example of how we all see through a layer of our preconceptions. I chose to paint each person using different tones of the same color so that all the figures together would have a rainbow effect.

Dungeons and Dragons

What is it that you want viewers to take away after experiencing your work?

I hope my work makes viewers appreciate the people around them a bit more and think about how much our assumptions influence the way we see people.

Do you feel this project will evolve and if yes, do you have any ideas for the future?

Yes, my work is constantly evolving from series to series. I have been very focused on this current series for a large part of this year so haven’t spent much time thinking about what is next. However, my area of Bridgeport has been changing quite a bit over the past few months which has caused me to think a lot about gentrification. Perhaps that will be the concept for my next series, but I haven’t started to think about what that would look like yet.

Finally, who are some of your favorite artists that you are inspired by?

Alex Katz and Manet have been favorites since I was in college – I really like how they convey culture and feeling through the figure. Other artists I really enjoy looking at are Kaws and Hebru Brantley for their colors and how they manifest an idea with both paintings and sculptures. And for not taking the figure too seriously I love Barry McGee and Pieter Bruegel.

Check out Rine’s solo exhibition “People Watching” at Elephant Room Gallery September 9th – October 21st, 2017. Check the website for hours or to make an appointment.

2017 – An Interview with Beata Chrzanowska

After submitting work for Elephant Room Gallery’s BIG small Works Show, a 2016 group exhibition that featured 100 works of art under 30×30”, Kimberly Leja Atwood visited Beata Chrzanowska’s studio. Looking forward to working more with the artist, we followed up with an interview to get to know her and her work a little better…

When did you first start making art?

When I was 4, I used to make sculptures of farm animals out of clay with my grandma. I know, it’s cute.

What was your first encounter with art that wasn’t your own?

I didn’t realize it at the time, but when I moved to the United States, my parents had brought back pajamas that they bought in Poland. There are literally pictures of 5 year-old me wearing Bart Simpson pajamas and he’s green and his clothes are all these wacky colors. I had the coolest pajamas ever.

How has your work evolved into the abstract and figural work you do now? Or has it always been that?

My work really evolved in my last semester of college. I took a month off from making work and I just researched and absorbed images and read articles and books and that was the moment I realized what I was into. The work has tightened up a bit, become cleaner, and has become more realistic over time.

I Dream of Euphoria, 37.5 x 39 in, oil on canvas, 2013

Who and/or what has inspired you to get to where you are now in your work?

A piece from the past inspired me to do what I am currently doing. When I moved to Chicago from NY about a year ago, I went back to my childhood home and found all these old paintings and sculptures I did in college. I had a stiffened fabric piece that was just lying there and I decided to paint on top of it for the first time. I took that idea and made a 30-piece collection for a show in Milwaukee. Currently I’m working larger than I ever have with this concept and I want to start painting more elaborate imagery on these 3-dimensional pieces.

“30x30x30,” Var Gallery, Milwaukee, WI

What is your process when starting a new work?

For paintings, I start off with a drawing and then I project that drawing onto a canvas, trace it, and then I put layers of acrylic to get me started. Once I get enough color down, I switch over to oil, where the colors are more vibrant and romantic. I begin painting high-level definition imagery and I keep at it until a desired composition is formed.

With my fabric pieces, it’s really hard to plan everything out because it is a very intuitive process. I smother the fabric in glue and I arrange it on a stretcher bar. Let it cure, and then paint on top of it.

Sheets in Technicolor, 21.5 x 18 x 3.5 in, oil on scrunched canvas, 2016

I know you primarily do three mediums – paintings, drawings, and collage – how do you see them relating to each other…do they inform each other? and why these three techniques?

What it all comes down to is that I am assembling images of body parts, and geometry on one surface. All three mediums obey this process very well. There is also a surprise aspect to each medium, where I am not aware of the turnout until the turnout happens.

I noticed you use a lot of circular/spherical shapes in your work, including spherical studies – can you talk a bit about that aspect?

When I was in NY I started painting in a very minimal way. I painted a lot of circles, usually in pairs to represent breasts. Suddenly I was in Chicago, and I just went off and painted a ton of these “breasts”. I soon wanted to permanently incorporate the circle more as opposed to sharp and organic shapes which I did beforehand. I was hounding the circle and I was going to make it known. So, a lot of my work ending 2015 and entering 2017 is in favor of circles. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Left: Enlightenment, 29.75 x 24 in, oil on canvas, 2015
Right: Focal (Refurbished Edition), 43.75 x 30, oil on canvas, 2016

In each work, I am always intrigued by your use of color, texture, and pattern – how do you choose these elements in your work?

It’s not a choice but a reflection to the colors, textures, and patterns that I fancy in my spirit.

How do you title your works?

I usually have a list of titles that I write down for future works, but the best moments are when you’re in the process of creating something and the title just jumps out at you.

Left: Foil (from the “Bisou” series), 26.75 x 27.75 in, oil/acrylic on canvas, 2014
Right: Bisou (from the “Bisou” series), 25 x 25 in, oil on canvas, 2014

I also don’t know that I have seen an artist sign their works like you do. I was scrolling through your paintings and at least for me, it almost became a game of finding your name. Is that something you put thought into or is it kind of random?

It’s definitely very specific. I don’t want the signature over powering the work so it’s always hidden somewhere, but it’s also very digital! So, in real life, the signature does not exist, rather than a hand written signature, title, and year on the back of the painting.

What are you working on now? (I know you recently did a lot of molded canvas works, like the ones in the 30x30x30 Exhibition at Var Gallery – are you continuing to work on those or something different?)

After the 30x30x30 show I did another 2D piece just to give myself a break, but I am back to working with fabric. I am very excited about it, a little nervous, the work will be bigger, louder and more intricate. Wish me luck!

Finally, what do you like to do when you’re not making art?

I’m entertaining my friends, working out, wine and dining. I love the outdoors, and chocolate cake.