Painting for the Hell of It: New Pic and Interview!

"Painting for the Hell of It"

Also, while I was working on this bad boy, a certain author by the name of C.M. Quinn decided to ask me few questions about the painting I was working on. Stumbled upon the record of our conversation. Here are the results:

Not exactly 20 questions, but we did our best. Let’s see what progresses from all of this.

What are the odds that you could walk into the average household and stumble across an artist? Now picture that home also containing a writer. Slim chance, you say? Well I’m about to prove you wrong!

I convey a message with words on paper. He uses oil paints and canvas. Not too unlikely of a match, it seems. Yet we have never, truly, combined our forces to create an epic masterpiece with letters and brushes.

I took it upon myself to attempt an unbiased interview. Mostly forcefully. Since I have finished my latest book and he is in the midst of completing his newest work . . .  I figured what better time to ask a million questions of him.

It’s such a rare occasion. I have an inside look that most people might never get, as does he, with my writing. He hears the story progress before anyone else and I actually get to watch his work in the making. So why wouldn’t I want to get some insider trader secrets to share with all of you?

So here you go:

A first time attempt at a candid and, hopefully, unbiased interview with that crazy artist living in my house . . .

Dave Estes

The basics about the upcoming piece:

Working Title: “Painting for the Hell of It” (approx) 6 ft by 4 ft, oil on canvas (hand stretched)

1.What inspired this piece?

A: “I needed to fill a large portion [laughs] at the gallery. So I made the biggest possible painting with the canvas I had.”

2. Who inspires your art the most?

A: “Ummm . . . in terms of artists? Dali, Beksinski, early Lukasz Banach . . .”

3. What about music?

A: “Music is probably more inspirational to my art than actual artists. Music is more functional as inspiration, because with artists, you see something and say ‘I wish I could do that’ but with music it’s more of a tool . . . I guess, like, the way people would use drugs. But music is more consistent and effective. And [laughs] probably more easily accessible . . .

4. And now, why are you painting with only one contact in?

A: “Oh . . . I don’t know . . . laziness. I’m in the ‘zone’ aka to lazy to put another one in. Let’s see what happens. Let’s see how important depth perception is . . .”

5. But, seriously, what inspired this piece [Painting for the Hell of It]?

A: “It kind of inspired itself . . . I usually just sit down and paint with no idea what I’m doing . . . like a stream of consciousness, almost. I’ve been thinking pretty politically lately, so . . . that’s what I ended up with, on the canvas. Usually about halfway through is when the story progresses and I start tying up loose ends.

6. This seems so different than your other work, in terms of the intense use of color. Any reason for the change, or it is really no different?

A: “The color aspect of it is, kind of, unintentional. I think it’s more of like mood change, because when I first started this series I could see a def. progression in my moods and you could see it reflecting in the diff. paintings. To me, they [the paintings] always feel like they’re saying the same, but when I go back and look at them, they’re all completely different. So . . . maybe it’s not my message that keeps changing, it’s the language I’m using.”

7. Is there any reason why you aren’t yet releasing the whole painting online, like your other work?

A: “Suspense.”

8. What do you look forward to, in the upcoming year, pertaining to your artwork?

A: “I’ve got some new stuff I want to try. New directions. I think I’m going to try to use more color. I might try to get away from politics. Which I said, right before I started painting this [‘Painting for the Hell of It’] . . . which really worked out.”

9. Why step away from politics in your painting?

A: “Because I admire artists that can paint, like, beautiful stuff, that no matter who sees it, it’s applicable. But when you start messing with politics, you’re already dealing with a divided audience. So right off the bat, you’re already lost half the interest.”

10. Do you think there will be any drawbacks to attempting to back away from political statements within your art?

A: “Drawbacks? Um . . . Artistically, I don’t think there will be any drawbacks. Personally, I use painting as a coping mechanism, I guess. And so, if I don’t do that, that might be a negative thing for me. But I think the art is there regardless.”

11. Does your reasoning have anything to do with this piece, seeming to, be very politically driven?

A: “Yes. The way I designed this piece is a final statement. It’s, kinda like, the end cap to the series. Which is why it might not look as similar to the other ones. That and the fact that it’s so big, I’m sick of it.”

12. Quite a few things stick out about your latest work. Is there any specific message you’re trying to get across?

A: “I don’t think there is any one point I’m trying to make. It’s always just a really broad, generalization of some emotion or feeling I’m having. Plus I don’t want to put words in other people’s mouth; it takes the fun out of people looking at it.”

12. So you’re not trying to convey how you feel, politically, to the rest of the world. You just want everyone to see what they want in your painting?

A: “I think I’m being totally contradictory in what I’m doing and what I’m saying.”

14. Why?

A; “The symbolism I use is totally one-sided, in intention. But the actual interpretation of those symbols still vary person-to-person . . . so it’s more up to the viewer to decide what they deem significant on the canvas.

15.  So, you don’t see this as an orgy of everything you love and hate about politics and people as a whole?

A: “That’s exactly what I see it as. But it’s an orgy that I’m standing and watching and not participating in . . . and I feel creepy.”

16. Changing it to a more typical interview question . . . What is your favorite painting that you have ever done? And why?

A: “Winter Dance Party. Just because it kind of just happened. I feel like I wasn’t even involved. When I went to paint it, it just kinda set itself up. And mapped itself out, in terms of composition. All the elements of it seemed to happen naturally, with minimal effort on my part. Because I had that vision in my head and that was one of the rare times that I was actually able to translate it perfectly without it getting filtered in the artsy version of what I was thinking.

17. Anything else you would like to add?

A: Don’t try painting with one contact.

 

 

 

Interview by C.M. Quinn. Her latest literary work can be seen at:

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