by David Norbut | Aug 1, 2013 | Stories
Meet Joe Breitenbach
Do you think that the process of making art can be as/more rewarding as the end result?
For me the most important part is the process, the act of making. Most of the time the end result doesn’t really matter to me. The fact that I spent time making something that is what matters to me and is the most rewarding. I would rather spend 10 hours making a piece of art that i don’t like than spend 10 hours watching the television. Regardless of the final product the process is what intrigues me the most.
What are the biggest challenges and or sacrifices you have encountered?
Time. The biggest challenge for me is time. Between having a family and working full time the hardest thing to do is find time to work in the studio. After getting home from work at 9:30 I then stay up to at least 1:00 am painting and drawing then wake early take my daughter to school and head to work to do my drawings for tattoos that I need to do for the day. The biggest sacrifice is also time. The free time that I do have I use towards art making, so there is not a lot of down time.
Where does your creative impulse stem from and if it varies what triggers it?
Not sure where it comes from, I just know that I have a almost obsessive desire to make things and once I do make something I’m still not satisfied and need to then make something else. For me its always a case of what’s next. My creativity definitely comes in waves. There will be times when all I do is paint and then maybe I switch focus to collage, music, graphic design or painting tattoo designs for work. If I go a day without at least making something, no matter how small, I feel like I wasted my time instead of spending what time I have
What are you currently listening to, looking at, reading that inspires your art?
I listen to a lot of the same things over and over again. Right now its mostly the band Earth, specifically the newer material. The way they use repetition suites the way i work. Most of my work that I have been doing deals with repeating shapes, forms , and colors. Other artists that I have been looking at a lot are Robert Motherwell, the collages mostly. Daniel Higgs. whose music and art work are a constant humbling inspiration and Robert Ryan, who is a amazing painter and tattooer. The music of Bill Callahan and Will Oldham are two other huge musical influences for me which may not be able to be seen directly when looking at my work.
Contact Joe Breitenbach
Website // IG
Please join us for ALIVE
on Friday August 2
at the Chris White Gallery
701 N. Shipley St. Wilmington, DE
from 5:30 to 9:30
by David Norbut | Jul 31, 2013 | Stories
Meet Grant Cox
What do you find is the most satisfying part of making art?
What is satisfying to me is the physicality of an idea that was dreamed thought about and obsessed over, also the unexpected that arise from this process.
What are the biggest challenges &/or the greatest sacrifice you have encountered in making art?
Often my imagination seems to expect a great deal from me, it doesn’t seem to take into account basic things like physics. I seem to be interested in only convoluted solutions. I am attracted to work in absurd ways.
Is there something from your childhood that has made its way into your work; why you make it or how it looks?
Almost exclusively, I work from childhood experiences. Play is an element we all possess and how people play interests me. I think that the act of play and how I operate in my studio practice go hand and hand. It is the vehicle for my thought process.
How would you describe your work to someone who didn’t know you?
I would describe my work in the studio as janky robotics, where I apply my sense of humor. Thoughts of everyday happenings are transformed into a comedic performance about human idiosyncrasies, which become somewhat autobiographical.
Contact Grant Cox
Vimeo
Please join us for ALIVE
on Friday August 2
at the Chris White Gallery
701 N. Shipley St.
Wilmington, DE
from 5:30 to 9:30
by David Norbut | Jul 30, 2013 | Stories
Meet Danielle Quigley
When seeking inspiration, where do you consistently turn?
Outside, the woods never fail me. I find relief, serenity, an open mind, a creative flow, and visual excitement almost the minute I step foot into a natural setting. I’m at my best when I’m traipsing among the trees looking for little bits of beauty to explore, capture or collect.
From the start to the finish of each piece, how does your mentality and /or process vary?
Typically, I start with a feeling and I am simply reacting to it. I see something, I like it, and I wonder how I can take that feeling with me. Eventually, during editing or creating an installation, I’ll try to identify what it is about that place or object that caused me to feel that way and then how can I best represent that feeling in a physical form. Still, that is always secondary to the initial sentiment and after years of creating things, I’m learning trust my process and all the feelings in between.
If the viewers of your art could know one thing about your work, or feel one way when they walk away, what would it be?
I want viewers to understand the journey I have taken to create it. Whether a photograph or light installation, I’m revealing the things that I find most beautiful, which is incredibly personal & intimate. As someone who cares deeply about aesthetics, it takes great effort to feel, absorb, process, share and hope that what I see is worth looking at.
Is there something from your childhood that has made its way into your work; why you make it or how it looks?
I was always encouraged to be in awe of things; of how things work, what it is like to see something no one else did, how it feels to make someone happy. My dad inspired me to pay attention to the world around me and to really enjoy it. By teaching me to take the time to observe the world around me, I was granted the freedom to explore and learned early on that there is value in looking and merit in creating something from what you find.
Where does your creative impulse stem from and if it varies, what triggers it?
My desire to explore, create & capture is inherent in my nature and has few boundaries. It would be exhausting if it weren’t so exhilarating. Anything can be a catalyst for my creative cycle from music to nature, yoga, to fashion, travelling to films. But the excitement comes for me when I get to find a way to fit them into my work.
Contact Danielle Quigley
IG // Website // Delights // Email
Please join us for ALIVE
on Friday August 2
at the Chris White Gallery
701 N. Shipley St. Wilmington, DE
from 5:30 to 9:30
by David Norbut | Jul 29, 2013 | Stories
Meet Dave Mele
Where does your creative impulse stem from and if it varies, what triggers it?
Creative Impulse…thats a much better name for it, I just call it “the urge.”
I’ve been drawing my entire life. Its always been something I’ve done since I was little, so its a normal part of life for me. I don’t know anything else. Its like an unbreakable habit or even more like a natural part of life. Like an eat, sleep, draw kinda thing. Its something I NEED to do to live the way that I choose to live. But like I said, its always been this way and I don’t know the difference so I don’t even notice. Its second nature to me.
As of now, I’m lucky enough to be in an environment which calls for constant creativity. There’s no “on” and “off” anymore, its just always “on”…all the time. Which is really awesome because it gives me the chance to grow and get better at what I do. Before this, NOT drawing for a period of time would eventually lead to the triggering. It would build up inside of me until IHAD to paint/draw/create something. Its like an inner pressure-beast that needs to be let out. Also seeing other artists work that blows my mind always gives me inspiration. Old and new.
If you could change one thing about your artistic career so far, what would it be?
One thing I wish I did was taken it more serious sooner in life. I wish I threw caution to the wind and took a chance 10 years ago instead of more recently. Someone once told me “Doing what you really want to (in the creative fields) is not going to work out because so many other people are doing it and flooding the market” or something of that nature. Well, they were wrong and I shouldn’t have listened to them. Sure there may be a ton of people trying to make it in a creative field, but not all of them have the will power and determination that you need to succeed. Its a double edged sword, sure I get to be creative and at the same time make some kind of living from it but I also never get to clock out. Its great though, I like to work hard at something that I love doing. Its a good feeling when you push yourself and it turns out better than you expected.
What medium would you like to try that you haven’t?
I would like to try clay sculpture, or something like that. I think that would be awesome, to work on something three-dimentional.
Does the artist or the art have more of a role in society?
This is a hard one that can be debated until your blue in the face. I feel like in todays society its all about image and media exploitation. So if someone has the right look and fits in with the hollywood standard ect, it doesnt matter what kind of art they are doing or to what caliber, they are going to be rich and famous because they are the packaged deal for the media to sell. Then be forgotten about two months later when the next flavor of the month shows up. The same goes for music these days. You dont see any “unattractive” singers/bands, but they’re totally out there, and are much more talented. Its really stupid and I’m not into it at all. Everything is backwards. The good thing about it though is that people know this is what it has become and get fed up and take it upon themselves to do something about it and put on shows like this one. Which will hopefully spawn more people do stuff like this and keep the ball rolling and rolling.
The art is what is important, thats what is going to stand the test of time long after the artist is gone and forgotten. Art is meant to be seen, music meant to be heard, but now I think these days there’s too much emphasis on WHO made this? WHO wrote that? It doesnt matter (as much)… all that matters is THAT it was made. If that makes any sense. There’s a documentary out there (i forget the name) about an artist that was constantly putting out work and getting no recognition for these great paintings, he got some bad reviews from critics that didnt like him for whatever reason, so he started putting out the same stuff under a different name and no one knew who he was and he just exploded! Everyone wanted his paintings, not even realizing it was this same guy that the same people werent into a week ago. Thats how things go these days I guess. Nothing you can do but keep on going, doing what you do. Take it into your own hands and just make awesome stuff. Put in the time and see what happens.
Please join us for ALIVE
on Friday August 2
at the Chris White Gallery
701 N. Shipley St.
Wilmington, DE
from 5:30 to 9:30
by David Norbut | Jul 28, 2013 | Stories
As a Juxter, I have learned how to think outside of the box. I have learned how to push the limits of Art in social media, how to use technology to spread the word on things that inspire me, in hopes to inspire all of you.
Several months ago, I was riding on a train home from NYC with my longtime friend Joe Breitenbach. We had just been through a pretty inspiring day, meeting some heroes in the art world or in our world.
The conversation stayed with me and here we are today, 6 artists and handful of musicians gearing up to share our expression, our hearts our souls, our art. August 2nd 2013 we are having an exhibit. We call it ALIVE and for the 6 days leading up to it, I wanted to introduce each artist. We all answered questions from the people in our community, they were compiled by fellow artists and art lovers.
I share this with the We Are Juxt community to welcome all of you to our local community, because isn’t that what its all about anyway. – David Norbut
Meet Bonaia Rosado
Do you feel that the process of making art can be as/more rewarding as the end result?
Definitely. The process, for me, is probably the funnest. I put what ever music I’m listening to on and go into my own personal bubble. My mind clears and I’m focused. I’m not thinking about whatever stressful crap I have going on. I’m free. All there is is the color, music, Mountain Dew and me. If you ever catch me painting, and you wont, I’m usually bobbing my head, like it’s a concert or something, and singing to myself. It reminds me of the moments I catch my daughter playing with her toys and imagining she’s a some sort of magical creature. Complete and simple bliss.
Is there something from your childhood that has made its way into your work; why you make it or how it looks?
So much, yes. I come from a big family, grew up on a mountain in Puerto Rico. The house was this crazy coral pink and it was surrounded with fruit tress, pigs and chickens. A love of warm colors and people stuck. Learning about people and loving their nuances.
If the viewers of your art could know one thing about your work, or feel one way when they walk away, what would it be?
I hope they can feel how their own little imperfections, things they feel are “ugly” or those things they’d like to change about themselves, are actually the bits that make them magnificent.
If you could change one thing about your artistic career so far, what would it be?
Telling the younger version of me to suck it up, grow a pair and just do it. As for right now, having more time to work.
I’d love to work with wood. Learn some carpenter skills.
Contact Bonaia Rosado
Website // Facebook // Flickr // IG
Please join us for ALIVE
on Friday August 2
at the Chris White Gallery
701 N. Shipley St. Wilmington, DE
from 5:30 to 9:30
