ART
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Gabe Shaughnessy
www.flickr.com/photos/skuz/
skuzblog.blogspot.com/
When did you really get into art?
I grew up in a family of artist, so I guess the question would be better phrased
'when did you realize you were an artist'. I've always been producing creative
work, but it wasn't until people started telling me they appreciated it that I
really thought of myself as an artist. Going to school and studying art had a
lot to do with it as well, when I started talking to a lot of people everyday
about art.
How did you come to the realization that you should try your luck at art on a
more serious level?
When I graduated from school, I was in debt, had no job, no home and the only
thing I wanted to do was travel on my bicycle. In the course of my adventures, I
kept meeting people who encouraged my art, and because I was living off so
little money, I had the ability to spend my time and energy working on art. You
would be amazed, if you cut out the fat and really focus on what you want to do,
you will grow by leaps and bounds every day. In a matter of months, I had people
who had known me most of my life telling me they couldn't believe how much my
art was growing. That feedback has helped me keep pushing myself to do what
feels right, even when it seems impossible to support myself that way.
How did you discover the particular style that you have?
Material explorations have largely dictated my style. Every time I discover a
new process or a new tool, it unlocks a new door of
expression. A lot of my work is done using recycled and found materials because
they are free and I don't have much money to spend on expensive art supplies.
These materials lend a certain look to my art, like the brown paper from grocery
bags. Other than that, I can only say that my style has developed by traveling
and being aware of the world around me.
How would you describe your style?
My work is hand-made, expression of the individual, the way I see the world. I
draw from comic books, using illustration as a narrative structure, and I also
rely on the ambiguity of an image to drive its meaning in others. My style is
exploratory, I use it as a means of discovering myself and the world around me,
and as a result, it reflects a particular vision of the world, both the way it
is and the way I would like it to be.
Who or what influences your art?
My work is mostly urban and industrial, largely because I stand in awe at the
accomplishments of engineering, the scale of cooperation that is involved in
building a bridge or a factory. Industry, architecture and the progress of the
great ship of humanity give me endless inspiration.
I'm influenced by location, that is to say, what I produce depends largely on
where I am. I'm also driven by the people around me. For this reason, I'm always
encouraging my friends to develop their own art, because when I'm surrounded by
amazing work, it makes me work harder on my own vision.
How often do you create a new piece?
I produce work every day. Even if it's just a quick sketch or binding a journal,
I try to maintain a degree of discipline. My more involved work, commercial
works and my completed books take anywhere from a week to a month, depending on
the project. I try not to let lack of inspiration affect my ability to produce
work, but occasionally it does. When that happens, I try to force myself to do
some technical
work, whether that means inking in a sketch or doing the digital part of my
work.
What kind of success have you had with your art?
I love the life I live and I see the world as a beautiful place. For me, this is
a measure of success that I have achieved through artistic exploration. Another
measure of success is that I don't work a nine to five to support myself; I
produce the work that my life demands. Yet another measure of success is my
increased control over my expression. I can create, with my hands, the image
that I hold in my head, and as I practice, I can visualize more and more complex
systems. When I first started drawing, or binding books for that matter, it felt
like the end result was mostly chance, like rolling a ball down a hill and
hoping it goes where you aim. Now I feel more and more each day like I'm
actually steering that ball toward the place I want to be.
What would be the ultimate goal for you and your art?
I would like to be able to produce art without regard to commercial motivation.
I would like to be able to teach creative expression to others with conviction.
I would like to exist in a place of boundless inspiration.
What do you see as an accomplishment in the way of art?
The fact that I can maintain a semblance of optimism and idealism in this world
is the result of an awareness of infinite possibility that I have achieved
through creative expression. Art has allowed me to view the world fresh each
day, despite these overwhelming circumstances that we are living through.
What kind of message, if any, do you try to convey through your art?
My work is about the human experience, it is optimistic, and it encourages
people to see the everyday world through their own eyes.
Sum up your art in one word.
Explore
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