Lane: What different mediums did you submit in the art show?
John: All of my submissions were silver gelatin prints, otherwise known as black and white photographs.
Lane: What piece was ultimately chosen?
John: The Effects of Barbie on John #2 and #3, #2 is a reference to Manet's Olympia. In Manet's Olympia, Olympia's maid is sometimes considered no more then a prop. For the series The Effects of Barbie on John, I wanted the white women, Barbie, to play a supporting role while the women of color, Fashion Chic Barbie, was the star.
#3 is almost straight out of my two-year-old daughters imagination. She was playing with her Barbies and set up a scene very similar to this one, later that same day I saw several of Mark Bennett's prints at The Keys to the Koop exhibition and the concept for the series hit me: Why not do a series about the lives of Barbies that Mattel would never show you, including, but not limited to interracial and homosexual relationships; scenes that should be totally acceptable in our society but are still rarely or never portrayed in advertising.
Lane: What does it mean for you to be selected for this gallery?
John: The B-gallery is great, but I was starting to worry that my work might not ever be seen in a gallery besides that one. Hopefully I'll be able to make it into a commercial gallery with a few more years of practice. I have a vision of what I want to do with photography but I just don't have the skills to transform what I want into a print that achieves that yet.
Lane: How long have you been involved in art (Since you picked it up again more recently)?
John: When I graduated with a degree in computer science from WWU I thought that I would just take a quarter or two of art classes so that I could improve my computer animation skills, over two years later I'm still at it and I'm not sure I'll ever make it back to computer science, sorry Dr. Hearne.
Lane: You cover so many different fields in your work. Do you feel that this is necessary to convey certain emotions, or to better expand your perceptual field?
John: Good question, my main passion is painting. If I can get something across in a painting, then that is how I'll usually go. Photography is great because just like the movies people are often still willing to suspend disbelief and that’s when you just might be able to get your message across. Painting can do this as well but I don't think that this series could have worked effectively as a painting.
Lane: Do you feel that these types of events are crucial in the development of student artists, for them to get an opportunity to be recognized across a wider field, when often times they have little or no outlets to showcase their work?
John: I saw this show last year and thought it was great. There was a series of infrared photographs that inspired me to take photography over this last summer. I'm amazed that with only two photography classes, two of my prints made it in the show. Recognition is nice, especially when it is totally unexpected. Photography is not shown as often as painting and there are so many great photography students at our school that I was actually expecting not have any of my photographs ever make it outside the B gallery.
Lane: Your work seems to provide a stark contrast between rural and urban areas, particularly photography. Also, you seem to have an admiration for historically famous figures. Explain to me the themes you wish to express through your work, is it interconnected or does it vary from piece to piece?
John: Many of my paintings are based off photographs. Many times it wasn't whom the person was that attracted me to make a painting based on the photograph, it was what a great image that made my jaw drop when I saw it and the fact that I thought I might be able to manipulate it through painting to bring out an even greater emotional response. Most of my recent work centers on either the relationships between corporations and the individual or the stark, often ironic, contrasts of the world that we live in.
Lane: Who are your major influences?
John: In photography, Robert Frank, Lee Friedlander, and Robert Mapplethorpe. I’ve fallen asleep at night for the last six months looking at images created by these great photographers and that probably is a huge reason that my work made it in the show. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone who wants to keep on being a shinny happy person by the way.
Lane: What does art mean to you?
John: It is an exploration of myself as well as the human condition in general.
Lane: What drives you to be an artist?
John: For me it is not the finished painting or photography, it is the process of transforming your concept into a finished canvas, print, or whatever it happens to be.
Lane: What advice would you give to other student artists who didn't make it into the contest? Or any frustrated artist in general?
John: My portfolio to the art department was rejected the first time I tried to get in. Some other people that I was taking foundation classes with were also rejected and switched to art history. I just kept blue-slipping my way into classes until I developed a good enough portfolio to be accepted by the art department.
Lane: If there's anything else you want to add, feel free. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview, I appreciate it. I may have more questions that I forgot, but I'll email them if I need to. Thanks again, and congratulations on your victory!
John: I almost didn't call you because I thought this was some crazy April fools joke. If it is, it’s the best one I ever fell for.
