It’s extremely difficult to find Art these days unless you know where to look. You’d probably go through hours of research in order to find an artist you could actually share a connection with and then buy a piece of art that you’d truly admire. I personally enjoy looking for artists that I know will reward me in my efforts with great artwork but sometimes the Artist isn’t too difficult to find because of the things they have painted or for their beliefs and style.
Ron English has a unique style which is hard to come by. I know for a fact that the work of Ron English isn’t everybody’s cup of tea and that’s part of the uproar that has followed his work, but that comes with every artist in some way.
If you were to flick through a small amount of paintings by Ron English you’d most certainly see something you wouldn’t agree with but that’s exactly what makes it Art and that’s exactly what makes you keep looking.
I hope you enjoy what he has to say in this wonderfully answered interview.
“A good artist looks for inspiration. A great artist is inspiration.”
When did it all start for you as an artist?
I have no memories of not being an artist. My original approach to the world was through the prism of being an artist. If I dug a hole it was an “earth work”. At the age of 8 I sold a painting of St. Basel’s Cathedral at an art fair. A college professor bought it to torment his students with the accomplished oil painting of an 8 year old.
Do you like how art has evolved in the past 10 years?
When I ended a series about my kids (they started feeling uncomfortable about their “fame”, you know, random people running up to them saying, “Look, look, I have a tattoo of you!” “No, you have a tattoo of one of my dad’s paintings”, I had to come up with something new that wouldn’t be so disruptive to my family. Then it came to me that I could find that little five year old child I once was in my subconscious and gift him with the technical abilities of a 50 year old painter. I still remember my the ideas in my head that I could not seem to accomplish with my tempera paint and five year old hands. That was pretty much the attitude behind the work I have produced over the last few years.
Who or what, would you say inspires you?
A good artist looks for inspiration. A great artist is inspiration.
What would you say is the best thing you have got out of being a well known artist?
Access to people I admire.
Last of all, what should we expect from you in the near future?
The culmination of the new concept will come together this October at Corey Helford Gallery in LA. If you’re in the area, please check it out. If not there will be a new book out this spring, a store in Soho in December and a new clothing line this fall.
