#7- WORKSHOP INSTRUCTOR INTERVIEW with SHAWN BARBER!

[Layil]

Lucky numbah seven!


Shawn Barber is an experienced, prolific illustrator and exhibiting Fine Artist. He received his BFA from Ringling School of Art and Design in Florida. He now lives in San Francisco where he has participated in several shows and group events at local galleries. He has just published a book of his paintings and is also involved in art education and tattoo art. He is a former professor at Ringling School of Art and Design. He is now teaching at the Academy of Art and California College of Art. His clients have included Maxim magazine, Rolling Stone, The Grammy Awards, Converse and dozens of others. Shawn currently shows his Fine Art at the Shooting Gallery in San Francisco.


CA-What inspires you to create and how do you keep yourself motivated?

SB- Life and the people around me are more inspiration than I could have ever imagined.


CA- How many years (if any) of "formal" training do you have? If you have none, are you self-taught? Tell us about your learning process. ?

SB- I went to three schools- one community college for a year and a half- dropped out- waited 7 years then went to a private school in upstate ny for two years and transferred to the ringling school of art & design for two years. I've learned the most from my peers.


CA- Is there any kind of underlying theme to your art, or a message you're trying to convey?

SB- I work in series... It depends on what my obsession is at that time in my life... I am always responding and documenting that obsession.


CA- Who has been your most influential teacher?

SB- My peers have shown me more than any one person. Copying a couple of paintings by Velazquez early on in my education as an artist has been the most monumental in terms of growth and understanding of paint application, color mixing and value structure.


CA- What's some of the most common things you see aspiring artists do wrong? This can apply to illustrators and/or concept artists - and can be anything from business tactics to specific technical questions to attitudes.

SB- The worst thing you can do is be full of yourself. Be humble, there are thousands of artists working today that can kick your ass. There are tens of thousands in art history that can kick it even harder. Uunderstand that and you've got a starting point. Don't rest on your strengths; attack your weaknesses and don't be afraid to struggle until you can at least comprehend what you do not yet know how to do. Look at EVERYTHING. Please do not look at just ONE artist, you need to look at THOUSANDS, literally. You are doing yourself a complete disservice by limiting your eyes to the infinite possibilities in art. DO NOT COPY SOMEONE'S STYLE, LOOK or AESTHETIC, it is blatantly obvious to many when you do. Don't be a self centered sucker and think that you are getting away with something. Have an opinion, have a backbone and be yourself. Anyone can be a copycat- it takes a true individual to use their own unique voice to make a mark in this world. You will gain no respect and you might even get sued in through the process.

CA- Now that you're a pro, do you still set time aside for just learning, or do you learn through your work and projects? ?Do you think you'll keep doing art the rest of your life? What are your long-term goals?

SB- Of course- All I can expect from myself is the desire to want to excel and learn more than I know, to constantly experiment and push the boundaries of what I have already attempted.


CA- Do you think age has a factor in illustration/concept art business?

SB- Age means nothing- desire and the excitement to absorb everything around you with sincerity and a strong sense of constructive self criticism will get you farther than any monkey with a pencil and average skills.


CA- How have you seen the art industry change during the time you've been involved with it?

SB- Oh yes. Everybody wants you to work faster- art directors have given the editors and higher ups more content control and the people who know aesthetics are left recycling the same ideas and simplifying their creative efforts into products that lose any form of integrity or uniqueness. it's very frustrating and actually quite sad and unfortunately, expected.


CA- Why do you think you became an artist? Do you recall any specific events that triggered you?

SB- I couldn't imagine wasting anymore time doing someone else's chores.


CA- What kind of music inspires you while you work?

SB- Fast, heavy, a driving beat with grundgy chords- Shellac, Fugazi, Slayer, Death From Above 1979, Prong, Pigface, Refused, Exodus, Helmet...


CA- What part of your job do you love and hate the most?

SB- I paint every day- some of it is for work, most of it is for pleasure.
I truly dislike art direction.


CA- What do you think is the greatest single experience to have happened to you that you draw on to create your work?

SB- 25 years of wasting precious time- not being excited about life.


CA- What books are you currently reading?

SB- George Burchett's 'Memoirs of a Tattooist'


CA- Are you a creative personality in the way that you dress and act, or do you save it all for the page?

SB- You tell me- I try to be me, whatever the hell that means. I don't dress up or wear eye makeup, I don't paint my nails or have any fancy clothes. I do have a lot of tattoos that are definitely conversation pieces...


CA- How did you first arrive at Conceptart.org and how has your relationship with the site been since then?

SB- I 'grew up' with many of the conceptart.org founders and participants... I went to school with Jason Manley, Andrew Jones, Carl Dobsky, James Zhang, Jeffrey Brown and was roommates with Kevin Llewellyn... We all pushed each other to test our own boundaries in school and now as professionals. I frequent Conceptart.org as a viewer, and post on occasion...


CA- Have you attended any of the Conceptart.org Workshops? If so, what was your experience like and would you recommend them to other artists, aspiring or professional?

SB- Yes, I was a guest at the San Francisco and Prague workshops- inspiring, productive and unique... I have taught at three different art schools; these workshops are superior to any education you could ever receive in four days, anywhere. It rivals a four year experience, it truly does. You get a dozen plus successful, working, top of their game professionals together in one situation. Everyone is approachable, everyone is there to help. There are no hidden agendas, there is no fear of the unknown. We ALL learn more than we could have ever expected at these workshops. Any question you ask will be answered, and if one of us does not have the answer, we can put you in the right direction to a place to get what you need. It's an overwhelming experience- intense and powerful- you can feel the energy and excitement throughout the entire process...


CA- Tell us a good MB story…

SB- does this have to be 'G' rated?


CA- If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?

SB- In my studio with no distractions, painting until I fall over with exhaustion.


CA- Most recent inspiration?

SB- Always painting / painters, art / artists- presently, I'm looking at Neo Rauch, Jerome Witkin, WK Interact, Kent Williams, Grime, Toshi Saeki, Coro, Nicolas Uribe


CA- What's your super power?

SB- Tenacity to keep going, regardless of sleep deprivation...


CA- Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk with us... see you in Montreal!
check out more of Shawn's art on his website at: http://www.sdbarber.com

[Pixeldragoon]

NICE!!!! Thanks Layil- We appreciate it!!!

(Also.... Bump)

[fooxoo]

http://conceptart.org/forums/attachm...1&d=1147476602 - I SOOOO LOVE THIS ONE!!!!

[Red_Rook]

yay! More!


thank you layil.

[rasdasa]

mad respect man, your pieces are fantastic, an undeniable sense of breath in them. Great answers too, agree with much of it.

ras

[legionare]

Nice! I like your works!

[Ian Mack]

Your comment about not being excited about life...I feel the same way. I've wasted alot of time and now I'm happier than I have ever been, working as I am towards my goal.

It's also heartening to know that I'm not the only one to drop out of college. ^_^