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Spraygraphic Interview with Joshua Norton
By Spraygraphic | November 21, 2007
Spraygraphic Interview with Joshua Norton
SG: Please tell us about yourself?
JN: I’m a 30 year old artist.
SG: Where do you currently live and work?
JN: Currently, I’m in the middle of pursuing my MFA at UNL in Lincoln, NE.
SG: What mediums do you work with?
JN: Well, for the past four years, I’ve been mainly making woodcuts. Before that, it was paintings, screen prints, lithographs and the like. I don’t want to be defined as strictly a woodcut guy, or a printmaker or whatever. On the other hand, I pretty much make woodcuts.
SG: Describe your working process when creating a new work.
JN: Different things happen different ways. Usually I begin with drawing. These drawings are mostly in sketchbooks, pencil and/or color pencil. Rough ideas are sketched out, then transfered to blocks. At that point, I start printing some flat color areas. Once I have a general layout, the rest of the creative decisions are made on the press. I start with an edition of 20, and usually end up with 15 (if things go well).
SG: What kind of things do you do when you get blocked or find it hard to create something?
JN: Well, if something is stopping my creative flow, It’s usually time to take a break. It took me many years to figure it out, but everybody gets blocked. Sometimes the studio confinement makes you think that your little problems are so monumental. My favorite remedies to this include: bike rides, cooking with my lady, and playing with my cat, listening to records…fun things.
SG: Where are you currently finding your inspiration?
JN: Archeology, alternative interpretations of history, cycles, connections, music. Reading usually gets things rolling.
SG: Can you tell us a little about Burning Artist and your affiliation with it?
JN: Back in 2001, I was about to graduate with my BFA, as was a group of my friends. When you’re in a situation like that, with a fairly impractical degree, and you are starting at square one, you realize that a support group is a helpful thing. It’s not a new idea, just look at the German groups of the early 20th century. I think we saw the benefit of using our individual skills to benefit the whole. Originally, we needed a way of pitching our work to galleries. It has evolved into burningartist.com, an online visual conversation. We started out in the same area, and have since spread across the country. Oddly enough, I feel like our connection is stronger than ever. Burning Artists: myself, Ric Stultz (Milwaukee, WI), Andy DuCett (Minneapolis, MN), Noah Norton (Menomonie, WI) and Marq Spusta (Two Rivers, CA).
SG: How have you seen your work change since the beginning of your career?
JN: Well, When I started out, my work had lots of naked ladies. I think my idea of what is important, and how I react to things is much different. Other than that, I feel like my approach is essentially the same. I get inspired, then I just kinda jump in.
SG: How is your MFA work coming along and does the university setting allow you to be more creative or less creative in your opinion? JN: Y’know, school is very challenging. Everything you think you know is called into question, and that is an uncomfortable thing. Removing yourself from your comfort zone forces you to search for a different path. Searching can lead to discovery. I’m not sure the university setting has much to do with being more creative or less creative. Creativity is something the individual has to bring to the table. There are both creative and uncreative people with MFA’s. The university is more about discourse and new ways of thinking about your work. My academic experience is important step in my development, but it is just one step… not the beginning, certainly not the end.
SG: You seem to participate in a lot of group shows. Do you like group shows and what kind of role do you play in them? Organizer? Artist? Both?
JN: I guess I do. Group shows are a bit chaotic, I like that. As part of a group of artists, I’ve been both organizer and artist. After five years of group exhibits, I really wanted to take a break from it. It turns out, grad school really isn’t much of a break from that. Still, I’ve made a conscious effort to cut down on the exhibits a bit. I have some ideas for a solo show, but that won’t be ready for a year or two.
SG: Where has your work been seen?
JN: Minneapolis, St Paul, Milwaukee, Madison, Chicago, Lincoln, Omaha. Outside the States: Helsinki, Finland. Australia.
SG: Where will it be seen next?
JN: While I’m doing the school thing, I’m not actively pursuing exhibitions, but I do exhibit when it’s convenient for me. I’ll have some work at the Tugboat Gallery, here in Lincoln sometime this winter. Next year, the Burning Artist co-op will be staging an exhibit in Minneapolis.
SG: What is your dream art assignment?
JN: I’d really like to work on a book project. Woodcuts are great in books. Collaborating with an author is something I’ve always wanted to do.
SG: What is your favorite color?
JN: I love color. As of late, I’ve been using lots of indigo etching ink, and paynes gray. That’s as close as I can get to a favorite.
SG: Who is your favorite artist? And Why?
JN: Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. He reinvented the color woodcut, among other things. I love his prints, paintings, sculptures, whatever. The guy was on fire. I recently discovered Akseli Gallen-Kallela, the Finnish painter of the late 1800’s. I guess I like a lot of old art.
SG: What book/magazine are you reading this week?
JN: On Time and Being by Martin Heidegger and Black Hole by Charles Burns. The Heidegger book is very dense… you can feel your brain expanding as you read. Great stuff. Charles Burns’ Black Hole is one of the most unique coming of age tales I have experienced. Beautiful.
SG: Ever do a self portrait? Where is it now?
JN: I’ve done a few, although it’s been years. I don’t know where their current whereabouts.
SG: Where is your favorite place to hang out?
JN: Spindle Records in Lincoln. My friends own and run the place. I have had some of my favorite creative conversations at Spindle, among the stacks of vinyl.
SG: Any final words of advice?
JN: Do what you do with passion. I think that says it all.
ART: 1) in progress, 2) magnetic poles, 3) extinction, 4) untitled, 5) alter piece of origins
Topics: Art Collectives, Artist Interviews |
