Mini Interview: Jonathan Green
Location? Age? Education? Website?
Corner Brook, NL for the moment. 27. B.FA. The Banff Centre Workstudy Program. Pete Sampson’s Barber Shop. You can see my work right here as well jonathangreen.cabonmade.com or The Leyton Gallery of Fine Arts
How would you describe your work to someone?
Drawings. Executed in a variety of media – mixed media on paper, printmaking, sculpture,etc. For the drawings the idea is to get different kinds of marks to work off of each other – so sometimes I’ll paint/draw fairly accurately, then work quite loosely on a section, then break up elements of print on another section. Content wise, they make use of narrative and histories – arctic explorers – as source material. I reshape and reuse these expeditions, the landscape, the people, to communicate.
Outer Dark
Influences?
Ed Pien, Giacometti, Francis Bacon, Goya, Ian Francis, Oliver Lutz . Literary influences Cormac McCarthy, Paul Auster.
Cheese burgers or tofu burgers?
Beef, bison, buffalo, elk,moose, slap one of those together with cheese and you’re golden.
Working routine? Music? Time of day?
Lately I work whenever I get a chance, after work, weekends. Afternoon to the late night – sleeping till twelve will add years to life according to Buk. I like to have music going, a lot of The Knife and Fever Ray as of late.
A corner of one's own
How do you pay the bills?
I just got a temporary little gig as Print studio technician at my former art school. A great job helping the students out and keeping the shop in shape. As well as some little things here and there.
Describe your process for creating new work.
A lot of my work is influenced by literature. In particular right now, Paul Auster and Cormac McCarthy. Their methods of constructing a narrative or novel influence my art making. In some cases it starts with hearing of a story or about an old event, and rearranging it to expand it. Auster has led me to investigate the constructions we use to tell a narrative, and how to manipulate it.
That’s a formal way of saying I hear a bout something, research it and just start drawing the crap out of it. Take in a lot of information, I’ll spend a good few hour at the library or internet, and then start throwing it all together.
Tools of the trade?
Pencils, charcoal, watercolour, paint, etching tools, metal, wood, printing press
What are you really excited about right now?
Some of the new drawings I’ve been working on are turning out tight. More mixed media. Refining some stuff I started last year. Hoping to bring it to some printwork as well.
I got a few ideas for sculpture pieces. Like to get my hands on a projector of some sort to experiment with.
There is a printing press restoration project. I received an older printing press for free, just haul away. Needs a little TLC but looking forward to getting that working again. Make my own workshop.
I just gave you $1,000,000. Quick, what do you do with it!
Man,… dream studio, shit, dream studio with nice little house nearby too. Travel and a bespoke suit- either Saville Row or Italian. Actually suit first, everything else after.
Best way to spend a day off?
Reading, making a great dinner with my lady.
What do you love most about where you live?
Since I’m east/west coast of Newfoundland right now, I have to saw the character and beauty of this place is unparallelled. I need to get to some of these out of the way places more, there is so much to explore here.
Grating Along Like Bonedust
Ok, your chance to rant and rave about something* Talk shit.
I could get started on those people calling posters reproductions “prints” but I’ll leave that.
I hear enough “talk” at work, so trying to be about the “real talk”. Not being soft, but like my great grandfather who was said to be “the hardest man in White Bay”.
Upcoming shows/ projects?
A solo show at the Leyton Gallery in the fall. Hauling ass on that one. Applying for shows and residencies elsewhere. Also a trip to europe is in the works. Europe or bust.
Yes, I tied it myself
*This mini interview format and questions were nipped from Fecalface.com
mulcair beard isn't the same as the layton moustache, but it'll do. congrats @ThomasMulcair
