In The Studio With Kevin Sloan
Tell us about your background. When did you start creating art?
My freshman year in high school I took a couple art classes and was hooked. I continued to take as many art classes as was allowed in high school but more importantly, started taking classes at the museum in Des Moines, IA where I grew up. There, I was exposed to more complex ideas and was encouraged to expand what I thought art could be and how I could express myself. After high school it was clear I wanted to study art in college and went on to major in art in undergrad as well as graduate school.
How has your work evolved over the years?
If you were to look at a survey of my work over the decades you might think you were looking at a number of artists, not just one! My work has evolved rather dramatically from abstraction to very expressionistic figurative work to calm, pastoral landscapes to symbolic animals and still lives.. As diverse as this work has been there has always been some consistent threads. First, I always start with the natural world as a foundation. Secondly, it’s very important that whatever the subject or style, the work be as authentic and truthful as possible.
Did you ever go on a vacation that changed your perspective, and in turn was reflected in your art?
I can't say that a vacation has had a profound influence on my work however the many diverse places I’ve lived around the country have had a deep impact. While I was born and raised in the Midwest, my curiosity and love of travel has allowed me to live in large cities like New York, San Fransisco and New Orleans as well as smaller exotic places like Key West and Santa Fe. These places and many more have all had an influence in how I choose what to paint and how I develop the narrative and feeling of each painting. From deserts to swamps to tropical coastlines, each has had, and continues to have an influence.
What do you hope viewers see in your work?
My work tends to be full of symbolism and metaphor and as such, creates infinite possibilities for the viewer to engage with it and find their own meanings and interpretation. I strongly encourage this kind of engagement with the work - there is no ”right” answer and if viewers allow themselves this opportunity to have a conversation with the work then it can become a more personal and interesting experience.
How would you describe your studio?
My current studio is in a former Romanian Orthodox church in Denver, CO. It’s basically one big room with a raised area at one end where the altar was. It’s a bit of a pun but I really consider this studio to be a sanctuary. I walk in each day and feel calmer, grateful and almost immediately less connected to the noise and distractions just outside the door - including an 8 lane freeway just 50 feet away! There is a small yard as well so I’ve taken to growing some flowers and vegetables in the small beds on the property. Taking a break and tending to the garden is a wonderful way to step back from the work and often find some inspiration to bring back into the studio.
If you have pets, do you take them to your studio?
I have two mini Labradoodles, Otis and Poppy. They come to the studio about once a week to give them a break from the monotony of their high-rise condo lifestyle and to break up my routine too! For the most part they know that the studio is the place where Dad works so they generally sleep and watch me. But, around 2-3 pm Otis usually decides he’s had enough and it’s time to go home. He starts to stand fairly close to me and stares incessantly at me until I can’t take it anymore and I relent and we go home. I guess he’s got me pretty well trained!
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GARDNER COLBY GALLERY FINE ART NAPLES, FL
