russell simmons david bromstad ami james 1
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
1
4 6 Info@eiamagazine.com | Creative Director / Jennifer Vitalia Editor@eiamagazine.com | Staff Writer/ Editor / Carl Stoffers Press@eiamagzine.com | Jesse Starrick / Advertising Contributing Writer | Alexander Castiglione (917) 410-7630 EIAMAGAZINE.COM
24 no. 1
2
34 44 66 EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
3
Marie-Claude Gervais creationsmcg.com
Marie-Claude Gervais was born in Montreal in the late 70s. Raised by an artist mother, she began to draw faces with pastels and charcoal. It soon became clear that she had natural talent, so her mother enrolled her in oil painting classes. Years later, she felt the need to express life’s emotions in her own way. Intertwining her passion for women in art history with her own experiences, she began to paint modern females, portraying her emotions through these women.
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
4
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
5
or nt d Me oun r nt a ta es ll nt a Co and 6, t tis ar Ar uy g St st n Ho o f sig h, es De las typ p , TV S P” HG l o r S O U Co O T “H
BROMSt V A D
6
no. 1
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
D I
TAD Everythingisart.cc
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
Issue | X |
P a g e 17 no. 1
7
canvas or prisoners to the sculpture, but Bromstad has a unique style which evolved over the course of his career: His ability to create fantastic and wonderful designs for his clients, whether it is a child's playroom, an adult bedroom or a massive commercial project. “The big- gest compliment I can get is when someone walks into a room and says, ‘This is not my home.’ I want to create an escape,” said Bromstad
Everythingisart.cc
Issue | X |
P a g e 19
bromstad.com twitter.com/bromco pennylanepublishing.com/bromstad photo Credits: Vikram Pathak
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
8
D
avid Bromstad takes a different approach to art. He doesn‘t worry too much about trying to impress or shock. In fact, his art and approach hasn‘t changed much since his meteoric rise to stardom on HGTV and in the design world. A small town boy from Minnesota, he always had a passion for art, trading coloring books for cans of paint as the years progressed. Most artists work in one of two mediums, becoming slaves to the canvas or prisoners to the sculpture, but Bromstad has a unique ability which evolved over the course of his career: His talent to create fantastic and wonderful designs for his clients, whether it is a child’s playroom, an adult bedroom or a massive commercial project. “The biggest compliment I can get is when someone walks into a room and says, ‘This is not my home.‘ I want to create an escape,” said Bromstad.
This affinity for escapism isn‘t a new sentiment for him. He’s always loved the fantastic and borderline magical. Despite claiming he knew “nothing about interior design” in the beginning, he explained that he likes being exciting, playful and humorous with his work. Whether this is a remnant from Bromstad’s post-college days at Disney or a result of his childhood obsession with coloring books and crayons is anybody‘s guess. But his verve and enthusiasm comes through in all of his designs and works and he thanks Mickey Mouse for bringing him into the art world by highlighting the wonder of color and creation. Bromstad doesn’t work with just paints, rooms and wall coverings, he is an accomplished carpenter and artist, commanding several different mediums. Indeed, working as a contract artist for Disney, he was instilled with an absolute sense of perfection. Every color had to be spot on, every contour just right.
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
9
Bromstad initially found himself working for Disney‘s Parks and Resorts Visual Team, learning the craft of wood making. From there, the glue for his love affair with sculpture and carpentry was set. “Go buy yourself a jigsaw, some glue and some screws,” his father, a woodworker, advised him. “As I did the carpentry, I learned and absorbed the power of creating something out of nothing – three dimensionally – and was like, wow...this is really something that is going to stay with me the rest of my life,” reflected Bromstad. A new notch in his artistic tool belt was cut and a new artistic style was at his disposal. “I paint more because that’s the easiest and quickest. But I love building sculptures. I love working with woods and light,
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
shiny, glittery, golden things,” said Bromstad. However, he confessed, he still yearns to work with one more medium: glass blowing. He is fascinated with the artisanship and tradition of the art form. “There is something really primal and beautiful about it,” Bromstad said. “You have to be even more innovative with this medium and technique. You can do almost anything with it and the only limits are your creativity and the limitations of the glass itself,” he added. To his delight, Bromstad now works on a project where he can carry out his dream of creating wondrous escapes within peoples homes. In regards to his latest HGTV project, Color Splash, he said, “It’s a blessing. We get to go in and change people’s lives with color.”
no. 1
10
Everythingisart.cc
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
Issue | X |
P a g e 27
no. 1
11
Everythingisart.cc
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
Issue | X |
P a g e 29
no. 1
12
Bromstad’s talent as an artist shines through in the show, where he often includes vibrant artwork in his designs. Most of the time, he creates the art for an extravagant and playfully-designed room last. Sometimes, his clients tell him what they want, while other times he has to use the room itself as a muse to envision the creation, in both chromatic and tonal composition. He also has a new partnership with Penny Lane Publishing, which will make his art available to a larger market.
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
13
Many artists have a preference for realist or abstract style, and Bromstad is no exception. “I love the realistic look because it adds something more interesting, but I love the feel of the abstract.” He views his approach to art as something of a self-prescribed remedy for A.D.D. “Every artist has A.D.D. and dyslexia somewhere,” he mused with a giggle. “When I’m creating I just want more...fast, fast, fast! Every single painting I do I think is going to be a complete failure. Then, at the last minute, I put the finishing touches on it, and it comes to life. And I’m like ‘Woohoo!’” (Editors note: no amount of stylized text could accurately relay Bromstad’s hilarity and passion). On a heavier note, he
doesn’t agree with the standard art school procedure of working with just one medium and not branching off into other avenues. “Many art schools, even my art school, they tell you that you need to have one specific style,” he explained. “So you can go to apply [for jobs] and they can look and say ‘I know who David Bromstad is as an artist.’” “The irony of it is, the people that got great job offers used several different mediums. Versatility is the key, and if you can be great at sculpting, painting, blowing glass or laying concrete floors, sell it!” Bromstad has strong advice for beginning artists trying to pursue their dreams of creating vibrant and touching pieces of art, regardless of medium.
F
“The most important thing if you decide you’re going to be an artist, is to be an artist! Suffer and become that artist, feel it, live it and if you are truly talented and have the drive, that will bring you success. Whether you are creating dynamic spaces for people to live in, working on wondrous commercial projects, or painting on a wall or canvas, David Bromstad is proof positive that, with enough passion, drive and childlike wonder, you can create something marvelous and amazing. “I don’t think people realize that everything they do,” he said, “everything they see, has art behind it.”
QUOTE: “HOT SOUP”
ARTIST: LADY GAGA - “SHE ENCOMPASSES MORE THAN JUST MUSIC AND IS SO RELEVANT,”. MOVIE? KICK ASS. “I LOVE FANTASY AND SCI-FI MOVIES...ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH ESCAPISM I LOVE”.
avorites
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
14
Everythingisart.cc
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
Issue | X |
P a g e 25
no. 1
15
The Intrigue of duCret School of Art This year, New Jersey’s oldest non-profit artNJ’s school, the deCret School Art, the duCret School of Until recently, little was known about oldest non-profit artofschool, celebrates its 85th birthday. Historically not well-known outside of the art world, Art, which celebrates its 85thattention birthday this year. The landed state’s best kept secret was leaked the school recently gained national when three students recurring roles onthree the TLC series “Cake Boss.began ” when duCret students appearing and re-appearing on TLC’s TV series ‘Cake Boss’ last season. People began get curious aboutManhattan, the mysterious The school, in suburban Plainfield, isn’t to in flashy and glamorous but its yellow mansion in Plain- out-of-the-way in contrast to its long list of acclaimed Walking field, NJ;; the location school is the artists were emerging from. Ofalumni. course, artists ‘in the know’ have al- the campus, including the historic main building, there is a feeling of uplifting and ways in to paint or sculpt on the property. It is not NYC slick & flashy as one would excreativecome ambiance that permeates the entire space. pect. It’s a historic building. Nationally acclaimed painters, portrait artists and illustrators, as well as graphic designers who are now affiliated with some of the nation's most prestigious advertising agencies, listed among the many who have studied at duCret. When first walking through, one can almost physically feel the signature trail of all of the artists who’ve been there before. Because of the unusual ambience the building itself emits, it leaves a very intriguing and uplifting feeling upon your soul. Everythingisart.cc Issue |X|
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
P a g e 34
no. 1
16
Information can be obtained by contacting the school at (908) 757-7171 or visiting the web site: www.duCret.edu Become amazed at the ongoing events, school activities and the pure talent of duCret.
Information can be obtained by contacting the school at (908) 7577171 or visiting the web site: duCret.edu Become amazed at the ongoing events, school activities and the pure talent of duCret.
Everythingisart.cc
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
Issue | X |
P a g e 35
no. 1
17
Everythingisart.cc
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
Issue | X |
P a g e 36
no. 1
18
Vladimir Ginzburg VladimirGinzburg.com
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
19
“I like wandering on the streets, looking at trees, houses, doors, gates, stones and everything else you can see there. Even though only trees are considered to be alive, everything there has some kind of strange life. They cannot express themselves with sounds, but they have their language: language of forms and colors. People in my paintings are part of the landscape, they look motionless, but they are alive, waiting for their moment, like everything else around them.�
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
20
Everythingisart.cc EIAMAGAZINE.COM
Issue | X |
P a g e 39 no. 1
21
husetts Fine Art
1
2
Everythingisart.cc
Issue | X |
4
P a g e 55
3
8
5
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
6
no. 1
7
22
Robert J. Meulemans melissa Matarese Sarah Smith LINDSY DAVIS Gayle Arnold Michelle Izquierdo MIKEL ELAM mark Powell
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
robertmeulemans.com mesa-enterprises.com sarahsmithart.com lindsydavis.carbonmade.com gaylearnold.com michelleizquierdo.carbonmade.com MIKELELAM.COM markpowellart.tumblr.com
no. 1
23
http://andreshernandez.net
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
24
Let us expand your mind and change your thoughts. Body painting is a respected art form, so why is tattooing not as highly regarded? A tattoo is done by hand with different tools and methods, but still requires passion, artistic talent, composition, spiritual meaning and a creative mind.
Ami James Exclusive Interview
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
25
A
Art comes in many forms, functions and venues. True artists, like Ami James, work in many different mediums and their vision extends to well beyond the realm of tradition. From skin to canvas, James consistently creates wild and vivid pieces for the mind to wander in. Ami James wears many hats. Entrepreneur, clothing designer, jewelry designer, painter and tattoo artist are a few of the many titles on his resume. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, he’s also a family man, spending time with his daughter whenever his hectic schedule allows. That schedule just got a lot busier though, as he recently added “club owner” to his list of roles. “I was interested in opening Love/Hate (his new lounge in Miami) because I have always
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
been into the nightlife,” James explained. “It seemed natural to open my own bar, as it signifies my lifestyle and interests outside of all my day jobs.” With all the projects on his plate, it’s easy to understand why he‘s rumored to have a hot temper. “I’m more aggressive than passive. I’m working on it,” James remarked. Despite his entrepreneurial zeal and artistic voraciousness, he still continues to strive for success in multiple arenas. After starting the Deville clothing line with two partners, he eventually branched off to make the Ami James Ink clothing line, which he designs. Echoing themes of his tattoo designs and personal flair, his clothing line is not the only form of adornment he has his talented hands in, he also is working on a jewelry line.
26
“Art is art. Whenever you create something out of nothing, you can call anything like that art,” said James. His command of the ‘tattoo brush’ is a result of hundreds of hours of practice, yet he still commands paints and canvas equally well. “I think there is a lot more freedom on canvas than on skin,” he said. “On canvas, you can correct a mistake. It’s not the same in tattooing.”
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
27
“Anything on the easel is a slap in the face to an artist that paints murals, so what’s the difference when it comes to tattoos?” James asked, regarding the differences between different art forms. “You can’t fit the Sistine Chapel on an easel, can you? Tattoos are like that to me, it’s all art. We just have a new place or way of creating it.” That ‘new place’ is on human skin and it’s art that his clients will carry on their skin for the rest of their lives, like a divine scar of color and emotion. James’ artwork is available for purchase online at amijames.com and at his shops: Miami Ink/ Love Hate Tattoos and NY Ink/ Wooster Street Social Club. If you’d like to stay up-to-date on Ami’s art showings, dates can be found on his website. Want to schedule a tattoo? Don’t call, don’t email, just grab hold of your--for lack of a better word--balls, and head to the shop in person. Ami James is truly a dynamic, humble, complex and intriguing individual. He has simple, yet sage, advice for all aspiring artists. “Stay humble and always try to surround yourself with people you can learn from.”
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
28
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
29
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
30
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
31
Hannah Lynn Plotke hannahplotke.com WAS BORN IN BERKELEY, CA, AND GREW UP IN NEW HAVEN, CT. FROM AS EARLY AS SHE CAN REMEMBER, SHE HAS HAD A LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE MEDIUM OF PAINT. PLOTKE WORKS WITH OIL TO CREATE PAINTINGS THAT COMBINE A SENSE OF THE REAL AND THE TANGIBLE WITH ABSTRACTION AND TAPESTRY. SHE EARNED HER BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS IN PAINTING FROM THE RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN AND WILL BE SPENDING THE NEXT YEAR AT THE MENDOCINO ART CENTER’S ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM. “FOR ME, PAINTING IS TIED CLOSELY TO THE ACT OF ADORNMENT OR DECORATING. WITH PAINTING, WE ADORN AN EXTERNAL PIECE OF OURSELVES. TO CREATE, ADORN, AND GIVE OURSELVES IDENTITY AND SELF WORTH ARE THE EARLIEST AND TRUEST TRAITS OF HUMANITY.”
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
32
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
33
Michelle Magdalena Maddox EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
34
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
35
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
36
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
37
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
38
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
39
Well-traveled, jet-setting, adventurous and free-spirited to the tenth degree. I communicate beauty and emotion with my models, who are almost always my closest friends. I believe this shows in the genuine nature of my photographs. At age 17, I took one month off in between high school and my studies at Brooks Institute of Photography, a world renowned school of commercial and motion pictures. Brooks still had a film-based undergraduate program at the time and I soaked up all I could. My interests extend beyond fine art nudes into documentary and humanitarian causes, as shown in my propaganda images, touching on themes of cancer, future water, an end to toxic environments, and a need for evolved energy. I am an active member of the campaign for a US Department of Peace and I truly believe in the power of art to shape the future of our planet. One day soon, images will echo the changes we all try to practice, like religious icons for compassion and forgiveness. There is always a time for new lessons to be learned and new battles to be won, and for us, peace and balance in this world is closer than ever. NAMASTE. MAGDALENA. michellemagdalena.com
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
40
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
41
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
42
Armando Cabba was born on June 25, 1990, in Montreal, Quebec. He didn‘t grow up with a high interest in art. He went to Selwyn House School, which isn‘t very art-oriented. During those two years, he was working from photographs, mainly from magazines. He took risks and experimented and this would continue in CGEP. Cabba graduated Selwyn House School in 2007, winning the McCall Prize of Art, and was accepted into the fine arts program at Dawson College. Apart from painting and drawing, he worked in sculpture, which exposed him to working with wood, metal, ceramics, and various other materials. Every student at Dawson was exposed to every medium, and he loved it. Eventually, Armando discovered how powerful art was and how it acted as a way to vent out stress and issues. He had begun to exorcise his inner demons for the world to see . While at Dawson, he also began to work on self-portraits. Armando graduated in 2009 and was accepted into Concordia. He is currently his third year at the school’s painting and drawing program and also took up ceramics for a year. Armando also recently tried his hand at more contemporary art practices.
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
43
o
Omar Macchiavelli
m
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
44
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
45
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
46
What, if anything, do you consistently draw inspiration from? From the people I see every day and the people I've seen once, from the music, my woman, my friends, the cultures I've met and the people I would love to know. And of course from all the other forms of arts. What does your work offer society? I hope one instant of emotion. What are your goals as a photographer? The satisfaction of a job well done, the good vibes in the crew, the end result of a finished work in a frame. How important do you feel art is to the world? Humanity is Art.
I think so. At this moment we can recognize the social, political and economical situation of a country from a single picture shot. So I think the society is totally habituated and understood by the speed and the language of the images. Without it, it would be a world slow and boring. Are you a self taught photographer or did you require schooling? I've studied Photography at University DAMS in Arts & Media. Do you ever find yourself in a “photo funk�, and, if so, how do you get out of it? No, never. But it will probably come. What is the lasting impression you want to leave in your photos? I would like to leave a sense of well-being and aesthetic composition.
Do you think that society would be different if photography was never invented? omarmacchiavelli.com
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
47
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
48
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
49
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
50
natomy nd form
Franco Castelluccio francocastelluccio.com
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
51
Born April 12, 1955, in Newark, New Jersey, Franco Castelluccio committed himself to being a sculptor at a young age. Self taught, he spent years learning independently in Italy, studying anatomy and form from the master works and training himself at drawing classes at the prestigious Art Students League of New York. Currently, his sculptures are sought after by private collectors around the world. In his work, Castelluccio strives to portray the human spirit and its inner strength through hyperrealistic figurative art, often within representations of what he calls “dedicated lives.” “These are testing times for all. More and more we will see men and women, especially young men and women, looking for clues that they have nearly come safely through the difficulties” Castelluccio said. “This is why I feel inspired to create public art. That my art may serve to inspire and offer reflection as a reminder that progress actually is being made and that after all their efforts, there will be times of joy ahead. To encourage introspection of their own philosophies. To cause an abandonment of daily tribulations in order to contemplate the larger cycles of life. To not be confined to what I can see in a model before me, but rather to have the command to create what I know is the essence of a good sculpture.”
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
52
My ambition in creating art is to draw people in and capture their imaginations. -Franco Castelluccio
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
53
despite the danger Brieanna Scolaro bscolaro.tumblr.com
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
54
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
55
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
56
These pictures are forever ingrained in Scolaro‘s mind. Emotion is triggered in viewers by the subjects being fire, smoke, poverty and scenes foreign to the average person living in the contemporary United States. The main goal of this series is to show others that it is our duty to be knowledgeable about world affairs. Photography is the vehicle by which she can spread the word.
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
57
Nancy Murdoch nancymurdoch.com
“There are many paths leading us to our deepest truth, but there is only one destination. Art has the power to bring us home.�
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
58
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
59
Vivian Andreoli vivianandreoli.it A self-taught artist, it was clear early on that Vivian was not comfortable with working in the classic mold. She was bold and brash, sensual and erotic. She worked with bright colors and feminine forms, not the classic renaissance nudes but a more refined contemporary Italian look. As an artist, she strives with each brush stroke to manipulate not only the color on her canvas but the emotion of her audience. “When the canvas is complete you are exhausted and breathless, exactly as you would be after making love,” she said. “If executed to perfection both the painter and the viewer have this feeling of exhaustion and exhilaration! “I learned from a young age that when I was painting it was as if every touch of my brush intersected inextricably with my breath, with my soul, with all my heart! Art gets hold of you, it seduces you, it pushes you up and down, in a swing of joy and pain, to points unexpected, unknown, and unforeseeable. This is our family, this is my life, this is art. Life is art. Everything is art for me.”
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
60
ROGER FIFE
Roger Fife started off as musician and songwriter in London, England. He enjoyed success as a songwriter and performer along with his bandmate, Rebecca Pidgeon, and their group, Ruby Blue. After releasing 4 albums in the U.K., Roger moved to New York to work as a music producer, opening his own studio near Wall Street. He worked with many recording artists, including Antony & the Johnsons, Cyndi Lauper, Tricky, The Infidels and Jagz Kooner. He has also written music for TV and film. Around 2001, Roger was asked to contribute a sound piece to an artists group show at the 16 Beaver Group in Lower Manhattan. His first piece, “Talk about Myself,” featured New York artist Guy Richards Smit and was well received, including favorable praise from artist Chuck Close and critic David Levi Strauss. Roger went on to produce many more sound pieces and took part in additional shows in New York. He decided to curate his own show, “Of Relationship,” and began collaborations with other artists. This led to live performances with fashion designers such as Tess Giberson, C.O.U.P and Cynthia Rawley.
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
61
Larry Hunt
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
62
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
63
Born in 1946, Larry Hunt attended several universities, including the University of California-Davis, Sacramento State College, California College of Art and the San Francisco Art Institute. He received an honorable mention at the Kinsey Art Exhibition in 1963 and did several one-man shows from 19661970. After a few decades on hiatus to raise his family, he returned to the art scene, unable to quell the call of the artist raging inside of him. Most recently, he has been showcased in several Reno galleries and venues, such as TRS Gallery (2010-2011) and Artists Co-Op Gallery (May 2011), as well as having a showing at the Up Front Gallery in Port Jervis, New York, from April-July 2011. Currently, he is working on an exhibit in the Reno, Nevada area, at the Jack Bacon gallery, which will display his vibrant and alluring lighted sculptures for one to two months. His work, old and new, is a tribute to the true vision an artist can hold, turning everyday items into something beautiful with some pounding, heating, and shaping and an artistic vision burning in his mind’s eye. “Enjoy the work, feel the metal, see the color and hopefully you will become part of the piece for an instant. That instant is what I feel, see, and smell, while motoring through the landscape on a motorcycle or car,” said Hunt. “This nomadic spirit binds with the permanency and unwillingness of metal to change, creating pieces that are truly unique, using chrome plated scraps, shaped and carved steel, and fused glass to bring the viewer into each piece. By the reflections, highlights, and luminosity of certain pieces, the viewer feels as nomadic as the creator, seeing a new landscape with each turn of the head and each step around the piece.”
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
64
Hunt creates remarkable art from nothing more than metal scraps, heated glass, chrome, and auto paint, forming a distinctive piece and artistic voice with each clang of the mallet. From the collision of hammers, fire, and metal to the collusion of the viewer in each one of the pieces, he tries to create new life and perspective in each piece he designs. When most people see rusted metal and automotive paint they think of scrapped cars. They envision an automobile on its last legs, ready to be retired in some junkyard in parts unknown. Larry Hunt sees things differently. He sees a piece of art, waiting to take shape, waiting for new life after its days of being attached to a Ford are over. This transformation isn‘t an easy task. It involves some heavy duty gear, such as welding torches, hammers and vises that clank late into the night. Without the delicate brushes of other artists, he uses a combination of force and understanding, making a piece of metal transform like an artistic phoenix, rising from junkyard ashes into a new form and creation. “Metal is self-sustaining and resists change in shape and texture. Metal is strong. As I work with the metal, we become a team. We bond with each other. As the metal resists me and my imagination and my tools, together we find the shapes we both can enjoy. During this discovery process each piece starts to tell me what colors it wants to be and what textures it needs to be to bring the viewer into the piece” Hunt said. Bonded to his art form by the fire of artistic passion, Larry Hunt embodies the true spirit of the artist: Creating a beautiful vision where one didn’t exist before.
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
65
Q: You
established this amazing non- profit organization (Rush Philanthropic) with your brothers over 15 years ago. What inspired you to start such a massive and thoughtful endeavor? A: “Basically it was all about supporting emerging artists and knowing how important art was to any community; it seemed like something that was needed.”
Q: Was there a specific event that sparked the idea, or was it something you always felt the community needed?
A: “We know the community always needed something like
this. A lot of people don’t get a chance to exercise their creativity and every person has that [creative] side to themselves.”
Q:
How important is art (in any medium) to the youth of America, and why? A: “I think that imagination is everything. Imagination is God. You can imagine your way out of struggle; it’s very important that we be imaginative and always exercise our creative muscles.”
Q:
July 30, 2011 Honoring Mary J. Blige Kimberly B. Davis
President, JPMorgan Chase Foundation
Oz Garcia
Nutritionist and Author
Edward Norton
Actor/Filmmaker, Crowdrise Co-Founder
Honorary Chairs Gwyneth Paltrow Kimora Lee Simmons & Djimon Hounsou
You have touched the lives of over 2,000 students through this program, is there any one experience, student or circumstance that sticks out in your head? A: “Many of them appreciate what we do for them and it has changed their entire world. I hear it all the time and it’s great. Sometimes I walk the streets and people come up to me and say, ‘Your program changed my life,’ and it’s an amazing feeling. Even the research [on the matter] shows art is crucial to people.”
Q:
How do you feel regarding budget cuts in schools, and the disappearance of arts programs? A: “I think it’s a bad, bad mistake. They don’t realize how important art is to these kids. It’s like surviving. Many people aren’t in jail because they got a chance to practice and appreciate art; One of them is my brother – Art saved him. Art has the power to save lives. We can’t lose sight of that.” 
Q:
We at Everything Is Art Magazine firmly believe that arts are crucial to the development of minds, young and old. How/ what do you feel art teaches children and adults? A: “The use of imagination is everything and if you can’t imagine yourself out of struggle then you’re doomed. People are involved in so much unconscious behavior because it’s the norm and we have to protect against that. Things like genocide, war, mistreatment of animals, all of it - Art allows you to look inside, and inside is where all the answers are. We aren’t conscious on many levels of that and sometimes it doesn’t make sense. Art is one of the ways for us to examine what we need to... Ourselves. “
Q:
What is art, to you personally? A: “The freedom to create; any expression that‘s original or your own, even a thought, is art. Everything we do involves some creativity, and I think that‘s an important process. Always being creative and always being original.”
Q:
What advice would you give to aspiring artists? A: “Don’t be afraid to let the truth out. A lot of times there’s a truth in us that is kind of different. Dare to be different! Value yourself and have some freedom. The mainstream is mostly not right... Whatever is in your heart can’t be wrong. Let it out.” EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
66
Russell Simmons
rushphilanthropic.org EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
67
EIAMAGAZINE.COM
no. 1
68