Other places I'm at:
Twitter:
twitter.com/Anth0nyButler
Tumblr:
anthonybutleruniverse.tumblr.c…
Email Contact / Google+:
[email protected]
Instagram:
instagram.com/anth0nybutler
FB:
www.facebook.com/artworxkc
My lil' story (warning - cynicism ahead): I have always worked on art and so now I'm trying to show it to other people besides friends and family to get a response. Originally I worked heavily in High School on a portfolio and submitted it + was accepted to both Kansas City Art Institute and Chicago Art Institute. Both of those are fine institutions but I received very little in the way of scholarship money (que tiny violin sound) and therefore just went on with whatever small classes I could take. I never took any painting classes. That may or may not be evident. Probably depends on if you like abstract art. I know my High School teacher / mentor didn't seemed pleased and flunked me on those assignments. Of course in retrospect she wore a necklace made of rat droppings so I take that opinion with a grain of salt.
Another que the violin bit: I am a bit of a hermit nowadays as I was set back a while ago when diagnosed with epilepsy. It's controlled with meds but made me anti-social for a bit. Between that and other regular life challenges I have taught myself painting over the years. All that is good and all but I'm good now. Been through hell and back but most importantly I'm here in the present. But no boo-hooing over that bit. I'm not dead and whatever doesn't kill ya ... and the rest of that bit. I can work, live and I can create - most important bits.
Although I do have one helluva story for whoever wants to take the time to listen.
I create art for the same sake as probably anyone else. Just because. Just my opinion but really - and this is the part where I have a hard time selling myself - it is really hard for me to take it really seriously. Friends and family are supposed to say they like your work but it does mean a bit more when others like it. Selling / promoting myself has taken a whole lot longer since it is real hard for me to explain it, name it or really put any meaning beyond "I like color." Seriously. If a gallery contacted me and said they like my work that would be great but the anxiety behind actually showing is a different story. I did show a couple times and totally hid pacing back and forth. The response was great but I didn't speak to anyone. Don't get me wrong I took all the Art History classes and excelled in them but didn't get the whole deal about people knowing the 'meaning behind a piece' when people were not famous until they were way dead. It's the thing I don't like about art. Now you gotta come up with it at the time. I can't envision myself wearing a goofy hat in a posh gallery swirling a glass of chardonnay saying "Well this piece speaks to the duality of man and the conflict of war." No. It would be more like "Well I did this while I was bored, alone, anxious, not wanting to flip my shit, oh and I like the pretty swirly colors." I just don't think Christie's Auction house would go for that.
Remember when holding your wine glasses - pinkies up dahlings.
I have had good friends who are a bit more successful with their art and show in galleries. I don't know if I will ever get to that point or have those opportunities but ya know when life knocks you down you dust yourself off and keep going. You take chances. I've been lucky to have come from a family of creative people. I also surround myself with creative people from film, comedy, art and music.
So, that is what I'm doing. A bit of a re-boot. Keep creating art, see if people like it and all the while take care of my health. Force myself to be more social and go from there. Never know until you try. Nobody said life would be easy nor did anyone say things would be handed to ya' so promote yourself. My initial description of myself especially after looking at my work was that I was a "broke-ass Jackson Pollock" but, however, after getting positive feedback from the public at large and some people who I really respect I thought I should take it a tad bit more seriously. Just in case. I'm still keeping the sense of humor though. Life is way too short to lose that.
Create art for yourself, for whatever reason but display it for others.
Now for some of the other basics that usually come with reading about an artist:
Inspirations would be - Jackson Pollock,
Twitter:
twitter.com/Anth0nyButler
Tumblr:
anthonybutleruniverse.tumblr.c…
Email Contact / Google+:
[email protected]
Instagram:
instagram.com/anth0nybutler
FB:
www.facebook.com/artworxkc
My lil' story (warning - cynicism ahead): I have always worked on art and so now I'm trying to show it to other people besides friends and family to get a response. Originally I worked heavily in High School on a portfolio and submitted it + was accepted to both Kansas City Art Institute and Chicago Art Institute. Both of those are fine institutions but I received very little in the way of scholarship money (que tiny violin sound) and therefore just went on with whatever small classes I could take. I never took any painting classes. That may or may not be evident. Probably depends on if you like abstract art. I know my High School teacher / mentor didn't seemed pleased and flunked me on those assignments. Of course in retrospect she wore a necklace made of rat droppings so I take that opinion with a grain of salt.
Another que the violin bit: I am a bit of a hermit nowadays as I was set back a while ago when diagnosed with epilepsy. It's controlled with meds but made me anti-social for a bit. Between that and other regular life challenges I have taught myself painting over the years. All that is good and all but I'm good now. Been through hell and back but most importantly I'm here in the present. But no boo-hooing over that bit. I'm not dead and whatever doesn't kill ya ... and the rest of that bit. I can work, live and I can create - most important bits.
Although I do have one helluva story for whoever wants to take the time to listen.
I create art for the same sake as probably anyone else. Just because. Just my opinion but really - and this is the part where I have a hard time selling myself - it is really hard for me to take it really seriously. Friends and family are supposed to say they like your work but it does mean a bit more when others like it. Selling / promoting myself has taken a whole lot longer since it is real hard for me to explain it, name it or really put any meaning beyond "I like color." Seriously. If a gallery contacted me and said they like my work that would be great but the anxiety behind actually showing is a different story. I did show a couple times and totally hid pacing back and forth. The response was great but I didn't speak to anyone. Don't get me wrong I took all the Art History classes and excelled in them but didn't get the whole deal about people knowing the 'meaning behind a piece' when people were not famous until they were way dead. It's the thing I don't like about art. Now you gotta come up with it at the time. I can't envision myself wearing a goofy hat in a posh gallery swirling a glass of chardonnay saying "Well this piece speaks to the duality of man and the conflict of war." No. It would be more like "Well I did this while I was bored, alone, anxious, not wanting to flip my shit, oh and I like the pretty swirly colors." I just don't think Christie's Auction house would go for that.
Remember when holding your wine glasses - pinkies up dahlings.
I have had good friends who are a bit more successful with their art and show in galleries. I don't know if I will ever get to that point or have those opportunities but ya know when life knocks you down you dust yourself off and keep going. You take chances. I've been lucky to have come from a family of creative people. I also surround myself with creative people from film, comedy, art and music.
So, that is what I'm doing. A bit of a re-boot. Keep creating art, see if people like it and all the while take care of my health. Force myself to be more social and go from there. Never know until you try. Nobody said life would be easy nor did anyone say things would be handed to ya' so promote yourself. My initial description of myself especially after looking at my work was that I was a "broke-ass Jackson Pollock" but, however, after getting positive feedback from the public at large and some people who I really respect I thought I should take it a tad bit more seriously. Just in case. I'm still keeping the sense of humor though. Life is way too short to lose that.
Create art for yourself, for whatever reason but display it for others.
Now for some of the other basics that usually come with reading about an artist:
Inspirations would be - Jackson Pollock,