Thursday's Other Creative Soul: Randy Gregg

Name
Randy Gregg

Education:
some college

Current City/Hometown
Ft. Worth/Concord California -San Francisco Bay area

Describe your work in one sentence.
Contemporary/abstract acrylic and mixed media art that I envision and then create.

What are your passions?
I love my daughter, Mandalyn and my granddaughter, Eva. I play Hockey. I am 46, so a lot of people are surprised. I also love sushi, Starbucks Chai, and chips and salsa. My girlfriend-Kathleen is my biggest fan/manager and she is my best friend.

What are your goals?
I want to establish a name for myself as an artist and earn a living doing what I love. I want to spend some time traveling and painting in different cultures. I am planning to go south to Latin America at some point in the future.



Who are your creative influences?
I am influenced by many people. I study artists on the Internet and i usually can learn some new technique every time. I enjoy watching other artists work. i have spent many nights studying famed artists like Jackson Pollock and Kieth Harring, l like to visit galleries. We recently took in the Andy Warhol exhibit in Ft Worth. I was inspired and immediately came home and started to incorporate some of his elements into my work. There are many pivotal moments that have helped shape who I am today, but I have decided to never look back.

Is there anyone that you really look up to as an inspiration?
My older brother Norm is an accomplished artist in California. I have always lived in his shadow artistically,. He is a fantastic and talented airbrush artist so i try to stick with a traditional paintbrush or sponge-brush and keep my own style. I can always call him when I am stuck or have some art question. I was initially inspired by an awsome talented artist-" Ottograph" from Amsterdam (Ipainteveryday.com) on youtube. I love to listen to his narrative. He is so very matter-of-fact. He seems to be very genuine and just plain cool. We've become friends on Facebook. ( hey Otto keep it up!) Jackson Pollock is another very interesting artist. Twisted but brilliant. Other inspirations? I recently saw a video("http://www.youtube.com/v/m3gMgK7h-BA) of a musician who sings and played guitar with his feet! (he has no arms). He is very talented and i found it inspirational. It makes my problems seem small.

What motivates you on a daily basis?
i really feel good when people compliment my work. When someone says they like it, it makes me want to do more. Everyday i think the same thing-"i gotta paint". Selling a painting, to me, means that I can buy more paint, canvasses and supplies! I really enjoy meeting art enthusiasts and collectors. The art scene is really intriguing. Do you have a "guilty pleasure" that you can't miss out on to get you going? Starbuck's Venti Chai, 1 pump vanilla, no water, no foam, whole milk, 155 degrees, with a straw. It's outrageously indulgent and expensive and I loathe the thought that those corporate SOB's are getting even richer, but I gotta have it at least once daily.

What's your working style?
I often spend several days thinking about what I want to create or how I want it to come out, but once i get started, i like to keep at it. Sometimes I paint until early in the morning. I have a favorite pair of jeans and a sacred shirt that I wear when I paint. Usually i am barefoot. If my painting clothes are being washed, I may paint in my underwear. I don't have a studio yet, so I am painting inside our apartment (my girlfriend is very tolerant). I run a blow-dryer on the work while i am painting to make it dry faster. I don't mix paints. I take them right from the tube. I dont like when my paints mix on the canvas either. I like sharp, intense colors and I want the white to be bright. I don't use an easel, i just hang the canvas on the wall and begin. Do you work for 12 hours straight nonstop, or do you take lots of breaks it depends, i have to be in the "zone". i feel it and i gotta keep going. I become impatient because allowing the paint to dry always slows me down. many times i may initially hate my paintings, but as i continue to work on them they begin to grow on me. i like to stay connected to them until they are completed. I love being able to really live my life the way i do. art for me is my life.

What are your websites/social networking links?
Facebook: Randy Gregg or Rocket Studios Inc. rocketstudiosinc@gmail.com