Adam Crowley
Interview by Kiran Gurung, Colloquium Manager
Adam Crowley. Photo courtesy of the artist.
KG: What are you primary concerns as an artist, in terms of what you'd like to communicate or visualize?
AC: I think painting (and visual art in general) has the exceptional ability to lay out those things that can’t be easily put into words. I started my current body of work with images of smoke, which quickly turned into images of clouds, as smoke was too much tied to an event. The cloud is an absolutely abstract form that every single person in the world can recognize. Each one is completely unique while at the same time being utterly banal. Clouds passed over every event in history, and will silently pass over every future outcome until the water burns away, however long that may take. I think the climate is not far from many people's minds these days, and, for me at least, the concept can be overwhelming and terrifying. So I paint small scenes of specific bits of my environment. Maybe I do this in order to make sense of the infinitesimally small piece of the planet I inhabit from one moment to the next? The intersections of culture/nature and humanity/nature - and our seemingly unending war to keep it from being natural - preoccupy me.
AC: I think painting (and visual art in general) has the exceptional ability to lay out those things that can’t be easily put into words. I started my current body of work with images of smoke, which quickly turned into images of clouds, as smoke was too much tied to an event. The cloud is an absolutely abstract form that every single person in the world can recognize. Each one is completely unique while at the same time being utterly banal. Clouds passed over every event in history, and will silently pass over every future outcome until the water burns away, however long that may take. I think the climate is not far from many people's minds these days, and, for me at least, the concept can be overwhelming and terrifying. So I paint small scenes of specific bits of my environment. Maybe I do this in order to make sense of the infinitesimally small piece of the planet I inhabit from one moment to the next? The intersections of culture/nature and humanity/nature - and our seemingly unending war to keep it from being natural - preoccupy me.
"Clouds at Dusk" Image courtesy of the artist.
KG: How did you come to specializing in oil paint as your medium?
AC: It was a bit of a back and forth for a while, and I do very much want to stay fluid in art making. For example, I don’t want to dismiss an interesting idea or collaboration or whatever because “I’m an oil painter.” Having said that, I do like the tradition that oil holds within itself, and I like the daily routine I’ve created around studio time, to which oil lends itself. Oil also lends itself to obsessiveness I think, and with its long history and endless variations of colors, textures, and philosophies, it’s a medium I haven’t ever tired of. Plus I wanted to get good at it, and while I don’t know if I’m there yet, or if I ever will be, I’m always excited for the next painting.
AC: It was a bit of a back and forth for a while, and I do very much want to stay fluid in art making. For example, I don’t want to dismiss an interesting idea or collaboration or whatever because “I’m an oil painter.” Having said that, I do like the tradition that oil holds within itself, and I like the daily routine I’ve created around studio time, to which oil lends itself. Oil also lends itself to obsessiveness I think, and with its long history and endless variations of colors, textures, and philosophies, it’s a medium I haven’t ever tired of. Plus I wanted to get good at it, and while I don’t know if I’m there yet, or if I ever will be, I’m always excited for the next painting.
"A Dandelion Growing next to French Castle" Image courtesy of the artist.
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"A Bunch of Kale from the Garden" Image courtesy of the artist.
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"Cloud Study" Image courtesy of the artist.
KG: On your site you state: "An oil painting of a vase of flowers does not mean the same thing that it meant in 1890..." What does oil painting mean today? Do you think it will have a place in art, 100 years from now?
AC: I certainly hope so. I have been thinking of painting as being akin to the piano. The piano might not be the dominant instrument heard in music these days, but there is still relevance in the music that it does make, and it is hard not to find beauty in its music. Painting is the same way. While it may seem academic to some, there are others who can find endless fascination in its history and where it is headed. History is not a straight line, and there are streams and eddies which have not been explored yet. I also think that there is solace to be found in a gallery of paintings, away from the barreling progress of the contemporary world. I am a humanist, but feel a kinship with monastic orders, people looking for answers in the divine, or at least a sacred space to remove oneself from the burdens of life and hope for a more wonderful tomorrow. The church has lost its sway, I think. Maybe the gallery can bear the mantel?
KG: Do you have any upcoming exhibitions or projects you'd like to share?
AC: Well, I had a daughter a little over two years ago, so while I’ve still been making it into the studio daily, I haven’t had time for much else. But I am currently seeking opportunities to show my work and I am excited to get the work back out there! Thank you so much for the questions, and your support!
AC: I certainly hope so. I have been thinking of painting as being akin to the piano. The piano might not be the dominant instrument heard in music these days, but there is still relevance in the music that it does make, and it is hard not to find beauty in its music. Painting is the same way. While it may seem academic to some, there are others who can find endless fascination in its history and where it is headed. History is not a straight line, and there are streams and eddies which have not been explored yet. I also think that there is solace to be found in a gallery of paintings, away from the barreling progress of the contemporary world. I am a humanist, but feel a kinship with monastic orders, people looking for answers in the divine, or at least a sacred space to remove oneself from the burdens of life and hope for a more wonderful tomorrow. The church has lost its sway, I think. Maybe the gallery can bear the mantel?
KG: Do you have any upcoming exhibitions or projects you'd like to share?
AC: Well, I had a daughter a little over two years ago, so while I’ve still been making it into the studio daily, I haven’t had time for much else. But I am currently seeking opportunities to show my work and I am excited to get the work back out there! Thank you so much for the questions, and your support!
"Cloud Study" Image courtesy of the artist.
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"A Rock, Dug up from the Garden, then Cleaned" Image courtesy of the artist.
See more of Adam's work on his website |
