mice lover

text k.hinton images courtesty of adam stennett

"I've always been interested in the small things going on all around us that people are either too busy to notice or more comfortable ignoring."

"MOUSE IN MICROWAVE 1" 2004 OIL ON WOOD, 24"X24"

What was your very last painting about?
I'm currently working on a six foot by six foot painting of a bunch of fish on ice with two mice crawling around on top of them. I think it is very beautiful--kind of an arctic landscape. People will decide what it is about for themselves.

Why mice?
I've always been interested in the small things going on all around us that people are either too busy to notice or more comfortable ignoring. I like to think these unnoticed happenings may hold some special meaning. Mice seemed like a good metaphor to use for exploring these ideas and getting us closer to the small.

What was it like growing up in Alaska?
I was only born in Alaska. My family soon moved to California and then on to rural Oregon after that. I really grew up at the end of a three mile gravel road in Oregon. I was the first one on the school bus in the morning and the last one off in the late afternoon. I guess I had a lot of time to think and spent a lot of time in nature.

When did you know you were an artist?
I didn't realize that it was a viable option until I started thinking about all of the things I didn't want to do after college.
Thinking about possible careers and projecting them forty years forward can be depressing. I guess I knew when I got on the plane to New York for the first time and I didn't have a return ticket.

How do you view the current art world?
I paint what I wish I would walk into a gallery and see. I guess if I saw it out there already I could quit and do something easier.

What sort of direction do you see yourself going in artistically?
Downhill.

What's next?
One of my paintings will be in a hardcover book called Catholic published by D.A.P. and Evil Twin Publications that comes out soon. It's all artwork that involves cats in some way. It ranges from works by Bruce Nauman, to Balthus, to Terry Richardson, to Greg Ginn from Black Flag.

Then in July I'm guest curating a group exhibition at 31Grand in Brooklyn. It's going to be called "Dead Kids Do Nothing" and includes work by Rebecca Chamberlain, Angela de Rosette, Jan Dunning, Andy Diaz Hope, Elizabeth Huey, Jan Kotik, Alex McQuilkin, myself, Spencer Tunick and Lee Walton.

I also have my second solo exhibition coming up at 31Grand in September 2005.

It's going to be a busy spring and summer.

"IF YOU CAN READ THIS YOU ARE ALREADY DEAD" 2004, CLEAR PVC PIPE, RUBBER, STAINLESS STEEL, ELECTRIC FANS, 20-30 LIVE MICE, DIMENSIONS VARIABLE