Thank you for returning and thank you to all of you who have been sharing this artistic endeavor with your friends! I've been scoping out [stalking] the facebook comments on the links and it's so cool to see what people think of this madness! Please share this with as many people as possible and always feel free to send new artists my way. I'll be recruiting new artists in a few weeks so feel free to send me as many talented people as you know! [email to mexakitsch@yahoo.com]
This time around, we're checking in on Panel #3 which was back in the bay
for a few days with the prolific Mr. Forest Stearns! Pretty much, prolific is the best word to describe this artist [I'm convinced he should just go and get the word legally attached to his name since it is used so often when referring to him] but you could also throw in ingenious, relentless, mad-skilled, always moving, always pushing... dude knows how to get sh*t done. And he does it well.
Here is the newest addition to Panel #3 by Mr. Stearns! Low and Three-Toed Slow baaaaaby!:
Heeeeeeeey! How tight is that? Best part is that you can check out his blog and you can read aaaaall about his creative process for this piece here. Dang, so fresh! Let's get inside his head a little more:
a transglobal multimedia live art music tour through festivals, preschools, town squares, city centers, space stations and universities, getting people stoked on sustainability, responsibility, communication, education, compassion, and resiliency.
Amon Tobin, Aceyalone, Telefon Tel Aviv, Blackalicious Cinematic Orchestra, Beats Antique, Mimosa, Bonobo,
I would take figure drawing with Egon Shellie and Gustav Klimpt because their work is spooky, tight and brilliant, catch tags with Twist and Dream because they care about style from the micro to the macro, build alien sculptures with Lee Bontecou because she is on some next level thinking, sketchbook session with James Jean because he is a legend of prolificness, talk god and myth with Joseph Campbell and Richard Dawkins because they understand, illustrate an album cover with Amon Tobin because he builds universes, ride my bike with Einstein because he showed up and rocked, Garden with Michael Pollan because he works with the seasons and celebrates the harvest, and grow mushrooms with Paul Stamets because he will save the planet.
Good afternoon, My name is Forest Stearns, and I am from a town in the Cali mountains called Sonora, from then on I have lived in various places and had many jobs. From Alaska to Yosemite, Pittsburgh to Humboldt, SoCal to Oakland. I am an only child that both loves and hates graffiti, gravity and poison oak. Thankfully there has always been creativity and love in my life, constant inspiration, nature, athletics, problem solving, and adventure. I have studied art empirically and academically as long as I can remember and now it is a way of life. I am a strong advocate for education, communication and accessibility. A questioner of ownership and control. A huge fan of fun. I love spending time with my girl and our team of friends. And I love my job as an illustrator in Oakland it allows me to practice my skills and push my limits every day, draweverywhere.
What is your earliest “artistic” memory?
My mother is super industrious and as a child I have endless memories of her doing calligraphy, logo design and glass engraving, my father built cabinets and I was in his shop as a tike creating things with wood and nails. Outside of the house I have another super early interesting 3/4 year old memory; of going to a small sculpture gallery in my home town where a guy had built 3D dioramas of alien encounter stories. It was amazing, I was a small kid and I can still see pieces in my mind. They were beautifully made and ultra convincing. Pretty rad to see as a young guy, I think this is why I like aliens so much now.
What is your earliest “artistic” memory?
My mother is super industrious and as a child I have endless memories of her doing calligraphy, logo design and glass engraving, my father built cabinets and I was in his shop as a tike creating things with wood and nails. Outside of the house I have another super early interesting 3/4 year old memory; of going to a small sculpture gallery in my home town where a guy had built 3D dioramas of alien encounter stories. It was amazing, I was a small kid and I can still see pieces in my mind. They were beautifully made and ultra convincing. Pretty rad to see as a young guy, I think this is why I like aliens so much now.
What are three words that best describe your artwork?
Strong, bold, adventurous
What inspires you?
Loud textured sophisticated bass-ridden organic electronic music, animals in your backyard, letter science, sunny day bike riding to the farmers market, great meals with juice and coffee, catching characters with my team, Smart worldly people willing to have tasty conversations, the hard work and never ending love of my mom and dad, Epic views from mountain tops, hearing my girl laugh, smiles of strangers, old people dancing, ninjas and friendly cats and dogs.
What is your goal in life?
To do what I love best for the people who see it as the most valuable.
Name something you love, and why.
Sushi dinners with friends because of the wasabi and the laughter and the hot tea and the chopsticks.
What makes you angry?
Racism, hate, bigotry, road rage, inconsideration, and poor design
What was your favorite toy as a kid?
frogs, snakes, legos, dirt, chalk, and my bike
What is your favorite toy now?
my sketchbook and my bike
What is your “dream” art project?
a transglobal multimedia live art music tour through festivals, preschools, town squares, city centers, space stations and universities, getting people stoked on sustainability, responsibility, communication, education, compassion, and resiliency.
What have you been listening too while you’ve been working on your art[recently]?
Amon Tobin, Aceyalone, Telefon Tel Aviv, Blackalicious Cinematic Orchestra, Beats Antique, Mimosa, Bonobo,
If you were a cocktail on a drink menu at a bar, what would your name be?
The mover and shaker, (never on the rocks)
If you could go back in time and talk to “8 year old YOU”, what would you say to her/him?
Read more, ask more questions, and Tell the people that you love that you love them.
If you could collaborate with any other artist [living or dead], who would it be and why?
I would take figure drawing with Egon Shellie and Gustav Klimpt because their work is spooky, tight and brilliant, catch tags with Twist and Dream because they care about style from the micro to the macro, build alien sculptures with Lee Bontecou because she is on some next level thinking, sketchbook session with James Jean because he is a legend of prolificness, talk god and myth with Joseph Campbell and Richard Dawkins because they understand, illustrate an album cover with Amon Tobin because he builds universes, ride my bike with Einstein because he showed up and rocked, Garden with Michael Pollan because he works with the seasons and celebrates the harvest, and grow mushrooms with Paul Stamets because he will save the planet.
What is the best bit of advice that you have ever been given?
Build an Empire, Breathe, Practice, Enjoy, and Live Up.
If you had a chance to say one sentence for the whole world to hear, what would you say?
Go Practice!
Wow, thanks for all those wonderful words Forest! And so much love to you for getting down on the Collabo AGAIN! For some of you that don't know, El Travo Collabo began in 2009 and Forest was among the first group of artists to collaborate. Look in the side bar on the right, last panel on the bottom... that's the one!
Feeling mighty inspired right about now, friends! I love to hear form someone who is so into what they do with all their heart, mind, and soul. The passion just drips from these words and I am so thrilled to share this with all of you admirers out there. Follow Forest's blog and you can be sure to see marvelous and BIG things coming from him [as if his previous projects have not already blown my mind... painting onstage with DJ Shadow and whatnot... tiiiight].
MATH-A-MILEAGE! ::Reaches for abacus:: OK, so she went from SF to SD and put down 483.38 miles and now we're adding her trip from SD to Oakland ::slides little wooden beads back and forth:: So now Panel #3 is looking at 3 artists and 982.77 miles! We have one more SoCal aritst to go, GIAN NORTE of Montebello, CA and then she arrives back to the homeland for some finishing touches a la ELROD [me!]
See ya'll next time! Peace and so much love to you all!
ELROD
No comments:
Post a Comment