Ian Anderson Prints and Interview with Hungry Eyeball

August 29, 2012

Hungry Eyeball interviews Portland artist Ian Anderson and is releasing his archival prints in our online gallery. First Friday in October 2012, Ian will also be having a new piece in the Hungry Eyeball curated group show called “Skulls” at Redux in Portland.

>>> Where are you coming from?
Geographically I come from Utah where I spent most of my time in Salt Lake City. I moved to Portland Oregon about six years ago. Stylistically I’m trying to come from an honest place and express ideas about perception and existence through a slightly surreal lens.

>>> Where do you want to go?
Europe, Africa, India, China, South America, Australia, Japan. Everywhere I guess. Artistically everywhere as well.

>>> I hear you just DJed at Tiga in Portland, name your top songs you played that night.
Yeah, that was a lot of fun. I recently visited Utah and found a bunch of 1970s jazz, funk, and soul records for fifty cents each, so I stocked up. One of my favorite finds from that expedition was Bob James’ One. I played the song “Nautilus” which has been sampled a bunch in the hip-hop world. I also found a couple of 70s era Lonnie Liston Smith records. Cosmic Funk and Expansions. I played “Desert Nights” off of Expansions. I have to say that one of my favorite songs that I always squeeze in when I spin records is “The Moors” by Weather Report. It’s off of an early 70s album, I sing the Body Electric, which is much heavier and more abstract than their later cheese-ball stuff. That track is a completely off the hook mind-blowing improvisation, clocking in at just under five minutes.

>>> In your artwork, you seem to have an earthy-natural color palette, why this choice and where did it come from?
You know, I think that Gouache really lends itself to earth tones. When I paint with oil or acrylics I often go much brighter and have to consciously subdue the palette at times. I guess I feel that more natural colors translate ideas in a subtler fashion, whereas bright colors can often shock the senses, overpowering the subject. Of course they can still be used with great efficacy and I’m sure I will go brighter again at some point.
>>> Is your artwork more personal or fantasy, can you explain?
It’s fairly personal I suppose as it is a manifestation of my subconscious. I like to think of it more as fables or a mythology inspired by dreams and visions as an extension of the mortal plane.

>>> What does Ian Anderson like to do other than painting?
I still skateboard on a semi-regular basis, usually at local skateparks with a couple of buddies. I’m also kind of trying to start a band, but so far practice has been pretty sporadic. Gardening is very satisfying to me. It turns out I have a bit of a green thumb.
>>> Top five things you love about Portland.
Nice people, easy living, good food, local businesses, free piles.

>>> I hear you are going to be in the next Thrasher magazine, how did this come about?
I met Thrasher writer Adam Creagan through a local artist who does some really great work: Robert Newhouse. Adam was in town from San Francisco and we hit up a bunch of local skateparks. He saw a sample of my work and offered to get me into the regular skateboarder-artist feature in Thrasher called Canvas.
>>> Any upcoming shows or events that you can tell us about?
Besides the October Thrasher article which actually should be out the first week of September, I have a solo show at the Albina Press and will be apart of a group show at Redux in October 2012.