We proudly present our third in a series of interviews
with artists whose works are featured in our Art Saint Louis virtual gallery
exhibit: "Dreamlife." This juried exhibit is presented exclusively online from May 1 to July 1, 2021. You can view all the virtual exhibit as well as
all 45 featured artworks on our website here and in our Facebook album here.
We proudly introduce you to featured artists Chuck Vincent and Phil Strang.
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CHUCK VINCENT
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| Featured in the Art Saint Louis virtual exhibit, “Dreamlife”: Chuck Vincent, Festus, MO. “Fever Dream.” 2021. Acrylic on Panel, 20”x16”. $300 unframed. Artist’s statement: “We've all been isolated and entrapped in a variety of ways; while horrific death stalked the land, and unknown dangers haunted us. Maybe science can find the way out of the darkness. I tried to portray this in my painting.” |
Roxanne Phillips: Describe your artistic process/technique.
Chuck Vincent: Natural work, landscapes etc. are an exercise in memory. I like to spend my days looking at and remembering natural scenes as accurately as I can with no visual reference. I believe, for better or worse, that this gives the pieces a dreamlike quality.
Fantasy pieces are more evolutionary in nature. I try not to think too deeply about how the picture is evolving, but try to let my subconscious guide my brush.
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| Chuck Vincent: “Ah Spring.” 2018. Acrylic on Canvas, 16”x20”. $300. |
RP: What was it that first prompted your career/activity as an artist?
CV: In primary school, I started illustrating my world in the margins of my homework and literally on every surface I could attack with a pencil (sadly, that hasn't changed).
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| Chuck Vincent: “Missouri November.” 2018. Acrylic on Canvas, 20”. $200. |
RP: What do you find most challenging/rewarding about the creative process?
CV: As an ADHD adult, I find the challenge and the reward of the creative process to be two sides of the same coin. The challenge is to settle down and focus on the work, the reward is to complete the work.
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| Chuck Vincent: “Red Bud in Fall.” 2019. Acrylic on Canvas, 12”x16”. $175. |
RP: Why do artists stop making pieces and have you ever come close to that point?
CV: I’ve come close to quitting many times, mostly because of frustration over the inability to move my skill forward or a stagnation of ideas. Usually patience brings inspiration and I move forward.
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| Artist Chuck Vincent at work in his Festus, Missouri home studio. |
RP: Do you ever wonder about your artwork once it leaves your hands?
CV: Not very often, but my wife does and she requests that if you have a painting of mine we'd love to have an image of it--please email us.
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| Chuck Vincent: “After Hours.” 2020. Acrylic on Canvas, 12”x16”. $275. |
RP: What qualities attract you to other artists’ works?
CV: Their use of color to describe or define light.
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| Chuck Vincent: “Butterfly Knight.” 1994. Acrylic on Canvas, 16”x20”. $300. |
RP: What are you currently working on?
CV: A tribute to Rock and Roll
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PHIL STRANG
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| Featured in “Dreamlife” (May 1-July 1, 2021): Phil Strang, Urbana, IL. “Edge of Time.” 2020. Acrylic on Canvas, 16”x20”. $599 unframed. |
Roxanne Phillips: When do your best ideas come to you?
Phil Strang: Usually when I'm sleeping.
RP: How/when do you know your piece you're working on is good enough to call done?
PS: When I think it's 98% done.
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| Phil Strang. “Kitty and Tempest.” 2019. Pebeo Paint on Glass, 8"x10”. $495. |
RP: What surprised you when recently working on a piece?
PS: I can do portraits of animals better than I can do portraits of people.
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| Phil Strang. “Chevaux Bleu.” 2019. Acrylic on Textured Canvas, 20"x20”. $599. |
RP: When working on a piece when is it most enjoyable, the beginning, in the middle or the final moment?
PS: I enjoy the middle, when I am in my flow and not worried about the final product.
RP: Why do artists stop making pieces and have you ever come close to that point?
PS: Sometimes I just run out of energy and think I may never step into my studio again.
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| Phil Strang. “Phoenix Hummingbird.” 2015. Acrylic on Textured Canvas, 12"x12”. $249. |
RP: What is it people don't understand about your artwork?
PS: They do not understand painting on glass. And when I work on canvas, they do not understand texturing.
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| Artist Phil Strang's studio and artwork storage area. |
RP: Is making art more like coming up with a recipe for dinner or actually cooking dinner?
PS: It's like cooking dinner, which is another of my favorite activities.
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| Phil Strang. “St Fuschia.” 2012. Pebeo Paint on Glass, 10"x8”. $395. |
RP: How much time should it take to make a piece (in your mind) and how much time does it really take?
PS: It could take months or years in my mind but rarely more than 20 hours of actual painting.
RP: What was it that first prompted your career/activity as an artist?
PS: When my record store went out of business and I switched from doing commercial art to creating my own art.
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| Phil Strang. “Lost Paradise.” 2015. Acrylic on Textured Canvas, 12"x12”. $249. |
PS: Original ideas and art that doesn't look like my art.
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| Urbana, Illinois-based artist Phil Strang. |
Learn more about Phil Strang: https://1-phil-strang.pixels.com/
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Roxanne Phillips
is an artist and art educator based in St. Louis since 2001. She earned
a MFA in Printmaking & Drawing from Washington University in St.
Louis and BFA in Painting & Drawing from University of North Texas.
Roxanne is an adjunct art instructor at Washington University in
St. Louis and has worked with Art Saint Louis since 2017 as Administrative Assistant and Installer. From 2018-2020
she was Master Printer for Pele Prints. Her works have been featured in
numerous exhibitions
throughout the St. Louis region including at Art Saint Louis, Crossroads
Art Studio & Gallery, and St. Louis Artists’ Guild. Her work is
currently available at Union Studio in St. Louis. She has served as
exhibit Juror for several regional exhibits & art fairs. Roxanne is
past Board member of St. Louis Women’s Caucus for Art.
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