by Allison Carnell
We present to you a new series of interviews with artists whose works are featured in our new juried exhibit at Art Saint Louis, "Art St. Louis XXXVII, The Exhibition."
This 37th annual exhibit presents works by 56 St. Louis regional artists from
Missouri and Illinois and is on view November 6 through December 16, 2021 at Art Saint Louis, 1223 Pine
Street in downtown St. Louis, Missouri.
We are pleased to introduce you to featured artists Timothy K Hamilton, Misato Pang, and Eldon Benz.
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TIMOTHY K HAMILTON
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| Featured in “Art St. Louis XXXVII, The Exhibition” (November 6-December 16, 2021): Timothy Hamilton, St. Louis, MO. “Fields of Green.” 2018. Water-Based Oil on Canvas, 25.5”x49.5”. $800. Artist’s statement: “My art reflects abstract forms in nature, expressed naturalistically. I try to create art that gives lasting pleasure, not just an initial reaction. Art that you would enjoy every time you see it. Art you desire to examine closely. Art that involves you from any distance.” |
Allison Carnell: When did you begin to know what your art is about?
Timothy K Hamilton: In college, I discovered the feeling of my art "just happening" as I was creating it, in a "Zen" way. I've explored many varieties of subjects, media, and styles. Early influences included Mark Tobey and Frank Stella. Color is central to my expression.
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| Timothy K Hamilton. "Open Field." 2018. Water-Soluble Oil on Canvas, 24"x48". $900 framed. |
AC: What motivates you to continue making art?
TH: I simply love trying to make something that will inspire, reveal something, challenge, or delight. Art communicates my joy of discovering meaning and beauty.
AC: Describe your artistic process/technique.
TH: I find an image or subject that inspires and has impact. When doing abstractions, it's a process of discovery as I interact with color, shape, design, and materials. When painting landscapes, I use a photo as a reference, usually my own. I decide what to simplify: to leave in or out of the image. I continuously modify the painting based on what is working or not. It's a relationship.
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| Timothy K Hamilton. "Cozumel Sunset with Sailboats". 2018. Water-Soluble Oil on Canvas, 24"x48". $900 framed. |
AC: What is the most challenging technique you’ve mastered or wish to master?
TH: Observation and the skill of "seeing" is the main skill I'm developing. People with untrained eyes actually see relatively little. I'm astonished at how people can look at a piece of art for just 5 seconds and think they have "seen" it.
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| Timothy K Hamilton, "Markings." 2008. Oil on Canvas, 30"x40". $700 unframed. Artist’s statement: This is a more current example of my ‘calligraphic’ art influenced by Mark Tobey. |
AC: What is the biggest point of inspiration for your artwork?
TH: There is so much beauty in the universe. It is an astonishing wonder to be conscious and alive.
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| Timothy K Hamilton. "Chicago: Red, Blue." 2019. Photograph on Metal, 24"x36". $600. |
AC: What is the biggest challenge with being an artist and juggling all that life throws at you?
TH: I have too many interests: cooking, composing neo-classical music, playing guitar, singing, traveling, and friendships. I love to learn new things in new arenas of life. I make videos of travel or art in galleries I've visited. I try to avoid housekeeping and chores entirely (mostly joking).
AC: What qualities attract you to other artists’ work?
TH: Imagination, freshness, quality of observation, and skill.
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| Timothy K Hamilton. "Ferris Wheel Composite, Florence, Italy." 2019. Photograph on Metal, 20"x60". $950. |
AC: When you're facing challenges during the creative process, what do you do?
TH: Take a break, take a walk, watch something fun, funny or relaxing on video. I also watch videos of other artists on YouTube. Seeing the art of others both inspires me and humbles me.
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| Timothy K Hamilton. "In Living Color #1”. 2007. Acrylic Polymer on Wood Panel, 36"x72”. $2,100 framed. |
AC: Do you prefer to make one specific piece or a series of works?
TH: I like making a series. It helps me to explore a creative arena and learn all I can about it and from it.
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| Timothy K Hamilton. "In Living Color #2." 2008. Oil on Canvas, 30”x40”. NFS. |
AC: What are you struggling with right now?
TH: My skills don't match the level of inspiration or quality I'm trying to produce. I constantly take classes and get advice and encouragement from mentors to improve my ability. I'm also deficient in promoting myself. Most of us artists need an agent.
AC: What do you like best about being an artist?
TH: My goal is to produce long-term interest and enjoyment, not just an initial "wow". I love it when people "get" what I'm trying to convey. The freedom to be creative is marvellous. I wish more people in poorer countries could have enough food, shelter, and safety so that they could have the chance to enjoy being creative.
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| Timothy K Hamilton. "Caribbean Shores." 2018. Water-Soluble Oil on Canvas, 24"x48". $900. |
AC: Do you use photo references when you work? Observe from life? From imagination?
TH: All of the above. The key is in learning to "see". It takes a lot of training to simply observe well in the process of creating. My mentors Yinguxue Zuo, Mario Carlos, and Ahzad Bogosian have been instrumental in teaching me to "see" critically and thoroughly.
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| Timothy K Hamilton. "Dawn near Atlanta." 2017. Photograph on Metal, 24"x36". $600. |
AC: What’s your work day like? Are you a full-time artist? Do you have a part time job?
TH: I'm retired and have too many interests. Sometimes I feel like composing or playing music instead. It's almost wrong to call it "artwork". It's more like "artplay."
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| Timothy K Hamilton. "Yosemite Panorama." 2008. HDR Panoramic Photograph on Metal, 15”x60". $850. |
AC: How much time on average do you spend working on an artwork?
TH: I have no idea. I generally am not aware of how much time has passed. I do like to have a block of 3-4 hours uninterrupted. I have continually studied art and photography at St. Louis Community College for the last 15 years. It's both a bargain and a treasure.
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| St. Louis-based artist Timothy K Hamilton. |
Learn more about Timothy K Hamilton: www.i12create.com and
www.flickr.com/photos/bestrated1
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MISATO PANG
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| Featured in “Art St. Louis XXXVII, The Exhibition” (November 6-December 16, 2021): Best of Show Award of Excellence recipient Misato Pang, St. Louis, MO. “Sunday Tree.” 2021. Acrylic on Paper, 20”x16”. $700. Artist’s statement: “Leaning into abstraction as poetry, I seek to find beautiful ways to express my internalized restlessness and melancholy. Rhythm, temperature, picture plane, geometry, and colors all work together in creating drama and tension within each painting, and these formal concerns are also subject matters in and of themselves. Nature is a great teacher of abstraction and painting landscapes is my way of understanding the language." |
Allison Carnell: What motivates you to continue making art?
Misato Pang: Painting feels very much like an instinct that parallels hunger. It is an avenue through which I engage and connect with the world as I translate my lived experience into a visual dialogue. Being able to enjoy rich aesthetical experiences both in the museums and a community of living artists has been one of the greatest motivators for me to dive deep into my creative inquiry and exploration daily.
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| Misato Pang. “Building.” 2021. Digital Photograph. |
AC: What is the biggest point of inspiration for your artwork?
MP: Aesthetical experience is always the biggest point of inspiration for my artwork. I trust in my instinct when it comes to encountering moments that are visually intriguing, which leads to deeper inquiry and exploration.
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| Misato Pang. “Grazing.” 2021. Digital photograph. |
Taking photographs of everyday scenery is a way for me to analyze compositions and understand the importance of formal elements related to plane shifts, rhythm, temperature, color, and scale amongst many formal issues related to painting. It helps me consider the edges of a surface, the gravity and tension that holds an image together, and most importantly, the mystery that is contained within a good painting. Everything that pertains to the formal issues of painting is a subject of interest to me.
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| Misato Pang. “Road Trip.” 2021. Mixed Media on Paper, 18"x14.5". $600. |
AC: What is the biggest challenge with being an artist and juggling all that life throws at you?
MP The biggest challenge with being an artist and working two jobs is learning to have a healthy balance of discipline and patience in cultivating sustainable creative practice. Oftentimes my teaching job demands more of my time outside of work that ends up taking away from my time in the studio painting. Sometimes I feel drained, unfulfilled, and frustrated as a result of not having spent time in creative activities.
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| Misato Pang. “Fall.” 2021. Acrylic, Gouache on Paper, 15"x11". $450. |
I’m learning to create boundaries around my limitations as a person and honor the priorities that help me thrive both as a working artist and educator.
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| Misato Pang. “Red Hot Saul, en route to Damasacus.” 2021. Mixed Media on Paper, 30"x18". $600. |
AC: What qualities attract you to other artists’ work?
MP: Honesty and sincerity are qualities that attract me to other artists’ work. What I mean by that is, the artist shows a deep curiosity and engagement with something that they’re willing to vulnerably work out in their work in any medium. I also appreciate when other artists are intentional about creating visual poetry through the formal elements of art, some of which reference old masters’ paintings and certain historical periods.
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| Misato Pang's St. Louis studio with works in progress. |
AC: When you're facing challenges during the creative process, what do you do?
MP: Whenever there is a creative slump, I try to explore different ways of making art by switching to an alternative medium such as photography, collage, drawing, and printmaking. Finding several different ways to say the same thing is a powerful tool- it reinforces my worldview and the story I’m telling through images.
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| Misato Pang. “Absalom! Absalom!” 2021. Oil on Canvas, 40”x30”. $800. |
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| Misato Pang. “Jonah and the Whale.” 2021. Mixed Media on Paper, 18"x36", $600. |
AC: How has your art evolved throughout the years? Describe the different stages of creating.
MP: When I first started painting, I worked from photographs a lot and painted mostly still life that was motivated by a single concept. Since then, I have painted from observation that involved the subjects of landscapes and figures. Working perceptually has allowed me to understand the power of pictorial narrative and the strength of content through form. Occasionally, I paint from biblical narratives and use my imagination as a guiding force for compositions and colors.
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| St. Louis-based artist Misato Pang in the studio. Photo by Jacob Janes. |
AC: What are you struggling with right now?
MP: I am currently struggling to not bring the anxiety of everyday duties into the studio. The worries of making ends meet sometimes makes its way through to the work and affects the quality of engagement I try to achieve during these precious time blocks.
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| Misato Pang. “Still.” 2021. Oil on Canvas, 40"x30". $800. |
AC: Do you listen to music when you create?
MP: I don’t always listen to music but when I do, it’s usually Tiny Desk concerts. I occasionally listen to composers such as Rachmaninoff, Chopin, and Gershwin when I need that extra “oomph.”
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| Misato Pang. “Stacks.” 2021. Acrylic, Gouache on Paper, 11"x15". $450. |
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| Misato Pang. “Wind is Blowing.” 2021. Acrylic on Paper, 15"x11". $450. |
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| Misato Pang. “Tree.” 2021. Acrylic, Gouache on Paper, 15"x11". $450. |
AC: What’s your work day like? Are you a full-time artist? Do you have a part time job?
MP: I work as an Adjunct Professor of Art at Webster University and a Resident Teacher Artist at both Sumner and Vashon High School via partnership with CAM. Ideally I will be painting during my free time, however that has not been the case as my mind has been split between many hats I wear during the week. Lately I have been doing plein-air paintings before or after work.
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| Artist Misato Pang. Photo by Jacob Janes. |
Learn more about Misato Pang: www.misatopangart.com
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ELDON BENZ
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| Featured in “Art St. Louis XXXVII, The Exhibition” (November 6-December 16, 2021): Eldon Benz, Carbondale, IL. “Fungus Among Us.” 2020. Upcycled Mixed Media, 23”x8”x7”. $175. Artist’s statement: “My art is “Fun - Whimsy - Process”. A large part of the art is selecting and manipulating the media to fulfill the vision of the day. Whether that vision can generate enough internal interest to become a complete tangible object, just bits and pieces on the work bench, or just a figment is the challenge.” |
Allison Carnell: What is the biggest point of inspiration for your artwork?
Eldon Benz: The various recycled cups, lids, computer parts, etc. challenge me to convert them into interesting objects. Part of the challenge is getting beyond the original use of the parts.
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| Eldon Benz. “Alien Balanced Series.” 2020. Upcycled Mixed Media, 10”x20”x32”. $175. |
AC: When do your best ideas come to you?
EB: Ideas come at all times night and day. They often come in response to something I see. It can be someone else's art, my own art or just an interesting object. Then there's the mysterious ideas from nowhere. I try to take photos, notes and sketches.
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| Eldon Benz. “Green Root Balanced Series.” 2020. Upcycled Mixed Media, 9”x11”x17”. $125. |
When you're facing challenges during the creative process, what do you do?
If no solution comes to mind immediately I'll just set the piece aside and wait. Generally a solution comes in a day or two. Sometimes not. I have more than one piece still waiting.
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| Eldon Benz. “Load Balanced,” Balanced Series. 2021. Load Master Parts, Paint, Wire, Balls of Steel, 16”x22”x24”. $400. |
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| Eldon Benz. “Data Ray Balanced Series.” 2020. Upcycled Mixed Media, Read Write Optical Media Disk, 8”x16”x22”. $200. |
AC: Do you prefer to make one specific piece or a series of works?
EB: Both. I often make fairly complex single works. On the other hand, if I have a lot of something recycled and a good design I'll make several variations.
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| Eldon Benz. “Pink Eye 2021.” Upcycled Mixed Media, 6”x8”x12”. $100. |
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| Eldon Benz. “Standup Hook VI.” 2020. Upcycled Mixed Media, 4”x8”x14”. $75. |
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| Eldon Benz. “Impatiens Balanced Series.” 2016. Upcycled Mixed Media, 16”x16”x27”. $200. |
AC: What themes do you pursue in your art?
EB: I'm intrigued by sculpture that moves and balances. I've created a number of pieces that balance on a single point support. Sometimes there is a particularly interesting use of recycled parts but no hope of balance -- oh well.
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| Eldon Benz. “Say Their Names.” 2020. Digital Print, 20x20”. $125. |
AC: Do you use photo references when you work? Observe from life? From imagination?
EB: Some of my work is 2-d and based on my photos I've manipulated with PhotoShop. Other photos often lead to ideas for sculpture.
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| Eldon Benz. “Large Data Storage Unit.” 2021. Hard Drive Platters, Tags, Wood, Barn Paint, 23”x7.5”x26.5”. $500. |
AC: Do you listen to music when you create?
EC: I'd like to. But no. Noisy saws and drills don't go well with music. Plus my work areas are all over the house, the garage and even outdoors.
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| Studio view: Eldon Benz. |
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| The Illinois-based studio of Eldon Benz. |
AC: How much time on average do you spend working on an artwork?
EB: As much time as it takes. A really complex piece will take days. While working on a group of similar pieces I will cut, drill, paint parts for all of them at once. Then there's waiting for glue and paint to dry.
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| Carbondale, IL-based sculptor Eldon Benz with his work “Fungus Among Us,” featured in "Art St. Louis XXXVII." |
Learn more about Eldon Benz: www.eldonbenz.com
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Allison Carnell is the Fall 2021 Intern at Art Saint Louis and a senior at McKendree University, Lebanon, IL.
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