Artist Jared Konopitski Makes Mixed Things Match
Maybe it’s just a negative stereotype that creative people—you know, musicians, artists and people who go out and get drunk alongside musicians and artists—just aren’t morning people. Artist Jared Konopitski, a Midtown boy, born and raised, was waiting for our phone call at 9 a.m—bright-eyed, bushy tailed and sounding rather chipper. So maybe he is a morning person, or maybe it was the sugar high from the bowl of mango ice cream he’d just eaten. Ice cream for breakfast—he is an artist after all.
Artist is perhaps too narrow a term for Konopitski. Polymath may be more apt. Colored pencils, paints, photography, pencil and ink, Shrinky Dinks (huh?) are just some of the media he’s used during his career. Often, these different media will blend and bleed into one another in Konopitski’s work.
“It’s something that I would say I’ve always done as far as multiple mediums,” he says of his artwork. “They crossover as I learn more mediums. I just get bored, I guess, so then I try to explore, and then I come across something like Shrinky Dinks, and then they come together and it creates all kinds of eclectic work.”
This sort of mixing and matching has made Konopitski’s work not so easy to categorize, even for the artist himself, though he says he tends to lean more toward tattoo culture, cartoon and comic art—and, though he’s a bit loathe to say it, lowbrow culture.
“I think [lowbrow] was a term created by that culture, and in retrospect, they wish they hadn’t come up with that term,” Konopitski says.
Whatever you call it, there’s no denying the charisma of Konopitski’s art. Whether it’s brightly colored illustrations, real-life photographs enhanced with his goofy characters, or the painted Scotch tape sculptures he created in collaboration with Danny Scheible, Konopitski’s work speaks of a limitless imagination and exudes a fun, lighthearted vibe. His latest solo show opens April 2, 2010 at Cuffs Urban Apparel in Midtown. When Submerge spoke with the artist, he was taking a much-needed break from preparing for the exhibition. He says he hopes to have 30 pieces done in time for the show. The works he’ll have on display will be mixed media pieces involving spray paint, vinyl records and Shrinky Dinks. Konopitski says that a few samples of the pieces can be seen on his Facebook page, but he urges those who are curious to check out the exhibit for themselves. We here at Submerge believe you should do the same. It’s a bizarre mixture of materials to be sure, but you know how those artist types are”¦
Are Shrinky Dinks something that you grew up with?
My mom actually introduced them to me. She pulled out her whole antiques there, her charms, and was showing me these little Shrinky Dinks, and I hadn’t heard of them since then.
I didn’t realize they still made them.
I actually ran into a place that was selling blank Shrinky Dinks sheets—just blank sheets like paper. But yeah, I just started making them myself and cutting them out. They’re awesome.
Does the medium you’re working with inform the artwork at all? Does it shape how you create a piece?
Absolutely. Say if I’m working with pen and ink—I don’t know if you’ve seen the tribal works I do—but they become more tedious, more detailed. If I’m working with colored pencils or Shrinky Dinks, they become more cartoonish. I made these sun prints”¦ That’s a whole different technique right there. Those result in creating cutout, silhouette styles and putting them on this paper that’s been chemically laced to react to the sun. So the medium dictates the style I’m going to do.
I saw that you work as a curator also. Is that a big separation for you, working as an artist and working as a curator?
Actually, that’s something I haven’t done frequently, but I have done for a few years. Basically, it’s a thing where I want to see this show, and I want to put this show somewhere, let me find a venue and put this call for art out to all kinds of people and put out a show I want to see, really. It’s like, this kind of show doesn’t exist and I want to see it.
Has working as a curator opened your eyes to how to present your work to other curators?
It helps with networking, I’d say, because then you’re working with other artists, and you’re giving back to them a little. As they find other shows that they’re curating themselves—I’ve found that a lot of artists, once they’ve been showing for so long, they’re also asked to put on shows as well, and they’ll say, “Hey, he gave me a show, why don’t I get him involved too.”
Was it something you went to school for?
I graduated with an AA from the community college, and I was going to move on to the Art Institute, but it seemed at that point that school was going to distract me from what I wanted to do, looking at the students’ work and such. Some of my favorite artists didn’t even go to school. They were all self-taught, so I thought I would save some money and not get all those student loans and try it myself.
We were talking about how the materials you use inspire your artwork. How did working with Shrinky Dinks and records shape your work for this upcoming exhibit?
As far as that goes, it’s kind of a new medium working with acrylic and Shrinky Dink combined. These are the most I’ve done in that way, I guess. They’re all vinyl records, so they’re all circular canvases, and for some reason, I don’t know if it’s because it’s a different shape, but it’s inspired me more than a square canvas. I can’t stop coming up with ideas for it. It’s been a blast. I have more ideas than time.
Has it been a lot of trial and error working with the Shrinky Dinks? I remember when I’d put them in the oven, they’d get all curled up.
This is true. In fact, I didn’t even know that they got so curled up so much at first, so I would take them out of the oven and they’d just be round, curved balls of plastic. I almost gave up, but then I read the instructions, which I don’t do too often, and it actually said to leave them in there longer and they’ll flatten out. I guess that helped out there.
What excites you most about working in the Sacramento art community?
What excites me most is that the artists are so talented. The city is full of talented artists. But what the city doesn’t know, and I didn’t even realize this until I started showing art more, is there aren’t only immensely talented artists, but there are also people who are either traveling through or live here and don’t want people to know that they live here who are big in the art world. There’s folks who have been shown in Juxtapose, High Fructose and those art magazines; there are folks who’ve worked for DC Comics and Marvel Comics, there are folks who know people who make the Cartoon Network shows and Pixar and stuff. I had no idea I’d get to meet these people. I thought I’d show some art in the little town I grew up in, but I had no idea Sacramento secretly harbors these people.
Check out Jared Konopitski’s work at Cuffs Urban Apparel starting April 2, 2010. For more information, go to www.jareko.com or look him up on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ people/Jared-Konopitski/838283475.
In 2008, when fashion designer Traver Rains’ highly acclaimed label Heatherette started to dissolve around him and then-boyfriend/co-designer Richie Rich, he found himself tired and torn. For nearly 10 years, he and Rich had built an empire; their eclectic, unusual designs were seen on countless celebrities and famous models on runways, in magazines, on television and in movies. The two traveled the world together showcasing their work at upscale fashion shows and hosting celeb-studded events and parties—basically living like rock stars. Rains guest judged an episode of Project Runway and appeared on America’s Next Top Model. You get the idea—Rains and Rich were, and still are, a big deal in the fashion world. Because of his success with the Heatherette label, many in the fashion scene expected Rains to dust himself off and jump right back on the horse immediately after it shut down, but he had other plans.
Rains began using his newly acquired free time to focus on another passion, photography. This familiar outlet of artistic expression (he spent his fair share of those 10 Heatherette years at photo shoots) soon influenced the launch of a T-shirt line called T-Rains. His photography and new line are heavily intertwined and feed off each other creatively, as you’ll see in the following interview. Rains will be in Sacramento on Dec. 17 at the Haute Holiday Gala hosted by International Academy of Design and Technology, giving us a chance to view his impressive work in person.
How serious do you take your photography? Would you say it’s your main focus now?
Yeah it’s my main focus right now. I’m having a lot of fun with it.
Do your design work and photography feed off of each other creatively?
Yes definitely, that’s sort of the point to the new T-shirt line is to have the connection between the two. I spent nearly 10 years in New York doing Heatherette and a lot of that time was spent on photo shoots, and that was always a fun part of the design process. I learned a lot being behind the scenes and seeing everything that goes on. After we wrapped Heatherette up, I kind of felt like I had grown up on a photo shoot”¦ I was a little bit tired of the whole fashion/design aspect of everything, so it was just sort of a natural transition. Another thing that sort of inspired me was going back home to Montana, and we have a big horse ranch and on the property there’s these amazing old buildings from the settlers and they’re all sort of collapsing and falling down. I sort of wanted an interesting way to capture them, so I flew in a model and a hair and makeup team and that was sort of my first endeavor behind the camera. I started thinking of the images I had taken on T-shirts and sort of just out of habit, I guess, I stared making them. I decided I could try and tie the two together, instead of sell the photography as a picture, sell it as art on a T-shirt.
I’m looking at a few of those photos from Montana, and they are beautiful! When was it? It looks like it was cold.
It was springtime, and the poor girl was freezing.
The one where the woman’s red dress is flowing down the creek behind her, how did you set that up? Was that photo pre-meditated or did it just happen?
Yeah, I kind of had that image in my mind for a couple of months. The dress is made up of like two hundred yards of that red material and most of it is all connected to the train of the dress. And so even though the creek wasn’t moving very fast, it was still so much fabric that it was pulling her off of that ledge. She was in heels and there was snow and ice everywhere.
Horses show up in a lot of your work. Are they a big inspiration for you?
Yeah, I basically grew up on the back of a horse. I had a pony before I could walk. So yeah, the western thing has always been really important to my whole vibe. I wear a cowboy hat and boots everywhere still; I just grew up that way. I like the leather, the rough-and-tough feel, even my T-shirts I’m sort of adding that into them.
The Heatherette label that you ran with Richie Rich has been inactive for some time now. Do you miss it?
Oh yeah, definitely. It was the best experience. We did 16 New York fashion shows and then we did almost another 20 around the world, everywhere from like Russia to Austria to Miami to Los Angeles. All those photo shoots and celebrities—it was amazing and a lot of work.
What was it like when famous models and celebs were wearing your designs on the runways, in magazines, on television—it must have been like a dream come true!
Yes, I always was pinching myself. Always.
Do you and Richie still stay in touch?
Yeah, we’re completely on great terms. I see him every once in a while in L.A., and he’s still running around like crazy, so we don’t chat every day or anything.
Do you find now that designing as a one-man team, as opposed to a duo, is easier? Harder?
It’s different; working with another person is easier because you have somebody to help you out and you always have to give and take and collaborate. I definitely couldn’t have done what I did at Heatherette without Richie involved. I learned so much from that, that working alone isn’t that tough. I kind of know the ropes now. I’m just re-starting out really slow; I’m not going to go into any mass production thing right away. I want to keep it sort of artsy and small for a little bit. Also, I don’t want design to take up so much of my time that I can’t do these photo shoots.
Traver Rains’ work was displayed Dec. 17, 2009 at the Haute Holiday Gala sponsored by the International Academy of Design, Sacramento. IADT is located at 2450 Del Paso Road, Suite 250, Sacramento. For more information, visit iadtsacramento.com
Captured in Real Time
I met Amanda Lopez on move-in day at San Francisco State dorms nearly nine years ago. We became immediate friends, and ever since I’ve been lucky to watch as she selflessly follows her dream and blossoms as a photographer.
Without question one of the most genuine, caring and humble individuals I know, Amanda radiates an energy that comforts anyone in her presence. These traits are not that of a typical artist, but behind the camera her natural gifts and talents meet. Through photography, her eye for human emotions and her ability to empathize manifest into captivating images. As any great photographer does, her pictures tell stories and stimulate the human senses, whether it be feeling a cold stare or warm smile, or visually portraying the sounds and vibes of a community. She has dedicated a decade of her life to art, and will continue to build upon and perfect her technique for the rest of her life. It’s not a hobby; it’s everything else.
Being that she is a native of Sacramento, a graduate of Sacramento High School, there are hundreds others in the area who feel about Amanda the same way I do. I know I speak for all those people when I say I’m blessed to be her friend, inspired by her work ethic, proud of her accomplishments and excited to see what awaits. And if you don’t know, now you know.
The following is an Instant Message conversation between Amanda and I in anticipation of her upcoming show Dec. 13 at Artifacts located at 907 K St. This particular exhibition will feature Amanda’s continuing self-portrait series, which documents all the places and situations she’s experienced in her checkered Vans. For a look into her portfolio you can check www.amandalopezphoto.com.
Amanda Lopez, originally we had talked about fueling this interview with a glass of wine. For our readers out there, what kind of wine are you drinking tonight?
Two-buck Chuck in a red plastic cup. And you, my friend?
Sutter Home, a 2006 Merlot.
Fancy.
Two for $8 regularly; $5 a bottle.
High roller.
Always.
I’m on budget. Saving for a new camera, son.
Oh word? What are you looking at?
A film camera, a Pentax 67, it’s what all my favorite photographers use. Waiting for the price to drop a bit. I’m sure it will since digital is all the rage.
Why do you keep it real and still ride for the film?
I like the process of shooting and not knowing what you’re going to get. Taking the film to the lab, getting proofs, plus the color saturation is better. Skin tones are truer to life. Digital blows out highlights to fast. Really, it’s just a preference. Digital has its advantages.
So you mentioned your favorite photographers used the 67, who are some of your favorite photographers?
Estevan Oriol is my all time favorite. He was the first photographer whose work I saw that floored me. He has this uncanny ability to capture both strength and sensitivity in people. I also love Annie Leibovitz. Her photo of Marc Anthony and Celia Cruz changed the way I looked at portraiture; the way the picture captured the moment.
You worked as Estevan’s assistant for minute. How did you get to that position? And what did you learn while you worked for him?
I saw his work in Fader when I was a sophomore in college, and the pictures were amazing. The story was about tattoo culture in Japan; actually it was more like tattoos, lowriders, girls and gangsters. It was so beautiful. I looked him up and sent him an e-mail, and to my shock, he responded. We stayed in touch over the years, and when I finally got the opportunity to go to Los Angeles I e-mailed again and he invited me to assist him. I was only supposed to stay in Los Angeles for a month, but ended up staying for about a year. I learned that you have to be on your grind 24/7 to succeed, and also that it’s not always about fancy set ups or fancy lighting”¦you don’t need them to take great pictures. You have to trust your instincts and not worry about what other people are doing. Also, you really have to love the craft and know that it’s not always about money.
You talked about how he captured strengths and sensitivity. When I look at your pictures, I feel like you catch people very happy and very serious. Is there a learned way to do that, or do you think it’s instinctual?
I think it’s instinctual. I look for those things when I photograph people and that is definitely inspired by Estevan. I know what I am looking for before I shoot, so I look for those expressions in people. If I’m photographing a friend I already know what those expressions look like so I direct a bit to bring them out. You have that.
Don’t butter me up! This is serious! But speaking of buttering up, in my intro paragraph, I lay it on pretty thick. I tie your personality into your ability to capture those emotions? Do you see a connection, or am I “¦ trying to make a headline?
I think you’re right. Each photograph has a bit of me in it. I think in general I am pretty mild mannered, but I think I can also be “tough” when I need to be.
Alright, let’s take a second for you to brag a little bit. Who are some of the famous people you have photographed? And were there any funny stories from those?
Most famous…I photographed Terry Cruise for Mass Appeal. He’s on Everybody Hates Chris. I worked with the Federation; that was dope. David Banner was two hours late and made me miss an opportunity to photograph the Wu-Tang Clan… Or how about David Banner was a gentleman? He was super nice though.
My word count is running out. To end it, what can you tell folks about your upcoming show Dec. 13 at Artifacts on 907 K St.
I’ve been working on the Vans project for a minute now. It started in 2002 at a skate park in Davis and the project kind of snowballed from there. I’ll be showing 20 of my favorite pictures from the project, with shots taken in Los Angeles, Cuba, New York, Mexico, San Francisco”¦
I really thought this interview would be lot crazier, sorry I took it so serious.
Should have been more gangster and drank Bailey’s.
