ArtCafe Interview
This is a short interview hosted by Jeffrey Beringer of the ArtCafe
Jeffrey Beringer: What motivates you to create?
Chris Guarino: “Probably the same things that motivate other artists: pain, loss, love, beauty, anger are all good motivators for me. So is the unknown, you know? Like where our souls go when we die. Death is a big motivator to me, not so much as a scary unhappy ending, but as a reason to strive for something better, to be more than a cog in the machine of society, to try to make a mark or a difference before we die. To work for something other than a bigger house or a faster car. I use art to try and figure out who I am, and what the hell I'm supposed to be doing here. But I suppose that's all cliche’ crap. It seems so typical when you write it down.”
JB: Are there any specific themes, causes, ideas that you try to express in your work? Any causes that are especially important to you?
CG: See above.
JB: Are there any interesting stories about your creation process or your art that readers might be interested in?
CG: Not really, no. Hopefully there will be someday. I'll let you know. . . or I'll make some up.
JB: Also....how were you trained as an artist?
CG: “I wasn't trained in sculpture. I love saying that! The truth is I went to school for computer animation, and never had any traditional art classes save for a random life drawing class, and a design class near the end of my community college stint. I've never taken any sculpture classes or casting classes, and the only instruction I ever got in the process was from my father when I was around six years old. He cast the faces of my brother and I when were real young. A few years ago, I just started making casts on my own. Now that I've started school, I'm excited about learning other techniques and about other materials to help me expand on the work I do.”
JB: Have you worked on any large projects?
CG: “The Angel” was the largest project I've ever worked on. It's still not “done.” Another large one was “The Valentine”
JB: What path have you followed until now?
CG: “I've just been trying to be creative and encourage others to do the same. I've got a lot of talented friends, but I've seen some of them give up on what they're great at either to pursue careers that they see as “secure or stable,” or because they feel they just don't have time for it anymore. I think that's really sad. I don't even know if that really answers the question.”
