Artist Interview - Keith Lo Bue!

Interview by Karen McGovern
All images courtesy and property of Keith Lo Bue

 

I am a geeked out fan of so many amazing artists and jewelry designers.  I follow them on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and more.  One of my all-time top ten favorite jewelry designers/artists is Keith Lo Bue.  Keith is a master when it comes to combining unusual elements and materials to create stunning works of truly wearable art.  He is totally fearless when it comes to design, and I am thrilled and grateful he took time for us here at LMAJ to answer a few questions and share some insights.  So...here we go!

 

LMAJ:  For those that don’t know you, please tell us a little about yourself (where you live, how long you have been an artist, affiliations if you want, a bit about your home life)

 

KLB:  I've made my home in Sydney, Australia for 14 years now, but my creative journey began in Connecticut where I grew up. Ever since I was about nine years old I've known that I wanted to be an artist in some form or another, and I followed that path ever since then. Drawing was always my first love as a kid, and it eventually led to me becoming a freelance illustrator out of art school (SUNY Purchase in New York). Two summers as a security guard at the Museum of Modern Art in New York fed a love for art made from found materials, and in 1988 I started toying around by gathering junk and working with it. I immediately fell in love with it and as the years went by, left my illustration career behind to work in 3-D full-time.  

 

LMAJ:  How would you classify (if you can) your work?  Mixed media?  Assemblage?  What would you call it?

KLB:  I've always disliked the word assemblage. I think of what I make as objects, wearable and not. For many years it was a bit frustrating when someone asked me what I did for a living; I would fish around saying that I do jewelry - but it's like sculpture - and I don't use precious materials, blah blah blah blah. And then about 10 years ago I invented the perfect tongue-in-cheek word for what I do: "Stuffsmith". Whereas most jewelers classify themselves as metalsmiths because of the material they work with primarily, I realized that my palette is stuff – anything and everything. The word stuck and I feel really comfortable with it now.

 

Just a few of Keith's stunnig works, including one of my personal favorites--
a ring made from the handle of a porcelain cup!

LMAJ: The elements you use in your designs are unusual to say the least.  How do you find them, and what would you say is one of the most unusual “things” you have incorporated into a jewelry design?

 

KLB: I like to think my materials find me! As I walk around out there in the world, things will fall into view that stop me, and there's a spark I can't explain that makes me take it back to the studio. It climbs into a box or a drawer or sits on the shelf and waits patiently - sometimes for 25 years - before it's called into action.  Of course I have 'junk angels' all over the world who like to send me things. Someone will spot an object that makes them think of me and they send it and it's always a delightful surprise. I've gotten a lot of exquisite objects that way over the years.  The question of the most unusual object I've used is a really difficult one, because so many of my pieces have very odd things in them. Many many pieces, for instance, use insect specimens in them – some of them quite extraordinary insects. Some of the organic objects that I use people can find a bit disturbing, but nothing I use strikes me that way. For example, I've just finished creating a neckpiece for my daughter's 16th birthday that incorporates her baby teeth, so she can walk around with that history on her chest. People can be very funny about teeth in a piece of jewelry, and I get that, but I also think teeth are like little jewels – they're even enameled! 

Keith's lovely daughter Mira wearing the amazing necklace he created for her.
 

LMAJ:  Can you give us a glimpse into your “process”?  When looking at a rusted spur or antique silver flatware, is there a process you go through to create a design?  What’s the spark?

 

KLB: The first object I pick up to use is the spark -  and I spend time with that object, holding it and studying it, until I'm ready to start bringing other objects to it, at which time it's a delightful process of mixing and matching until my first connection takes place. The piece then grows organically outward, completely intuitively, until the finish. One of the nicest things is that I'm always as surprised as anyone else by my pieces when they're done. I think I've established a way to work almost subconsciously, under the radar, so that my brain doesn't get in the way of what I'm making.

 

LMAJ:  I notice you often incorporate soil and organic materials into your design, which intrigues me.  Is there significance behind this? 

Detail of the neck piece "Endure"

KLB: Many of the materials around us that are of organic origin are so incredible and so texturally  fascinating that it seems the most natural thing in the world to use them. My use of soil has a different purpose, however. The soil is put into the cracks and crevices of the work, to visually tie the elements together and give it the appearance of having been that way for a very long time.

 

LMAJ:  You obviously have a deep love of antiquities.  Can you discuss why?  What does that mean in your jewelry creations?

KLB: I've been a museum junkie my whole life. I used to wonder the halls of Yale's Peabody Museum in New Haven, Connecticut when I was a kid and I would never tire of the atmosphere in there. And it's not only the old objects that intrigue me – it's man's compulsion to present these objects and harness their world – that is the impulse that keeps me returning to old materials.

Another thing about using genuinely old objects is that these things have outlived mostly everyone who would have been around when it was new. This packs that object with a lifetime of history, but it also removes it from our present-day reality in a very potent way, and it enters the world of myth. It's in that world that my pieces can assume the dreamlikee quality that I'm after.

LMAJ: You travel the world teaching and offer some wonderful online resources.  What you do you enjoy most about teaching, and what do you enjoy least?

KLB: Whether I'm teaching in a classroom or online, it's a passion for me to share all of the things I'm so excited about in making art. I know that anyone who opens themselves to creating can do it and do it well. I feel that one of my gifts is to be able to lay things out in a very easy to understand and contextual way, so that people not only learn how to do something but why they're doing it.

I can't really name a single thing I don't like about teaching – yes, it takes me out of the studio so I can't make work during that time. But what I get in that time out of the studio is a tremendous jolt of inspiration from my students, so that when I get back to Studio Stuffsmith I am raring to go and parlay that excitement into new work.

"Four, and What they Did"
This amazing design incorporates a 19th-century
emboridered Masonic ceremonial sash

LMAJ:  When I look at your work and website, I imagine a sort of mad scientist/genius type person behind the curtain.  Yet, when I see you online in videos (bear in mind, we’ve never met, so forgive any assumptions) I see you seem to have a really fun and goofy personality.  Is there an alter ego that creates the elaborate StuffSmith designs?

 

KLB:  This question may have been answered earlier, when I was talking about how intuitive the process of making is for me. I really give myself up to my creative process when I'm in the studio, and the result can sometimes surprise me, but the consistency over the years has shown me that this is a big side of my personality. Of course there's a tremendous amount of myself in this work, but it can't be all of what I am. I love living, I love being a dad and partner, I love to teach and to meet others with similar hopes and dreams.

 

LMAJ:  What artists out there influence you, are your favorites, and why?

 

KLB:  There have been many artists over the years that have been very influential: JosephCornell and Kurt Schwitters when I was starting out, the Brothers Quay also early on in my career, all for their very particular and subtle use of found objects in their work. More recently Alexander Calder and his mind blowing mobiles have captivated my brain and made me run off in that direction as well. I think it's telling that I'm not looking to other jewelers for inspiration per se, because I don't feel that what I make is jewelry in the traditional sense. 

On a day-to-day basis by far the most influential artists on my own work are musicians. I am a voracious music lover, and I practically never work without music playing. Whatever the music may be, it can't help but have an effect on what my hands and mind are doing and the decisions being made. The music of Steve Reich, for example, has actively been with me since way back in high school and has influenced my work immeasurably.

LMAJ:  You’ve had the wonderful experience of success as a (what I call) non-traditional jewelry designer.  What is your most treasured accomplishment to date?

 

KLB:  I can't think of anything more exciting then for my work to be held in an important museum collection. I am truly lucky to have work in many museums, particularly the Smithsonian in Washington, in the National Museum of American Art, and in the MADMuseum, which is the Museum of Arts & Design in New York City. The irony doesn't escape me that so many of my pieces mimic museum display, so to see those pieces displayed in museums is a little bit like a hall of mirrors, and a delightful reinforcement of my aesthetic interests. I also love the idea that people will be able to view my work publicly way after I'm gone. That's humbling.
 

LMAJ:  Okay, for something completely different, what’s up with the vintage hat stuff?  I see you have recently begun a page dedicated to men's vintage caps.  Have you always been a fan of the vintage lid?  Do you collect?
 

KLB:  As my partner Irena will often say, I don't do hobbies halfway. I've worn hats continuously since 1990 when I shaved my head and never grew it back. Mostly fedoras, beanies and such. But about a year ago I discovered that there are rare surviving caps from the early 20th century and started collecting them to wear. As my collection grew bigger and bigger, I began to realize that I need to rotate them and that's how The Well-Dressed Head was born. I really find it amazing that 100 years ago - heck, 60 years ago - every single man and boy wore a hat or cap every single day, and yet there is very little information about these things now. And the style of these things is so much more beautiful than what you can buy new. They just look really cool and contemporary, and I just want more guys wearing them in the world.

 

LMAJ:  Finally, what words of advice do you have for struggling artists out there in the world?

 

KLB:  My biggest piece of advice to any artist who feels like they're struggling, trying to move forward: Show your work – get it seen, on any wall, in any display case, blog, website, anywhere. The more eyes that are laid on it, the greater your opportunities will be. If it doesn't get seen, nothing can happen with it. If I hadn't shown a few little bits of jewelry in a local shop in southwestern Connecticut, I might still be an illustrator today. It was that black & white for me.

Our heartfelt thanks to Keith for letting us take a peek behind his creative curtain, so to speak.  For more images of Keith's work, his teaching schedule and more, please visit his amazing website and online shop, follow him on Facebook and read his insightful blog!  Now, go create some thing AMAZING!

Artist Shout Out - Dawn Wilson Enoch of Desert Talismans

Karen McGovern here...This year for our blog I'm going to be featuring different artists in "Shout Outs" as well as in depth interviews.  My first shout out goes to Desert Talismans.  Let me start by saying that this artist makes me positively GREEN with creative ENVY.  I love everything she does and have stalked (I mean "followed") her on Etsy for years.  Dawn Wilson-Enoch is the artist behind Desert Talismans and she creates stunning jewelry using native stones, leathers, found objects and cast silver and bronze.  She makes her own molds for casting from natural materials (like thousand year old trees and stones) and has a deep love for her native New Mexico landscape--totally reflected in her work.  She has inspired me so much--I know you will feel the same.  I just love how tribal her work is, and how it all looks like it could have been recently discovered or unearthed at some exotic archeological dig.  Her use of texture is just breathtaking, and I love the layers and bundles she creates.  Take a peek at her Etsy shop and prepare to be amazed.  So glad I discovered her, and so worth sharing.  If we are lucky, maybe I can snag her for an interview...

 

 

First ARTIST INTERVIEW with GEORGETTE PRESSLER by Karen McGovern

Welcome to our new monthly blog installment! Every month I will be interviewing a new artist for you all.  Some will be jewelry related, some not.  We are welcoming all artists in all media for this series, which is super cool if you ask me.  If you follow my blog posts, you know I am drawn to unique art, so some of the artists I will be introducing you to may be "off the beaten path" so to speak, but all are RIDICULOUSLY TALENTED.  For our first interview I wanted you to meet a very special and gifted friend of mine.  Her work is spectacular, unusual and sometimes controversial.  I give you...Georgette Pressler.

 

In the first 10 minutes of meeting Georgette, two things jump out at you.  She is absolutely beautiful, and she is a genuinely NICE PERSON.  Damn.  Photo courtesy of Tara Hauck.

I met Georgette several years ago when I was looking for a live art performer for an art show I was hosting.  I got her name from the local arts community, and am so glad I contacted her.  Georgette is a fantastic artist, costume designer, body painter and owner/founder of Devious Body Art.  In the years since then we have become friends, and I am so pleased to introduce her here in our first monthly artist interview.  I am constantly amazed by her work and I know you will be too.  So, let’s get on with it!

KM: Tell us a little bit about you.

GP: My name is Georgette Pressler, I am a south Florida native, born and raised in Loxahatchee till I was 10 years old. I have been an artist all my life, even as a child, it was the constant in my world. I moved all over the country and eventually ended up back in West Palm Beach in 2002. I attended FAU, receiving a BFA in Conceptual Sculpture and Certificate in Secondary Art Education. I decided not to teach in the public school system and instead followed my love of art down the road of body painting. I would say that I’m very happy with that decision.

KM:  First, for those that are unfamiliar with body painting, why don’t you explain what that is and what exactly you do?

GP:  Body painting is one of the oldest forms of art, practiced by ancient civilizations.  To this day, it is an integral part of important in rites of passage, and ingrained in many cultures. The human body has always been the most readily available canvas. It's a shame that it's looked on with such disdain and perversity here in the West. Body art is the act of adorning the human form in color, symbol and meaning. It is not, by it's nature, a sexual or lewd act, though many see it that way. We, in the US especially, have connected such a stigma to the naked body that we've completely altered it's perception with the public and society. It's not all Sports Illustrated and PlayBoy parties! Though, I admit that I have painted for Playboy on more than a couple occasions.
 

What I do as a professional Body Painter is bring the human form into the view of the public in a discreet, artistic and understandable way. I acknowledge the curves and nature of the body, while also presenting an image or idea that works in unison. I'm not a big fan of hiding the form or blending it into a background to disguise the body. The body is the most important part, it's God-given!

Much of what I do are client commissions, promotions and photo shoots, many of which request something sexy. I go out of my way to insure that "sexy" does not contradict my beliefs; that a woman, or man, in paint is not a sexual object just because they're nude. I have the utmost respect for my models and my audience. I would never insult them with trashiness and perversion of the art form. I like to think that I create a respectful conversation between art and viewer, sometimes even an uncomfortable one. It is why I am often requested at black tie events, galleries, museums and charity fundraisers. Body paint creates a unique opportunity for a spectator to talk with the art, ask questions and express opinions, even if they are differing. To me, body painting is more engaging than painting a flat canvas alone and then sending it away to be viewed. So, that is what I do as a body painter... I put it right in your face and make you think about it.

KM:  I love that attitude.  Art in your face, creating something thought provoking....kudos.  So, what’s up with the name "Devious Body Art"?
 

GP: Years ago, in the lost time of Myspace, my nickname was DeviousG. I was a little sultry a little sinister and rather mischievous. So was my art. I used another name for my emerging company at the time, but kept getting asked if it was a tattoo company. so when I redeveloped the brand some years ago and got rid of Myspace, I created Devious Body Art. I think it describes my style well, a little dark and not completely fit for the mainstream or faint of heart.

Georgette, in costume.  Imagine being able to play dress up
whenever you want and doing THIS!

KM: When did you know you wanted to be an "artist"
 

GP:  Art is one of my first memories! My mother encouraged me so much; she gave me all the humble tools that we could afford. She let me draw on everything! she treasured every scrap of paper I touched. Art was my therapy, my best friend, my consolation, my communication. Art helped me through some very rough times. How could I not, in turn, devote myself to it? Honestly... I don't know what else I’d be very good at. Everything I do involves art in some way.

KM:  That is true for so many of us.  I'd like to think we are all born artists!  Your work is often very public...I've seen you perform and paint models live at various events.  What is that like for you as an artist?

GP:I truly enjoy painting for a live audience! Not so much in a nightclub with blaring music, but in galleries and at art events or events that collect a wide variety of people. I love the questions and intrigue that overtakes them when seeing body paint for the first time. The funny thing is, people usually speak to my model and ask them questions, often congratulating them on the beautiful work and completely ignoring me! Most can only associate body paint with Fantasy Fest in the Keys or Halloween, and they're surprised to see that it can be real, intricate, and beautiful art. I feel like I've made it my mission to dispel the gross misrepresentation of the art form! No, I don't paint at Fantasy fest... I'm sure I never will based on principle alone.
 

Georgette, with three models she painted into a raven triptych in honor of Edgar Allan Poe.

KM: What inspires you? 

 

GP: I am most inspired by the everyday things around me—by nature and the green of the Earth, but also by the beauty in man-made architecture and repetitive lines. I love repetitive lines, mad made or nature made. I adore the elegant and intricate flourishes of the Baroque and Rocco eras. The over-embellishment of things. I buy fabric just to have because of the texture, color, or pattern. I LOVE fabric! The vintage or antique draws me in more than the modern or futuristic. Decaying old buildings covered in vines, lost forgotten objects, handmade wood work items, things that were once loved, lace, exotic flowers, the occult, Gypsies, Arabian horse show bridles, costume jewelry.... my brain is like a thrift store of images!

A beautiful example of Georgette's amazing eye for detail and use of color.

KM: What is your favorite medium and why? 

GP: You would think that for a body painter my favorite medium would be water-based skin safe paint and flesh... it's not. In my heart, I’m a sculptor. I like to work with my hands. I like to build and create tangible objects. My true love is in fabric and textiles, with hand sculpted adornments. Full elaborate costume design and creation! That is where my path will lead me, eventually.

KM: Who are your favorite artists and how do they inspire you? 

GP: I have so many favorite artists! It’s hard to select a few. The ones that stand out most for me though are Beth Cavener Stichter (my favorite sculptor), Echo Chernik, Glenn Arthur, and 80% of all comic book artists.  I also love Olivia De Baradinis, Crayola, Salvador Dali, Gustav Klimt, hr giger, Jim Henson, George Lucas, Michael Parks, Wild Child and Nelly Recchia.  There are so many more!  I am also a huge fan of (and influenced by) fashion designers like Eiko Ishioka, Jean Paul Gautier, Dior and Alexander McQueen.

KM: I definitely see how the fashion industry influences you--your work in costume design is fantastic.  Here's a deep question....What does the term ART mean to you? 

GP: Art, to me, is creating something where there was once nothing. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean creating something beautiful, because art doesn't have to be beautiful. Nor does it mean creating something tangible. Art can be a thought, an idea that grows and flourishes. Art is existence—to exist in a way that is unlike the norm or conventional. To change a thing into what you want, not necessarily what you need. Creating art is creating want, desire, longing. You do not need art to survive, but how can you live without it?

KM: Good answer.  Art is such a vital part of life.  What are you working on right now?

GP: After Halloween, my busiest work month of the year, I have more free time to work on projects and create pieces for myself rather than for clients. I have a handful of projects on my board, such as finishing a custom painted guitar, creating a 2 person performance costume for a gallery show in January and working on collaborating with other local artists at the forgotten and beautiful historic Palm Beach Hotel. Some of these projects are for publications that I’d like to be involved with; some are just for the sake of art. Once January comes around, my year of travelling and working around the country will pick up, leaving less time to attend to my personal projects.

KM:  Give us a glimpse into your working art world...What is your studio/workspace like? Neat or controlled chaos?

 

GP:  I have two work spaces, both are kinda crazy! My home has a small 10x12 room that I use as a base of operations. I draw, sketch, sew, sculpt small things and paint here. The room is lined with shelves, most full of bins with colored coded fabric selections and lots of small containers with odds and ends. I have two closest of costumes and accessory pieces, two large bins of wigs, and then there is a dresser shoved in there with most of my clothes for “real life”. There was a point in time where I wore more costumes in a week than "real" clothes. It's a small space, so when I start a new project, travel, or have multiple projects at one time, I have to tear the whole place apart... rarely does it all get put back together properly. I have to designate a weekend that I don't have events just to reorganize, reliable and put it all away. The second space is a large shop in an industrial bay. There’s no a/c but lots of room for sawing, cutting, sanding, spraying paint etc.... and of course costume storage!

KM: What is your favorite studio tool/gadget/gizmo?

GP: My fave gadget would have to be my hot glue gun or sewing machine! Not sure i could live without either. My airbrush would be a very close runner up. once I build a vacuform table... that will probably be my new fave.

KM:  Let’s toot your horn a bit here…you’ve competed nationally and internationally in body art contests, been featured in local and national newspapers and magazines, and have had the rare opportunity to expand your work as an artist.  What is your most treasured accomplishment to date?
 

GP:  It's really hard to say what my most treasured accomplishment is! I just recently competed with my best friend Lawren Alice in the Face And Body Art International Convention's "Body Paint" category. We won first place this past June! It was 6 long hours of stress and the finished product was better than we imagined! Our gorgeous model Yezenia really brought the piece to life! But I wouldn't say that was my greatest accomplishment.

 

It's kids seeing body paint for the first time with their parents. Often, it'll be in public where the model is wearing a thong or costume bottom and pasties. the kids come right up and just stare! they don't stare at "boobs" or "nakedness".... they're staring at the art and colors. they're in awe. The some overprotective parent comes running up to snatch them away and these kids just standfast... "But mommy, look how beautiful she is!". They are so innocent and it takes adults to ruin that. So, my greatest accomplishment has been reaching and teaching children about art and acceptance and that the human body is beautiful.

CLICK HERE for a lovely short video about Georgette and her work.

One of Georgette's award winning creations.  AMAZING!

KM: Finally, what advice/encouragement can you give to struggling artists in the world?
 

GP: I'm not sure if I’m one to take advice from, as I myself am still a struggling artist. But, after all I’ve been through and all the hard lessons I learned on my own, I would say this... take a business course!! Learn how to read and write your own contracts! Learn how to stand up for yourself and your work and not get bullied by the legal jargon of businessmen. And above all else, VALUE YOUR WORK! I've spent years feeling bad about charging what I felt was too much for what I do. It has taken this long to figure out that I'm the only one that feels bad! The people that hire me, that value what I do, will hire me regardless. And what I do isn't for everyone, not everyone CAN afford it. I do a great deal of charity work each year, giving my time and services to reasonable and fitting charities.  The rest of the time I need to conduct myself as a legitimate business, and that means valuing what I do and pricing it accordingly. Most artists fall into this pit of not knowing or understanding their own worth. So, be a lighthearted and fluttery artist if you wish, but be a smart one! Value your work and your time as much as those around you do!
 

Well said, Georgette!  Words we can all learn from.  My thanks to Georgette for her time and talent.  If you want to know more about body painting and Devious Body Art, please visit Georgette's website and Facebook page.  I love exploring unusual art forms, and what Georgette does is so amazing.  Just so you know, Georgette has been a wonderful supporter of my annual wildlife art show supporting the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation.  She has painted live at the show, creating amazing works of living art.  I'm so grateful for her contribution and generous spirit.  Thanks for sharing with us, Georgette!

Stay tuned...next month's artist interview is with the spectacular mixed media jewelry designer Keith Lo Bue.  I can't wait!!