- Todd Deutsch, Oscar(Vader) , 2007 Courtesy the artist
Since I first saw them on his website, I’ve found Todd Deutsch’s photographs of family life absolutely captivating. I’ve caught myself studying the images for the evidence of everyday life with kids: spaghetti in the living room, scattered shoes, chicken nuggets and naked noodles, a couch stripped bare of its cushions. And toys – LEGOs – everywhere. Chaos and mess and play, all anchored – or set loose? - by intensely focused kid energy.
The photographs – and my interest in artist/parents – made me curious about Deutsch, his work, and his home life. How do his kids feel when dad’s camera is focused on them? With three kids, how does he get any work done?
Deutsch will be speaking about his photographs of gamers and family, and how he keeps it all in balance, at the Walker next Tuesday, May 5 at 7:00pm. A few weeks ago, I met Todd at a coffee shop to talk a little about his life, work, and what he’d be discussing at the Walker.
The Basics:
Todd and his wife have three boys, and are expecting a forth. Todd works primarily at home – he does not have a separate studio. During the academic year, he teaches at the College of St. Katherine, and between teaching and the time he spends with the kids at home, he doesn’t have much time to make work. In the summer, he’s off, but so are the boys. Finding time to make photographs is always tricky, but because the studio is at home, he’s always around and being with the kids is just part of his working process.About being an artist and a father:
The two roles – dad and artist – are always in tension, always competing. But the camera also provides a perspective on daily life: it slows things down a bit, gives you a chance to revisit and reflect.Where is your studio?
It’s at home at the kitchen table. My workspace is in my house – I work on the computer. The boys have taken over most of the house. It would be nice to have a separate space, at times, but for now, this works.When do you work? After bedtime?
Mostly I work when the boys are around – I am not an evening or night person. I get a couple of weeks each year when they’re still in school, but my teaching has finished, otherwise, they’re with me when I am working.
How do you get work done with the kids around?
I used to work sculpturally – building three-dimensional, sculptural objects out of photographs. Now, I am working at home, and there’s no time, no money for a studio, no money for those kinds of materials.I’ve learned to work in smaller blocks of time. With the boys, I can work for about 10 or 15 minutes at a stretch, but I’m always getting interrupted to go put out fires. Working digitally has made that possible. When I am working on a series, I edit work with small prints that I spread out on the table.
How do the kids feel about being photographed?
I’ve has been photographing the kids for years, since my first son was born. When I get out the camera, they’re interested in the camera at first, but get bored, and then stop paying attention to it and go back to their own stuff.They’ve grown up with me making photographs. It is all happening at home – I ‘m making the photographs, and doing my work – but once they’re printed and leave the house, it’s a different thing.
About making art with the kids:
We have the family camera and my camera. We’ve made some stop motion movies – take photos with the lowest resolution possible, and put them together into a movie. With some help, they can do it. If I start making something, they’ll get interested – but if we are really into it – they’ll back off. They want to get their own interests.How do you stay connected? Who do you talk to about art?
I always worked alone, even when I had a studio with other artists around. My wife is an RN, but we met at art school. So I can run work by her and she’ll understand and be able to respond both as a parent and as an artist. And she understands how important it is to me to keep making work, even though it takes time and attention -– she understands that side of being an artist.
So, how DO you balance everything?
Making art is kind of a selfish activity. You’re constantly conflicted, constantly in a process of choosing how to spend your time. So, choosing to spend a couple of hours in the studio is hard. I know the kids are around – I can hear them in the next room. It could be different with a separate studio, but then I wouldn’t see them.The key is having a partner who is supportive – it is a miracle that anyone would help you with this!
The cherry is starting to look like itself again. It has red paint! We’ve posted photos to flickr of the stem and body being painted. Here’s a quick sample:
We’ll update again with more details on when it will be reinstalled.
As WACTAC (Walker Art Center Teen Arts Council) gears up for the 24-hour marathon art-making madness that will be Don’t Sleep on It, we’re getting to know our participating artists through a series of snappy little videos. While there just isn’t enough time between now and May 15 to interview all eight groups of artists, check back here for more information on who’s who and what they do. Especially keep an eye out for video interviews with Burlesque Design, John Grider of BrokenCrow, and Scott Stulen coming fresh from the WACTAC video production team in the next few weeks.
For now, check out our inaugural video interview with members of Hardland/Heartland, featuring the Walker’s very own Aaron Anderson.
Don’t Sleep on It: A 24-Hour Art-Making Marathon kicks off on May 15 at 6pm and runs through May 16, with a closing party at 8pm. For a full schedule of artist led activities and musical performances, visit teens.walkerart.org or shoot us an email at teenprograms@walkerart.org
The cherry is still separated from the Spoonbridge and work is progressing on the refinishing progress. Associate registrar Joe King sent a note and photos of the cherry in progress:
We are getting close to being ready to apply the paint! Enclosed are some images of the cherry with a light coating of grey epoxy primer. Swanson & Youngdale is using a fine-grade sandpaper to remove sanding marks and make the entire surface perfectly smooth. Tomorrow the work will be given a thick coat of epoxy primer.
On Monday morning, Joe will inspect the work one more time to make sure it is looking good, and if all is well, the final layers of red paint will be applied.
Art21: In terms of becoming an artist, what educational experience had the greatest impact on you?
Mark Bradford: I would say that the greatest educational influence was art school. It sounds obvious, but for me I was not brought up with people who dedicated themselves to sustained artistic focus. There was a whole world out there I just didn’t know existed, but at the same time I always had an intense curiosity, which demanded a creative outlet. Art school gave me the structure to hang some of my interests on.
Interview courtesy of Art21, a PBS series on art in the 21st century. Read the entire interview (and more) on the Art21.org. site.
Speaking for myself, exposure to the arts was a formative and substantive factor in my education. I should say “was and is,” affirming my dedication to life-long learning. I won’t be alone in this conviction when the NAEA Conference comes to town. (Here’s an insightful list of the values advanced by art education.)
The National Art Education Association (NAEA) is a non-profit organization promoting art education through professional development, service, advancement of knowledge, and leadership. Every year, their annual conference attracts thousands of visual arts teachers, scholars, researchers and professors, students, administrators, and art museum educators, and artists. This year, the conference takes place in Minneapolis and the Walker’s involvement includes the appearance of guest artist Mark Bradford, a pre-conference focusing on museum education, and a range of conference offerings such a workshops and sessions.
Here in the Walker’s education department, eight of my colleagues are busily rehearsing their workshops and presentations — between us all, 15 unique events are being crafted for the conference. Susan Rotilie, Program Manager, School Programs, plays a significant role in the coordination of the pre-conference. Dedicated to museum educators (a subset of the NAEA multitude), the pre-conference will take place on April 16th at both the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the Walker Art Center. The conference itself (April 17-21) encompasses a broad range of themes including Early Childhood through Higher Education, Research, Museum Education, Supervision and Administration, Curriculum and Instruction, and more.
Even if you’re not an art educator by profession, this event has something for you: The Walker is pleased to welcome artist Mark Bradford. With support from Aaron and Carol Mack, Art21, and NAEA, Bradford will give an artist talk on Sunday, April 19th at 2:00 pm. This event is free and open to the public and will take place in the Walker Cinema.
This past week-end drew a great crowd to Free First Saturday. The Family Photobooth was a perfect addition to the days’ events, which were focused on portraiture, painting, and the exhibition Live Forever: Elizabeth Peyton. In case you’re wondering about the backdrop in the photos, this is not a replacement for Takashi Murakami’s wallpaper, but a fabulously printed fabric called “Leo” put out by Alexander Henry Fabrics that’s available at Crafty Planet in Northeast Minneapolis.
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Mia's Installation
The latest installment in my series of interviews with parent-friends who happen to be artists (or artist-friends who happen to be parents?) Do their kids benefit from having an artist for a parent? Why or why not?
This from my friend Chris who’s a sculptor and stay-at-home dad in California:
I have two young kids ages 4 and 2. I am also not a young father. I had my first child at 38. So, I think theres a certain maturity to being that age as an artist with young children. So as an artist, I think I try to have some consistency while allowing constant chaos, madness and creativity – just like my own practice
Chris mentioned to me that he often has his kids in his studio with him:
My daughter plays in the studio with her chalks and also makes little installations of acorns, woods, and pine cones -whatever she can find lying around. She inspired my latest work of coloring wood with graphite. She had one day started coloring a wood piece with her chalk and I asked her what she was doing. She said “I’m making art.” And sure enough I had a pencil in my hand doing the same thing.
I really love that idea, and have tried it (with mixed results…) I would love to have my kids in the studio, making their own work, but O. in particular is sometimes hesitant to draw. And Chris writes:
My son tried very hard to draw everything, but got frustrated. I would draw a figure with ease and he couldn’t help but be frustrated watching me. I had to step back and be somewhat careful not to hamper his desire to draw. And so I encourage him to continue to draw. It has taken him awhile til he is able to draw without restriction and frustration. He enjoys it and can sit down and concentrate on it.
I think that’s what’s going on with my son, too! The activities at Free First Saturdays have been great for O — they’re facilitated by someone else (not me) and they’re something new & different than what he’d do at home — good encouragement for him to try something new.
Work on the cherry is moving along. Associate Registrar Joe King passed along several more photos and had this to say about the progress:
Since the last post the fairing compound was completely sanded and the work painted grey, revealing areas that need further contouring, which is what is happening in the photos. The entire work will be given another skim coat of fairing compound, be hand sanded and hopefully we will move into the painting phase next week Friday.
