jaxunderbelly

Jax artist: Clay Doran

As a prelude to an upcoming First Friday event in 5Points, I am happy to have had the opportunity to ask local artist Clay Doran a few questions:

1. How long have you been a working artist here in Jacksonville?  Have you seen any changes during that time?  I have been showing my work in and around Jacksonville since 2005. From my perspective there have been many changes in the art scene of northeast Florida. First of all, there seems to be endless opportunities to show your work these days. Whether you are submitting work to an open call art show or just setting up easels in Hemming Plaza, the opportunities are there. It seems anyone that wants to be a part of the scene is welcomed with open arms.  Artist “meet and greets” such as the AIGA “Cocktails with Creatives” or even the Joe VanDyke Art Mixers are perfect opportunities to get your foot in the door. All of the stereotypes of a clique driven snobby art scene don’t seem to apply here. Building a tight community of local artists seems to be more of a priority than ever before.
2. Most of the work I’ve seen of yours has been mixed media with graphic undertones.  Would you say that is an accurate description and how does that relate to your current interests?  Sounds good to me. I have been working in mixed media for several years now. It started with a search to find new ways to achieve texture. I had been looking at lots of high texture artists such as Anselm Kiefer, Jose Parla, Alberto Burri, and Robert Rauschenberg. I knew that the only way to achieve the amount of texture I wanted was through mixed media. The use of concrete, latex paint, and powder pigments have allowed me to build a surface that wouldn’t be possible with only oils and acrylics. As for the graphic undertones, I have used screen printing, stencils, shapes, and typography as a tool in much of my work. They are useful in creating themes and accents throughout a series. If there is ever a message or specific angle I am trying to convey to the viewer it is likely to be buried within these graphics.
  I would say these still reflect my current interests. I seem to have an undying love for the aesthetics of decaying urban landscapes and barely legible typography. Although recently I have been experimenting with video and three-dimensional surfaces.

3. You were helping to organize some cutting edge group shows in the OLB during First Wednesday Art Walks every month.  How have you been affected and what impact do you think it has on the art community now the space is no longer available?  Putting on the shows in the OLB was a wonderful learning experience. We went from wanting to put on a single annual monster show to putting on an event every month for the next nine months. I knew that the opportunity was too great to just let it slip away. So there was no room for procrastination, artist’s block, or insecurities. This forced us to just make it happen. The next show was always right around the corner. I definitely could not have done it without Crystal Floyd, Matt Abercrombie, and the countless others that lent a helping hand.
 I would like to think that the OLB inspired others to put on their own shows and find new spaces. Jacksonville has a history of creating awesome spots out of the seemingly useless buildings. Thief in the Knight, The Pit, and the BBB complex are just a few examples. That is definitely a trend I hope continues throughout the city.
4. There are rumors of you heading up a new project Downtown.  Can you elaborate on what we should expect in the future?  The abrupt ending to the OLB left us with a lot of ideas still floating around in our heads, so we are definitely looking for an outlet. We have looked at a couple potential spots but nothing has actually been solidified yet. We are still on the hunt. I recently moved into a warehouse studio off of Talleyrand that has some potential… but nothing to elaborate on just yet.
5. Are there any Jacksonville artists you particularly admire or have drawn inspiration from?  Absolutely! I am constantly impressed with the amount of talent in this city. I could probably list fifty Jacksonville artists that I admire…and I would still be forgetting someone. It seems that every year that goes by I fall in love with a dozen new local artists that I had never heard of. And I’m not talking about “nice guys” or “good people”, but genuinely awesome artists. It is crazy for me to think that a year ago I had never seen the work of Mark Estlund, Amber Halford, Eric Gilliard or Madeline Peck and they were practically hanging out in my backyard.

6. Thanks for your time Clay.  I can appreciate the effort you put forth promoting local artists.  Any final thoughts on the matter?  Thank You! Keep up the good work. I think that the local Jacksonville art community is really creating something special and it doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. Lets keep it up! BUY MORE LOCAL ART!

Meet Clay and see his work on Friday, Sept. 4th at Flux studio/gallery in 5Points as he joins James Draper and Herman Mack. to produce a unique exhibition including video, projection and music.  For more on Clay visit: http://claydoran.wordpress.com/