Encounter: David Meyers and Fernando Fula
This month the main gallery features artists invited by Fountain Street core members. The exhibition Encounter runs through December 20th and can be viewed during gallery hours on Saturday and Sunday from 12–4PM, as well as by appointment. There will be a Virtual Artists Reception and Tour on Saturday, December 19th from 3–4PM.
In this post we highlight two of the invited artists Fernando Fula and David Meyers.
Fernando Fula
Conversation between core member Melissa Shaak and invited artist Fernando Fula:
Melissa: I'm so glad our paths crossed Fernando! From what I see of your work, you are a portraitist, self-portraitist, maker of (and actor in) video shorts, visual jokester and social/political commentator. And these are all interweaving. Was there a single thread that started it all?
Fernando: First off, thank you for that elegant summarization, I appreciate your depiction of not only my work but who I am as an artist. A single thread hmm, I wouldn't say it was so much a single thread but rather multiple strings spinning together to create a twine. My childhood was noise (haha) and I was very reserved, observant, but wanted to be just as noisy. I grew up in a house full of immediate family members (11 total including myself), on a busy one-way street, a highway/city skyline for a backyard and train tracks located toward the front of the house. Under those circumstances you're forced to figure out how to garner some sort of attention within that vibration of life. I found salvation with the two most natural instincts we have as humans: art and humor. I've always felt the need to create and I've always wanted to make people laugh, and sometimes feel like that kid still fighting to be heard within the noise.
“Flowers for the Devil” 30x20 by Fernando Fula
Melissa: OK I'll pull on the twine then! I find that the intensity of your portraits really makes them stand out from the noise. That plus your clearly-chosen conceptual elements -- the apples, flowers, clothesline -- make me think a lot about what you are saying about human consciousness. What is your process like when you think about starting a new painting?
Fernando: So in regards to the process I'm still figuring that part out, along with the whole process of painting in general. I do, however, find that social media is a great platform to learn about different skills and techniques to enhance my craft. That being said, I personally find it hard to really do anything that hasn't already been done in some fashion. Currently, my main focus is to communicate my experience and interpretation of life through my art and just leave it up to the public for feedback.
Melissa: It was really great collaborating with you and Jamaal Eversley on our "live painting" project. I hope we can do something like that again sometime. Or maybe some kind of mashup with painting and video. I love what you are doing in that space.
Fernando: That mural was really fun and I also hope we have more opportunities in the future to collaborate. I'm having a lot of fun experimenting with videos and different ways to promote myself. I highly recommend others to experiment similarly.
Melissa: I'm a big fan of the sentiment in your phrase "Just, Create ... OK!" What are you thinking about creating next?
Fernando: Thanks, "Just, Create ... OK!" is an overall message I want to promote to everyone, not just artists, because I truly believe that may be one of the main purposes of the human experience. Currently, I'm working on a practice piece of a friend to boost my experience in painting the effect of fabric. Practice, practice, practice HAHA!
Melissa: Good luck with getting the effect of fabric—seems daunting but I know you’ll tackle it. Thanks a million for this conversation Fernando.
Fernando: Thank you very much Melissa, and I'm very happy to have you part of my artistic network of friends!
David Meyers
Core member Steve Sangapore introduces invited artist David Meyers:
Dave Meyers is a Boston-based artist and jack of all trades. The breadth of his expertise and creative interests is as impressive as the work he creates. His approach to art-making, whether he is using oils, woodworking, welding or creating video installations, is unafraid and uninhibited. He believes that if an idea is worth pursuing, it should be pursued without hesitation.
What is most striking about his work is how reflective it is of his personality. Much like himself, his work is witty, spontaneous, satirical and unpredictable. These qualities can often be hard to incorporate effectively into one’s art. His advantage, however, is that these qualities emerge rather than come into being through rigid calculation. His perfect balance of spontaneity (without being erratic) and satire (without being comical) is achieved because his work is so deeply authentic.
A deep authenticity and honestly with one's work is readable at the level of the artifact. Though I have had the pleasure of knowing Dave for several years, one doesn’t need an introduction with him to know that the emotional place from where his work comes is as genuine and authentic as it gets. The creative community is strengthened and thrives when it consists of artists like Dave.