Alex Waggoner

INTERVIEW: ALEX WAGGONER

Published at 10/29/201510/31/2015 In Category blog, Fall, Interview Tags: Alex Waggoner

CSA fall share artist, Alex Waggoner has been very busy getting ready for the upcoming artwork release and her recent exhibition in Alaska. Luckily, co-founder Camela Guevara was able to catch up with her to talk in depth about her work, favorite music, and a surprising fact about avocados and dogs.

CG: Are there any other creative endeavors, besides your paintings that you are working on for CSA, that you would like to try?

AW: I just recently got my first 35mm and have enjoyed experimenting with that. My dad also gave me the Minolta I remember him using when I was a kid.

Update: Chris just got me a guitar for my birthday. It is a beautiful 1978 Washburn. Going through the very beginner steps of sore fingers and frustratingly slow scales and chords.

CG: Your work documents some run-down and forgotten areas in a truthful, yet dreamy manner. What is a destination you’d like to see and use to inspire new paintings?

AW: I loved living in Raleigh for six months last year and being inspired by the very different and new architecture relative to Charleston. As weird as this may sound I kind of would like to go to Florida and get immersed in some 1940-60s neighborhood weirdness. I got a taste of it in Fernandina Beach this summer and couldn’t get enough. Maybe like rural Midwest too. And of course France, Italy, Spain. That would probably do wild things to my paintings.

CG: What do you normally listen to in your studio?

AW: A little bit of everything. Music till I get tired of that and podcasts and movies and tv shows and sometimes nothing. Lately I have been really into The Beach Boys, Courtney Barnett, Leon Bridges, The Zombies, Tuscadero, and when I just don’t know always Zeppelin.

I have gotten super into Paul Simon as I am finishing up my CSA.

CG: Tell us something you’ve learned recently that was surprising to you.

AW: Avocados are bad for dogs. I have given Bishop the brown part of day old avocados so many times. Whoopsie

CG: What was the last museum show you visited that knocked your socks off?

AW: Went back to Dia beacon while I was in New York. Standing inside of Richard Serra’s Torqued Ellipses is one of my favorite feelings ever.

CG: Describe your ideal meal.

AW: I love food so much so honestly just a ton of different things. Or, a perfect summer meal of tomato pie, fresh corn, limas, and watermelon and some dry, Provencal rosé.

CG: I enjoyed seeing your home and studio space. How does living with your partner and fellow artist Chris Nickels influence your work and art practice?

AW: Chris sits down to do work and he will do it for like 12 plus hours. I on the other hand get distracted with a home studio but am trying harder to take a few notes from him! As far as our work it’s awesome to have someone there who you can get instant crits from. I really valued that at school. It’s great to have some other eyes on things to let you know when things are terrible or awesome or somewhere in between.

CG: What blogs or other media, art-related or otherwise, do you read regularly?

AW: I get Artforum but I have to admit I don’t do the best job at reading them all.

I am all about Instagram though. It’s such an immediate way to see what’s going on. My latest favorites are Max Seckel and Kristen Liu-Wong

CG: What are some goals you have for your work and artistic career?

AW: To quit my day job! Haha.

Artist Alex Waggoner at the 2015 Meet + Greet.

Alex Waggoner is one of the 2015 Fall share artists.

PURCHASE ALEX’S SEASON

STUDIO VISIT: ALEX WAGGONER

Published at 10/09/2015 In Category blog, Fall, In the Studio Tags: Alex Waggoner

Camela Guevara had the chance to peek into Fall share artist Alex Waggoner’s studio in her home near Hampton Park a few weeks ago. It was a misty, overcast day when she arrived at Alex’s house, tucked away from the street. She shares the home with her boyfriend, Spring share artist Chris Nickels, and their distinguished pup Bishop.

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Alex creates her thoughtful paintings in what she playfully calls their “would-be laundry room,” which is really a brightly lit nook. Bishop is usually at her feet. Chris works a few feet away at this own desk, in their cozy home with tall ceilings. Bishop always needs to investigate. Most of the photos of her turned into brown blurs of fur.

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FJD;FL

Here’s a work by Chris hanging in Alex’s workspace. He has one of her paintings above his desk as well. <3

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With all of her supplies within arm’s reach, Alex creates her 32 works for Charleston Supported Art with great efficiency. Here’s a little peek at the color palette for one such work!

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Alex Waggoner is one of the 2015 Fall share artists.

PURCHASE ALEX’S SEASON

INSPIRATION: ALEX WAGGONER

Published at 09/25/201509/26/2015 In Category blog, Inspiration Tags: Alex Waggoner

Alex Waggoner paints beautiful geometric and color blocked compositions inspired by the city she lives in, suburbia, and modern architecture. Read on to learn about the artists and other subjects that influence the fall share artist’s work.

ADVENTURING

One of my favorite things to do is to walk or drive around and just observe, snapping phone pictures whenever I see something I like. The Lowcountry has so many good, little, forgotten urban spaces. I especially like when people seemingly haphazardly do things to buildings whether it be using plywood to create a barrier or spray painting information on a door during construction. In contrast to this as-needed construction, I love seeing people work really hard to ensure their privacy. While my paintings are usually of urban spaces I really enjoy seeing uninterrupted nature as well.

1950’S AND ART DECO POSTERS

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I love the color palettes from posters like these. The compositions and use of shape and pattern are awesome, too. Plus what great advertisements for such a dreamy lifestyle!

SUBURBIA AND MID-CENTURY ARCHITECTURE

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

A great influence comes from architecture and landscape. I am inspired in particular by the homes and communities of the 1950’s. The cookie cutter houses, the Mid-century modern buildings, and the neighborhoods with rows and rows of homes.

SOL LEWITT

Before I began the architectural series I am working on now I was making work that was very conceptual and process based. Sol Lewitt’s conceptual pieces comprised of instructions that were to be executed by whomever in the intended space seemed genius to me. I still appreciate the conceptual value but I also love the repetition, monotony of line, and just how grand the wall drawings and paintings are.

MATISSE

The Parakeet and the Mermaid

When I saw Matisse’s “Dance (I)” in person I had what one of MY professors called a “Jesus moment.” The color and form of the ladies in the painting just knocked my socks off. I also love Matisse’s later cut out series. Once again the repetition of form is really influential to me, as well as the hard edges and color palette.

PETER HALLEY

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Seeing a Peter Halley painting in person may have been my other “Jesus moment.” I had seen his paintings in books but in person the Day-glo and Roll-a-Tex is otherworldly. Combine that with the harsh line and genius color use and I was floored.

PHILIP GUSTON

Untitled (Wall) 1971

I have always loved Philip Guston’s figurative work. The way he paints shape and that yucky pink that he often used really speak to me.

MARY HEILMANN

Her paintings and the immediacy of how she applies paint to canvas has always been interesting to me. My paintings are usually very methodical but I really admire the way in which she paints and the stories she tells about her inspiration.

Artist Alex Waggoner at the 2015 Meet + Greet.

Alex Waggoner is one of the 2015 Fall share artists.

PURCHASE ALEX’S SEASON