Richard Kooyman participates in the Artists Interview Artists Project. Below Richard responds to another artist's five questions (Robert Walton from Washington, D.C.). In order to participate, Richard had to provide me with five questions for some other artist to answer. The assigning of questions to artists is completely random. If you're an artist and interested in participating, let me know.
1. How important is it to you, that your work be seen by others. When you balance the Making of the art versus Showing or Exhibiting your art, how do those stack up?
If art has any value to society it is important that it has some function. I have reasons and ideas for making the art I make. I also have results I’m trying to achieve by making art. Then there is also the aspect that I want to sell the work so I can can support myself and continue to make art. Art is important to society. People have to see it for it to be important.
2. Assuming an artist wants their work see by others, does making art require something between faith in yourself and arrogance? Is it necessary to believe others will find value in your work?
I don’t think the world needs arrogance. But I do think artists should think of themselves as elite, in the good sense of that word. Art has value. The world needs that value probably now more than ever. Why make something, or do something that has no value what so ever?
3. What hangs on your walls? Do you collect the work of other artists?
As much as I and my wife (Melanie Parke, also a painter) can afford. Its all over the house. I ‘m looking at a large oil by Tim Kennedy from Indiana,a wonderful Diana Horowitz from NYC, Katy Schneider and Eric Aho a sort of mentor of ours.
4. What are your biggest doubts (assuming you have any), about your artwork?
I doubt its to pretty, not pretty enough, too juicy , not juicy enough. I doubt whether I have repeated an idea to death or not delved deep enough into. Doubts are a good thing. If you stop doubting I guess your being arrogant, and like I said,who needs that?
5. Do you often remember your dreams?
Only for about the first five minutes after I wake up. I’m to lazy to write them down,and by then I’m too involved in the world of the living to deal with all those crazy people in my dreams! Ha!
Previous Interviews:
Juno Doran (questions by James W. Bailey)
Josh Feldman (questions by Joseph Barbaccia)
Lisa Stephenson (questions by Whitney Lynn)
Joseph Barbaccia (questions by Josh Feldman)
James W. Bailey (questions by Matt Hollis)
Matt Hollis (questions by Juno Doran)
Carol Es (questions by James Leonard)
Alexandra Silverthorne (questions by Ami Lahoff)
Christine Buckton Tillman (questions by Carol Es)
Douglas Witmer (questions by Alexandra Silverthorne)
Sky Pape (questions by Douglas Witmer)
Whitney Lynn (questions by Lisa Stephenson)
Heather Levy (questions by Joanne Greenbaum)
Heather Lowe (questions by Samantha Wolov)
Samantha Wolov (questions by Heather Levy)
Timothy McClellan (questions by Heather Lowe)
James Leonard (questions by Sky Pape)
Joanne Greenbaum (questions by Timothy McClellan)
Comments