Artist Interview with Parker Kaufman

      Parker Kaufman

Houston, TX

At what age did you know you wanted to be an artist?

    From a very early age, say seven or eight.  There was something magical that happened when I put a pencil to paper and started creating a world as only I could see it.

What medium do you prefer to work in?

    I love the media I'm currently working in, card stock.  I like the fact that it's a less exacting material than say acrylics or pastels.

Favorite food.

    You promised me there would be no difficult questions here! LOL  I like a variety of foods; simple, flavorful, healthy.  If I had to pick one, I'd say edamame...I can eat it like candy.

Favorite color.

    Artists LOVE all colors.  I'd have to say blue is my favorite.

Where would you like to visit?

    Paris, France

Favorite musical artist.

    Lady Gaga, David Bowie, Linkin Park, Neil Young, Big Head Todd & the Monsters.

At what age did you started making art?

    I've made art since I was a child and throughout most of my life.  In the traditional sense, I began seriously in my early forties.

Where do you get your inspiration?

    Everything inspires me.  The world is full of things that give me ideas...music...poetry, books I've read, everyday scenery.  Most of it comes from an overactive mind.  There is no off-switch to my brain.  It's a constant traffic jam in there.

What do you do when you get artist's block?

    I simply walk away from whatever project I'm involved in and enjoy some of my favorite activities...window shopping, walking the dog, cooking, or harassing friends (wink, wink).

Who is your favorite artist?

    So many...Dali, Matisse, Seurat, Picasso...I could go on forever.

What is your favorite piece of sculpture?

    All of Erte's stunning works.

What is your favorite painting?

    Renoir's "Place de La Trinite."

Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why?

    Without a doubt, my maternal grandmother.  She taught me compassion, grace, and appreciation for what I was given.  She never held me to her expectations, but rather encouraged me to have high expectations for myself and use my talents to surpass them.  She always said that kindness was one of the keys to a successful life.

If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?

    My first thought was so say Oprah, but in all honesty I'd have to say my great-uncle, Harold Staley.  Uncle "Bub" as we called him, was the greatest influence with regard to me and art.  He was a physically challenged artist who created the most amazing works, some of which hung in the Buttler Museum of American Art in Youngstown, OH and in the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.  He gave me a John Gnagy art kit for Christmas when I was nine years old.  He opened up the world of art for me, passing on his love for the craft.  I cherished the times he would talk with me about his art, and to sit with him now, after all I've learned, would be awesome.

What advice would you yo give someone who aspired to be an artist?

    Chase your aspirations and don't give up until you've tackled them.  Pay no attention to the nay sayers and those who put requirements on what is and is not art.  Follow your instincts, jump in with both feet, and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE...create what YOU like, make art for YOURSELF, not for the masses.  The moment you try to create to please others is the moment the joy and passion all start to fade.