Anthony lee Interview

Dwayne Butcher's Artist Interview with Anthony Lee 9/15/07

DB: What are your methods of visualization? How does your creative process begin?

AL: I’ve built a photographic database of old family photos and found images. Hours of scanning photos of interesting people, postures, and urban scenes have developed my pool of imagery. Initially, I would cut a paper figure and reinsert it into a different scene to change its context; however, I found that doing this same process digitally was a lot more efficient and eliminated wasted paper clippings.

Each of my pieces begins as a black and white “underlay” of a printed or drawn collage that I’ve composed digitally. This limits the guesswork for the painting’s outcome in regard to its aesthetic balance and metaphorical context. Once the underlay is adhered or sealed onto the panel, the magic can begin!

DB: What do you want to be known for?

AL: I want to be known for great collages! I’m chasing Romare Bearden! His style of collage is too popular to replicate, so I have the challenge of attempting the same heights with the century-old process introduced by Picasso. My collages are fully-integrated, in that they rely heavily on acrylic paint. Bearden’s approach was that of a pure-collage, paper on paper.

DB: What do you think of the current state of the Memphis art scene?

AL: I think it’s still burgeoning, but without a concise goal in mind. What attributes must we attain, or simply define, before we can confidently answer this question in the affirmative? What, or who, are we emulating in defining our self as an effervescent and magnetic art-nurturing city? I’m thoroughly optimistic about the current art scene, but I’d like to see more integrative talks and symposia about solutions to what we think is lacking.

DB: Explain your work in five words or less.

AL: TASTY daily life struggle CANDY!

DB: What is your favorite: Movie? Book? Color? Smell? Food?
AL: movie- Black Sheep- the Spade and Farley bargain bin classic!
book? Lies My Teacher Told Me by James Loewen- history’s truth!
color? Navy blue- there’s something mysteriously comforting about this color.
smell? Any Kindergarten classroom!
food? As of lately, Wendy’s French fries.