“I would characterize my art as goofy and absurd. The series I’m working on now is called ‘Fun Death’, which is kind of a weird idea, but it was inspired by an actual news story about a woman who was killed on an amusement park ride. The story was tragic, but it started me thinking about fun places you could go before you die. It’s a way of combining the emotions of sadness and happiness. One of the works in the series depicts Superman dying, with the title ‘Don’t Fly Too Close to the Kryptonite Mountains’ and another shows a man falling out of a hot-air balloon and is titled ‘There Goes Dave.’ The titles are meant to be humorous, but there is a serious undertone as well because of the subject matter.
“I realize that a lot of my art is weird, but it doesn’t feel all that weird to me because of the family I grew up in. We were all a little quirky. I remember my dad telling jokes all the time. In fact, my mom just sent me a photo from their first trip to New York City---they’re there now---of my dad is flossing his teeth on 7th Avenue. So yeah, I think my whole family has a strong sense of the ridiculous.
“I would say to young artists, ‘Make the art you want to make just because it makes you feel good, regardless of whether you can sell it. Of course, you also have to pay the bills, so you’re going to have to get another job.”
“I realize that a lot of my art is weird, but it doesn’t feel all that weird to me because of the family I grew up in. We were all a little quirky. I remember my dad telling jokes all the time. In fact, my mom just sent me a photo from their first trip to New York City---they’re there now---of my dad is flossing his teeth on 7th Avenue. So yeah, I think my whole family has a strong sense of the ridiculous.
“I would say to young artists, ‘Make the art you want to make just because it makes you feel good, regardless of whether you can sell it. Of course, you also have to pay the bills, so you’re going to have to get another job.”
Alex Paulus received his BFA from Southeast Missouri State University and his MFA from Memphis College of Art. He teaches courses in drawing, painting, design, and art appreciation at Southwest Tennessee Community College. He is also a musician.
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