Q: When I discussed your work recently with my colleagues, an interesting thing happened: none of us were able to
point to what could be considered a direct stylistic influence in your work. For the most part, we all agreed that your work
stands as a unique artistic expression, and that your style derives largely from your personal creative source. This is really
quite unusual. As the artist in question, how would you describe your artistic style?
A: I have worked in this style for the past 25 years or so. From the first time I painted a desert landscape, which
happened to be on a bow tie shaped canvas, I have continued to explore and expand that visual style, which is orderly, a bit
whimsical, and contains a wide array of iconic symbols that tend to show up in a lot of my work.
Q: Has your style evolved over time?
A: My style has not changed dramatically. As you can probably tell from my paintings, despite my tongue-in-cheek
depictions, I do favor order and continuity. So, stylistic changes are slow coming and decidedly evolutionary. In the last year
or so, while continuing with my established painting style, I have also produced a body of work, mostly smaller pieces, that
are what could be referred to as more painterly. By that I mean not as tight as the standard Snake Jagger painting, with less
dependence on the airbrush for smooth gradients. More relaxed, and less hung up on minute details, but still containing the
recognizable elements of my tighter, more complex paintings.
Q: We have seen several of these smaller works, and they are quite well executed. I recall you mentioning the inherent
difficulties with working on small paintings. Can you expand on that?
A: I had originally begun to experiment with the smaller, looser pieces as a means of producing more work. My standard
paintings - in the tighter style – require an average of 70 hours to complete, and at times, much longer than that. I want
everything to be perfect, so I tend to work ceaselessly to get to the point where the piece contains no further options for
fulfillment of the image.
With the smaller pieces in the looser style, I found two interesting things. First that the key to painting smaller is to craft an
image that ‘shows’ as much larger. It’s a means of giving the work more visual presence and impact. This is actually far more
difficult with a smaller piece than a medium sized one. Second, when it comes to resolving the piece, I have found that the
smaller the work the fewer options there are in bringing it to visual fruition. So, in that sense, smaller works are much more
difficult to create than larger ones. I don’t release anything that doesn’t meet the high standards already established for my
other work, so with the small ones I tend to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to get them just right.
Q: Continuing on the stylistic discussion, as a mature self-taught artist, you must have gathered some inspiration from
other artists whose work you admired. Can you tell us about artists who have inspired you?
A: Noble Richardson is the artist I was most inspired by. He’s a southwest artist who was decades ahead of his time. A
visionary. When I was a teenager, I saw some of his work and immediately knew I wanted to be a painter.
Rene Magritte was probably my biggest influence with regard to the surrealistic depictions contained in my work. As you
know, I refer to my style as ‘Whimsical Surrealism’, and I believe that would also be a fitting description for Magritte as well.
There are some darker aspects of Magritte’s work that aren’t present in mine though, an undercurrent that’s difficult to
describe. And of course, the field of surrealism is very broad, so I guess I’d find myself on the far left, with the more
nightmare-like images of Salvador Dali on the far right, and Magritte there somewhere in the middle.
Thomas Hart Benton was also an early inspiration to me. I loved the movement in his images. I also admire the work of M.C.
Escher. His creative ideas and execution of those ideas have continued to amaze me for decades.
Q: In regard to Magritte, we have seen imagery in your work that seems inspired by him. How would say that his general
body of work parallels or affects what you’re doing as an artist?
A: Good question. (pauses) Much of Magritte’s work depicts the mundane juxtaposed with the out-of-place. It is this
mixture that makes the viewer ask, ‘What does this mean?’ Of course, to Magritte, it meant nothing, because in his mind the
essence of a mystery is that is by definition unknowable. My work has a different focus but I enjoy using some Magritte-like
imagery because on the surface it seems so ordinary, yet somehow just doesn’t belong. The man in the bowler hat, or the
repetition of certain objects, for example. One of my paintings of Catalina Island has the bowler hat man with a large
Garibaldi fish in front of his face. The fish is well known to Catalina visitors, but the positioning of it brings yet another visual
element to the composition.
Q: Magritte’s mother was a drowning suicide when he was quite young. He apparently saw her floating with her dress
hem covering her face, so the belief in some areas of the art world is that he was compelled to paint that covered face
throughout his career.
A: Yes, I’ve heard that too - but no dark secret here. I use it sparingly and strictly for the humor value, or in some cases,
as a reference point in the story the painting contains.
Q: What other artists do you admire, specifically those who have not directly inspired your artistic style or content, rather
those who affect you on another level. What inspires you about their work?
A: Well, first there’s Maxfield Parrish. His work inspires me to paint landscapes that evoke a feeling of peace and
contentment. Georgia O’Keeffe, I love her colors and vibrancy. And Leonardo da Vinci; his perfect execution and his use of
color make me feel blessed to have a talent for the arts. I admire the attention to detail of some of the wildlife and marine
painters, and I like the humor and stylized western landscapes of Stephen Morath.
Q: Over the past month or so, we’ve had the opportunity to view a great deal of your past and current work. It holds
together remarkably well as a coherent body of work. What would say the basis for your work is? Does it have a central
theme?
A: I continue to create my vision of a perfect world. It is a place that is both clean and tidy but full of surprises. My
landscapes are made to look like they have been manipulated and cared for. That, I think is the central theme of my work.
Q: That compulsion to create a clean, tidy, manicured world sounds like a personal philosophy, expressed artistically.
Am I right?
A: My philosophy is centered on my belief that mankind has the ability to create and maintain a more perfect world. That
it is our responsibility to do so. And, that the joy and wonderment that can be experienced through the arts should be an
integral part of that world. Some may feel that this is a simple, childlike fantasy but I believe that we all share a responsibility
for mature stewardship of the planet. No person should be immune from caring, or working to help improve our world, and
preserving its unique beauty for future generations.
Q: Well said. Your paintings make a great deal of sense when viewed from that perspective. I can also understand the
meaning of some of the iconic elements in that context, such as the rake, the water faucet and hose. Do you consider
yourself to be a symbolic artist? Are there certain forms of symbolic imagery that you tend to use, and if so, from where do
you derive this?
A: Yes, I do consider myself to be somewhat of a symbolic artist. I use a phone booth to symbolize the almost universal
ability for people to communicate across great distances. I will place a door in some of my paintings, with the objective of
triggering the viewer’s interest and imagination about what might exist on the other side. As you correctly guessed, a rake
represents our obligation to care for our home planet. Further, in my visual world, nothing is impossible, nor is it completely
tacked down. Rocks float, bushes are impossibly well-manicured, water faucets and hoses sprout from sand dunes, and fish
swim through the air. Perspective, size and improbability also enter into the mix. I like to insert huge tomatoes, cherries or
citrus, or a giant corkscrew. In my iconography, these all symbolize abundance. I sometimes like to insert unrelated items in
an image as a means of inducing the viewer to become a participatory partner in creating the painting’s story.
Q: Speaking of the painting’s story, where do you get your inspiration for artworks?
A: My inspiration comes partly from nature, partly from television and cinema, and partly from illustrations in children’s
books and stories in the Bible. At an earlier point in my career, music was a huge source of inspiration, and I have enjoyed
classic stories such as Tom Sawyer, Robinson Crusoe, and The Swiss Family Robinson. I was especially fascinated by
anything to do with space exploration, so I was influenced by shows like Star Trek and by illustrated books about space.
Virtually all of these iconic resources have found their way into my work in one form or another.
Q: How do you go about the creation of a work of your art, from original thought to completion?
A: (pauses) First off, I know a lot of artists carry a sketch book everywhere they go, but I usually keep my ideas in my
head. Sometimes I will sketch them out lightly if I am trying to resolve something about the idea in my head.
As far as the actual creative process goes, it’s a series of steps that I rarely deviate from. First, I’ll buy or build a canvas, I
then put it on an easel next to my television, and while I am relaxing and watching something on the tube, at some point I will
get a sort of vision of what I should paint on that blank surface. This may sound odd, but I feel that by not concentrating on
the canvas, but keeping it there in my peripheral vision, helps the eventual image to manifest itself to me. I’ve known
sculptors who worked in pretty much the same way – they didn’t attack the stone with something already in mind, but they
looked at it long enough for the stone to reveal to them what was waiting inside.
So, once I have a clear idea of what to do on the canvas, I’ll lightly sketch out the basics. For example, if it is a desert
landscape scene the basics would be mountains and sand dunes; if it is a spacescape, then a planetary surface with craters
from asteroid collisions.
This is the point where the creative focus is important, going from basic idea to a fully realized layout. Once I get those basic
backgrounds prepared, I will then go in and begin to do my ‘landscaping design’, which consists of the plants and other
elements. It is very important that they all appear to have been purposefully placed in a well-designed and manicured
landscape.
Working steadily, it usually takes me about 2 weeks or more to complete a painting, Many times, I have upwards of 100 hours
invested in it from the time I begin to lay it out on canvas. Sometimes, I also need to stop at certain points and really take
some time to sit back and review the scene to try to decide where succeeding change will be made, and to ensure that I’m
heading for the perfect resolution. I also have found that it helps to work on a couple of paintings at the same time. That way
I can stay busy on one while I am trying to decide my next move on another.
The most important part of my creative process is the end result. That is when it all comes together as a balanced scene.
The painting does not have life until I can do no more to enhance it, and I am finally able to consider it as completely
resolved. In all my work I constantly strive for balance and order, and when I feel that has been achieved, then that is when
the picture takes on a life of its own.
Q: So far, you’ve only mentioned canvas as a working surface. What else have you explored?
A: I use acrylic paint, on either canvas, or specially prepared board. I also do some work on ceramics, and some
functional work on pieces of furniture. I occasionally do wall murals as well. Most recently, I have begun the initial steps of
spreading out into limited edition giclee prints and other functional art, such as clothing. With the giclees, I will now be able to
completely control the print quality and all phases of production, which has been a concern of mine in the past. The new
printer inks are fade-free for 200+ years. None of us will be around long enough to test that claim, but everything points to a
revolutionary increase in quality, resolution and longevity.
Q: Have you given any thought to the place from which your art emanates?
A: (smiles) Where it emanates from is out of my head and into my right hand. It flows constantly, and there’s no choice in the
matter. Over time, I have come to understand that it defines me as a person.
But where my art derives from is another subject entirely. That derivation is both from a social standpoint and a natural
outgrowth of my personal beliefs. It has to do with my conviction that our world is what we make it. And, that there is so much
potential for doing good, especially with regard to conservation and proper management of our natural resources. I am a
nature lover, and my art reflects my appreciation for the beauty that nature provides. I also have a particular fascination with
the desert environment that I live in.
Q: Some artists need for their work to express social commentary. We’ve spoken of your personal philosophy, but not
about whether your art is actually created from a social or political standpoint. Do you feel that your work is a natural
outgrowth of how you define yourself as a person?
A: Despite my personal beliefs, I don’t want there to be an overt political component to my work. I tend to keep my
opinions to myself, and let the work speak for itself. My artwork is created for the viewer, not for me personally. I focus on
grabbing the attention of the viewer with an entertaining image, and then pulling him inside my perfect world. I hope that
people are caught by surprise, and feel the desire to step into the scene to see what may be just over that next sand dune.
The viewer becomes the source of conformation of my thoughts and ideas. If viewers are entertained, and they take time to
think about what they see, then I have fulfilled my purpose as an artist. I’m willing to take it on faith that they’ll understand
what the art is about.
Q: As an established artist, I’m sure that you have had ample time to ruminate both on your craft and on the context of
art within the social and cultural strata. Can you comment on this aspect?
A: (pauses) I guess you can say it this way: chimpanzees, despite their intelligence and ability to make and use tools, still
don’t contemplate death or the existence of an immortal soul. Only humans do. Art, created in the emotional and conceptual
sense, also sets us apart. It is not a utilitarian function, rather purely a creative expression.
Art gives us a creative means to express our imaginings, to share our inner thoughts and aspirations, as well as our most
abstract concepts. Imagination and the creative process are what continue to define us as humans, and art provides us with
an opportunity to share the profoundly different perspectives of many minds, and to appreciate the incredible diversity of the
world around us.
point to what could be considered a direct stylistic influence in your work. For the most part, we all agreed that your work
stands as a unique artistic expression, and that your style derives largely from your personal creative source. This is really
quite unusual. As the artist in question, how would you describe your artistic style?
A: I have worked in this style for the past 25 years or so. From the first time I painted a desert landscape, which
happened to be on a bow tie shaped canvas, I have continued to explore and expand that visual style, which is orderly, a bit
whimsical, and contains a wide array of iconic symbols that tend to show up in a lot of my work.
Q: Has your style evolved over time?
A: My style has not changed dramatically. As you can probably tell from my paintings, despite my tongue-in-cheek
depictions, I do favor order and continuity. So, stylistic changes are slow coming and decidedly evolutionary. In the last year
or so, while continuing with my established painting style, I have also produced a body of work, mostly smaller pieces, that
are what could be referred to as more painterly. By that I mean not as tight as the standard Snake Jagger painting, with less
dependence on the airbrush for smooth gradients. More relaxed, and less hung up on minute details, but still containing the
recognizable elements of my tighter, more complex paintings.
Q: We have seen several of these smaller works, and they are quite well executed. I recall you mentioning the inherent
difficulties with working on small paintings. Can you expand on that?
A: I had originally begun to experiment with the smaller, looser pieces as a means of producing more work. My standard
paintings - in the tighter style – require an average of 70 hours to complete, and at times, much longer than that. I want
everything to be perfect, so I tend to work ceaselessly to get to the point where the piece contains no further options for
fulfillment of the image.
With the smaller pieces in the looser style, I found two interesting things. First that the key to painting smaller is to craft an
image that ‘shows’ as much larger. It’s a means of giving the work more visual presence and impact. This is actually far more
difficult with a smaller piece than a medium sized one. Second, when it comes to resolving the piece, I have found that the
smaller the work the fewer options there are in bringing it to visual fruition. So, in that sense, smaller works are much more
difficult to create than larger ones. I don’t release anything that doesn’t meet the high standards already established for my
other work, so with the small ones I tend to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to get them just right.
Q: Continuing on the stylistic discussion, as a mature self-taught artist, you must have gathered some inspiration from
other artists whose work you admired. Can you tell us about artists who have inspired you?
A: Noble Richardson is the artist I was most inspired by. He’s a southwest artist who was decades ahead of his time. A
visionary. When I was a teenager, I saw some of his work and immediately knew I wanted to be a painter.
Rene Magritte was probably my biggest influence with regard to the surrealistic depictions contained in my work. As you
know, I refer to my style as ‘Whimsical Surrealism’, and I believe that would also be a fitting description for Magritte as well.
There are some darker aspects of Magritte’s work that aren’t present in mine though, an undercurrent that’s difficult to
describe. And of course, the field of surrealism is very broad, so I guess I’d find myself on the far left, with the more
nightmare-like images of Salvador Dali on the far right, and Magritte there somewhere in the middle.
Thomas Hart Benton was also an early inspiration to me. I loved the movement in his images. I also admire the work of M.C.
Escher. His creative ideas and execution of those ideas have continued to amaze me for decades.
Q: In regard to Magritte, we have seen imagery in your work that seems inspired by him. How would say that his general
body of work parallels or affects what you’re doing as an artist?
A: Good question. (pauses) Much of Magritte’s work depicts the mundane juxtaposed with the out-of-place. It is this
mixture that makes the viewer ask, ‘What does this mean?’ Of course, to Magritte, it meant nothing, because in his mind the
essence of a mystery is that is by definition unknowable. My work has a different focus but I enjoy using some Magritte-like
imagery because on the surface it seems so ordinary, yet somehow just doesn’t belong. The man in the bowler hat, or the
repetition of certain objects, for example. One of my paintings of Catalina Island has the bowler hat man with a large
Garibaldi fish in front of his face. The fish is well known to Catalina visitors, but the positioning of it brings yet another visual
element to the composition.
Q: Magritte’s mother was a drowning suicide when he was quite young. He apparently saw her floating with her dress
hem covering her face, so the belief in some areas of the art world is that he was compelled to paint that covered face
throughout his career.
A: Yes, I’ve heard that too - but no dark secret here. I use it sparingly and strictly for the humor value, or in some cases,
as a reference point in the story the painting contains.
Q: What other artists do you admire, specifically those who have not directly inspired your artistic style or content, rather
those who affect you on another level. What inspires you about their work?
A: Well, first there’s Maxfield Parrish. His work inspires me to paint landscapes that evoke a feeling of peace and
contentment. Georgia O’Keeffe, I love her colors and vibrancy. And Leonardo da Vinci; his perfect execution and his use of
color make me feel blessed to have a talent for the arts. I admire the attention to detail of some of the wildlife and marine
painters, and I like the humor and stylized western landscapes of Stephen Morath.
Q: Over the past month or so, we’ve had the opportunity to view a great deal of your past and current work. It holds
together remarkably well as a coherent body of work. What would say the basis for your work is? Does it have a central
theme?
A: I continue to create my vision of a perfect world. It is a place that is both clean and tidy but full of surprises. My
landscapes are made to look like they have been manipulated and cared for. That, I think is the central theme of my work.
Q: That compulsion to create a clean, tidy, manicured world sounds like a personal philosophy, expressed artistically.
Am I right?
A: My philosophy is centered on my belief that mankind has the ability to create and maintain a more perfect world. That
it is our responsibility to do so. And, that the joy and wonderment that can be experienced through the arts should be an
integral part of that world. Some may feel that this is a simple, childlike fantasy but I believe that we all share a responsibility
for mature stewardship of the planet. No person should be immune from caring, or working to help improve our world, and
preserving its unique beauty for future generations.
Q: Well said. Your paintings make a great deal of sense when viewed from that perspective. I can also understand the
meaning of some of the iconic elements in that context, such as the rake, the water faucet and hose. Do you consider
yourself to be a symbolic artist? Are there certain forms of symbolic imagery that you tend to use, and if so, from where do
you derive this?
A: Yes, I do consider myself to be somewhat of a symbolic artist. I use a phone booth to symbolize the almost universal
ability for people to communicate across great distances. I will place a door in some of my paintings, with the objective of
triggering the viewer’s interest and imagination about what might exist on the other side. As you correctly guessed, a rake
represents our obligation to care for our home planet. Further, in my visual world, nothing is impossible, nor is it completely
tacked down. Rocks float, bushes are impossibly well-manicured, water faucets and hoses sprout from sand dunes, and fish
swim through the air. Perspective, size and improbability also enter into the mix. I like to insert huge tomatoes, cherries or
citrus, or a giant corkscrew. In my iconography, these all symbolize abundance. I sometimes like to insert unrelated items in
an image as a means of inducing the viewer to become a participatory partner in creating the painting’s story.
Q: Speaking of the painting’s story, where do you get your inspiration for artworks?
A: My inspiration comes partly from nature, partly from television and cinema, and partly from illustrations in children’s
books and stories in the Bible. At an earlier point in my career, music was a huge source of inspiration, and I have enjoyed
classic stories such as Tom Sawyer, Robinson Crusoe, and The Swiss Family Robinson. I was especially fascinated by
anything to do with space exploration, so I was influenced by shows like Star Trek and by illustrated books about space.
Virtually all of these iconic resources have found their way into my work in one form or another.
Q: How do you go about the creation of a work of your art, from original thought to completion?
A: (pauses) First off, I know a lot of artists carry a sketch book everywhere they go, but I usually keep my ideas in my
head. Sometimes I will sketch them out lightly if I am trying to resolve something about the idea in my head.
As far as the actual creative process goes, it’s a series of steps that I rarely deviate from. First, I’ll buy or build a canvas, I
then put it on an easel next to my television, and while I am relaxing and watching something on the tube, at some point I will
get a sort of vision of what I should paint on that blank surface. This may sound odd, but I feel that by not concentrating on
the canvas, but keeping it there in my peripheral vision, helps the eventual image to manifest itself to me. I’ve known
sculptors who worked in pretty much the same way – they didn’t attack the stone with something already in mind, but they
looked at it long enough for the stone to reveal to them what was waiting inside.
So, once I have a clear idea of what to do on the canvas, I’ll lightly sketch out the basics. For example, if it is a desert
landscape scene the basics would be mountains and sand dunes; if it is a spacescape, then a planetary surface with craters
from asteroid collisions.
This is the point where the creative focus is important, going from basic idea to a fully realized layout. Once I get those basic
backgrounds prepared, I will then go in and begin to do my ‘landscaping design’, which consists of the plants and other
elements. It is very important that they all appear to have been purposefully placed in a well-designed and manicured
landscape.
Working steadily, it usually takes me about 2 weeks or more to complete a painting, Many times, I have upwards of 100 hours
invested in it from the time I begin to lay it out on canvas. Sometimes, I also need to stop at certain points and really take
some time to sit back and review the scene to try to decide where succeeding change will be made, and to ensure that I’m
heading for the perfect resolution. I also have found that it helps to work on a couple of paintings at the same time. That way
I can stay busy on one while I am trying to decide my next move on another.
The most important part of my creative process is the end result. That is when it all comes together as a balanced scene.
The painting does not have life until I can do no more to enhance it, and I am finally able to consider it as completely
resolved. In all my work I constantly strive for balance and order, and when I feel that has been achieved, then that is when
the picture takes on a life of its own.
Q: So far, you’ve only mentioned canvas as a working surface. What else have you explored?
A: I use acrylic paint, on either canvas, or specially prepared board. I also do some work on ceramics, and some
functional work on pieces of furniture. I occasionally do wall murals as well. Most recently, I have begun the initial steps of
spreading out into limited edition giclee prints and other functional art, such as clothing. With the giclees, I will now be able to
completely control the print quality and all phases of production, which has been a concern of mine in the past. The new
printer inks are fade-free for 200+ years. None of us will be around long enough to test that claim, but everything points to a
revolutionary increase in quality, resolution and longevity.
Q: Have you given any thought to the place from which your art emanates?
A: (smiles) Where it emanates from is out of my head and into my right hand. It flows constantly, and there’s no choice in the
matter. Over time, I have come to understand that it defines me as a person.
But where my art derives from is another subject entirely. That derivation is both from a social standpoint and a natural
outgrowth of my personal beliefs. It has to do with my conviction that our world is what we make it. And, that there is so much
potential for doing good, especially with regard to conservation and proper management of our natural resources. I am a
nature lover, and my art reflects my appreciation for the beauty that nature provides. I also have a particular fascination with
the desert environment that I live in.
Q: Some artists need for their work to express social commentary. We’ve spoken of your personal philosophy, but not
about whether your art is actually created from a social or political standpoint. Do you feel that your work is a natural
outgrowth of how you define yourself as a person?
A: Despite my personal beliefs, I don’t want there to be an overt political component to my work. I tend to keep my
opinions to myself, and let the work speak for itself. My artwork is created for the viewer, not for me personally. I focus on
grabbing the attention of the viewer with an entertaining image, and then pulling him inside my perfect world. I hope that
people are caught by surprise, and feel the desire to step into the scene to see what may be just over that next sand dune.
The viewer becomes the source of conformation of my thoughts and ideas. If viewers are entertained, and they take time to
think about what they see, then I have fulfilled my purpose as an artist. I’m willing to take it on faith that they’ll understand
what the art is about.
Q: As an established artist, I’m sure that you have had ample time to ruminate both on your craft and on the context of
art within the social and cultural strata. Can you comment on this aspect?
A: (pauses) I guess you can say it this way: chimpanzees, despite their intelligence and ability to make and use tools, still
don’t contemplate death or the existence of an immortal soul. Only humans do. Art, created in the emotional and conceptual
sense, also sets us apart. It is not a utilitarian function, rather purely a creative expression.
Art gives us a creative means to express our imaginings, to share our inner thoughts and aspirations, as well as our most
abstract concepts. Imagination and the creative process are what continue to define us as humans, and art provides us with
an opportunity to share the profoundly different perspectives of many minds, and to appreciate the incredible diversity of the
world around us.
| COPYRIGHT 2009 BY SNAKE JAGGER STUDIO ALL RIGHTS RESERVED SEND AN EMAIL TO SNAKE JAGGER STUDIO |
| INTERVIEW |
