Today we’d like to introduce you to Glen Gauthier.
Glen, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m a collage artist and creative director here in Dallas.
Originally from south Louisiana, I’m the youngest of five siblings. I was exposed to the art world at age five, when my mother recruited me as a model for her and her artist friends to sketch. I grew up in a house filled with my mom’s artwork and began drawing from a young age. I took a different path in college, majoring in General Studies and Business Management. My first accounting class cured me of that notion. I walked into class during the first exam, handed the professor my drop slip, changed my major to fine arts and never looked back.
My focus was the Advertising and Design fields, where I still work today, after almost 30 years in the business, currently as Creative Director for a Dallas-based creative firm, as well as my own freelance design business. I started pursuing fine art seriously about 7 years ago, as an artistic outlet to offset my day job.
My paper collages take my love of drawing, printed ephemera, aircraft, and the Cold War, and combines them in a series of works that both address social issues, as well as just have fun with the medium. I inherited a box of old ledgers from my late aunt’s insurance agency and those documents have found their way into most of my pieces. Garage and estate sales also aid in providing me with the raw material for my work. A road trip from Austin to Los Angeles a few years ago took me past a massive aircraft graveyard in Tucson, where I filled my iPhone with images of retired aircraft. Retouched versions of these images serve as the subjects of some of my work, and will undoubtedly turn up in future pieces.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I struggled early on (and still do at times) with feeling inadequate with my art. Looking for inspiration on social media can be helpful, but it’s a double-edge sword as well. I tend to think everyone else online is more talented and successful than me, and that can throw me into a tailspin. I’ve learned to watch how much information I take in. At the end of the day, it’s the ideas in my particular mind that will give me the most satisfaction and any possible success.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Street Fair Studios – what should we know?
I create my collage artwork from my studio in the Cedars neighborhood. I’ve collected a decent amount of paper ephemera from old books, magazines, manuals, etc. over the past few years and I utilize those bits and pieces in creating new works. Since having a dedicated studio space, my artwork output has dramatically increased.
Within the past year or so, I’ve shown my work in art fairs in Brooklyn, and have been part of gallery shows in the Tribeca and Chelsea neighborhoods of New York. I also donated a piece for a gallery show in Los Angeles, which included a Shepard Fairey piece. I’ve most recently had a piece accepted into a juried gallery exhibit in Fort Worth, so I’m really excited about that. I’ve also sold a few of my works online, on the Saatchi Art platform. And lastly, I have an art rep in New York who’s getting my work into more NYC locations, as well as limited edition prints.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Two things come to mind immediately: hard work and self promotion. I’m really good at the former, still learning the latter.
Contact Info:
- Website: streetfairstudios.com
- Phone: 512-924-6455
- Email: glen@streetfairstudios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glengauthier/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/streetfairstudios/?ref=bookmarks
- Other: https://www.artsy.net/artist/glen-gauthier?gallery=gateway-art-center-nyc&page=1&sort=-partner_updated_at
Image Credit:
All work copyright Glen Gauthier
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
