My interview on sunday brought some excellent responses and so I am continuing tonight with an interview with a fellow Detroit artist Eugene Harris Jr., known to most of us by Geno! I remember back in the 60's my mother bring home materials from the craft store to do decoupage! On a much different level Geno has been creating works for about four years now and I have to tell you the first time I was at his loft I was taken in by the color and warmth his art-form and stile brings.
Decoupage has a long and fascinating history that can be traced back to a variety of styles from many distant countries. Over the centuries it boasts many famous practitioners including Marie Antoinette, Madame de Pompadour, Lord Byron, Beau Brummel and more recently, Matisse and Picasso. As far back as the 12th century, Chinese peasants were creating paper cutouts in vivid colors to decorate windows, lanterns, gift boxes and other objects. This Chinese practice and expertise with scissors is thought to have come from Eastern Siberia, where cutout felt figures and designs were decorating objects in the tombs of Siberian nomads. The tombs date back to before Christ. Decoupage is a 20th century word which comes from the French word decouper meaning to cut out. Paper cutouts are reassembled and designed and then glued to a painted or gilded surface. The most traditional technique includes applying 30-40 layers of varnish which are sanded to a beautiful smooth sheen. However, cutouts may also be applied under glass or alternatively raised to give a three-dimensional appearance. With such a long and varied history, it is not surprising that decoupage is still evolving with new styles.
I'm happy to bring you my most recent conversation with this talented brotha!
Epiphany- Well first of all welcome Geno to EpiphanyNoir.... I’m glad to finally get you on!
Geno- Thanks so much for having me.
Epiphany- So how long have you been an artist?
Geno- Well I have been doing this form of art now for 4yrs.
Epiphany- When you say this form of art you mean decoupage?
Geno- Yes decoupage!
Epiphany- Thanks and for those who don’t know what is decoupage?
Geno- It is the art of affixing paper, pictures and small items to a flat surface.
Epiphany- Yes I can see that quite vividly in some of your work... What kinds of images do you put on the wood?
Geno- Well the images that I create are abstract, and that comes from tearing and ripping the paper in different shapes and sizes until I get the desired affect.
Epiphany- Yes with quite beautiful results.... do you seek out unusual papers to use… they seem quite vivid?
Geno- Actually I use a Japanese tissue paper called "Unryu" which comes in a rainbow of colors and textures.
Epiphany- Wow is it expensive?
Geno- Initially when I was purchasing the paper from a local art store it was expensive but with the advent of the internet, I can order the same paper on line at a discounted price.
Epiphany- Kewl! Now when you start a piece how long does it take before you are completely happy?
Geno- It varies from piece to piece, because I don't really sit down with a design in mind, it really starts with the color and grows from there, some pieces take days while others can take a couple of weeks depending on how technical I decide to get.
Epiphany- Interesting technique... I know you have had some shows in the Detroit area, how has the response been?
Geno- I honestly have to say in that area I have been truly blessed. Since I have been doing this I have sold my works consistently, at each show I have sold a minimum of 6 pieces, which is tremendously, well for an up and coming artist.
Epiphany- Yes that amazing! What do you think is the selling point of your work? Is it the medium you use or color or???
Geno- I think that it is the richness of the colors after the coating is applied.
Epiphany- Yes I agree that’s what gets me each time! They could be hung anywhere and add that needed touch of color...
Geno- I agree!
Epiphany- Now I know in the past you have talked about having a group or artist collective, what’s that all about?
Geno- Well I started a group called "The Poor Man's Art Collective" which is an ever-changing group of emerging artist, using what I call guerilla tactics to put our artwork out there to the masses because of the difficulties in getting into established galleries being and unknown artist.
Epiphany- You say guerilla tactics, what does that entail and why?
Geno- What I mean is, the group of artist that I find, we come together and pool our resources, find a space, rent it, decorate it, promote it, and do the show ourselves. We are in your face so to speak because if you had to wait on a gallery to "allow" you to show your work, your work may never get show, so we took that aspect of it into our own hands and it has been working very well.
Epiphany- So there is force in numbers essentially?
Geno- I can agree with that, but even more so there is force in your will and desire to succeed and not to wait on someone to help you along do it for yourself, but if you have one or more people that are like minded and willing to do the work, the force is amazing.
Epiphany- Fantastic... sounds like lots of cross-motivational stuff there! What inspires your work? Is it life, love what?
Geno- Life and Love (or maybe lack of the later), LOL! I think that anything that really affects my life inspires my work.
Epiphany- I feel ya, especially on the lack of the later! Detroit seems to be simultaneously gearing up for success with a new downtown and the super bowl coming in a couple weeks and the downturn in the automotive industry... Does Detroit it self have an effect on your work?
Geno- I would say that Detroit has an effect on me because of its diverse and creative people, since being involved in music since I was 7 and now doing the art I have been surrounded by many creative people and it has fostered my growth into the artist I am today.
Epiphany- Detroit does have a rich history! What do you see your future in Detroit... do you want to branch out?
Geno- I really want to make some real noise here in Detroit before I branch out, but eventually I want to take on NYC, Chicago and Atlanta.
Epiphany- Yeah I can see your work doing real well there... do you see your self using the same media?
Geno- Yes, although my technique has evolved a bit and I also design tables (primarily coffee table and end tables) with my art piece being the tabletop, but with a resin coating for durability.
Epiphany- Oh wow! Furniture seems to be a natural extension of your work!
Geno- Yeah, and it has gone over really well, at my last show I sold a table to a local News Anchor, Charles Pugh, FOX 2 news, its been amazing.
Epiphany- What would you tell a young brotha out there who was thinking about getting into the arts?
Geno- Well I would say this: Be steadfast and immovable with your belief in your talent, realize that there will be critics and as the young people would say "haters" and just keep moving, perfect your craft and if you have difficulties showing your works, make a way to show them yourself.
Epiphany- That’s great advise...!
Geno- Thank you.
Epiphany- What’s in the near future for you, any shows?
Geno- Well currently I am gearing up to do a Charity Auction with some of my pieces next week, and I’m working on new stuff as I am trying to plan a big show in April or May of this year.
Epiphany- What’s the charity?
Geno- I don't have the full name of the organization but it is for a mentoring program for young men and women in Michigan.
Epiphany- That’s kewl, it’s always good to give back to the community.... So do you have a website and or an e-mail if folks are interested in your work?
Geno- I most certainly do have an email address, my website won't be ready until summer. My email address is: wizkid4566@cs.com, I can be reached there day or night.
Epiphany- Great! Any parting words?
Geno- Just that if you have a talent, believe in yourself, buckle down and do the work. There is an audience out there just waiting to see you!
Epiphany- Awesome… and on that note Thanks for coming by!
Geno- Thanks so much for having me on.
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