15 Questions About Art :: Dallas Clayton
This week’s 15 Questions About Art comes to us courtesy of Dallas Clayton, who amongst other things, wrote and illustrated An Awesome Book - which he self published and which was received by a whole bunch of strangers with some pretty awesome success.
Dallas then channeled all that success and momentum into a really awesome foundation he started in an effort to promote children’s literacy by encouraging kids to dream and dream often.
We think he is - for lack of a better word - awesome.
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What is your earliest art-related memory?
I went to an MC escher exhibit once with my dad. That was pretty amazing. What a beast that dude was, huh? He must have had so much time on his hands.
Who has had the greatest influence on your work?
My son. My friends. People who make things that are good without even trying.
People who try to make good things even though people say they are bad.
What are the main tools of your craft?
A computer, a pen and some paper.
Is a formal education important?
If you want to become a surgeon.
What is the biggest misconception about art?
That it should be expensive.
Which is more important in art - concept or execution?
Concept. 100%.
What theme or aesthetic are you most drawn too?
Themes that help people better appreciate or understand confounding situations. Themes that are broad enough to be understood by a 5 year old and a 95 year old at the exact same time.
What is your favorite piece of art in your home?
The original Mona Lisa. (shhhh. don’t tell anyone!)
If you could collaborate with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?
Michael Jordan.
Which emerging artist do you think more people should know about?
Dominique Young Unique
What has been your greatest achievement to date?
Making a child. A distant second is making An Awesome Book.
What has been your biggest roadblock?
The fact that I can’t fly or breathe under water.
How do you define success?
Being stoked. Fully Stoked.
What will be the name of your autobiography?
RAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!
What is the best piece of (art-related) advice you’ve ever been given?
Do as much as you can, all the time, every day, and don’t think about it.
Awesome Book Tour from Dallas Clayton on Vimeo.
Credits: Image of Dallas Clayton: RJ Shaughnessy ; All other images excerpted from An Awesome Book by Dallas Clayton, with permission of the author.
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15 Questions about Art is an ongoing series in which we ask our collective favorite artists, writers, musicians, sleepy dreamers and object makers from across the creative spectrum to give us a glimpse into how they perceive art through a standard set of questions.
Please click here for the archives and check back next week for a fresh perspective.
