15 Questions About Art :: Andy Paiko
Andy Paiko is a glass artist, sculpture and designer.He is one of the founding members of The Central Cast Glass Artists’ Studio. He resides in the Pacific Northwest where he continues to study new methods coloration,patterning and form.
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What is your earliest art-related memory?
Building sandcastles at the beach with my mom.
Who has had the greatest influence on your work?
My wife, Belle.
What are the main tools of your craft?
All of the many studio-glass hotshop tools, a lapidary (grinding) wheel, and long, long walks.
Is a formal education important?
I think it is important to be exposed to different ways of working in that environment, and the connections to be made can be invaluable, but not essential. I’ve found apprenticeships more rewarding.
What is the biggest misconception about art?
That artists shouldn’t have to care about or be excused from certain responsibilities, like being on time or paying their bills. It’s a destructive and almost always untrue stereotype that never fails to frustrate me.
Which is more important in art - concept or execution?
I would like to say concept, but I would be lying. There is no substitute for craftsmanship.
What theme or aesthetic are you most drawn to?
The dialogue between form and function, mostly. But if you ask me in ten minutes, you may get a different answer.
What is your favorite piece of art in your home?
A reproduction lithograph of Duchamp’s “Chocolate Grinder.”
If you could collaborate with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?
Which emerging artist do you think more people should know about?
Elliot Wall, A Portland, OR painter and evil genius.
What has been your greatest achievement to date?
Either the glass and sound installation I did with composer Ethan Rose at Portland’s Museum of Contemporary Craft called Transference, or plumbing in our new upstairs bathroom myself. The former had over 6000 parts, but the latter is like magic.
What has been your biggest roadblock?
Gravity and those pesky laws of physics.
How do you define success?
Satisfaction.
What will be the name of your autobiography?
Life in the Garage or, What’s he Building in There?
What is the best piece of (art-related) advice you’ve ever been given?
No one else knows what they’re doing, either. Everyone is making it up as they go along.
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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.
