Another Visit with Artist Coulter Prehm

Coulter Prehm is a fine painter and tattoo artist whom I interviewed here in early December 2010. In our last discussion he talked about his approach to painting and his influences.This is a follow up.

EN: What's new in your life since our interview 18 months back?

Coulter Prehm: Well, I think that a lot of things have been changing in the past year and a half. I’ve now settled into my new studio space in Santa Fe, NM.  It’s beautiful and is allowing me room to create a lot more works, some of which are larger than I have painted before.  I’m currently working on a 6' x 4f' landscape painting.  

In addition to the new studio space I have also started showing with a new gallery, Beals and Abbate on Canyon Rd here in Santa Fe.  They are really great and I will be having a solo show with them this coming fall, the weekend of Thanksgiving.  The show is called Of Love and you can see a promotional video for it on YouTube at this link or by typing in my name into YouTube.  The show will hopefully be a demonstration of what it is I care about and devote my time and energy to.

EN: Respond to a few statements for us...

a. Beauty is only skin deep.

CP: My initial response is that beauty is not only skin deep… I feel like it goes much, much deeper than that.  For me, when I look around at the world or the people surrounding me I am almost overwhelmed by how much beauty there is.  When I am painting a model, the superficial, skin deep, beauty is the least of my concerns.  I have a belief that governs my life that each person I encounter has been uniquely created and loved and while I’m painting them that is the thing I am looking to discover. I feel people are far more beautiful, on the surface and below, than is possible for me to ever really discover in this age.

b. Artists make art because _______. 

CP: Because…. We are made to be creative.  I believe that God is creative and that everyone he makes he designs to be a creative being.  Whether we make art or do math or are a stay at home mom.  A mom who works with her family at home is creative in that she has to find ways to manage her household interact with her family and maintain a life/ existence of her own. Not to mention if she cooks great meals…that’s artistic in itself!  I think it’s not too different for painters, sculptors or draftsman.  We all have a creative drive that needs to be sustained and nurtured and when it’s not I think we start to go a little crazy. And when we stop being creative we die…

c. Detail is the lifeblood of fiction.

Man… I don’t really know how to answer this. I think that whenever we create a fictitious experience through any of the arts, detail is important. When I say detail I am only referring to information that conveys a message and story.  In terms of painting, I suppose every image made is fiction. A painting is not a real thing other than a painting.  Even a painting of a field and mountains is obviously not a field and mountains. There has to be enough information in the work that the viewer can have an experience and an understanding of what is being conveyed.  I feel like this is an area I probably really struggle with.  I paint pretty straight forward portraits of people much of the time and I have don’t know if I do a good job of getting people to relate to them.  My goal with the paintings is to investigate the beauty that is in humanity and to meditate and make a statement about that. Even my portraits really aren’t about painting the specific person most of the time.

EN: What kind of music do you listen to when you're painting?

CP: Classical if I have music on.  Most of the time though I really enjoy listening to audio books while I paint!  

EN: Why are artists and art an important part of our culture and communities?
CP: I think that art is a visible expression of the human spirit and that’s what makes it important. Realistically, paintings for paintings' sake aren’t really important I think… I believe it is all about the spirit of what creates the things that drives people to desire and care about them. Being an artist is a rare opportunity to share yourself with other people in ways that many never get the opportunity to do.  When a collector purchases a piece of art it is an awesome thing. You are obtaining a living artifact or piece of the artisan you collected from… anyone who owns a piece of original art work knows this. Yeah, I think this question again comes back to the creative spirit in people. I believe that is what makes art so important.

EN: If you weren't painting and doing skin art, what would you be doing today?

CP: Probably looking for opportunities to go to or live in impoverished places, helping out and loving people. Being there to be Jesus to those people… I really need to be doing more of this whether I am painting or not.

EN: Where can people see more of your work?

CP: People could check out my website at coltprehmart.com. You can keep up with my upcoming shows there and could also visit Beals and Abbate Fine Art for more details. Again, I would like to encourage you to check out my video, it will give you a better idea of who I am and what my show will be about.  For purchase or commission information feel free to contact me directly via my website.

Art, Tatts and Faith: Introducing Colt Prehm

Here's a young artist who's work demonstrates a remarkable maturity. I discovered his paintings via a reference on Twitter. After visiting his website I asked if he would be willing to share a bit of himself here. It will be interesting to see where Coulter Prehm's art will be displayed five years from now.

EN:You’re obviously quite a skilled draftsman. When did you first become aware of your aptitude for art and how did you nurture this gift?
CP: Like most children I did draw and such when I was younger, but it wasn’t until I was about 20 and started tattooing that I became aware of my calling to the visual arts. From that moment on I have focused more and more of my time to painting and drawing and am at this point a full time painter. I was blessed to be granted the opportunity to study with Tony Ryder at the Ryder Studio School when I finished my art degree. Tony is a fantastic painter and an even better person. I consider my time and start of my relationship with Tony the foundation that the rest of my career will be built upon.

EN: What is the “optical method” that you mention in your bio?
CP: The optical method that I mention is one that I received from Mr. Ryder. It is a system of drawing and painting from life and is driven by a desire to contemplate, learn from and gain understanding about the visual field and the world around us. Working from life allows the artist to build an intimate relationship with the subject, be it another person, a landscape or a still life. It’s this exchange of energy and life that motivates me to do the work that I do.

EN: How did you get involved in the tattoo business? Has this been your primary source of income since school?
CP: I began tattooing after an apprenticeship with Bob Parr in Ames, Iowa. Bob was and is very supportive and I feel is partially responsible for getting me on the path I am on today. He was one who encouraged me to change my major in college and pursue my art. Tattooing has been a huge blessing to my life not only financially, as it is an efficient way to make a living aside from painting, but I also love to work with my clients and create art on a living canvas. I tattoo about 8 hrs a week currently by appointment only. I experiment a lot with tattoo techniques and I hope to eventually be able to create tattoos such as the world has never experienced. That’s probably a few years down the road though.

EN: What prompted you to paint on white birch bark affixed to a panel? What other kinds of surfaces have you painted on? What is your favorite?
CP: The birch bark on panel was a really exciting surface to create and work on. While I was in NY this past summer painting with the Hudson River Fellowship I cut pieces of bark off of deceased birch trees. I have a strong connection to Nature and Life and to paint on a surface donated by a fellow living organism was an honor. I think the effect created by painting something organic on something so organic was beautiful. That painting is going to be in an upcoming show at Abend Gallery in Denver. Other than that work I primarily paint on panels or linen and I don’t think that I have a favorite as long as the surface is archival; each has its own benefits.

EN: How did you decide to move to Santa Fe after growing up in the Midwest? How has living in Santa Fe influenced your work?
CP: I moved to Santa Fe with my wife Liz in order to study with Tony Ryder. After meeting with Tony and taking a short class it was an easy decision to migrate here to work with him. Being in Santa Fe has had a tremendous impact on my life and my painting and I am grateful for being here. There is an openness to Santa Fe, not just physically with the grand sky, mountains and desert; but also an openness regarding ideas and culture. It is rich with history and a variation of peoples and I am just soaking it all up.

EN: How has your faith influenced your work?
CP: My faith is the cornerstone of my life and therefore completely encompasses all that I do, including my work. My paintings are about God, about a oneness that presides over every living being and about the complex network of Life and Love that binds us all together. I have been called to painting and therefore have never questioned, even for a moment, that I must continue on this path. I have been given a responsibility to use my chosen medium as a conduit of Spirit and Love and Grace. From day one I have been confident that if I live and paint in service to this calling I will be granted a successful career as a painter/ draftsman and instructor.

EN: If someone wants to purchase your work…. Best place to find you is...?
CP: Anyone interested in collecting one of my pieces can contact me directly through my website coltprehmart.com. If someone buys a piece from me and mentions this article I will also donate 30% of the total purchase price to the charity of their choice. My work is also being featured in several different publications in the next couple of months including Tattoo Artist Magazine and the current issue of American Art Collector Magazine.

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