I've known artist Kevin Morosini since I was in undergrad. Both printmaking majors at the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, Kevin & I bonded over things like nitric acid & gum arabic. Needless to say, our friendship is still going strong. He lives in Providence, RI where he attended RISD for graduate school. (He recieved his MFA in Printmaking in 2004.) Another interesting fact about Kevin- he's a twin.
Soft spoken, heart-felt and beautiful are my top three words for describing Kevin's work. Interestingly, I would use all three to describe him as well. I've always been jealous of Kevin's ability to work on such a large scale, (most of hs drawings are upwards of 7 feet!) and without a separate studio! A true artist, he sacrifices a little bit of living space for a place to keep drawing! I decided to go for a question & answer with Kev via the internet. I wish we still lived in the same town, or that we could hang out more often- but for now- the mighty mighty world wide web keeps our friendship going. (And the occasional cell phone call.) The work I have posted is all new- but you should check out his earlier work on his website.
BSD: What are you up to these days?
K: I have been trying to work on these drawings mostly, but I just had two new paintings in a benefit auction for AIDS care Ocean State, so I was spending a lot of time working on those.
BSD: Have you been looking at anything in particular that has been influencing your work lately?
K: Well I somewhat try to keep myself sheltered from what is going on in the art world; I don't look at too much stuff. Occasionally something will catch my eye, an artist named Jared Buckhiester who I think is really great, also Gregory Crewdson's and Justine Kurland's photographs are amazing.
BSD: What's the best piece of advice you have for people who have to work full-time to pay the bills & still find time to make artwork?
K: I guess that the best advice I have is especially for younger artists
just out of school, to not stop making work, and always find the time to get things done. Also find a job that you can draw at while your working.
BSD: Where do you make your work? Do you have a studio?
K: I don't currently have a studio; I live in a loft in South Providence
that has 13-foot ceilings, so I work here. Typically my drawings are quite large like 7' x 8' so I only work on one at a time, and also I am pretty neat about it so it doesn’t get in the way.
BSD: What was the last movie you saw? Book you read? Restaurant you went to? Music you bought?
K: The last movie that I saw was "Brick" with the little kid from "Third Rock From the Sun" which was great, best I have seen all year, (watch it, it’s amazing). Last book that I finished was "The Washington Story" by Adam Langer, it's a sequel to his first book "Crossing California". I have also been trying to read "Infinite Jest" by David Foster Wallace for about a year and a half on and off, maybe someday I'll finish it. I tend to gravitate to books and movies that have well developed characters and a strong and involved story being told. And hopefully they will make me feel like I'm 15 again. I just bought the new "Silversun Pickups" record called "carnavas". I also finally picked up Sigur Ros's newish record "Takk..."
BSD: Do you have any up-coming exhibitions?
K: I have a print in a group show of prints made at Kindling Letterpress at Gallery 193c (from Nov. 17 - Dec. 22, 193 Meserade Ave. Greenpoint Brooklyn.) I have also been working on a series of small drawings that I have been framing. Once I amass a enough of them, I am going to hang them in bathrooms of stores and restaurants around town.
BSD: How's the art scene in Providence? Anything cool we should check out?
K: The art scene here is so so, I wish that there was more opportunity here. I hear that the Wunderground show at the RISD museum is good but I have yet to go and see it.
BSD: Do you have any blogs you visit that we should know about? Or, other websites?
K: I just got internet access for the first time in two years, so I am kind of out of the loop.
BSD: What's your most vivid memory?
K: That's a good question I'll have to think about it. I tend to think
that I have a really good memory, or I just pay attention, so there is too many to list.
BSD: What's your medium of choice? Why? Color Palette? Why?
K: The Gloria 1985 series is all cut paper that I have made, with slight amounts of drawing, adhered to a large sheet of Japanese paper. I am really into rich bright colors, and more dreary dark colors, typically used in conjunction with each other. I enjoy the flatness of the paper and the control that i have over it, its like playing with stickers.
Image list:
Gloria 1985 @ Dew Art Gallery, New London CT July 2005
Gloria 1985: part 9
79" x 96" printed cut paper with drawing 2006
Gloria 1985: part 12
60" x 79" printed cut paper with drawing 2005
Smaller Moments @ Mazmanian Gallery, Framingham State College October 2005
Gloria 1985: part 8
79" x 96" printed cut paper with drawing 2006
Gloria 1985: oart 11
79" x 96" printed cut paper with drawing 2005
