JON MORENO — Arts Editor
Glenn Paskiewicz is a ‘super senior’ who is majoring in studio art with a concentration in painting. He says he is not a directional artist. He has a lot of different avenues that he is able to explore and says there is not one topic or subject of art that he is not dedictaed to. His artwork can be viewed online at ArtID.com and myartspace.com. He was once also a featured artist in the Folio show earlier in the semester.
Q. Take us back to the first moment where you realized that art is a lane for you? Were you always a natural at it or did you have to work your craft before getting to the level you are now?
A. I never viewed art as a career path. I never really viewed my self as an artist. Art was just something I really liked to do. I was not good at talking to people and I was really shy in general so art and drawing was just a way for me to express myself. In high school, my teachers really pushed me to see what I was capable of and they strongly suggested art school. I like other things but I was good at teaching people so my teachers told me art education was the best thing for me. After I got sick of the politics that was the education program I switched to painting because that was what I liked most.
As for my artistic skill, I always had that in kindergarten. I was the kid drawing eyelashes on people when everyone else was drawing crappy flowers and happy suns. In elementary school, I received three scholarships to the Lyme Academy of fine arts in old Lyme. And I was in classes with students much older than me. In middle school and high school I was the best artist that didn’t win awards because I never wanted to enter the show. I went to Valley Regional High School and they would sweep art computations and at that school all the students thought I was the best artist. So I guess that’s saying something.
Q. Who are some of your favorite artists and how have they influenced you artistically or personally?
A. I grew up on comic books, cartoons, anima, and manga. Spider-Man was my favorite comic book figure. But I was never a strong reader so I just looked at the pictures and made up my own story. Bugs Bunny and Sonic were awesome. Dragon ball Z was a big influence in middle school and got me my first art fame (laughs). In high school I read manga. so these are my first influences. I didn’t look at “real” art until college.
And at that it took me forever to get around to it. For a long time I wanted to be a convention artist so I looked into artists that painted the pictures on Magic the Gathering trading cards. Now I am influenced by gallery artists like Michael Shapcott, Alyssa Monks, Odd Nerdrum, and Jacob Collins. Each of them have taught me something such as ideas, mark making, composition, and variety of mastery respectably.
Q. What do you hope comes out of all this? Is this something that you see staying as a hobby or is this something that eventually can become a career path for you?
A. Well of course I would love to be a gallery artist. That would be awesome. But I more see myself as a craft fair artist and local teacher. I really see myself in that field I don’t really like the gallery world.
Q. What is your advice to other artists that may hit a mental block when they try to create a project? What do you personally do when you struggle to get what you have in your mind out on paper?
A. Doodle. That is the strongest tool at the artist’s disposal. Keep working through your ideas in a sketchbook or on scrap paper, hell, even tests. That’s what I do. And also look at art that you like. I use deviant art and the magazine Artist America and look up the artists featured in there. Some times I just go to museums or galleries. So yeah that’s what I have to tell artists that need inspiration.
Q. Are there any places people can go and check out your artwork? I know you did an exhibit here earlier in the semester. How did that go?
A. I have a few websites. My paintings are currently on ArtID.com. My new site that I am working of adding photos to is myartspace.com that will be my paintings drawings and color pencil work.
As for random sketchbook pics, I have a deviant art page my name on that is Leaflitter19. I was the featured artist in the Folio show a while back. That went really well. Everyone liked my work and I filled the fireplace lounge on the third floor of the student center. Overall that was really fun.
Q. What is something about you that most people don’t know? It can be art related or not.
A. Well I have a lot of little talents that are, well, just cool party tricks. Like all my performance arts: devil sticks, poi, juggling, unicycling, rubiks cube and oh yeah I can rub sticks together and make fire too.
Q. If it wasn’t for being able to express your creativity through art, how do you think life would’ve turned out for you? Would there possibly be something else that took up a lot of your time or you simply just have no idea?
A. I think I would be a drug addict most likely on the street starving to death being beaten by cops. Art is my journaling, my problem solving, my release for all my pent up negativity. I may have lucked out with my other performance arts but I really don’t think that they would. So yeah I really don’t think I would be anywhere without my art.
Q. What are you plans once you graduate from Southern?
A. Teach wilderness survival. That is my career path. I really like all the aspects and freedom of learning that it gives. I would love to teach art at a low level to skilled people. That would be fun. But I don’t see myself taking up much beyond that. Teaching college would be awesome but grad school is not for me at this time.
Q. What is your fondest memory here and what would you like to tell the Southern body for those who don’t know you?
A. I have a lot of memories. It is hard to pick out my fondest. I will give some categories though. Frisbee, yes I’m that Frisbee guy, and yes I threw the Frisbee at you then told you to throw it back. Also, Wandering around with friends. We would go around campus or up west rock, whatever, that was fun. And late nights in Earl Hall. Paint, Drawing, and everything else. Man, those nights are great.
As for the student body, peace out bitches I graduate next semester (laughs). I don’t know.
