Artmerit Interview | Howard Sherman

Can you tell me a little about yourself, your background, and when you first started working full-time as an artist?

I’m a NYC and Houston based artist. I’ve been making art full time since I completed my M.F.A. in 2006.

Can you tell me about your current studio and working routine?What are your habits? What music do you usually listen to?

I work in the studio everyday. Usually arriving in the afternoons and I’ll work into the evenings. I listen to a wide range of music, mostly depending on my mood.

We would like to know more about your style, what meanings do you want to convey to the viewer?

My human-scale canvases carry traces of his background in cartooning, offsetting the loud, raw power of his aggressive paint strokes with a playful sense of humor. The smaller works on paper show an intuitive use of material in a distilled yet assertive manner.

The large paintings facilitate the immense physicality, while leaving space for his keen sense of formal resolution. The frenetic and muscular heft of the work is balanced with a measured precision and a thoughtful integration of a number of art historical styles. The cartoonish figuration complements his bold use of abstract mark making, embedding into the canvases what could be read as portraits, punch lines or poems. I’m constantly refining his visual and conceptual vocabulary, experimenting with sculptural surfaces and collage.

Could you tell me about the works of yours that are currently in progress in your studio?

A combination or large paintings and small works on paper. I oscillate between the two on any given day.

Is there a particular manner in how you plan your works? Do you begin with preparatory sketches of some form, or do you prefer to work in an improvised manner?

Most of the time, I improvise.

In relation to social media and more specifically Instagram, what are your thoughts on this as a platform to engage with new audiences? Do you have a love/hate relationship with Instagram or other online social media platforms?

You kind of answered the questions. It’s a love/hate relationship. I’ve reached a tremendous number of people with Instagram but way too many of them will never bother to interact with actual artwork in the real world. They just rely on the rectangular little lying machine in their hands.

Can you highlight some of your influences and discuss how your influences have made an impact on you and your practice?

Lately, my influences have been a lot of art criticism. I know this sounds odd but there’s a book by David Salle titled, “How To See” that’s been really helpful.

I look at so much art any given week in museums or galleries that it would take me a while to list all the various influences.

Any last points or thoughts you would like to share?

My favorite quote.

“The undeniable will not be denied.” – Dave Hickey