We are excited to welcome in New Mexico Michael Reeder as he joins us for his debut RUN and first ever screen print edition Discharge. Created with 1xRUN In-House Printer Jonny Alexander, these hand-pulled editions capture Reeder’s signature style with vivid colors juxtaposed with geometric figures. Read on as Reeder gives us the lowdown behind his first hand-pulled screen print, created right here in Detroit. Be sure to snag one while you still can right here…
1x: Tell us a little bit about this piece…
Michael Reeder: This piece is titled Discharge and was specifically designed for this limited edition silkscreen.
1x: Was this piece part of a recent theme, series or show that you had?
Michael Reeder: It’s a part of my current body of work that focuses on portraiture and a range of themes. Some of the themes include identity, ego, and the internal and external self. This piece in particular was meant to focus on the release of the internal self.
1x: What materials were used to create this piece?
Michael Reeder: Silk and screens and love.
1x: When was this piece created?
Michael Reeder: It was first sketched back in February of this year and Jonny Alexander and I worked on getting the color layers dialed in.
1x: Is there anything immediate you would like highlight?
Michael Reeder: It might be good to note that this is my first silkscreen edition. Exciting stuff!
1x: Tell us a bit about your process and how the idea and execution came about for this piece?
Michael Reeder: Well in terms of my usual process of creating paintings I don’t typically sketch anything out as it’s more of an organic type of process. So, this was somewhat rare that I made an initial sketch for the design. However, it was completely necessary so Jonny and I could get on the same page. I also utilized one of my paintings titled Head Fake for the halftone facial elements and I really wanted to use this opportunity to push the graphic qualities that I use in my work such as patterns, graphic gradients and transparent layers.
1x: How long did this piece take to complete?
Michael Reeder: One Miiiillliiiiion hours!!!!
1x: Describe this piece in one gut reaction word.
Michael Reeder: Blurpsoneigl.
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Discharge by Michael Reeder – Click To Purchase
1x: When did you first start making art?
Michael Reeder: When I was 5 years old.
1x: What was your first piece?
Michael Reeder: Not quite sure. It’s been a long minute. My first oil painting was of a bird when I was like 7 years old, lol.
1x: What artists inspired you early on?
Michael Reeder: Early on it was comic book illustrators like Todd McFarlane, Trent Kaniuga, and Jim Lee. That quickly grew into street artists like Dalek and Os Gemeos.
1x: What artists inspire you now?
Michael Reeder: Neo Rauch, Nicola Samori, Peter Doig, Adrain Ghenie, Philip Guston and David Hockney.
1x: Do you listen to music while you work? If so what? If not then what is your environment like when you work?
Michael Reeder: Yeah, I definitely listen to music while I work. I listen to a range of music which helps me get into the right headspace, such as Godspeed You! Black Emperor, CAN, Morgan Delt, Black Sabbath, Philip Glass, Warpaint, MF Doom, Budos Band, The Kills, The Mars Volta, etc.
1x: If you could collaborate with any living artist who would it be and why?
Michael Reeder: Wow, that’s a tough one. Collaborations are difficult and I feel they should happen organically. Yeah, so I’m not so sure about that one really.
1x: If you could collaborate with any deceased artists who would it be and why?
Michael Reeder: I would love to work with Philip Guston. A true painters painter. Again, I’m not even sure I would want to collab with him as much as just try to absorb as much unfiltered knowledge as I could from him.
1x: What was the first piece of art that you bought? Do you still have it? The last?
Michael Reeder: I’ve never purchased a piece, only trades or gifts.
1x: How has 2016 been treating you so far? Any big shows or events coming up that you’d like to share?
Michael Reeder: 2016 has been treating me very well actually. I’m currently in Detroit doing an artist residency at the RedBull House of Art with Ian Kuali’i and Drew Merritt, which has been an amazing experience. This is the first time I’ve been to Detroit and I must say I’m a big fan, for sure. This year I’ve had some shows on the west coast at Athen B. Gallery, Gauntlet Gallery and Marcus Gallery as well as ABV Gallery in Atlanta, and Karen 19 Gallery in Australia. I’ll have the works that I create during my residency on display next month at RedBull House of Art and I’ll also have some work on display during Art Basel week with CASS Contemporary in December.
1xRUN: Where else can people find you?
Michael Reeder: Website – Instagram @reederone
-1xRUN