Nathan Spoor was born in Dallas, TX in 1974, showing signs of a very active and refined imagination. The signs of being an artist appeared at a very young age, culminating with Nathan finding his great love as a painter within the walls of higher learning in college and graduate schools. After realizing his call as an artist and accepting his gifts as a painter, Spoor would dedicate his efforts enthusiastically to pursuing a greater knowledge of its secrets and possibilities beyond the scholastic realms.
Read on for our 1xRUN Thru Interview with Nathan Spoor and check out Adored below or over at 1xRUN.com
Maximum Edition Size: 50 – 16×19 Giclee on 330gsm 100% Archival Cotton Paper
1xRUN Thru: The 1xRUN Interview – 1/19/2012 Featuring Adored by Nathan Spoor
1xRUN:When was “Adored” drawn/created?
Nathan Spoor: 2011
1xRUN: Let’s talk about your current 1xrun print? Anything immediate you would like us to highlight that would help collectors know all they can about this piece and eventually purchase it from you?
Nathan Spoor: I feel like the magic in this piece is its simplicity and innocence. And the allure is created by the narrative that it sparks in the viewer’s mind.
1xRUN: Tell us how the idea and execution of this print came about?
Nathan Spoor: The painting kind of evolved along the way. I knew that I wanted to have some sort of spotlight on a ballerina in an opening in a forest. Then instead of having it surrounded by trees I thought it would be great if there were bunnies watching her and even better if it was a bunnerina instead of a girl. At one point the floating bunny was going to be hovering over her and using a tractor beam to lift her off the ground during a spin, but it worked out better if he was her companion and kept the light on as she danced around the field and passed by her transfixed audience.
The print came about when I asked if you guys would be interested in doing a print of one of the new pieces and this one got a really good response. I’m stoked.
1xRUN: How long did the piece take?
Nathan Spoor: This piece probably took a couple months, a little bit at a time.
1xRUN: What is unique about this piece?
Nathan Spoor: What’s unique about this piece is that it’s a much friendlier or open narrative than some of my more involved works. You don’t really need a lot of back story to get into this moment. This piece allows us to get to know something about a single moment and character. It fits into that setting of a new mythology, where we are invited into an intimate moment with a select group of others to share in something fantastic.
1xRUN: Why should people buy this print?
Nathan Spoor: People should buy this print because they enjoy it or it brings them some sort of joy. Perhaps they see it as an investment, that’s fine also. But for the most part people will collect this print because they are drawn to the magic of a moment like this – when a mystical ballet plays out just for them (and anyone else that enjoys life, love and magic moments).
1xRUN: Describe this print in one gut reaction word for us.
Nathan Spoor: bliss.
1xRUN: When did you first start making art?
Nathan Spoor: I started being an artist as soon as I could. I started making paintings in the university setting, and got into a serious body of work when I moved to Los Angeles in 2001.
1xRUN: What was your first piece?
Nathan Spoor: My first pieces ever were pencil drawings and maybe even crayon doodles.
1xRUN: What artists inspired you early on?
Nathan Spoor: I have always been inspired by artists that made really personal expressions that left room for the viewer to bring something to the conversation. Artists with story to their marks.
1xRUN: What artists inspire you now?
Nathan Spoor: The same things really. But now I know more artists than when I was young or in school. At first I loved the Renaissance artists and their amazing capacity to create moving instances. Then the Surrealists and their psychological and metaphysical approach to imagery. I like smart work. I like narrative as well as expressive work. Artists that make that sort of moment happen really do it for me.
1xRUN: Do you listen to music while you work? If so what?
Nathan Spoor: I listen to lots of music and podcasts while I work. My favorites are live shows at the moment, and you can find tons online most of the time. It’s great to listen to a Texas signer/songwriter like Bob Schneider spin tales in amazing tunes, Elbow has great live work as well as albums. You can google Glastonbury 2011 and find a bunch of great live shows from this year’s main stages. I like it if it’s good and I can get in a groove with it and have a painting session for an hour or two. That’s a good time frame to get good work done and then break for a few and get some fresh perspective when I start again.
1xRUN: If you could collaborate with any living artist who would it be?
Nathan Spoor: Good question, I’ll think about that one. I think I’d like to cross into other territories – objects, films, conceptual spaces.
1xRUN: If you could collaborate with any deceased artists who would it be?
Nathan Spoor: I don’t know, I’d have to think about who would really bring out the best in our effort. Like the above but also maybe someone that designs theme parks or fashion or animation or films.
1xRUN: What was the first piece of art that you bought? Do you still have it?
Nathan Spoor: I haven’t bought art really. I just keep making it.
1xRUN: What was the last piece of art that you bought?
Nathan Spoor: Same really.
1xRUN: What else do you have in the works currently?
Nathan Spoor: I’m curating an exhibit with Bold Hype Gallery in NY in May 2012, and also working on co-curating a couple of museum exhibits with Jeff McMillan in 2013 and 2014. I’m working on a ton. Storybook ideas. Paintings. Writing articles about artists. Fun stuff.
-OneTimeRun dot com.