Casey Weldon Is Seeing Double With Chewie

1xRun Thru Interview
Chewie by Casey Weldon

1xRUN: Tell us a little bit about this piece, what materials did you use? Is it still available?
Casey Weldon: The original piece was created with acrylic on birch panel in February of 2013. I’m afraid this guy is sold, but there are other kitties available at Trifecta Gallery.

1xRun: Tell us how the idea and execution came about?    
Casey Weldon: I had done a series of four eyed cats several years ago that were just basically portraits, and I had always wanted to expand on the idea a little using more candid and scenic shots.  This piece is one of six in a series that was included in my solo show at Trifecta Gallery in Las Vegas last March. We made lost kitty posters to promote it around town.

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1xRun: How long did the piece take?    
Casey Weldon: A few days on and off.

1xRun: What is unique about this piece?     
Casey Weldon: This particular kitty is Chewie, who happens to belong to amazing artist Sarah Joncas. I love the begging look on his face and am really happy how the slightly psychedelic approach to the floors came out.

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1xRun: Why should people buy this print?    
Casey Weldon: If they enjoy the ocular effect that occurs when the human eye tries to focus on two other sets of eyes above each other, or if they like kitties.

1xRun: Describe this print in one gut reaction word.     
Casey Weldon: BBlluurrrryy.

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1xRun: When did you first start making art? What was your first piece?      
Casey Weldon: I’ve been drawing since I was a toddler, but I’m not sure when anyone would have started to call it art. The first piece that I remember liking? A pretty sweet copy of Shredder from the Eastman and Laird TMNT books.

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1xRun: What artists inspired you early on?  What artists inspire you now? 
Casey Weldon: I was really big on comic books, mainly for the art.  Todd McFarlaneSam Keith  & Simon Bisley. Now there are so many, and it’s so easy to find now with this internet thing. Honestly I can go to ffffound.com or tumblr and get lost in clicking for hours and days and weeks.

1xRun: Do you listen to music while you work?
Casey Weldon: A lot of music, a lot of audiobooks and podcasts. Nerdist, WTF, Who Charted?, Radiolab, Comedy Bang Bang. I am a music glutton, and usually have the radio set to KCRW or KEXP or Radio Nova. I’ll listen to any book someone recommends.

1xRun: If you could collaborate with any living artist who would it be and why? Any deceased artist?
Casey Weldon:  Michel Gondry. His work is so wild and lo fi, and rely on the idea rather than the flourish. For the latter,  it would be Egon Schiele, because I often feel very stiff and the gesture that is in his every stroke is something I aspire to someday be able to match.

1xRun: What was the first piece of art that you bought? Do you still have it?
Casey Weldon: I bought a Robotech animation cell at ComicCon that I cherished when I was a tween. It was destroyed in the Northridge earthquake. The last was a sweet piece I just scored from the very talented N.C. Winters.

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1xRun: You have definitely been staying busy since our last release, what have you been up to?
Casey Weldon: Aside from a lot of group shows and a couple of solos, I’ve been working on a couple of projects to get me a little outside of my normal habits. I recently tried my hand at painting a mural for the first time. A couple of friends run a project The Las Vegas Backyard Wall where artists paint an 8×20′ wall while they film the process/progress. It all gets edited down to a short video and scored by musician friends of theirs. When it’s completed, the piece is buffed and the next artist begins. The whole thing was new to me as the largest piece I have painted previously was 3×4′. I had a blast, and am a little afraid of the satisfaction I received from watching something I worked hard on be erased before my eyes. It was awesome. 06355d488cd111e2876222000a9f0a1b_71xRun: Where else can people find you?
Casey Weldon:  WebsiteFacebookTwitterTumblrPinterest

-1xRUN