Jim Houser explores the relationship between the look, sound, and meaning of words and the things they represent. With his latest edition You Are Never Alone, the Philadelphia-based artist explores the pain of traveling alone only to find there is always something there to remind you of true love. These hand-pulled editions were created in the 1xRUN print studio and are limited to two small editions of 10 and 30 respectively. You can check out the Blue Edition here and the Red edition here. Read on as Houser explains the inspiration behind You Are Never Alone and more. Grab yours beginning January 7th at 12pm EST right here.
1xRun: Tell us how the idea and execution came about?
Jim Houser: I was on a trip to Milan for a show, and it was the first time I had been to back to Milan by myself since my wife Jessica and I had been there on our honeymoon. I get anxious and depressed when I travel alone, and being February, it was a cold and lonely trip. By accident one morning I ended up at a cafe where Jessica and I had breakfast together, and that realization just made me feel so much better. It felt like remembering her there made her actually be there. I spent the rest of the trip seeking out spots we had been together and it made the trip a lot easier for me. I drew this image the week I got back and it’s been sitting in computer since.
1x: How long did the piece take?
Jim Houser: About three days , two or three hours a day , to get ready for printing.
1x: What is unique about these pieces?
Jim Houser: I rarely sit down to make something with a fully formed idea in my head, but this was one of the few times that it happened that way.
1x: Why should people buy these prints?
Jim Houser: if it makes them happy ? that’s the only reason i buy art .
1x: Describe these pieces in one gut reaction word.
Jim Houser: Whole.
1x: What were some of the strides you feel you made in your work last year?
Jim Houser: I tend to make gradual additions to my work, rather than drastic shifts or wholesale changes. Looking back, I think that maybe more things changed or were added than in previous years? I don’t know the reason. consistency has always been a big thing for me. I like there to be a direct connection between things I’ve just made and things I made 5 years ago. I’m not a big fan of change or growth, it upsets me. I have to approach it carefully.
1x: What are some things you are trying to focus on for 2016?
Jim Houser: I don’t think that way honestly, I just wake up and go.
1x: Any big shows coming up that you’d like to highlight?
Jim Houser: I have a show later this month at Jonathan Levine gallery with Ben Venom, Souther Salazar and Dennis McNett that I am excited about. It opens January 21st. In June of 2016 I’m doing a two person show at Thinkspace in Los Angeles with Jeremy Fish.
1xRUN: Where else can people find you?
Jim Houser: Website – Instagram @misterhouser
-1xRUN