Paper Connection was delighted to connect with Rick Lowe and chat about his Art & Soul.
Curiosity and Expression
Rick defines his creative process, application, and technique as, “. . . varietal, depending on the reason. If I am trying something new for the fun of it, I may use totally different art media and, from that, develop another form of expression. Or if I have a show with a certain theme – that will dictate style and focus. My favorite pieces are often accidental.”
Q+A
PCI: Rick, so wonderful to have this time with you. I know you’ve been super busy, so thank you! Can you talk a bit about your focus – for example, why this form of expression? Can you reflect within your work and beyond?
RL: I love all things connected to nature and creation, therefore my favorite subjects are landscapes, the living, and calm. I’m part Asian and grew up within an art influence which helped me develop an appreciation for Chinese brushwork. I also create living art, which I call “Aqua Bonsai” consisting of handmade live plant structures and self-sustaining shrimp spheres. You can find many examples on aquabonsai.etsy.com, aquabonsaiaquarium.com, and instagram@aquabonsai.
PCI: Love the diversification. RL: Thank you.
PCI: How have your life experiences brought you to this point?
RL: As kids, my brother and I watched cartoons and read comic books. Art was family-focused. We created our own characters, making full comic books with our own sets of characters and stories. That interest in creating keeps both of us focused to this day, my brother as a graphic designer and myself as a realizer of nature, art, landscapes, and calm.
PCI: Nicely said. Can you talk about your online presence?
RL: Some work is be found on instagram@soloweart. My living art on aquabonsai.etsy.com, and aquabonsaiaquarium.com, & instagram@aquabonsai.
PCI: Would you communicate specific features/interesting aspects of your process, design work?
RL: For one of my pieces on *Pang Pi from Paper Connection (a limited edition offered “offline”), I needed a strong and firm bristle brush to complement the paper used for the Chinese brush painting. At the same time, my wife wanted a haircut (“With Her Locks”). I used her hair to make the brush which created the perfect desired effect I was looking for.
PCI: Share insights regarding projects that have set you on a new path.
RL: I recently started collecting molts (the skins/shells) from horseshoe crabs. I’m not sure . . . but the painting process is evolving. This may be a new direction.
PCI: Which artists influenced you and in what way?
RL: I love the old masters of Chinese brush paintings. Xia Gui (Hsia Kuei) is my favorite, also Ricardo Delgado as a comic book illustrator, and Hiroshige as a block printing artist.
PCI: Can you describe the importance of paper in your work and what type of paper you use most? What kind of inks do you use?
RL: For my work, especially the Chinese brush paintings, I need quality Asian paper to work with. So far my favorite is Pang Pi (PCI, offline limited edition)*. I also like the traditional Chinese papers used for ink paintings sold by PCI. I use Chinese inks and watercolor paints.
PCI: We’d love to direct our folks to current happenings. Do you have anything in mind?
RL: Try https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT2mI41obt8 on Westford cable TV, for the latest show, which just ended, on westford.org/pca.
PCI: Has Covid-19 had an effect on your art?
RL: The way I source materials – in some instances for the better, and in others, I have stopped creating certain designs due to lack of materials. But for the most part, I have had more work, especially for my living art series since many are spending more time indoors and starved for nature.
PCI: Bonus question: if you could have a conversation with any artist present or past, who would it be. Who and what would you like to ask/talk about?
RL: If he was still alive I would love to learn under Xia Gui as he is the best Chinese brush artist in my opinion. I love his use of space (vastness) in his landscapes, his ax-cut brush technique is also amazing.
PCI: Thank you so much for your time and thoughtfulness.
All images graciously shared by Rick Lowe
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* Pang Pi – pronounced “pahng pee” is an oversized mulberry paper from Anhui Province, China – 45×80 inches long and entirely made by hand. Because it is a limited edition stock, the price is $45.00/sheet.
Looking for a whiter calligraphy paper? Try SoonJi , Xuan Clean Bark White with surface sizing and Bunkoshi . . . . these are a few of Lauren’s suggestions. Please contact her, she would be happy to help you with your paper needs. A blog post on this subject coming soon!
Email or call for more information. contactus@paperconnection.com or 401.454-1436