Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicholas Freeman.
Nicholas, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Both aspects of my creative output stem from a life in newspapers. Even before I became an editorial cartoonist, I worked in the press room, bindery and, of course, as a paperboy. All of which gave me a love of ink and an appreciation for the many working class hands that craft the production and proliferation of language. Growing up in Chicago, political criticism and conversation was easy to come by. Add in state level shenanigans and the Bush presidency, and one could say I had it easy as a political cartoonist. I learned to question an event in a single frame, to expand a debate while hearing another’s viewpoint and to treat everything with a healthy dose of cynicism. While studying at the School of the Art Institute, I was shown the work of Gerhard Richter, a German painter, who was one of the first to address his nation’s post-war consciousness. His approach to painting as a practice and the plurality of his handling of the medium, allowed me to see the possible expansion of imagery induced conversation. I found that I could still shake my fist at the world while also considering the philosophy of color and ultimately produce something of a more complete aesthetic exploration.
At 23, I was awarded a grant intended for grad school, instead, I went to Europe and saw the museums and artist-run spaces of the continent. Upon returning to the States, I traveled coast to coast while painting on stage with a band, playing with the immediacy of painting in public. I was able to see the diversity of my own land and to hear the stories of those within it. Settling back into the westside of Chicago, I opened a gallery with the talented, and not necessarily like-minded Casey Murtaugh. Her circle within the city helped me understand my own home better, and yet another way to converse with it. The Finch Gallery was named as such as a socialist symbol, not eponymous for its ownership, instead for the most common species of bird. We very happily ran the Finch for a few years, focusing on giving artists their first solo exhibition opportunity, and keeping our hours of operation open mostly in the evening for those who may not normally visit a gallery space.
Shifts of life led me to New York, where I returned to drawing, showed work and delved into the vibrancy of the city. My education was greatly expanded by friends of an older generation who brought previous decades of American art history into a new perspective. Then, in 2015, a poet friend from Chicago tricked me into starting a literary journal. Mr. Hans Hetrick had an old grad school dream to print a broadsheet in the artful style of the Wobblie one-sheets and other workers’ publications. The Wax Paper is now in our third year as a non-profit, quarterly printed broadsheet of moving words and still images. I act as the publisher and art director, allowing me the satisfaction of piles of newsprint in my studio and to be surrounded by the smell of fresh ink.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My business partner is a poet and my fiancée a stage actor, living in a country that pays as little as possible for its art. So, while very enjoyable, life is not exactly smooth. Bless every soul that busts their butt and is thankful for the chance to do so. I count myself as one of their fortunate number.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Wax Paper & Finch Gallery West story. Tell us more about the business.
When a stranger picks up a copy of The Wax Paper, a common reaction is one of simple pleasure. The satisfaction of holding a large sheet of paper in one’s hand is an immediate and wonderful connection to share. It seems that as our experiences are becoming increasingly digitized, a tangible medium that carries its human warmth within it is readily received. We are inspired, in part, by the life and work of Louis “Studs” Terkel, an oral historian and storyteller. His greatest ability may have been as a listener, and we look to publish work that is imbued with an empathy of its subjects that comes with hearing their truths. We were nominated for a Firecracker Award by the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses for Best Debut of a publication, so we feel that we’re on the right track.
In a similar vein, I’ve moved into painting murals now that I live in Los Angeles. In a city that is more personally isolating than some, painting on the streets presents an opportunity for interaction. People will often stop and talk to me, perhaps sharing their opinion or history of the area that I’m working in. With both projects, I can help create and freely share collections of communication and beauty.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t believe in the stuff. It’s hard for me to deny the power of Karma, however, so I try to play nice.
Pricing:
- One year subscription for The Wax Paper (home delivery) – $25
- Complete Volume One & Two (four issues each) – $25
Contact Info:
- Website: [email protected]
- Email: [email protected] & nicholasfreeman.org
- Instagram: @thewaxpaper & @thefinchgallery
- Facebook: The Wax Paper
- Twitter: @PaperWax
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