Today we’d like to introduce you to Patrick Shearn.
Patrick, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I was raised, by hippie college teachers, one an artist, the other a behavioral psychologist, as a family we were very much questioning everything and proposing “What if?” in about every aspect of life. Both my parents were very creative, productive, communicative people. Art and creativity were a constant in our household, always happening, all around us. I learned that the creative process is something we just did. The process was more important than the final product. This freed me up from the personal attachment and judgment some artists feel about their art. Growing up, some of our crayon doodles would end up on the fridge, some in the trashcan. It didn’t matter. It wasn’t precious. Just do another; keep creating. Create what you want. There was no judgment, no limits, no failure, only practice.
Off and on for more than a decade I spent time as a wilderness guide in Baja and the Grand Canyon and working construction projects on military bases all over Alaska.
I attended Colorado College as an Art/English major but left before graduation. Later I attended the film department at the School of Visual Arts in NYC for two years before leaving for a flourishing career in the creature effects in film and television. I focused on the animatronics of monsters and creatures culminating with designing the man-in-suit raptor puppets at Stan Winston Studios for Jurassic Park. I then transitioned into a career as a visual effects supervisor with Digital Domain and freelance.
I have been going to Burningman since 1999, and in 2005 I merged my experience with heavy equipment (aerial man lifts and telescoping forklifts) and creature animatronics creating a 100′ tall kinetic flower.
In 2008 I was asked to write, direct and build an oversized marionette show, Warrior and the Girl, to take place during the Beijing Olympics. A 26′ tall terra cotta warrior and a 16′ tall girl puppets were moved by heavy equipment and puppeteered by the Beijing Contemporary Dance Company. This project was the inception of my company Poetic Kinetics which has grown into a creative studio and fabrication shop for both commercial and fine art endeavors. It is based out of a 7,000sqft live-work loft at the Brewery Artist Lofts complex near Lincoln Heights.
I am known for creating large scale experiential kinetic artwork worldwide. Most recently I am caught up in the whirlwind following the incredible viral success of a quasi-guerilla art installation I did in Pershing Square, August 2016. We contracted the park directly about installing a temporary art piece, bypassing the traditional bureaucratic channels, then installed a 17,000sqft floating holographic surface in one night. Called “Liquid Shard,” the installation was a complete surprise to everyone and generated an incredible viral response that has kept me very busy installing similar work in places like St. Petersburg, Berlin, Scottsdale, Prague, Melbourne, and Miami. This year I will be showing in Beijing, Kansas City and Dubai.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I create site-specific, experiential public art installations that are specifically tailored for the immediate community as a unique and ephemeral experience with a sensitivity to the works’ digital immortality globally. Engaging with viewers’ expectations regarding their choices, illusions, and time, my large-scale sculptures excite the senses with playful and inviting design that encourages interactivity. Technology and science are the backbone of my work, influenced by keen observation of the natural world. Growing up in a family of artists infused me with the instinct to ask “what if…” and to believe any creative endeavor is possible– my work transmits a similar sense of wonder and possibility. Most recently, I am exploring methods of emulating flocking or schooling behavior in birds or fish, contrasting that flowing kinetic energy against the rigid, stark forms of man-made environments.
What would you recommend to an artist new to the city, or to art, in terms of meeting and connecting with other artists and creatives?
I am a huge proponent of collaboration and sharing ideas and skillsets. I live in an active, thriving live-work artist community at the Brewery Artist Lofts near downtown that keeps me connected. I have surrounded myself with amazing talented artists that I both hire for my projects or help out on theirs. Together we often prototype concepts or do guerilla art installations for fun.
I would suggest volunteering to be a part of anything you hear of that sounds interesting and say yes to every opportunity. Passion projects are often the most collaborative and bonding experiences.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
My work is commission based and installed worldwide. The Poetic Kinetics website is updated regularly, and new projects are highlighted immediately. Check at www.poetickinetics.com to see what I am up to.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.poetickinetics.com/
- Phone: (323) 230-8556
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poetickinetics/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PoeticKineticsArt
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Poetic_Kinetics
Image Credit:
Anthony Field
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