Today we’d like to introduce you to Rod Cusic.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
How Rod Cusic, an Artist Engineer got started. My art education focused on Renaissance and Post-Impressionist ‘figure and landscape’ oil painting. Leonardo Da Vinci, the Renaissance Man, created his art and engineering body of work, which has endured over 500 years, energizing me to follow and learn from him as a career role model.
My career and creative identity as an artist and engineer was driven by four events (1972-80) and the four mentors who helped align my career aspirations and skills. Thanks to Da Vinci and my mentors, I started a very fulfilling “dream career” as both an artist and an engineer.
Four Events/Four Mentors
1. “Year Abroad” (1972-73) in Florence, Italy at the “Universita Internazionale dell’Arte” and was initiated by my art professor and art director at Moorhead State College in Minnesota. My studies included Mixed Media, Cinematography, DaVinci’s designs and an assignment to author an article on my design for a “Lunar Experimental Laboratory”, published April 1973, in “Cinquemattoni”, the Italian Design Magazine, which was translated from English to Italian by my Italian best friend.
2. “One Man Art Show” (Fall 1973)”, involved my physics professor at Moorhead State College, providing advice and holographic equipment to integrate into of my Geodesic Dome sculptures. The title of the Art Show was “Aesthetic Science” at Moorhead State College Art Gallery, focused on ‘Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics’. There were two Geodesic Dome Sculptures, one with a Ruby Laser Beam activated by a photocell and the other with a Holographic plate, which projected an image of an American Astronaut on the moon, holding our U.S. flag.
3. “Invited Exhibitor” (1975) to the “American Painters in Paris” Art Show, was arranged by my art professor at Metro State College in Denver to teach me marketing of my art.
“My Lady” – Mixed Medium Oil over Acrylic (62″ x 88″ framed) was conceived by study of paintings for many hours at the Uffizi Museum Gallery, absorbing Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus”.
I was so inspired by his work, that upon my return home, I created my own painting, which was shown at the 1975 “American Painters in Paris” Show. Acrylic medium was used lay down the composition of hand-picked pressed dried flowers, then Oil based paint and mediums used to finish the painting.
4. “NASA Apollo 15 Astronaut” (1979) my mentor James Irwin who was also an Aeronautical Engineer, Test Pilot, USAF Pilot and served on NASA Apollo Program as lunar module pilot and moonwalker.
James Irwin bought three of my abstract encaustics paintings and knew that I was inspired by DaVinci’s 15th Century aircraft design and 20th Century U.S. NASA Space Programs. As I requested, he advised me to pursue a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering if I wanted to work with NASA.
Education
Inspired by DaVinci’s Art and Inventions and U.S. Space Programs:
• 1969-76: Completed curriculum for Bachelor of Fine Arts – Painting, Denver, Colorado.
• 1974-76: B.S. Aviation Management, Metropolitan State, Denver, Colorado.
• 1976-85: B.S., M.S. & PhD. Aerospace Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder.
Professional
Aerospace Career, with continued Painting as a lifelong passion:
• 1980-84: Research Assistant and Internships working on USG R&D contracts.
• 1985-87: Conceptual Designer and System Engineer at Grumman and Lockheed.
Adjunct Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Tech (Fall ‘86-Spring ‘87)
• 1987-99: Chief Engineer and Program Manager on contracts at Skunk Works.
Adjunct Professor of Aerospace Engineering at CSUN (Fall ‘90-Spring ‘91)
• 2000-14: Vice President and Program Director at Lockheed Martin & Skunk Works.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
2010–2014: Plan around obstacles of Aerospace Retirement to Start an Emerging Art Career.
Art has been my lifelong preference for expressing myself, enjoying life and a key reason for being. I have transitioned from ‘figure and landscape’ art, and I am now mastering the use of Photoluminescence art materials in my paintings.
My initial obstacle was to design and build a studio space connected to my home and patio, then furnish lighting (natural, black & duvetyn wall space), easels (standing and hanging), image projector, photo/video camera, paint (paint, dry pigment, medium, mixers, brushes and squeeze needle bottles), canvas (gesso, stretcher frames, canvas tightener, varnish and hang wires) and audiobook/music.
An initial challenge was to educate myself on the business of art, by joining a local Santa Clarita Art Association to learn from the member artists how they create, market, exhibit and sell their artwork. I also prepared my existing paintings for an exhibit at an appropriate venue and opened an art bank account to finally make it real.
2014–2018: Emerging Artist Patriot Series Truth Storytelling Art inspired by Ben Franklin.
“Ben Franklin earned title of the 1st American” by spreading American ethos/culture/dream/colonial unity. He was America’s renaissance man as an author, publisher, chief scientist, inventor and diplomat.
My initial artistic challenge as an emerging artist/engineer was to create the Patriot Series paintings, with a unique focus on difficult experimental art, by mastering the use of handmade photo-luminous paint to control images in three different lighting conditions (natural light, blacklight and glow-in-the-dark).
I planned to integrate my lifelong experience creating art and my professional engineering acumen to produce a consistent original body of work, ready to exhibit to the professional art world after 2014.
I joined the LA Art Association in 2019 for access to a wide variety of connections, including emerging artist colleagues, juried group and solo shows, lectures, workshops, mentoring and critic groups.
2018–2023: Fine Artist Engineer Cosmic Series Truth Storytelling Art inspired by Einstein.
“Truth”, is my ‘reason for being,’ thanks to earth’s scientists, U.S. Constitution founders, and family. My profound respect for their ethics integrity and proud accomplishments are worthy of sharing with other world citizens for my commitment to truth, justice and physics reality storytelling artwork.
My operational concept is to elevate, salute and share ‘truth tellers’ stories by offering storytelling artwork with simple language, inspiring curious followers to joyfully discover their physical reality by feeding their heads with real evidence to make judgments, discover magic and be world citizens.
My multiple artistic and business challenges include exhibiting my art at fine art fairs with Fabrik Projects Gallery Los Angeles. I have exhibited my art at the LA Art Show (2021, 2022, 2023), Art Miami/Context Art Fair (2021, 2022), Art Palm Beach Show (2023), and have marketed my art through Fabrik Projects Gallery’s website, as well as on Facebook and Instagram.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Now I am an ‘artist,’ seeking to create original art compositions rich in storytelling and inspired by two individuals who are among the greatest thinkers of their time: Ben Franklin and Albert Einstein.
“My Patriot Series” was sparked by America’s Renaissance Man, Ben Franklin (Expressionist techniques after Edward Munch “The Scream”)
“Ben Franklin earned the title as the 1st American” by spreading American ethos/culture/dream/colonial unity.
Ben Franklin was America’s renaissance man, coauthor of the Declaration of Independence, publisher of poor Richards Almanac, Chief Scientist of lightning experiments, Inventor of lightning rods, bifocal glasses, and musical instruments and Diplomat securing France’s help to win war and negotiate peace.
The Photoluminescence paintings are my attempt to visually express the feelings experienced by our patriots during the American Revolution. Expressionist techniques, using distorted subjects and vivid colors, were infused into our national symbol Bald Eagle’s expressions to capture intense feelings resulting in a blend of positive and negative human emotions. I believe declaring independence and ratifying the Constitution/bill of Rights are some of the most risky, creative successful human endeavors.
“My Cosmic Series” was ignited by Earth’s Renaissance Man, Albert Einstein.
(Post-Impressionism techniques after Vincent Van Gogh: “Starry Night”)
“Albert Einstein’s Thought Experiment Results” rank among humanities greatest creations, according to generations of scientists who have scrutinized and respected him and his work for more than a century.
The world’s cosmic scientists apply the ‘scientific method’, self-correcting process, collaborating using science, technology, engineering and mathematics to validate the ‘truth of physics reality,’ including quantum mechanics, particle physics, astrophysics related to Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity.
Einstein’s thought experiment mindset to visualizes Cosmic Truth Storytelling with “General Relativity”. (Space/Time tells Energy/Mass how to Move) (Energy/Mass tells Space/Time how to Bend)
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Childhood Memory – Family, Teacher and Superhero provided memories of truth, Art and hard work.
My parents gave me unconditional love helping me be honest and working hard doing what I love. My dear Aunt Cherie would gladly get up with me at sunrise to fill crayon coloring books for hours. My grandparents took us on camping trips, invented team games and hung my art in their house. JH Art teacher’s Summer Workshops built my Art acumen with park/zoo drawing, then studio painting. HS Art teacher let me in art studio anytime to draw, paint and hung my art in hallways & classrooms. My Superhero, “Superman – Truth, Justice and the American Way” defined my childhood ethics.
My truth tellers were Ben Franklin, Albert Einstein, Carl Sagan, Arthur C. Clarke & Stephen Hawking. Each had an Ethos, projecting their spirit of culture, era, community, beliefs and aspirations, giving me my “Reasons for Being” a storytelling artist engineer for my Patriot Series art and my Cosmic Series art.
“My Patriot Reason for Being”: Shares U.S. Founders Ethos of Truth, Justice and the American Way. “Ben Franklin earned title 1st American” by spreading American Ethos/Culture/Dream/Colonial Unity. He was America’s Renaissance Man as an Author, Publisher, Chief Scientist, Inventor and Diplomat. His lessons were magnified by my learnings on the U.S. Constitution from the “Brookings Institution”.
“My Cosmic Reason for Being”: Shares Physics Reality Ethos of Truth discovery of Magic without Lies. “Albert Einstein said Imagination was better than Knowledge” regarding his thought experiment results. He’s Earth’s Renaissance Man with “General Relativity Physics”, used to compose Cosmic Series art.
“Carl Sagan Promise” was that he would question everything his leaders tell him, use his critical faculties to develop his independence of thought and educate himself to make his own judgements.
“Arthur C. Clarke Law”: Sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from Magic”, without Lies. Today’s most common technologies – cell phones, televisions and airplanes were once supernatural.
“Stephen Hawking Ethic” as one of many humble world citizens, he encourages human beings to follow their hearts and make positive changes in their own life and on their home planet.
Observable Universe Reality was discovered by humans applying the Scientific Method of self-correcting process, our Intelligence, Five Senses and Special Instruments, such as Electron Microscopes, Super Colliders, Earthly and Space Telescope Time Machines and Mathematics to validate “Physics Reality”.
Similar to Lewis Carroll’s novel where Alice’s reality logic reversed, Cosmic Physics dilemmas exist in Quantum Mechanics, Particle Physicists and Astrophysicists Imaginations climbing “Through the Black Hole Looking Glass”, into a supermassive black hole, where Physics Reality breakdown and stranger than Human Minds can understand, given overwhelming alien gravity forces, gross mass consumption, spacetime warping and energetic galactic sculpting all captured by hundreds of Earthling scientists with X-ray photonic radiation, which has been stretched and cooled during the 12 Billion year trip to their instruments, which paints a picture of Real Evidence of events that happened far away and long ago!
“Many people are looking for art that’s otherworldly.
I create art inspired by Einstein, Van Gogh and Jefferson Airplane,
which transforms your walls into 4-Dimensional SpaceTime.”
—Rod Cusic
My “Cosmic Images” use Van Gogh’s “Post-Impressionist techniques” to visualize Einstein’s “General Relativity Physics” with his thought experiments and follow Jefferson Airplane “feeding my head” by educating myself to stretch my mind around Quantum Mechanics, Particle Physics and Astrophysics. I create physical reality-based compositions rich storytelling Cosmic Art to share with my followers!!
Contact Info:
- Website: http://rodcusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rodcusic/
- Facebook: Facebook.com/RodCusicArt
