"I like flowers. Don't tell anyone."

WHAT'S HE DO?

Seth creates whenever he finds time, sometimes spending the better part of a day with a pencil in his hand. Taking what's already created on paper, he'll often merge his illustrations with digital medium. In addition to illustration his interests are in photography, writing, story telling and improvisation, assemblage and other various mixed media. 

 

WHERE'S HE BEEN?

Fairly new to the art scene of the NC Triangle, Seth was introduced to local artist Marty Matthews, who was of great inspiration. In the past few years Seth has had exhibits at Taste, Pitch Media Gallery on Glenwood, The Bee Hive on Hargett (all of Raleigh) and at Four Square (of Durham). He recently collaborated on a project with NC author Jeffrey Palmer.
 

WHERE'D HE LEARN?

At a young age Seth's art teacher recognized his talent and recommended he participate in the Columbus College of Art and Design's Saturday morning art program. He received full scholarships to attend there for nearly a decade. Later, at the College of Boca Raton (now Lynn University) he studied under Professors Blum, Hutchinson and Ranspaugh and was also awarded a scholarship towards his sophomore year.

WHAT MAKES THIS GUY TICK?

Peel and Eat Shrimp, independent film, Mid-Century Modern, getting lost in music, nature, activism, travel on the road (when his vintage Datsun lets him) and travel on the Astral plane (when his Datsun does not), noticing what others don't.

 

THE WHY OF IT ALL!

For Seth it's quite personal. As a child he was

terribly ill. Running through a field, playing

in the snow, it often came with serious

consequences. He was more or less confined to a

calm and quiet environment. But in his mind it

was anything but calm and quiet. His

imagination ran wild to the point where it

would spill out onto paper using crayons,

pencils and ink. While other kids were playing

catch he was engaging pirates, monsters and

ninjas in fierce combat (confined to the back

of the spent computer paper that his dad

brought home from the lab).

 

His illustrations weren't mapped out ahead of

time. Generally speaking they still are not.

Thumbnails and rough sketches all too often get

in the way of the visuals in his mind that are

stammering to get out.

 

And so it begins. He'll grab the pencil and his

hand starts moving across paper (almost

independently, like the heart shaped object

that glides across a Ouija Board). The time

spent on an organic sketch can vary, twenty

minutes...two hours...two years. 

Technology has made advances in the art world.

So he has started merging his sketches with

digital programs (where he admitts that he's

always learning). Once he has dropped a sketch

into software scores of new options for his piece

are at hand, but he restrains himself from straying

too far from the original organic work.

 

Eventually He'll say "enough!" That's the hard

part. That's the discipline...knowing just when

to step away.

 

The next phase, he says, is the most difficult.

It's the agonizing stretch of time that he must

wait until his next creative fit ensues.  

When he's not creating he feels something

crucial is missing. He keeps himself busy with

reading, writing, cooking, deep critical

thought ...and when nobody is watching he's

still fighting vicious battles with pirates,

monsters and ninjas.

 

 

VERY WORTHY OF MENTION

A huge thank you to The Lawson Family. They gave me the needed nudge to take my art to the next level. Without their belief in me you'd be reading an artist bio belonging to somebody else. My family, David Stemmle and Jeff Palmer have all played a crucial role.