Interview
Kurt Vargo
Kurt Vargo is a New Jersey native and graduated from The School of Visual Arts in New York City earning a BFA in Illustration, Painting, and Print making. He's been a faculty member at SVA for over 20 years. Vargo earned his Master of Fine Arts degree in Communication Arts at The Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, Georgia where he had been a Professor of Illustration since 2005.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I studied art and became a professor after I earned my masters degree. I am now retired, and a full time artist and photographer.”
What does your work aim to say? Does it comment on any current social or political issues?
“As an artist/illustrator/photographer for over 30 years, it was my responsibility to create concepts and finished art that met the minds and needs of the clients that had chosen my talents to resolve their concepts and visual problems. For the most part, my work had not been highly political or socially driven. It was the artwork on the page, or as poster, etc. that brought the reader into that venue that encouraged the viewer to ‘read on’ and make their own decision regarding the subject mater illustrated.”
Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?
“When working with clients, the imagery had to be thoughtfully planned so that the ‘none visual’ person would have a complete understanding of the work, and it's function to their audience. The paintings I create for myself are somewhat planned regarding canvas size and intended presentation, but for the most part when actively working with paint, I let the direction of the sketches and medium speak for itself.”
Are there any art world trends you are following?
“There are so many artists, designers, photographers and crafts-persons that I've admired over my career and certainly, those other individual's efforts ‘seep in’ to ones own work over a period of time subconsciously. Best not to follow trends, they come, and they go.”
What process, materials and techniques do you use to create your artwork?
“My photographs are simple and taken on my Apple iPad and tweaked in ‘Sketchbook Procreate.’ The larger paintings are on Masonite, and the smaller works on Arches Printmaking paper utilizing mixed mediums of oil pastels, acrylics, inks, cat hair, cut paper and mat mediums.”
What does your art mean to you?
“We don't live forever, it's a way of enjoying the passage of time with hopes that in the future, the work/s might influence others to pursue a life in the applied arts.”
What’s your favourite artwork and why?
“Creating art, whatever that might be is an ‘act of faith’ in oneself. Anyone who makes that commitment to a life time of producing art surely will create one or several or many that I would personally find a favorite, that has an emotional effect om me. I adore children's art for its purity.”
Website: vargoart.com
Instagram: @kurtvargo
