Meet the Artist

"The Tour enriches people’s lives, awakens new thought, and draws attention to social and political issues."

- Phil Dynan. Director of the OWOA International Goodwill Tour

                                   international goodwill tour opening, Red Bluff Gallery

How did the idea for the International Goodwill Tour come about and how did you take it from concept to reality?
 

The idea came from a discussion board on OWOA. The discussion involved an incredible number of artists and posts. Several people volunteered to help with the task of running the Tour. The theme was discussed endlessly. In the end it centered on a "Good Will Tour" meant to reflect that the participating artists produced paintings with social consciousness.

I’m a political activist and it seemed like a natural move for me to get involved. As Director, I’ve developed the venue list and also done the mundane tasks – like building shipping crates, balancing the bookkeeping, and making sure the quality of prints was good. On the fun side, I opened the exhibit in Red Bluff and also visited the UK (Maynard) gallery where the Tour will be this Fall.

 
The tour has just finished its first leg at the Red Bluff Gallery. What has the response been like so far? 
 
Red Bluff is a little farm town in the middle of nowhere and the reaction to the Tour was unexpectedly fantastic. I can’t tell you how many conversations were ignited by images in the Tour. People were really inspired to THINK and SPEAK OUT. It was a great show. 
 
A lot of artists submitted work to be featured in the tour - what were you looking for in works to be exhibited?
 
Social Consciousness on a wide variety of subjects – from self-harm to world peace. We still accept entries and recently we added a new artist who submitted a beautiful work called the "Tree of Life", which spoke to the recent war in Eritrea/Ethiopia.

What has been the biggest challenge in directing and promoting the tour? What has been the most rewarding?
 
The biggest challenge is finding artists who can follow guidelines and submit proper files. In the beginning I didn’t realise how important this would be. I assumed people would follow the guidelines and want their work to look its best. After almost 60% of the submitting artists failed to meet even basic guidelines, I’ve revised my thinking.
 
After THAT challenge, funding and finding people to help locate venues have continued to be challenges.
 
The most rewarding aspect of this Tour, so far, has been assembling the Exhibit Book (almost done) and learning more about the participating artists and their motivations. 

What do you want people to take away from the Goodwill Tour exhibit?
 
From the experience we had in Red Bluff, I gather that the Tour leaves people THINKING about various issues outside the realm of their own lives. Looking at the "bigger picture" gives their lives perspective they might not have otherwise had. I suspect that the, along those lines, the Tour enriches people’s lives, awakens new thought, and draws attention to social and political issues.
 

In your blog you mention the importance of music in your life. Who has inspired you most over the years and who is inspiring you now? 
 
My brother Joseph inspired me the most. He signed a record deal with Columbia Records when he was 19 (and was killed by a drunk driver on the way back from the contract signing). His pure devotion to his music – he wrote lyrics and composed the music as well – set the stage for my own focus on my art.
 
I listen to music constantly while I work. I find meaning in lyrics written from real life and real experience – put in everyday language- music that forces me to think and rethink and look at life from other people’s points of view. Specifically, I like the music of groups like Little Man Tate, the Weakerthans, BellX1, Frightened Rabbit, Death Cab for Cutie, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and the Arctic Monkeys. 

You've done collaborative artwork. What's the best thing about doing a collaborative piece? The most challenging?
In my 40-year career I have done at least a dozen collaborative projects – either books or paintings. I ended up marrying one of the people I did collaborative work with – and marrying Anastasia was definitely the BEST thing to come from a collaboration.
 
But in general, the best thing about collaborative work is the incredible and intense sharing of energy with a group or single artist. 
 
The most challenging part of collaborative work is for each participant to "let go of ownership". I’ve learned that the hard way. And when I say "the hard way" – that applies to me as well as to people I’ve worked with. It’s a bit "Zen" – learning to let go of ownership. And was difficult for me, and sometimes impossible for some artists I had wanted to work with. But the journey was worth it – and helped me in other areas of my life as well.
 

Your artwork has a very distinctive style and voice. How did you develop that over the years?
My work was first published when I was 7-years-old. My style was always my own and I never looked back. By the time I was 32, I had made my first million selling my own art – mostly as published work. The trick, at that stage, was not to be sucked into the "Kinkade Syndrome" or "typecasting". The trick has always been to stay true to my own heart and what I want to paint, and paint my way – which changes all the time. Recently, I’ve launched into what I call "The New Plein Air". I went to visit Cézanne’s studio in Aix – just to give myself a proper starting place – and went from there, with my own vision and style. 
 

 

In addition to being a painter, you've written a number of books. How did that begin? 

I’ve always enjoyed writing. I used to entertain kids in grade school and high school with my chapter books, stories and "newspapers". 
 
But, as an adult, I developed "artists books" to fully communicate ideas and stories behind my paintings. And vice versa. I have one fiction book now out, and a dozen artists books. The one I like best, "Moto & Kozo Visit the Museum of Modern Art" (published in French, Spanish and English) is an allegory. It is really about my two children visiting the Museum of Mankind (London) and the experience they had there. It is also, of course, about my paintings, and the enjoyment I hope they bring to others. 




Phil Dynan, Director,
OWOA Strokes for Hope International Goodwill Tour
 
Co-Director
RED BLUFF ART GALLERY
 
 
Contact Information:
Email: phildynan@hotmail.com 
Skype: 530-554-1499
Gallery Phone: 530-529-1332 
Web: www.phildynan.com 
Web: www.RedBluffArtGallery.com
Web: www.LoveIsAllYouNeed.net
Mail: POB 5862 
Corning, CA 96021-5862