Name/location/medium(s):
Erin Langley // Missoula, MT // Painting, drawing, sculpting
Social Media/Website
insta= @erinlngly // website= www.erinlangleyart.com
What’s the last artwork you purchased?
A Michelle Potsma plate.
What kind of art do you wish you owned?
I would love to have a yard so that I could buy more badass sculpture.
Where do you absolutely wish to visit?
I would really like to get back to Maine to see my family more often. I'd also like to check out the lemurs in Madagascar.
Who is your favorite artist?
CAN'T PICK ONE, SORRY!! Lynda Benglis, Judy Pfaff, Kyla Hansen, Tina Linville, Rachel Harrison, Mandy Lyn Ford, Katherine Bradford, Cindy Sherman, Sofie Ramos, Mike Kelley, Bram Bogart...
What are your hobbies?
Amateur embroidery, riding bikes, reading books, writing letters!
What role does the artist have in society?
Question-asker, authority-confronter, societal norm-investigator, entertainer, truth-seeker, beauty-finder
What is your favorite artwork?
'Judith Beheading Holofernes' by Artemisia Gentileschi
Favorite project you’ve ever worked on?
All of the collaborative performances I've had the honor to have been a part of with artists I respect and love <3
Describe your practice in five words.
Absolute mess until it works.
What would you do with $1 Million?
1. PAY OFF ALL MY DEBT
2. Buy a house
3. Buy a truck
4. Splurge on those organic groceries
How did you start making art?
When I was a kid I wrote a lot of books and illustrated them; mostly multi-part sagas about talking dolphins overcoming some sort of adversity.
Do you have a favorite quote?
I like the John Waters one about not fucking anyone who doesn't have books in their house.
What are your greatest challenges and/or frustrations with art? Your art?
My primary frustration is really just money. It's a challenge to make work that is important and meaningful to you, while also creating something that someone is willing to pay you (reasonable, fair) money for. I haven't figured it out yet.
How do you view yourself as an artist?
Taking my work seriously, without taking myself too seriously; small ego, BIG DREAMS! Part of that, for me, is being a sharer. I harbor no secrets about what I make, what materials I use, etc. If there are any questions about a technique I've used, or a skill I've learned, I am happy to break that down so that others can try it in their work too.
How do you feel about self-promotion?
I feel really gross about it most of the time, but it's totally necessary. I try to do at LEAST one thing a month to promote my art or advance my career---apply to an online or print publication, work on my website, fill out this questionnaire!, etc--- but really the best self-promotion is just showing your work in real life. I'm not a schmoozer by any means, but I am the kind of person that proves myself through my work ethic and so far that has worked pretty well for me.
How do you price your work?
I have a loose system where I account for hours spent and materials used, but I always make exceptions for friends, or trades, or desperately needing to clear space in my house. Of course I'd rather have a piece in someone's home than trapped in storage somewhere, so I'm almost always willing to negotiate.
What do you intend to say with your art?
I want my paintings to be artifacts and signifiers for our current experience, mostly, consumer culture: its excesses, its gaudiness, its gross overabundance. At the same time, if the viewer doesn't get all that when they look at my work, it's cool too. Ultimately, I hope that my art causes a reaction --- recoil, smile, roll your eyes, whatever. I don't want what I put into the world to be forgettable.
Are you a nostalgic person?
YES. I get really attached to things because of their sentimental value. I find it really hard to get rid of anything that has any semblance of memory to it, and I have friends that have been in my life since kindergarten!
What is the most “useful” emotion? The most “useless”?
The most useful is love, the most useless is hate. Simple as that.
Are you ready to die? Lol
Not before my cat, dammit.
