Dick was born in Mason City, Iowa. Graduated Mason City High School in 1974, and married his wife Becky in the same year. After serving in the United States Air Force, he completed his B. Arts in Art and Design from Iowa State University in 1983 and where he also attended graduate school, studying drawing, painting, and printmaking.
Dick is an award winning building designer and has created designs for both commercial and residential projects. As an artist, his focus is on portaiture and figurative work. Dick was selected to honor Dr. Norman Borlaug in 2007 and 2008 with the creation of painitngs that were distributed as posters throughout the K-12 school programs in Iowa and at the World Food Summit in Des Moines.
Q & A with Dick Shook.
Question: "So what is your view of art?"
Answer: "Art is a lot of things, but mostly it comes down to intent on the part of the artist, and interest on the part of the audience. Neither are exclusive of the other, so you have many situations in which an audience will interpret something to be art that was not intended to be so, and you will have artists who intended to create art, but have only a single audience-themselves."
"The hardest thing for an artist is the hope that someone will appreciate their work as much as they do, and they will have an audience. And, of course, it is always wondeful when someone who has an interest will make the sacrifice to purchase a creative product."
Q: "So, maybe a better question is about the value of art?"
A: "Value is always relative from narrow to broad categories. An individual may greatly value a portrait of a daughter, for example, and would not part with it for any price. When sacrifice comes into play, then we know that greater value is in involved. Beyond the individual, there are the social and cultural categories of value, which can become very large. The Mona Lisa, for example, is a painting of someone's daughter, but it is a painting that is greatly valued socially and culturally."
"The value of art, the deeper value, is meaning and the sense of wonder. Not wonder in terms of "wonderful", but wonder in the sense that we become involved in ideas. That opens up a whole range of expressive possibilities through technology such as video presentations and anti-art concepts. For some, the deeper meaning of art will be the great historical periods like the Baroque, for others it will be the sort of rebellious transitionary movements between beriods. So, again its relative."
Q: "Well, what is the value of art to you, then?"
A: "I like to be fascinated. I'm interested in artistic endeavors that are skillfully and cleverly done. I'm interested in art that is uplifting, positive, and thoughtful without being brooding and overly dark. I like the idea of beauty as a means to the sublime. I like narrative in art, and the great themes. I love art to carry me away emotionally and intellectually.
"But I would have to say that the value of art to me, is the means to communicate those emotional, intellecual symbolic ideas because that seems to be who I am. I have so many ideas in my head, I want to give them all a reality."
Q: "Who are your favorite artists?"
A: " John Singer Sargent is great favorite."
Q: "Why?"
A: "Sargent was intersted in making beautiful paintings. I like the simplicity of that, and he found that in everybody and everything he painted. His approach, prompts me to more carefully examine the world I live in, and the relationships I have with people. I look for those moments that i want to hold on to and share. I like the relaxed moments, the moments of anticipation, of expectation. And I think Sargent was very good at capturing those."
Q: "What's it like to be an artist?
A: "Personally, it is always exciting for me. I'm always working on becoming better, so I'm very critical of what I do and I'm anxious to get better. What "better" is depends on what I'm trying to achieve, but I feel like there is no end to the potential of creative talent. So, I'm always working on that."
"I'd say also, that I can be a moody artist from time to time. Especially when things aren't going the way I want them to. I don't like to think about money. I just like to create and make a connection with my audience. So, I can be very excited about a painting, and feel some sort of sadness when it is done. Then it all starts over again. But I am grateful to be who I am."
Q: "Can you tell me something about your methods?"
A: "It goes a couple of ways. Sometimes I see someone I would like to paint. Sometimes someone sees something or someone they would like me to paint, and sometimes I get an idea of something I'd like to paint. Whatever the instigation, I ponder some and work with my sister Lynette to get models together so we can get good reference photos and start to put the pieces together."
"We usually take many reference photos, and then start to combine them until I get the 'that's it!" feeling. I like to leave a fair amount of room open for serendipity, too. When I was young, I often felt lost about the whole process. At this point, I accept that there must be some discipline, so while I think BIG, I try to think specifically and in enough detail to give my ideas the greatest chance I can."
"I use the computer alot to test color schemes, composite images and test compositions. Then I set the canvas and easel next to the computer monitor so that I can work from my notes and references. With each painting I take regular progress photos, so I can continue to evaluate what I'm doing. When I'm finished I also put those images together in short videos."
"When I start painting, I draw with my paint brush with paint and turpentine and do some basic toning and underpainting on the canvas and begin to build form and the elements of the painting, knowing that many things will change. Once I've got the composition, drawing and massing the way I'm comfortable with, I'll start painting and work in whatever way feels right and it varies."
"The hardest part is to bring the work into focus all the while being prepared to risk everything when things aren't working the way they ought."
Q: How long does it take?
A: That is probably the most common question anyone could ask. The answer is, as long as it takes. That can be a long time. I've been know to work for years on a painting. The key for me is to reach a point where I am completely satisfied. Then its done. No sooner, no later. When deadline is involved, its more difficult of course, but the time required is the same. So I look for ways to bend space and time when necessary.
to be continued....
