We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tim Wulf a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Tim , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Art school was voted down and the conservative university I attended didn’t allow classes in figurative sculpture. I decided I would pursue sculpture after college but then babies, home remodeling and career challenges came along.

However, I did finally figure out how I could innovatively devote time and effort. When I started traveling for business a couple nights a week, I brought sculpting wax with me (normally used in the bronze lost wax process). What a productive way to spend evenings in an otherwise boring hotel room!

I also utilized every means available to further my sculpture education and knowledge including classes at Pratt Art School in Seattle (adult classes), books, museums, the internet and most of all, a sheer drive to learn. I regularly challenged myself to learn new mediums: bronze, glass, pewter, metal coatings, hydro chrome, various resins and a multitude of mold options.

While I did not get an opportunity to enjoy the benefits of “traditional” art school, my situation forced me to learn unconventional ways leading to unconventional positive results! I wouldn’t change a thing, but I wonder if I missed out on art school camaraderie.

The most essential skills I value are vision, an understanding of Quality and the creative drive within. Practical skills can usually be learned given the right effort and resources available.

Hurdles to learning are everywhere, every day. Some are tougher to get over or around but with enough desire, they can be overcome. At times there are trade-offs such as spending time with your kids or doing art. You can’t redo spending time with your kids but you can do art later (the better choice).

Another obstacle is hazardous materials which seem to be a part of so many of the materials I use. Health must be a priority. For example, due to extreme reactions to sensitization, I had to purchase a device which pumps clean air into a mask from the outside, use full arm gloves and take other precautions.

Tim , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My art is a direct lesson to the soul, or at least mine. Not necessarily the soul that transcends but rather the deeper self within. While my art is sometimes sensual it is never about sensuality. The human and sensuality aspect provides a more direct connection to the viewer. Prudish attitudes keep many from even considering my art. Interestingly enough, even my very conservative 94-year-old dad, has been liking my Instagram videos of my sculptures! There is hope!

Pursuit of Quality is the primary theme of many pieces. Not subjective quality. When subject and object find unity, that is where the magic happens. That is also when we are our best selves. Accomplishing this while making art is of the utmost importance. A wonderful byproduct is that the viewer can also experience this Quality. My art provides glimpses and reminders I need every day.

My themes also address that which keeps us from our deeper soul-selves…primarily outdated fundamentalist doctrine, dogma and those who thrust those views down the throats of others. This is not just personal but very social and very political – perhaps the greatest issue dividing and causing violence in the world today. It needs to be addressed in every way possible.

Many of my methods are unlike methods of any other sculptor I am aware of, largely due to my unconventional approach. As previously mentioned, I use wax instead of clay; create while on the road in a hotel instead of a studio and developed new methods out of necessity. I have had to fight to find time and make it work, which I did.

My art frequently includes drapery, water and rock. They represent forces outside of ourselves. Creating a visual flow of water was accomplished by an elaborate setup with water, wax, a kiddie pool and a rotisserie motor. I have captured rocks from all over the country, from Sausalito to Seattle. Many of my methods were developed through years of trial and error.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I highly value the ability to innovate and think outside the norm. I’ve always had an attitude of, “Is there a better way?” Everyone has a creative instinct, though they say most lose it in grade school. Never too late to find it again!

When I get stuck trying to figure out a creative project, sometimes the best way to proceed is to let it go. Strange, but the moment I do, I often find the answer soon, thereafter!

Hanging onto a bad idea inhibits creativity. Staying open to our own vision and innovation is perhaps the most important asset we have as humans, perhaps a key differentiator from other creatures.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Scams have been the greatest test to my resilience. Scams against artists seem to be the norm and not the exception. This is perhaps because we “fall in love” with our work and become vulnerable! I seem to receive a half dozen scam attempts every week, good grief!

The worst was a gallery in West Hollywood who planned to exhibit my art at the LA Art Show, one of the biggest art shows in the United States. I went to extreme measures to get very large pieces from Seattle to LA. That involved the biggest boxes Alaska Air allows, roughly 5 feet by 4 feet by 18+ inches. I transported 4 of these to LA over a couple months.

I had arranged for my daughter and wife to come down for the show. We told other family and friends about the show – everyone was pretty jazzed!

A couple weeks before the show, I noticed the LA Art Show website only listed a retired big-cheese Hollywood producer as a “Solo Show” for this gallery. The gallery said, don’t worry we also have another booth area next to that one. I had naively agreed to pay a reasonable portion for my area in their large booth, which a number of other artists were also doing. In exchange, the gallery would take a smaller percentage of our sales, not a bad deal.

4 days before the show, I called the gallery to coordinate picking up passes to get into the LA Art Show. It was obvious we were coming down. Only then did the gallery finally confess that they, in fact, did not have another booth area. Only the Solo Show of the retired Hollywood producer would be in the LA Art Show, my art would not. That experience soured me for years and I never did get those art pieces back! Grr…!!!

The scams these days seem to mostly be NFT and Instagram scams. Fairly easy to flush out. They often have incorrect grammar and offer high prices before they even know your selling price.

Regardless of all the damn scams, I continue to show my work and make new art, but I am certainly wiser and more cautious! There are lots of great people out there, just have to watch out for the bastards!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tuckerwulf.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wulf_fine_art/
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• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXs9TM399xenfJL4nu8Beuw