Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Derrick Schmidt . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Derrick, appreciate you joining us today. Can you share a story about the kindest thing someone has done for you and why it mattered so much or was so meaningful to you?
One day, Jerry Saltz made a post on Instagram, and I made a backhanded comment about giving emerging artists more attention. He ended up ripping into me and my work a bit. At first I was hurt, and felt like I had been punched in the gut. But after a couple months of sitting with what he said, I started to realize that he gave me a gift with his words. I took it as keep pushing and work, work, work, and more work.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
When I was a child and throughout my teen years, I would doodle/draw a lot. During my teens, I was heavily into skateboarding and that passion and art form has carried on into my 30’s. The grit and willingness to experiment in skateboarding has absolutely helped fuel my work now. I am a self-taught artist of 12 years, although I have have help from various mentors along the way. However, I have changed up my body of work several different times. I attribute this to my comfort with experimenting which came from skateboarding.
I’m currently working with various mediums and arranged objects on canvas, wood, or whatever I find that provides a sense of feeling for me;. I’ve come to see art and creating as putting a puzzle together without having a picture to go from. Ultimately though, I want my work to lure the viewer across a room – something that says, “come here”.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
I think some “non-creatives” have a hard time with my work because it is not a typical representation of the human figure. Child like if you will, some people might even say “my child or myself” could do that. But I would say that it takes courage to be able to make a piece of art. Whether it be a Robert Nava drawing or painting to a Caravaggio. Both incredible in their own right. It’s about looking at the world, through the perspective of another.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
I wouldn’t say that there is any one particular goal with my work or my painting process. I want these works to live on long after I’m gone. What I hope to resonate with the viewer is the overall meditative nature or the poetic quality of the piece. I hope they can find some sense of self-introspection. Whether its from an object arranged on the surface, a color, or the way a certain mark is made. During this journey, I also intend on developing a better understanding of myself and the world around me.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Instagram.com/schmidt91
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derrick.schmidt.5496
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrick-schmidt-a3881420a