We were lucky to catch up with Larry Vienneau recently and have shared our conversation below.

Larry, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I knew that I wanted to be an artist at a very young age. I struggled with school but always did well with writing, drawing, and sculpting. I grew up in a beautiful coastal town in Massachusetts. I had dyslexia before it was known as a condition and, of course, I had attention problems. I went to a Catholic school and was subjected to my share of abuse. Needless to say, I did not like school. I had one teacher who understood that I was a bit creative and allowed me to use modeling clay during reading and math class, I fashioned animals with the clay, and it helped me focus, I actually looked forward to class. When I was sixteen, I broke my neck when I dove into a swimming pool. About a month before the accident my mother had bought me a Scrimshaw Kit (the art of engraving whale teeth as practiced by 19th-century whalers) during a vacation on Nantucket Island, MA. Scrimshaw and art changed my life. I had always loved to draw, and the scrimshaw was a wonderful distraction during and after my recovery. It also proved to be important later in my career. Through scrimshaw, I learned patience, and drawing skills, which improved my self-esteem.

Larry, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

People ask me how and why I became an artist, I usually say “I once dove into a shallow pool.” Life sometimes can be one long chain of events. The scrimshaw developed into an interest in the process of printmaking, Because of it I met my wife and we moved to Hong Kong. While there I did freelance work for advertising agencies. I would arrive with my printmaking portfolio and the creative Directors would often say “Why do you want to do commercial artwork; you are doing the kind of artwork we all wish we could do.” When I got back to the USA, I taught in Massachusetts, Alaska, Minnesota, and Florida. Teaching was the most important development for me as an artist. In 1989 I was hired at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. I loved Alaska and created large-scale landscape paintings. I also met an Alaskan Native Writer and we collaborated on several projects. The raven is important to Alaskan Native cultures and that is where my fascination for Ravens began. I fell in love with printmaking as soon as I made my first print. It felt like I was opening a wrapped present and, forty years later, I still get excited. It is one of the things that keep me addicted to it. I enjoy painting and drawing but the process of printmaking intrigues me. It is indirect. It is both a craft and an art. The unexpected and the accidents of printmaking are the things I look forward to the most. As a teacher, my favorite experience was watching a student pull their first print. I know I have passed on my addiction to a new generation!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

This is a wonderful question, especially since I have spent years as an educator. As I mentioned, I struggled in school. That continued during the first few years in art school. I started so far behind all my peers that I had to absorb everything quickly and I became a good mimic. I had not discovered my own art direction. I had a teacher who changed all that. He used to say “If you can’t make it big, make it red.” A lot of young artists are afraid of failure, and they never learn to be bold. Take chances, some of your most important failures will teach you more than your successes. Do not be afraid to fail, learn from it. I had to unlearn the academic approach to artmaking, that everything you make must be cutting edge. No, it doesn’t!
It took years to start to learn to paint for the love of it. Do not look for approval. but ask for help when you need it.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I think the hardest thing for not-creatives to struggle with is that an artmaking career is very fluid, often creative people are trained in one field and can adapt quickly to a new field. Learning isn’t about finding the answer in a book but applying knowledge in new and creative ways. There is such emphasis on career paths today, people are reluctant to pursue art as a career path. Most do not know that the skillset learned by artists can directly apply to engineers, architects, lawyers, and other seemingly unrelated fields. Art also enriches lives. About 30% of art students continue in an art career, and others find employment in other fields, but the skills and lessons learned in art class are life-long and life-changing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://larryvienneauprints.blogspot.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larryvienneau/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RAVENSTAMP
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/RAVENSTAMPS