We were lucky to catch up with Patrick Putze recently and have shared our conversation below.
Patrick, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
I am a veteran who retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2011. I moved to Chicago to attend grad school at the Art Institute of Chicago. Shortly after graduation, I began work at the National Veterans Art Museum (NVAM) as their Web Developer and Media Coordinator. Due to my prior military service and in particular, working for the POW/MIA mission at Brooks AFB, I had a highly personal connection to the museum’s mission. NVAM seeks to inspire connection and dialogue of the impact of war and military service through the collection, preservation and exhibition of art by veterans. I can tell you from my several years of experience working there, this is EXACTLY what they do.
Upon entering the galleries, you are face to face with not just a veteran’s artistic interpretation of combat, but more specifically, the toll it takes and the effect it has on the human psyche. It is literally impossible to relay this powerful experience to you in words alone. It must be experienced. To live and breathe in front of a work of art that bares one’s complete soul is what veteran art is all about. Gaining immediate insight into what only one percent of the U.S. population has ever volunteered for–training for and fighting in war–is at once intellectually stimulating and emotionally draining. A word of caution though, often, it is not for the faint of heart.
Our documentary filmmaking production company, ARCL Creative Studio, is currently in production on a film that will focus on the life of Vietnam veteran and lifelong artist Joseph Fornelli, who is the founder of the National Veterans Art Museum. To be able to follow Fornelli, hearing the experiences and stories is a rare privilege. To be able to TELL his story is the opportunity of a lifetime. The man has lived a life like no other. Sharing his life’s work is as meaningful of a project that I could ever imagine being involved in. I am forever grateful to be able to work on thisproject.
Patrick, 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?
Art, and particularly photography, has always been a passion of mine. My first “real” camera was a Nikon FG that a family member purchased for me to take to Australia in 1986 when I was an exchange student. Since then, my work has shifted, morphed, and grown exponentially through myriad professional practices. The first instinct that I have when handed a camera in is to get out and explore the world, grabbing up frames of what I find strikes & stimulates my imagination, then present those images to you for consideration. I believe the artist’s job is to investigate the world at large and then report my findings. It really is true that all art is biographical, being forged from the artist’s experiences–photography is no exception. Every single work expresses some portion of the artist’s life, whether that experience is large or small. Connecting with the audience while, relaying thoughts and feelings about the world around you, is simply physical proof that human connection is paramount to our existence.
In this first part of 2024, I am launching a small photographic & documentary film production company. ARCL Creative Studio will strive to create original, thought-provoking films through compelling, captivating visual narratives. Whether it’s a short documentary about a veteran artist, or a web ad for a local hamburger stand’s Instagram feed, the goal is to always capture your audience’s attention by conveying your personal narrative with eloquent articulation. The ARCL Creative Studio business model differs from others because we want to use our daily bread and butter–your photo/video, or other creative needs–to fund the projects that we are most excited to tackle. Producing original films about genuine people who have intriguing real-life experiences is a dream come true. I know that sounds cliche as hell, but it’s true. Being afforded the opportunity to express another’s personal narrative is a HUGE deal. AND, being trusted by that person to impart their wholly individual experiences on a screen means the world to me. Never a task to be taken lightly, I am eternally grateful for the opportunity know I am privileged to have.
Your personal narratives are the heart and soul of ARCL Creative Studio. From script writing to post-production, our clients are led through the process in an easy to comprehend, convenient and time-efficient manner. We also endeavor to provide budget conscious content for you. As a retired, disable veteran with twenty-one years in the U.S. Air Force, I always hold myself accountable to the highest standards by meeting the client’s needs precisely and completely. For me, service didn’t end with retirement from the U.S.A.F. but continues to support and lift up the community around me. We love, love, love to spread the word about you far and wide!
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I just love to tell each other about each other. Whether that’s telling my friend Carol about my other friend Cody and what he’s got going on with his stone sculptures, or taking a highly personal account of a combat veteran and putting it into moving pictures, It gets my juices going to share knowledge. With the way the world is running today, picking up the banner of storytelling is crucial to understanding each other. To have one human personally react to another’s experience and learn from fills my cup until its running over. What else can I say? I’m a people person!
When I am NOT a people person, which is rare, you can find me in my car on ‘walkabout’ exploring the world with a camera or three. I love to get out and find those hidden treasure images that illustrate what life on Earth is about as a human. Whether it’s urban landscapes, wide open spaces, or abandoned buildings, I can’t help but point my lenses at things that pique my interest. I think every groomed environment tells the stories of its occupants, current or former.
As an artist, I also believe that every project calls for specific media. Some subjects demand bright shiny prints, while some call for the subtlety of semigloss traditional photopaper. When engaging in subjects, I can usually figure out what the visual crux of the matter via visual approach. Sometimes though it requires experimentation and discovery. To me, this is why the word ‘subjective’ is so important while making art…it is ALL about that particular subject matter you are involved with and the ideas your brain is interacting with. It is the artist’s job to make those decisions when knee deep in the process. Hopefully, more often than not, it gleans success.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
I think that term “non-creatives” is a bit of a misnomer. I believe EVERYONE creates something, every single day. Whether it’s a plan to get through the day, from breakfast to bedtime, or coming up with and cooking a birthday meal for a family member, there are infinite ways we humans create throughout each day. NOW, what do I think is the biggest disconnect between viewer and artist? I think it is probably a viewer’s inability to stop and consider exactly what the work is saying about the artist’s experience. That being said, it is also paramount than an artist fulfills their obligation of relay their experiences in an interesting, thought-provoking manner. I feel that if you are a participating member engaging in any of the fine arts–from visual to film to theatre to music–you must go into with an open mind. The viewer must be willing to experience and connect with curiosity, open mindedness, and rapt attention.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://arcl-creative.studio
- Instagram: @arcl_creative_studio or @pgpphotos
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-putze-4562a6a/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKulrG6aZTvuaDZEq6chevw
Image Credits
All images Copyright 2024, Patrick Gale Putze or ARCL Creative Studio