Interviews with the Artists - Kirk Sklar and David Cunningham

Two weeks ago, we had the chance to interview a number of the esteemed artists and studios participating in this year's Cache at Casket Arts show, from November 2-4, next weekend!
These are our first two, stay tuned for more and more!

Each gave us the tip of the iceberg, snapshots of their worlds.

Kirk Sklar - Metal Heart Jewelry - www.kirksklar.net -
Tell us a bit about your story and your work--
My jewelry work has been described as edgy organic. Oxidized silver and gold formed into leaves, flowers and twigs and set with opal, citrine, and tourmaline.
What can people expect to see from you at Cache 2012?
I have three lines of jewelry based on natural forms of leaves and flowers, and I have necklaces with colorful tumbled glass.
What is special to you about Casket Arts?
I have a great space at Casket Arts Carriage house, with wonderful maple floors, good light. Plenty of room for my eight jewelry benches, torch station, casting room, and a host of other metalsmithing tools.

Master craftsman, master teacher.

One of Sklar's classic creations.

Sklar teaches classes year round...

David Cunningham - www.davidcunninghamart.com

Tell us a bit about your story and your work--

I was interested in art early on because my older brother cousin were also artists. They apprenticed to a fresco painter for a year and afterward started attending a French Academic Art school based out of Minneapolis named The Atelier Studio Program of Fine Art. They brought me along.

Training at the Atelier began with cast drawing in charcoal to study the nuances of light and to develop the discipline of seeing nature in terms of line and tone. Lectures on human anatomy and composition were a background of the program. I then advanced to more difficult subjects in color, such as still life, portraiture and the human figure. Concurrent with these pursuits was the study of life drawing. After completing the program I took up studying landscape painting while living in southern Argentina and became tuned into the 19th century tonalist painters George Inness and James Mcneill Whistler. Their atmospheric paintings along with the works of countless other painters, musicians, and writers continue to influence his work. In the past couple of years I've become very interested in street photography and street painting.

Every little detail considered...

What can people expect to see from you at Cache 2012?

Painter's quiver.

Atmospheric Street Paintings depicting candid moments in urban environments.

What is special to you about Casket Arts?

Working around other creatives you have access to a wider range of expertise to bounce ideas around, discuss concepts and issues, and relax.