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With a career spanning a little over 50 years, David McCallum is a face most of us, young and old, recognize. From eccentric coroner Ducky on ‘NCIS’; elemental time-fighter Steel on ‘Sapphire and Steel’; Ilya Kuryakin fighting the sinister group T.H.R.U.S.H in ‘The Man from UNCLE’, and countless other incarnations – he has entertained and enthralled generations, but how many know of his other talents as a musician, composer, and photographer? Hopefully this interview David kindly let us conduct will help shed some light on those unknown depths of his deep artistic skill.
Can I ask what made you change your direction from music to acting?
I was very young and involved in local theatre. In the local school hall, an amateur theatre company produced an evening of recitations, singers and soloists. These were intermingled with one or two scenes from plays. I played the part of the doomed prince in the dungeon in Shakespeare’s ‘King John’. I pleaded – unsuccessfully – with the assassin not to kill me. It is a real tear-jerker and audience applauded loudly at the end. It was in that moment I realized once and for all that my home in this world was on a stage. My efforts didn’t require homework or lengthy musical practice. The oboe took second place from that moment on. I did what was necessary in school and sought work at the earliest opportunity. ‘Whom the Gods Love, Die Young’ was the first part – oddly enough playing another doomed royal. It was on BBC Radio in 1946, the year I joined Equity.
How did your parents take your decision to concentrate your energies on theatre?
Their philosophy was simple. My mother and father gave my brother and I a secure environment that allowed us to go out and achieve our maximum potential. They never interfered, only encouraged. We both made our own decisions and lived by the consequences. I knew my father felt that music would give me a better standard of living than the vicissitudes of the theatre but he didn’t say it openly. When he came to the premier of ‘Robbery Under Arms’ at the Odeon Leicester Square several years later, my name was in large letters on the side of the building. By then I think he realized that I had probably made the right choice.
Even though you moved fully into acting, did music still play a part in your life? Did you still play the oboe in your spare time?
I still have my oboe. When doing ‘The Man from UNCLE’, I conducted several albums at Capitol. Top forty arranged by HB Barnum for woodwind and four French horns. Later, in ‘Motherlove’ on television I played an orchestral conductor and had the pleasure of conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra in Mozart and Prokofiev.
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Absolutely not! Never in a million Bat-years!
We’re all well steeped in Adam’s Pop-art infused, psychedelic turn as the Caped Crusader’s 1960’s incarnation, and probably as much now for being Mayor Adam West (or Adam We) in the ‘Family Guy’ city of Quahog, but how many know of his comedy pilot of the 90’s co-written by Conan O’Brien?
‘Lookwell’ is a riot, and a slice of comedy gold that if I had a DeLorean, a Flux Capacitor, and a high powered job in a TV Network (the first two would be easier for me to get hold of), I’d go back and commission this. No more words from me, just enjoy Adam West at his best.
How would you describe your work?
My work can be found hanging in the Pop-Surrealism/Lowbrow circles. My paintings are super hyper stylized mirrors that reflect the baggage of our cultural influences. I try to make each piece like a mini-movie, with its own theme, characters and theatrical agenda. Usually they’re satirical statements about the sins of our society, the horrors of adolescence and the manipulations of mass media. Some have called it “Disneyland on Acid”, which is pretty funny and accurate.
Bad Mutha Wizard - © David MacDowell
With your work being quite satirical of society and media, you strike me as an artist in the same vein as Hogarth.
Yeah, that’s pretty accurate. I figure why waste time creating something if it doesn’t have anything to say. I try not to be vague and hint at things. If I find it funny that the Disney Corporation brainwashes my kid, I will paint a dead on portrait of Uncle Walt doing just that. I think the art world is hungry for more than just pretty pictures and vague stylized nonsense. It wants art with a voice that will speak what’s on their minds, and visualize what has impacted their lives. If a paintings a joke, it should at least have a punch line.
How do you execute each piece?
Usually while painting a piece, I’m conceptualizing what the next one will be. Each piece takes about 5 days from start to finish, and deadlines keep fueling the production line from there. On the technical side, I paint exclusively with a script brush to get all the details just right. I tend to use darker primary colors, to get a dramatic deep texture and depth.
Parents Just Don't Understand © David MacDowell
Do you remember how you first get into art?
I was always an observer and mocker of life’s weirdness, so I always drew it out on paper as a coping mechanism. I had above average artistic talent as a kid, and I used it to influence others and get through school. I used to just paint portraits and give them away, because I think such personal things shouldn’t be cheapened by money. In 2006, I lost a loved one, and passionately threw my soul and life force into painting full time. Since then, I’ve built an international fan base and have been blowing minds since.
I’m sorry to hear you lost a loved one. Was the person an encouraging force while they were with you?
Well, thank you and yes. It usually takes a death or a divorce or some kind of world event for people to change. In my situation, I used all my energies to be the best worker, son, boyfriend, tax payer etc. Then you wake up one day and see all that everything you’ve been has been for everyone but you. So, one day something snaps in my spirit, you have a divine moment of clarity, and destiny was decided for me to be a professional artist. That’s my story. I say follow your dreams hard, my friends!
When you were a kid with such artistic talent, do you find it separated you from your peers? Was art your only interest?
I think when most artists are young, they’re super smart, yet introverted and super sensitive. It’s a weird situation to have something that everyone wants (talent), and not having the social skills and resources to exploit it, so usually adults step in to exploit your talent for you. The same stands true in the adult world, but now we call them “managers” and “agents”. I had art teachers placing me in poster contests and scholarships yearly without my consent. Every so often I’d gets called to meetings with teachers telling me that I’ve won things that I had no idea I was entered in. Aside from winning money and gift certificates, I did win lunch with the Governor and his creepy family. What an awkward situation for a 13 year old! Aside from art, my main influences were horror movies, girls and rock and roll. Pretty typical kid I imagine.
Freaky Friday © David MacDowell
Did you study to be an artist, or are you self-taught?
I’ve always taught myself. I attended an art school for 2 years and didn’t learn a thing from anyone. My grades were terrible, but the teachers always passed me because of politics, for there was a buzz about my talent amongst the staff. I often feel that the Coven Of Academia is as stilted as any other self regulating institution i.e. Heath Care, Churches, Government. You gotta be in it to win it, I suppose. With that being said, I’ve noticed that in this life we are often blessed with one teacher or mentor that will shine a light on your path, and it’s so important that you follow their word. Get to know their mistakes, goals and limitations. This will prove the best education you will never get from a school.
So did you have a mentor?
I unfortunately never had one-but I know that it happens and I always wished that someone took the time to reach out to guide or be honest about art advice. so, I try to be the mentor/example that I never had, and always try to help/encourage other artists by sharing techniques/information and getting them into shows etc. Like any business- The art world is full of cold driven individuals, who won’t give you the time of day unless you have a “name”, or can do something for them, BUT there are a handful of down to earth non-ego artists that’ll share their knowledge and be cool. The cool ones are the established pros that have been in the business for awhile and have nothing to lose anymore. I guess they are the ones to gravitate to for sure!
For The Birds © David MacDowell
Who are your main Influences?
I am influenced by any artist/curator that commits themselves to the insanity full time. It’s a total gamble to lay your finances, sanity and heart on the line within this competitive “cult of personality” infrastructure. I’ve surrounded myself with professionals that share an undying drive to create and manipulate our visual world. Some of the greatest artistic powerful people that I worship are Walt Disney, Mark Ryden, The Beatles, Robert Hardgrave, Dan May, Andrew Hosner, Andrew Michael Ford, and the list keeps growing. I give lifelong loyalty and love to every gallery curator that has taken a chance on me and won.
David is showing at Flatcolor Gallery in Seattle this month from the 4th to the 28th.
You can also see more of his work on his own site www.macdowellstudio.com
Sometimes I love my job very, very much. Today when I received a preview copy of Laurie Lipton’s new tome of drawings through the letterbox was one of them.
Señorita Muerta gracing the cover
The Extraordinary Drawings of Laurie Lipton is a deliciously sumptuous volume of her work dating back to 1980, opening with some of her most recent works, executed entirely in graphite pencil and charcoal.
Death, voyeuristic indifference, and the abject horror of the human condition take center place in Laurie’s work, and each subject is approached with surgical accuracy though don’t expect her for a moment to pull any punches. You get the whole sordid image branded on your retinas.
If you’re unfamiliar with Laurie’s work or, indeed, her extraordinary life, Tony Thorne and Mike McGee will give you valuable insights through their interview and essay respectively, with the interview by Thorne a must for anyone who follows Lipton’s career.
Seam Stress - 1987 - Pencil on Pape
The Extraordinary Drawings of Laurie Lipton is a 96 page, hard cover with over 3 decades of drawings, published by beinArt Publishing and edited by Jon Beinart. Available from Last Gasp and BeinArt, but if you wanted to look around or order from another stockist, the ISBN is 978-0-9803231-2-2.
You can see more of Laurie’s work on her personal site – http://www.laurielipton.com
Buffering moustaches. No, that’s not a Googlewhack or anything, but something Dangerous Ink contributor Lars Henkel is compiling. To quote the man himself – “buffering moustaches: that’s what you get watching online TV and have a slow internet-connection”.
See more of them here on his Flickr.
Have you got any buffering moustaches? Post them up in the comments page.
Chet Zar, dark artist, sculptor, and movie make-up effect artist extrordinaire (well he does design for Guillermo Del Toro), has just updated his website to include lots more goodies for everyone to look at.
Chet in his studio. Image © Kevin Knight
He says “Aside from the cool new design, there is a film section (to see some samples of my film work) and a new web store. Check it out at www.chetzar.com“. You can also keep up-to-date on what he’s up to by following him on Twitter – @chetzar.
“Fiend” - Oil on Canvas - 30X40\
Some of my favourite images are from his movie work, especially Liam Neeson’s make-up from ‘Darkman’, and more tenderly, a prosthetic baby for TV show ‘ER’. Absolutely stunning.
“Waste not, want not” my gran used to say (usually when I had left a little too much food on my plate while anticipating a delicious pudding), and it seems to be a mantra recited by recycling enthusiasts still. Whereas most recycled products can be usefull though a touch bland, Filt in Tokyo have created a range of hand-made, unique, and stylish candles from entirely recycled garbage.
Filt’s concept is that the materials and design, minus the wicks, come from within walking distance of their studio. Every week on glass recycling day, the Filt team head out to the local neighbourhood and salvage whatever jars they can use. Used cooking oil, which they filter, color, and scent with vanilla, is then used as fuel. Nifty!
Sadly they’re only available in Japan for the time being, but if you want to find out more, their site is www.filt-made.com
Iunewind is an award winning Russian artist and designer who has been working steadily for a number of years. Sadly he has also been ripped of by unscrupulous ad agencies, which unfortunately is an all too regular risk for freelancers.
One of the great series of images on his site are colour swatch landscapes such as these. If you get some time it’s definitely worth a look, and these great images are also available as free wallpapers. Nice.
Image © iunewind
I previously mentioned an insanely talented Australian animator named Paul Robertson, creator of the fantastic Pirate Baby cartoon. Another great work of his that we featured in the mag and can now show off here is Kings of Power 4 Billion %.
If you wanted to read the full article from vol.1, issue 4, you can read the issue here – Dangerous Ink 1.4
See more of Paul on his site http://probertson.livejournal.com/
