By Alicia LaChance and Jeremy Rabus

(Editor’s Note: On Friday, March 5, from 6-10 p.m., Maplewood gallery Hoffman LaChance Contemporary will host a show of Jeremy Rabus‘ artwork, “The Pangea Project.” We asked Alicia and Jeremy to trade some e-mails about the show, to help review the night, but they had a phone conversation, instead, held just this past weekend. With no touch-ups, here’s what the pair sent along as transcription, a discussion that captures these two personalities pretty doggone well.)

A: Hello! Mr. Rabus – this in New Yawk  – We wanna do a feature on you and your awt work.

J: Huh?

A: Hi -It’s me JRab.

J:   Oh, I was like who the hell is calling me here –

I gotta get to a computer if that’s all right …

This is more like a Kirkwood number – I thought who’s calling for New York from Kirkwood?

Let me get a fire going. It’s cold down here

Clank

Clank

Clank

A: You were kind of stuck for a second on this show – I’m thinking we start with Pizza Hut & the genie bottle….

J: He he he Pizza Hut and genie bottle is where I’m at right now – sleeping on a couch and using a bedroom as the room to work in.  The couch in the family room, the plush carpet, the fireplace it’s all cushy like the I Dream of Genie bottle. It’s making for a distraction – but now is the time to concentrate like a laser beam.

A: When I called you were anxious about the work and your brother was in the back ground asking what you wanted on your pizza….I thought we were going to have to come hijack you for a period , but you got it going.

J: And this is the first time I’ve had a solo show with the addition of cut paper.

A: Yep….kind of neat to have this origin of your work meet the new deal……I’m telling you, we’ve known each other for five years…you’ve been there since the start of HLC –you were at Forsyth.

J: No, we’re getting close to four years that we’ve known each other.

A: Well – when did you graduate?

J: I graduated in ‘04 with  a  BFA from SIUE. I had been working at Wendy’s for two years and going through a transitory period. I wasn’t driving the interstates at that time – I was hitching rides, taking bi-state buses and was able to curate a show with what now is the Koken Art Factory in ’05.

J: In ’06 I answered your ad for an assistant. When I first walked into HLC to interview I saw you sitting at a desk or something. I looked around and immediately thought I was looking at gems.  Sweet Toxin I think was the show that was up. It was unlike anything I had seen – slick – virtuoso….. that cartoonist, with watercolor on them or something…

A: Ya J.T Steiny the cartoonist for the LA Weekly.

J: I was like whooooaaaaaaaa…  I had all of the usual questions…  like how did they do that?! That was the start. It got me rolling again in terms of thinking of exhibiting and making work .

A: Right, I interviewed a lot of people for that job – many hipsters.  You were the only one who walked in and looked at the art. You had your face pressed so closely to the canvas making observations. I thought, well – he’s the one…. You seemed genuine and I liked that your Dad gave me a flyer for his band.

A: So, with this show, well you’ve had a lot of moves , transitions…

J: The hurdle for this show has been having to move back to my parents – putting me on edge – the hurdle was getting in there but it was an aesthetic thing too – it is to really impress myself. I work until it impresses me and I get that highest high – serious stuff – just working – you go in and you work and continue to work and the inspiration just sort of appears – like capturing a spirit or something

A: It can take a pound of flesh sometimes.

J: You don’t know when the yes moment is going to occur – you don’t .I’m trying for more and more intensity …

A: You don’t get as discouraged as you used to …  do you think?  It used to turn into to, well, some really dark moments there don’t you think?

J: Well absolutely when I got out of school you know  I was kind of ruined by this guy who I was trying to start an arts organization with. He insisted that I do this and I do that. Some people try to poison what you do authenticly and they don’t have your best interest. There was time when I experimented with several different styles. But that’s resolved now

I used to stumble – but it seems I’m on a great course right now – I feel I’ve been on this god stuff since we’ve met – seeing the various ways that someone could work with brushes – different effects – being enthralled by one stroke – incorporating – throwing visuals off balance – making hurdles for myself. Sometimes I create problems for myself –put a garish color in or a shape then I have to push myself to figure out that problem – to make it click…

A: Did we just have  a Charlie Rose moment? Jeremy getting to the marrow….

J: Well can I ask you a question?

A: Of course.

J: What was it about my work that got you intertested?

A: Well, I guess it was all that time in the studio talking on things. Getting to know you first.  You were serious about all this….hmmm and you were good at getting distracted by visuals – a light reflection on the wall – images in magazines – marks on the table. Damn that’s when I fired your ass… but we got it together right – and lucky for me you were back – you know I love you  friendly.  I think it was torturous for you not to be working on your own stuff. But , maybe it was that afternoon we took a break and walked down Sutton. We started talking about the contrails that the planes were making….then you showed us the works out of the trunk of your car at that first dinner party. Your art seemed just like you – like a direct extension of your thoughts – a universe unique to you. You helped me understand what I hoped art could be about…

J: He he he yup the works were more raw and on panel, some paper –

A: Then you kept showing up with those little 6” pieces for a group shows. So much happening in those…. the paint was really direct not so developed yet- but there was magic.

Then your first solo at HLC took it to a whole new level. You found that sophisticated color & consideration of  the medium that moved your work forward at warp speed – so mature. Pretty awesome Dana Smith loaned you that studio setup to  find the real time you needed to do that.

It was a feeding frenzy at the opening – people were going crazy over your work. I was getting pulled in all directions trying to keep up with your patrons. Some people seemed in a panic that they would miss out. It was nuts…

J: In typical Jeremy Rabus fashion I had problems getting to the opening – my tire blew out Dad and I  changed it on the freeway.  I was just astonished and wide eyed at the constellation of red dots on the wall.

A: Now this show…

J: Right, it’s happening between transitions. Painting is the one thing I have that is constant – it’s about creating a spot of beauty – like a way for me to access all of the inner energy that I’ve got that I can share with the world…  each painting is like an organism – changing, growing, surprising, I’m always surprised by elements in them – sentiment comes from them – who’s to predict what’s going to happen in the end – what I want to do is be as successful in life with these paintings…  I have a responsibility to make them – that if I didn’t I would be holding something important back.

A: Well – this is your show Jeremy Rabus. Feels like the one.

J: Hehe – yes it does.