Spotlight Interview with Warren Chang, a California based Fine Artist, best known for his paintings depicting the fieldworkers of Monterey County
Today we sat down for an interview with Warren Chang, a Signature Artist member of the California Art Club and a Master Signature member of the Oil Painters of America whose work has been recognized nationally and been profiled in many art publications, including the covers of American Artist and International Artist magazines.
Born and bred in Monterey, California (USA) Warren Chang is an acclaimed realist artist who is most recognized for the subject of fieldworkers of the Monterey County area, where he lives and resides. Inspired by the Old Masters, Chang's paintings spotlight the disenfranchised, creating subtle narratives that celebrate the human spirit. His work has won many awards and has been profiled in many national publications. He was the subject of a monograph book on his paintings published by Flesk Publications in 2012. His paintings are in the permanent collection of the Monterey Museum and the Hilbert Museum of California Art in Orange, CA.
At Workshop SLC we are big fans of his work and we’re thrilled to share that he will be teaching his first workshop here in January!
Warren, thanks for sitting down with us!
My Pleasure. Thanks for having me.
Warren, you have such an interesting background it’s hard to know where to start! What made you decide to become an artist?
I’m not sure I had a choice as it was the only thing that interested me since I was a child. Starting with comic books and progressing to Golden age illustrators such as Norman Rockwell, NC Wyeth and the like. I’m a little embarrassed to share I had an obsession with the art of fantasy artist Frank Frazetta since before the age of 10, collecting everything I could get my hands on. I still appreciate his talent today, his amazing compositions and drawing ability.
You worked as a commercial artist and in agencies for about 20 years. How did you make the jump from being an illustrator to becoming a full-time fine artist?
Toward the end of the 1990’s, I was working steadily as a book cover illustrator when things took a turn toward digital art. I saw the writing on the wall and planned my escape to fine art. Although this is a common story amongst illustrators, for me, it was a massive life change. Teaching art supplemented my pursuit of fine art and I eventually was able to make the transition.
How do you know when a piece is finished?
Mmmm good question. I suppose when I am satisfied with the picture. I know sometimes you can carry a painting too far, and so one has to be careful not to overwork a painting.
What is your favorite piece you’ve created?
I would say my painting “Fall Tilling”. It evokes the feelings I had intended with the right gestures in the figures along with a sense of depth and atmosphere.
“Fall Tilling” by Warren Chang
When you paint for pleasure, which subjects do you prefer to portray?
Painting for pleasure for me usually involves drawing or painting the figure from life. I seem to gravitate to people of color as my favorite subjects. I make it a practice to paint regularly from the live model, which sharpens my skills when painting pictures in my studio. I would like to add that I believe skills and technique are only a means to an end, not an end in itself. I had traditional training as a realist artist, but this served only as a starting point. The skills you develop are for the purpose of creating art. The limits of my teaching are mostly teaching the fundamentals. It’s up to each individual to take it from there. Of course my own philosophies and feelings about life and art are also mingled into my teaching, as it’s difficult to separate the two.
How much thought/research goes into your narrative paintings?
I will sometimes have an idea lie dormant in my mind for months, if not years, before acting upon it. Then the research stage can also take many months to develop. I will take all the necessary steps in creating a picture, starting with the thumbnail sketch. It often surprises me how the rough sketch, almost a scribble, carries all the substance of the finished painting if you compare the two.
Too often I see artists rely too much on random photographs when it can be so much more gratifying to first develop an idea, and then go about making it happen. Better to rely on your creative vision rather than on random chance.
Does technology play any role in your creative process, or are you a traditional artist through and through?
No I’m not very knowledgable of technology. My son is. As I mentioned earlier, I transitioned to fine art from illustration because the commercial field was becoming exclusively digital. When I first embarked in “fine art”, I only painted from life. I adhered to the dogma that only working from life could produce real art and shunned using any photographic references. Later, after observing the success of other artists utilizing photographic references, I also started to experiment with photography as a reference for fine art painting. Today, I find that my illustration roots and the habit of using photographic reference has really helped in the creative process. I could never develop such complex figurative compositions without the aid of photographs. In a sense, you could describe my art as illustrative fine art.
How did John Koch inspire your biographical interior paintings?
John Koch was a New York 20th century realist who painted beautifully rendered interiors, primarily within the confines of his Manhattan apartment. His work inspired my own interiors which depict primarily my own life within my home and studio environments.
Your name gets brought up by many artists when asked who they have learned or drawn inspiration from. Do you consider yourself to be more of an artist or a teacher?
That’s interesting. I most definitely consider myself more of an artist than teacher. Teaching has helped in the development of my ideas and painting and I enjoy the interaction with students, however my time is better spent in my studio painting pictures.
Has there been an award or honor in particular that has been particularly meaningful to you?
I would say what was the most exciting for me personally, was having my work featured in and on the cover of the now retired American Artist Magazine in 2007. I had been collecting old issues of American Artist since I was in art school, which featured many of my favorite art heroes such as Norman Rockwell, Edward Hopper, Dean Cornwell and even my childhood idol Frank Frazetta.
What would you say is the hardest thing about being an artist?
That’s easy, making a living. I recall having a correspondence with famed artist and illustrator Stanley Meltzhoff who specialized in history painting. He encouraged my pursuit of being a history painter but he cautioned, “once you’ve reached your goals, then the question becomes who will finance these pictures?” I am now older and well established, so I enjoy a financial stability I did not as a young man. I remember lean years where I have no idea how my wife and I, along with an infant, survived on so little, particularly during my transition from illustration to fine art.
With the many accomplishments you’ve had, do you consider yourself a successful artist? What’s next for Warren Chang?
Yes I suppose so. I almost died of a heart attack three years ago, and it dawned on me that had I succumbed, I was content and satisfied with the work I accomplished. My work has been honored with solo exhibitions at 4 museums and purchased for the permanent collection of two museums. I do not take this for granted, and am fully aware that there have been so many great artists before me, who were never recognized during their lifetime.
I’m taking life one day at a time, and hope to continue painting with a youthful enthusiasm, continuing themes of social relevance.
Warren, thank you so much for your time today. We can’t wait for your upcoming workshop and for the many we hope to have in the future with you!
If you are interested in learning more about Warren Chang, visit his website here.