Nick DeFord, “Bermuda Triangle”, 2015. Hand-sewn sequins on game board. Photo by Nick DeFord.
Don’t miss our Spring exhibitions before they close on May 8, 2016. Last week, Mixed and Mastered: Turntable Kitsch curator Hayley McSwain interviewed fiber artist Nick DeFord. Read his responses below to learn more about his interest in the unknown, his collecting habits, and how he creates his work.
Hayley McSwain: Your work often involves the supernatural and the unknown. What sparked your interest in these themes?
Nick DeFord: I’ve been interested in the strange and supernatural as far back as my childhood. I grew up watching Unsolved Mysteries and Scooby Doo. I hid my eyes during the alien scenes of Mysteries, and was always thoroughly disappointed when the monsters in Scooby Doo turned out to be cranky old men in masks. I mean, just once couldn’t they have stumbled on to an actual paranormal experience? I watched the X-Files premiere because I was so excited about the show. The weird part is not that I continue to be fascinated in these topics: its that it took me so long to realize that I could make art about them. My epiphany as an artist was, “Oh, I can make art about things I find interesting?” Continue Reading »