Audio By Carbonatix
“I don’t know if I’ve made any significant contributions other than following the advice of an early mentor to ‘keep making art’,” says Val Curry, sculptor and installation artist about making art in Dallas.
But he’s probably wrong about that. This guy is one of the most interesting people you will meet in Dallas. He just keeps making art that has people talking, whether it’s the giant outdoor cat sanctuary he has built in his backyard, his window installation with Robert David Reedy at Urban Outfitters Mockingbird Station, or his recent show at the McKinney Avenue Contemporary that displayed his view of the Universe–and it’s one that’s full of spirals and waste–Curry has a unique take on the world, and it is through his art that he communicates it.
How did you first find your way into your craft?
Growing up, my grandfather and grandmother where big creative influences on me. My grandmother was a piano teacher and played the organ in church. During the summers, I would stay with my grandfather and work with all the power tools and strange machinery he had in his small aircraft repair shop. Those two different environments somehow came together in an intuitive/rational synthesis that guides me today.
If you had to describe your aesthetic in five words, what would they be?
“Inspired by nature,” rational, and intuitive
Why do you do what you do?
In an attempt to find answers, but lately it’s been bringing up a lot more questions…
What in your daily life inspires you?
My wife, Michelle.
What’s your next big project?
My MFA thesis show in January 2015. Hopefully, there will be some surprises…to the audience and myself!
What is something that Dallas doesn’t know about you?
I was born and raised, for the first ten years of my life, in a community founded by an author and spiritual teacher to be an intentional sustainable community. While the community had many flaws, it has continued to be an inspiration to me, and on my vision of how I want to create my life.
What’s your day job?
I am the full time display artist at the Mockingbird Station Urban Outfitters.
A mystery patron offers you unlimited funds for life. What will you do with it?
Immediately start implementing my cult!
100 Creatives:
100. Theater Mastermind Matt Posey
99. Comedy Queen Amanda Austin
98. Deep Ellum Enterpriser Brandon Castillo
97. Humanitarian Artist Willie Baronet
96. Funny Man Paul Varghese
95. Painting Provocateur Art Peña
94. Magic Man Trigg Watson
93. Enigmatic Musician George Quartz
92. Artistic Luminary Joshua King
91. Inventive Director Rene Moreno
90. Color Mavens Marianne Newsom and Sunny Sliger
89. Literary Lion Thea Temple
88. Movie Maestro Eric Steele
87. Storytelling Dynamo Nicole Stewart
86. Collaborative Artist Ryder Richards
85. Party Planning Print maker Raymond Butler
84. Avant-gardist Publisher Javier Valadez
83. Movie Nerd James Wallace
82. Artistic Tastemakers Elissa & Erin Stafford
81. Pioneering Arts Advocates Mark Lowry & Michael Warner
80. Imaginative Director Jeremy Bartel
79. Behind-the-Scenes Teacher Rachel Hull
78. Kaleidoscopic Artist Taylor “Effin” Cleveland
77. Filmmaker & Environmentalist Michael Cain
76. Music Activist Salim Nourallah
75. Underground Entrepreneur Daniel Yanez
74. Original Talent Celia Eberle
73. Comic Artist Aaron Aryanpur
72. Classical Thespian Raphael Parry
71. Dance Captain Valerie Shelton Tabor
70. Underground Culture Mainstay Karen X. Minzer
69. Effervescent Gallerist Brandy Michele Adams
68. Birthday Party Enthusiast Paige Chenault
67. Community Architect Monica Diodati
66. Intrepid Publisher Will Evans
65. Writerly Wit Noa Gavin
64. Maverick Artist Roberto Munguia
63. Fresh Perspective Kelsey Leigh Ervi
62. Virtuosic Violinist Nathan Olson
61. Open Classical’s Dynamic Duo Mark Landson & Patricia Yakesch
60. Rising Talent Michelle Rawlings
59. Adventurous Filmmaker Toby Halbrooks
58. Man of Mystery Edward Ruiz
