"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
