all to show other people. I can sell that snapshot to a person in another country, because my mental snapshots are the same as a guy in Sweden or France, so they’ll dig my mental snapshots. Art is the ultimate form of communication, and the best religion.
Where are you from originally?
I grew up on the north side of Buffalo. It was a great place to grow up, especially for an artist. I was surrounded by cool stuff for artistic inspiration.
What is your medium?
I paint in both oils and acrylics, and I do lots of pen and ink work.
How has Buffalo influenced your work?
I had a junkyard and train tracks right behind my house as kid. It was full of old cars, broken glass, rusty machinery and trains. That was my playground. We hopped the trains all over the city when we were kids, and we had rock fights and bonfires in the junkyard. There’s centuries of artistic inspiration in those experiences. In the 60’s and 70’s, Hertel Avenue area was very alive. The clubs were full of crazy bands playing crazy music, and the streets were packed with wild people late into the night. It was an amazing place to grow up. I was exposed to all sorts of bohemian influences.
Name an artist (or more) that most inspires you?
All of the early surrealists, like Dali and Ernst Fuchs, inspired me when I was younger. I saw a ZAP comic for the 1st time when I was in 8th grade, and it completely changed the way I looked at art and the world. It was so brazenly anti-authoritarian and crazy– and they made no apologies for it. It was very inspirational to me. So, the early ZAP comic artists like Robert Williams, S. Clay Williams and Rick Griffin– they were my heroes.
Is there a purpose to your artwork?
I completely hate normal people and social conformity– and I’m not saying this is a strength of mine– it’s probably more of a personality deficit. From the time I was a little kid, and I mean this literally, I was told not to draw the things I like to draw. I was told my drawings were weird and impolite, and I had a hell of a time all through school. Every now and then a teacher or another student would say ,”Wow! Cool stuff!” Sometimes I’d get lucky and I’d have 3-4 kids around me watching me draw things. Mostly, though– I got grief for what i wanted to draw. When I grew up and went on for graduate work in counselor education, I did a lot of research into healthy personality development. What I discovered about healthy, self-actualized people amazed me. Quite often they have to stand up to the ridicule of colorless conformists. The crowd tries to shut them down, and they keep going in spite of the opposition. I keep going. Nothing stops me. I know who and what I am and I love it. So, I never create art for the entire class or for the teacher. I create art for the 2-3 kids in the corner with me that understand what I’m doing. So it’s political, and it’s emotionally and psychologically stimulating. I have absolutely no interest whatsoever in the stiff pomposity of the traditional art scene, and I’m quite sure the feeling is mutual. I’ve had enough success that I can do my own thing.
How often do you work on your art?
Every single day, all day long. At times, I’m up until 2AM listening to weird music and painting. I’m not working in schools anymore these days, so it’s become my full time passion.
Have you been schooled in art? Are you planning on attending art school? If so, where?
My masters degree is in counselor education, but I did study art, yes. I worked hard at it. My mother was my first teacher. She was an exhibiting artist in Buffalo many years ago. I was pretty wild as a kid, and attended Buffalo Alternative HS. The teachers there noticed my talent, and they sent me to work with an art teacher at City Honors HS named Victor Sanchuk. I learned a lot from him. He taught me the craft of classic oil painting, and how to use light and shadow to build form. He was very enthusiastic about my talent, but warned me that it would be tough to pay the bills as an artist. I decided not go on for a degree in art. I knew my work was too surrealistic to ever support me financially. As an adult, I studied privately with artists, and went back to school for a little while to study painting and drawing. I had planned to go on for a 2nd master degree in fine arts, and had plenty of credits, but it didn’t work out.
Where is your favorite venue in Buffalo to exhibit?
Definitely 464 Gallery. The vibe there is always inviting, and the people are amazing. I’ve shown all over the country, but 464 has the most inviting ethos I’ve encountered yet. I also like the College Street Gallery in Allentown.
Is there a gallery in Buffalo that you would like to show your work in, but haven’t yet?
I’ve never shown at Hallwalls. That would be nice. They always seem to have cool stuff going on there. Hmmm– maybe I’ll send them a proposal.
What are your strengths?
I have the dual skill of being a jazz guitarist, so I frequently play with my trio at my art openings. Music and art are very often synaesthetically related for me. Color has sound, and sound has color. Shapes have sound.
What are your weaknesses?
I can’t dance. And also, there’s the whole non-conformist thing going on. I’ll never fit in. I also become unglued at the sight of a woman in fishnet stockings.
Name one person that you would like to sell a work of art to?
I think David Lynch would like my work. I’ve never sent him a query. Maybe I should.
What’s the best thing about being an artist?
I can take a snapshot of the inside of my head and show it to you. You can take that snapshot and put it on your w
all to show other people. I can sell that snapshot to a person in another country, because my mental snapshots are the same as a guy in Sweden or France, so they’ll dig my mental snapshots. Art is the ultimate form of communication, and the best religion.
all to show other people. I can sell that snapshot to a person in another country, because my mental snapshots are the same as a guy in Sweden or France, so they’ll dig my mental snapshots. Art is the ultimate form of communication, and the best religion.
What’s the worst thing about being an artist?
Having to explain what you do to someone who doesn’t really care. I’m sure a mechanic feels the same way when they explain something to me. It’s just the way it is.
Where is your current/next show in the city? Dates? Opening night?
I have a show at 464 Gallery this month. The opening night is Fri., 3/22, and the show starts at 7PM. My trio “NOD” will be playing there as well. We’ll start playing about 8:30 or so. The show is called “Cool Stuff I Drew with Kids,” and it’s a very different show for me. It will be hundreds of drawings that I did with kids during my 25-year career as a counselor. The drawings are very strange, and very childlike, but they are also very amusing.
Anything else?
I have a Frank Zappa themed solo show in LA this summer. All of the artwork will be inspired by old Zappa records. I’m very thrilled to have the chance to do this, as Zappa was a big influence on me as a young musician. I also have two brand new books out this month. Verboten Books has released a 94-page full color compilation of my paintings entitled, “The Boy from Saturn: The Surreal Paintings of Sean Madden.” They’ve also released a book of my pen and ink art called “Beyond the Sun: The Insane Pen and Ink Art of Sean Madden.” Both books have plenty of narrative about growing up in Buffalo in addition to TONS of art. I’m sure I’ll have signings locally, and will be sure to announce them on my site.
For samples of my work there, and links to my projects, and my books also, see www.clownvomit.org.
More Greater Buffalo artists and artisans…
Paul Rybarczyk, Beth Pederson, Robert Schulman, Paul Klonowski, Betty J. Pitts-Foster, Carol Case Siracuse, Alejandro Gutierrez, Paul Alico, John Sargent, Deborah Stewart, Pat Pendleton, Kristin Damstetter, Alana Adetola Fajemisin, Sarah and John Cozzemera, Rob Hopkins, Jennifer Seth-Cimini, Elisabeth Strong, Michael Mulley, Patricia Schwimmer, Mikel Doktor, Jerome Greenberg, Elizabeth Leader, Jacqueline Welch, Doreen DeBoth, Joe Cascio, Candace Masters, Iris Kirkwood, Lukia Costello, Michael Morgulis, Julie Leatherbarrow, Chris Liberti, Michael Mararian, Daniel Rodgers, Bruce Adams, Ken Payne, Christina Cooke, Elise Anne Brooks, Frank Cravotta, Jackie Albarella, Gary Melius, Melissa Campbell, Jeff Quigley, Nancy Moran, Vincent Alejandro, Patti Harris, Eileen Graetz, Rita Argen Auerbach, Dianne Baker, Norine Spurling, Margaret Raab, Ingrid Luongo