Name: Ryan
Nickname: Big Head Jehov-
back in the day. With a head of 23 inches in circumferences and was raised
Jehovah witness…but was still cool.
Sign: Aquarius –
Favorite:
Food: Indian Food w/ Garlic
Nan. But can make the most badass Eggplant Parmesan.
Book: Lolita-Vladimir
Nabokov; a book with the most elegant pros ever constructed in the English
language. And there is something to be said considering the fact that English
was Vladimir Nabokov’s third language. His first being Russian, French second
and English third. If English is your first language and you can’t write better
than a man who has it as a third language…you suck
Season: Tricky, I love the
Fall because of the crisp air and leaves changing and walking around in the
woods, but it’s kind of tricky because when you live in Chicago the weather
gets so shit, you go “oh what a beautiful fall “ and you have a week of fall.
And then you have sticks for the next 6 months, all the leaves fall on the
ground and turns to brown mush and then there is just sticks and ice and
horribleness, so I’m almost a little terrified of fall because of what’s to
come. There is a bit of anxiety. Unlike Spring I might say spring is my favorite
season, or something I look forward too. My libido is on over drive and girls
are wearing skirts. Fall is good for a week and then for the next 6 months its
all sticks, ice, and horribleness…brown mush on the ground etc…making spring
very much something to look forward to.
1. If
your art was an ice cream flavor which one would it be?
(Was taken with boisterous laughter)
Tuna fish
smoothie w/ orange juice: – bittersweet. Because you would not want to eat my
painting in any way (referring to the painting he was currently working on). My
work isn’t sexy like gelato. Or that his work is surprisingly tasty, in the
sense that you would never read his work as being something delicious but then
surprisingly is. Searching for something low calorie but tasty, a snow cone
with booze was decided. Snow cone (low brow) with an expensive alcohol (high
brow); it would be a fine Chianti Snow Cone
2. How
many times have you been pulled over and why?
He has
only been pulled over four times, although he admits it should have probably
been more. With his incredible luck of being let off, once he was pulled over
in another state wearing a crown with pink aviators going 115 mph. The officer
let him off, because he explained he was going to spend 4th of July
with his grandparents. He is incredibly lucky when it comes to authority.
3. Best
show you have ever been too?
Recently
saw Maulers 4th symphony, was moved to tears complete water works. Had never
seen Mauler before and it blew him away. The whole production every element to
it was phenomenal
Concert: Radiohead
in Florence “Hail to the Thief Tour” on a beautiful hill for free. The concert
was sold out, but he and his friend took turns looking over a wall 90 ft away
from the stage to see the show. With the acoustics amazing, hearing the music
was great, in beautiful scenery.
It is a tossup
between the two shows.
4. What animal
is your spirit guide?
At one time a
lot of hallucinogenic were taken to try to find the spirit animal with no
avail. But a chameleon seems to be the animal which sticks. Can talk to anyone
from a homeless man to a billionaire banker; regardless of topic or social
status he can always adapt himself to situations in which he can be able to
hold conversations with his company.
5. What
have you said you would never do, but have ended up doing?
There was
a looong pause of thought in trying to figure out this answer. Has never said
he was never going to do something and always been a reckless person. So…the
question was left un answered.
*One
thing he has said he will never do, and does not look forward to doing in any
way, would be to sleep with a prostitute- but that does not answer the
question.
5-II. What do you hate doing,
have to do it?
Hates doing everything, all task or chores; shopping, laundry,
cleaning, buying beer etc. “I am a barely functioning individual that somehow
gets by”
6. You
were slipped a radioactive roofie by an evil scientist and now have mutated,
what’s your superpower?
Power as
of present- mind control
7. Most Embarrassing Moment?
During one summer romance, a lady
friend the time was extremely drunk on jack and proceeded to vomit on the bed,
in bathroom, and at some point was laying/ crawling in a river of vomit. Already
embarrassed for her, it was when she shit on my bed that took it to the next
level. Scrubbing her panties with a carpet cleaner, and scrubbing the bed. The roommates
helped out by scrubbing her down in shower.
8. Is there any toy you really wanted
as a kid but was never given? Did you ever buy it for yourself when you got
older?
No not really. A self proclaimed really
weird kid, he would make Barbie dolls and GI Joes have sex. GI’s banging Amazon
women. Was given Stretch Armstrong by an aunt and crucified him, built a cross
and nailed Stretch to the cross and set it on fire. Does reflect on the fact he
had a huge Lego collection, possibly influenced the development in visualizing
3d; the conversion of 3 dimensional space into a 2 dimensional image.
9. Do you have a phobia? Or what is
your most irrational fear?
Does not have any phobias or any
irrational fears, no fears that not any normal person would have, i.e.: the
fear of death. If there was any fear, a fear of his would be sleeping too much.
Not as much a fear, but if he sleeps to long it would piss him off. Fear of
losing time. Currently is really focused on being a more efficient painter; by
not going out, sleeping in front of his painting, anything that would aid in
the obsession and being focused on art. So to lose time in over sleeping would
be the most irrational fear he has at the moment.
10. What’s the most interesting thing
you found lying on the street/sidewalk/ground/random place?
Was walking in Wicker Park brown
bagging a bear and found a book “Man, Myth and Magic”. A very odd, strange,
weird book with pictures of possibly burning babies and two headed dogs, photos
from a possible Rambers Museum. Avoiding the text, because the photos are
interesting enough on its own. The book
was possibly from 1978 or 68.
Back in November I had the pleasure of talking with Ryan over Skype for his survey. My first “verbal” interview and my first transcribed, loosely quoted, survey post. His personality is as rich and layered as his work, possessing a charm and dark humor.Without a clue, it wasn’t until the day of the interview did I discover Shultz was a contestant on the Bravo Show Work of Art. A show I personally did not care for from the pilot. I had become a fan of his work independently, stumbled upon him on another art blog never mentioning his TV fame. A hour plus long conversation with him was entertaining, informative, and includes a dozen more thoughts that I am unable to share, or have no desire to try and transcribed. Selfishly keeping it to myself. If you ever get the chance to have a conversation with Ryan, be on your toes, alert, and ready for some knowledge.
Check out more of Ryan’s Work Here.
My Favorite MAOI 