Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Artist Interview: Roc Cayard


What is your name: My name is Roc Cayard, I am from Haiti and I live in New York City.

Do you have a formal art education or are you a self taught artist:
I am a self taught artist

What is the style of your pieces:
Contemporary Pop Art

What is the medium in which you work: I paint with primary color acrylics and I paint on wood panels that I construct myself.

What started you on your path as an artist: Actually, I'd say that my love of freedom is what drew me to art. With art there are no boundaries.

What is one of the most important things that art has brought to your life: The ability to create and express myself on a 24 hours, 7 days, 360 day basis. I am drawn by the freedom to create and express myself whenever I want, however I want.

What is your favorite genre of art besides the one you work in: I'd have to say that functional funiture designs that have an artistic appeal to it would have to be it.

Do you have art showings, and if so what are they typically like:
I've been fortunate to be included 8 group shows in the past 13 months. Most of them have been in art galleries in Chelsea section of Manhattan and I've had 2 recent ones in Brooklyn.

Do you have a certain set of clothes you make art in: Yes definetly, I am a very supersticious person and I must have on my lucky rubber band and I must be in my blue pajama-like medical pants and a Plain white T-shirt.

What has been the most frustrating part of being an artist? I havent experienced any frustrations as an artist other then the usual running out of certain paint colors when I need it the most. lol. I don't usually plan my paintings too far in advance, I usually dive right into it when I get in a certain creative drive mode, which usually happens between the hours of 2 am and 4 am. I mostly paint about the mood of depression, meaning chemical depression, so I usually paint when that mood usually sets in. I paint as a way to release. I also paint about Social and Political issues that some people might find to be too sensitive of a topic to discuss.

What is your favorite sandwich of all time: Grilled cheese sandwiches. Not sure if I love it because of the taste or because its usually the quickest thing to make. Its pretty simple but it packs a punch.

Has this year brought about any changes in your work, and if so what are they:
Yes definitely. 3 weeks ago I was fortunate enough to be granted an Artist-in-Residence prize and now I have a very large art studio with gallery white walls and 20 feet high ceilings. Now my art work won't be limited to the available space that I can fit my wood panels in.

Who is your favorite artist alive or dead: I'd have to say that Jackson Pollock (who died in 1956) is my favorie artist of all times because he used his paintings, paintbrushes and sticks as a medium to draw out and exercise his feeling and emotions from his body onto his canvases. My paintings are very emotional and psychological so what ends up on my panels are a pure artistic expression of a feeling or certain thoughts that I am having.

What is the most moving piece of artwork that you have seen in person: I'd have to say that New York City as a whole would be the most moving piece of artwork that I have seen in person. The cultural varieties of the people and the many personalities here is what gets my attention the most. I also love the 24 hour schedule that we operate on in New York.

Do you have any animals, and what do they think of your work: I don't own any animals. I am sure that some people would tell you that I am a handful as is. lol

Do you have any upcoming exhibitions you would like to share with us: I was recently selected for a documentary on Arts and Globalization with a focus on Immigration and its cultural impact on the arts. ( It's currently in post production). I will also be in ArtNews Magazines upcoming summer issue. Other then that I've just been creating art in my new art studio and prepping my new website that will launch just in time for the magazine feature.
Web address:


My temporary blog can be found at: http://theartofdepression.wordpress.com/
My email address is: RocCayard@Gmail.com



If you are an artist and would like to do an interview email sivy221@aol.com

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