Nathen Cantwell - Painter

Bury Your Phantom Limbs I – Cantwell – oil on canvas 10”x10”

Nathen Cantwell

Name: Nathen Cantwell

City/State: St. Paul, Minnesota

Email: nathen@cantwellart.com

Website: http://cantwellart.com/

MNartist.org profile: http://mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=322244

Twitter: @cantwellart

Etsy Page: http://www.etsy.com/shop/cantwellart

Bio: 

Nathen Cantwell is an award-winning art director/designer and accomplished professional painter and illustrator. His fine art work is known for its visual richness and thought-provoking depth. Layers upon layers of thin oil paint create an intense viewing experience.

In addition to painting, Cantwell is an art director and designer at a Minneapolis-based business-to-business advertising agency and runs a freelance design business with a focus on strategic, purposeful aesthetics.

He lives in St. Paul where he fuels his unyielding enthusiasm for Juicy Lucy burgers, craft beer and discovering new music.

Hold On So Tightly It Never Leaves You – Cantwell- oil on canvas 30”x12”

Tell me about your work? What are you currently working on? How is this different from past projects?

While my work is very personal, I don’t intend it to be a self-portrait. Rather, the intent of my recent work is to create a narrative on the human condition, speaking to experiences and emotions we all share on the most primitive level.

My paintings invite the viewer to engage the imagery from a universal standpoint, exploring how themes and sentiments surrounding religion, relationships, disability, social norms, social status and core values manifest themselves in daily life.

How did you decide to become an artist?

I’ve always been drawing, creating, and making. What inspired me most as a child was the South Dakota landscape. I’ve moved more to the inner, personal landscape in my works, but the natural landscape is still a strong influence.

That Which Holds You Here – Cantwell – oil and pencil on canvas 20”x20”

What was the best advice given to you as an artist?

Create for yourself, then share with others.

Many artists struggle to find ways to sell their art.  How do you sell your work?  How do you market yourself?

Have one main web presence that everything links back to. Network. You’ll meet great people and collectors. Seek out opportunities that fit with your work and your beliefs.

Who are some of the Minnesota artists you enjoy?

Because I’m relatively new to the Twin Cities (a little over two years here) I’m breaking the rules with this question and expanding to artists in a state over, too, because you should know about them.

MINNESOTA

Jan Elftmann-  Founder of the Art Car movement and creator of incredibly intricate, whimsical collage pieces that you’ll drool over: http://www.corktruck.com/

The Ghost Making and WIVE
The Ghost Making http://theghostmaking.bandcamp.com/

WIVE http://www.myspace.com/wivespace

Sarah Beth Photography- A great friend and pet photographer extraordinaire. www.Sarahbethphotography.com

SOUTH DAKOTA

Nick and Nicole Fischer- An incredibly talented duo that explore amazingly unique avenues- I highly suggest Nick’s stylized series and Nicole’s texture series: http://www.fischersart.com/

Mark W McGinnis – (formerly of SD, so it counts)- Master teacher/story-teller through his narrative work  http://www.markwmcginnis.com/

You Always Make the Right Decisions – Cantwell -  oil on canvas 36” x 18” oil on canvas

If I were to follow you around to see art in Minnesota, which places would we go? What would we see?

We’d start at the Grand Hand Gallery in St. Paul. I’m always inspired by the ways their craft artists use various media to re-imagine seemingly simple yet functional objects. Then across the river to the Aesthetic Apparatus studio shop. I have more of their posters than will fit on my walls. Seriously. God bless them and their annual poster sale. (Big Table Studio in St. Paul is also worth the trip for screen printed posters.)

After, we’d head to the Walker. I think it’s the best place in the cities to question and explore not only art but also the human condition on many levels.  And a late happy hour at Republic at Seven Corners, of course.

In addition to www.Local-Artist-Interviews.com, where do you go online for good art resources, whether to find a new artist, or to see what is going on in the art world locally and otherwise?

Designspiration.net – A staple for any designer or artist influenced by commercial design
blogs.walkerart.org
butdoesitfloat.com
human-voices.tumblr.com – No words to describe these words

You As Enigma – Cantwell – 8”x8” oil on board

Do you have any exhibits to promote in the near future?

The Debut Minneapolis Art Exhibition of Nathen Cantwell

Republic at Seven Corners

Featuring a rare performance by The Ghost Making

October 14, 2012

Reception at 6:30pm

Performance at 8:30pm

Show runs October 14^th — November 30^th, 2012               

Republic’s Art and Music Series is pleased to present a solo exhibition of paintings by Nathen Cantwell. Please join us Sunday, October 14th for the artist’s reception at 6:30pm followed by a music performance by The Ghost Making (members of WIVE – Isaac Everhart, Matt Irwin, and Dustin Marks) at 8:30pm.

Republic

at Seven Corners

221 Cedar Avenue South

Minneapolis, MN 55454

republicmn.com

Nathen Cantwell

Photo Credit Sarah Beth Photography