Spreading the word about paint
<p>Fifth-grade students raise their hands in hopes Coeur d’Alene artist Mel McCuddin will answer their questions Tuesday during McCuddin’s visit to Sorenson Magnet School of Arts & Humanities in Coeur d’Alene.</p>
<p>Oskar Hepworth leans forward as he and 63 of his fifth-grade classmates listen to Coeur d’Alene artist Mel McCuddin speak about his work Tuesday at Sorenson Magnet School of Arts & Humanities in Coeur d’Alene.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - Mel McCuddin said he didn't have any hobbies when he was 20 years old, so he bought a bunch of paint.
"I didn't know what I was doing and I wasn't very good," he added.
But over the course of 60 years, McCuddin developed into a prominent regional artist. On Thursday, McCuddin spoke to 64 fifth-graders at Sorensen Magnet School of the Arts and Humanities about his passion, and being a professional artist.
"Every time I do a painting I learn something," McCuddin told the students. "There's always a problem I have to figure out and that's really exciting."
The event was facilitated by Blair Williams, who works closely with the school and is the gallery assistant at Art Spirit Gallery in Coeur d'Alene. Williams told the students that McCuddin, who has been with the gallery since 1997, will be this month's featured artist and have 92 pieces hanging there beginning Friday.
"His art is bright, fun, and exciting," she added.
McCuddin's early work was primarily abstract expressionism, but developed into his present style due to a need to more precisely communicate his thoughts. He said he begins a painting with no idea in mind, and lets the process of painting give him an idea for the finished piece.
"The reason I paint is for the joy of it and to see something I've never seen," McCuddin said.
For the next 20 minutes, the fifth-grade students eagerly held their hands in the air to ask McCuddin one of their many questions. A selection of those questions, and the artist's answers, are below.
Student: How did you come up with the idea of doing abstract work in the background and something else in the foreground?
McCuddin: (The foreground) is already there, I just have to find it. The painting underneath is what I do to get the inspiration for what goes over it.
Student: How do you know what to charge for a painting?
McCuddin: Artists have to know the size of their paintings in square inches, and then we base the price on that.
Student: When you first started, were there any artists you looked up to?
McCuddin: Not at first, but when I really got started I became influenced by a lot of abstract painters like Jackson Pollock.
Student: How many paintings do you do at the same time?
McCuddin: I have several going on at the same time. I work on one until I can't figure something out and then I move on.
Student: How tall is your tallest painting?
McCuddin: 7 feet.
Student: How small is your smallest painting?
McCuddin: Well, I do some stuff on cottage cheese lids, so probably those.
Student: How many paintings have you done?
McCuddin: Several thousand. I've been going at it for 60 years.
Student: Why do you paint people a lot?
McCuddin: That's a good question. I always think about human relationships when I paint.
Student: Do you ever get bored painting?
McCuddin: Never. Every time I do it, it's exciting.