Art Space Talk: Dennis Flynn

I recently interviewed artist Dennis Flynn. Due to his schedule the interview was brief. Mr. Flynn has taught art in various colleges including Minneapolis College of Art and Design, University of Texas at Arlington and the University of Idaho. He has been an art educator and advocate for decades.

Mr. Flynn has exhibited widely in the United States and abroad including Ljubljana and Colombia. He was invited to represent the United States in the Florence, Italy, Biennial of Contemporary Art. Museum collections include San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Art Institute of Chicago and Minneapolis Art Institute.

Q. When did you first discover that art would be an important part of your adult life?

A. "I have always been an artist. My first teacher was my grand-father who taught me to draw horses in crayon side by side with him on the floor in a "ledger-book style. He was part Indian, a cowboy who drove horses across Minnesota when he was younger from North Dakota to Wisconsin."

Q. How has society influenced your art? Are there any social implications in your art?

A. "Society influences my art in that I am aware of ongoing history and in a way can comment on that."

Q. On average, how long does it take you to create a piece?

A. "I normally paint on a canvas for about one month."

Q. Why did you choose the medium(s) that you use?

A. "Acrylic on canvas seems the most reasonable media for my art.

Q. Does religion, faith, or the lack thereof play a part in your art?

A. "Religion doesn't except that I have been interested in Buddhism as a philosophy for a long time."

I hope that you have enjoyed my interview with Dennis Flynn. Feel free to discuss his work. I'd like to personally thank Mr. Flynn for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin