Ask The Artist: Brian Blacknick

Brian Blacknick and King Kong having a bite

What type of art do you create? 

I create sculpture using ceramic clay, polymer and Apoxie clay.

Since I was a youngster I've loved monsters and dinosaurs

so these figure prominently as my favorite subjects! 

Where can we admire and purchase your art?

My work can be found on my Etsy shop:

And later this month I'll be having an auction on eBay of my nautical themed artwork.

Twenty five percent of the proceeds will go to The St.Baldrick's Foundation for childhood cancer research. 

I have a participate page on the Foundations website where I've pledged to dye my hair 

and shave it into a mohawk if I can raise $1000. by June 28th:

http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/519758/2012

 I'll be posting details of the upcoming auction and a place where people can vote for

what color I should dye my hair on my Facebook page: 

https://www.facebook.com/BlacknickSculpture

How did you get into the art field? 

 

I've always enjoyed creating things with my hands

so in High School I took three years of ceramic sculpture classes.

My parents saw I was really into ceramics so they bought me my own electric kiln!

Soon after I started selling my work at arts & craft fairs then later at galleries.

 

What was your first creation? 

 

My first creation was a medieval castle complete with a moat that I sculpted when I was in the 4th grade. The teacher showed it to a friend of hers that owned an antique shop.

The owner bought the castle for her shop and my teacher used the money to buy us a class pet. 

 

How long does it take to complete a creation? 

 

Depending on the complexity of the subject it can take anywhere from 3 days

to over a month to finish a piece.

What was your favorite creation? 

 

Recently I created a diorama of my interpretation of the missing spider pit sequence

from the original King Kong movie.

It was complete with poseable foam rubber puppets of the giant spider, two legged lizard,

crab and tentacled creature that attack the sailors trying to rescue Fay Wray.

An article I wrote about designing the pit and its creatures

was just published in issue 101# of The Prehistoric Times magazine..

Who/What inspires you?

 

 I've always been fascinated by the work of stop motion animator Willis O'Brien.

It was his imagination and attention to detail in bringing Kong and the other creatures of Skull Island to life that are largely responsible for making King Kong the enduring classic it has become.

What are you currently working on? 

 

Right now I'm working on a bust of Kong chomping on a native.

It is going to be released as a resin model kit by Gillman Productions later this summer.

Do you have any advice for aspiring artists? 

 

In a nutshell - keep your word! It will stand you in good stead overtime.

Thanks so much for sharing and good luck with the fundraiser, Brian!

Fellow Artists, if you want to be the next interviewee, just email me!