2008 Woodie Awards
The Art of Gary Baseman at Rollins
Rochelle Siegel
Issue date: 3/3/06 Section: News
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Gary Baseman was born to draw. He sat down in a chair in Darden Lounge and opened a notebook and began to sketch as he spoke to Rollins College students. "I always knew I wanted to draw because I was miserable doing anything else but my artwork." He has a creative mind and uses it to create "strong images or even sometimes disturbing images," as he would describe them. His passion for drawing began when he was "a little tiny boy." Also, Baseman knew by the age of 9-years-old he wanted to go to a real college, like UCLA, instead of attending an art school.
"You can do anything you want," he said, whether you are drawing, illustrating, creating an animated series, a clothing line, or vinyl toys. "You have to work to see what you really love to do, and then you have to decide what really works for you." His belief is that school is the place where students sit in classrooms in order to learn how to be disciplined by their professors, but it is in the real world they truly learn what they love to do and what they hate to do. "It is when you are out of school that you will finally decide what you want to do."
He grew up on the ideal of having to be really good and responsible. After following his ideals, he was able to achieve his dreams, although everything did not come easy. The first person he showed his portfolio to did not give him a job or buy his artwork; in fact, there was a lot of rejection on his way to success. "Rejection is part of the process and it is important that you develop a thick skin."
Having little success on The New York Times cover was so exciting for him. It was then he was finally able to meet certain artists he admired, which made him feel great. But then there was Edward Soreill, an artist he greatly admired, who said "I don't get it," when Baseman showed him his art. "That made me feel like crap, I was so depressed. I would never put down an aspiring artist. I will tell them at least one thing I like about their art and then give them constructive criticism."
"You can do anything you want," he said, whether you are drawing, illustrating, creating an animated series, a clothing line, or vinyl toys. "You have to work to see what you really love to do, and then you have to decide what really works for you." His belief is that school is the place where students sit in classrooms in order to learn how to be disciplined by their professors, but it is in the real world they truly learn what they love to do and what they hate to do. "It is when you are out of school that you will finally decide what you want to do."
He grew up on the ideal of having to be really good and responsible. After following his ideals, he was able to achieve his dreams, although everything did not come easy. The first person he showed his portfolio to did not give him a job or buy his artwork; in fact, there was a lot of rejection on his way to success. "Rejection is part of the process and it is important that you develop a thick skin."
Having little success on The New York Times cover was so exciting for him. It was then he was finally able to meet certain artists he admired, which made him feel great. But then there was Edward Soreill, an artist he greatly admired, who said "I don't get it," when Baseman showed him his art. "That made me feel like crap, I was so depressed. I would never put down an aspiring artist. I will tell them at least one thing I like about their art and then give them constructive criticism."