Creators, Makers & Doers: Earle Swope

Posted on 7/16/15 by Arts & History

What do you get when cross a firefighter with an artist or a novelist with a graduate student? Earle Swope, Firefighter, Artist, Novelist, Graduate Student is not bound by time, place or classification. A conceptual thread can be found running through his life, work and studies with the dominating themes of social good and creative engagement.

What are you working on right now?

The current project I am working on is more or less a social practice intro for me, with the Farmer’s Market, Parks & Rec, and I have solicited the help of several of my undergrad artists. We are working on this project called the Mobile Market. We are putting the Farmer’s Market into a trailer form to take to lower income neighborhoods. The BSU students and I have been working on decorating the trailer, it didn’t look good. We are really looking at giving it a face. Once it starts going out into the neighborhoods, we will be making removable components that the kids in each neighborhood can decorate and embellish. When it returns to each neighborhood, the panels can be specifically put on for each neighborhood. It will really identify with each neighborhood. They will be able to make it their own. That’s my fledgling foray into social practice right now.

What is your preferred medium?

Book arts have always been my preferred medium. That has been for multiple reasons. One, it’s not your stereotypical art medium. I like it because it’s different. I have been a bibliophile my whole life. Then you can also combine and re-combine and synthesize all of the traditional mediums within book arts. I like the freedom. I like the potential to democratize art. You can make multiples and it doesn’t necessarily subvert, but it’s a different viewer and art object relationship. You can handle the art and the viewer has to manipulate the art.

In grad school, although I’ve played around with all sorts of other things, right now I am moving into focusing on social practice. It is really interesting to me. It is about democratization. It is moving more towards art as a verb. It’s fascinating.

You focus on a lot of stuff in the community; do you have any personal projects?

It’s kind of a weird thing, but I am writing a novel. I started it in undergrad art school. There are times that I think it is insane that I am getting a master’s degree in art, focusing on social practice, and writing a novel. I am hoping to wrap that up by this December. I am way too busy.

What does your art making schedule look like?

I have described it before that I go on art binges. With a family, work, and studies, I don’t have a lot of time to have a regularly carved out schedule. Either when I have a deadline or when I get really motivated and engaged in a particular project, I will dive into it whole heartedly. When that happens, I forsake other things for short periods. I have to concentrate on the work. It does seem that I am always dabbling, but as far as seriously working, it is more of a binge cycle than anything.

What keeps you making art with everything else going on in your life?

It is something that I am compelled to do. I am at the point where I can’t not do it. My head fills with ideas just from observing life and the world around me. I have notebooks filled with ideas. I have to go beyond just putting it in the notebook; I have to fulfill the vision that is in my head. It’s more of a personal endeavor than anything else.

Where do you find inspiration for these ideas?  Where does inspiration come from?

A lot of my stuff ends up being social critique. It is born out of frustration with the world around us, which is a definite motivator. I feel as though someone just needs to scream sometimes. It seems like no one is paying attention. The flip side is, almost the complete opposite, this belief or observation of the beauty that exists between social and human connections. It’s a complete dichotomy between the madness that occurs in the world and the beauty and harmony that exists at times. I guess I end up with a balance in-between.

What are your opinions of the art scene/community in Boise?

The art scene here seems to be pretty solid. It is segmented. For a lack of a better word, there exist art cliques. Not to use that in any type of hierarchical sense, but as a synonym for segment. There are people trying to make the community broader and more cohesive. I would love to see that occur. I might do some work towards broadening the community.

Do you think there are any resources that are lacking for artists here?

Absolutely, there are contemporary galleries and spaces missing to show work. I have created several performance pieces and finding a site that isn’t monetarily driven is difficult. The closest that we had for a while was the large room upstairs at the Historical Museum. Even then, due to content, it was a limited space. If it was a little too far out there then the museum couldn’t exhibit the work.

What would you need to really thrive as an artist?

Space seems to be the first thing I think of. I would love there to be a large space, not just for myself, but for multiple artists to use and show in. If it was a perfect scenario, it would be a large warehouse type space that would be part gallery and part collaborative center where the artists are working and engaging and working across disciplines. Also, of course, some sort of funding source that would allow myself and other artists to completely delve into whatever they are working on.

Can you talk about making a living as an artist?

I am so far from making a living as an artist. The nice thing is that I work for the city as a fire fighter and it affords me a lot of time outside of work that I can engage with art. I am also about six years out from retirement. I am looking at that situation where I won’t be making a living at art, but I will have a source of income that will support my focus on art. Also, I am working on this novel, so my hope is that I can publish and sell it to support my life as an artist.

Do you have any advice or inspiration for other artists?

I came to art a little later in life. I would say just engage with your work. Outside of my family there is nothing as fulfilling in my life. I refer to art and writing synonymously, it’s about the creative process. Once you engage with it, it becomes a perpetual mutating process. The more I do it, the more I want to do it and the more ideas I have. It’s just thrilling to get out there and do it.

Creators, Makers, & Doers highlights the lives and work of Boise artists and creative individuals. Selected profiles focus on individuals whose work has been supported by the Boise City Dept. of Arts & History.