Vincent Tomczyk
In 2010, I took some of my unemployment money and used it to attend an art class. President Obama was in office at the time, and he encouraged us to re-educate ourselves with our unemployment benefit, in hopes that when the economy bounced back, we would be prepared to enter the workforce. I’m sure taking an art class was not what he had in mind but I did it, albeit somewhat shamefully. I always thought of myself as an artist, but there really was no evidence that I was. The idea of putting this money towards an education wasn’t very practical. Honestly, I was lost in the beginning – but something happened around the 4th week in class that changed my life. My instructor said “I want you to think dimensionally” “I want you to construct something out of paper and cardboard.” Never had I ever thought that cardboard could be a medium for art.
I wasn’t lost anymore, because you see, in my past professional life, I was a project manager for a packaging company. The work ranged from simple corrugated kraft boxes to elaborate high end retail packaging. I worked with some of the most talented structural designers in California. I was the liaison between graphic artists, sales, buyers and manufactures. So when the instructor said make something out of paper, I was at an advantage and went straight to work on a cardboard chair. In the beginning the work was crude, but I quickly developed a style of hyper-realism – All the while making sure that my work was relevant to what was happening in the world and my life. It turns out that I didn’t really become an artist until I realized I was truly a sculptor.
Things have advanced quite a bit over the last several years, but I am still considered an emerging artist and like many other artists, looking for the exposure and endorsement
of a credible institution.There is more to the story, but hopefully this serves as an introduction for now. Below is my website and attached are a few images of my work. Vincent Tomczyk
The attached images are:
“Waiting for Godot”
2 stacked paper & cardboard banquet chairs
This work has to do with relying on our fellow man to get through life.
“St Christopher” paper denim jacket
St. Christopher is the patron saint of the traveler.
This piece has to do with the inhuman treatment by the US Border Patrol on migrant workers
“Paloma”
A paint brush made of cardboard and fine paper string.
I want to make work that is hopeful; to me the paint brush looks like a Dove, a symbol of peace.
