

Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Artrip.
Aaron, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up playing surrounded by music. My father is a musician so I was ultimately a useful roadie as a child. I have always tinkered with electronics and played in bands simultaneously. In college, I left an engineering program to figure out what I wanted out of my college experience and just focused on core classes at another school. During my undergrad, I played jazz bass for a few years, as well as in a few bands around Atlanta. Even though I was very deep into music, I still wasn’t convinced I wanted to pursue academic study in music, since it had been a very intuitive and self-directed experience so far in my life. I ended up in an arts program and focused on printmaking.
I really enjoyed the obsessive nature that printmaking processes demand. My background in music was great intro into graphic design and poster printing I had been surround by in my youth and I felt right at home with printmaking and its potentials. In grad school, I tried a lot of new things, while always keeping process central to my work. I ultimately found my way back to printmaking through cyanotypes and silkscreen while incorporating sound, electronics, and hacking into a full-fledged studio practice.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Its been mostly good so far. I have a great network of friends and family. Graduate school has been the most grueling part of my journey. I came into Georgia State University’s Master’s program with a Printmaking heavy background. My intentions as an artist up to this point was to focus on printmaking only and become a printmaking professor. At the same time, I was composing electronic music outside of school, after class, and it was not informing my graduate work at all. I brought a lot of self-designed baggage as to what I was “supposed” to be doing in my grad studies in order to please others. I was trying to play along to a game that I didn’t understand, without realizing I can write my own rules.
Shortly after I started my first year, my house was robbed and all of my music gear stolen. That was a huge blow to me and made me reconsider my artistic practice. After that, my next step was to just start drawing lines on paper, in a generative and improvisational manner. From there it leads to paper sculpture, woven textiles, hacking electronics, instrument building, and to alternative photography. I think having my music gear taken from me was the best thing to have happened to my artistic practice. It helped me become VERY honest with myself.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Stinkertons Mad Noise Lab – what should we know?
Stinkerton’s Mad Noise Lab is a name I use to fill in when I order supplies for various projects. If I had to give a more formal answer, it would be a space that my inner teenager lives to explore and experiment with visual and sonic art forms.
I work in the cross-section between printmaking and sound. I consider printmaking as a form of recording and I use sound to manipulate media while recording the results by digital or analog means. The results recently are referencing generative artworks and system integration.
I am most proud of producing a body of work in the intersection between my two interests: visual art and sonic experimentation.
What sets me apart from others is my ability to articulate the language of both art and music.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Printmaking Professor, Valerie Dibble really pushed my experimental habits during my undergrad studies at Kennesaw State University and was always rooting for me. She was always looking for ways to keep her students involved with the Printmaking community through her program. Valerie provided many opportunities for me to flex my print muscles.
Robert Sherer played a crucial role in providing the opportunity to learn how to collaborate with an artist as a technician and how to properly provide the printmaking skills I learned. I assisted him with series of silkscreen images printed in human blood. That’s right. Human blood.
During my graduate studies, Craig Dongoski was immensely helpful in learning my own truth. His approach to teaching is nothing more than nurturing what is already there in his students, whether you’re ready to talk about it or not. He helped me realize my background in music as a very important toolset to my intentions as an artist and that I was allowed to do things in my terms. I really do appreciate his time spent on mentoring my studio practice.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.aaronartrip.com
- Email: aaronartrip@gmail.com
- Instagram: Stinkynoiseman
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aaron.artrip.3
Image Credit:
Amanda Norris, Matt Peavy
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