Conversations with Wallace Piatt

Today we’d like to introduce you to Wallace Piatt.

Hi Wallace, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My whole creative process started with graphics on t-shirts etc. for our store True Grit in 1991. I got my first Mac then… Was so enamored with design and seeing the tangible product in the store for people to enjoy. I didn’t start doing art until 2005 or so… Silkscreen on plywood. Warhol with an edge kind of 2008 rolled around and I lost everything… Our business, car, home, and passion for retail and life, I guess. Drinking and drugs were a big part of my life and the ship sank hard…. 6 feet under almost with a heart attack. I would sneak into an art studio at night just to sleep the party off. 2010 to 2015. I continued to create art… There was this little piece of Hope in my back pocket and someone upstairs was watching me. 2015 was my year to become sober… I made a decision that I’d be either a party boy local artist or one that kicked ass with passion.

My art changed so drastically… It had a real voice, not some screaming bar voice… But a true calling… Sales went up exponentially and so did my work ethic, passion, and creative ideas… I was on fire!!! My partner and best friend forever and ever opened LOVEWORN clothing and 2 years later the space where Rodeo Gallery is opened up. OMG, the place was a mess… My landlord Ray Mahboob and Jill pushed my ass to open a killer gallery. So, I did and it was the best decision I’ve made… Well going sober was the best hahaha.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
My fuel is sobriety. Plain and simple… I’m a machine now. All I think about is creating art… Be it designs for our store LOVEWORN or art. I do not paint for my clients or for a niche of art buyers. I never painted with money on my mind… I create to rid the chaos out of my mind.

My mind whirls with ideas… I collect old books of Native and Indigenous portraits… The lines in the faces tell stories of despair and sometimes triumph. I use these as inspiration for my art, I start by gluing 12-15 cut pieces of canvas together wait a couple of days and sew them together… It’s a deconstructive then mending process… Like my life pretty much. I then proceed to create the piece with a building of color… Lots of house paint, spray, and oil pastel.

Layers of organized chaos…

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My art has a voice… It’s not decor art but has a deeper meaning I believe. My graphics come out in bold words above the portrait. It’s pretty much my trademark. I’ll put BARRONS on top of the piece like the money magazine and juxtapose it with a Native portrait. Greed vs. Spirituality in a sense. It opens a lot of eyes to collectors and people in general. I’m an ally to the Native and indigenous cultures and I give a % to the Waldorf Lakota school on Pine Ridge Reservation.

Makes me feel so good to give to a school that teaches a beautiful culture of dance, language, and arts to the kids.

TRADITION IS NOT THE ENEMY OF PROGRESS. Work evolved over time… Holy hell yes…

Sobriety gave me an unlimited amount of ideas and a work ethic to implement the ideas. My art became a true voice and the portraits became strong with feeling and emotion. I truly believe that losing everything. Starting from ground zero made my art what it is… Pure hustle with a dream. I opened Rodeo Gallery with the notion that everyone should enjoy art. Too many galleries have this sterile boring atmosphere with a snobby “can you afford this art” scenario. I want people to hang out, be comfortable viewing art… Take pictures… Be at peace in the gallery without some salesperson sizing your wallet up. I have felt every step of this artistic journey. From loss and despair to crystal clear clarity… I want people to feel this as they see my art in my gallery.

What would you say has been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Creating art isn’t about the holy dollar… it’s a true clarity work of passion.

Pricing:

• $12,000-50,000

Contact Info:

• Website: rodeogallerysb.com
• Instagram: @wallaceisart
• Facebook: Rodeo Gallery
• Other: shoploveworn.com