"For the Feeling" New works by Schuyler Beecroft
Hey Schuyler! We are so stoked to have you in the Daydream gallery! We’ve been buds for well over a decade, it’s about time we get a little Schuyler magic to grace our walls. The title of your show is “For the Feeling,” how are you feeling?
It’s been an interesting year - a healthy balance of highs and lows. Feeling grateful to be spending so much time in the studio these last few months.
Let’s get into your background for those who haven’t met you yet. Tell us a bit about yourself, where did you grow up?
I grew up in Virginia Beach, a coastal city in Virginia on the North Carolina border.
*When did you first realize you wanted to pursue a career as an artist?
Towards the end of high school I started to realize a life in the creative world was something I wanted to investigate. I doodled like every other kid, but when I started redrawing the illustrations in my Spanish books out of boredom, I quickly became obsessed with learning how to draw and draft properly. My exposure to the creative world was fairly limited at that time in my life, but I had a small group of friends who liked surfing and skating. Films and magazines would get passed around, and I started to realize there was a whole world out there interested in the same things and I should probably go check it out before I get trapped doing something I wasn’t passionate about.
*Where did you go to college and how did that experience influence your artwork?
I went to the Savannah College of Art and Design and studied illustration and printmaking. I found the whole experience completely transformative. The talent level was deep and everyone really pushed each other. I also found my people and a support network for exploration and encouragement. Those are key ingredients for weathering the early years of creative development.
Tell us about your current creative process. What does the life cycle of work in your studio look like?
I’m pretty experimental - always curious about new techniques and processes for making work. Recently, I’ve been dialing in a newfound approach in the studio that I’m committing a body of work to. Excited about the results so far.
What would surprise people about the way you actually make your work?
I think the technical process I’m currently implementing would surprise most people. I’m obsessive, and I’ve sort of hacked a rudimentary technique over the last few years and made it my own.
*Who are your biggest artistic influences, and how do they impact your style?
I mostly look for composition, texture, and color references. Some of my favorites that do all the above extremely well are Chris Martin, Laura Owens, Robert Rauschenberg, Tauba Auerbach, John Baldessari, Tomoo Gokita, Arthur Jafa, and Kunié Sugiura.
*What's the most valuable creative advice you've ever received?
I saw this quote from Oscar Isaac recently that really resonates with my current state.
“To go forward is scary, and it’s darkness, and it’s woods, and you can’t go back because that’s where the wild animals are. What do you do? You go into that, to get somewhere better, somewhere different, somewhere more true.”
How do you know when a piece is finished?
When it leaves the studio and I can’t mess with it anymore.
*Like Kyle and I, you and your wife Morgan have been together for so long, what's something Morgan has taught you that has made you a better artist?
She’s a strong advocate of simply getting started. Whatever that means. Organizing the studio. Gessoing panels. Sweeping. Putting one foot in front of the other. I’m very easily distracted, so committing to small tasks adjacent to the ultimate goal usually keeps me on a good path. I’m also privy to constant self-deprecation, and she’s constantly reminding me to have confidence in myself. I’d be in a tough spot without her.
What would 15-year-old Schuyler think about your life today?
Probably a mixed bag of emotions - surprised, confused, excited, potentially shocked. Maybe I’ll get the real download from him one day.
Questions from Kyle:
*How does surfing influence you creatively?
I’ve always been influenced by the art & design history of surf & beach culture, but the act of surfing for me personally is therapy, exercise, meditation - all things that contribute to my ability to be creative.
Dream surf trip: where are you going, what board are you riding, and what’s in your cooler?
I think one of my dream trips has recently been checked off the list. A group of friends and I did an almost two week catamaran trip to the BVIs a few years back. Swell lined up and we properly scored. A John Simon Swallow Tail Quad and a Son of Cobra Round Pin were the weapons of choice. Caribs were in constant flow.
*You’ve been putting in work at Ocean Beach for about 15 years now and you have the sandbars pretty wired! What are some of your favorite things about the waves out front of your house?
Having your favorite beach break in the world two blocks from your house is dangerous. Good luck getting any work done when it’s firing. There’s really no comparable feeling to scoring a proper day at Ocean Beach. I can’t really pin down what makes it so special. Standing on the dune after a session, pivoting your view between the buzz of San Francisco and spitting barrels under a vibrant sunset may be a contributing factor.
What does the perfect OB quiver look like for you?
The great thing about OB is you can ride your entire quiver in a week. One day you can be tracking ripples on the 11’ glider, and the next you can be back-dooring square kegs on your pinned-out thruster. You can ride it all out there.
The main Southern California perspective I hear all the time from my friends is that Northern California is sharky and cold… tell us about your spookiest encounter thus far in the northern lands.
I don’t mind the cold. Growing up on the East Coast, surfing winters in a hood, gloves, and boots, you get a little desensitized to those conditions. The air temperature doesn’t get too low, which is a contributing factor to never having to wear gloves up here.
Sharks are definitely out there. My buddy spotted one midday on the outer bar this past season. He went in without telling anyone. The seals are more aggressive around these parts though.
*You’re a bit of a tube hound… can you walk us through one memorable day when OB was especially square?
We had a really consistent January/February this year. It was non-stop for weeks and weeks on end, but there was a particular stretch of 2-3 days later in the season that stood out. The sandbars were only good for a few hours at a time on this particular stretch of beach. The perfecto-meter from earlier in the season wasn’t quite there, but the waves were so drained out and square, so if you got a good one it was really good. All the people who are really on it were out there trading some pretty insane kegs. It was wild to watch and be a part of.
*What’s your studio vibe like? What music is playing, any snacks or bevs, mantras?
It really changes day to day. The music changes often. Sometimes the Arthur Russell radio is flowing, then I lean into some heavy Dead sets. Another day it could be a real reggae/dub vibe.
I also like to listen to documentaries and/or a series sometimes. Other days I forget to put anything on and I’ll be stuck in silence for hours without knowing.
I drain sparkling waters when I’m in the studio, and I’ve also been known to slip a Trumer Pils in there from time to time.
*Speaking of music, we know you’re a bit of a dead head, what’s your favorite Grateful Dead album or live show?
My dad got me into the Dead really early. He was taking me to shows as far back as I can remember. There are so many great live Dead sets. It’s hard to pick one. From time to time I can be more of a Jerry Garcia Band fan, and there was a stretch in 1973 between Dead tours that Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders really brought the heat to a venue called the Keystone in Berkeley, CA. The shows were released via a box set called Keystone Companions. Those shows are mental.
What do you do when you feel stuck creatively?
Surfing is a great creative block agent, but I like to take drives over the Golden Gate Bridge, or take the train downtown and catch a show at the SFMOMA or any of the other galleries downtown. I also really like to cook, so if things aren’t flowing creatively, hunting down a recipe and digging into it can be a great way for me to feel like I’ve being creative.
You’ve done everything from huge murals, to paintings, to graphic design, do you have a favorite medium to work with at the moment?
I’m loving this body of work I’m making in the studio right now. I have another really big mural coming up in about a month, but putting together the current work in the studio right now is satisfying.
*What’s something you’re excited about for the next season of your creative life?
Late last year, I left a long-time position as an Art Director/Designer and have since been freelancing. Not having a consistent paycheck is scary, but conversely, I wouldn't have been able to pursue certain projects over the last six months without the newfound freedom. I hope to continue collaborating with others and seeing new projects come to life, all while keeping the studio engine well-oiled and productive.
What does success look like for you now, and has that changed over time?
The meter for success is in a constant state of flux. It's really hard for me to be completely satisfied after anything. I'm always chasing the next thing, whatever that may be. Maybe it helps me keep the bar really high for myself - almost always out of reach. It could also be contributing to the imposter syndrome I'm constantly feeling. I don't quite know. I'm working on it!
*If you could show your work anywhere in the world, or even not on Earth, where would it be?
I really want to do a show or a big mural in Japan sometime soon. Manifesting now.
What have been your favorite exhibitions?
The Rauschenberg 1/4 Mile show at LACMA in 2019 is the best show I’ve seen in my life thus far.
*We know you’re a bit of a pipe connoisseur, what's the perfect hot dog?
I like a Portuguese Hawaiian with grilled onions and dijon mustard.
*Speaking of hot dogs, you guys have a long haired weenier dog named Doobie, aka my dog godchild, tell us about him?
He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, aside from my wife. I'm watching him sleep right now and could cry.
*You are the artist behind our beloved Penelope (our shop pug) graphic, what’s your favorite thing about her?
She’s the most resilient being I've ever encountered. After she broke her little arms, I was worried she'd never bounce back, but she had other plans (obviously with a ton of help from her parents). We should all take a lesson or two from her will to live.
If you had to trade places with another artist (living or dead) for one week, who would it be and why?
There's a sculptor based in LA named David Altmejd, whose work is as bizarre as it is fascinating. He talks about how he lets something "else" take over in the creative process - something I'd love to experience.
What’s one tool or supply in your studio that you can’t live without?
I really like my rotary blade.
Perhaps the most important question of all, what’s your favorite color?
A clean mustard yellow.
