Artist of the Month: Ian Herrick

Name: Ian Herrick

Age: 39

Hometown: Catonsville

Catonsville Patch: How did you decide to live in Catonsville?

Herrick: I was born and raised here. I left for college and returned for good soon after with my beautiful wife and daughter. My son came along a few years later.

Patch: Do you have any formal art education?

Herrick: A Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Montserrat College of Art in Massachusetts.

Patch: What medium do you currently use to create art?

Herrick: Several: pencil, charcoal, acrylics, oils and even ballpoint pen.

Patch: How, who or what influenced you to become an artist?

Herrick: My father, primarily. He’s been a lifelong advertising art director, but he’s a heck of a fine artist as well. I was born a chip off the old block and my folks helped me blossom with private art lessons.

Patch: What's the biggest influence in your artwork?

Herrick: I would have to say it’s pretty much the same as my answer to the “favorite artists that influenced you” question.

Patch: What motivates you to continue creating artwork?

Herrick: Music, other artists' work, and the occasional random scene I come across in everyday life. Inspiration has an ambiguous way of just popping up.

Patch: What's a favorite artist that influenced you?

Herrick: It’s hard for me to nail it down to one. I’ve always looked to the masters such as Da Vinci, Rembrandt and Bouguereau for portraiture, figure and classic painting technique. Dali’s mastery as well as some of the more modern “lowbrow” artists like Robert Williams, Todd Schorr and Robert Crumb have had a major influence on my work as well.

Patch: What do you like about being in Catonsville?

Herrick: As I said, it’s been my hometown since birth. The only real time I’ve spent away was my four years in college in Massachusetts. I’ve always loved its folksy “everyone knows everyone” brand of charm. Being 10 minutes from a Ravens game doesn’t hurt either.

Patch: Where has your art been shown?

Herrick: Short of a few shows in college, I haven’t really shown outside Catonsville. I admit I was a bit bogged down with my 9-5 job and raising of 2 kids. I’m looking to showing more often now that they’re older.

Patch: What is your "day job"?

Herrick: I’m a graphic designer by day … screen printing, promotional items and the occasional advertisement. Photoshop became a necessity to make a living. My father Joe and I came up with and created the Catonsville 4th of July “Chairs” shirts that everyone seems to get a kick out of.

Patch: What's the next thing you're working on?

Herrick: I’m juggling three paintings at the moment. I’m on the cusp of finishing two Ravens paintings; Ray Lewis and Joe Flacco. The third is a 4’ x 3’ portrait of Mick Jagger.