Spudnik Press Cooperative (SPC): Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do

I am your typical 20 something, working and living in Chicago. I spend my time trying to make challenging art while balancing a full time job. I have recently decided to pursue my MFA to dedicate more intensive, uninterrupted time to making art.

(SPC): What kinds of things are influencing your work right now?

American Abstraction and its history are the bigger context for my work. Specifically, I am working with research about physics, the origin of the universe and philosophy when I start images. Artists like, David Shapiro and Robert Mangold come to mind. I also am really enjoying the prints produced by Robert Mangold, published through Pace Prints. They really explore minimalist forms and color through printmaking quite successfully.

(SPC):What are some recent, upcoming or current projects you are working on?

Recently, I finished some larger prints at Spudnik where I combined relief techniques with screenprinting. The outcome helped me grasp using screen prints for imagery more thoroughly and also really allowed me to continue to make open and spontaneous works while in the studio.

(SPC): What artists are you interested in right now?

(Fundamental) Painting is a blog ran by Neil Clements, a UK based artist I follow on Tumblr. I have been really enjoying the catalog of great american and international abstract artists represented there.

(SPC): If you could own a piece of art by any living artist, what would it be (or whose)?

I would love to own a print by Robert Mangold. His use of color and repeated simplified forms is innovative.

(SPC): How has being born and raised in Chicago affected your art practice?
I grew up on the west side in a mostly low-income area. I think that I am attracted to community based efforts for making art because I only got a few opportunities to encounter fine art growing up. I have really appreciated my time at Spudnik press in that it has given me time to create and interact with a whole community of local artists in Chicago.

(SPC): What do you do when you’re not working on art?

When not making art I work at a coffee shop, brewing magic.

(SPC):What do you think dogs dream about?

Getting free barbecue.

(SPC): If people want to see your work where should they go?

I will have print-based work in a few upcoming exhibitions in the Chicago area. One of those is with the Donnelley Foundation in the mid summer.  All of the info and images of my recent work are on my website: darianln.com

Please check out Darian’s upcoming Gelli Print Community Workshop on May 18th at Spudnik Press!