Andy Batt – May, 2012 Featured Artist

Andy Batt Andy Batt Studios Location: NE Portland, OR Last time you ate a pancake? I think it was a buttermilk and PBR Krusteaz™ while camping last summer. Favorite day of the week? Sunday. It’s just like Saturday, but more mellow. Favorite website besides your own? boingboing.net

Q&A

Give us a brief description of you and your artwork.

I’m a commercial photographer, so I do a lot of advertising and sports marketing photography. I love my job–it’s the job everyone wants to have. But the work I’m sending you is a personal series. It’s what I do to provide a counterpoint to my commercial images. I like to take handheld landscapes. I have a serious jones for formal composition, but I like to temper that with the fluidity of being handheld.

What’s your goal as an artist?

To create images that other people want to look at.

Why did you choose photography?

It chose me.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

From little moments – from random thoughts that run through my head – from artists that are better then me.

What do you do when you are not shooting?

Cook, paddle, read. Not at the same time.

What was the last full album you listened to?

I just picked up Cosmic Egg from Wolfmother. Those guys truly rock. Can you get me their autograph?

Top three movies of all time?

Can’t do that. I can give you 3 amazing sci-fi movies off the top of my head: Alien; Children of Men; Moon — you should see those.

Favorite living artist?

Don’t have a single favorite. How about Roger Deakins? That guy is a visual genius.

Favorite deceased artist?

Um, to continue a theme of not being able to answer that, how about Alfred Hitchcock? I recently read that he made sure people had fun on his sets, and that he felt if you weren’t having fun making a movie, why make it? I’m probably paraphrasing that horribly.

Who would win in a photography battle royale Ansel Adams or Henri Cartier-Bresson?

Bresson would kick Ansel’s ass on the field, but Adams would stage a tough comeback in the darkroom.

Have you seen this high speed video of jello?

Yes. I raise you exploding things in slow motion

Why do you chose to show your artwork on Plywerk?

I love the sheer physical quality it gives my work. The tactual “art object” rating goes up up up.

More about Andy

Andy Batt creates moving images for editorial, advertising, interactive and corporate clients. His work is high energy, capturing the speed, beauty and grace of his subjects. He is known for his dramatic sports photos and his portraits of interesting people. Andy has been a panelist for Canon Cameras, APA San Francisco and a workshop teacher for the Newspace Center for Photography. His photography has been featured by the Annenberg Space for Photography, PhotoEidolo Magazine, Foto & Video Magazine/Russia, Avante Garde Living Magazine/Hyderabaad, India, and most recently MRM Magazine in Hong Kong.

Andy’s image of runner Jenn Shelton was recognized by Outside Magazine as one of their top 10 published images. He is a member and former Co-President of ASMP Oregon, a member of Editorial Photographers and a teacher in the Digital Masters of Photography program at the School of Visual Arts/NYC. Andy is one of those guys you want to be around simply because his aura makes you cooler. When cool-by-association is all you have going, hanging out with someone like Andy becomes super important.

Win a Andy Batt Print on Plywerk

Post a comment below and you will automatically be entered in a drawing to win a 12×18 Andy Batt print mounted on 3/4″ bamboo Plywerk!!! We’ll select a winner at random at the end of the month so make sure you come back to the blog in early June to see if you won and to check out the new featured artist! We’ll ship it anywhere in the continental US for free. If you win and need it shipped internationally, you’re on the hook for shipping costs. Sorry to be so mean.