Interview Deon Duncan

 

Who is Deon Duncan?

I will let you know when I figure that out! Ha!

 

Where do you reside?

Salt Lake City, Utah USA

 

Which athlete do you get out of bed to watch? And why?

I won't get out of bed in the morning to watch, but I will get out of bed and trail run, before dawn, with a headlamp. I want the mountain to be all mine and if one gets up that early, which is crazy, no one else will be there! I am a participator in the wee hours of the a.m.

 

Which sports team gets your blood pumping? And why?

Any team that a family member is playing on.  

 

Do you play sports yourself?

I come from a family that is highly involved with team sports, at the university and professional level, with one exception.  Me.  I gravitate towards the individual sports like ski, bike, run, and kayak.

 

Who’s your favourite artist?  And why?

Jeez, I like them all.  Anyone who dares to create something straight from the heart and has the guts, or stupidity, to lay themselves bare and put in a public arena…..hats off to them!  That is a courageous act.

 

What was the key moment your love for art grew?

My mother and teachers recognized that I had art abilities when I was five years old.  Growing up I was steered towards classes and eventually earned a MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in painting and drawing. I lacked passion though, and I eventually went on to work in professions other than art. Then a day came, decades after my MFA, where I had a chance to sculpt, and it was all over. I knew what I wanted.

 

How did your love for sports come about?

Mostly I love water sports. More specifically, I love individual sports such as kayaking and rafting, which I have participated in on a professional level. Fear based sports are the grandest when one can overcome the fear by mastering technique. What an absolute high!

 

When did sport become a subject of your own art?

Body, mind and spirit are one at high levels of athletic performance. You can chalk it all up to endorphins, but regardless, peak experiences are enlightening. The same goes for creative experiences and art making. And when all cylinders are functioning at high levels of performance, ART is produced and it works on several levels.

 

What is Deon Duncan’s style?

Contemporary figurative sculpture.

 

If people want to see your work in real life: where do they have to go?

Check out my website at deonduncan.com/galleries where the accurate list of my galleries are at any given time.

 

What is your favourite sport artwork you made?  

All of my Swim Series.

 

Which sport, sports team or athlete has always been on your mind, and is on the list to make a work of?

I would like to sculpt Eddy Merckx.  

 

Which sport artist/colleague of yours do we have to check out?

Blair Buswell. THE BEST traditional sculptor of athletes.

 

Julius Caesar used to say (freely translated): “Give the people bread and games, and they will be quiet.” If you were Julius for a day, wanted to keep everybody relaxed, what food and which games would you give them?

Barbecue burgers and Ski Jumping.

 

When I say “Art loves Sport” what’s the first thing that pops up in your mind?

Actually, my mind freezes when questions like this are asked. ☺