Bil Tipton | Artist

SPEAKERS
Mike Shea, Bil Tipton, Promo, Rodney Veal

Rodney Veal  00:10
Hello, everyone. My name is Roddy Veal. I’m the host of Roddy Veals Inspired By, and today I get to talk to someone I consider to be an infectious entrepreneurial spirit on the art scene in Dayton, Ohio. I love his art. I’ve seen manifestations of it, I see the evolution of it, and he’s just a cool guy. So, without further ado, Bill Tipton, Bill, welcome to the show.

Bil Tipton  00:37
I appreciate you having me, Rodney. I’m excited to be here.

Rodney Veal  00:41
Absolutely, you know, one of the things that you know I, what I love about doing the podcast is, and I love talking to artists, is I go in the hot tub time machine. We go way back, we start from the beginning, because no one, no one comes out of the womb. I refuse, like, comes out of the room, thinking I’m going to be an artist. I’m going to do this thing. They always have some different dream when they were a child, and then the art takes over. So, let’s go back in that hot tub time machine. What were you like as a child that led you to be this thing? What was going on, Bill, when you were young to be an artist? Kind of curious,

Bil Tipton  01:19
I suppose, fortunately, unfortunately, I’ve run full cycle, and I think I’m just back to being a kid now. I think maybe I was kind of close to what I am in this moment. Um, it kind of cracks me up, but a friend of mine and me were having a conversation about, like, the whole younger you, what would they think of you now, and I think I’d be blown away, I think, or maybe even nervous, a little wild adult childish kind of thing. Anyway, I grew up in New Carlisle, my mom went to college for, in fact, Sinclair College for art. It was just kind of an open book, kind of. That was something she pushed throughout my life, I guess. Like you said, I did want to be an astronaut steps towards doing it, but I thought it sounded like a great idea when I was young. Yeah, basically I grew up in New Carlisle, more or less around that area. I’ve lived in Tipp City for a good chunk of my life, and before coming here into Dayton, but I’ve also been very involved in the area here. Ended up going to school myself. Am I jumping too far? For

Rodney Veal  02:48
no, no, this is a conversation because I’m getting to know you. I’m like, this is our audience is getting to know you. So, it’s like, yeah, I was like, I mean, you know what it’s about. I mean, that’s why I’m inspired by journeys. Like, you had a journey, man, you had a journey. It’s a kind of, it’s a cool thing. So, so your house was filled with art. I mean, clearly, like when your mom, you know, going to Sinclair. Oh

Bil Tipton  03:12
my gosh,

Rodney Veal  03:13
it was like, you know, real. Let me tell you, I

Bil Tipton  03:18
think truly, and I’m so very grateful for all the pushing she did, and the normalizing of art around me, because since then I’ve seen that that isn’t necessarily actually what’s common in everybody’s household, and things like that. It’s something maybe I kind of took for granted at first, and now realizing, standing back, that I think I was kind of catered to in an art lifestyle kind of of open thinking, at least for my mom, and things like that.

Rodney Veal  03:51
Okay, that’s a good, that’s a cool thing. No, that’s a good, and that’s a, that’s a reoccurring thing that I found in any discipline of artists, because I kind of really lucky that I get to talk to artists in all these different genres, and it all stems back to somebody in their household, it was a parent or grandparent or uncle, friends of the family, it was like they just normalized this thing, whatever their art form was, like, oh yeah, well, go for it, or here. Yeah, here’s the, here’s, here’s a box of paint. Go, you know. And so it just.. and once.. and.. and so I’m just.. I believe I just believe very strongly. You let kids run, they will.. they will be Olympic sprinters in creativity if you let them go, and so I mean, I want to kind of, because your style of art is so uniquely you, but it’s rooted in, you can correct me, it’s very rooted in a specific, specific, that word, specific genre of art. Art making, and it has elements of the street culture, it has elements of skateboard culture, it has elements of a youthful exuberance, and I’m kind of curious, as, like, you know, like, was that always your style of art making once you got this influence for your mom, like, that art is possible. Well, were you, were you planning to go this route? I mean, I’m just, yeah, I’m curious, like I said, I am curious.

Bil Tipton  05:29
I guess an interesting thing to me is, I suppose if I tried to say I had put this out, it wouldn’t have went well, I don’t think. The path that I’ve taken, I suppose it’s not what I thought I would be doing. I’ve always worked with my hands a lot, things like that. I guess I’ve always been kind of like exposed to kind of political stuff. My family was kind of really hyper, like religious, and things like that, like my mother and father were like Pentecostal, and that’s kind of like what I grew up in. It was kind of a rowdy version, and no offense to anyone, I guess a very rowdy version of religion to me, and that’s since been stuff that I’ve kind of went away from, and things like that, but like I guess really in a roundabout way, I’ve always really liked using like really bright colors and stuff, and I like it looking playful and things like that, even if the subject matter maybe is kind of serious, I like kind of handling stuff, whatever. Even at this point, kind of questioning religion, questioning government, questioning kind of stuff like that, but still trying to keep a bright, like playful look about it. It’s something that I’ve kind of taken pride in that, like kids can kind of really enjoy, even if they don’t read into, like, what’s maybe the paintings even about, or things like that. I guess just pop art is really it, and it is interesting. I’ve often, I kind of, I’ve been mixed up, mixed up in a rough crowd of the graffiti artists, and the thing is, I actually don’t do graffiti, and just like work resembles it, it, I have been heavily influenced, I love the way, like, yeah, graffiti art, street art, like, is presented kind of painty, collage type mixtures of figuring out how you want to tell the story of what you’re painting. I honestly started with watercolors, and basically what I figured out was I couldn’t get them as bright as I wanted them, so that was really the goal. I just kept trying to find what paint could be the brightest, and spray paint and stuff like that started in fasting as itches.

Rodney Veal  08:12
You know, the funny thing is, okay, so yesterday I did a – I led a panel discussion with a group of artists at Dana Wiley Gallery, and they talked, and this painter’s – she’s done these like these what you would consider to be typical like still lifes of flowers, but man, she went in really close, and they’re big and bright. I mean, the colors, like, and she’s.. I

Bil Tipton  08:37
saw them, and they’re great,

Rodney Veal  08:39
I know, and she was.. and she talked about, she said, I just had to figure out the best way to get the brightest color possible, and it’s like, and I’m like, like, and we all, they’re all like, it’s all about problem solving, because you know, you have to kind of start with something, and like that didn’t really kind of do what it needed to do, and I respond to color, if you, I respond to art behind me, lots of color. I believe in that bang, right? And so you got to kind of, kind of figure it out, like someday, you know? I started off, like, yeah, some people now, I’m like, bring it on, give me color, give me pattern. I’m like, why would you be subtle? So, so it’s really interesting, you talk about that, people think that you do graffiti art and street art, but it really, it’s, it’s the style of it, but not, but it’s like I’m just kind of curious about that, like how people think, oh, because you use a spray can, like

Bil Tipton  09:38
I, I’ve had interviews similar to this, and that’s where basically they’ve asked me questions about like street culture and things like that, and essentially I don’t know if I’m tough enough for all that. I think I’m just a little artsy guy in the street.

Rodney Veal  09:56
Yeah, I know, yeah, that’s a thing that’s real, that’s real, you’ve. And I know, so I mean, so it’s like, so like this whole like idea of these images being bright and colorful and layered, like you just kind of kind of went from the watercolors. How did you go from watercolor to aerostyle cans, or was there like anything in between, like did you try the two paint out of the tube, you know, that you know the typical squeeze it out palette, you know, you know, which I don’t mind, but sometimes I can’t get the colors bright enough.

Bil Tipton  10:33
I’ve got a pile of paint right here that used to be out tubes, so I mean it’s a little bit like now I can’t use a bit of everything, I guess. Maybe that was kind of along the way. I was learning what I could do. I mean, I guess maybe where I can.. a funny and maybe shocking story about the beginning of me doing art is I went to St. Clair Community College as well, so I was going to take graphic design, or I did. I took it for about a year, and funny enough, at the time Photoshop wasn’t new, new, but pretty new to me. And quite frankly, Photoshop messed me up and made me drop up and drop out of college. I was absolutely shook by it. I couldn’t figure it out at the time, and I just think some of that, and I don’t always think it’s true, but the separation of me not being classically trained and doing some of my research and doing some crash course trying to figure out stuff along the way has actually kind of helped me be able to figure out what I can and can’t do, because like basically I was just reading books about how to do some of the things, but I don’t know if I knew all the rules, like basically I was even mixing stuff at first that like a hole, that alcohol eight doesn’t work with this paint, like, duh, or whatever. I figured out, like, odds and ends combinations that kind of worked for me to give me, like, the visuals that I wanted. A lot of the watercolor I was doing, I would try to make, like, bolder, I was doing like black outline kind of stuff, like I would do a big picture and kind of do like a hard black outline over what I was making, and I suppose like in the beginning that was really my press was just to get like a very powerful, like a very like you said, just the bright colors I like contrasts, and I was just trying to figure out what I could mash together, and sometimes that didn’t work in the beginning, but like I’ve kind of figured out a formula now of like almost all my pieces are made kind of with the same like processy situation just different subject matter.

Rodney Veal  13:05
I love that. Well, the thing is that you, you’re, you’re in the tradition, I think a lot of times, and you know, I’ll probably get like slapped around for saying this. I don’t think it’s necessary. I’m worried, yeah, I don’t think it’s necessarily about getting a degree, I think it’s about your intentions, it’s your work ethic. It’s like the fact that you said you said it, do research, that’s all school teaches you, research the materials, read, read,

Bil Tipton  13:33
yeah,

Rodney Veal  13:34
right, read, read, read. And so it’s like I’m like, what, like you did it on your own, you don’t need someone to tell you that, and so it’s, it’s really fascinating to me that how we, as a tendency, as artists and art makers, kind of tell ourselves we don’t, we’re not good enough because we didn’t do the formalized training, like why, why are we doing this to ourselves, why, why is the, yeah,

Bil Tipton  14:02
I definitely have nothing against it, and truly have a lot of respect for people who are like, whatever, classically trained, and everything, but I guess that that was it at the time in my life. What worked best for me is I, I would pick apart certain things, and I guess just the majority of what I’ve done is just traveling and soaking everything up. I just love looking at as much art, consuming, I guess, as much art. It seems like I have to consume like this much art to make this much art all the time. I feel like I’m picking and choosing little things. From, I guess, not to be too cliche, there’s a book I read called How to Steal Like an Artist, and, like, I kind of believe by it a lot. Like, I think that that’s how I’ve learned a lot of what I have is truly describing. A little something here, a little something there, and keep like adding them together to where, like, I’m able to create what I was looking for, not necessarily trying to recreate their art, but stealing little pieces of how they did something,

Rodney Veal  15:16
you know, the thing is, and that was, that’s that is truly the story of every great artist doing their thing, which we don’t talk about. It’s like, you know, because that, that, that book is a great book, by the way. And anybody who’s out there, you need to read it. You need to kind of trust your gut to try things and fail at it, like you, like it’s like you talk about some materials don’t mix, there’s this, you won’t know until you try it, and you go, well, that didn’t work, and but it’s, but you know that you’ll try something else, like you just write it in your journal, you know, you write down, dear journal, those, these two materials didn’t fail, and you will never do that again, you know, and then you will figure out that, like, let me try this with this, you know, like, well, maybe it’s a different kind of material, and, and that’s okay, and I think we don’t talk enough about the trial and error and the failure, and so you seem to be not afraid to just try it, let’s see what happens, and then kind of go, and like, and I’m kind of curious, is that just always been in your nature to be like pretty fearless in that regard,

Bil Tipton  16:21
the only time I’ve had, well, maybe I’m being a little too broad, but the only time I’ve ever had, like, regrets is if I have sat on an idea and dwelled on it, or whatever, and I just don’t figure it out. I don’t know. Sometimes I just think what’s really worked for me along the way is working and like trying things over and over, like you just kind of have like work basically begets work, or like learning begets more learning, you just, you must learn that next thing, and I know not necessarily, it’s not always that you want to learn things the hard way, but no, no, I think that’s really what truly what’s worked along the way for me. Maybe, whether you’d want to call it frustration or learning, or whatever, like I’d try something, and I know I’m just going to have to try something else to fix it to be able to get my project done, so like, again, it’s kind of checking off boxes of, you know, what does work and what doesn’t, without having the classroom of the teacher telling you already that no doubt that wasn’t going to work,

Rodney Veal  17:40
because you know, and that’s a, and that was one of the conversations that the artist Aaron, who did the, no, Denise, Denise, who did the large scale floor prints at Dana Wiley’s, she said she would literally have to see, she was doing this gesture, I had to tell my head, my brain to push away the conversations of my professors, like you’re getting in the way, you’re getting away, getting away, getting out of here. I’m looking at her going, thank you for giving me that visual and that idea, because it’s like you’re, you’re just, you’re saying exactly what you like, you just can’t let stuff get in the way of like the creative process, and, and, and it’s like those things, thoughts, like, we, you know, we have these thoughts that sometimes just stop us from, you know, getting the work out. Do you know, I’m saying, so I just kind of

Bil Tipton  18:34
trying to over figure something out, like, instead of just, like, I just think there’s so much power, especially out now with digital stuff, or whatever. I mean, that works for everything, but just like something about being able to like actually try it with my hands has helped me so very much. I suppose that’s just how I learn, and how I’m also inspired. Like, what I used to find is really frustrating, like what you would call like a failure, or whatever, like something not working out. Really being able to embrace that as a learning process has helped me an awful lot along the way. It’s not really a failure unless you just keep trying something silly over and over, and don’t learn from it. I mean, I think the big part of it is just continually like going, like you have to just keep trying stuff, and a few things stick and a bunch of things don’t, but it’s kind of nice to figure that out,

Rodney Veal  19:40
and so in that, in that process, and you, because you’re at what I, and I described you at the very beginning as being very entrepreneurial, and I do believe that, I really do, I genuinely do believe, like it’s like I love that about you, and because it’s not an entrepreneurial. Like it’s not an in a negative, it’s a positive, because it’s entrepreneurial, is about risk taking, is about taking a chance, it’s, you know, it’s not like, you know, it’s like, you know what, let me try it, and so one of the things that was really interesting, when, like, because it was one, it was a couple of, it’s future is now, like with Kimian Huggins, who we’ve had on the podcast

Bil Tipton  20:21
super fun,

Rodney Veal  20:22
super fun. I walked in, so like describe this experience, the futures futures now experience, because I can describe it from it’s you describe it because you participated in it. So describe it, I mean from your perspective, because it’s just fascinating.

Bil Tipton  20:44
Well, it’s like walking into a rave party and being expected to pay. Truly, one of my favorite experiences I’ve had there. I’ll be 100% honest, that was really out of my comfort zone. Truly live painting style situations, I mean, maybe even that goes back to like the graffiti and type stuff. Honestly, until somewhat recently, painting and creating in front of people, like with an audience of any sort, was kind of like, yikes, like that was intense to me, but well, Kim, you’ve events in particular, I think he’s done such a great job of getting to know the community, he does, I guess it’s something that I also take pride in doing the research and putting care back into the community, I think, is such a powerful thing, like it ends up being such a cyclical situation, because I know it helps him out too, but also he’s uplifting every artist there. I’ve got a real soft spot in my heart, basically, for that sort of collaboration in an event, I think, or any art creating situation, I think. Those are the ones where your awesome artists are going to be like put on the spot, and they’re going to like push themselves to make something amazing. You’re in a situation where you’re going to be able to learn things, and it’s kind of funny. I realized each artist kind of almost downplayed themselves. They’re like, oh, this isn’t a big deal, because each of us were doing and I each other, and it’s just funny what you become accustomed to being normal, maybe this, like this is what you’ve been working on so much, but like being able to see each other is like that, and again, I guess it ends up, I’m sorry that I’m being so open about this part, that anytime I’m looking at your art, I’m looking for something to steal out of it. I’m trying to learn something, and I want to snatch something from it. I think that’s where I find good art, is it? Could even be something little, or whatever, but that’s always truly what’s going on, I think. And I hope that that would be happening the other way around as well, and I think that’s like, was what was most exciting about his situation. I will say that I didn’t know I was live streamed the whole time, so I’m happy I acted somewhat organically, because they, I was told I was somewhat amusing in that recording, because I’m sitting on the ground, scratching my head, whatever, messing around with my paint brushes, but yeah, none in particular, isn’t it very, that’s like right up my alley. I love artists being pulled together to work on projects together, and for me it gets me out of my comfort zone in such a positive way,

Rodney Veal  24:04
and, and folks, and I think the recordings are still online, like they’re archived, so you can go back, you can go and watch it, and it was what was really interesting, because I went live, like I went, it was this is this was done at the Dayton Society of Artists, and I walk in, and it like you described it perfectly, your elevator speech was perfect. It’s a rave where you ask people to make art. It was like, and then it was, but it was kind of like a community gathering, like people were eating food, having drinks, and connecting, engaging, and watching the artists, and listening to the music, and they’re going back and forth in the room. There was art hanging on the walls. It was, it was just this, just really great creative vibe, and it was like, and you were scratching your a lot, and you’re like, you’re like, oh, I don’t know if this is well, because you want, you’re committing to making this piece in front of everyone, and you just got to keep going, and it was like, but it was, it was a fun piece. Was like, I appreciated how I could tell it was your style of painting, and, but you had done something a little different because of the environment, and so I’m kind of curious. I said, we’ll be talking soon, so I get to ask that question, like, what changed? Well, like, what changed about your style of art making, because I saw a difference, so I’ve seen your work, I know I’m like ride like hang out all the time, and that’s all I do is look at art like

Bil Tipton  25:30
this situation, I wanted to like I wanted to, not like, well, I guess that is the right word, I kind of wanted to showcase, like you said, like how I create art, like how I actually do, but it was interesting to.. I wanted to break it up, because usually I mean, I don’t mean being kind of way, such a slow worker on my art, really.

Rodney Veal  25:56
That’s okay. No, I do is

Bil Tipton  25:58
it’s several projects all at once, just doing a little bit on each one, and then eventually there’s a whole bundle of stuff that I’m done, and then

Rodney Veal  26:09
every artist does that. I hope you’re in good company, trust me. You know, before

Bil Tipton  26:16
I realized that, though, I was killing so much time, I was really hung up on, I would be hung up on single pieces and stuff, or think of jumping around from art to art as a bad thing, and realizing that in the end it really like kind of helped me being able to, yeah, just get stuck on one art project and jump to another, but then you still got that one to jump back to, it’s been a big one for me in a creative way, and actually being able to monetize the work as well. Truly,

Rodney Veal  26:49
absolutely. So, you are in good though. That wasn’t

Bil Tipton  26:51
such a clear one to me at the beginning. That was maybe one was a little harder learned than it should have been.

Rodney Veal  26:58
And I’m here to tell you, they teach none of this in art school. You don’t say.

Bil Tipton  27:04
I missed that day.

Promo  27:06
I’m Bonnie Miles, membership coordinator of CET. Thank you for listening to Rodney Vales. Inspired by this podcast is a production of CET and Think TV, two local PBS stations. As PBS stations, the work we do online, on air, and in the community is supported by listeners like you. If you’re enjoying the show and would like to support our work, please consider becoming a member at CET connect.org or Think tv.org Plus, when you sign up to donate at least $5 a month, you’ll get access to special members-only streaming videos on the PBS app through Passport, learn more@cetconnect.org or think tv.org

Mike Shea  27:47
If you’re enjoying this conversation, the art show, also hosted by Rodney Veale, is available to stream anytime from anywhere on YouTube or the PBS app,

Rodney Veal  27:55
and that’s the other part of, like, you being a part of this arts community and coming in with this, this exuberant spirit is that you know it’s it’s a learning process, and I was kind of curious, because I don’t know, did you get to see the exhibit at the contemporary when with Jason Revoke and Paul Verdell and Jamaica Richardson Richards Edmonds, Edmonds Richards, Jamaya, don’t kill me if I screwed up your last name, but Jason was,

Bil Tipton  28:28
yeah,

Rodney Veal  28:28
yeah, Jason was fascinating with the word,

Bil Tipton  28:32
absolutely mind-blowing artist, the scale alone on those pieces, and his art are so cool to me, I mean, it’s a really side note. I after they just packed that show up, and I really enjoyed peeking in the windows and seeing everything even boxed up. I don’t know something about I just loved seeing that show go in and out and everything, and them having the talks with him and Mike Giant and things like that throughout it being up that was a really cool experience and Jason’s such a cool artist and clever person, just jeez,

Rodney Veal  29:13
yeah, no, well, I, you know what I loved about that exhibition and his work, like you said, about scale is a fact that his, because I interviewed him in that interview, is going to go for the art show next season, and I’m going to the transcripts, his nervousness about not having the formalized training, and I’m like, dude, like, you’re making art at that scale that looks that frickin’ amazing. Why, why are you afraid? Like, why are you afraid that you’re, you don’t feel legit? Like, you’re totally legit. This is legit art. You are, you’re in it. It doesn’t matter how. You got there, you are here, and I just kind of was kind of curious, what yours was, because it was those pieces were banging. I just, I, there was something, it was intriguing, it was a, it was, it was a freshness to it, it was, it was multi-layered as a thought process, creative, there was just so many layers to it, it’s like, and I attribute Heather Jones as a curator for giving us,

Bil Tipton  30:27
she’s outstanding, I love, I’ve got also, so that’s something that’s really grown on me as the curating end of things, that’s something that I absolutely never would have anticipated, and I think she makes it look so cool. I think, like, curating shows and things like that is an art of its own, and having that vision is so cool. Like, I guess my growth, or my respect for a curating position, and my love for, and even like aspiration for being a curator is like such a special thing, like I said, the whole like bringing people together, like kind of, and I don’t want to come out and, whatever, picking and choosing art to create something bigger, I think, is such a rad, maybe not under appreciated, maybe I’m just saying that because I’m not, it

Rodney Veal  31:29
hasn’t

Bil Tipton  31:30
been a part of that in the scene, but that’s something now when I go to art shows, like I make sure I check out who actually put the show together, and because I think that’s such a big part of the whole situation, all the way down to what you’re talking about, because I don’t know if the very, like, I guess that’s what, like, I don’t know if I have, like, a tunnel vision, like, I’ve only experienced what I’ve experienced, and I used to think, like, there was kind of a not a gatekeeping, but I thought it would be really, really hard for an artist who doesn’t have all the formal training to sneak their foot in there, like it’s in fact why I started curating my own shows to kind of get things rolling, so of course there was a spot for me,

Rodney Veal  32:19
that’s where the entrepreneur, yes, every person does that. Trust me, dude, trust me, everyone has done that. It’s like, yes, yes, you are. Yeah,

Bil Tipton  32:34
that’s really what’s got me to where I am, is I’ve been making it look like I’m including other artists, but I’m just really writing some coattails of the local artists here, and I’m so happy to be a part of

Rodney Veal  32:48
it, but you’re, but you’re, but you’re not writing the coattails, you’re producing work that is intriguing. There’s a good friend of mine, Emily Stamos, a shout out to Emily. When I said I was doing this this interview with you. She said, I love Bill’s work, it’s fresh, and she’s coming from a completely.. she’s not coming from the art world, she’s coming from the business world and graphic design world of marketing, and she’s.. she knows art and she knows what she likes, and she said, oh no, Bill’s exuberant art has got, he’s, he’s intriguing me, and I’m like, "Wow, because he’s not a shy person, like, she’s, yeah. So you got fan club out there, Bill? You

Bil Tipton  33:31
gotta warn me of these, I’m being swooned here. I didn’t begin,

Rodney Veal  33:37
it’s high praise indeed. Well, she was as well earned, and so don’t, yeah, like that. So that’s why you think of, like, you know, like curating. Is it? I honestly, I was terrified the first time I ever curated. I was like, I’m not a curator, and I did it, and I was like, I like this, this is fun. It was like, because it’s, it’s a, you know that first it’s something about it being surrounded by these other voices and that their work and then you insert your work into it and you kind of figure out like what and like you

Bil Tipton  34:14
like directing directing an orchestra or something it’s just I’ve got so much love for that end of things right now. Yeah, you’re you, just get to pick and choose, and like beyond, kind of beyond that. I think that’s some of the biggest, the biggest, the biggest learning that I’ve done along the way is I I’m trying to think how to say it, like kind of picking and choosing artists, and it’s not always exactly the art that’s in front of you that I have even picked, it’s like the process of each of the artists, like I’ve been watching their journey or whatever, like that, and that’s kind. What I love, like maybe even, and maybe nobody who’s shown art with me. I hope this doesn’t hurt your feelings, like maybe even at the show that I do, like the pieces that you show weren’t even my favorite, but it’s like a, it’s a part of your process that I want to show, like that’s more it, like I like picking my artists and things like that, because of where they are in their creative, like what they’re figuring out there, and things like that. If that makes any sense outside of my head.

Rodney Veal  35:30
No, it totally makes sense out of your.. it totally does. It’s just.. it’s not a.. it’s as you continue to do what you do, you know you’re just gonna just keep discovering, like, oh, and the conversations with with folks who are in their part of the art world and doing it that you respect and admire, and you’re looking at who’s curating, they’re gonna say exactly the same thing, dude. I’m telling you, it’s like it’s funny, and that’s because I’m privy to these conversations, and it’s like, wow, it’s like Bill, you’re saying exactly the same thing they’re saying, so yeah, dude, jump in, water’s fine, yeah, I mean, it really

Bil Tipton  36:10
has been, it’s been a nice experience, and that’s been a truly welcoming experience locally, and it is nice to hear, especially like you said, something extra about that, knowing like somebody through marketing and graphic design kind of stuff also has respect, because it’s been a, you know, it’s a funny game to play. My, in fact, well, my ex-wife, she teaches marketing and things like that, so kind of like along the way of me learning my art and things like that,

Rodney Veal  36:43
yeah,

Bil Tipton  36:44
she was dropping bugs in there, you know, of how to make things more sellable and things like that, and that’s been a funny process to learn some of that as well, and that’s neat to hear that, like it’s recognized that, like, the graphic end of things I I feel like I got a little babbly here, but it’s been an interesting balance to try to learn. There was like a moment in time where I was trying to make art pieces almost strictly to sell, like at first I was kind of worried about trying to sell like a bunch of little pieces, or whatever, like that. I was actually worried about the monetary, like it was. That’s where I was trying to make my money, and it was an interesting learning experience, and maybe even a chunk of what, like, made my like pop arty kind of thing. Like, I had to clean some stuff up to where I thought it would go in more people’s houses and things like that, and it kind of gets mixed up as a part of the final product of maybe what was a chaotic idea of mine, but then I tweak a few things to make it what I think would look good in a house or business or something like that.

Rodney Veal  38:00
I love the fact that you, you know, you, this is that business, and like, you know, it, you’re making a living at this, you know, this is, you know, this is supporting sustaining, because it’s, it supports and sustains the next iteration of the ideas, and then, so, yeah, and so, do you think it’s kind of changed for you in the sense of where you’re at now, that it’s like I don’t want to say the word emboldened, but just embolden, you say, you know what, let me, let’s, let’s, let’s, let’s go a little bit further out on the edge of the plank, so to speak, I mean scale, I mean, I’m kind of curious about you and doing work at scale, like for me personally, like

Bil Tipton  38:51
you mean size or quantity. I mean,

Rodney Veal  38:54
it’s big in size. I’m just like, I’m kind of curious, because, because there’s such an exuberance to the work I’m just, you know, just addressing to

Bil Tipton  39:03
me that boldness that does come, and you almost don’t recognize it, because, like, what I used to be, maybe afraid to do, or, like, I guess that’s where I think, like, artists start making their weird art, because I think almost you have to be accepted by the community, and then you can start pushing some, like, odds and ends, and whatever, doing that live painting stuff like that. That’s that wouldn’t have been something maybe I would have presented as a finished product before the scale. I guess just comes with confidence. It is like an acceptance, I guess. There was something there, I needed a little positive feedback before I was so bold to do some of that, trying to stretch things out,

Rodney Veal  39:48
and it’s like, what did these, like, what’s about scale, like, like, like the, like, this is embolden you, because you’re, you’re like, you know, I see. You, as a risk-taking artist, and I love that, and so I’m just kind of curious, like, what you want to go a little further off the edge of the plank, because it’s like, you know, the art, the art’s fun on the edge, that’s what I’m saying, you’re having fun on the edge, and I like it, and a lot of people like it, so

Bil Tipton  40:19
my most recent, like, what I can think of here is like it’s not exactly that, but like I had a realization about a month ago, in fact, we talked about DSA being involved with DSA locally has been like a huge kind of a huge feel to me, I think I’ve given them some good whatever, and vice versa, DSA basically put me in the Dayton Metro Library. They had a show a month ago, and it was a kind of funny feeling that I wasn’t super reactive to it. It felt right when I think, like, a year ago, even it would have blew my mind. I would have been like, whoa, like, holy cow, and it’s almost something like that, that, like, it’s not necessarily I feel like I’m being dangerous or anything, but the more each little step is accepted, you kind of just have to push a little farther, I think, to learn something, or, and I don’t mean to just make everything about me, but rarely am I actually making art for other people. It’s all kind of like a learning process. I just want to see what’ll happen if I do this, like if I show this or present this this way, maybe even if I’m trying to kind of poke the bear and like, like, push the norm that has become a much more comfortable spot for me along the way. It doesn’t, maybe not necessarily scale, but seeing what I can get away with and what I can learn from each project along the way, and I think that inherently gets like a little more, and a little more, and I think that’s maybe when, like, your big, big artists, you see, like, do like their weirdest stuff or something, because, like, they’re not necessarily having, like, you don’t have to cater to the audience anymore, people are looking for what you’re doing, like, they want to see what that next little push is, is kind of the best way I can explain the feeling that I’m getting from that question. Sorry for stammering is

Rodney Veal  42:28
a good, that’s a good, that’s a good feeling. I’m like, yeah, it’s like, yeah,

Bil Tipton  42:33
yeah, I think that’s that’s really what I’ve experienced more, and that’s taught me a lot, that, and I do think having some sort of a local presence has helped me, maybe with the word you’re like emboldened to risk that, or I feel like if it doesn’t work out, I’ve shown enough of my work that you know that I can still like snap out of that if I do something that just doesn’t make sense, or whatever, but it’s all always such a part of just learning, and I hate that I’m using our community just for my own entertainment, but that’s kind of it, like that’s I just want to see what might hit right, or you just kind of got to put out a different, or a little bigger, or a little weirder, or and see how that might be bid onto.

Rodney Veal  43:34
People are very hungry for authenticity and creativity, the authentic voice, the artist who’s do marching to the beat of their own drummer, and you’re definitely marching to the beat of your own drummer, and it’s lovely. It’s a, you got a good band, bring the band back, the band’s good, the band’s good, and so, yeah, and I think that that’s in that’s true of you and a lot of other artists in that I consider who are in this kind of breakout phase right now, right. It’s like, to it’s exciting, and it should be exciting, and it should be allowing for the risk taking and allowing for the experiment, allowing for the weird art, because it’s like, and I think a lot of, I think artists now, like I was having a conversation with Heather yesterday, Heather Jones at the Contemporary, and it’s like I said, Heather, I feel like right now is this really strange time of artists have done things that have definitely surprised me, and I think it surprised the community, and the community’s there for it. The surprises, their work is different. Your work is different, and it’s like I need, it’s like I need, I need, I need that, I. Want safe anymore. I don’t need any more safe art. I, yeah, clocks a ticking. I’m on the back end of the roller coaster of life. I’m like, I need, I need the adrenaline rush, I need the what the hell I need. I literally need to sometimes say that when I see some work and I’ve done that, yeah. And I, and I’m astounded, and so I kind of feel like you want that, and I kind of feel like the community wants it, so yeah,

Bil Tipton  45:27
I think you need to put out there like what you want. I think safe is not going to necessarily work anymore. I don’t know, like what you want to point your finger at, or whatever, AI, and everything going on, and stuff like that. I think people being bold and creating something and putting it out there, I think, is really important right now, and trying, or if you are, I think you just are going to have to push that and not like not be yourself, the genuine authenticity kind of thing. I think is so important, and I guess that’s some of like what like even goes back to some of like the schooling and stuff like that. I’m afraid a lot of artists are basically like faking or trying to be something they think is expected, or something like that, and so often that turns into just looking like a kind of cookie cutter situation, and I’m not, I’m not throwing any shade or whatever towards doing their work, I just think now is the time where you kind of got to be bold and you got to work out these ideas, and I think the more of it that can be worked out in front of your community and other artists and things like that, the more important it’s going to be. It’s like open conversations, I think, is really just key, because I think everybody’s just afraid to ask questions or like look foolish in front of people or something like that, and I’ll be honest, and I’m not even like trying to talk mean about myself. I think my dopey ignorance on some of this walking into situations has been, and it sounds funny saying it about myself, but I think it’s been a breath of fresh air to some people, not necessarily just trying to keep up with the conversation, but maybe say something a little different or new, even if it doesn’t line up with the other person’s ideas, things like that,

Rodney Veal  47:40
and I love, I love the way you describe that, because you know, because the thing is, it’s not self, you’re not putting yourself down, you’re, you’re exactly right, because I, I’m my vantage point, I’m lucky I’m at this vantage point of where I see a lot, I see so much, I mean, I, I drove all the way from sitting down to Cincinnati to go see a performance at Cincinnati Fringe Festival, and drove back and got home at midnight. Did the, I did the, did the eye drops, went to bed, woke up like that’s what you do. I mean, I see it, I love this about what I do. And so that is, that is my observation as well, that people are like, yeah, yeah, come on, you know, you, you’re doing the thing that this, it’s not you’re doing the thing, I’m not playing it safe, and it’s coming across, and it’s a different voice, and I like it, and I think people like it, so that’s the reason why I’m like, well, I gotta have this guy on my podcast, I’m sorry, I need to talk to him about creativity and things like that, and I’m glad I had you on the podcast. So, yeah,

Bil Tipton  48:46
I’m so glad to be here. And it really is, again, not trying to be selfish about it. It’s just another part of, like, the learning process, and kind of this wild ride of trying different and trying everything, you have an opportunity to be a part of, and well, anything that gets you closer to what you want, and that’s big, even what she said, and I’m not trying to like yield anybody or anything like that. I think it’s such a big deal going out and consuming the art, though, like there’s. I know, there’s, I’m very anti-capitalism kind of stuff, but, like, I think it’s a big deal to go out there and witness the other art that’s going on, and I don’t know if it’s exactly karma or whatever, probably, maybe something more than that, but I think feeding into the art community like that is such a healthy thing, also to fuel your own art and show other artists that, like, things are moving and people are showing up for things, that’s quite a big deal, I think, to me,

Rodney Veal  49:58
and that is. Like people

Bil Tipton  50:00
like you, it’s a huge deal, giving platforms to people like me and all the other artists.

Rodney Veal  50:08
It goes, it’s in service of something bigger than you and I. It’s always in service of something bigger than you and I. And, yeah, and I totally get it. So, and that’s why I love to have this conversation, so Bill, thank you for being a part of this. I hope folks, you see Bill Tips, his name, if he curates something, you see his art, go check it out, have these conversations and this dialog, because it is rich, and I think you are in your way, changing and expanding the envelope of what’s possible in our community, and I thank you for that. So, thanks for being on the podcast, man.

Bil Tipton  50:48
I appreciate your man so very much, Rodney. It means a lot.

Rodney Veal  50:52
Absolutely, my pleasure.