Charlie Goering

BIO

Goering received his BFA from the Laguna College of Art and Design in Laguna Beach California in 2016. While in school he studied abroad in Florence Italy at the Florence Academy of Art. Goering was the recipient of an Elizabeth Greenshields Grant in 2017 as well as the artist in residence at Manifest Gallery in Cincinnati, OH the same year. He has exhibited in the US, UK, and China. Goering was most recently included in the group show, Witch, Cub and Dream Hunter at Brownie Project in Shanghai in 2020 and A Vase is A Vase is A Vase at Deanna Evans Project in New York in 2021.

ARTIST STATEMENT

A blend of formalism, realism, abstraction, and improvisation, Goering’s complete body of work, which includes collage as well, denies categorization. Each work grows out of the previous and into the next. The subject of the work utilizes the everyday object as a way to be self-perpetuating by sustaining on what is in his immediate vicinity and draws attention to that which may have little significance. Goering focuses in on the resonance between these objects, the unspoken relationships or space between things, no matter how strange the pairing. Drawing confounding parallels between objects brings attention to their form. This process of uncovering, allows him to look past expected still life modes.

Interview with Charlie Goering

Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you became interested in becoming an artist? Who or what were some of your most important early influences?

I started taking art lessons with a local artist around the age of 11. Walking into his studio for my first lesson I knew that I wanted to be an artist. The first painting I ever did was a William Blake copy, that I still have hanging in my studio.

Where are you currently based and what initially attracted you to working in this place? Are there any aspects of this specific location or community that have inspired aspects of your work?

I am currently based in Cincinnati, Ohio. It’s just across the river from where I grew up in Kentucky. I’ve lived many different places throughout school and my early career including California, Spain, and New York. I met my wife here in late 2017 and we lived in a few of those different places, but we landed back in Cincinnati for now because of the low cost of living, and the community of friends and fellow artists that are here.

Can you describe your studio space? What are some of the most crucial aspects of a studio that make it functional? Do any of these specific aspects directly affect your work?

My studio is on the second floor of our apartment and the main draw for me was the north facing light source. My still life’s are all painted from life and this provides me consistent unchanging light in the daytime year round. 


What is a typical day like? If you don't have a typical day, what is an ideal day?

My typical day consists of waking up, eating breakfast, and heading up to the studio to answer emails. I usually start painting around 11 o’clock and paint until the sun goes down. I try my best to treat my studio practice with the same respect as a full-time job. I learned from my father who is a guitarist, the importance of working everyday on your craft. He would practice every morning before work and gig in the evenings, and still does to this day.


What gets you in a creative mindset?

Whenever I am stuck and can’t find my way, I find a lot of solace in the reproductions in books. I like to stay busy by doing collages when I have a block as well. I consider this practice akin to drawing. Making them keeps me oriented in the right direction and helps me to generate new ideas.


What criteria do you follow for selecting materials? How long have you worked with this particular media or method?

I have been working in the still life and the collage genres for almost three years now. Most of the materials (aside from paint, canvas etc.) come from reuse stores, and old book stores in the area. I very carefully select object I want I paint based on how they resonate with me. Some objects just draw me in and I cannot ignore their power.

Can you walk us through your overall process? How long has this approach been a part of your practice?

As I previously mentioned, my still life’s are all painted from life under natural light. Most “situations” are set up based on how the objects speak to one another. The objects end up becoming stand-ins for figures in a tableau. Sometimes the relationships are resonate, sometimes they are dissonant. Whatever tensions occur, if they strike me I paint them. I do small rough pen drawings in my sketchbook and I also comps on my iPad to test out the surrounding fields of color and other decorative elements that complete the “situation” in the painting. I have worked this way since I stated making still life’s in 2019.

Can you talk about some of the ongoing interests, imagery, and concepts that have informed your process and body of work over time? How do you anticipate your work progressing in the future?

There have been a few objects that have held my attention lately. Those are the bell, the arm, the knife, the chain, and the candle. These few objects are very loaded for me at the moment. I’m never really sure what things “mean” going into a still life but its important that together the things depicted create new meanings. It’s very intentional on my part that the things I paint are not meant to be read for their function but their form.

I see my life making art as a continuous endeavor. A constant search, a way to express a life lived. So, I do my best to facilitate a way of working that encourages art made in a way in which it can feed off itself to propel towards future work. Jasper Johns is quoted as saying, “Take an object. Do something to it. Do something else to it.

Do you pursue any collaborations, projects, or careers in addition to your studio practice? If so, can you tell us more about those projects, and are there connections between your studio practice and these endeavors?

I am hoping to release a print this year with a local print maker. This would be my first time making a print, and I am very excited to learn a new process.


As a result of the pandemic, many artists have experienced limited access to their studios or loss of exhibitions, income, or other opportunities. Has your way of working (or not working) shifted significantly during this time? Are there unexpected insights or particular challenges you’ve experienced?

I think that one of the most positive things to come out the pandemic is the rise in the use of Instagram as a way for artists, gallerists, collectors, and dealers to connect directly. This has been very impactful for me especially during the pandemic and especially since I do not live in a major city.


Can you share some of your recent influences? Are there specific works—from visual art, literature, film, or music—that are important to you?

Morandi, Jess, Jasper Johns, Victor Man, Piero della Francesca, Rosie Lee Tompkins, Albers, Forrest Bess, Ray Johnson, David Byrd, Victor Pesce.


Who are some contemporary artists you’re excited about? What are the best exhibitions you’ve seen in recent memory and why do they stand out?


I haven’t seen work in person in quite some time. The last show of recent memory was the Hilma Af Klint show at the Guggenheim. That show really blew me away!

I very much enjoy the work of Victor Man, Chris Peckham, Evan Halter, Katy Cowan, Kyle Staver, Holly Coulis, Scott Laufer, Michael Rey, Lesley Jackson, Dylan Vandenhoeck, Sean Steadman, Van Hanos, Kent O’Connor, Kevin McNamee-Tweed, and NH Depass.

What are you working on in the studio right now? What’s coming up next for you?

I have a group show coming up this November and a small show of my collage work as well in August. I should be posting more details about that in the coming months on my Instagram.

To find out more about Charlie Goering check out his Instagram and website.