Small Spaces: 5 Questions with Aaron Bumgarner

Zach and I have been brainstorming about how we can help make the Small Spaces project more accessible to the public. For Zach, part of the idea of accessibility is to have as wide a range of art as possible, so that no matter what your taste is, you will still be able to find something that you can connect with. He is also working with Pete Brown to put together an interactive app that you can use to help navigate and provide information on the various pieces around town. As for me ... well, I'm an art historian by training, so I am drawn to contexts. I like knowing the significance of each individual piece, and I love knowing about the artist as well. I thought it would be fun to have Small Spaces artists share a little bit about themselves and a morsel of their views of (street) art. To that end, I came up with "5 Questions," a short and simple questionnaire I handed out to the artists who participated in last week's pop up show.

After yesterday's slightly poignant post and all the nasty flak we were receiving over the "zombie" mural, I decided that I would kick off our "5 Questions" series with local artist Aaron Bumgarner. Aaron makes the happiest, most uplifting art I know and this feels like the perfect time and day to share something much more positive!

For Small Spaces, Aaron has painted a couple of wall pieces,

@ Lafayette Printing

@T-Bird Engineering, a collaboration with Cathryn English. Watch a performance of this piece here.

@ Haywood Printing Company

@ N. 6th Street

yarn bombed,

@Haywood Printing Company

@ Haywood Printing Company

and hung a ton of handmade signs around town.

Instagram photos via @aaronbum25

Zach and I spotted this one yesterday and it warmed my heart.

Here are Aaron's answers to my five questions.

Please also check out the work Aaron is doing for Tiny Places, a West Lafayette public arts project. Here are some of his completed pieces.

Instagram photos via @aaronbum25