Groovy Women and Happy Dogs Populate My Triennial Application!

I sent in my application to the Madison Museum Of Contemporary Art Wisconsin Triennial last week.

This is the third time I have applied. Awesome.

I was rejected the first two times. That sucked.

I did get a nice letter each time, though, saying the competition that year was tough.

Is that supposed to make me feel better? It didn’t.

The Triennial reflects the current direction in the Wisconsin visual arts scene.

Is gunpowder a direction? When it explodes it is.

I researched the winners from the past two events. Nearly all of the painters have MFA’s. That is cool. That’s a sign of work, experience, and accomplishment.

That said, most of the photography winners do not have art degree’s. Why is that?

Is photography easier? I sure don’t think so.

I have a Masters Degree too! But mine is in Business. I think somehow there is art in that.

See, I’m a self taught artist and still learning. A bit over 20 years now. Gunpowder for the past 10.

I am not a whiner though! I love to compete. I am certain I will make the cut this year.

Since my last application, my art has continued to evolve and improve. I had a tough time deciding what to submit. Paintings, drawings, fusographs? I had hundreds of options to choose from of work I have done the last three years.

I finally decided on three groovy gunpowder and fuse burned women and two happy fuse drawn dogs. Each has their own bright and bold personality.

Girls and puppies. A bit trendy perhaps, but I’m on the right track.

The selected artists will be picked in April!

Judges will do studio visits in May. How much fun will that be!

The judges can come to The Blast Factory. I hope they like beer.

We light the fuse!

BOOM!

Artist Stick Vega studied mathematics and economics, earning a B.S. in economics from UW-Madison and an MBA from Edgewood College. He owned and was CEO of online apparel retailers WinterSilks and Venus Sportswear.  However, upon selling the companies more than a decade ago he headed straight to his studio - The Blast Factory in Madison, WI - to create explosive, modern art with gunpowder and high-speed fuse.  Stick's current work includes paintings, drawings, fusographs (exploded photographs), sculpture and writing. Please follow Stick on Facebook and/or Twitter.