John M. Clum
Creating art is not really a difficult task. Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. Every child's drawing hung on the fridge, any photo someone frames or any doodle on the side of a note book is technically art. Being an artist on the other hand is a bit more complicated. Even though the parent might disagree, the child who drew the yellow kitten with no nose, currently hanging on the fridge is not actually an artist....yet anyway.
When I was researching artist John M. Clum the screen writer in me came out in full force. I was picturing his life as quite a magnificent film featuring someone like Hugh Jackman, Sean Penn or maybe Jeff Bridges in the role of John. I did this because in reading John's bio I was fascinated, yet not surprised, that so many of the things I would have envisioned, what I would have written for my lead character, were a part of what has made John the artist he is today. A loving but strict family which made it difficult for creativity to catch a breath. Leaving at home at 16 to live in commune in Boston. Pain, loss, death and the support and love of a partner who encouraged and supported John to pursue his intense need to record life as he saw it.
"For me, life is a series of visual observations. I feel that the quality and integrity of those observations are my responsibility. I choose to draw, to observe and record light as it moves through the spaces of my existence. The communication is reciprocal. What begins as a touch of graphite on paper, or paint on canvas, becomes sensual exchange."
John M. Clum 1997
'My photography is filtered through the eyes of a painter; looking for the story in the moment at hand whether it be imagined or real. In the process I document the endless variations of the male body type, so many that there truly is no specific standard or type except for that which is imposed on us by popular culture. I explore the many variations and their unique qualities and beauty through my art. Some of the most beautiful men will be found around the next corner where you least expect to find them. I capture images of men that will span body structure and physical manifestations of form, frailty, variation, infirmity, strength, power, beauty, arousal and the exotic or any combination thereof.'
John M. Clum 2010
It is obvious when viewing John's work that no matter what medium he is working in, photography included, the work was created by a painter. When I was searching through some of John's paintings to go with this post I was compelled to use the series you see included here entitled seawall. John's paintings really don't allow me to give them a label or sum them up in one sentence. There are landscapes, portraits and bodyscapes There are also pieces with a more darker feel like The Crows.
Without a doubt my favorite of John's work is a painting entitled Retired. The work which can be seen HERE: instantly brought forth thoughts of abandonment, left to die, no longer useful, worn out yet.... also a beauty, faded yes, but beautiful still. John's use of color reminded me of the faded wallpaper I will always associate with walls of my grandmothers home. In looking at that wallpaper (which after many visits you really never saw any more), you could tell there were flowers on it, but really had to squint to see in their hay day they were one colorful and vibrant daisy's.
I ultimately chose to use the seawall series as firstly; they had a different tone and feel than John's other work. In some ways they parallel how I viewed John's story. Colorful yes, but seawalls are first and foremost build to be a source of strength. They must be strong enough to keep others safe by battling the elements, mother nature. Something really no man made creation can be expected to do.
Now when it came to choose a model from John's portfolio, there also was not really a choice. Brock Chapman has strong features, intense eyes and a great body. There is a strength and attitude expressed in Brock's images that had them stand out.
Brock's tattoo also commands attention. No matter what your feelings on religion are, or the level of your faith, crosses still hold a power. Brock's cross also seems to be a source of not just strength but also protection. Protecting him, his heart, given the strong placement on his chest. Brock, who is half Irish, uses Irish Gaelic within the tattoo with interlocking words meaning strength (Neart), love (Grá), hope (Dóchas), and faith in God (Creideamh).
An Ealaíontóir btw (in the title of this post) is Gaelic for The Artist.
20 year old Brock is a full-time student majoring in acting & theater(drama) at a college in Frederick, Maryland. John says that working with Brock was a real pleasure and an inspiration.
'Aside from a flawless physique and his disarming charm and good looks; Brock is a natural in front of the camera adapting easily to the method of the photographer he is working with. He totally immerses himself in the process and seems to be able to empathize with the photographer's vision. After shooting for hours I felt like there was so much more we could have done.'
You can check out more of:
Brock on MM HERE:
Be sure to view more of John's work:
On MM HERE:
His official site, Fine Line Fine Art HERE:
