CARY HULBERT

Spotlight

An online initiative featuring our favorite artists alongside a small collection of their works.
curated by and available through Skye Gallery.

THE Work of CARY HULBERT

“My drawings are related to my mood, where I want to be, or where it would feel good to be” - Cary Hulbert

SKYE GALLERY (SG): What Inspires you to start creating?

CARY HULBERT (CH): My inspiration stems from nature that I've spotted from on the sidewalk in Brooklyn to a vacation in another country. I went to Taiwan and South Korea in April, and comically when I shared the photos with my family, it was all plants, animals and flowers. My phone is full of reference photos, some for color, and some to draw from. My drawings are related to my mood too, where I want to be, or where it would feel good to be.

SG: What initially drew you to printmaking as a medium?

CH: When I was 16 I did a visual arts pre-college summer program and woodcutting was one of the classes. I thought it was interesting how the medium could make your mark look so beautiful. At 17 I participated in the CCP’s (Center for Contemporary Printmaking) Monothon in 2002, which was my first experience with mono printing. When I went to college I was hooked and decided to major in printmaking. Towards the end of my degree I started to learn how to get what I wanted from various print mediums versus letting the “happy accident” or the look of the process steer. Post college, I joined the Experimental Etchers studio in Boston, MA, Slugfest in Austin TX, and finally Blackburns in NYC to continue making prints. I was accepted to Columbia University for my Masters, and afterwards I stuck around working at the LeRoy Neiman Center for Print Studies, which is located on campus. I now work at Two Palms as a Master printer in Etching. Printmaking is fun, but it's amazing to see people master it and control the medium to create specific work. I really enjoy how you have to understand the process, plan and proof to get an outcome you approve of. If you like problem solving, you would like printing too.

SG: How do you stay motivated in your studio?

CH: My studio is separate from my apartment, which means my time there is sacred and solely for art related things. I start my time in the studio the same way every time I enter. It's a pattern or ritual that means time to focus and work. I clean my desk, prepare whatever I need to work and put a podcast on. My top three podcasts are “5-4”, “If Books Could Kill” and “Maintenance Phase”. I've been doing this for so long, it switches my brain to work time. I have a full-time job, and I'm taking in-person Mandarin classes, so my studio time has to be productive. Sometimes it's not a great day, and I leave early before I ruin something, but most of the time I meet whatever loose deadlines I give myself.

SG: Which is your favorite piece you've ever created and why?

CH: This is a tough question. Some of my works have strong memories attached to them. With this question only one work comes to mind and I made it when my dog was passing away from bone cancer. The vet sent me the scans and I used them as a reference in the work. I thought of that piece as a canine spirit world, a beautiful place where he would go when he passed. That event also caused me to create a lot of animal spirit worlds that year. My work also has happy memories attached to it too. So many pieces are charged with emotion for me. Looking at some works of mine is almost like a frozen moment in time for me.

SG: Who are some artists, living or dead, that you find inspiring?

CH: I think Peter Doig’s etchings are amazing. He is a true etcher. They are sometimes so texturally gnarly, and he uses so many different techniques, and are stunningly beautiful when you print them it's hard to comprehend how he even made the plate. Peter is a really good example of what etching can do. I am also a forever fan of Leona Carrington. I discovered her in college and to this day I still look at her work when I am stuck and looking for inspiration. It's so fantastical but also weird when you look close. That's something I attempt to channel in my work.

SG: What’s next for you after this exhibition? Are there any upcoming projects or new directions you’re excited about?

CH: I’m part of a large drawing exhibit in Massachusetts called “Draw Lowell” from September 12 to November 3, 2024. There is something cool about being in a huge show that exhibits the range of a medium. I’m also starting to work in acrylic instead of my usual gouache. Starting a new medium is always challenging but fun. I talk to friends about what they use and try out different brands to see what I like working with best. It changes things up for me a bit.