Fresh Approach Interview with Dave Dubé

I was born in upstate New York in 1948, and my parents moved to Shelby, Montana, in 1950. Except for four years in the Navy, one of them in Vietnam, I have spent my entire life in Montana. Both of my parents played the piano, my mother a classical pianist and teacher, my dad played by ear. He also worked in an auto parts supply store and painted signs. I cannot remember how early I started cleaning his brushes on pieces of butcher paper, but I had learned the alphabet by the time I was four. I have been happily married to the same woman for forty years, and have two grown children.

When and how did I decide to become an artist?

In 1953 my folks took me to the opening of the C. M. Russell museum in Great Falls, Montana, and stood me in front of a glass case filled with his mail art. I’ve been drawing and painting ever since.

How did I decide to ‘go green’?

Several years ago, my sisters gave me the Nick Bantock books, and I found his collages using old paper to be fascinating. My sister and I spent an afternoon visiting him in his studio, and I came away with the idea that although I liked the idea of incorporating old paper in my art, I wanted to put art work on the paper that had something to do with the paper itself. Nick did not call it recycling, but I could see the potential for utilizing old paper that would otherwise end up in a burn barrel.

What has been the most effective method for promoting my art work and reaching new customers?

Although I am a member of the Western Heritage Artists and have a room during Western Art Week once a year, I have had better luck at antique shows. The idea that I think is worth sharing with other artists is pretty simple: When I sell a piece of my art work, I make certain I have their MAILING address, and within a week of their purchase, they receive a Thank You card enclosed in a piece of mail art. The practice has led to repeat customers. There is really no more effective marketing technique that I can think of, especially when First Class mail volume has dwindled so drastically. People really do appreciate seeing something besides bulk mail advertising and bills in their mail box.

What would I like to accomplish by the end of year?

My studio is a disaster! It’s organized chaos since I know where everything is at, but it takes me too long to find a piece of paper or materials that I need for a piece I’m working on, and that has to change before the end of the year.

What is the best art tip I’ve ever received?

It’s recent, too! The best tip I’ve ever received is that I should go to print with my art. Since I include a narrative with each of my pieces, it has been suggested that I put together a book. That’s definitely a tip that I’m going to follow up on.

What two art supplies could I not live without?

Prismacolor pencils and Rapidiograph pens! Since I’m color challenged, I find I not only need my wife to help me with color choices, I also like the fact that I can ‘mix’ colors on the paper since the pencils are all labeled!

My favorite technique?

I avoid using WHITE as much as possible with one exception: The white pencil that I place on the paper as an initial layer provides a reflective surface for the light. The pencil being a wax based medium allows the light to go through the colored medium and come back out to your eye. I liken it to holding a slide up to the light. What you see is true light and true color.

My average day:

My average day begins about 4:30 or 5:00 AM. I usually spend about an hour on the web, looking at eBay paper for sale, and looking at the blogs, web sites and forums that I follow. I try to walk several times a week, and swim at the YMCA several times a week as well. I usually spend about eight or nine hours at my desk doing what I love to do, which is making my art. I will frequently step away from it and research the history of the paper I’ve purchased, and do some blogging to give myself a break.

Is there anything I’d like the art world to know that wasn’t covered in the interview?

Yes, there is! I put my art work aside every day for over thirty years to be a slave to a desk, in order that my wife could be a stay-at-home mom to our children. As I look back on it, I probably should have made my art work a career to begin with. And – I’d really like some competition! As far as I can tell, I’m the only person on the planet putting art work on old paper that has something to do with the old paper itself.

Dave’s Blog:  http://oldpaperart.blogspot.com

See More Here:  http://www.westernheritageartshow.com/davedube.html

Great Article:  http://billingsgazette.com/news/features/magazine/article_ab04c906-99b1-11de-84c2-001cc4c03286.html

Thank you Dave for a great interview!

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This interview is courtesy of Fresh Approach connecting Art & Business, a place to connect, promote, inspire and share resources to help others live a creative life in their artful journey! 

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