Adam Fruendt - 2D Mixed Media

Adam Fruendt was born in San Diego, California in 1981 and currently resides in Petersburg, Illinois. He received a BFA from Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois in 2004. Adam has shown art pieces at galleries in both Chicago and Petersburg, Illinois. Growing up as an"Army Brat," he was exposed to many different customs, from Hawaii to Germany. It is this exposure to different cultures that sparked his interest in exploring the commonality of people in both time and space.

His preferred medium is spray paint, oil, enamel paint, glass or plexiglass, wood, and supplies that can be found at any hardware store. He creates a line drawing using Adobe Illustrator which is the basis for a single-use hand cut stencil. Due to this process and medium, the final image is unpredictable, and is only known once the piece is complete.

As an artist, I am interested in stripping images to their base and removing layers of separation between the viewer and image. This creates an uninterrupted interaction where an individual can create their own story or emotional response to the piece. Through this process, my intention to remove the barriers of time and location in which our situations may vary, but we still find a way to move forward, for better or worse. Due to the use of spray paint, everything must be done in one attempt. I can only plan and prepare so much. I believe this process mirrors life.

I visually take inspiration from Pop art, especially Andy Warhol. While Warhol's works were mass produced with speed, mine consume much more time to create. Other artists who inspire me include: Cindy Sherman's photographs which evoke a feeling of "I know it, but I can't place it," the sheen of Jeff Koons's sculptures, and punk posters from the 1980s and 1990s.

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