Q&A with Local Artist Stan Sours
by Lauri Sturdivant
Mask Head, Stan Sours
Stan Sours is one of the many talented artists who has donated pieces in support of the purchase of the Siskiyou Arts Museum (SAM) building. Sam’s piece Mask Head was made in a high fire wood kiln and is suitable for both outdoor and indoor display. This piece is located on the central display in the Gift Store section of SAM. Stan’s other donated piece, Desert Still Life, is in the Museum section alongside a room full of donated works that will add to the coffers to support SAM’s building purchase. (100% of the sales go toward purchasing the building.) This purchase will ensure that SAM will be able to support arts possibilities for the future.
Northern California artist Stan Sours has recently moved his studio to Siskjyou County.
Stan has a BA and MFA from CSU Chico. He worked with such notables as Ken Morrow, Janet Turner, Michael Bishop, George Segal, Robert Graham, Italo Scanga, and Michael Lucero. Stan was an adjunct faculty in Art at Shasta College and has taught Art in the north state for several years. Stan’s art is in the collections of the Janet Turner Print Collection, the Museum of Northern California Art in Chico, and the Turtle Bay Museum in Redding.
Q: Who is your favorite artist?
A: I don’t really have a favorite artist but some of my favorite art is American Folk Art and the CA “Funk Art” of the late 60s and early 70s.
Q: Where do you get inspiration for your art?
A: This is kind of a tough question for me. It might be easier to answer what doesn’t inspire me. I live by the adage that if you keep an open mind the solution will present itself. I have a pretty good understanding of the history of art so that inspires me. I also try to stay informed on regional, national and world events.This also informs my work. I enjoy seeing the artwork of my peers and that always inspires me.
Mask Head, Stan Sours
Q: What’s your favorite food?
A: My favorite food is kind of split between good Mexican and Chinese food.
Q: What is your least favorite food?
A: Most fast food.
Q: Do you make art everyday?
A: I don’t make art every day but I try to live every day artfully.
Q: What is your favorite vacation spot?
A: We have a little teardrop trailer so I would say pretty much anywhere in the woods, particularly near the water.
Q: What is the furthest from home have you traveled?
A: The Shenandoah Valley in Virginia
Q: Cats or Dogs?
A: We have 2 Saint Bernards, Gretta and Boris.
Q: What’s your favorite museum?
A: There are several, but the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco is my favorite.
Q: Favorite book?
A: Trout Fishing in America and/or A Confederate General from Big Sur, both by Richard Brautigan. Brautigan uses his words to masterfully paint imagery.