In November of 2001 I spent my first day on the Venice Beach Oceanfront Walk displaying my artwork for sale to the public. I was there at 7am and by 9am I was set up- 10 or so pieces of all sizes. Within 15 minutes of being set up I got my first comment.
My head is under my folding table pulling paints out to start painting when I hear in a kind of crazy loud gruff voice- "How you doin' with you fake art!" My eyes opened a little wider as I stick my head up over the table in time to see an older skinny woman in a sweatshirt and dirty pants, a shaved head and puffy face, staring down the boardwalk just past the end of my set- up. She doesn't look at me, she keeps on walking and with in seconds is cursing the sky above the ocean; how she was the mayor of Venice and that she was going to have everyone arrested!
I'd seen her before- I think her name was Frankie- maybe a lot schizophrenic- and my feelings were hurt! I thought to myself that this was probably a good time to toughen up. A little later I though that her epitaph was actually kind of cool so I painted "Fake Art" on a sign and put it out. Within an hour or so some surfer said "Dude, it's Faux Fake Art" so I added "Faux" to the sign and then later "Real".
So does the name "Fake Art" hurt my work? hmm...
I've sold over 150 pieces of art from the time I started and from the expressions of joy I've heard on occasion down at the beach, I could care less. The so called fake plastic people in this town are as real as the elastic cars and the plastic sunglasses and the plastic cards and the plastic cups as the so called "real" things I've seen on the planet- real sunsets, real food, real waves, real faces whatever. "Fake it 'til you make it" is how I need to live sometimes...but that is why I make art. My friend Burt from New York, a visiting "street" artist came to my studio and told me the reason he liked my work was because it was so honest- so there you go. :) Humor might not sell art but it helps artists like me stay centered.
- David Hinnebusch