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Paintings » Russell Metzger
Russell Metzger - Artist Biography Born June 14th (Flag Day) 1961, in a small town in Kansas. Population 1000 counting cats and dogs. My last art class was in 1st grade, which I received a Check Minus (the equivalent of an F) which to this day is as vivid as if it happened yesterday. My father was angry because no one gets and "F" in art. The reason for my grade was because I would not color in within the lines. I remember my wrist being slapped, and report card day. It was like I had committed a major felony, and the shame I felt around the kitchen when my report card came home made it to where I never wanted anything to do with art I was hell bent on becoming a professional athlete. In 1975 I was a national champion pole vaulter, and in 1979 received a track scholarship to the University of New Mexico. I lettered my freshman year, but lost all interest in athletics and set my sights on music. I traveled up and down the Midwest playing clubs, but lost interest in the bar scene after several years of the rock and roll lifestyle. I was a broke hippie in the early 80's living in Santa Fe/Albuquerque when I met some guys who said that I would be a good car salesman. Tired of eating tortillas it didn't sound like such a bad idea. My first day selling cars I sold 3 cars and made $1,000 so I decided that I was a car salesman. After several years of selling cars, I turned on to county music. I made a demo and played it for Michael Martin Murphy. He said it was good and that I needed to go to Nashville. At the same time I had gone back to college, with a goal of seeing if I could get at least one "A." My high school transcripts would indicate that that would be a major accomplishment. As it turned out I made straight "A's." became bilingual (Spanish) all the while pursing my songwriting. I was published and preformed on TNN (The Nashville Network) in 1993 and actually came very close to a major label deal, which in the end fell apart. After graduation I went to work for a chemical mfg and lived in Morgantown WVA. Was rated #2 in the nation out of 71 reps, but was fired 3 days before Christmas because I backed the wrong horse politically. Crushed, with 3 kids and the youngest in diapers, my wife and I moved back to New Mexico. I remember telling my wife a quote from Kristofferson "Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose, now we are finally free. My wife got a job at UNM and I started a business to what is now known as Fanta Se Floors. I created my own medium, trademarked the name Fanta Se Floor Colors. My creation is still patent pending. Up until several years ago, I never even knew I had artistic talent. I had been called a "bullshit artist," even had some of my earlier work called bullshit, but hey at least I'm consistent. Sometime around the age of 42 people started paying me to "color" their floors. When I moved to our current location I needed something to put on the walls of my store so I bought some canvasses at a local art supply store and colored them. Then people started calling me an artist. I am still not quite sure what they mean. At first I was flattered, and it even helped me to justify the fact that I was broke. There is shame in being a broke businessman, however, there is no shame in being a broke and starving artist. I've heard it said that in order to make it in the entertainment business you either need to be the first, the best or different. I am the first to use the medium that I discovered, and because no other "artists" are using it would make me the best, and one look at my work defiantly puts me in the category of different. I have been referred to as a genius, which I have a hard time believing, I have had praise bestowed upon me, but never the cash. I had a lady one time come into my store and say "who is the VanGough?," to which I replied not me because I have sold more than one colored floor, referring to the colored floors that I do. Now it is official, I have sold more painting on canvass than VanGough, I can only hope that it continues. I am truly grateful when people like my work. I didn't set out to be what I am becoming, I wanted to be a famous singer/songwriter, or a successful businessman but I had no idea that 40 years later that someone would actually buy something I had created. Now I wonder what would have happened if I had received a Check Plus in 1st grade art class. And when they say "think outside of the box" I realized on my 42nd birthday that I was born outside the box, and no matter how hard I tried to get in the box, I couldn't fit in. So now the only response I can give to all those people who kept kicking me out is keep your damned old box, life is better on the outside, because it on the outside that I have found where I belong. |
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