Stephen Oatway: Junk Artist

SALA FESTIVAL: Stephen Oatway  

What did you want to be when you grew up?
A Doctor

What did you become?
A public servant for 23 years until I left in 2004 to become a fulltime artist and live my dream.

What's your official title?
Australia’s Greatest Junk Artist

What's your background - how did you end up here?

Twenty three years working for Department of Defence starting as a toilet cleaner, gardener, driver, welder, finance manager and customer service supervisor. I decided to accept a voluntary redundancy package in 2004 and become a fulltime artist after being a hobby artist. After leaving I Defence spent two years teaching junk art and welding whilst living and working on an Aboriginal Community in Central Australia. Currently back and living at Punthari near Mannum in an old Lutheran Church which is my residence/art studio.

How would you describe your work to a complete stranger?
An outsider artist who works intuitively in many mediums including junk art using found objects which are then recycled/reincarnated into amazing metal sculptures, naive painter, photographer, collage artist and installation artist.

What's the first thing career related you usually do each day?
Hopefully wake up, then say to myself “this is going to be a great creative day and thank you lord, Amen.”

Can you describe an "average" working day for you?
Wake up around 9am, say my serenity prayer, take a hot shower, make breakfast, head outside, put my music on, crank up my welder. I’m currently working on two junk metal commissions and three paintings for the Outsider Festival in August so weld till 6pm then as the sun goes down, go inside, put the wood heater on and work on my paintings and collages.

Also during SALA I have an open studio from 11am to 5pm so give studio tours as visitors arrive.

Who or what in the arts world most inspires you?
Positive feedback about my Art from complete strangers from all over the world whom I have inspired through my website.

What's the toughest challenge you've dealt in your career?
Making the decision to jump ship after 23 years and leave the security and a good job in Defence and dive into the unknown of the Art abyss.

What's the best piece of advice you were ever given for your career?
“It is not the critic who counts, or how the strong man stumbled and fell, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotion, and spends himself in a worthy cause. If he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that he will never be one of those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.” (Theodore Roosevelt).

What are the top three skills you need in your particular role?
Intuition, perseverance and passion

What's the best thing about your job?
Flying by the seat of my artistic pants

And the worst?
Eating two-minute noodles during a bad week.

And if you had to sum your working life in a word or phrase, what would it be?
“No Guts No Glory”

Artist Bio:

Breach born 5am 1961
Was this a sign of things to come
I think not
Its just God’s way of showing I am going to be
different
I slept all day
and stayed awake all night
Much to my mother’s delight
By the time I was fifteen I learned to fight
and fight I have
Through Alcoholism, Asthma and a Disabled Son
Who is my shining light
For without him I have no heart
He came into the world to show me love
And to not self destruct

SALA at Punthari - Exhibition Details

Steve Oatway - Junk Artist
Local South Australian Living Artist Steve Oatway will be exhibiting his work at Punthari in the old Lutheran church, which is now a residence and studio. Steve's exhibition, is displayed in an open studio format.

Venue: Punthari, corner of Sedan Road and Stockwell Road (10km from Mannum Town)
Date: 30th July to 22nd August 2010
Time: Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon 11am to 5pm, (or by appointment at other times)
Website: www.renkrn8.com.au
Email: renkrn8@optusnet.com.au

http://www.salafestival.com/