Artist Residency: Daniel McDonald

In his regular feature, "Artist Residency," Aubrey Mayer takes a photo of one of his favorite artists and asks him/her a series of simple questions. Here is multi-media artist and jewelry designer Daniel McDonald.

Aubrey Mayer: Where are you from?
Daniel McDonald: Temple City, CA

AM: Where do you live?
DM: New York City, on the border between Chinatown and Alchoholic Hipster-Land.

AM: How did you become an artist?
DM: I used to steal the black crayons from kindergarten (I always ran out of that color first because of drawing wonder woman's big hair style over and over). Eventually some of these pocketed crayons ended up in the dryer with my brother's brand-new Ocean Pacific two-tone corduroy shorts and terrycloth shirts. I guess this is when I became an artist because it was the first time I began to suffer for it.

AM: What is the oddest job you've ever had?
DM: Working for Colin de Land at American Fine Arts, Co. He had a way of making even the most mundane tasks seem odd and potentially meaningful.

AM: Who's your favorite non-living artist?
DM: Dracula

AM: What book are you reading at the moment?
DM: The Doom That Came to Sarnath and Other Stories, a collection of H.P. Lovecraft Stories compiled by Lin Carter.

AM: When are you happiest with your work?
DM: When it makes people laugh and then leaves them a little freaked out and uncomfortable.

AM: What is your favorite travel destination?
DM: Provincetown

AM: What do you find most sexy?
DM: Full-frontal male nudity

AM: What is your favorite piece of art that you own?
DM: I have a vast collection of glazed amateur ceramics -- coil-pots, busts, masks, vases and figures. Many are unsigned, but some favorites are by Ted, R.C., C.S. Lacy Hawk, Enid Markowitz, Kristen Sturgis, Sue, J.B., Carci, D.M.M., Vicki T., Chris, Marion Grover, Steve Mag. and S.

AM: What is your favorite walk?
DM: Downstairs

AM: When and where is your next show?
DM: Gods willing, I will be doing a solo show at Anke Kempkes' gallery, Broadway 1602, sometime in October 2008.

Past artists:
Tony Just
Ari Marcopoulos
Ricci Albenda
Olaf Breuning
Agathe Snow
Brian DeGraw and Lizzi Bougatsos of Gang Gang Dance
Rita Ackermann
Richard Phillips
Victoria Sambunaris