Worn Out Wednesday – Tim Hussey

Tim Hussey recently moved back to Charleston, South Carolina, after challenging himself as a contemporary painter for three years in LA. A Rhode Island School of Design grad and veteran art director for magazines like GQ, Outside and Garden & Gun, Tim decided to revisit his home town with hopes to push the contemporary arts envelope locally. With many restaurants and studios moving into North Charleston, he saw an opportunity to forge into new territory and set up shop in a warehouse. As Tim explains, “To typical Charlestonians, the “North Area” has always been an industrial wasteland of sorts—a place to avoid. Full of factories, wood and metal workers, strip bars and abandoned buildings, North Charleston appeals to everything my work stands for: reuse, re-appropriation, alternative industrial materials, weathering and urban decay. By immersing myself in this kind of element, I can feel at home in my process. I want collectors and art enthusiasts to be drawn to this process and aesthetic—to appreciate the choice of location, materials and lack of preciousness toward the paintings’ surfaces.”

Hussey’s large-scale canvases are a means of giving release to the unconscious, the feelings and instincts that exist beyond the realm of understanding. There is no initial plan, or elaborate drafting process; it all begins with the first brush stroke. Wherever he is compelled to go from there, he follows unquestioningly. “I work mostly from my gut – and behind any gut response is a collected library of past lessons, avoidances, desires, instincts, stories and philosophical and spiritual belief systems”, he explains. “The main goal when I paint is to avoid direct narratives, any imagery (however abstract) that I don’t feel as ‘the truth’”. What ends up on the canvas is unfiltered and raw, without any recasting of experiences or emotions through self-conscious or analytical thought.

He is currently represented by galleries in Los Angeles, Charleston and Atlanta. Tim’s art has appeared in Dwell, Architectural Digest, Harper’s, American Art Collector, Real Simple, NYArts Magazine and his book Drown Then Swim (foreword by Shepard Fairey). He recently completed a 26X16’ indoor mural at Lantana Studios/Larry David Productions in Santa Monica. Hussey currently splits his time between Los Angeles and Charleston with his wife Elise.

As for his personal style:

Jeans: Just got some black Levi’s: Made & Crafted Tack Jeans from American Rag in LA. The fit is amazing and I will never wash them, lest they get that mealy gray look.

Shirts: The shirts at Steven Alan have opened my eyes to spending more money, unfortunately. I came home and told my wife I spent $500. Then I broke it to her that I only got three shirts. But I love them. Also, Banana Republic has some awesome and cheap linen shirts as of late.

Pants: I’m not a slacks kind of guy, but I love being “slack” in my basic heather grey sweats from American Apparel. They have elastic on the cuffs and a draw string, just like Rocky.

Suits: I have this one black fitted suit from Costume Nationale that has been my go-to for a few years. It’s got four buttons on the sleeves that can be left open like a rock star. I like to pretend.

Shoes: My daily shoes are black Redwing “Iron Ranger” motorcycle boots. On special occasions I put on these Italian hand made boots—all kinds of flaps and snaps. I traded them right off the salesman’s feet.

Accessories: I have worn a beautiful and raw silver ring made by my friend Angela Hall for years. I found my copper and silver wedding band at a street vendor in Santa Fe, after rushing by all the turquoise, it was a breath of fresh air. I also regularly wear a silver cuff bracelet from the flea market in Santa Fe. I love clunky men’s rings and sort of keep one eye open at all markets I visit.

If I wear a hat, it’s only a baseball cap or one of Leigh Magar’s works of art from Charleston.

Outerwear: For riding: black leather Roland Sands Design Ronin Jacket from Glory in Hollywood. Otherwise, between LA and Charleston, there’s just no need!

Favorite Cologne: I’ve worn Comme des Garcon’s Kyoto cologne for the past year. Love it.

Your favorite App: whitagram (great for seeing how paintings would look on a clean surface)

Favorite piece of technology: Blue tooth headphones—the most perfect gift my wife has ever given me. No longer tangled in cords while painting.

Next tech purchase: Blue Tooth headphones for the bike.

Photo Credit: Joel Caldwell