Ventura: State of the Arts-Sept./Oct. 2007

Artist Profile - Terence Ulrich At a recent gallery opening, a woman stopped in front of one of Terence Ulrich's painting. After a brief pause, she commented "not very uplifting, huh?" Overhearing this, Ulrich took the opportunity to share one of his favorite quotes from filmmaker John Walters: "Good art can make people insane". A part of LA's "low brow" art scene, his work has a weathered, edgy feel influenced by urban folk art, graffiti and vintage circus art. It's not uncommon for figures in his paintings to have a deformity or two. "I usually have people doing things, telling a narrative, but often with something off kilter, slightly perverse, and always a little humorous." His technique involves multiple layers of color and different kinds of paper (from newspaper to Chinese wrapping paper), often painted separately, then glued downed before laying down an image on top. "I want it to look like they're aged under newspapers for sixty years," he says "I'm trying to make something old kind of new again." Recently his work has evolved, "it's a bit more subtle and surreal now." Originally from Indiana, Terence grew up drawing, "It's just something I've always done, I was the kid who drew comic book covers for everyone in class." He went on to attend the Art Institute of Chicago, around the time of the Dred Scott flag controversy, "the environment there was very confrontational and in your face". Upon returning to California, he met his wife while doing a mural project and started showing in local galleries like La Luz de Jesus. Surfing was his introduction to Ventura and he moved here four years ago. "The LA art scene is really competitive, every man for himself - there's a real sense of community here in Ventura and a willingness to help each other out." Besides selling in Portland, Seattle and San Francisco, he has shown at Nathan Larramendy's Ojai gallery and was selected to participate in the Cultural Affairs Division's Streetscape Mural Project. He noted that long-time local artists like Michelle Chapin have very enthusiastic and helpful to him, "Ventura audiences have been very receptive to my work and I really appreciate that."