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Dakota Noot
762 Plays1 year ago
SRTN is happy to have THE Dakota Noot back on the show!
Dakota Noot is a Los Angeles-based artist and curator. He uses drawings, paintings, and installations to create animal-human hybrids that explore rural yet fantastical, queer identities.
Originally from Bismarck, North Dakota, he continues to show in both North Dakota and Los Angeles, including solo and two-person shows at Highways Performance Space, MuzeuMM, and PØST. Noot has exhibited in group shows at Charlie James Gallery, Shoshana Wayne Gallery, Torrance Art Museum, and LAST Projects. His series of cutout drawing-installations have been shown at LA Freewaves, Cerritos College Art Gallery, and Otis College. His work has been featured in Hi-Fructose. Noot graduated with a BFA in Visual Arts from the University of North Dakota (2015) and an MFA from Claremont Graduate University (2017).
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Transcript
Art Exhibit Journey with Dad
00:00:01
Speaker
You are listening to something rather than nothing. Creator and host Ken Volante. Editor and producer, Peter Bauer. Yeah, I just wanted to, yeah, just chat about art. I want to chat about your teaching. I did an exhibit with your dad, right?
00:00:31
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I guess that's that kind of started. So last time we talked in the podcast, I think I was just mentioning it or maybe the first show would happen. But we had this opportunity came up to travel the state with a touring exhibit with me and my dad. So like my dad's also an artist like Paul Nude. I grew up in his after school art classes like he teaches high school,
00:00:54
Speaker
and also does like different stuff like that. So it's like, okay, it was really cool. Like, okay, we show together, he made paintings, I made paintings. Also my work went around the state and they liked it, which is good.
00:01:06
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, no, that was so exciting to see and hear about. And everybody,
Teaching Art at Community Colleges
00:01:13
Speaker
we're talking with Dakota New, and Dakota and I never met in person, but I'm a big fan of... Someday. Yeah, someday. Someday. I'll make it down that way, down to LA.
00:01:25
Speaker
But we did an episode back. I checked the number. I just told you a little bit ago. 92 shows on 200 episode 212. And I got to tell you, I just adore your art and the wildness. It's so fantastic. But just seeing you grow and your art path grow and exhibits.
00:01:50
Speaker
in teaching. I wanted to ask you about your role as an instructor, because I'm really curious. I represent teachers during my day job. With the show, I'm so fascinated by what happens with teaching. The stories early on that I talk to artists are like,
00:02:14
Speaker
You know, Miss, Mr. Brown said, I can't even draw a straight line with the ruler. And I was never an artist or they're like, you know, Miss Peach was thought I was the greatest artist in the world. So I was, but, um, what's, what's it like, what's it like teaching art? What's it like teaching, um, in, in what type of students you get and what's, what's going on in.
00:02:38
Speaker
Art school. Oh, yeah. Um, yeah, I guess actually for the it was kind of funny. I was thinking back the other day about this. I've been teaching like adjuncts to community colleges part time, like different ones kind of stringing that together for five years now. So currently I do school up in
00:02:55
Speaker
Ventura, like Oxnard, and then I do a school in Orange County. I guess if you're from Southern California, like baby would be like, oh my gosh, it's really far. It kind of is. So I drive different days of the week. I feel like my schedule, the thing I think about a lot with teaching is like, okay, it is a drive, but it is rewarding too. Community college, you get every age group, like kids straight from high school. People are older too. It's like, you could have someone who's like, okay, I'm a grandparent who had like never got a degree, but I'm coming back and want to be like,
00:03:23
Speaker
take an art class. So it's kind of fun just to get that. You get such variety and also it's all art related too. And sometimes when you're teaching like the beginning stuff, it gets like a little repetitive because it's like, okay, I'm teaching the same beginning drawing class. It's like, okay, it's still life, still life, still life. You know, there isn't much variety, but like sometimes like kids will surprise you and like, oh, they're naturally like they have skill or they're interested or they just go quicker. That's the exciting part.
00:03:50
Speaker
Talk lead me into day one. I'm going into into into your class. I'm getting ready in my seat Like what what happened? What
Creating Collaborative Classroom Environments
00:03:57
Speaker
what happens? I mean, are you in the the cutout outfits? I mean, maybe that's the question. I always wanted to ask Are they signed up more kids Romain they bring you on and give you another section but
00:04:13
Speaker
He came into class and, hey, it's one of those things that if you did, and everybody we're talking about is Dakota has, and he'll tell you more about it, but the cutout pieces and designs on the front. So what we're bumping into Dakota and I is that we think either, this is a hit or miss one, either you're going to be fast-tracked towards job stability and what every professor should have towards tenure, or they're going to tell you,
00:04:42
Speaker
the students could identify whether you're dangerous or not. And we have parents to worry about, you know, that type of thing. Professor though, so y'all can fact check that one. All right, no, totally. Um, so what's that? My
00:05:02
Speaker
first day is easy like the kids come in I always throw them into group projects too and even as an artist I've always kind of wondered like when I first started teaching I was always kind of scared like should do I show them my art at all usually I kind of wait more and towards the end like okay or midway through or it's like sometimes if I am working on a project and bringing it in I'm like okay this is how you're gonna see my art like you're working on yours I'm working on mine you know yeah
00:05:26
Speaker
First day is chill. It's like, hey, get to know you. Let's do something collaborative. I love doing group drawings where they make creatures together before they do something more formal. I never stress kids out. Yeah, I wouldn't expect that. I could. You're like, I'm a mean teacher. If they're stressed, it's part of their own growth process. That's where the stress is coming in. I got to tell you, I mean, I just wanted a little bit
00:05:55
Speaker
something that I did in the past. But I know the hustle you grab in your sections, you're trying to do your art, but we know, you and I know with some of the demands within that, it's not a cultivating art atmosphere for you. And so there's a lot of work and the pay isn't like being on tenure. One of the strange things is when I
00:06:25
Speaker
I had the opportunity, it was one of the greatest opportunities of my life to teach philosophy at the University of Rhode Island and I taught two sections as an adjunct. At that same time I was doing union work and what was amazing to me and just simple and just a weird experience of mine is that my union work subsidized the university.
00:06:50
Speaker
Like I was doing both at the same time, but my benefits were derived from the union. Like my mileage was derived from the, like everything was derived from the union. And my ability to teach at the University of Rhode Island was basically subsidized by being a union member, by being a labor, by having that other job.
Art Creation During the Pandemic
00:07:11
Speaker
And it's just the strangest thing when you think about it, you know, job security, proper pay for you. I mean,
00:07:18
Speaker
I'd pay a million dollars to take a class with you, Dakota. When the show gets there, we get it. We get to hit a million. But the show gets the million downloads. I'll talk about the fee for the class. What's been going on with your art? You notice changes or things you're tweaking or less or more time to do it. What's going on with your art?
00:07:47
Speaker
I mean, it's kind of been crazy. The past year has been like more of an adjustment in general for me, because I benefited most in the pandemic in 2020, even to 2021 when things were all online. So like I wasn't driving in, so I could wake up, make art, then tune into the Zoom class. So I kind of really used that, where I was like, okay, making stuff every week. I was super productive, but it kind of helped me too in the long run. Like, even though now, like, okay, I'm back in person, maybe it's like, okay, I can make something here or there every week or every other week.
00:08:16
Speaker
but I'm not as rushed for it. So it was kind of crazy. I had a residency this summer. So right in the first week of June, right after teaching, I had to make an installation and perform with it. But since I had no time with teaching, so I'm like, I'm bringing stuff to class. And soon you'll see me like, why are you drawing all these hot dogs? I'm like, sure. You'll find out. Work hard, get a good grade, you'll find out. It's my final project.
00:08:46
Speaker
I love it. I know I love it. So there was one, when you're done with your dad, you had the opportunity to have specific shows where you were able to lean into something that you're like, I want everybody to see this piece of it. Or is it more general with your art, your shows recently?
00:09:08
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, usually I've been kind of more hit up for something too. Like the residency is like, they asked me for an idea, so I spooked a cooking show. So I've been kind of thinking like, okay, how do I change my work a bit? Like, oh, I performed it. And they also recorded too. I'm just, I have to upload it. I have the raw file.
00:09:27
Speaker
I am I am so excited. You know, the cooking shows on Netflix and I have don't follow my recipes. No, no, I want I know I but that was the way I just wanted to see I just wanted to see
00:09:40
Speaker
No, that's, no, that's super. And it's, it's great to see. It's great to see you have that video when I, oh man. Oh yeah. I keep doing video too. Like I get more focused. Like, okay, since I've been already done, like certain things, like I've made my installations, like how do I change it? So like video or performing with it's kind of where I'm focused on now.
Social Media Platforms for Art Sharing
00:10:01
Speaker
Do you get going on TikTok? Are you active on TikTok? Yeah, I try TikTok. I mean, do you like it? Do you like it? I don't want to. Yeah. Yeah. I like, you know, I end up seeing a lot of TikTok stuff if it just kind of floats over from Instagram. I don't have any like problems with it. Just like sometimes the mechanisms of things I haven't, you know.
00:10:21
Speaker
I think they all kind of go in waves of the engagement too in the audience or also what takes off on it. I'm really curious if threads is going to pop up. I like threads. I like threads because it seems simple and there's this idea in my head of there's something about
00:10:43
Speaker
twitter for me as a thinker that I always like not everybody's a thinker on twitter that's not my point but you see a deep literary community's words like there's a they can be a focus on on words and sharing of authors and you see a lot of people on there um for that so like I think like the word or text and so I'm hoping I'm hoping
00:11:06
Speaker
But you know like you know it's like another thing to check on there you know we put our stuff out there as artists and be like reds and my cool on threads. Who's cool on threads who's taking over who's taking. Who's taking over threads I don't even know.
00:11:27
Speaker
Dakota, a lot of queer art in the world. We're seeing a reaction against this. I'm sitting here, and I'm in Albany, Oregon, and I get tweaked with all this messed up stuff that people are up to. There's a great performing space down in Eugene, drag show, and there's counter-protest, and things like that.
00:11:55
Speaker
What what's what's what's going on with with like the the public and the reaction against like Inclusion for me. I understand the world, but I sit back and I'm like this is fucking glorious Whether it's the color and more voices, you know, that's me and I'm not naive. I just that's the way I feel it Um, do you feel good about things? Do you feel good about things now?
Hope in Younger Generations Amidst Political Challenges
00:12:19
Speaker
I feel optimistic. I mean, I don't know, in general, even though the political climate right now, I teach summer school, like a summer program for high school kids. It's kind of crazy just like how open-minded they are in general and like positive. I mean, they're what makes me hopeful, like their generation coming up and aging up into the system, like being allowed to vote. I'm like, okay, keep this coming. We'll get the student loan relief through that. A little bit of more time, we just need it.
00:12:48
Speaker
But that's exciting. I mean, it was crazy. You'd think with me being in North Dakota, that would have been like, OK, the crazy reactions against my work would have came from them, especially as I was touring with my dad show, but it wasn't. It was from a random project I did recently for June in Glendale, here in LA, where like, oh, there was this backlash against it. How dare you show it? I'm like, I made work that was safe for the kids.
00:13:19
Speaker
Yeah, well I was wondering that too and I forgot for some reason I was thinking of course where you come from and just like, you know Yeah, I'm in the K-12 system. So I represent teachers And you know these horseshit I don't give a I don't I don't give a fuck I was horseshit attacks against people trying to teach or give books to kids and have them learn something, you know, so
00:13:47
Speaker
You know, it's like it's it's but but I I just I you know, I I feel for me I look at it in with for me and like in doing the show for me my intelligence is enlightened
00:14:03
Speaker
buy more and buy what there is. So that's my makeup. So I struggle. And I also know every, you know, I know the jackass horrible politics, you know? And, you know, so for me, at least for me with the way I approach the world, there's the fight. And if the world sees less of your art, it's complete horseshit and bullshit, you know? So anyways, not to pontificate.
00:14:32
Speaker
Dakota, but that's why I'll be by posting about like me like single me out It gave it more attention than just like being quiet like oh that was cute Well, you're an artist you're gonna make the art you're gonna make and people gonna do whatever they're gonna do out there
00:14:52
Speaker
But that's cool. I think also no matter where you're at, too, it's like teachers are needed. If anything, their reaction against teachers and what's happening in schools just shows the power of education, even though we're underpaid and we're working and all the stuff we deal with. We do have a positive effect on these kids. That scares them.
00:15:13
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, and then there's loss of a way of life. I mean, I feel, you know, I turn 51 next month. There are ways of life that I've lived in, societally, that are fucking dying.
00:15:29
Speaker
It's dying. That's OK. Yeah. No, and it is. It is. It is fun. And it's just it's old thinking. It's from a different era. And it revives itself. That's why we see the fascism, right? It reinvents and revives itself. But there's a lot of there's a lot of stuff. And what I'm talking about, Dakota, is something that you said about younger. There's no panacea of a young swarm that makes everything OK. We're all polluted. We're all polluted in the system. But I have the only problem.
00:15:58
Speaker
They will, but what I will say is that there are things that I know in my generation that culturally were just still accepted, that were still around. And there, I talk to a lot of young people and there are, and I'm not saying it's perfect, but there is certain bullshit culturally that I grew up that they will have no part of. And even sometimes even work and entering the job and workforce.
00:16:26
Speaker
things that they won't put up with. And I go back and I think if there are things any of us going back did not put up with, it would have probably helped a lot. Just didn't put up with and said, this is wrong. So. But things are getting better than two, like from generation to generation, you know, that's why I'm hopeful. I'm hopeful. Dakota, I'm able to see on your Instagram not only but
00:16:56
Speaker
You're
Film Recommendations: Italian and Japanese Cinema
00:16:56
Speaker
wonderful art, but I know you are a film lover. And I will tell you, I watch a lot of movies, but even the ones you post a reference to, I use as a reference point to be like, I got to check this out.
00:17:17
Speaker
I go into some deep dives of movies that you know when you get the look from others where they're like, okay, you know, loving the B movies. Just did a recent episode about a swamp thing. We covered swamping comic and movies, but let me tell you Dakota, I was a bit too excited to talk about swamping the movie and the return of the swamping. Really into it, just love it.
00:17:46
Speaker
I should be, thank you. I know this is maybe a goofy question, but you have great movie recommendations. What's some wild-ass, wonderful movie?
00:18:03
Speaker
We need to see. I mean, like, wild like a class could be classic. What do we need to see a couple? Oh, OK. I watch a lot of Italian stuff, too, if you want to remember that. Yes. Crazy like Gothic movie like in the folds of the flesh could be kind of fun. It's like a soap opera. That's good. There's like random like crazy stuff thrown in. I was like, I was like, let's just keep it vague. Yeah.
00:18:31
Speaker
There's wild stuff. Yeah. I also love Japanese movies, too. Those are always classics. I've been really into, like, Hissi also saw the movies recently where they're kind of, like, violent, kind of erotic, kind of strange. They're all 90s, kind of weird. So it's like, yeah, you're like, muscle's good. I'm like, those are all fun.
00:18:52
Speaker
Wonderful. What was the Japanese director's name you mentioned? Oh, yeah. Hisa Yasu Sato. I don't even know if I said that right, but yeah, his work is great. I mean, it's definitely funny pushing.
00:19:06
Speaker
And the toilets are dangerous. And the toilets are dangerous. And the toilets are dangerous.
00:19:27
Speaker
I, uh, some, some American wild movies I got, I went into deep might, maybe dark. You could decide that on your own garbage, garbage, pale kids, the movie.
00:19:38
Speaker
Oh, I haven't seen that. Is it good? Oh, Dakota, I'm glad I'm able to share something with you in return the gifts you've given to me. Um, I'll try this. So I, I don't really remember, and believe me, if I saw it in the full, I would have remember when I was, I don't really remember Garbage Pail Kids, the movie when it came out. It's about 1986, 1987. Just yesterday, this movie is
00:20:04
Speaker
It's kind of painful. Now, so you got the garbage pail kids and you have a script that is really just collage together. Magician type of uncle, guy, this kid he's taking care of, and then the garbage pail kids. So you get alligator, which folks might remember alligator, and you had a greaser one. And the, if you can imagine the,
00:20:33
Speaker
the the costumes in the heads in a super low budget they kind of ran out of money and it's just eerie because of the disproportionality of it or seeing a head push in and then push out like and so there's this like greaser predator one always carrying like a switchblade there's a
00:20:55
Speaker
GPK kid that just you know, the one that farts all the time or not It's and so anyways, it's just this this wild thing, but it is um The love interest Dakota this kid was supposed to be this kind of rising star, you know, and you know Cute cute cute little kid y'all. I mean I was like 15 16 years old and his girlfriend
00:21:18
Speaker
in the movie is like six foot one. Like she looks like she's in her late twenties, but she's just, you know, younger in the casting. It's like he's looking up in her and like garbage pail kids. It's a romance. It's a romance. Go watch it.
00:21:43
Speaker
You'll know you've watched it at the end of it, for whatever that means. I'm glad I'm able to share that one with you. I remember the cards for that. The Garbage Pail Kids cards, those were so gross in a really fun way. They're always puking, doing violent stuff. They're fun. I'm going to check this out. Okay, Dakota, go drop into this movie in the GPK culture and we'll talk on the third time. I'll scare myself to death.
00:22:12
Speaker
It's, it's, it's great to, uh, it's great to get the recommendations from Yahey. What, uh, how's, how's, how's LA? How's, how's LA?
Living in LA and Local Art Scene
00:22:21
Speaker
I mean, it's folks probably ask you, how's LA doing right now? We're in July, 2023. Oh, it's hot. Hot. It's hot. Yeah. I'm like, I'm not, I'm still never used to the heat in LA, even though like I've been here for what, eight years now. I'm like, I can't take it.
00:22:40
Speaker
It's been a hot one lately. Have you been able to go to a gallery I've only observed from afar online, La Luz de Jesus? Have you seen that gallery? Oh, yeah. I've been at Luz de Jesus. It's super great, though, too. It operates out of, there's a front end, like a crazy collectible store of it, too. It's a really great way, if you're ever in LA, to check it out. I was also, like, randomly, like, early when I was in LA, I was in a group jury show there. So it's like, I love that space.
00:23:11
Speaker
I'm fascinated by so many artists that I follow end up going there. They got an exhibit now, everything but the kitchen sink. And there's two or three guests, you know, just like a piece or two that they have in there. And it's just really great. They're not paying us to promote this either. You should check it out, everyone.
00:23:31
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. No, no, absolutely. Sissy Framson is a guest I'm going to have on the show pretty soon. You'll love her stuff, Dakota. Check out her stuff. She's in a Swedish princess punk band called Volcano. And she does these gorgeous stop motion. There'll be mermaids, little stories.
00:23:59
Speaker
Oh, this is the part you'll like. They put out all their videos on an album. For the album, they put it out on VHS. All the stop motion videos are on VHS, so you put in your VHS tape and watch your volcano videos. And for that, I was sold and run over. Just run me over now.
00:24:24
Speaker
Well, we just needed to compare notes. Yes, Sissy of Framson, the band Volcano. Listen to that episode when it comes on. You'll dig her art. Tons of color. I'm going to check out the music too. I'm like, okay, okay. Princess Punk. Hey, look, I can't explain it to you. Maybe I'll listen to some more.
00:24:42
Speaker
I would say they call it Princess Punk and it different looks like Princess Punk. And I think maybe only because there was this gummy beer that was about 15 pounds that they were holding. And I'm like, well, this must be Princess Punk. Yeah, why not? I don't know. Um, uh,
00:25:04
Speaker
Dakota,
Finding Dakota's Art Online and Offline
00:25:06
Speaker
tell folks both in person and online where to find your stuff. We've been talking about where you show up or even so folks can find your stuff in person or they can enroll in your class or whatever.
00:25:23
Speaker
Oh yeah, I guess you can follow me on social media at Dakota Nude. I mean, I'm the only Dakota Nude as far as I know in the entire world. So you'll find me some way. Also, if you're ever in Orange County, LA too, it's like you could always enroll in my classes. Or even if they're an online class too, that'd be great. You don't have to live there. Just keep your eye posted.
00:25:46
Speaker
that's that's that's wonderful um... and um... uh... as far as far as um... as far as uh... any uh... additional like uh... publications i'm sorry i was stumbling there any additional public you said you had some small uh... small publishing pieces uh... cutout dolls cutout dolls uh... oh my gosh everybody uh... yeah dakota cutout doll in the first uh... something rather than zine but you have your own
00:26:15
Speaker
Book of the gosh darn things nowadays. Yeah, you can also find. I have the link. I think also my bio, or especially two on my website. It's through Avan Pop. You can make a paper doll coloring books like I put it out. You can cut out two alien figures I made, then make these outfits for them that you call yourself. You should check it out. It's really fun. It also is kid friendly. It's designed for all ages. Yeah, just check the tag with Dakota, no problem. Just check to check the tag. It's all good.
00:26:45
Speaker
No, that's that that's really super right. Hey, everybody, check out. Check out Dakota Newt's art and and really a lot of like I was, you know, it's funny to laugh about this a great film recommendations, you know, wild color. I'm laughing, you know, really enjoying film. And there's so many films we don't see because we've had some weird opinion about them. So yeah, I'm a letterboxer. You could follow me.
00:27:14
Speaker
Find Dakota everywhere. Hey, thanks for popping on everybody. Dakota knew it was first on episode 92. We're up over towards 220 episodes.
00:27:28
Speaker
It's a great pleasure. I'm glad I'm glad I was able to check in with you I You can see I see every day on the Instagrams, but it's it's really nice to chat with you and before I let you go though How many hours did you spend with in KFC using that as your art office during the pandemic? They'll never know Next door to
00:27:58
Speaker
We have to have, I'm telling you, if I can get somebody to send me the freelance, I'll head down. We'll get the photographer. We'll get how to build your studio off KFC or use it as an auxiliary. But we don't want to ruin anything for you. Thank you for making art through the pandemic and into the future, Dakota.
00:28:27
Speaker
Man, it's a great pleasure to chat with you and have a laugh with you. Thank you for having me on. And I hope you're having a great day. And also congrats on getting over 200 episodes. Like, wow. Yeah. Well, I'll, you know, heck, there's an elite three timer club in, you know, you're at, you're at two. So let's get you there soon. I'm down. Love you Dakota. Take care. Bye.
00:28:57
Speaker
This is something rather than nothing.