Spotlight on Local Artist : Kurt Weiser
By : Jess Bailey
Waxhaw ’ s art scene is alive and well ! Local artists are brewing with talent , and this issue , we ’ re highlighting New England transplant and pastelist , Kurt Weiser . Kurt was born and raised in Massachussettes , right outside Boston . He was the youngest of six and ironically , the only one of the lot who ’ s artistically inclined . Ironic because his dad was a gifted water-colorist , so there is some genetic predisposition , one would think . Kurt ’ s dad worked three jobs to provide for his large family , so his painting was always a hobby , but the interest has always been there , and clearly , was passed along to Kurt .
Kurt pursued a degree in landscape architecture and environmental design from The University of Massachussettes , and then managed to parlay his God-given artistic talent into a livelihood . His first jobs out of school were traveling the country with different design firms where he planned urban space and community and industrial parks . He then felt the call of the West , and made his way to Manhattan Beach in California because when you ’ re young and single , is there really any better place ? While out there , he began working with one of his brothers , doing faux finishes , venetian plasters , and marbleizing . He further honed his talents by taking
Creative Corner : ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
jobs making murals on both the inside and outside of buildings . For the time , creatively and personally , the beaches of California had much to offer . Incidentally , they were also where he met his now wife of 16 years , Erica . They welcomed a son , Jackson into the family and then felt compelled to move back east to Boston .
Once in Boston , Kurt took on the role of stay-at-home dad to Jackson , and it was at that time that he discovered a love for fine arts and the time to dabble in it … well , in between child duties ( pun intended ). Amidst an introduction to all the fine art mediums – acrylics , water colors , pastels -- through some courses at the local art society along with his dad ’ s water color work , he fell in love with the under-utilized but vibrantly intriguing pastels .
For those unfamiliar with the world of art , “ Pastels has always been the red-headed stepchild of all the mediums . It was never really noticed before .” But for Kurt , that was an opportunity to really experiment with something new and have it be accepted because the benchmarks in which to judge it simply didn ’ t exist yet . This entire medium was out of the box thinking for fine art , as a whole .
Kurt finds all sorts of innovative ways to use his pastels , and as a traditional landscape artist , his home in Waxhaw for the last six years lends itself as the perfect backdrop for those creations ! He and Erica were drawn to Waxhaw by its quaint downtown and general rurality . “ To actually live in a place where you ’ re looking at cows , it ’ s a novelty ,” [ particularly coming from a big city like Boston ]. Couple in the solid southern values , family-oriented communities , and an ideal cost
of living , the move down south has been truly transporting . While they have moved around a few times within their own neighborhood , it seems that now , with Kurt ’ s art studio window overlooking expansive and lush woods , they have found the perfect fit .
Now , in between shuffling his 10-year-old son , Jackson , and 5-year-old daughter , Lola , to and from school and activities , he manages to hold workshops all over the country , teaching pastel techniques to both novice and seasoned learners . As former president of the Piedmont Pastel Society , he ’ s always looked for ways to get the work out there and continue to champion the pastel medium to a wider audience .
Waxhaw ’ s Art Council has been very supportive of Kurt , and as he believes , very willing to give a lot of their time to offer a continually growing local demand for amenities in the world of art .
He ’ s represented at Bev ’ s Fine Art in Raleigh , and his work can be found in galleries throughout the east coast , as well as on his own website , kweiser . com
HAW NEWS ● MARCH / APRIL 2017 ● 21