We had the good fortune of connecting with Kevin Caron and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kevin, what are you inspired by?
I’m deeply influenced by nature, but I also absorb, assimilate and interpret everything I see around me, from the roads I travel on my motorcycle to the machinery I use to create my sculpture.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I never intended to become an artist. I flunked art and math in school, and yet here I am using math to create art! I’ve been told by many art professionals, especially academics, that it was good that I didn’t go to art school because my work is startlingly original. I don’t have preconceptions or expectations about things I “should” do, and that’s contributed to the originality of my work. Getting started in my 40s was surprisingly easy because of my lack of expectations – I was just having fun. I worked part time at first while I still drove an 18-wheeler for a living, then after 4 – 5 years, when my art career took off, made the leap to make art full time. That was scary, but I knew I could get another job driving if I needed to. But I was supercharged – I felt like my work just poured out of me. Meanwhile, we were learning a lot about the art world, some of which we rejected because it wasn’t authentic for me. I knew I had to stay true to myself. I worked very hard, creating sculpture, exhibiting and selling through shows and galleries. I also began creating videos for YouTube, and now have more than 700 of them. The videos definitely helped me build an international reputation. Over the years my artwork has gotten more refine and more colorful and I’ve won a number of awards as well as selling my work around the world. What a ride!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love the Hall of Flame, the world’s largest collection of fire equipment. I also enjoy enjoy the Musical Instrument Museum, an incredible celebration of instruments and artists, as well as our Desert Botanical Garden, which is full of amazing plants. There are lots of great restaurants here because we live in a tourist destination. I like pizza more than anything, and we have some great pizza restaurants. Then we’d end with ice cream!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Most people who have followed my career are at least somewhat familiar with my business manager, Mary, who also happens to be my wife. She handles office and business matters as well as customer relations, letting me focus on the art. We make a great team!

Website: https://www.kevincaron.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KevinCaronArt

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevincaronart/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KevinCaronArt

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/kevincaron

Other: https://www.pinterest.com/kevincaronart

Image Credits
All images owned by Kevin Caron Studios, L.L.C. Shot by Mary Westheimer (staff)

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.