Shane Guffogg on Sam Francis Recollections on the studio and creative process of Sam Francis

This is an informal talk during “cocktail hour” as Shane Guffogg, and I share a chat about Shane’s recollections of going in and out of Sam Francis’s studio, in Venice, California, during the late 80s into the early 90s. Guffogg was in his late 20s and a studio assistant to Joe Goode, and Ed Ruscha. Sam’s studio was next door to Goode, and Guffogg would often be called into his studio to help with moving or stretching paintings. The impression of the time in Sam’s studio was an incredible gift, “It made such an impression that being an artist was possible …” “Seeing Sam’s space gave me the freedom to imagine.” It’s a fun conversation, imagining Guffogg’s experience, and the way he tells his stories is very descriptive. From observing daily procedures, collectors, and Sam’s visits to the studio – all the preparation needed to receive Sam, I think it is safe to say, Guffogg shares the respect and admiration of the great artist known for his fluid abstract paintings. 

“There was a sense that he [Sam] was completely unafraid – nothing was going to stop him, no person or thing. That appealed to me.” “Sam was instrumental in starting MOCA, and he started Crossroads, that school for the arts. He was using his success to influence the community, moving it more towards arts and education. That was a great thing to do. He aided the community here in Los Angeles.” “The couple of times I saw Sam, he was a very humble guy. These great blue eyes, full of fire and blue with an incredible presence and white hair.” “I remember shaking his hand and saying, wow, this is the guy.” “The thing about Sam’s paintings is you can see it’s all about spontaneous combustion.” “He was about being present and in the moment, that’s it – he was waiting for moments to appear in front of him, he is waiting for these beautiful accidental moments where he pushes the paint around that he doesn’t expect, and then, he is going to react to that. That is where his art lies, in that interaction between chaos and order.”

Guffogg’s stories are endless; he also mentions being face to face with Sam’s art collection in the studio and what that felt like, “This guy is out there collecting art or trading with other artists.” “I was always taking mental notes; you learn from these great artists …I  learned to trust my instincts. “Sam had an empire.” This is a tender and precious talk about Guffogg’s recollection of Sam's studio in Venice, CA.  It’s a fun talk!

Shane Guffogg is an American artist who looks through the lens of humanity at past and present civilizations and views time as threads that connect all people. His work is a visual language informed by the spiritualism of abstraction and the realism of the old masters. These two ideas are usually seen as separate, but Guffogg fuses them seamlessly into works that transcend and become testaments to thoughts that inform us of who we are in the 21st century.

To learn more about Shane Guffogg, visit, www.shaneguffogg.com