Jeff Musser
Jeff Musser transferred to the School of The Art Institute of Chicago in 1997 and earned his B.F.A in early 2000. Upon graduation he thought that his daytime job, designing Happy Meals for McDonald's, would leave him plenty of time to paint in the evenings. But once the economy tanked after 9/11, he was another face in the sea of jobless Americans with tons of free time. On the upside, he now had all day and all night to paint. On the downside he now had to deal with issues of rent, bills, supplies, food and how to overcome the much-romanticized notion of a starving artist. " It was rough for a while. I was on food stamps and down to 140 pounds (healthy weight for his height is between 160-170 pounds). You could have played my ribs like a xylophone I was so skinny. But that's how you appreciate what you have accomplished, you have to suffer mentally and physically to gain understanding and knowledge.
Artist's Statement
My new direction reflects my interest in the art of tattooing. I have been interested in the art form since childhood but only recently felt I could adequately express that interest in my work. My current direction will explore why people use the ideas an imagery of another to express who they are in such a permanent medium. In addition I will explore how a society's views can be projected onto an entire culture and how that culture, through decades of influence, can shape peoples perception and how those perceptions become "mental tattoos."