Born in the early 1960s, John Sauer grew up in a small town in Wisconsin, USA. Finding himself forever changed, like many people we feature at The Aither, when he discovered punk and underground music in his teens. Which he embraced wholeheartedly in his 20s – Going on to play in a variety of bands in the Minneapolis area during the 1980s and 1990s. Such as Lovecarp, Help Me Elmer, Connie, and Fussy.
Indeed, it was music which first got John involved in art – creating flyers, art, and other ephemera for his bands, and those of his friends. With John developing his talents over the years as a designer, illustrator and cartoonist. Coming into his own in his 50s. Embracing his love for pop-surrealism; and turning his talents to working primarily in that style – With many featuring his signature long eyed, mecha-human figure.
Today, John’s works have appeared in countless gallery shows; winning him fans all over the world. Who appreciate John’s talents, characters, and artistic world.
Wanting to learn more about the man, we sent him some questions to answer over email.
Check it all out, below…
Getting Acquainted
Name and date of birth?
John Sauer
1964
City, state, and country you currently call home?
Currently living in Minneapolis, MN, USA.
City, state, and country you are from?
I grew up in Neenah, WI. A small city in east-central Wisconsin.
To help us to get to know you – Please share a memory, or two, or more if you wish; from the stages of your life noted below:
* Your childhood:
Small town-ish.
I was an accident. My parents were, in my opinion, way too young to start a family, being in their teens. They each came from large families, so I had aunts and uncles that are only a few years older.
In some ways I almost felt like one of their younger siblings. And then they all had kids, so there were lots of cousins. But it was mostly okay, chaotic, noisy, never a dull moment.
All very blue collar, mills and factories everywhere.
* Your teenage years:
My teen years were endless mischief. Fortunately, none of it ended with serious consequence.
Art was always there, but I became obsessed with the guitar in my teens. I listened to a lot of rock and metal, but by the age of 16 or 17 I found punk rock and that fundamentally changed my views of art and life going forward.
* Your 20s:
I took a couple years off after high school and moved to the Southwest with an aunt and uncle but ended back in the Midwest. I tried college (UWM), but dropped out at the start of my fourth year to move to Minneapolis and play in a band with long time friends. My pal Mark Spencer (the singer of the band Help Me Elmer, Lovecarp, and Connie) already lived there.
I enjoyed college but was very unfocused and had no idea what the hell I wanted out of it. And, the art classes left me cold. I was not the least bit interested in what they were teaching. Playing music was a helluva lot more fun.
* Your 30s:
By the time I hit 30, I had been in 3 bands: Help Me Elmer (which only lasted about 3-4 years and put out a 45rpm single), Lovecarp (2-3 years and a solid demo recording and an interesting tour through the middle south), and Connie (I was only with for 1-2 years) and had become disillusioned with the music scene and hated my day job working at Kinkos.
I got married, left the band and the day job, and decided to try something new. I took on a job at a local coffee shop that I could work on art in the slower moments.
Art was the one thing that was always there (besides my wife’s support). At the time, I was still doing art related things here and there: band flyers, cartoons for zines, etc., just as fun stuff because I could. Not thinking too seriously about it.
One day a friend who was doing freelance design work had me do a couple spot illustrations for a music mag he was working for. That was the big eye opener.
I could get paid for this?!
Really?!
* Your 40s:
My 30’s and 40’s were mostly focused on illustration work, raising our twins, and paintings here and there along the way.
It took a while for me to be comfortable with my own paintings. Illustration work suited me well at the time.
Prior to having kids, I landed a job at a local design company – Designstein. I was there for about 3 years, and continued a solid working relationship with them for years after. I learned a lot during that period, and I loved the utilitarian aspect of illustration work.
I was doing cartoony stuff, not trying to win any awards, but just trying to improve my artistic skills. There was an endless parade of freelance work, magazines, kids educational material, local stuff, larger companies like Target and 3M. I was all over the map. No one focus.
I liked to think of myself as a visual handyman.
As far as personal work; I was sketching all the time, trying new mediums, new styles, etc. I knew what I wanted, but I wasn’t sure how to get there and be happy with what I was doing. So, I did a lot of everything; landscapes, still life, etc.
In 2012, I was acutely feeling the effects of the recession, and with a gentle push from my good friend Matt who set up a show at a local café for me, I started officially hanging art.
It went over well and it was another one of those “Really, I can do this?!” moments. I think I’ve always been too slow to recognize what others did.
After that, I started hanging art everywhere that would have me in the twin cities.
* Your 50s:
By 2018, yet another friend, local artist Eli Libson (who I was introduced to by another great local artist Heather Renaux), gave me a nudge by inviting me to be part of a group show at Rogue Buddha Gallery. Another one of those moments that went very well and again gave me the confidence to do more work like that.
I have been a huge fan of lowbrow pop-surreal art since the early days of Juxtapoz Magazine. I picked up one of the issues some time in the 90’s and my brain box started on fire! I had tried some things here and there, early on, but they were pretty weak. Most of those early paintings have disappeared.
Over time though, the work got stronger with the experience of everything I learned doing the aforementioned variety of styles and all the illustration work. By 2020, I had yet another one of those moments: Brassworks Gallery invited me to a group show, then a year later a solo show.
It was another great confidence boost.
Since then, I’ve been working hard to see where it all takes me.
My focus these days is strictly art – popsurreal / lowbrow style painting specifically.
* Your 60s so far:
I just hit year 60, and it’s getting a solid start.
I’m working on all sorts of new stuff with some interesting shows on the horizon!
Personal motto(s)?
I don’t really have a motto… but, I do like to stay open to possibilities.
In a somewhat related way, one of my favorite quotes is from Fellini and it rings very true with me:
“All art is autobiographical; the pearl is the oyster’s autobiography.”
What role did toys play in your childhood?
Toys, cartoons, and comic books were a big deal for me when I was a kid!
… and any favourites you remember?
I spent countless hours in our gravel driveway carving out cities for Matchbox cars.
I also had an awesome sparking battery operated tin Batmobile when I was little. The Batman TV show was my fave. Later it was Aurora monster model kits, hot rod model kits, and lots of comic books.
Besides the superhero stuff, I loved anything horror or mystery.
If you haven’t already done so – Please share with us some tales from your time in the Minneapolis music scene during the late 1980s and early 1990s! Playing in bands such as Lovecarp and Help Me Elmer.
Such as dodgy promoters, record label shenanigans, groupies, band fights, the joy of it all, scene politics etc.
The music / band years were fun. We were all broke, living together, getting into all sorts of mischief… that whole thing. Everyone knew everyone, so everyone was out at all the shows, both local and touring.
There are friendships that have lasted decades.
I did start playing again a few years after I left it. I missed playing and joined some friends in a garage band in the late 90’s: Fussy. It was / is the longest musical association I’ve had. We played out a bit and put out one cd in 2005: ‘Surely Like The Rain.‘
It’s still fun to play guitar, but I don’t miss any of the late nights hauling gear all over the place 😛
Creativity Questions
When and why did you first become interested in art, music, and everything creative?
… and any pivotal moments or influences?
I can’t remember a time in my life when I wasn’t doing anything creative.
I was constantly drawing and doodling as a kid. I tried all sorts of crafts, etc. I gravitated to the art classes in school.
It’s about the only thing I’ve ever done well.
If you had to explain your creative endeavours to some recently crash-landed aliens…
What would you tell them?
Just that it’s my interpretation of life.
Who are some of your favourite artists, filmmakers, musicians, and comic makers?
…and what is it about their works that inspire and move you?
The lists would be waaaay to big to do any justice to this, but here are a few faves:
Artists: Robert Williams, Mark Ryden, William Wray, Todd Schorr, George Grosz, Philip Guston, NC Wyeth; and more recently Gregory Hergert, and Dave Cooper.
Comics: Bernie Wrightson, Jack Davis, Wally Wood, Mike Mignola, Daniel Clowes, R. Crumb, Jack Kirby, and William Wray (again.)
Filmmakers: David Lynch, John Waters, Wim Wenders, Jim Jarmusch, Fellini, Werner Herzog, and Robert Eggers.
Musicians: I can’t even make a list here… I listen to music daily and I’m omnivorous about it. I can’t even narrow the list down. I will say that I have a lifelong love of classic jazz, bebop and hardbop.
But, I love rock, metal, punk, classical and pretty much anything with guitars (except modern country).
ALSO… a mention to all the great illustrators. Again, a list too big to do justice: Bernie Fuchs, Jim Flora, Bob Peak, Mitchell Hooks, Basil Gogos, etc, etc…
If people wanted to check out your stuff, work with you, or buy some of your wares – Where should they visit and how should they get in touch?
You can find me at johnsauer.com, or on all your fave social medias for all the latest news.
I also have work available at brassworksgallery.com, revolutionartgallery.com, darkartemporium.com, and roguebuddha.com
Odds & Ends
If you could live in any place, during any historical era – When and where would that be?
… and why would you choose that time and place?
Paris in the 1920’s.
Seems like an interesting period, and the art!
What are the top 3 items you own?
My Telecaster, and our art collection.
In a fight between the following icons of American fast food: Ronald McDonald (from McDonalds) Vs. Big Boy (from Big Boy Burgers) – Who would win?
…and why?
Big Boy, because he’s BIG, and way cooler.
If you had to sum up your home-country, America, in one object – What would it be?
Why did you choose it?
… and how does it represent America to you?
The painting I included here – ‘The Carousel.’
I’ll let the reader work it out for themselves.
Please describe your last dream in detail…
I can’t recall most of it, but one thing stuck with me: someone in the dream complimented me on a colorful tattoo on my arm and I was surprised, because I didn’t know I had it.
Also, I don’t have a tattoo on that arm in real life.
What does God mean to you?
The physical universe.
I’m not religious. The universe itself, from the smallest subatomic to the unimaginably vast stretches of space, is humbling enough.
Of everything you have done so far, what would you most like to be remembered for?
The paintings.
Links
- John Sauer – Website
- John Sauer – Instagram
- John Sauer – Facebook
- John Sauer – Discogs Entry
All images supplied by John or sourced online.
