Internationally acclaimed artists Tim Johnson & Dale Enochs have remained good friends and stayed connected since their days at the old Fort Wayne Art Institute in the early 70’s.
Now they are joining forces on Saturday, September 28th for a first-ever combined art show, at Tim’s studio gallery in the old Art School’s B Building.
In its century serving as a vital link to fine arts education, the school attracted teachers and students from around the country to the inviting block of historic homes that had been converted for that purpose in the city’s downtown West Central neighborhood.
Here, Julia Meek discusses how the experience helped shape their career paths with the two creatives, where it has led them and why it keeps them connected to their Fort Wayne roots.
Event Information:
Enochs-Johnson Art Show in the B-Building Gallery
1018 West Berry Street, Fort Wayne
Saturday, September 28
6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
For more information, call (260) 422-4651
Connect with Tim Johnson and his work at his Facebook page.
Connect with Dale Enochs and his work at his website.
Here’s a transcript of our conversation:
Julia Meek: Tim Johnson, Dale Enochs, welcome.
Tim Johnson: Thank you.
Dale Enochs: Thank you very much.
Julia Meek: You two have been living your own art dreams since your days here at the Fort Wayne Art Institute back in the 1970s, you, Tim, now based in Italy and Dale in Bloomington.
You also keep a studio here, Tim, one of the Art Institute buildings where you are about to have your first show with Dale. Let's start right there. How does it feel?
Tim Johnson: It feels very comfortable. I don't show with anybody, hardly ever. I haven't since school days. And so this is really a first for me, maybe for him too.
Dale Enochs: Yeah, I generally do one man shows these days, but I have to say, I really liked Tim a lot (chuckles) and we become good friends, and it just seemed natural to do that. And I wanted to show in Fort Wayne again.
Julia Meek: It does sound perfect. And you give Tim credit for supporting your art way back then, Dale, and you overlapped with Tim in Bloomington before he settled in Europe. What were those early post Art Institute days like for you guys?
Dale Enochs: Well, I graduated, got an undergraduate at IU because the Fort Wayne Art Institute was taken over by Indiana University. So officially, my degree was from IU. Then I went to IU in Bloomington to go to graduate school. And it just persisted.
Dale Enochs: And to be clear, that was a wonderful progression, we will say, for the state of art in Fort Wayne. But all of us who knew and loved the old Art Institute, it leaves a little hole in our heart where that always was.
Dale Enochs: Precisely.
Tim Johnson: Maybe a big one.
Dale Enochs: There's that. (chuckles)
Julia Meek: And Tim, from your perspective across the waters, what made you keep your Fort Wayne connections going strong all these years.
Tim Johnson: Well, I do have a rather large family here, you know. (all chuckle)
Julia Meek: An artcentric one as well.
Tim Johnson: An artcentric one as well, and a lot of friends, and I have a very good clientele here as well. And, you know, I'd like to come back every now and then.
And now it's become necessary, whereas before, I came back a lot less. But now I am not married any longer, and my son has turned 18, so I have to leave every three months, and I'll leave for a couple months and then go back.
Julia Meek: And that life seems to suit you. Have you at least embraced it? I mean, is that your thing?
Tim Johnson: Short of the jet rides? I love it.
Julia Meek: Fair enough. Now, artists are sometimes reluctant to describe their own style`, so this is really handy here. How do you describe each other's as well as your own artwork?
Dale Enochs: I see Tim's as being gestural. I see the influences from painters of the past. I really love the...I have a really nice collection of Tim Johnson. (all chuckle)
Tim Johnson: And I have Dale's. I'd say it's more Baroque.
Dale Enochs: Yeah, but with Soutine being a major influence, I think. But you really have developed your own style and spontaneity, I think.
Julia Meek: What about Dale, Tim?
Tim Johnson: He's got a very oriental, but then I see a ton of Hoosier, Middle Woodland Indian influence. You know, American Indian, Aboriginal influence in it, which has an oriental bent to it.
Julia Meek: That's fair enough. And it's always been sculpture for you, correct?
Dale Enochs: Predominantly three dimensional. So, I originally studied mostly under Clyde Burt in ceramics, and so joined the Ceramics Department in Bloomington as well.
Julia Meek: Now in full disclosure, Tim, you'll take your hand and your pick and whatever else you got going to a piece of rock or stone that you've got to be finding a shape or a form in, often yourself. How does that fit in with the rest of your artcentricity?
Tim Johnson: Particular stone I work in is, might be a little less even, is Carrera marble, predominantly. And you clean the stone, you pick a stone. It's difficult, because you are going to marry it, and then you clean a stone.
That takes a while, and that could have, certainly could have an impact of whatever's going to be left. I usually can see what I'm going to do just looking at the rock. I see the possibilities, and I go for it. And it's always figurative.
Julia Meek: What about you, Dale, on the pre-sculpting end of things. How do you get into your even figuring out what medium you want to use and then what you want to bring out of it?
Dale Enochs: Well, I live in limestone country, so I am surrounded by Indiana limestone. And when I first began independently working there, limestone was cheap to free, so I've, you know, worked a lot with that.
But I've begun working with a manufacturer, or a company here, Ottenwellers here in Fort Wayne.
Julia Meek: Perfect, and you've got what you need, and you bring the best out of each piece, it sounds like, we all know that.
Dale Enochs:Well, that is the attempt. (all chuckle)
Julia Meek: So, your passions, as well as your occasional art pieces continue to be larger than life, it seems. How would you describe your respective career paths? You being in Europe, Tim, you being in Bloomington, coming back around. How has that worked for you, the two of you?
Tim Johnson: Well, he's, I think you're more in the gallery aspect of it.
Dale Enochs: Absolutely.
Tim Johnson: And I just am not, I rejected that donkey years ago and just bought my own and set up shop.
Dale Enochs: But one of my first loves is doing public work, because I like getting work out into the world so that it's viewed by people that might not necessarily go to museums or galleries or so forth.
Julia Meek: That's a great point. Or even think that they like art and yet they are experiencing your piece.
Dale Enochs: Precisely.
Julia Meek: And always doing your own shows and being creative with your shows, and that does include, Tim, your framing is a huge part of the esthetic of the picture that you do.
Tim Johnson: It is, because I can't stand ugly picture frames. (all laugh)
Julia Meek: We are with you on your crusade to beautify all of the frames of the world. But again, that has been certainly handy living in Europe, with that dedication and determination and also that influenced it, no doubt.
Tim Johnson: it's a huge part of the work I do. I mean, you can't miss it.
Dale Enochs: It's part of the composition.
Tim Johnson: Yeah, they actually are, because I will. First thing I buy is the frame. I go backwards, I buy the frame, then I make the piece that's going to go in at the size, and then I gesso it, and I paint it. It's painted in that frame. I take them out, and then put them back in paint in the frame.
Julia Meek: Oh, so you're monitoring your work where it's living.
Tim Johnson: Absolutely, they're frame-specific.
Julia Meek: That's very, very interesting. And Tim, you collect interesting characters as well as be and paint them. And now you are the subject of a clever little bio film. Would you tell us about it?
Tim Johnson: Yeah, it's called Tutto a Posto, which in Italian means everybody's where they should be. And my sculptor friend Polo and myself, it's sort of watching our lives, and was made by AJ du Fresne, a friend of ours.
And I don't know, it's just an interesting, light, but it shows the work in a pretty good light, and where we live and what we do, and how we met.
Julia Meek: And how you got there, and yes, kind of where you're going. I have seen the film, and it really, really is wonderful. Were you surprised when that was brought up as a possibility to add into the "what makes Tim Johnson Tim Johnson world?"
Tim Johnson: Actually, that would he did another one at first, and it didn't turn out quite as well, and then he decided to do a second one, and that one really turned out really well. He's very talented at what he does.
Julia Meek: That's perfect and good for all of you. Good for the world to know more and more about you. Meanwhile, you both seem to be up to your eyebrows in work and shows and events, and historically, neither of you do shows with other artists.
Tim Johnson: Haven't done.
Julia Meek: So, how did this one on the 28th come about?
Dale Enochs: Tim seems to think that I suggested it, but I really don't, honestly remember it. It just we spend time together when I'm in town and he's in town and...
Tim Johnson: Sitting around, drinking wine, kicking out ideas.
Dale Enochs: Yeah, so...
Julia Meek: A lot of people certainly they know your comrades and your spirits are together forever. But a lot of people do think you're brothers and Tim, like you say, you come from a big family. So, has it felt that close over the years? I mean, just how you do feel about working with each other?
Tim Johnson: I've never thought about that actual thing. I don't know. It's just we're, I think we're just extremely good friends that have a good time together. And I think our work is compatible.
Dale Enochs: I think a part of it is respecting one another's work.
Tim Johnson: True enough.
Julia Meek: And, okay, you both have impressive work lined up for this show, which is going to prove your point. (chuckles) What are your guests going to experience with this double impressive showing that they're coming into? Are you playing off of each other with the works that you're showing?
Dale Enochs: When you set up a show, it's really almost like doing a sculpture or painting. You're building a composition. And so we are, you know, building a composition within the gallery. I have an area that I'm working in, and Tim has an area where he'll be hanging his paintings and so forth.
I think this really started after I did the two columns, and I had this idea of putting the two columns on either side of the entry sidewalk to the gallery, and that's worked out real well
Tim Johnson: Real good overall. it's an evolutionary process.
Julia Meek: Okay, now we do have a name for it! (all laugh)
Tim Johnson: No, but I mean decisions, you go, well, maybe we should do this, and maybe you put this up, like...
Dale Enochs: And what do you think of this, you know?
Tim Johnson: Yeah, yeah.
Julia Meek: Interesting, as you mentioned, you were designing an art installation...
Dale Enochs: An experience, yes
Julia Meek: Yeah, yes.
Dale Enochs: You know, it's focused on our work and individually, I mean, our work is very different, I think. But I guess, is it okay to say that I think we do good work. (chuckles)
Julia Meek: It's not only okay, and it's not only true, it means that you have seen the reason why maybe you're good friends and certainly respect each other's work, but why you're working together on this very project.
Tim Johnson: That's true.
Julia Meek: And I think that's just great Now, Dale, you've shown at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art; your works in their permanent collection, as a matter of fact. And you've got stuff all over, sprinkled around the city in permanent collections.
How do you think this private show at Tim's is going to be different for you? Private gallery versus anything you're used to?
Dale Enochs: I think the space, it's less intimidating. It's not a museum. It is a gallery, but it's it's informal. It has an informal aspect to it too. So, you know, Tim has built a clientele here.
I continue to have a number of friends that are based here. And so, I'm really interested to see how that will, you know, progress,
Julia Meek: And Tim, you're well known for having interesting shows, having interesting attendance at your shows.
Tim Johnson: Yeah.
Julia Meek: How's this going to amplify, having Dale there with you?
Tim Johnson: I'm curious to see. (all laugh) I have no idea that's gonna turn out! I have a feeling we're good. Hopefully we'll sell a bunch of artwork, because, you know, that's a, in my gallery, we like to do that.
We like to put on a great show, and we like that show to give us the freedom to continue what we do.
Dale Enochs: Which equates to selling work. We need to sell our work in order to continue to make more work. And that's really, in my mind, for me, that's what I'm really interested in, is the next piece, the next thing that I do. Because there are so many discoveries to be made.
Julia Meek: Indeed. And life, seemingly, for you two, is a constant discovery that you thrive on.
Dale Enochs: It makes me happy. (chuckles)
Tim Johnson: It's a challenge.
Dale Enochs: It is--a great challenge!
Julia Meek: There's a great answer, because I think we just heard the whole truth. And now I have to ask, Who do you expect to come to the show?
Tim Johnson: Well, I think probably some of the biggest collectors in Manhattan will probably be there. (all laugh)
Dale Enochs: They're coming from Europe too, aren't they?
Tim Johnson: Oh, yes, some of the big ones. (again, all laugh)
Dale Enochs: I suspect part of it, for myself, it's going to be like homecoming, so...
Julia Meek: Great, yes, indeed, the return of our, of our brother, yes.
Dale Enochs: Well, I don't know that people are aware that I grew up in Fort Wayne, and that's how I went to the Fort Wayne Art Institute and so forth.
Julia Meek: So, two Fort Wayne natives doing a show like this. That is...power! (chuckles)
Tim Johnson: And it is odd too, because neither one of us live here.
Julia Meek: Another curious point, both of you have family here?
Tim Johnson: Oh, yeah.
Dale Enochs: A little bit, not so much. My parents have passed away, and, you know, I'm an only, but I consider many of my friends here to be part of my family.
Julia Meek: They are your family and looking forward to this. The word on the street is excitement for this show.
Tim Johnson: Ooooh, good! (all laugh)
Julia Meek: By the way, I do wonder, did either of you ever dream you would be where you are today, art-wise?
Dale Enochs: I-I can't...it's all been an adventure. It's all the...art becomes your life.
Tim Johnson: And where are we? I'm not certain. I know I just come back and forth all the time between Europe and I bounce all over the place and make paintings. It's not a huge deal.
Dale Enochs: It's what we do. We're in the middle of it, and so who knows how things were going to transpire, and who knows how things will continue to transpire. It's really, I feel very fortunate to be in the position that I'm in.
Tim Johnson: He's more of a big shot than me. I'm happy to sit down on the sidelines. (both laugh)
Dale Enochs: It's only because I've done the Public Works and my name gets in the newspaper and blah, blah, blah. (chuckles)
Julia Meek: I think, put the two of you together, and it's the best possible scenario. So again, we're very happy that you could spend the time with us today, talking about old times, new times and maybe future times. Meanwhile, just what is next on each of your crazy, busy itineraries after this show?
Tim Johnson: I'm heading back.
Julia Meek: Across the sea?
Tim Johnson: Yews, that's where I feel most comfortable, because I don't have any pressure on. any. There I just sit and paint paintings and make sculpture, which is the aim.
That's why I need to sell paintings and make money. I have no particular fondness for money, cars or anything like that. I just love freedom.
Dale Enochs: Yeah, yeah. And being able to sell your work helps with that freedom tremendously.
Tim Johnson: Plus it gives you a good feeling when people come around.
Dale Enochs: Yeah, well, you know, that's really what art is about, is connecting with people. Your work connecting with people, in my opinion.
Tim Johnson: Yeah, and they make a sacrifice to acquire it.
Julia Meek: There's another good point and another valid point, and both of your works are much in demand. So, good for you for all of that. Now a word on Fort Wayne's grand old Art Institute. Those were the days, and what a wonderful batch of artcentrics it produced, you two included.
How did they, as well as the whole experience shape your philosophies or esthetic tastes, in your case, Tim, about your art, but also about you and your life.
Dale Enochs: The Art School opened my eyes. I mean, I learned about psychology and philosophy. It was Don Kruse that showed me about Carl young and Joseph Campbell. It was Clyde Burt that really gave me confidence in the work that I was doing.
It was Russell Oettel that...I call him my art dad. He took care of me, you know, but then I learned about pre-Columbia. My world was so opened by that place.
Tim Johnson: Well, it's, that's true enough. It was kind of the same. I was in and out. He was more focused than I was, because I was on the railroad. I was all over the place, but I knew I wanted to do that.
My father was in art. I was in it. I've been doing it all my life. At the same time, I had to, you know, go out and hustle another gig a little bit.
But then when Russell told me, he said, I said, the railroad called me back. He said, one or the other, Tim, we're not doing this anymore. I'll give you a week. And I said, I don't need a week. I'll quit. And then...
Dale Enochs: It was the railroad, to be clear, that he quit. (all laugh)
Julia Meek: Good for you. And I know you have a lot of friends over the years from the school as well.
Tim Johnson: Sure I do. I mean, still see them. Oh my God. David Krause, saw him the other night. And yeah, there's just, there's tons, and we see him all the time.
Dale Enochs: Yeah, Michael Poorman, we got together with Michael last night.
Julia Meek: You have somebody even older than you guys that's certainly true blue, and that would be Sue McCullough. She actually taught there, as well as be a student there, and she'a 100 years going strong and all about the artwork.
I know that you were young yourselves and just doing your thing, but what part of you really did treasure that, like the family that you are telling us about now.
Tim Johnson: We still do. I mean, I do, was a very small and intimate school, and so really did have the family thing, unlike Bloomington, we saw a lot less of each other down there, just because of the immensity of the thing.
Dale Enochs: That's true.
Tim Johnson: And, I don't know it was just like a family situation. And even, you know the custodian there, Everett Oh, my God, loved him. He stole one too many cigarettes, but everybody liked him. (both laugh)
Dale Enochs: But you knew where he hid his bottle of whiskey.
Tim Johnson: Oh, yeah! (all laugh)
Julia Meek: We're telling family secrets now.
Dale Enochs: But the art school came about for me at a point in time just after the 60s, which, you know, had its own flavor and voice.
And many of the instructors there, you know, were influenced by that point in time, as well, and it was just, it was vibrant, and we were allowed, you know, I could go in the ceramic studio at three o'clock in the morning if I wanted to. We could come and go, and we were trusted, and we just worked together.
Tim Johnson: No locks on the doors in those days.
Dale Enochs: It was a special place. It was a very special place.
Tim Johnson: It was.
Julia Meek: indeed. And so, 50 years of experiences, memories, artcentric output, that is a lot to reflect on, and I am curious, when you do reflect on it, what stands out in your minds and or will be forever in your hearts, about the bonds that you share exactly because of those creative forces that brought you together.
Tim Johnson: Okay, well, we're still doing it. For me, this is an ongoing process. I still live, some of the time, in that building and still possess some of the other ones.
They're an important part of my life, and I'm proud that I've purchased those buildings and fixed them up, and they're in much better shape than they were when I found them. (chuckles)
And, uh, I don't know if you realize this, but I did get the bums rush from the school. Yes, I was thrown out. (both chuckle)
Julia Meek: You just put the cherry on top of the cake, then! (all laugh)
Tim Johnson: It's one of the reasons it was so sweet to come back. Just buy it! (both laugh)
Dale Enochs: But still, you have fond memories of the place? (chuckles)
Tim Johnson: Oh, I do, I do. And all parties, you know, forgave and buried the hatchet. I mean, it was, it was dicey there. They had to bring in Dean Ulmer to settle the dust on that one.
Julia Meek: Those were the days. What about you,Dale?
Dale Enochs: Well, it was...the other day while we were setting up the columns and the sculpture in front of Tim's gallery for the show, and it was during this home show or festival or whatever, and people were coming and going, and I ended up, much to the encouragement of Tim, talking to many people as they came and went.
And every time I ended up talking about, well, you know, this used to be the old Fort Wayne Art Institute, and it was started in the 20s. And I, you know, I made a point of telling the whole story, because it's a central part of my life. And I do it many times elsewhere.
People that don't live in Bloomington, that this was a really unique situation. I--you know, even if you did get thrown out. (chuckles)
Tim Johnson: It was one of the last of its kind, the old time art schools, you know. Those don't exist anymore. The Art Institutes, they're all absorbed by universities, like that.
Dale Enochs: Yeah, and that changed the flavor.
Julia Meek: Tim Johnson and Dale Enochs are Fort Wayne creatives now living and working in Italy and Bloomington, respectively. Thank you for sharing your stories with us, you two, artcentricity always and do have a great show.
Tim Johnson: Thanks, thank you for having us
Tim Johnson: Thanks, thanks very much.
