rserrett

Artist StatementRoss Serrett11/5/2009

Artist StatementRoss Serrett11/5/2009

As children, the simple act of "play" develops cognitive and social skills, builds relationships, and helps shape us into individuals. As we mature, the need for play does not change, but the method of play does. Cartoons, action figures, and board games give way to drinking, gambling and sex.Another change occurs in our awareness of the world around us. The world becomes a much darker place as we learn first-hand how cruel people, and life in general, can be. This further reinforces the need for play as a coping skill.Some, however, have less time for play than others. I have worked as a wage slave for a toy store for most of my time at Chico State, and this job has been my single biggest stressor. My childhood memories of the toy store were immediately shattered by the reality of a corporation that cares more about the bottom line than children, the environment, or the safety or well-being of its own employees.My influences include the animations of Ralph Bakshi and Don Hertzfeldt, as well as the films of David Lynch. Bakshi's and Herztfeldts's animations, like "Fritz the Cat" and "Rejected", have inspired me to continue to push in new directions with my own work both conceptually and technically. Lynch's works, especially "ERASERHEAD", have shown me how abstract and symbolic time-based mediums can be.