Meet Timothy Massey

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Timothy Massey. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Timothy below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Timothy with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

My father, Harlan Massey, never finished high school. Yet, throughout his life he was bound and determined to remain curious, learn and work toward goals. After I, for illogical reasons, decided to pursue an Art degree in college, he told me (to paraphrase) “I don’t know much about Art, but I do know that if you want to have success in your goal you’ll have to work hard for it”. He also told me that as long as it was something I loved to do, it would never feel like work. I approached my studies in that manner and found enjoyable success at the junior college I attended. When I transferred to a larger 4-year university I realized that my new classmates were rather advanced in their abilities compared to my own, and that I would need to work twice as hard to reach their level. I got there and kept going. From a Bachelors degree to a Graduate degree and onward to a teaching career in Art and producing artworks, I’ve tried to maintain the goal of progressively elevating my practice.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Since retiring as Gallery Director and Art Faculty in Drawing and Printmaking at SUNY Brockport, I’ve been busy focusing on my brand Lucky Dawg Printshop and Studios. I have recently had a number of solo and group exhibitions of my work from the last 10 years, so my current goal is to simultaneously produce new work under the current thematic interest “Natural Instincts” while also evolving the concepts and branching out compositionally. Throughout my career I have been active in most printmaking media but primarily utilizing woodcuts as my primary activity. I’m now transitioning to include more screen printing into my practice. I have also been doing some side work in the Lucky Dawg Printshop designing screen printed logos for a variety of apparel. As I have returned to my native homeland of Seven Islands, TN, I have recently donated my time and skills to the community to design and construct a new community sign, and then use the logo as a t-shirt design for residents of the the neighborhood.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

My revelation as an artist and teacher was in realizing how basic and straight forward that mine and my students’ concerns should be focused on: Concept, Composition, and Technique. If one could consider Art as a three-legged stool, these are the legs. The seat that all the legs are attached to is Research. All of these things need to be approached with equal intensity. Just like the three-legged stool, if one of the legs is shorter than the others the stool falls down.

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

I was blessed with a wealth of wonderfully smart and caring Art teachers as both an undergraduate and a graduate student. Some of the things told to me by specific mentors has stuck with me.

Byron McKeeby (Printmaking professor, University of Tennessee): “Please remember you’re only as good as what comes next”.
Charles Massey (Printmaking professor, Ohio State University): “You know your work is currently a series of one-liners. Wouldn’t it be great if there were two lines, or a paragraph, or even a book?’
Sidney Chafetz (Printmaking professor, Ohio State University); “Not all that comes from a cow is milk” and “Its ok to be disappointed, but never be discouraged”.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://timothymassey.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/lucky.dawg.studios