Kristian Hansen interviewed by Joshua Baerga
Joshua Baerga (00:04): Today's date is July 10th 2023. My name is Joshua Baerga. I am interviewing Kristian Hanson at Sullivan Correction Facility. How are you doing this morning, Kristian? This evening, I'm sorry.
Kristian Hanson (00:17): I'm doing well, how are you doing?
Joshua Baerga (00:19): I'm doing all right, could be better. Um, I have some questions here for you from Shandaken [Projects] and west farms [Wave Farm]. Uh, how would you... how would you describe yourself as an artist, Kristian?
Kristian Hanson (00:35): Uh, I would describe myself as an artist in basically the ways that you conduct yourself. You're an artist. You don't... You may not even realize it and because of that, we take it for granted. Every single thing that we possibly do that can be creative. We take creation for granted and we don't know how good we can possibly be. I don't feel I'm a great artist when it comes to drawing and writing, but in being able to communicate how I feel, I think I'm an excellent artist.
Joshua Baerga (01:13): In other forms?
Kristian Hanson (01:15): Yes, good one.
Joshua Baerga (01:16): Um, tell me about your favorite memory from this class.
Kristian Hanson (01:20): Phew, there's a bunch of memories from this class that are pretty funny and pretty serious. There's been tears, there's been laughter. Um, I kind of don't really want to get into the tears because what happens is basically like AA. What happens in AA, stays in AA. So you don't want to talk about somebody's dramatic, climatic, um, hard times, so. Uh, it was probably one of the better memories was when we first walked in here and we didn't know what to expect and because we didn't know what to expect, we were dumbfounded when all of a sudden, we are told to close our eyes and disconnect ourselves from the room. And as we did that, you're in your mind's eye and your thinking about all these different things that your thinking of at that time and then you elaborate on them. And then when we spoke on them, it was just, it was something where you heard from everybody, how they spoke. It was just... It was a good time. It was, was, it was an experience that won't be forgotten.
Joshua Baerga (02:33): Okay. Um, tell me about your favorite memory from this class, Kristian.
Kristian Hanson (02:39): I think we just spoke on that.
Joshua Baerga (02:40): I'm sorry (laughs)
Kristian Hanson (02:40): Uh, memory, um, Josh, what's your name, sir? Joshua Baerga?
Joshua Baerga (02:44): (laughs) Yeah, you're good.
Kristian Hanson (02:44): Okay, okay.
Joshua Baerga (02:45): I got side tracked. What was something you hoped to learn and what surprised you?
Kristian Hanson (02:50): Something that I hoped to learn?
Joshua Baerga (02:52): And what surprised you. Yes.
Kristian Hanson (02:54): I didn't know what to expect from the class. Um, As I said, when we walked in, I-I myself was dumbfounded. I thought we were doing graphic design. I didn't know if we were playing with computers, designing because it's 2023. I didn't know if we were going to get told how to draw, how to stay within the lines, how to color, how to shade. Um, but what I received from this class was an open mind. Even more so, I was already open-minded. So what I thought I was going to get was possibly learning how to be an artist with pens, paper and crayons and markers and so on. But when you're doing contemporary art, it's for the mind and soul and the feelings. So I learned how to basically elaborate on my own feelings.
Joshua Baerga (03:44): Nice. Um, next question. What does this space offer you that differs from other spaces you've been a part of?
Kristian Hanson (03:52): Uh, as I said earlier in the memories, um, it allowed you to have a form to speak on what you, how you may have hurt in the past or you may have felt happy in the past and you can take yourself to that place. And not a lot in life does somebody really want to hear about your happy memories or your saddest memories. But when you have an opportunity to, um, elaborate on them in a small circumference of people, and it's not escaping the room. It's right here, it was something to behold. It was, it was nice to be able to see people with the comfort level to explain and express themselves, which I was really never a part of.
Joshua Baerga (04:36): Mm-hmm.
Kristian Hanson (04:37): I'm mainly a sport guy. You express yourself through, uh, through your skills. You know, what kind of skills do you have when you're just expressing your sorrow or your happiness through a drawing or a poem or writing?
Joshua Baerga (04:50): Nice. Um, is there anything you haven't shared in this class yet that you would like the opportunity to share now? During this interview, while were sitting here?
Kristian Hanson (05:02): Uh, I wouldn't really say there's something I'd like to share. I would just like for people to understand that to have an open mind, to actually think outside the box, to actually give something a chance that's out of your norm, out of your comfort zone. And it's just something to give a chance to. Don't judge a book by its cover and you can actually learn from it, learn from people and from the experiences and so on and so forth. So basically, there's really nothing that I would like to share, except for my appreciation to be able to share my feelings throughout this class.
Joshua Baerga (05:42): Thank you, Kristian Hanson. That concludes our interview here at Sullivan. After this message we will be back with Why Do Cats Chase Milk.