A Preview of All Else Pales: 2, with Devan Horton

Apr 3

Recently, I traveled down to Newport, Kentucky to talk with artist and friend, and friend of Waste-Free Dayton, Devan Horton, about an upcoming multi-disciplinary art exhibition that opens on Thursday, April 17th at StudioKroner in downtown Cincinnati. All Else Pales: 2 “showcases five artists whose thought-provoking installations delve into themes of nature, ecology, and climate change.” Following the opening reception on April 17, the exhibition runs through May 24, and features presentations, artist talks, panel discussions, dramatic performances, workshops, and more. There is something for everyone, and you will find at least one event that piques your interest enough to make the short trip to Cincy.

Brett and Devan met for their conversation in a book and coffee shop in Newport, Roebling Books, and talked for about 30 minutes. The full interview is below, and a bonus conversation on video will be made available to WFD Supporting Members soon. Here are some key highlights from the interview.

“The best part about All Else Pales is it's so much more than just an art show. And I really think of it as a gathering place... If you start coming back in and looking at your actual community and the things that are actually happening where you live, it can really motivate you and inspire you to be like, you know, things aren't that bad, and I can be a part of it. I can be a part of that change.”
“I have been shifting my practice to a more sustainable one. So I'm trying to leave my oil paints behind, even though that is what is most comfortable for me... The way that I did that is I dyed the background of my canvas with botanical dyes, and then I painted, so basically I deconstruct what oil paint is, and I’m painting exactly what oil paint is, and so it looks like destruction.”
“Everybody definitely has a skill that they can offer, and really it's a lot of self-discovery and figuring out what that skill is. And once you really hone in on that, then you can use it. But if you really just want to get started, get involved in a local organization, volunteer… There’s so many really small things that you can do that lead to giant impacts.”

Read the full interview:

Brett Bogan
Devan, thank you for taking some time today to sit down with me and talk about the upcoming exhibition, All Else Pales: 2. We first met when you were part of the Trash Talk exhibition at the Edward A. Dixon Gallery in Dayton, back in 2023. Before we get into what you've been up to since that exhibition and what we have to look forward to with All Else Pales, can you share more about yourself?

Devan Horton
I am an artist from Northern Kentucky. I went to Northern Kentucky University. I graduated in 2015. I come from a background of farming families, so I've kind of always been interested in the land and nature. I was really into landscape painting in college, and through landscape painting, I became overwhelmed by the amount of trash and things I would find out on hiking trails. So that inspired me to create my largest body of work, which is called Penchant. It's a series of trash landscape paintings. And that series really just inspired a shift in my work, and it also just inspired general activism in my life, and it caused me to get a lot more involved in different organizations and in the community.

BB
I think the Penchant series, you had a lot of those paintings at the Trash Talk exhibition, right? So a question I didn't have on the list, but, when did you know you'd be an artist?

DH
So basically, every kid experiments with drawing and painting. Every child does a little bit of that. And my dad was a graphic designer, and my mom is very musical, so that kind of thinking was always in our family. And once I started drawing, I was just encouraged to keep drawing. So I literally just kept doing it, and I really started taking it seriously in high school. Really art was like this outlet for me into, you know, I'm a teenager, I'm processing all kinds of emotions and growing up, and art allowed a space, a constructive space for me to kind of process growing up and so really in high school, that's what I knew. This is what I wanted to do. I went to college at NKU and got my BFA. It's really just been that way ever since.

BB
You referenced this a little bit ago, that when you started doing the landscape paintings, and you're like, just amazed in a negative way about the trash that you were seeing, is that kind of when you started to think that your art would focus more on the environment?

DH
Absolutely. In college, I was painting things like swarming insects and invasive species, so that the thoughts were always kind of there. But the ultimate goal really wasn't sustainability yet. I was really just fascinated by how all of these seemingly insignificant individuals can come together and make something really fierce. So like swarming insects, you think of an ant, it's just an ant. Who cares, but like, a giant swarm of ants can, like, literally destroy concrete.

BB
Right, and some ants you might run away from.

DH
Exactly. And so I was always fascinated with that idea. And I kind of took that swarming concept with me into the trash series. I was compelled, basically, I just needed to get this out of my system. And again, I brought that concept of these seemingly insignificant pieces of trash. Oh, who cares, it's one cup. Oh, who cares, it's one straw. But, you know, multiplied by billions, it becomes a very serious problem. So it's really the trash that inspired this whole sustainability shift for sure.

BB
I was thinking about this on the drive down here today, when I was in stopped traffic, I kind of glanced off the side of the road, and you just see the trash along there. And if you're not paying attention, if you're not looking, if you're not out painting landscapes, you're not seeing that, you're just kind of focused on getting from this point to this point, you don't realize what's what's happening.

DH
It's so true, because that trash on the side of the highway has been there literally my whole life, you know. And I drove by it many, many times without actually being like, oh, that's disgusting. I can't believe that. But yeah, hiking trails, I'm looking at small, swarming things. And so I was always really close to the ground. It turned into me picking up a lot of trash and just being like, I came out here to look at nature, but I ended up finding all of this trash, so I just had to get it out there. And yeah, red flags. You just kind of see it everywhere after that, right?

BB
You want to stop, get out of your car, grab a bag and start picking things up. So what are some of the things you've been doing in the past couple years since we first met?

DH
I've been very, very busy since Trash Talk in 2023. The biggest thing I've done is a giant mural project in Covington, Kentucky called the Wenzel House. That took about two years. Me and another lead artist, Gabrielle Siekman, organized a team of well, there were 14 of us total, and we were in charge of the 12 assistant painters, and we painted this giant mural that's like walking through an old Victorian house, so lots of crazy intricate furniture, lots of pattern fabric pieces, but it's through an alleyway on both sides of the wall. And even though you're outside, it feels like you're walking through an entire house. So it is literally life size, and the entire mural is 2700 square feet. It took us two years to build that, but it's amazing, and it's out there now, so you can go see that.

BB
Yes, I did visit there last time I was down here, took some pictures, and I’ll include some links and some of the pictures. It was really cool. So it finished last fall?

DH
Yes, finished last October.

BB
So you started it in 2022?

DH
Oh, yeah. So there was about a year of just back and forth design work with me and Gabby, meeting with our patron, meeting with, like the construction team, because it was a part of the business Wenzel Whiskey, which was in a vacant building. You know, we painted this in a vacant building that would be Wenzel Whiskey. So within that there was so much construction going on around us, we had to pivot a lot because of that. And so the whole first year was really just design, budgeting, working with the construction team, like, can we even make this happen? But we started painting in October 2023. The first brush stroke, okay, made it onto a panel. And we just literally non-stop for a year, 14 painters. I mean, we were working eight to 10 hour days, five days a week. So, I mean, it was intense, but it was also super fun to hang out with all those painters.

BB
It is impressive to see in person too. Yeah, okay, that's cool. That took a long time, really, really good result from that. So some other questions here. Well, let's turn to All Else Pales: 2. So apparently there was an All Else Pales: 1?

DH
There was. So it's at Paul Kroners gallery, StudioKroner, and Paul kind of just had this gallery fall into his lap. He was working with the landlord who owned this building. He owned a separate studio space, and his studio ended up getting full, and this guy wanted to lose this building, so he ended up just kind of moving in there with no aims to be a gallery, per se. But you know, he was just kind of gifted this space. And Paul is amazing because he is an artist who is super into sustainability in the environment, and so he really took the initiative to make it a space to be able to talk about these issues. And he had a show there, All Else Pales. The first one was in 2023 and that was an artist, David Young and his wife Dena Hawes. They are two artists from Bloomington, Indiana who make work about climate change. And David Young's paintings are incredible, and I actually shared with him in Bloomington this past, like, two months ago. So it was amazing, but he was a part of the first All Else Pales, and it was he had one discussion with a climate scientist, and then there was another kind of panel discussion with some people in the sustainability office from Cincinnati. So that was like, kind of the first rendition of it. Paul and I had gotten together, we did Trash Talk, and we knew that we were going to do this show again and just make it 10 times bigger. And we do plan on doing this again and making it even bigger.

BB
That's awesome. So the website for All Else Pales: 2 describes the exhibition as a multi-disciplinary art exhibition curated to inspire reflection and motivate action toward environmental stewardship. So when you're talking to someone about this exhibition, how would you describe it? Why should they go and especially to our followers, in the Dayton area, why should they come down to Cincinnati?

DH
So the best part about All Else Pales is it's so much more than just an art show. And I really think of it as a gathering place, because, you know, recent events and everything that's been going on lately, it can feel quite hopeless and very overwhelming, and it's because we're looking at things on a global scale. But if you start coming back in and looking at your actual community and the things that are actually happening where you live, it can really motivate you and inspire you to be like, you know, things aren't that bad, and I can be a part of it. I can be a part of that change. And I think that's what All Else Pales is going to do, because not only are we inviting like the artist community, but we will have performers, poets, we have a political scientist in one of our panel discussions, and ecological theologists. And there's just such a range of voices that you will be able to hear at this show, which is the purpose of all the events, because, here's an opening, come look at art, but it's so much more than just the art. And really it's about community and a place to be able to gather.

BB
Yeah, and we at Waste-Free Dayton just love the opportunity to just be able to engage more locally and in person with people too. So going to the opening exhibition, or these artist talks, where you have a chance to actually talk to people, versus just like doom scrolling.

DH
Yes, doom scrolling. You see things on the internet like it feels so separate from you, but like you can be here doing it,

BB
Right. So how many pieces will you have in the exhibition?

DH
I will have five of my paintings in this show, and two, well, three of them are a part of my series Penchant. They are some of the newer ones that weren't a part of Trash Talk. And then I will also have two brand new paintings that kind of delve into my exploration of botanical dyes, because I have been shifting my practice to a more sustainable one. So I'm trying to leave my oil paints behind, even though that is what is most comfortable for me. I've made two new paintings that really talk about that. And the way that I did that is I dyed the background of my canvas with the botanical dyes, and then I painted, so basically I deconstruct what oil paint is, and I'm painting exactly what oil paint is, and so it looks like destruction. And, you know, my paintings are very acidic in color, so, like, there's some lots of colors and things going on in those paintings. I'm very excited for that.

BB
That’s cool. So the opening reception is on Thursday, April 17, and you have your artist talk with another artist on Saturday, May 3, I believe. So we'll put links to the website so everyone can see all the different events going on. So what else do you have planned this year? What comes after All Else Pales?

DH
Well, after All Else Pales, I have an art show coming up at the Clifton Cultural Arts Center in Cincinnati that will open in August, and I was the recipient of a residency last year, and during this show, it'll be the work that I've been working on as a part of this residency. And all of that work is fully botanical. So that is, like my first real leap away from oil paint. So All Else Pales is kind of like my tip toe, and the next art show is like the leap.

BB
That's awesome. So I'm gonna pivot a little bit to just a couple of more personal background questions, so people know, okay, who really is Devan Horton. So besides creating art, what do you like to do in your free time?

DH
So honestly, cooking, I love cooking, and gardening, all those things are also kind of trickling into my art practice as well. So like all of those things are kind of becoming the same thing. I'm also super into fitness. I've been running a lot lately, preparing for the Flying Pig. I also really enjoy yoga, and it's honestly a lot of mindfulness activity.

BB
And they all have a little bit of a connection to sustainability. Cooking and gardening, you can be more sustainable in the kitchen…

DH
And all of these things were out there, but they felt separate and that they're all just kind of starting to become this one, which is amazing. I love it.

BB
Cool. What is your favorite place to go, or your favorite activity to do in the Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky area?

DH
I love this question. I thought about it a lot. And basically it depends on the season. So like in the winter time, I always go to the Krohn Conservatory, because, like, when it's super gray and there's nothing green anywhere you can always go it's super cheap. And just like, breathe in some green air. And like, literally, every time that seasonal depression starts setting in, I go there, and that helps so much. It's amazing. But in the summertime, I love the Covington farmers market, because that's the one I go to the most. But I also love Findlay Market in Cincinnati. It's kind of like that one stop to get everything local, ethically sourced, everything that you need that's important, that’s Cincinnati, is at Findlay, I feel like.

BB
Great tips. I love that. Okay, so we'll finish up this interview and the last couple questions, what do you hope people take away from your art?

DH
I hope that they take away just motivation and inspiration, especially with the trash stuff. I hope to start these conversations, talk about trash, let's notice the trash that's laying around outside. Let's talk about it, instead of just ignoring it. And then with the botanical stuff, I hope that you see how beautiful these free sources of materials can be, because I do feel like they're everywhere, but they, for the most part, are just ignored. A lot of this information isn't easy to access, so I'm just trying to provide that access.

BB
And then finally, what would you tell someone who wants to be more involved in the climate movement, but doesn't know where to start, or they don't feel like they have a skill or talent that could be put to use?

DH
So we talked about that, but everybody definitely has a skill that they can offer, and really it's a lot of self discovery and figuring out what that skill is. And once you really hone in on that, then you can use it. But if you really just want to get started, get involved in a local organization, volunteer. There's so many nonprofits everywhere. And honestly, just like picking one and starting and doing one volunteer shift, that's really how I got started. And also, you know, just tiny steps at home, you know, the reusable bags, or maybe you plant a garden, maybe you plant some native flowers, like you don't even have to spend a lot of time gardening, per se, but you plant the natives that don't need a lot of tending to. There's so many really small things that you can do that lead to giant impacts.

BB
Right, take small steps. They can add up over time.

DH
Snowball, for sure. Because, I mean, even me, it's not like I just woke up one day, and I'm sustainable now. I'm still getting better. I'm still changing everything, it's a never ending thing.

BB
Awesome. Well, thank you, Devan, I’m looking forward to All Else Pales: 2, I’m excited for it, and hopefully we have some people in the Dayton area that I'll make the trip down to Cincinnati to see it.

DH
Super excited. Thank you, Brett.