Neal McCormick utilizes traditional printmaking and drawing to explore images and stories from his unconscious mind. The works appear at first like events half remembered that don't seem real; or fragments of complex dreams that come back to you days later, devoid of context. compositions are arranged through a process of drawing and redrawing- adding and subtracting elements until the piece feels pure. Materials push the ideas to their conclusion: the shape and grain of a piece of wood, the marks made by a particular tool, and at times where the materials come from- all these things conspire to change the direction of the work, and Neal honors their influence. These images, upon further analysis of the symbols within them, tell stories that encapsulate, elucidate, and poke fun at Neal’s anxieties and inner turmoil- and at times directly or indirectly reference his memories. By drawing these stories, Neal hopes to transmute his personal struggles into a universal context, while also allowing others to find their own story in the work.
Neal was born and raised in Louisville, Colorado, to a family of research scientists. He first became interested in art through his love of skateboarding as a teenager; and it was the convergence of these two interests that ultimately drew him to attend PNCA in Portland, Oregon, in 2015. Neal got his start in printmaking by creating linoleum printed patches to sew onto his jacket that he wore to punk shows. When he arrived at PNCA, the printmaking studio had him spellbound. Though he did not inherit all of the scientific talents of his parents, the process, analysis, and technical knowledge required to produce prints spoke to him. The aesthetics of traditional print media like woodcuts, stone lithography, and copper plate etching became the perfect vehicle for exploring the surreal imagery of his internal world. Neal is also highly influenced by Fantasy and Sci Fi literature, a great variety of different music from free jazz to doom metal, and a deep love and respect for the natural world. After graduating at the end of 2019, Neal remained in Portland and continued to pursue printmaking. In 2023 he became a member of Flight 64 Studio, where he still works today.
Photos Courtesy of Connor Tallon