Kyle Mosher’s billboard-gracing pop art uniquely blends pop culture and fine art techniques.
Pop art billboards tend to stand out from the usual advertisement sprawl. We appreciate them, rare though they may be, because they’re different, distinct in their insistence upon being viewed. Charlotte local Kyle Mosher’s mixed media pieces are no exception, and his larger than life subjects grace large canvases with an old-school pop art flare.
Kyle Mosher dove headlong into the art world at 21, attending the New Hampshire Institute of Art, where he was immersed in an education built around traditional fine art techniques. His obsession with application of acrylic paint to vintage papers, combined with techniques such as decoupage and cut-paper, eventually gave way to his selective brand of mixed media art. “I like the different slangs we develop to describe things,” Mosher says, drawing an intriguing comparison between art and the language of poetry or music: “I want it to create the same type of emotion as if you were listening to a song that pumps you up.”
A Canada native raised in New Hampshire, Mosher’s made Charlotte the homebase of his artistic endeavors. He praises the city as both a cultural hub and an affordable home. “People who care about art, want to buy art, and want to help artists succeed,” he stresses, “are definitely here in Charlotte — you just need to go out and find them.” Kyle Mosher was one of the twenty regional pop artists selected to have his unique and creative pop art displayed on billboards in the Charlotte region. So Mosher’s been extremely fortunate and successful, but his success, for him, is evidence that the starving artist doesn’t have to starve. He thinks that message should be proclaimed to all aspiring creative-types. “There are millions of talented artists in the world,” he muses, “and the only thing separating the successful ones from the unsuccessful ones is the desire to succeed, the drive to make it happen.” The youthful and supportive nature of the Charlotte art scene is inspiration and incentive for Mosher, and has in many ways impacted his decision to stay.
The only thing separating the successful [artists] from the unsuccessful ones is the desire to succeed, the drive to make it happen.
His art can found hanging on the walls of Packard Place and in his studio located in NoDa. By continuing to create inspirational pop art and connecting with new people in the art industry, Kyle Mosher plans to expand his showcase outside of the Queen City. Now, Mosher is changing his style, seeking to grow his art conceptually. He hopes his future work will effectively write stories, utilizing a newly discovered complexity. While his current signature portraits “are lots of layering and tedious cutting,” his progression as an artist will begin to incorporate the influences of early pop artists Robert Rauschenberg and Cy Twombly. He’s predicting that 2016 will be a “more expressive” year for his art. Mosher’s current and recent repertoire is certain to capture your eye, but his future work will hopefully hold your attention, with a bold new purpose: With his new direction, he intends to tell viewers something, rather than just showing.
For more Mosher art and commissions, visit KyleMosher.com
