At 33 years old, George Perrou suddenly found himself with a strange desire to paint.

Perrou had never taken an art class and had been waiting tables when his career took a different turn.

"It came like an unexpected letter in the mail," he says. "One week I'm not an artist and the next week I've got cut-up pieces of paper that are laying everywhere, and it's a mystery to me."

Today the Portland artist creates "Mod-Culture" works of art that are unique in their ability to make his audience feel like they are in a future time period, yet where everything is strangely familiar. He uses an exacto knife to draw shapes in tape before applying them to his canvas. He freely admits that his bright contrasting colors and off-kilter curves are inspired in part by the cartoon show The Jetsons.

George Perrou's new solo exhibit, "Flashbacks of Yestermorrow,” is being featured at the Elroy Artspace Gallery through December 1, 2011. Arts & Life talked with Perrou about the new show, his creative process and his advice for up-and-coming artists.

A&L: How do you get into your "ready to paint" mindset? What process or ritual must you complete in order to be at the height of your artistic and creative ability?

GP: No preparation, I just wait until I feel a strong urge to paint, then will do so for several hours straight. I've found if I paint when I don't really feel like it, I'm not pleased with the results.

A&L: Are your paintings meticulously thought out before the tape gets put on, or are you more of an intuitive and spontaneous painter? How do you decide what shape goes onto the painting, or what shape comes next?

GP: No planning goes into my paintings. I never work from sketches. The only reason my paintings are recognizable as mine is because I draw from a lexicon of shapes and structures I have developed over the years.

A&L: In what way do your paintings in this exhibit differ from the paintings at previous exhibits?

GP: The paintings in the current exhibit span several years. The only real difference is that I’ve included some very small paintings, 6"x12". This is a smaller size than I normally work with.

A&L: In what ways has your ultimate goal changed from when you were first starting out to now?

GP: I take my work far more seriously now with my goal being to show only paintings I consider quintessential Perrous. I'm not as interested in trying new styles and prefer to focus on what I do best.

A&L: You said that you measure your life in "before" and "after" painting. How does life now compare to life before painting?

GP: My life is much fuller now that I have my art. It's also a new identity. Most people know me as an artist and this is how I am introduced to people I meet. It is odd, however, to meet people who know a lot about me whom I have never met. It’s incredibly rewarding to have people tell me how much they love what I do and to hear from those who own my paintings how much these canvases mean to them.

A&L: There seems to be a trend developing in the U.S. galleries to "buy local." Has this helped or hindered your creativity?

GP: This trend has had little effect. Fifty percent of those who buy or commission my work live outside Oregon.

A&L: What is your response to people who have told you that you won't make it or that "I can tell you've never taken an art class"?

GP: I’ve never been told I won't make it and when I was told “I can tell you didn't go to art school,” it was a compliment, alluding to my very unique style. I think it was more a jab at the art establishment.
 

A&L: What is your advice to struggling artists who want to do this for a living?

GP: My advice is to focus what you show and don't be too broad in scope. Develop your unique style and market it in places where people respond well to what you do. People who know my work would recognize a painting of mine even when unsigned. If you're not to that point in your work, hold on to your day job till you get there, but work hard to get there or you will get lost in the crowd. Art is either plagiarism or revolutionary. Only the revolutionaries are remembered.

A&L: Where can we find you when you're not painting?

GP: In a coffee shop.

A&L: How do you see yourself in the future?

GP: As a famous, reclusive artist, playful father and loving husband.