100 Colorado Creatives: Dylan Scholinski

Westword: If you could collaborate with anyone in history, who would it be, and why?

Dylan Scholinski: There are a lot of artists I feel kinship with, like Basquiat, and also David Wojnarowicz. They're really personal artists, and I identify with artists who are personally expressive. Another artist really inspired me - Jonathan Borofsky, who actually built the sculptures outside the DCPA that look like aliens. I have a hard time choosing the kind of artist I am -- am I a sculptor? Am I a painter? Am I a printmaker? -- and he showed me that I don't have to be a particular kind of artist. He kind of gave me permission to deal with art the way I wanted to, rather than focusing on a single type.

Who in the world is interesting to you right now, and why?

My students. They're soldiers. They're amazing. They're fighting amazing fights. They're inspiring. I feel really honored to participate in their lives.

What's one art trend you want to see die this year?

Censorship. I had a student this last summer -- he was this raw kind of graffiti person, and the people overseeing his project were like, 'it has to be prettier.' It really got a fire under me. If we're going to ask people to express themselves, we have to let them show themselves and not be afraid of it. If people want to show themselves to the world, they should have opportunities to do that.

A mystery patron offers you unlimited funds for life. What will you do with it?

I'd do exactly what I'm doing. I'd just have more materials and be able to offer more service. Right now, everything I have I give away. I'd love to be able to build it, have more studios, have more students, and not be struggling to buy the art supplies they need. And I'd like to eat dinner.

What's the one thing Denver (or Colorado) could do to help the arts?

There needs to be some system providing funding to people starting nonprofits. Many people don't have the money.

What's your favorite way to waste time?

I don't have a lot of time to waste, but I can get pretty sucked into playing on my computer. I try to figure out a new way to organize everything. I also like to have organic time, where I have no real agenda; I just start on a walk without any real expectation. I sit and look at something or get a cup of coffee. I like to putz.

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