This is a story of perseverance. A test of will and grit. It’s a gritty tail of darkness and deceit…. Nah more like Varsity Blues, except after being the jock-o high school football player, I then pursued a career in art school. To make a short story long, I stretched my undergrad into and 8 year epic that included Santa Barbara, San Diego, Santa Monica, and finally concluding at UCLA. I got to Los Angeles in the fall of 2003. I did two extra years at Santa Monica City college because I was denied acceptance into the UCLA Studio Arts program two years in a row. Can you believe it? Didn’t want me. Didn’t even bat an eye I’m sure. After the 2nd year of failed entry, I took a “Grad program” style course at Santa Monica City College to pass the time until the next application season. It was a long year. I almost quit the program. I don’t even remember why. I feel like it had something to do with a break up with a girl. I stuck it out (the “grad program,” not the girlfriend) and it proved to be totally worth the experience. But during the program you write your acceptance letter for the UC colleges, and then by the end of the program you know if you are in or not.
“Well this is it,” I told myself.
“You have one more shot at this. You can't just keep going to City college, part-time forever. Either you get into UCLA this year or it's Long Beach State.” (Ugh… I did not want to go anywhere but UCLA…)
That year I wrote another acceptance letter, submitted more jpegs of my latest work, which was more sculpture, less paintings and.... I got in!
I graduated UCLA May of 2008 and have been making work and showing in LA, Palm Springs, and the SF Bay area ever since.
Now in my 40s the journey continues. The sun rises and sets on another day by The Bay. The world leaders prepare for our imminent demise and still we press forward, running on the fumes of misguided optimism in pursuit of our own version of happiness. Success. That big "break." Where will the next show be and for whom? How much can a “Nate Geare” fetch at auction?... Who will be the first to bid?
