Interview by Monika Bullette
Belated Happy 30th Birthday wishes to Randle Reed! We talked about kilts, tie-dye, extroverts, and why DEFAD is a triathlon for artists! Thank you, Randle!
We like to know how people are connected to Delaware - are you a resident, born and raised?
I have been living in Wilmington for a better part of 6 years but i was born in Mississippi and raised in hickabilly Maryland. I went to the Delaware College of Art and Design for my Associates in Photography (later finished my degree at Pratt Institute) and fell in love with Wilmington. After I graduated with my BFA I began working for DCAD and have been in Delaware ever since.
This will be your fourth year participating! Did you have a favorite project from your past Delaware Fun-A-Days? Any Artists you are hoping to see participate again?
My first year I participated with my collegues at DCAD, we all worked collectively to really have "fun" every day. My favorite project we worked on was when we had to bring in 3-5 random objects and then traded them with each other to make a new piece. Iron Chef meets Project Runway style. Every year there is a miriad of artists that exhibit, the (almost) over whelming amount of work is what I'm most looking forward to.
Do you know your Myers-Briggs Type Indicator? You seem like an extravert. Do you think personality tests like MBTI are helpful in knowing yourself or others?
I just took the test on Fifi-boo (Facebook) and it says I'm an ENFP-A, but that's just because of how I'm feeling today/tonight, but tomorrow I would probably test differently. For me, tests like these are a lot like horoscopes, somehow you can manipulate your own personality to better identify with what these tests tell you. With that in mind, I'm definitely an extrovert, it comes from the fact of being the youngest of five and a Leo, always lookin for that spotlight.
You are Master of Ceremonies at the Cards Against Humanity events at The Oddity Bar - what’s the funniest (but least offensive) combination you remember? (Remember everyone, DEFAD is PG-13 at the most!)
What a tricky question!!! My favorite card is "I'm Miss Tennessee, and if I could make the world better by changing one thing, I would change _____". The possibilities are endless. Then it's all up to who my co-host is, how the crowd reacts, what I had for lunch that day to declare the winner.
You’ve worn a kilt to the DEFAD events. Does your family heritage have a tartan of their own? Do you make them yourself?
I am a proud owner of 18 kilts, all made by yours truly (including a bathing suit kilt), all because of one summer I refused to wear pants, so I made kilts instead! #pantsfreesummer! I always claim being half Italian, half Scotch-Irish, but I don't have the cleanest lineage to Scotland. I've looked up my last name at the Scottish Games in Fairhill and technically I am a part of the Robinson Clan.
What is the secret to the perfect Tie Dye?
Purposefully dying! The biggest mistake people make when dying is "peeing" dye on their pieces. You have to dye perpendicular to the pleat to maximize the effect. Think of your end product in mind, and most importantly, HAVE FUN. Use some Procion Pigments, they are #slammin and have very vibrant colors! You can find them at Dharma Trading Company.
You’ve worked for a number of non-profits… do you listen to the radio when there is a fund drive? Or do you turn to another station? or?
We are fortunate enough as Delawareans to have such a strong network of non-profits that don't merely give you a hand out, but a hand up! From after school programs to crisis intervention, college and career readiness to finding good homes for our fur babies, non-profits employ nearly 40k Delawareans to enrich and touch some of our most vulnerable communities. Lets be honest here, the philanthropic landscape of Delaware has changed over the past few years which means that non-profits need more support than ever! So would I change the station because of a fund drive, well... after I step off my soap box, of course not! I am a firm believer in karma, so I always give when I can in case I am ever in need.
What kind of artwork would you like as a gift?
I am an equal opportunity employer when it comes to artwork whether it be abstract to screen prints. I particularly like small works, there is something so intimate about them. You are forced to get up close, have some stepped up personal space, and really have a "moment" with it.
What’s your favorite song to rollerskate to?
When I skated with Diamond State Roller Derby, I played for the Black Eyed Bombshells. Our intro song was "Bombs over Baghdad" by Outcast. Its definitely a good way to get your pulse bumpin' and feet moving. When I first learned how to roller skate, my favorite memory is of my twin and I. We stole our mother's tape cassette and player, and loved to jam to Bon Jovi's - Livin' On A Prayer.
Name 5 key artistic influences?
1 - Van Gogh, for his mark making
2 - Matisse, for his shapes and color
3 - Degas, cause I'm basic like that
4 - Sally Mann, for her sensitivities
5 - My Grandmother (my G-unit), for her creative engineering, she was a crafty HBIC
Where can people check out more of your work?
Just add me on facebook to check out my uploads, slightly ashamed of not having a site or app membership, but if you wanna see it live, I'm always down for a crafting sesh or I'll see you at the next DEFAD exhibition.
Do you have anything additional for us?
DEFAD isn't reliant on skill or experience, but about innovation and commitment. If you haven't registered, please do! If you are, I can't wait to see what you come up with. This is a triathlon for artists, so flex those muscles and just have FUN!!! PS. My 30th Birthday is August 17th :)