Reno artist Angie Terrell’s latest project takes a deep dive into the strange, surreal world of Twin Peaks—paying homage to both the show and its creator, director David Lynch, who died in January.
The exhibition, Twin Peaks: Season One, showcases Terrell’s acrylic paintings and tattoo flash sheets, along with portraits inspired by the characters from Lynch’s iconic TV series about the mysterious murder of teenager Laura Palmer and the FBI agent sent to investigate the strange town—and townsfolk—surrounding the crime.
Terrell discussed her artistic journey, her connection to the Reno art scene, her apprenticeship at Seven Swans Tattoo, and how the work of David Lynch has influenced her creative process.
How did you first get into art, and how has your career evolved since then?
I’ve always been interested in art. I think I really wanted to become an artist because there was a girl in my class in second-grade who was really good at drawing, and I was so jealous, because I couldn’t even draw a stick figure. So I started working really hard to try to draw as well as she did, and I just never stopped.
I took a lot of art classes all through school, and then I got a bachelor’s in painting from UNR. I’ve just been doing art stuff ever since—whatever I can get my hands on. I also enjoy printmaking, and I run a small letterpress out of my garage. I’m even apprenticing to be a tattoo artist, because I wanted to know how to do all of it.
Where did your love for Twin Peaks come from specifically?
I have always loved David Lynch. He’s such a weird enigma, and I didn’t start watching Twin Peaks until my mid 20s. I was dating someone who lent me a VHS set before it was even available to stream.
At first, I thought, “This is some stupid show from the ’90s,” but once I started watching, I thought, “This is so weird, and I love it!” I’ve been captivated by it ever since. I probably watched that show once a year, at least.
Why was making an homage to Twin Peaks so central to your new show?
I’m a big fan of Twin Peaks, and I’ve done a lot of fan art. As an art teacher, I often do portraiture alongside my students to show them techniques. I always pick characters from Twin Peaks, and my students find it funny, because they think I’m obsessed with it—which, I guess I am. They don’t know what (the show) is, so they get really curious.
The first time I did a portrait of someone recognizable—I can’t even remember who it was—there was some sort of thing going on where they didn’t like him. … There’s some sort of drama around this guy who I was painting, and I was just like, “Oh my god, this is too much.” So, the next time, I was like, “All right, I’m going to paint agent Dale Cooper from Twin Peaks, and he’s played by Kyle MacLachlan.” And then they were like, “What’s Twin Peaks?’” And I’m like, “Oh, it’s a really weird show from the ’90s, and I cannot tell you to watch it, because you’re too young, but it’s a good show.” So, this way, I was just painting an anonymous person to them, but it was fun for me.
How did you build the current art show? Was it just the portraits you had previously, or did the concept evolve over time?
I had three Twin Peaks portraits I’d already done, and then when I was approached to do this show, I thought, “OK, I can make more.” I was also working on some flash sheets for my tattoo apprenticeship, and they fit into the show, too. It was killing two birds with one stone. I was doing my apprenticeship homework, but also making art.
What’s your process for creating these portraits? How long does it take to complete one?
For this show, I start by finding a good reference photo and then use Photoshop to map out the shadows and highlights. I transfer that map onto wood or canvas, then block in the shadows and skin tones. The process can take anywhere from a week to a month, depending on the complexity. One triptych I did, with Laura Palmer and her family, took about two to three months.
My process, in a broader sense, is sketching a lot while listening to an audiobook, podcast, music or TV show I’ve watched a million times. Then, when a sketch sparks something in me, I research good reference photos and make that sketch into something more workable.
How did you react to the news of David Lynch’s death?
I was really sad. I haven’t felt this sad about a celebrity passing since Hunter S. Thompson or Robin Williams. Lynch was a huge influence on me, both artistically and philosophically.
I think sometimes when you look at people’s art, and you really like it, it’s because their lives or their philosophies kind of line up with your own, and also add clarity to what you’re thinking. David Lynch said so many things that when I hear them, I’m like, “Oh my God. That’s the thing I was thinking that I couldn’t put into words.”
After he died, his daughter shared one of her favorite quotes from him: “Focus on the donut, not the hole,” and it’s a thing I’ve kind of been saying ever since. It’s such a silly saying, but when you think about it, it’s like, yeah, focus on the big picture and not what’s missing. It’s such a weirdly deep but funny sentiment. And I think that’s where he really is amazing; he would say these things that were super deep and meaningful—(yet) they would be so silly.
With the addition of the new show, your teaching career, and now your tattoo apprenticeship, do you feel like you’re where you want to be in your artistic career right now?
About a year ago, I felt like I was in a bit of a rut. Some personal stuff was going on, and I couldn’t come up with any ideas that felt like “me.” You know, I just sort of lost the plot a little bit. … (One) way that David Lynch kind of inspires me is I like to make art that’s kind of dark and moody and spooky maybe, but also kind of funny. And I was just like, man, I lost whatever it was that was driving that.
And then my friend who owns the tattoo (shop) that I’m apprenticing at posted something, and I was like, “Hey, do you need a shop girl?” And she was like, “Do you want to learn how to tattoo?” And I was like, “Yes, I totally do.”
I wanted to so bad when I was younger, but I had a child pretty young and had to kind of put that on the back burner. I figured it was never happening, and I just wanted to learn something. I hadn’t learned any new art forms or any skills, and I hadn’t been hanging out with artists a lot, so I was like, this will definitely help me kickstart whatever that is, I’m sure. And it has. I feel really inspired, and it’s been great.
Do you have any long-term goals for your artistic career you’re currently working toward?
I’m kind of just going wherever it takes me, honestly. I don’t want to jinx anything, but I hope that I can do some cool tattoos and stuff, and I’ve made some really great friends and, like, I don’t know—it’s beautiful. I’m happy where I am now, and I want to keep going with it.
I think David Lynch would be proud of that. His whole ethos was about making art for art’s sake.
Yeah, and if people don’t like it, screw them.
Twin Peaks: Season One is on display at Pitch Black Printing Co., 700 E. Fourth St., through Wednesday, March 19. You can find more of Angie Terrell’s work at instagram.com/Fish_Flower_Press.
I love your attitude and talent and I’m also a hard core David Lynch fan. I got introduced in the 1970s when Eraserhead came out. I also grieve his death.