Creating gives Old Hotel artist of month relaxation

OTHELLO — Students in the Othello School District know School Resource Officer Sean Anderson as a cop. The’d probably be surprised he’s an accomplished collage artist and photographer.

Even Anderson is a little surprised. He’s had to overcome dyslexia to accomplish goals. But here he is, the Old Hotel Art Gallery’s artist of the month for September.

Anderson expects to hang five collages and an equal number of photographs. You’d be doing your artistic senses a favor by visiting the exhibit.

“The art and photographs I create are very personal to me probably because it is a reflection of my most inner self,” Anderson said. “Making what I call a collage is pretty unique. It’s the form of art that spoke to me.”

In making a collage, Anderson doesn’t just throw pieces of colored paper together to see what sticks. It took two years to create his favorite collage, “Angelic Welcoming”, which will be at the Old Hotel.

“My concept for “Angelic Welcoming” was pretty simple at first. I wanted to create something that had meaning to me personally,” Anderson said. “I also wanted it to pop so it was interesting to the eye.”

Anderson found his inspiration one day while viewing “Starry Night” by Vincent Van Gogh.

“It hit me like and lightening bolt,” he said.

Anderson created swirling clouds like those in “Starry Night.” He added a sun, then decided to add a second collage over the clouds. He took several photographs of the golden Angel Moroni on top of the Mormon Columbia River Temple in the Tri-Cities for the focal point.

“That angel is sounding a trumpet like will be done when Jesus Christ returns to earth,” Anderson said.

“Angelic Welcoming” required Anderson to cut out thousands of individual strips of paper. He sorted them into like colors so he’d be prepared when inspiration came.

“When I was ready, the collage just came together with ease and seemed to just appear with no effort,” he said.

Anderson has been a police officer in Othello for eight years. He was a patrol officer for the first four and a half years, which gave him his roots. Then he became a detective.

“I was very insecure in my abilities as a detective (at first), but I decided to face my fears and go for it,” he said. “It was probably one of the hardest assignments I have ever taken on. I saw the horrible things that some people do to others.”

Being a detective was also difficult because it involved a lot more detailed paperwork. Because of dyslexia, he had a very difficult time reading and writing in school.

“As a detective I investigated a homicide and wrote a 60-page report, which I never before would have even thought was possible,” he said.

When Anderson was given the opportunity to become the School Resource Officer a year and a half later, he grabbed it

“I get to help young people at the most impressionable time in their lives to, hopefully, make good decisions,” he said.

Anderson took his first formal art class at Spokane Falls Community College in his early 20’s. He wanted to become a nature photographer. He also took Art 101, or basic art.

“My teacher introduced the class to collage art,” he said. “We used three colors that were next to each other on the color wheel. We cut those colors out of magazines in whatever shapes we wanted. We selected a picture from a newspaper or a magazine, then created that picture using the cut out colors.”

“We had to use the different elements of design, such as color, shape, contrast, the rule of thirds and so on,” Anderson added. “My first collage took about 20 hours to complete and I got an A+. I put my heart and soul into that piece.”

Anderson found that art is one thing dyslexia can’t bridle. Art allows him to create whatever he can dream up. He has lots of hobbies and most, like gardening, building, almost any sport, fishing, hunting, photography and art, involve creating.

“I am an introverted person,” Anderson said. “Being a police officer causes me to come out of my introverted shell and converse with people I don’t know. So going home after a long day of working outside of my shell of comfort is physically and mentally exhausting. Art can be a great release for me.”