For this months, slightly late double feature, I was able to get an interview with Canadian illustrator Jason Edmiston. There is also a nice gallery featuring 20 images of his work, so make sure you check that out after reading the interview.

CM: Can you tell us a bit how you got started in art, did you go to any art school for your training?

Jason: Not sure how far you want me to go back, but I actually knew I was going to be an artist for a living since I was a child. I never thought I would do anything else, and luckily it worked out. I had regular public school and high school art classes, but after that I went to the Ontario College of Art (now called OCAD because of an increased design department). It was a four year program, where the first year focused on foundations of art, and you specialized in an area over the next three years. I went into Communication and Design with a focus on illustration. Although school was a good way to get exposed to and prepared for the life of a working artist, I felt that I still needed to tighten my portfolio to get regular paying gigs. After college, I continued to teach myself through trial and error practice, and by pouring over my large library of art books.

For the month of June, we have another single artist feature with interview, this time from Joe Scarano. I sent Joe some questions, and was able to feature more than 20 images of his amazing artwork.

Cm: You grew up in Florida and New York, were you active in creating art during your childhood?

Joe: Yes! I was always drawing and doodling for as long as I can remember.
As a youngster I was always drawing really elaborate space battles and hot rods. I was also obsessed with Mad magazine and trying to re-create the covers.
Eventually I graduated to painting heavy metal album covers on my friends denim jackets. I once painted Cannibal Corpse’s Butchered at Birth album cover on a friends jacket, I had to hide if from my family for fear of being put into a mental ward!

Cm: Are you mainly a self taught artist, or did you have any formal training in the arts, such as a university or private school?

Joe: Kind of half and half… I took art classes all throughout school and then studied graphic design in college. I never focused on illustration or painting during school, I picked up most of that after I was already working as a designer.

For this months feature, the Creep Machine not only had the pleasure to show the art of Vincent Castiglia, but to also interview him. I do hope what is recorded below will give viewers a greater understanding into the artwork that Vincent creates, but also to foster a greater appreciation of it. Vincent creates his paintings with only the use of his own blood. Looking past the medium one can clearly see that he is creating allegorical paintings, dealing with the ideas of life, death, and rebirth. Works of art that are iconic and timeless. I would like to thank Vincent for taking the time to answer these questions.

Vincent Castiglia at the H.R. Giger Museum Gallery, Gruyeres, Switzerland, 2008: Photo: © 2008 Raphael Siegrist

Vincent: I began drawing as soon as I could hold a pencil and comprehend how to make a mark on any given surface. Making art began like “The Great Escape” for me, and the most efficient way to disconnect from the war zone of what appeared to be a home from the outside world. Those initial marks on paper, walls, or just about anything I chose to draw on would pave the way to a much more contemplative sphere of reasoning and technical execution than what was possible at three or four. But nonetheless those early markings were the formative acts which were to unfold into a tree of destiny, the fruits of which are now my sustenance and the life of my flesh.

Ken Keirns is an artist based out of the San Francisco Bay Area. He’s been exhibiting his work in galleries for the better part of a decade – recently at Rotofugi Gallery (Chicago), T&P Fine Art (Philadelphia), and Dorothy Circus Gallery (Rome, Italy).  In the world that Ken depicts you’ll find a few monkeys. The archetypal alter ego? A noble way of acknowledging the common traits between man and the other species we share our world with? You’ll also find lots of women, and a bit of commentary on gender relations that occasionally strays to the dark side of the aisle: Where cautionary tales of Love Gone Wrong dwell. We set out to uncover a few answers about the man responsible for Hot Babes in Toyland, hitman chimps, and Common Nonsense. 

The Creep Machine had some help from Joe Almeida, an art collector out of Southern California who was nice enough to work up some questions for Ken.

John Cebollero is an artist out of New York City. I have been a fan of his work for quite while now and was able to show his work in not only the “Attack of the B Movie Show”, but the recent “This is the End” group show as well. Whether it’s with pencil, acrylics or ink, John’s work is always inspiring.

CM: How did you get your start making art, any formal training such as art schools?

JC: Like most artists I’ve loved art since childhood. Constantly drawing and exploring the work of artists I admired. Graduated from Art & Design High School in New York City and attended the School Of Visual Arts…for one year, then dropped out.

CM: What are the main influences that helped to develop your style?

JC: I was into magazines like MAD, CREEPY, EERIE, and HEAVY METAL. As a kid I found these publications titillating and viewed them with a degree of awe. They gave me something to aspire to. It was a wonderful time of discovery for me. As for artists, my influences have been Richard Corben, Mort Drucker,, Frank Frazetta, Moebius, Robert Crumb, Vaughn Bode, Gerald Scarfe, Maxfield Parrish, Alphonse Mucha, Norman Rockwell, and Gustav Klimt.

…and of course, things I see every day influence me.

Michael Shapcott is a painter out of Plainville, Ct. His work is very figurative, colorful and filled with emotion. He also makes these really cool videos, many of which show his process of working. It’s great to see other artists work as you can learn all sorts of new tricks. I thank Michael for taking to the time to make these videos, as well as answer these questions.

CM: You went to the Paier College Of Art, what can you tell us about your experience there. Also what made you decide to go a private art school rather than a state college?

MS: Actually, I almost didn’t go to Paier. I was really drawn to what the University of Hartford had to offer. They were so much more equipped and they offered sculpture classes which has always interested me. I eventually decided on Paier because for one thing, it was more affordable, they’re known for their illustration program (which was my main focus at the time), and to be honest, the school was less intimidating. When I was graduating from high school I still wasn’t sure if art was going to be my life like it is now. I had kind of a rough beginning. At the time I had a strong interest in music and was in a band that took up a lot of my creative energy. While at Paier, I went through a crisis around sophomore year where I started questioning my place in art. I felt bound by illustration assignments that didn’t allow for much emotional expression in my opinion. I stopped going to class and almost dropped out – it was a crazy time that really brought me to big decisions about my life’s work. I went back the following year and switched from illustration to fine art. I started opening up more creatively with my new classes and teachers and was finally able to express myself in a more personal way. After that turning point I continued to blossom but it wasn’t until graduating that I found more of a sense of self and a deeper confidence in my work as well as a 100% commitment to being an artist.

CM: I’m always quite amazed when I see that Ralph Steadman is an artists influence. He’s a favorite of mine and I often find it hard not to make the same kind of stuff he does. What lessons or techniques have you learned from his art, that might be apparent in yours?

MS: Ralph Steadman is the man. It seems like his heart is really in drawing, something I relate to so well. When I first started painting, I remember being so worried I’d mess something up. I was too careful and too in my head and not really painting. Eventually, I started sketching more freely, exploring my imagination and not being afraid of what it came out like. It was what it was – if it came out like crap then it came out like crap. I look at Steadman’s work and he’s so free and experimental. I know that it’s not something people consider conventionally beautiful. In fact, it’s wild and violent and somewhat offensive. He practically throws up on the page in these amazing sketches and smears of color. It’s raw and honest and the emotional charge I get from looking at his work is just beautiful. His work has inspired me to let go , enjoy the process of creating, and most importantly be true to myself.

CM: Your paintings tend to be very large in size. What drives you to work in this scale, and what reaction have you noticed from people who view your art in galleries?

MS: Most of my paintings are larger in scale because I like the feeling of the figures in my paintings being at least life size. It makes them more real to me, like if they wanted to they could walk out of the painting. I also enjoy the physicality of painting. I’m able to use my whole body while painting on a large canvas. And there’s something addictive about painting big. It feels like I just need to keep expanding for some reason. If I had the space and the funds I might be making 15 foot high canvases. I don’t know.
Reactions from people vary but overall I think the size makes an impact. It may sound strange but there’s an intimacy to standing close to look at a painting and almost being swallowed by it. I’ve also had some cool personal reactions to my art in galleries. At my last show, this older woman came straight from a funeral or wake or something and walked up to my painting Peace and the Inevitable (which deals with the inevitability of death) and was blown away with how in line it was with her experience earlier that night. It’s kinda cool because in my video of that show you can actually see her checking out that painting for the first time.

CM: You work with a variety of materials, but list graphite as your favorite. What is it about this medium that you love? Is there anything you wish it could do different, or better?

MS: I think my love for graphite comes from using it all my life. When I draw it just feels so natural. Even the smell is nostalgic to me. I hated school so much when I was younger. I was borderline learning-disabled and reading was especially difficult for me in that environment. Whenever I went to the library in elementary school, I would always take out the same book. I can’t remember the name of it but I vividly remember the beautiful sketches and drawings it was filled with – a dream come true for a young kid who understood visuals so much better than words. I think that book was a big reason I started drawing at such a young age.

CM: What got you started in making the YouTube videos you have done? A few of them share your process and techniques, something that not many artists seem to enjoy sharing.

MS: I was making home movies and videos quite a while before YouTube came out but I only started making art videos a couple years back. I like having a record of what I’m doing at any given point in my life which is one reason for their existence. Another is that they motivate me to work harder because I so enjoy the part where I get to share my work with people. Also, I craved more from the art videos I’d seen up until that point (now there are a variety of talented artists who make really entertaining and inspirational videos). My aim was to blend instruction with speed-painting and throw in some humor and good music. I don’t have any issues with sharing my process and techniques because it’s something I’m always inspired by when other artists do it. I hope my videos inspire others and help them to view art in a new and exciting way.

CM: After watching these videos, it really looks like you can finish a painting in no time at all. How long does it take you to finish, your average sized work?

MS: Oh the magic of movie making. Editing allows me to take out so much of the tedious parts of the work. I try to leave in the juicy parts of making a painting like the end of sketch work or key painting for the piece. The time it takes me to finish one painting really depends on the piece. Sometimes they just flow out of me in a few days and other times it might take me weeks or months. I jump back and forth between working on about three different paintings at a time (keeps it fresh and less painstaking) so the length of completion is split up a bit. I usually work about 10 hours a day on art… sometimes I’m networking or replying to messages or filling out interviews, other times I’m drawing and painting nonstop for days, and sometimes I’m just feeding my brain with inspiring music, books, images, and films. I’m kind of an art-o-holic. I think about art about 95% of each day. Fortunately my girlfriend not only puts up with me but loves what I do and supports me unconditionally.

CM: You had also mentioned that you like an “unfinished” quality to your work, and you point this out perfectly with examples of DaVinci’s work. How do you know when to stop working on a piece, and what happens when you go too far?

MS: Usually when I think I might be done with a piece I sit back and stare at it for a really long time. Sometimes ideas pop in my head about what I can add to the painting or what I could change compositionally or get rid of. If I can’t think of anything that would make the painting better for me in someway and nothing else in the piece bothers me then I know it’s finished.

CM: Finally, what would you say keeps you going? The world of art can be harsh and difficult to keep up in, and you seem like you have an amazing attitude. What’s your secret?

MS: The main thing that keeps me going is a strong belief that it’s possible to be successful working for myself. There’s evidence everywhere of everyday people and some quite extraordinary people that have profitable small businesses or who are able to support themselves through various art forms. I’m so passionate about what I do and I pour myself into my work completely. It’s the only way I know how to be true to myself. That feeling of dedication, fulfillment, and enjoyment for my art is what I feel will bring me the greater success I’m striving towards.

If you would like to see more of his work you can visit these sites:
Michael Shapcott Profile and Myspace profile
You can also check out the videos he makes here: Youtube
You can also buy some prints of his work, Michael Shapcott Prints

He also just launched his own domain here: Michael Shapcott homepage

You might have seen his work with the band Tool, and have no doubt seen the effects that he has done with movies like the Ring, Darkman and Planet of the Apes. However it’s the fine art that he has done that really has the Creep Machine hooked. In each one of his paintings you can see the influence of Zdzislaw Beksinski, but with the work of Chet Zar, the subject of each painting seems to be aware of your presence, and is showing you things that that could be relevant to what is going on around you.

CM: You’ve been into horror art since you were a kid, and it seems like most parents believe dark art and youth is a combo for a future psychopath, yet this is hardly the case. Do you think the negative view on dark art is a hindrance, or might somehow support it?

CZ: Well, I was lucky because my parents were very cool about my interest in horror movies and dark imagery. Being a parent of 2 grown kids myself, I must admit that I can understand parents getting nervous about their kids being into dark stuff. I don’t think the fear is usually warranted but it’s actually really scary being a parent, especially in these times. The world is a much more dangerous place than when I was a kid. As a parent you worry a lot about their safety.
But to answer your question, I think that the negative view of dark art kind of helps to give it an air of danger and mystery and part of the appeal of dark art depends on that sense of danger and mystery. Once a thing becomes too accepted by mainstream society, it tends to lose some of its potency. So I don’t really see it as a bad thing and, honestly, it comes with the territory. If anything, it helps to foster a sense of community for those who appreciate it.

CM: What do you think it is about dark art, besides looking great, that draws people in just as easily as it gets people condemning it?

CZ: I think for the most part the interest in dark imagery is a safe way for people face their own fears and their own dark side. It’s healthy to face our fears, even to learn to love them, through art.
The real danger lies in the denial of our dark side, our inner fears and our fear of the unknown. A frightened ego is a fertile ground for neurosis.
Dark art works on a symbolic level as well. In many cultures darkness does not necessarily represent evil- it represents the unknown, the mysterious and the magical. These are the things I really find interesting about dark art, its sense of wonder.

CM: I sometimes feel that when the viewer looks at art, it might not be as intense as the concept in the artists mind, maybe something gets lost in the creative process. Is what we see in your work, as intense as the concept? If so what have you learned that allows this to happen?

CZ: The funny thing with my work is that I usually don’t have a clear idea of what I want before I start. Once in a while I will get a clear image in my mind but for the most part I either a: have no idea what I am going to paint or b: I have a vague concept of what I want. I really do my best when I have the freedom to allow the painting to develop. I think that is where my strength lies, to be able to go with the flow and to recognize and build upon the happy accidents. I also find this way to be a more fun way to paint.
So for me, the creative process is where I find my paintings.

CM: After watching your video for SketchTheatre, as well as seeing the skill involved in each of your oil paintings as well as sculptures, is there any area in the art process that you don’t completely kick ass at?

CZ: Thanks. That is a nice compliment. I don’t know if I would consider myself a master of any of these skills. If anything, I am more of a jack of all trades- I can do a lot of different things and I can do them all pretty well. But I do try to do my best with whatever I am trying to do at the time.
If I am interested in something, I can usually figure it out eventually. I have a tendency to be obsessive and tenacious about learning new things that excite me.

CM: If you hit a block on a certain piece, do you have any tricks that work for you to get out of the block?

CZ: Sometimes I will try to push on and get right through it. But often I will just set the painting aside and go to work on another piece. I always have 3-5 paintings going at once so that if I get a block I can move on to something else. Going to art shows and seeing great artwork also helps to get me re-inspired.

CM: Are there any specific bands or movies that really get the creative energies flowing?

CZ: Hmmm….I listen to a lot of different music. Nothing particular gets me going. It depends on what I am into at the time. I usually listen to old stuff like Devo, Nomeansno, The Minutemen, etc. That’s one of the cool things about getting older- you have all this music you can rediscover from your childhood that helps to re-inspire you. I definitely use music to help inspire me. Movies too. I have a little T.V. next to my easel and I love putting on old bad horror movies from the 60’s and 70’s while I paint. Those probably inspire my artwork more than music. “Zombie”, “The Last Man on Earth” and the original “Night of the Living Dead” are some favorites. Anything that inspired me as a kid really helps to get me going.

CM: In a lot of your work I can see these reoccurring elements. Numbers, smoking, little or no eyes at all, and the subject seems aware of the viewer. Can you explain the motivation behind these elements?

CZ: The only number I ever paint is the number 5. This is what I consider a number that represents me spiritually. This was ‘revealed’ to me in a series of psychedelic experiences that I had when I was a young man.
As far as the other symbols I use, I really don’t know what they mean. I try to paint intuitively and just go with my gut- it probably doesn’t sound as glamorous as some lofty explanation, but I use elements that I think look cool. I feel that the best thing I can do for my artwork is to stay out of the way and let my subconscious do the work. I think that approach puts me in touch with something deeper and more universal than I could consciously come up with. On that note, I think the cigarettes come from the Sergio Aragonez cartoons on the bottom of the pages of mad magazine, a comic magazine I used to read as a kid. I used to incorporate that element into my drawing when I was a kid and now I think it lends an air of humanity to my creatures- it puts them into a more physical and relatable reality. Plus, I think smoking represents a kind of modern day industrial kind of harshness (and I smoke myself, against my own better judgement).

CM: After years of horror movies, and making dark art, is there anything that still truly scares you?

CZ: The state of the world today and particularly the current political establishment in the U.S.

CM: So far you paint, sculpt and animate, is there any other medium we can expect to see from you?

CZ: I often consider the idea of making films. I was really into that as a kid. I had a super 8 film camera and made and edited my own movies. If the opportunity arose I think I would do it because I think I could make a good film. Writing is something I have always wanted to do but I am not very good at it.
As far as fine art goes, I would like to eventually have the resources to do a show of all sculpture work. But sculpture takes a lot of time and money. Actually, that was the original idea I had when I decided to get into the fine art field- to do sculpture, basically the things I paint but in 3-D. So I did the sculpture, “Softspot” and it took so much time, energy and money to create that I decided to paint instead.

CM: I read that you are going to be releasing some instructional dvd’s, this is really exciting news. Have you taught before? Can you give a hint as to what
fans and students can expect?

CZ: I have never taught before so I am a little nervous about it. I didn’t go to art school and pretty much learned on my own so I am now going through the process of really thinking about how I do what I do.
I am doing the DVD’s through the Gnomon School- Alex Alvarez and his crew are really a great bunch of artists and very cool people so I was excited to work with them. The first DVD will be how I do creature design for the film industry using Photoshop. I paint differently in the computer than I do in oils, so I go over all my techniques. It should be interesting because I created the illustration the way I do for the film industry- I didn’t have a lesson plan or even a specific design. I just kind of went for it and let it develop as I went. I think it’s coming out really well. In fact, I am going out to the school to finish it right after I finish writing this.
After that one is finished, I may do one on my techniques for creating my “Disturb the Normal” animations (the looping digital animations I created to project during the Tool concerts) using a combination of 3D and 2D graphics programs. I would also like to do an oil painting DVD as well as a sculpting DVD. Alex has offered me an invitation to do all of these so it’s just a matter of taking the time to put it all together.

CM:. With the success of your Talking Board show, are you going to be curating more shows?

CZ: That was actually really fun and I have my friend (and great artist) Nathan Spoor to thank for that. The Talking Board show was an idea I had for a couple of years so when he offered me a curatorial at a gallery he was running, I jumped at the chance. The gallery eventually closed down and we ended up having the show at CoproNason Gallery, which is pretty much my home base in L.A. Thanks to Gary Pressman for saving the day there. The show ended up turning out great and got rave reviews.

I was recently asked to curate another show of artwork from all of my friends in the film industry. There is so much talent in the industry (often being wasted, in my opinion), so I think that will be a really mind blowing show. I love art and I love showing artists I admire so I definitely hope to curate more.

CM: Are there any up and coming artists, which you think people should really keep an eye on?

CZ: Wow, there are really a lot of great younger artists coming out of the woodwork these days. I think the art world is experiencing a real renaissance right now. It seems like every day there is somebody new popping up. It’s an exciting time to be an artist.
As far as new artists to look for….Christian VanMinnen, Joshua Bronaugh come to mind. Lukasz Banach is a young artist out of Poland who I think is really talented.

There are some others that I really like that are not really new artists but artists that haven’t hit big yet like Jose Lopes. My dad, artist James Zar has been showing since the 70’s and his career is beginning to have a re-emergence with a new and younger audience. He was a really big influence on me. I hope to have a 2 man show with him next year in ’08 or ’09. My best friend Christopher Owen has been creating artwork all his life but has only recently begun showing his work. I think his stuff is amazing. He does really cool kinetic sculpture and was in fact the first artist to sell his Ouija board at “Talking Board Show”. But like I said, there are really too many to mention.

To see more work from Chet Zar, or maybe get some prints of his work head on over to his homepage: Chet Zar Homepage

Not only does she have an amazing style, an incredible amount of mediums she is skilled with, but she also has a great sense of humor, that helped make this the longest and most enjoyable interview I have done so far.

CM: Can you tell us a little bit of what got you started in art, any schools you have gone to or specific training?

KV: I have been drawing and painting and making stuff since I was little. I would make a nest of paper, crayons, markers and other materials wherever I sat down. I used to draw subterranean cities and space warrens at home and in class and was fed by praise I guess because I drew well. I have a BFA in fine arts from the Laguna College of Art and Design. They are a small, classical, core skills oriented school with a lot of focus on figurative drawing for their fine art majors. I also did a semester in NYC before graduation and that was an eye opener.

CM: You have a very consistent feel in your art, What are the main things that inspire you? Are you inspired by things that happen to you, or what you observe from life?

KV: That’s funny. I used to think my work looked a bit schizophrenic. It took an effort to eventually congeal. I am inspired by old photos, vintage things, quirkiness, decay, animals, colors and moods…if that makes sense. I try to get a certain feeling going in the look and atmosphere of a painting so I naturally gravitate towards art that echoes likewise, even if it has an entirely different effect. I am seeing gobs of exciting work being produced by people today and I am always inspired by past masters like Hans Holbein and NC Wyeth, pre-raphaelites, Van Gogh and so on.

CM: I notice that some of the figures from your work seem to reappear in other works, are these girls self portraits or a fictional character?

KV: I noticed this too. Tell her to stop stalking me. No really, I realized this a couple of years ago. The same fictional girls would reappear and I would do it completely unintentionally. I would look at one painting up in my studio and then across to another earlier painting and see the same girl at different ages. I don’t use models or try to portray anyone in particular but the same ‘characters’ keep coming up unintentionally. I am sure a psychologist would have a field day with that, but tell them to keep their findings to themselves. I prefer the mystery.

CM: Your main painting gallery is filled with both oil and acrylic, is there one that you prefer over the other, or is one used for a specific type of feeling your going for? I also noticed that you have almost a different style for each medium, such as the outlines that you use to surround the figure when painting in acrylic, is there a reason for this?

KV: I switch off and don’t prefer one more than the other. When I get tired or find myself getting too rigid in one medium, I use the other for the next piece. My oils tend to be tight and rendered and my acrylics layered with washes and bold outlines. Of course this changes depending on the support, canvas or panel. I have been doing some more rendered, small acrylics on panel recently so, I suppose there is no use defining this sort of thing.

CM: How did your comic “Patches” get started? Have you had any art shows were the paintings from this comic were shown?

KV: Patches got started as something silly with no expectation of being well done. There has always been a commentary of weird things in my head that had no other outlet so Patches was the solution. I was participating in web forums that centered around other web-comics at the time Patches was birthed, so you could say it was the encouragement of that community which kicked it off too. At first I didn’t think I could do the same characters over and over without them varying wildly from day to day but it hasn’t been so bad. Even if it is that bad, who cares? They are cartoon rodent-like creatures scrawled on kraft paper, but I love them so. Patches is an entity to itself so there really isn’t a crossover into my ‘regular’ art. Maybe there could be…

CM: You draw comics, paint in oil and acrylic as well as linocuts, are there any other type of medium you would like to work in? Or something different, music, clothes design, bee keeping?

KV: So many interests, so little time. I had to make a conscious cut off to getting to wildly fragmented in my creative interests. There are just too many things that look like they would be fun. If I had time and sewing skill I would try to sew the clothes I come up with in my paintings. Some of the dresses and hats would be killer in real life. I would like to get further into sculpture as well. I did a custom vinyl recently for a show in San Diego and it was quite satisfying. I would love to make some figures like the girls in my paintings.

CM:When I draw, it’s not very elegant, something I really need to work on. Is there any area as far as art goes that you would like to be better in? Any area that you are too good in, and need to be stopped??

KV: It’s all about expectations and doing what you love to do. Do it for yourself. If you draw or paint to please other people, you will always be dissatisfied and unsure. One can never really know what anyone else will think. If you do it for yourself, and avoid the fear of ‘looking stupid’ or ‘doing it wrong’ you will get lost in the process and then the amazing stuff happens. I would like to be better at doing larger oils. I lack patience sometimes :)

CM: Who are some current artists that you like, and would like to maybe share gallery space with? Any artists from the past you would like to be shown with?

KV: Current artists I like are Joe Sorren, Mark Ryden, John Currin, Jeff Soto, Jonathan Weiner, Odd Nerdrum. There are tons of amazing artists I adore, a lot of them are on flickr and I enjoy seeing their work on a regular basis. Showing with an artist from the past (like those mentioned in question 2) would be like having lunch with Lincoln. A weird gobsmacked sandwich experience.

CM: Sometimes an artists work gives a hint to what the artist may be like, what they believe in, entertainment they fancy. Is there anything about you that would be surprising to know, if someone only knew your art?

KV: I guess people are surprised that I don’t have some elaborate back-story for my paintings. They take shape spontaneously and organically and aren’t full of fancy meaning. I like to paint and see where it goes. I often don’t have answers to questions posed by my finished works. People ask me what a painting is about, I just ask them what they think it’s about. Their answer is as valid as mine, in my opinion. Also I think people would be surprised that I make a hastily drawn web comic about rodents after looking at my paintings, or maybe not.

CM: I have some art buddies that do some weird things while working; some end up with paint on their face, grind teeth etc. Do have any odd habits while you paint?

KV: Not particularly. I don’t like to discuss a work in progress, or hear anyone’s take on it. I feel oddly superstitious that way. Like talking about it will take something away that I need to finish the piece.

CM: Lastly, just some random questions for you:
A. Do have specific brands of supplies you use, or whatever the store has in stock?

KV: Fumes give me headaches so I use Artisan water soluble oil paints then coast in with a surgical strike of Liquin to coat it when it’s all dry. They behave a little differently than traditional oils but I have gotten used to them. I use Liquitex soft body acrylics and mediums. I like their consistency and colors and they aren’t prohibitively expensive.

B. Any music you are embarrassed that you listen to?

KV: I think soundtracks have some stigma to them but scores by Thomas Newman are awesome. That’s Thomas Newman, not Randy Newman. That would be embarrassing.

C. Would you be more flattered if someone tattooed you work on them, or was so influenced by your work that they painted very similar to you?

KV: Tattooed, definitely. I would feel quite surly if I knew someone was intentionally copying me.

Well that’s all for this interview. Make sure you head over to Kelly’s site and look at the rest of her work, also check an see if she will be having any work shown at a gallery near you.

Kelly Vivanco Homepage

I first got interested in the work of David Ho about 2001. It was around this time that I started trying my hand at digital art, and the work David was putting out was very inspiring. He uses such programs as Photoshop, Illustrator, Poser & Bryce, and since the first time I laid eyes on his work, he has only gotten better.

CM: When I was a kid I wanted to be a special effects engineer, not too far a jump to digital art. Did you want to be something that was related to what you do now, or was it vastly different?

DH: actually i never knew exactly what i wanted to be. i think it was just by chance that i became an artist. there was a time in my life i was alone quite alot and at that time, i found drawing to be a great time killer. after completing my drawings, i would look at them and feel a great sense of productivity.

CM: A steady diet of zombie movies & Hitchcock pushed me into the art I do now. Your art is both dark and surreal, what were the main things that helped you to develop your style?

DH: well i always liked art that was a little different from the main stream. i think it was HR Giger and Michael Whelans work that influenced my alot in the beginning.

CM: I know you use a mixture of bryce, poser & photoshop. All programs have some limitations. If someone could design a software program specifically for you, what would it be like?

DH: thats a very interesting question. maybe they already have a software out like this already, but here it goes. i would probably want some kind of 3d scanner where i could create some creature or figure in clay, have it scanned, then have the wireframe ready in the computer for me to further manipulate and render.

CM: There’s really no cleanup when it comes to digital art, no brushes or ink to spill. Does the digital environment hinder your energy or do you work better this way?

DH: sometimes i do enjoy the smell of paints and the mess it creates. i think with the digital environment, its very suitable for commercial projects cuz it allows me to work efficiently and i can quickly adjust things when clients need a little tweaking here and there.

CM: You’re also able to work in traditional mediums, do you think this knowledge has helped to give you an edge, or imagination is the main key?

DH: for sure, i think it also helps me with composition, color, and shapes. i think every student should first learn traditional methods then delve into the digital world. with so many graphic softwares out there, its very easy to take art and all its elements for granted. for example, if traditionally i wish to draw a circle, i would either use my hand and free hand it, or use a compass. but within the computer, i could draw a circle in less than a second and not actually appreciate the true shape and curves of a circle.

CM: I could really see some of your creations as collectible figures, or vinly toys. Have you ever been apporached to do this, or would like to do so someday?

DH: that would def. be cool. no i havent been approached yet.

Well, that’s all I have to ask. If you have never done so, make sure you check out the links below. See more of David’s work, maybe pick up a print.. Looking at his work, I’m sure you can see that digital art can be very inspiring and powerful.

David Ho homepage

I found Kendrick Mar’s work through the reader gallery on Juxtapoz. A good source to find new emerging artists. I really liked the whole vibe of his work, so I decided to pummel him with some questions.

CM: First of all, please tell us a little background info about yourself.

KM: I didn’t come from an artistic background and I got a late start as an artist at age 22. For this reason I feel that I’m trying to catch up to the level where I should be as well as make up for lost time. When I was growing up, my dream was to become a professional musician. For some very complicated reasons I was not able to pursue that ambition and ended up at university studying engineering and hating it. In my fourth year of college, I took a drawing class and it was then that had an epiphany and decided to become an artist. It was a second chance at achieving my dreams. At that point, I wasn’t able to finish college. I ended up working in graphic design in San Francisco for my day job while continuing to develop my art on my own. After a few years of that I had saved up enough to go to art school and I moved to Chicago to attend the Art Institute. After I graduated I moved to New York.

CM: I often daydream about being a different city other than one in California, is there any specific reasons why you left CA when there are so many good art schools here?

KM: I knew that as a fine artist, I would eventually end up in New York because it was important for me to be here for the career opportunities. As part of my journey as an artist, I liken it to a religious pilgrim going to the holy city.
As far as art school, there are some very good schools in California that I considered but it just worked out that I went to the Art Institute of Chicago. It was a really positive experience for me. The school has such a diverse range of teachers and resources available that you can find your niche no matter what kind of art you do. I found that I learned just as much from fellow students as I did from the teachers. There were so many inspirational “a ha” moments when someone would say just the right thing that would help me at just the right time. It was a great nurturing environment for my creativity.

CM: I have never been to New York, I can imagine it’s quite intense. Has the environment there been helpful when it comes to creating art?

KM: For some reason, being in the big city doesn’t influence my creative process much. My work is very introspective and hermetic so the urban jungle doesn’t seem to inspire as much as I thought it would. Before I moved to New York, I thought my life would be like in “Rent”, but that hasn’t quite happened yet.

CM: Your website doesn’t show any form of sketches, is sketching something that you do a lot of? What is generally the process when you get ready to make a new piece?

KM: I do a lot of drawing, both realistic and conceptual. My ideas come from the many, many tiny sketches I do. I sift through the sketches and rework them, then do color studies, either in oil or on the computer. The goal is to find a motif that is strong enough so that the original concept won’t fall apart once I transfer it to the canvas. The sifting process helps me eliminate what is not necessary in the painting.
My compositions tend to be quite simple and spare. My first painting teacher, Squeak Carnwath, said that a lot of paintings have too much information in them and that’s something I keep in mind. I want my paintings to have what I call “iconographic immediacy”, hence the simplicity. The subconscious seems to grab onto and remember a very simple and pared down idea of what the image is, an overall Gestalt. The details don’t hold the piece together so much as a strong underlying concept. Michelangelo said that if you roll a sculpture down a hill, what doesn’t break off is what is essential. It makes me think about what that means in terms of a painting.
The actual painting process for me has a frantic feeling to it because I usually am trying to see the painting through to completion without the original impulse dying on me or without my losing faith in the original idea.

CM: When I’m supposed to be painting I have little rituals that I do, drink some tea, look around on the net far too long, watch movies, nap, Is there anything in particular you do while painting? Drink tea, beer, listen to music, watch tv?

KM: In the early stages of a painting I listen to stuff like ambient music or opera or Tom Waits. In the mid to late stages of a painting I like silence because I’m usually trying hard to not mess up the painting. When I’m trying to get ideas, I sometimes read while at my drawing table and it gets me into the creative zone. For some reason Haruki Murakami’s novels seem to work the best. In “The Windup-Bird Chronicle” the protagonist has to enter into and navigate a metaphorical labyrinth and I think it is the perfect metaphor for the creative process. The protagonist doesn’t seem to have much control over when he can access the magical place where he needs to enter and he fumbles around trying to get in. Every so often he breaks through to the other side, but only for very brief moments in which he can never quite achieve exactly what he set out to.

CM: I know that New York has some amazing galleries there, how has your experience in the art community there been so far?

KM: I’m not an insider to the New York art scene yet. The gallery scene is quite vast and I’m in the process of researching it. For various reasons the art galleries are not places where I feel entirely comfortable, so I prefer going to museums to look at art. The museum environment feels more welcoming for ordinary people.

CM: It was through the Juxtapoz reader gallery that I found your work, besides having me attack you with questions, has that feature helped you out?

KM: I’ve definitely gotten more viewers to see my work and my site.

CM: One of the things that drew me to your work, was the unique look of it, what are some of the artists that have influenced you in the development of your style?

KM: I started out looking at the old masters quite a lot, as well as doing a lot of figurative and representational work. As far as contemporary artists, I like Ross Bleckner because of the psychological space he creates in his work, Basquiat because his visual vocabulary is so fully formed and congruent, and Damien Hirst because he’s able to address the big questions like mortality and death with a chic aesthetic. I also like Lisa Yuskavage, Luc Tuymans, and Takashi Murakami, among others. My visual vocabulary is also heavily informed by toys and dolls.

CM: I have this one painting I did for class, and no matter how hideous it is, im quite attached to it. Is there one work that you have done that are extremely attached to?

KM: I don’t have a particular piece that I’m attached to as an object. I guess that means I’m a process oriented artist. The pieces that I feel are successful do tend to propel me forward in my process somewhat. But I find that once a piece is finished and no longer part of my creative process, my interest in the piece fades. It’s kind of like a flower that is clipped from it’s roots and then begins to wilt.

CM: If we were to look in the future 10 years from now, what would we see you doing?

KM: I don’t want to jinx myself and say that I’ll be wildly successful, but at the very least I want to continue making art for the long haul and find an audience who understands my work.

CM: Ok lastly, since I i’ve been told I need more practice asking dumb questions, here is
a small list to finish.

a. cheap paintbrushes, or the most expensive they got?

I gotta have the most expensive paint brushes they have. But nowadays, I mostly paint with palette knife. It forces me to work decisively and loosely in a painting and not get caught up fussing with details and smoothing things out.

b. favorite band or musician?

Nine Inch Nails is the best thing to listen to when I’m trolling for ideas because I like my ideas to have fangs. I want to make images that are cute and seductive, like an adorable little animal that you are charmed by and when you go to pick it up, it bites you and draws blood.

c. “if I couldn’t paint I would……..?

If I couldn’t paint and could do anything else, I’d play in an acid jazz trip hop group. Or be a surgeon.

d. one superpower, what would it be?

If I could have one special power, I’d want to be a psychic like Edgar Cayce or Nostradamus. But not Miss Cleo.

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Ok that’s it for me. Head on over to Kendrick’s homepage to get a look at some more art from him. He has a great clean webpage, and a lot more images to see there.

Kendrick Mar Homepage