Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Interview with Rachel Lattimore





q)Please introduce yourself.


a)Hello. My name is Rachel Lattimore, I am quite small, I currently have ginger hair, I am 22 and I am an artist/ illustrator/ designer/ animator.


q) Where do you live and work?


a)This is in flux. I was living in Brighton and then I moved to New York, now I’m back in England (in Essex) but I’m moving to Berlin soon. I think that this year will be a year of moving, but that is one of the great things about being a freelance artist, as long as you have an internet connection you can work almost anywhere.


q) How would you describe your work to someone who has never seen it?


a)I find collage the most natural way for me to illustrate a message, but sometimes this is 2D, and sometimes 3D, sometimes moving, sometimes still. My work is illustrative but also surreal (it has been described as ‘bizarro’!). It is concerned with the subconscious, and influenced by my love of women and fashion. I like images that seduce me into a daydream but I am currently working on changing the content of my images so that this daydream can carry a more important and responsible message.


q) How did you start in the arts? How/when did you realize you were an artist?


a)I spent most of my childhood drawing fashion designs, making furniture for my dolls house and playing with fuzzy felts. After school I did an Art Foundation Course in London’s East End, and realised that illustration was the only course that would allow me to carry on doing these things only in a bit more of a grown up way. I started my illustration degree at Brighton University and soon became so immersed in it that I realised I wouldn’t be much good for anything else.


q) What are your favorite art materials and why?


a)Soft porn magazines from the 1960’s, a rotary pen, photoshop and a spot of gouche because the beautiful, dreamy possibilities are endless.


q) What/who influences you most?


a)Cities and flea markets, actually anywhere where my brain feels like it’s about to explode with information.


q) Describe a typical day of art making for you.


a)I get up late and immediately have a strong coffee. Turn music on, check my emails, before getting down to work. Look through magazines, go through old reference books, daydream for a while, before eventually picking up some scissors and a pen and usually feeling happy with what I’ve done by about midnight. Turn music off, go to sleep.


q) Do you have goals, specific things you want to achieve with your art or in your career as an artist?


a)There are too many things that I would like to achieve but none of them probably specific enough! I would like to have a shop, or start a magazine, I would like to make a music video but I would also like my work to have a more meaningful contribution to the world. I am very interested in Environmental issues and would like to see my work spreading a positive message in this respect in the future.


q) What contemporary artists or developments in art interest you?


a)I am very excited by the current crossover of illustrators into other design practices like art direction and set design because this ability to have a multi layered and varied career really appeals to me. I look up to people like Julie Verhoeven who manage to cross from illustration, to fine art, to music video, to fashion with ease.


q) How long does it typically take you to finish a piece?


a)I am generally quite a slow worker for an illustrator, most of my collages take one or two days. Paintings take up to a week and animations can take me a month to complete. I need to speed things up a bit, but then again day dreaming is also important!


q) Do you enjoy selling your pieces, or are you emotionally attached to them?


a)I don’t mind selling my pieces because everything that I have sold so far has been created for a specific purpose/ commission so I have never really felt like they were mine alone anyway. I think that I would be sad if I thought that I could never see them again but I have them all archived on my computer so that I don’t forget them.


q) Is music important to you? If so, what are some things you're listening to now?


a)Music is very important, it is my only companion for most of the day. However I’m not a serious music buff, I listen to silly things if I need cheering up. I’m currently enjoying a mix C.D that my boyfriend sent me from Berlin that has a great song by Falco on it called ‘Der Kommisar’ and a C.D by my friend’s band The Morning Orchestra.


q) Books?


a)My favorite novel is Tender is the Night by F.Scott Fitzgerald because I like stories about interesting women who are on the edge of insanity. I recently read the Time Traveller’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger which I know is a best seller and horribly commercial but it was actually extremely engrossing.


q) What theories or beliefs do you have regarding creativity or the creative process?


a)I don’t think that there is any great mystery about creativity, it is just something that is completely natural to me. I think that all children are very creative, maybe some subconsciously chose to carry this creativity into adulthood whereas others favour logic. I think that childhood imagination can be switched on again though, it just takes practice.


q) What do you do (or what do you enjoy doing) when you're not creating?


a)I am a great fan of sleeping and catching up on dreams. I like watching films, going to charity shops and boot sales. I like pedantically organising things and then dancing and drinking to counteract this slightly obsessive compulsive side. I love sitting around in cafes drinking coffee and (at the moment) planning where to live next.


q) Do you have any projects or shows coming up that you are particularly excited about?


a)Yes! I am in an exhibition next week in London with other artists that were asked to create poster designs for the Big Chill festival. The prints of these posters will be signed by the artists and sold to raise money for Amnesty International, so great news all round!


q) Do you follow contemporary art scenes? If so, how? What websites, magazines, galleries do you prefer?


a)To an extent, I try not to get too involved because I then worry about subconsciously feeding elements I have seen into my work. I do like to have the occasional look on a fabulous blog that was set up by some ex Brighton students called www.itsnicethat.com and I also like www.fecalface.com


q) Ask yourself a question you'd like to answer, and answer it.


a)Is a career in the arts worth a life of financial torment? Yes but ask me again in ten years time, I have youthful optimism on my side.


q) Any advice for aspiring artists?


a)Can I have some please!


q) Where can we see more of your work online?


a)My website: www.rachellattimore.com


My Blog: http://rachellattimore.blogspot.com

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Interview with Maria Rozalia Finna





q)Please introduce yourself.

a)My name is Maria Rozalia Finna

and I make art.


q) Where do you live and work?


a)I live and work in Melbourne which

is the arts capital of Australia.


q) How would you describe your work

to someone who has never seen it?


a)That is hard to answer...everyone

sees things in their own way.

The feedback i usually get is 'cute,weird,

trippy'...you tell me?


q) How did you start in the arts? How/when

did you realize you were an artist?


a)I used to draw a lot as a child, I prefered

drawing and colouring in to playing with toys.

I had craft books and fairytales that had

a big influence on me.

I'd spend lots of time constructing odd crafty

objects, sewing, drawing fairytale characters

like Snow White and Alice in Wonderland,

and inventing characters of my own.

This was my own private world that I really

enjoyed, its another dimension of invention

when you create, even if you are just a child.

I went on to various 'Art Institutions' when

I completed my secondary education...And then

had some wonderland adventures of my own..

q) What are your favorite art materials and why?

a)That depends on my mood. Digital art can be

really fun,it take less time to create and

also have some wonderful effects.

Oil painting is my prefered medium thought,

it does take longer to bring into the world

and a good studio space is essential but it feels

natural to me.

Sometimes i draw, but it's usually just to

take an idea to the next level.

q) What/who influences you most?

a)Really..that would take too long to answer,

there is a whole universe to consider after all..

At the moment i am interested in fertility,

botany, science and microcosms.

I've been thinking of buying a microscope

and a telescope too, but I'm afraid that i would

spend all of my days and nights

peering through the lenses mesmerised by the

wonders of the world. I have a habit of getting

lost in light, colour and movement.


q) Describe a typical day of art making for you.


a)When i worked on my last series of oils called

'Trinity' I'd wake up at midday and spend a few

hours getting sunshine and just being a part of the

world. I think if you are painting from morning

to night and are confined to your studio all day

you will drive yourself mad.I normally started

painting late afternoon and worked into the night.

I am like a night owl, night is when i light up like

the moon and feel most inspired and productive...when

the streets are quiet and people are sleeping.

There is something magical about the night, even

when you hear the word 'magic' you can't help

but think of the stars

q) Do you have goals, specific things you want to

achieve with your art or in your career as an artist?

a)Really just to do what i want to, when i want

to and how i want to...which may sound vague

but i think freedom is important.I believe

humans are multi-faceted and multi-dimensional

which i believe is the nature of psychedelia.

To be able to express whatever i so desire,

all the sides that have as yet gone unseen in the

3rd Dimension is a lifetimes worth or work.


q) What contemporary artists or developments

in art interest you?


a)Gregory Jacobsen is interesting to me at the

moment because he expresses feeling so well,

and makes me feel so clean.

I think there is more room for sound art/installations

in the art world, atleast here in Melbourne.

At my exhibition i asked my friend Robert

Bravington AKA Oracio to create a sonic interactive

installation which he did and it was great. It

was called L.E.R.S.A (Lights, Electronic, Resonance,

Sound, Analysis). It conveyed in an audio and

visual sense that everything is made of an inherant

frequency or vibration. It was really cool.

q) How long does it typically take you to

finish a piece?

a)That all depends on how long i want to spend

on it, i mean you could go on for years if you didn't

have a deadline, which i would love to do.

The last paintings i did had a three month

deadline, i didn't have any option but to complete

the three paintings within three months, which

i did part time.

I worked on all of them at once. The paint was

barely dry when they were hung on the wall.


q) Do you enjoy selling your pieces, or are

you emotionally attached to them?


a)I used to be attached but I'm not anymore.

I'm happy to move on. I think to let new things

into your life you have to let go of things.


q) Is music important to you? If so, what are

some things you're listening to now?


a)Yes it is! It keeps you sane while you paint

and are floating free in your own mind for

hours and days and months.

My favourite kind of music is probably ambient

and experimental electronica.

When I paint I find Aphex Twins ambient works

and Boards Of Canada to be the best music

to work to.

I do like big heavy round beats as well, and I need

a good dose of hip hop. Beats in general are

quite primal and grounding,

I think that they connect you to the earth...

whether you know it or not.

q) Books?

a)My favourite book is 'The Neverending Story'

by Micheal Ende who was the son of one of Germany's

first surrealist painters. The last book I read was

The Deathly Hallows by J.K.Rowling, I'm a

Harry Potter fan.

Most recently I have been borrowing books from

the library on science and botany. I think nature

is the most interesting and inspirational

thing to read about.

q) What theories or beliefs do you have

regarding creativity or the creative process?

a)For me it is to just enjoy the trip. Everything

I create (and I imagine all artists can relate to this)

I live and feel at the same time. It maifests itself

around me and/or comes from out of me.

Either you become the art, or it becomes you...

or maybe both. Its like some type of alchemy.


q) What do you do (or what do you enjoy doing)

when you're not creating?


a)Well…my favourite place to be at my friends

house who is a musician and has something like

50 analogue synthasizers. It's like being in

Willy Wonka's chocolate factory.

There are certain sound frequencies that

really stimulate and excite me. That studio

is a beautiful place.

I also enjoy connecting to nature and the rest

of humanity as well as animals.

I am a huge cat lover, one of my favourite things

to do is to meet new cats, or just stop to say 'Hi'

to the neighbourhood felines and molest them

a little with my crazy love.

I feel I understand them and they me.

q) Do you have any projects or shows coming

up that you are particularly excited about?

a)I am working on a colouring book at the moment

which I am really enjoying actually. Its called

'Microcosmas' and its full of characters that are

very micro(and macro)biologically

fertile. It's about creation really. They are mini

universes giving birth like Goddesses do. I will be

very excited to see them coloured in by other

people.

I plan to create an installation based on this

theme as my next project and then move on

to my next series of oils.

q) Do you follow contemporary art scenes? If so,

how? What websites, magazines, galleries do

you prefer?

a)I do pop my head in to the Juxtapoz online

magazine here and there to see whats going on

in the 'Lowbrow' scene. Most of the blogs and

galleries I visit online are based in L.A.

I think L.A has some wonderful galleries. It's

probably my favourite art zone.


q) Ask yourself a question you'd like to answer,

and answer it.


a)

Q. What is your favourite word and why?

A. 'Special' because it can be used in so many

ways and it's most common use is beautiful.


q) Any advice for aspiring artists?


a)Tell the universe your creative intentions

so that she can get the world ready for you,

she supports the arts.


q) Where can we see more of your work online?


a)There are links on my website

www.mariarozaliafinna.com

to my blog, flickr, myspace art and myspace

music page.