Did you have a creative childhood?
Definitely. I was an only child growing up, so I got to do whatever came to mind as I didn’t have to share with anybody or anything like that. I drew a bunch, I was always drawing, and I was always painting. The school I went to, I don’t want to say it was art-centred or anything like that, but they did definitely cherish the arts. I entered a lot of art competitions growing up, from the first grade all the way up, and I always won. I was also in band and theatre, so I would definitely say my childhood was filled with the arts.
So you had a ‘try everything’ approach?
Yes my mum was big on trying everything. She would always say, “Just give it a go. You don’t know if you like it until you try it.” So I always went with that attitude, with pretty much anything, and I still do.
My mum was big on trying everything
Do you think that’s informed how you work as an artist?
I would say so. My mum had me when she was 18, and I think that because she had me when she was so young, we spent so much time just growing up together. She’s always been big on trying new things, and really living life to the fullest, So I definitely think that I am always willing to try.
Do you think your mum, and that bond you had, influences your work today?
For sure. Especially growing up, my mum and I would always draw houses and different architectural things together. We’d draw together, you know, “What house do you want to live in when we grow up?” And so I think even now, I still like to draw houses and the insides of houses. Every time I draw a house it’s a much fancier house than I would be living in, so it’s definitely aspirational.
In terms of your ‘try everything’ approach, how do you know when something doesn’t work?
I think I’m still learning that, because as you get older it can feel a little different to try new things. Whenever I try something new at this age, and maybe I’m not super confident in it, it could be great but because I don’t have that confidence there, for me it won’t work. I think that’s a balance, and I’m still trying to figure it out.
I’m hugely influenced by comic books
Where do you think your signature style as an artist came from?
I’m hugely influenced by comic books. When I was young, my great uncle would babysit me while my mum was at work. He had all these original comic books, and he’d say, “ I don’t have anything for you to do, but you can read these.” That man, he’s old, so he had the best stuff, and he had a garage full of it – we’d sit in his Man Cave garage going over all his comic books. I think that was really inspirational for me, and looking back it’s one of my closest memories with him.
How do you think they influence your work?
I would love to emulate that comic style. The thick dark lines, expressions and the movement. Also, I think that sometimes an old comic book doesn’t necessarily have so much detail, but when you look at the image, it’s all there, it’s all present. With the colours and the undertones and the shadows, it just looks so beautiful to me.
Are you possessive of your ideas as an artist?
No, I don’t think I would say that I am. There are so many things that people are inspired by, for example I was in New York last month, and there were so many beautiful pictures of the bridges or how the city looks. I think that if one person draws New York, it doesn’t mean that someone else can’t, and when someone does draw it you are getting to see it through their eyes. So no, I wouldn’t say that I am possessive of my ideas.
When do you know that it’s time to give up on something you’re working on?
I would say that if I mentally can’t take it anymore, that’s when I would give up on something that I’m working on. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learnt that there’s only so much you can do and only so much you can take. So yes, I would definitely call it quits if it got to that point for me.
I don’t tend to give up
Would you say to give up on projects easily?
Not at all. I don’t think I’ve really given up on anything, ever. Even when it comes to random things like cooking or running, I don’t tend to give up. For projects, I will just fly forward.
Where do you think that perseverance comes from?
I think from having to grow up fast. My mum always instilled in me the idea that you should strive for more, try your best and really fight for what you want. I think that came through so strongly that now I just don’t give up. “Keep moving forward,” is what she always said. Keep moving forward, keep trying your best and things will click sometimes. Then, even if they don’t, at the end of the day you know that you tried your best. But you need to try your best.
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