Interview with Chris Pell

q)Please introduce yourself.

a) hello my name is Chris Pell.

q) Where do you live and work?

a)I currently live in Brighton, UK and I work in my studio at university.

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

a) A bit of fantasy, some occult references and some ancient mysticism thrown in.

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

a) I didn’t like where I lived and I enjoyed drawing since I was primary school so I guess it made sense for me to apply for a few loans and move down to the south coast to study illustration. I feel pretty excited by the prospect of making a living doing this.

q)What are your favorite art materials and why?

a)Depends what im working on though. I enjoy playing around with a lot of different mediums to get my idea out there but most of my work comes down to a pen and pencil.

q)What/who influences you most?

a)I got heavily into fantasy artwork when I was growing up, so I keep taking my work back to that now and again but I think im influenced by all sorts. I like a lot of different types of music and I enjoy film. Although im persuing a career in the arts its not often i’d look in that direction for inspiration.

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

a)Well i’d probably get up late and feel guilty and then head into my studio. I usually spend most of the day and evening there drawing, scanning or on photoshop. Or in this case sitting at the studio computer avoiding work and answering interviews.

q)Do you have goals, specific things you want to achieve with your art or in your

career as an artist?

a)As long as I can earn a comfortable living with what im doing now, I think thats the best possibile situation for me. I had a few really crappy jobs and the thought of being able to pay rent, food and a little savings from drawing etc is perfect.

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

a)I’ve kept an eye on the San Francisco art scene, I love some of the stuff being broadcasted on fecalface.com. I think its a very popular choice to go into illustration today, its good that a lot of people want to do this a career because it broadens the definitions of what an illustrator is. On the other hand it can be quite suffocating at times and you often find yourself gettino bogged down with being labelled one.

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

a)Usually how big the piece is, I can do a photoshoot in a day but then take 4 days doing line work for a large scale drawing.

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

a)Its not often I sell originals, I have been selling screenprints and digital prints of my work, which obviously arn’t heartbreaking to give away. I did however send a painting for an exibition that was called “Wham City”, if it wasn’t for the fact that it was for a good cause I would of been gutted to give it away.

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

a)I reckon its important when im drawing. I love a bunch of different stuff. I’ve been enjoying some soca and dancehall recently, perfect for the weather. I’m also listening to artists like zomby, Hot Cross and Goblin.

q)Books?

a)Not a massive book fan, reading one hundred years of solitude at the moment though.

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

a)Not sure really, It’s different for everyone. I just have fun and make sure i’m doing what I want, I think thats important.

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

a)Partying

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

a)I have a degree show which im quite excited about on the 6th of june at Brighton University.

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

a)I usually don’t over indulge in art scenes, I enjoy fecal face like a I mentioned before but apart from that I dont follow much.

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

a)Isn’t it about time to treat yourself?

Yes, I think it is.

q)Any advice for aspiring artists?

a)Don’t get bogged down with what everyone else is doing.

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

a)I have a website www.chrispell.co.uk which is going to be updated very soon and also a flickr account www.flickr.com/photos/chrispell

Interview with Peter Max Lawrence

q)Please introduce yourself.

a)Hello my name is Peter Max Lawrence

q) Where do you live and work?

a)San Francisco, California USA

q) How would you describe your work to

someone who has never seen it?

a)I MAKE BAD ART.

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

you realize you were an artist?

a)I mostly started with the tear- and tantrum-soaked

intention to recreate toys taken away from me

while I was punished as a child. This happened a lot

and thank god it did, because I truly deserved it.

I remember making a full-on paper doll replica of

nearly every He-Man I owned and those coveted.

Wow — I just found the root to all of my issues!

q) What are your favourite art materials and why?

a)Pen & Paper. It is what I started with and seems

to be the beginning and end of most ideas.

q) What/who influences you most?

a)I would have to say in all honesty my close friends

and family, most specifically my father Dennis and

my mother Barbra. They never cease their support,

which then solidifies into an overt influence on how

I live my life and create my work, which are essentially

the same thing.

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

a)This would be my most typical routine:

Morning walk/run to collect ideas and objects.

Back to the studio for a brisk lifting of light weights.

Sifting through source material and history books.

Sit down (or stand up) and begin.

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

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

a)Receive a Macarthur Grant, McDowell and Marin

Headlands Residencies.

Direct the Promethea Feature Film.

q) What is your current favorite subject?

a)Hawaiian Tourists.

q) What has been your biggest accomplishment

so far?

a)Surviving my own mania.

q) Can we buy your art anywhere?

a) http://petermaxlawrence.com/000/store_index.html

q) Anything that people should know about

that we don’t??

a)I was named after my great grandfathers and not

the pop artist Peter Max.

q)What inspires you to keep going when the work

gets frustrating or tough?

a)My friends and family – and the simple fact that my

work has saved my life on more than one occasion.

q)What inspires you to create?

a)LIFE IS ART, non? I find inspiration in nearly

everything. It may sound like another cliché, but when

you are digesting the barrage of information that is general

life experience, one’s mind tends to desperately attempt

quantifying said existence and through that “process”

the residual objects can and are sometimes refered to as “art.”

q) What contemporary artists or developments in art interest

you?

a)All of them.

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

a)Depends on the work. Anywhere between 1 second – 10 years

q) Do you enjoy selling your pieces, or are you emotionally

attached to them?

a)I heart most sales, occasionally I find it hard to part

with a work but that only lasts until I’m satisfied with

a new batch of work(s).

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

you're listening to now?

a)VERY. I’m currently listening in heavy rotation all

things Leonard Cohen, Art Blakey, Fran Windler,

Previously Missing, Carletta Sue Kay, Mon Cousin Belge,

Hunx & his Punx and Chet Baker.

q) Books?

a)I like all books but especially anything by Alan Moore,

Warren Ellis, Henry Miller, Dorothy Parker and Joss Whedon.

q) What theories or beliefs do you have regarding

creativity or the creative process?

a)WORK, WORK and WORK.

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

when you're not creating?

a)Cooking and cleaning – I’d make an excellent

househusband for the right gal or guy.

q) Do you have any projects or shows coming up that

you are particularly excited about?

a)My film called ‘WARHOLIC’ will be screened several

times in April and May at the de Young in San Francisco. http://petermaxlawrence.com/Art/2009/WARHOLIC/warholic_default.html

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

What websites, magazines, and galleries do you prefer?

a)I’m hit or miss with contemporary art culture.

I tend to let things come to me, or in other words I’m

a populist. But I always recommend ‘Studio 360’ and

‘To the best of our knowledge.’

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

and answer it.

a)What is wrong with you?

a) Everything.

q) Any advice for aspiring artists?

a)I’m probably the last person to be giving

advice to anyone.

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

a) petermaxlawrence.com