How long did it take you to develop the style for them, the lack of eyes on many of them gives them a fantastically unique twist?
The style could be described one way when I first started and another now. I think the fact you can see the documented progression of the work ….it makes it easier to see my voice. A slow evolution. I hope to evolve past what I have done thus far. I think the worst thing me right now is to feel stuck in a pattern, but then sometimes I forget this is all for fun and smiles and I stop thinking about it. Not putting eyes on most of the pieces is intentional. People gravitate towards the eyes in any artwork. When the eyes are removed the viewer is forced to look and experience the piece form a different perspective. They look at the overall and find their own details to try and connect emotionally as opposed to the expression of the eyes.
Having trained as an Industrial Designer, how did you get pulled in the direction of making creatures that in essence have a very crafty, fine art based feel to them?
My training as an industrial design greatly involved my hands and my eyes. Craft was very important as well as intention. Everything visual is deliberate. I was making very clean toys and people thought they were manufactured. I didnt like the fact that it looked like I wasnt making everything by hand. A good friend suggested that I visually document the process in the work itself, not so specifically, but you get the idea. I started showing the process of the piece within the piece. It shows my appreciation for the material and the time spent making it. Like I said, everything is deliberate.
What have been some of the biggest influences of the monsters themselves? Animals, people, objects, emotions etc..
I get asked this alot and as time passes it gets harder to honestly answer where this all comes from. Childhood toys, cartoons, comics, dogs, etc And they do, but I think I am looking for something. Sometimes I find it in a twist or a lump or a small stitch. A small remnant of a dream. A memory of something fantastical. I don’t believe in god in the modern sense, but I think I am looking for god.
What has been your biggest achievement so far in your making career?
I just recently spoke at Pictoplasma in Berlin. I made people laugh. I ran a workshop with 80-100 participants while building the largest monster I have ever built. This all occured in a three day window. It was the most intense, rewarding experience to date. I constantly try and put myself in situations that push me farther then I would push myself. You learn the most when you are forced to deal with so much. Shout out to everyone at Pictoplasma. I couldn’t have done it without any of them.
How do you think that getting the O2 Germany contract/commission has impacted on your work being known to a wider audience? Has it opened door? Also, how did it come about?
The head creatives bought a monster around 2006 in a store in Brooklyn. VCCP was still small then and they used it as a mascot for the office. When an idea crossed their minds to create monsters for a campaign they found me through googling “monster asshole” or something equally absurd. They called me. I said yes. It’s a very long story with funny conversations thoughout, but one of the main reasons they loved the piece was the lack of eyes and obvious asshole. It was a huge campaign all over Germany. One very specific door was Pictoplasma, but overall I think the masses didn’t care where it was coming from. The whole project has given me the confidence that I can really live off of this work.
When you’re making one of your creatures, take us through some of your process, from conception to final birth.
I have a library of fabric. I generally start with industrial felt. I cut pieces and start sewing…. I wait for the idea to happen and then I impress my knowledge of form and push the object visually where it wants to go. It has to have a strong energy before I move forward and put details. Sometimes I won’t touch a piece for months and then I go back because I don’t see it. The best analogy is to music and improvisation. Once you know the notes and chords you let go and surprise yourself. Sometimes I do start with drawing, lots of drawings but I much rather start with nothing.
Have you ever had a standout experience as an artist and designer that you will never forget, be it a piece of advice or criticism?
My memory is awful, everything happens when it is supposed to. Understanding that small steps will lead me to my dreams is a good piece to follow. You don’t have to please everyone. Patience is important. Persistance is key. I have a circle of advisors. Everyone needs advisors. They challenge and support me as I do them. If you love what you do the world will open its arms to you.
Have you ever had any unusual requests or comments about some of your designs?
I’m sure that there have been good ones, but nothing sticks out. Because of the work people tend to share crazy stories with me and send me dirty pictures. I love that. My work is a good conversation starter.
If you had one piece of advice to give to a student wanting to make creatures or their own invented world like you have, what would you say?
One in a ba gazillion people find “success” early on. Everyone else has to work their ass off all the time. You have to learn to deal with rejection and a small bank account. From there if you stick with it and be honest with yourself and be kind to others…. you will find what you are looking for…. sometimes… then you lose it… then you fight to find it again… repeat. Like I said before, a circle of advisors is important. Look at work, get inspired and then stop looking other people’s art….If you are visual you need to let your brain digest and come to its own conclusions. If you keep it up… years later a world will have been created. You don’t realize it when it happens until someone points it out.
Finally, is there anything you have in the pipeline that you can give us a sneaky bit of info into?