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Thursday, September 25, 2008

Interview with Keith Watts





q)What is your name?


a)Keith Watts

q) Where do you live and work?


a)I now live in a small village in Norfolk (which is in the east anglian countryside, approx 1hour 40mins from London & 50mins from Cambridge).
I used to live in Southend in Essex, but as the area was full of city-worker-commuters my girlfriend & I were unable to buy a house, the move to the sticks made it possible.
I work, as I always have, out of 1 of the bedrooms at home which is set up as a small office, occasionally I have to travel into London to work in-house.

q)What is your creative process like?


a)I get a call to see if I'm available for work, then a brief is sent via email, I read the brief, phone back to discuss, then get stuck into drawing (occasionally have to do roughs but prefer to change the finnished artwork). Scan drawings, compose the piece, send linework back for approval, make changes if needed, colour (if required) then send back via email.

q)What is your favorite medium?


a)HB pencil.

q)What is your current favorite subject?


a)Whatever I get asked to draw for commissions or whatever occurs to me on a particular day with personal stuff.

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


a)Depends on the piece, anywhere between 1 hour & 1 month.

q)What has been your biggest accomplishment so far?


a)Paying a mortgage by doing what I love to do. I draw pictures for a living. I live with my fiance in the country. We are getting married next year. Life is sweet.

q)Are there any contemporary artists that you love?


a)I see stuff that I like here & there, but I'm not into the art scene. I like pop art from the 60's (Lichtenstien) and Edward Hopper.

q)Can we buy your art anywhere?


a) coshuk.com


kw@keithwatts.co.uk

q)Anything that people should know about that we don’t?


a) stemagency.com

supa7clothing.com

q)What is your best piece of advice for those who would like to rise in their level of artistry?


a)Work hard, play not quite so hard. Don't let the fuckers bring you down. Don't give up.

q)What inspires you to keep going when the work gets frustrating or tough?


a)Being stubborn. I won't let it beat me.

q)How do you describe your work to those who are unfamiliar with it?


a)I wouldn't. I'd direct them to my section on the stem website or my own site when I get round to updating it. The work should speak for itself, I'm not going to come out with a load of bullshit to support it, if the work can't walk the walk then you definately won't find me talking the talk.

q)What kind of training did you have which helped you achieve your current level of artistry?


a)I've been drawing since before I can remember. I went to Art college after school, then University, then a course to learn how to use photoshop.
The most important thing has been the hours & hours of drawing over the years.

q)Is there a tool or material that you can’t imagine living without?


a)HB pencils as previously mentioned, I'd be pretty screwed without my Mac Aswell.

q)Who are your influences?


a)I'm not aware of being influenced strongly by anything, but I watch a lot of films, watch some TV and listen to a lot of music so I guess they all play their part. I also skateboard when I can find time so skate culture has been & still is an influence.

q)What inspires you to create?


a)With commissions it's easy, the money. Personal stuff comes from the things rattling around in my head, loads of information goes in and eventually something comes back out, sometimes it's good, sometimes not. You can find inspiration anywhere and everywhere and often it finds you instead.

q)…your contacts…


a)+44(0)7958107632


kw@keithwatts.co.uk

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Interview with Abner Preis

q)What is your name?

a)Abner

q) Where do you live and work?

a)I live in Rotterdam, Netherlands which is a great CITY. But I also have been working in Croatia, Israel (not on the wall),Spain, Italy and Amsterdam. I have been super lucky this summer... Well pretty lucky

q)What is your creative process like?

a)I'm super “goal” oriented. SO If I have an idea- ill think of making a “goal”---something like 30 drawings, 9 videos, ten drawings with pen, shit that keeps me going on the same thing... im obsessive compulsive- but not in any way I can speak about. So having a goal keeps me focused. You know what I mean?

q)What is your favorite medium?

a)I have been making allot of installations and videos, and of course DRAWINGS. ( if I ever thought that I liked to draw six years ago—I would of said no fucking way- I tried to be more of a painter not a drawer)

q)What is your current favorite subject?

a)Currently I am working on a children’s book.

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

a) I never feel that I have completed a piece- unless I have killed it. Which... god knows, I have killed thousands.
I think that the in-completion of a piece leave it to the imagination to think of an ending. Kind of like forcing the viewer to make a choice.


q)What has been your biggest accomplishment so far?

a)This interview

q)Are there any contemporary artists that you love?

a)All my friends

q)Can we buy your art anywhere?

a)- yes, you can!

q)Anything that people should know about that we don’t??

a)I think that the smell of a person a very important. I don't know why- but I just am starting to think about that.

q)What is your best piece of advice for those who would like to rise in their level of artistry?

a)Don't lie!

q)What inspires you to keep going when the work gets frustrating or tough?

a)HUMMM?

q)How do you describe your work to those who are unfamiliar with it?

a)I would say its about story telling and material. Water color tells a great story, just as garbage tells a great story. Both these materials can be used to tell different stories. My work is about making story's come true- and the materials which allows me to do that.


q)What kind of training did you have which helped you achieve your current level of artistry?

a)I graduated form Tyler School of Fine ARTS. Philadelphia- which allowed me to live in Rome and study for a year- I also got allot of art history classes (even though I didn't want them) and so this education helped me alot. I also travel as much as I can- I went to Mexico and studied murals and masks- that's what really turned me on to Story telling.

q)Is there a tool or material that you can’t imagine living without?

a)A sweet smelling lady
Whiskey
Music

q)Who are your influences?

a)Mohamed Ali and my grandfather

q)What inspires you to create?

a)God gave me a gift!!!! AMEN AMEN AMEN


q)…your contact…

a)I’m working on a new web site but my flicker account is the most current- I’m on it quite a bit- actually every time I finish something near a computer and camera.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/20642144@N00/

video
http://www.youtube.com/abnergarson

website
http://abnerpreis.com/

email
abnerpreis@yahoo.com