Interview by Carol Wright | Photos Courtesy of MØTH
Art has been a part of your life from a young age. Can you remember some of the things you used to draw or paint as a child?
I was into drawing the way over-the-top sexualized women superhero characters of the X-Men comic book series; the more outrageously unrealistic body proportions, the more obsessed I was. Ha ha! I also wanted to know when I would look like that because I looked more like de la “stick figure”. I mean, I was maybe 6 but also remained a “late bloomer” as a teenager. So, I was forced to raid all of my brother’s comics just to draw more compelling forms of those female bodies with my one and only Lisa Frank pencil.
I was also obsessed with raiding my brother’s ‘Magic Cards’, a popular card collectors’ game for nerds from the 90’s & 2000’s. Any sort of mythical-creature-woman on a Magic Card I drew. I was trying to understand the proportions of faces and now that you ask me this question I am realizing…nothing has changed since then. I still only ever want to paint bodies and faces. And women’s bodies and faces are more interesting than men’s, IMO.
Under the mentorship of Thomas Garner you learned classical painting in the style of the Venetian Masters. Did learning this painting style change the direction your art was going in?
Absolutely. Of course, still obsessed with the female anatomy, I took that class at UCLA Extension with Thomas and it was like my mind was blown to smithereens. These old painters had the same obsession as me! Except the technique and style in which it was done in layer upon layer, lights over darks, building up these deep rich realistic tones and underlying blues so you can sense the blood rushing under their skin. They were the literal masters of body and form and I was practically running down the aisle to marry this idea with the other side of me, celebrities and pop culture. Thomas lived in Venice for 24 years and studied this technique and became my mentor, sort of similarly to how novice painters learned from being an apprentice to a master artist yet more focused on my own development.
Tell our readers about your piece “The Kardashian’s Last Supper.” Did you have the idea for that piece as soon as they announced their last season or even beforehand?
Ha ha. NOPE. I had the idea at least a couple years prior. Kim and Kanye were still together, KUWTK was still indefinitely airing as it had for 18 seasons, and the ever-evolving drama and characters in real-life kept me in a constant state of anxiety as I worked tirelessly on perfecting an already deliberately-placed Blac Chyna. Oh no! Chyna and Rob hate each other now! *facepalm*
Throughout the piece there are fun little details such as the Louis Vuitton logo, Kanye’s Yeezys, and makeup sitting on the table. How did you go about planning those smaller details of the piece?
I had those ideas straight from the top. I’m all about the Easter eggs. Actually, my neighbor came over and said, “Your background looks like a Louis Vuitton bag.” So, thanks, Neighbor for that added nugget!
Does pop culture tend to be your biggest inspiration for your art?
No. For art, I am simply obsessed with the faces and bodies and the (hopefully) impactful larger statements that give myself a voice. I have yet to meet another person of my age that feels the same way I do about classical painting (not that you obviously don’t exist!) yet iconic well-known paintings and colors used from that era give a powerful sense of holiness and timelessness. They remain iconic. Grandiose. Epic. I saw this same concept used by some of the most successful tv shows (Game of Thrones), musical artists (Kanye himself uses this tactic), and high-end fashion brands (Louis Vuitton). I realized it’s a secret weapon used to subliminally convey that THIS is not something that will fade with time. THIS is something epic. Brilliant marketing. Voila!
…But then the relatively younger person that is actually growing up in this century thought it was hilarious to combine such beautiful and often-times religious art with characters on the other end of the spectrum. I rarely see celebrities painted in this style, at least accurately, to this style of art.
What advice do you have for those who want to have a career in the arts but aren’t sure where to get started?
I find it so flattering that you are asking me this really important question that someone might listen to my advice about but I don’t feel qualified to answer! My path has been my own and let me tell you, NOT the path I normally witness artists taking. I have been a risk-taker and that is a whole ‘nother interview, trust. I realize that statement sounds dramatic but my family and friends know what I have sacrificed and it was a lot, just to be able to have the time of day to paint.
All I can confidently say is draw you’re a** off. Obsessively. Art of any kind should be one that consumes you. Nothing you can do on your own time should make you happier. Your relationship with art is yours and no one can take it away from you.