Professionally Cool
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Let’s
talk more about characters. The woman in Blue Trash and Stilla
from Blue Trash exudes both confidence and disaffection. Tell us
more about her. What inspired her?
Both girls are purely for visual fun. [Smiles]
I’m also curious about the characters in low rider, black belt, Riot Boys, and abandon dolls. Could you tell us more about any of them? Do you ever base characters on real people?
Again, these are all “visual fun,” and also part of my own inspiration for characters I’d like to write about someday. None of them are based on real people.
Do they all exist in the same world?
Yes. My world.
Do you have any favorites?
Like having children, they're all your favorites.
Is there a character that you relate to more than others?
In general, I have a strange obsession/insane fascination with authority figures like police officers, the military, F-16 fighter pilots, and SWAT team members. And I know I'm not alone. As for characters outside my work, I like Darth Vader, Batman, Robocop, Iron Giant, Edward Scissorhands, Karl Kroenen. They’re all kinda the same character, huh? They’re dark and mysterious, but with heart. And they’re loyal. But that's just the tip of the iceberg that’s made of my many obsessions. [Grins]
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Big
dogs might be another obsession, as evidenced in fetch! and stay!
Could you tell us more about them? Are they part of a series?
It's beginning to look like one, huh? [Winks] It’s possible.
You said sports have impacted your work in a way you never thought they would. How so?
From birth to, let's say, college, I never thought of drawing sports.
I never imagined that my characters would palette the sports page as they
have. They carry the same freedom and excitement as my other characters,
but with true definition and entity. They also come with an )
entirely
new audience. They’ve really opened up a new door for me. You could
say drawing sports caught me by surprise. I never knew I had it in me.
Not only do I draw sports, but now I catch myself watching them every
so often (NFL, MLB, NBA, MLS, NHL, etc.) Really, who knew?
Let’s switch gears now. You also said you’ve outgrown the nightlife scene. Would you agree that half the fun of going out is getting dressed up and looking hot? Does your art ever act as an outlet for satisfying needs like looking cool, feeling sexy, expressing yourself, dressing up, dancing, etc?
Sure, always. The feeling I get when good art is finished is gratification that I just can't explain. It's not something I substitute for socializing. Like I said, I've sorta outgrown the nightlife scene. Attending special events, private parties, or going on vacation has been a nice balance to this so-called social life. Clubbing or barhopping every weekend isn’t something I find inspiring, at least not anymore. It’s rather frustrating. I think a lot of this energy is put into my work, regardless whether it's for self-gratification or an outlet. Also, the social life was never a big part of my persona. I don't enjoy it as much as most people think I do.
People think you go out and enjoy the night scene more than you do/did? Do you think you have an undeserved reputation as a partier?
I’ve had my fair share of club-going and I don't deny its being
one of the best times I've had in my life. But I’m not tired of
the bar or club scene. I’m not that old. [Smiles]
If there were a bar that catered to a crowd I can relate to, or a nightclub
that delivered sounds that would move me, then yeah, I think I’d
have a different response today. Music, fashion, and film have all dissolved
somewhat in the past five to ten years. I blame it on the Internet and
the digital world. I may not be a religious clubber or drinker, but I
have a few old friends who are, and even they agree that it's been a boring
scene lately.