‘Beautiful Again’
Perpetuating the Myth of Paradise

Paradise is a myth. It’s a concoction of our own devices created to comfort us from the rigors daily life and the sorrows of the human condition. Paradise gives us hope for something meaningful beyond this mortal life. It’s a beautiful myth. So beautiful and emotionally powerful that even knowing it’s a myth only slightly diminishes it’s value.

My images perpetuate the myth. Using old costume jewelry as my building blocks I create visions of a remanufactured utopia. I find these discarded pieces at flea markets and antique sales and conjure them into new imagesof life in ebullient and glorified forms. They dance and soar in front of me in harmonic expressions of of trinket afterlife joy. A big, blingy, bijou Shangri-La. The myth of Paradise realized.

JT Burke

To find out more about JT Burke click here

Q: What do you do when you are not painting or drawing?
I’ve found myself reading a lot since my trip to Bristol. Maybe that 10 hour plane ride really bucked me up! Otherwise, I love eating fries (chips to you guys!) and going to thrift stores searching for childhood baubles!

A very smiley Brandi Milne

Q: I know you have written a children’s book; So Good For Little Bunnies, please tell us about the process?
It was a long and hard process, but worth every minute. I want to do so much more, I’m exhausted just thinking about it!!

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Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your background?
I was born in Bristol, England, and I’ve lived here pretty much my whole life. I graduated from the University of the West of England in 2001 with a degree in Illustration, although it’d be a stretch to call what I actually did on the course “illustration”. I spent a few years after graduating doing part time jobs to support myself while I tried to develop my work in my spare time, and since 2006 I’ve been fortunate enough to be showing work with some great galleries in the US, UK and Australia.

Q: Who and what are your main influences?
When I was at university my work was mainly influenced by Stanley Donwood, Dave McKean and Reggie Pedro. Nowadays there are a lot of artists and photographers whose work I really like, but the strongest influence on my work is just the sheer range of imagery I see on a daily basis. I spend hours on the internet following links about everything from popular culture to apocalyptic disasters and saving thousands of images that interest me. I’m fascinated by the way ideas link together and recur in different places. My work is a way for me to try and make sense of the disparate things I see and the way they relate to each other in my head.

Q: Can you talk briefly about your working method?
At the moment I usually start by making lists of elements of ideas that strike me as interesting, and think about how they connect with each other. I sketch out ideas, sometimes in a notebook or on scraps of paper, or frequently in photoshop. Once I have a rough, I start working it up on canvas – sometimes the finished painting looks a lot like the rough, sometimes it changes a lot in the process of painting it. I switch between different media a lot as I’m working, and build paintings up in layers. I like to try out new techniques and media as I’m painting, I enjoy experimenting with things and trying to learn how they work together or against each other.

Q: How long does it take to paint one of your larger paintings?
I tend to work on several paintings at the same time, as some of the media I use take a long time to dry, especially oil paint. The largest paintings I did for my last show at Lazarides I worked on for close to a year, but generally most paintings take me about 3 – 5 months. Occasionally things come together quicker than that. I’ve never really worked out how many hours I actually spend on a specific painting, in a way it would be interesting to know but I don’t generally worry about things like that too much. They take as long as they take.

Q: What makes a good day in the studio?
They’re all good days really, I’m incredibly fortunate to get to do what I do for a living. A really good day is when things come together and start to look like I picture them in my head. I’m still really bad at estimating how much I can get done in a day, so a good day would also be when I actually get done something like the amount of work I plan to.

Q: Have you ever done 3D work or used other mediums apart from paint?
I made a clay owl once. It was basically just a lump of clay with some patterns pushed into it, but I liked it. Unfortunately it shattered in the kiln, which has kind of put me off sculpture for the last 24 years or so. I’d quite like to try working with other people in film/video at some point, but I’ve not done anything like that yet.

Q: How do you spend your time when taking a break from painting?
Reading, watching films, trying to catch up on sleep.

Q: Three things you couldn’t be without?
Painting, reading. Probably the internet/computers, although sometimes I think it could be a good thing to try giving up for a few months.

Q: If you didn’t paint for a living what would you do?
I’d like to try writing. I’d probably be a really bad writer. Maybe either the kind of really bad erotic fiction you get in airports, or novelisation’s of Films/TV series etc.

Q: Greatest joy
Painting.

Q: Greatest sadness?
Screwing up paintings.

Q: If you could be an ambassador for a good cause what would it be?
Pluto, let’s make it a planet again. There are a million better causes out there, but I’d like the title of Ambassador for Pluto.

Q: Advice for young or not so young emerging artists?
I don’t know if I’m a good person to give advice, it took me a long time to get anywhere after I graduated. The main thing I would suggest is to concentrate on putting together a good body of work, rather than promoting yourself. Self promotion is neccessary, especially early on, but blitzing every gallery and magazine with work that isn’t your best is soul draining and won’t really get you anywhere. Take your time to put together the best work you can do at the time, and send it off to people you think your work is suited to, ideally people who are looking for submissions. If your work is good people will want to show it.

Also, try and make sure you take influences from a wide range of artists – picking 2 or 3 similar artists whose work you really like and trying to produce work like theirs tends to mean your work is going to look very derivative and uninspired. Having people whose work you find inspiring and want to emulate is a natural thing, especially early on, but try to bring something new to it from other places.

Q: If you could be anywhere right now where would it be?
I’m enjoying myself here at the moment, but anywhere… probably New York.

Q: A few of your favourite artists dead or alive?
Anna Conway, Alex Kanevsky, Ricky Allman, Yang Shaobin, Kristine Moran, Hung Liu, Rosson Crow, Bruno Dayan, Cai Guo-Qiang, Julia Fullerton-Batten, Fuyuko Matsui.

Q: Tell us a little about Bristol’s art scene?
I’m probably the last person to ask about this, I really don’t have a clue. I keep meaning to try and find out more about local galleries and shows, I never really know what’s going on here.

Q: How was it assisting Mike Stilkey with his installation for the ‘Art From the New World Show’?
I thought Mike did a really good job on the installation, especially in such a short space of time. It was an honour to get coffee for the great man, and wash his brushes. It was really strange actually seeing lots of people from L.A. in Bristol, I’m much more used to being the English guy in the U.S.

Q: Do you have any shows or surprises coming up we should look out for?
Yes, but I’m not completely sure if I’m supposed to be talking about them yet. I’m currently back in the studio working. Nothing for the next few months.

Elizabeth Johnston and Mike Stilkey

Mike Stilkey’s installation at ‘Art from the New World’ at the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery has pride of place at the main entrance. Before talking to Mike about his work we thought we would ask Tim Corum (Deputy Director of the Museum) a few questions about his passion for Mike’s work.

The view from outside

Q: Why did you select Mike to do an installation piece to go in the main entrance of your impressive museum?
From the outset we wanted the show to take over the building, we imagined it like a friendly invasion, a bit like when a group of friends come back to your house after a night out. We wanted something extraordinary in the porte cochere, a work that filled the space but was also able to project its character outside onto the street. Mike’s work was perfect for this.

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Q: Tell us about your paintings?
I’m horrible with that. I’d have to take the standard response of, “What do you think?”

Q: What comes first for you, colour or form?
Subject matter. Then form. I’m not much for colour in my own work. It accentuates, but isn’t necessary in the work I do. I like muted tones. The main goal is subject and how far I’m going to take it. Colour comes in as a second sense.

Q: I see struggle in your pieces, is that true?
In the subject? I’m sure you see some. Even with single figure pieces the subject is battling with something. Maybe because I rarely have a second to myself where I’m not constantly struggling or trying to figure some problem out. It’s all I know or at least all that interests me in my painting.

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Q: Where do you live?
Originally from Lowell, MI and residing in Chicago for 12 years. I currently live in Venice, CA.

Q: Why photography?
I knew I was good at art and picked photography out of the college catalog. There were so many options after you learned how to do it that I felt like I wouldn’t have to make up my mind which way to go with it right away. That way I could discover what I was naturally drawn to organically.

Q: Can you tell us about your working process?
I daydream. When I see an image in my mind that I think would look good as a photo, I re-create it.

Q: Your first camera?
Pentax K1000

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Q: Can you tell us a bit about your childhood?
I was a lot shorter and I was convinced that adults were actually smart. Boy was I wrong.

Q: Where do you live?
Philadelphia PA…for now.

Q: Did you go to art school?
Yes, a couple of times, until it stuck.

Q: How long does it take to create one of your large pieces?
Generally two weeks to a month, it’s a fairly labour intensive process.

Q: Can you tell us briefly about your working method?
2×4s and framing nails for the skeleton. CDX and finishing nails for the sinew and muscle. Birch faced luan and pin nails make the skin and hair

Q: What materials do you use in your work?
Wood, Paint, Nails.

Q: Where do you source your materials?
Lumber yard, Art Supply Store, Hardware Store

Q: What are your main influences and inspirations?
My main influences are anything that celebrates the innate goodness and unlimited potential of the human monkey. We are the universe trying to figure itself out.

Q: Did you always want to be an artist?
I always wanted to create. I really became an artist by default; I just couldn’t do anything else.

Q: 3 things that make you smile?
Trans Humanism, Vintage Motorcycles, The Paradox of the Absurd.

Q: 3 things that don’t?
Anti-intellectualism, Religion, Hot Pockets.

Q: I hear you have a piece in the ‘Art from the New World’ show in Bristol, can we get a sneak peak at your submission for the show?
Sure. (see below)

Q: What do you do to take time out?
Drink to excess.

Q: Can you name a few of your favourite artists, dead or alive?
Basil Wolverton, Jon Carpenter, Ron van der Ende.

Q: If you weren’t an artist what would you do?
Walk up to mountains and chop em down with the edge of my hand.

Q: Most important political issue for you?
Corporate personhood.

Q: Do you collect art?
No, it’s very expensive.

Q: Do you have any hidden talents we don’t know about?
I’m really good at woodworking.

Q: 3 things you couldn’t be without?
Mindfulness, Table Saw, T-n-T.. & K.

Q: Any plans for the future in work or life?
Fulfillment through saw dust.

Thanks AJ, Richard and Chippy

'Because of Toast'

Q: Can you tell us about your background?

Well, I was always one of those kids that saw characters and compositions in stucco and wallpaper. I drew incessantly growing up but always felt a bit intimidated by paint until college. I fell in love with the medium right away and have been exploring ever since.

Q: What materials do you use and why?

I worked exclusively in acrylics until 2003 when I started to play in oil.

Q: What do you get up to when you are not working?

All sorts of things. I love to learn musical instruments so I’m always goofing around on upright bass or ukulele. Lately starting to screech the violin and honk the accordion.

'Bump'

Q: Where do you get your ideas and inspiration for your work?

From my relationships in life.

Q: There is a strong sense of narrative in your work, do you write or create using story-boards?

Never. It’s more about trying to suggest a situation with its dynamics and it’s back-story, without directly pointing at them.

Q: Can you tell us about creating one of your pieces from ideas to fruition of the finished piece?

On my website I have a ‘painting in progress no. 1’ section, that takes you through the process I use. Here’s the link if you want to check it out:

http://joesorren.com/wordpress/

'Filling Little Thoughts With Little Ears'

Q: Who are you favourite artists?

Copely, Durer, Botticelli, Jaffee, Jim Henson, loads and loads really. It’s always changing from different schools of thought and approaches to art.

Q: If ‘Coates and Scarry’ granted you a wish what would it be?

Well, there are two answers. The cool/non-corny thing to say would be something like superpowers or a pet orangutan who could make the perfect oatmeal. In truth I would wish for a worldwide increase in our human willingness and capacity for empathy.

'Punch'

Q: 3 Loves

My family, art and music

Q: 3 Loathes

The comedy team,” fish and loathes”. Those guys are horrible, and if they are going to charge so much for admission, then they should pay their behind-the-scene workers more!

Q: If you didn’t paint for a living what would you do?

Go back to being the stage manager for “Fish and Loathes”.

'Overture'

Q: Do you work in a shared space or at home?

A separate studio.

Q: What makes a good day in the studio?

A feeling like the itch on my insides has been scratched.

Q: Your most prized possession?

Milk.

Q: Have you ever worked in animation or film?

Not yet, but would love to!

Joe Sorren

Q: Have you done any sculpture?

Yes, a few times

Q: What sort of things do you read?

Mostly words.

Q: Top tune of the moment?

‘Unbreakable’ by Ingrid Michaelson

Q: Advice for young aspiring artist?

Stay young and aspired.

'At Tea With Roeshi'

Q: We have seen the piece you are doing for ‘Art from the New World’, can you tell us more about it?

‘At tea with Roeshi” is about the quiet agreements we make with ourselves and others everyday.

Q: What would you like to be remembered for?

Increasing our awareness to ’science’.

Thanks Joe, Richard and Chippy

Richard Scarry and Chippy Coates'

Joshua Petker

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your background?
I was born in Los Angeles in 1979. My parents were together until I was about 18. We moved a lot growing up mostly between Los Angeles and San Francisco. After High School I moved to Washington state and attended The Evergreen State College where I was pursued a History degree. While in college I continued a hobby I had picked up in high school of painting graffiti, mostly on trains, but around some cities too. Right as I graduated college my interest in graffiti and art collided with my interest in History. I painted some old master paintings for fun. Then I felt like I wanted to paint something original. I sold it. I painted a few more and eventually sold another one. It’s been 8 years since I graduated college and now I make art for a living.

Q: What came first, graffiti, designing or painting?
For me, graffiti. I didn’t paint my first canvas until I was 22 years old. I started graffiti at 15.

Q: Who and what are your main influences?
A lot of dead artists, authors, and poets mostly. I like people that push things to the limit. Van Gogh, Neal Cassady, Cy Twombly, Mark Rothko, J.M.W. Turner, and Andy Warhol. Jim Morrison, Darby Crash, Arthur Rimbaud, and Djuna Barnes. Basically a catalog of rock n’ roll intellectualism and art.

Q: Can you talk briefly about the process of creating one of your paintings?
I don’t do anything revolutionary. I start with a drawing and just sort of build up around it. Sometimes the drawing changes or disappears completely because my process just sort of unfolds as I paint. I’ve never drawn a painting out in advance before painting it. And, even if I did, with the way I paint, the end result would be different regardless.

Q: Do you always paint women?
No not always. I’ve painted portraits of Franz Kafka and Egon Schiele. I get tired of only painting women. But, I find them an easier starting point for my work. I also paint portrait commissions between shows and have painted a few men that way as well. I enjoy it.

Q: What makes a good day in the studio?
Just feeling accomplished. I work everyday but sometimes I have to go backwards, paint over things I experimented with, or, at other times completely scrap whatever I’ve been painting for the past 3 days because it isn’t working. I feel happiest when I close my studio door at the end of the day knowing I made something great. The entire thing is a process and so the entire process is important. But, I feel best when I feel accomplished.

Q: How many hours a week do you spend in the studio?
I’m in my studio almost all of the time. If not painting I read there. I email there. I feel like everything I do is work in that it is related to me pursuing my vision of things and so, really, there is no other place I’d like to be other than my studio.

Q: Have you ever done 3D work or using other mediums apart from paint?
I’m not very interested in creating sculpture or installation work, but, I am interested in film and photography. I have yet to explore much of any medium other than acrylic paint but I hope to make art for the rest of my life and assume I’ll do much more than paint by the end. I hope so anyway.

Q: How do you spend your time when taking a break from painting?
I like to read. I like going to art shows. I especially like going to shows during the week, after the openings, so you can actually see the art up close without 100 people around you and in front of the art. I live in West Hollywood and I’m close to some great hikes around here. Even right now, as I write this, I just got back from a hike up Laurel Canyon. It’s a beautiful historic neighborhood and walking around here always makes me happy if not also inspired.

Q: Three things you couldn’t be without?
Books, Conversation, Love

Q: If you didn’t paint for a living what would you do?
Travel the country in a struggling rock n’ roll band probably.

Q: You inspire so many people around the globe how does this affect you and your work?
I do? That’s nice. I guess I don’t really think that. I love compliments and people who write and say they love my work, but, I’m never satisfied with myself regardless of compliments. I always feel I haven’t done enough. I mean, nothing makes me happier than hearing that I inspired someone or that someone was really moved by a piece of art I created but I feel I have a lot of work ahead of me and so I don’t really feel it. Aside from being grateful.

Q: Greatest Joy?
Freedom to make pretty things.

Q: Greatest sadness?
Stupidity really bothers me.

Q: As an artist what message do you carry?
I don’t believe I really carry a specific message in my work. It’s my exploration of beauty and purpose in life. If anything, I hope I make people happy through beauty and perhaps encouraged to keep questioning their own life by watching me question mine.

Q: Advice for young or not so young emerging artists?
I’m self-taught and am paving my own path. There isn’t just one way to do anything and there isn’t any reason you should ever stop pursuing what you love. I take art and life very seriously and it’s pretty much all I think about. Art helps me release. I do think good art should be a lot more than just a personal expression or just a well painted picture. I’m going to cheat and quote Warhol’s advice he supposedly gave other artists which was just to keep making art. While people are deciding if they like it or not, make more art. Just keep making art.

Q: The paintings for your upcoming show are quite different from previous shows, tell us about them?
I’m using more paint and more colors than I ever have before. I hope people see expansion in my work on many different levels. I’ve just grown as a person and as an artist. I feel my eyes are more sophisticated and my hands more practiced. My influences have grown not shrunken and so I am pulling from a lot of new places.

Q: Where did you get the inspiration to use dayglo colors?
I don’t know. I used to say it came from my time painting graffiti because it was my best guess as to where the interest came from. With spraypaint you really can’t mix colors and just use the bold bright colors they provide. I at first approached painting in the same way. Now, I think I find the colors to be otherworldly and magestic. Have you ever seen the photos Nasa posts online of the galaxies? A lot of them are beautiful neon gasses swirling together. When I saw that I realized my attraction to neon really is because it is exciting looking. They are universal, the colors of beauty, the colors of tribal war paint, and the colors of city living. They feel very primitive and utterly contemporary to me. I get excited using colors that clash: blue and red, pink and green, etc. It just makes me smile thinking about it.

Q: Do you travel, tell us more?
I think traveling is one of the best things a person can do to expand their mind. You really can’t even begin to understand a place until you’ve been there. I love traveling. I traveled a lot as a kid and in my early twenties. The past 5 years I’ve basically been in Los Angeles but I’m going all over the world this year and I cannot wait.

Q: Most of the women you paint have dark hair, is there a reason for this?
I like to use so many bright colors when painting skin, including yellows and browns, black hair just always seems to be the obvious choice. I have painted blondes and sometimes they are even more beautiful. There isn’t any specific reason. Blonds are known for having fun and brunettes are known for… being brooding? I have dark hair and definitely esteem to brunette fun over blond fun if you know what I mean.

Q: Favorite medium?
Acrylics and inks.

Q: What kind of art interests you?
I’m really only interested in abstract and pop art. Abstract art is main interest. Pop I find interesting because though you could argue that existence is itself an abstract idea, life in America in 2010 is still completely pop if not even more so and in a way worse than in the 60s. And, I feel a part of this time. So, I am also interested in Pop.

Q: Dead artists?
Klimt, Turner, Rothko, and Warhol.

Q: What do you think about when you first wake up?
I look for the clock.

Q: Tell us about doing a piece for the “Art from the New World” show at the Bristol Museum and CHG ?
I was very happy to have been invited to participate in the exhibition at the Bristol Museum. I was completing work on my solo show in Los Angeles that opens only two weeks before the Bristol exhibition. My piece is sort of an appendage from my LA show. This LA show is my favorite work to date and I think the painting I’m sending to Bristol is a fair example of the kind of art and interests I am focused on now.

Q: Last are you going to Bristol for the ‘Art of the new World Show’?
Hell yea! I cannot wait. The opening sounds like a thrilling night. I’m going to stay around Europe for a bit after and visit old friends and old hangouts. I’m really looking forward to the trip.

Q: Hopes for the future?
Just to have a long full life and to make some wonderful art.

Thanks Josh for taking time to share your thoughts and ideas.

For more information on Josh and purchase contact jch@coreyhelfordgallery.com

'From Such Foulness of Root Does Sweetness Grow'

Q: Tell us a little about your background?
I was born in South London in 1958 and was the youngest of rather dangerous family of wolves. I moved to Toronto Canada in 1967 and met my wife when I was 15 and studied architecture in college. I ended up working in a childrens hospital for 17 years in a photographic dept that documented child abuse, surgical reconstruction and animal research. I worked for a several years in the film industry as a computer animator. I made art all my life as a kind of diary or a place to put troubled memories. I began showing it about 8 years ago as I used to keep it in a closet and the closet got too full.

Ray the youngest of the wolves

Q: Can you talk us through your creative process?
I draw automatically…”automatic drawing/modeling/creating”. I draw without thinking and let the hand do what the mind hasn’t decided on yet. I play like a child without plan and it just seems to end up as something that makes me feel I want to continue. The computer allows me to work in this fluid way as it has no boundaries and lets you change anything on a whim and the work just becomes what it wants to be. Strangely I meditate the same way and as I sit and breathe and instead of “not thinking” in a “Buddhist nothing” … I just let voices start talking that are my own but not my own …they have very good advice and answers for troubling questions. I think everyone can do this and it’s a way of working that musicians writers and actors and mathematicians work…decide on that the work is finished in some place and time and just freely work towards it.

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We managed to catch up with Lola in-between her busy schedule to find out more about her work and inspiration before her upcoming show at the Corey Helford Gallery this weekend. Read on to find out more….

Q: Three things you couldn’t be without?
Loved ones, cupcakes, music

Q: What/who are your major influences and inspirations?
My insanely talented friends inspire me constantly. I’m also influenced and inspired by Jan van Eyck, Jan Vermeer and Hieronymus Bosch.

Interview continues after the jump:

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We went along to Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery to check out ‘The Shape of Things’ exhibition that explores the distinctive contribution artists make to influence or reflect national identity, the intercultural nature of British society and its connection with global cultures.

Alinah Azadeh’s exhibits started with her wrapping her mother’s rice cookers and other objects that belonged to her mother who died in the Asian Tsunami of 2004. There is a poem on the wrapping called, ‘Come, Come my Beloved’ by Sufi poet Jalaluddin Rumi. This poem was turned into a song by Iranian singer Bijan Bijani and the cassette recording was a gift to Alinah from her mother when she was a teenager. The poem is written in Farsi, in Romanised Farsi, and English – the three languages – tongues – spoken by Alinah, her Iranian mother and her British-born daughter.

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Last year we popped into the Iguapop Gallery in Barcelona. We loved Pepa’s work and thought we would find out more about her and her work.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name its Pepa Prieto I was born in Granada, a beautiful city in the south of Spain surrounded by mountains. I will be moving to England soon though.

Q: What are you major influences?
Many small things but probably the most obvious are music, memories, travels, nature, people and books.

Q: Your style is very distinctive, how did it evolve?
Well I have being doing creative things all my life and I really don’t know how I got to this point! What I hope is to continue evolving. Curiosity is one of my motivations for sure.

Q: What is the Spanish arts scene like?
There are many interesting street artist doing things at the moment like Nuria Mora el Tono, Nano. Its great as we are friends and its enchanting to see them!

Q: Where did you train?
I went to Art College in Madrid and then London and Barcelona, although I have never really been a keen student, crazy, ha-ha! But my real training has been Life and Snowboarding as when I was younger I use to be professional.

Q: Do you collect art?
Kind of! Mmmm yes.

Q: Apart from your gallery work do you do commercial work?
Yes, I try to do both, commercial projects are interesting for me, although they are not easy but I always try.

Q: A piece of advice for an aspiring art student?
Love what you do, be patient, work hard, be honest with your work , and the practical one, and show your work around.

Q: Three loves?
Only three? Ummm, Nature, travels, happy personalities (at least people that fight for trying)

Q: Three loathes?
Negativism, lack of imagination and inequality.

Q: Where do you characters come from?
From a hole inside my small nut, from everywhere I suppose.

Q: Can you talk us through your working process?
Think, look, think, write, sketch, write. I always go with a pencil and sometimes a camera then I use acrylics, silk-screens, pencils, wood and whatever I need for the project. When it comes to commissions I have to use the laptop to apply colour. Its a matter of time as sometimes commissions just go with crazy timing.

Q: What artists inspire you?
There are so many great Artist. I love going to museums like El Prado, Victoria and Albert, love 15th century Flemish painters.

Q: What part of your job as an artist do you enjoy the most?
For me it is a way of living, its a continuation of myself. I love my work as is so unpredictable, complicated and at the same time free.

Q: Do you work alone?
Yes.

Q: What does Pepa do outside the studio?
I try to interact with others, hahahah to combat the solitude of the studio.

Q: What direction do you see yourself moving?
I never, but what I would like is to keep on being able to live off my work, and get into nicer projects if I have the opportunity. Personally to keep enjoying things lots! With as much calm as possible.

Q: Where do you live and work?
For the moment in Madrid, Spain where I have set up my studio.

Q: Do you travel?
Yes it’s a real need for me! I have travel a lot since I was a child. I think it is a big piece of my own puzzle!

Q: How many hours a week do you spend in your studio?
Ummm, when I am at home all the time I am an obsessive type of creature, yuk! That’s the way it goes.

Q: Have you shown outside of Spain?
Yes a bit, L.A, London, Miami and Switzerland.

Q: Any upcoming plans for shows in the near future?
I will be in Miami during March and April in an Artist residency called the Fountainhead Studio. I will be painting a big wall at the design district in Miami with Primary flights. I am really looking forward to this project! I have just finished a project with Contemporanea, it’s a black box with three silk-screens inside a series of 60, and then I will head San Diego for some other projects that I still have to finish.

Thanks Pepa for sharing your thoughts with us, good luck with your residency.
Richard Scarry and The Chipster