Your website(s): http://www.warlessrabbit.comTell us a little about yourself. I live in Chinatown in East Vancouver, I love to ride my bike, play my guitar and make my friends laugh (when I can).
Tell us about your recent artwork. This trajectory, aesthetically is very influenced by my time spent abroad over the last few years in Asia and a recent association with Maori culture. I'm zooming way into to create macro form from micro detail. I love art that has been given extensive attention through detail, it’s a mark of an artists devotion to the craft of Art. I love the juxtapose of watercolors unpredictable organics with the precision of fine point black ink.
When did you first realize that you wanted to work w/ art? Work with art? As in an income, im still working that out, work with art as a process or act, as most artists, very young. I remember drawings that I did at 5 or 6 yrs old vividly.
Can you explain how you decide on the images you use in your work? Honestly they just come to me, I do very little pre thought or conception, a lot of it is stream of conscious. I enjoy the randomness that comes with that. It also allows me to be freer, less restricted by preconceptions.
Can you describe the environment and atmosphere you work in for us? Do you generally work alone or with people? Is it quiet or do you play music? I work alone. Usually in silence. At night generally when there is little else to draw my attention away. (I have a short attention span)
What interests do you have other than art? Im a musician, writing and playing my own music, singing my songs. I’m actually really trying to focus on that side of the creative field right now, I sing as “Warless” look out for me around town and come listen, sing, dance along yah!
How have you handled the business side of being an artist? I hate to fall into a stereotype but poorly. I support myself with graphic design. It’s another side of creativity that allows me to be broader in my creativity, which is important to keeping your creativity strong and diverse.
Have you collaborated w/ other artists in the past? I spent some time in Japan where I had shows with others, there are some great artists over there. But really im abit of a lone wolf. That said I would love to get more involved if the right project came along.Who and what are your influences? H.R.Giger, First Nations art; Northwest Coast and Maori (with full respects to their ownership) Klimt, Hindu mythological art. Far Eastern pattern design, Japanese Manga.
Looking back, how has your style changed? I believe that to be a true artist one must always be in the process of progressing, evolving, developing their craft, aesthetically and mentally. So my work is all over the place, from pencil sketches to digital mediums, such as Photoshop. but if you step back I’m trying to tighten up, I’m becoming more stylized, less objective. More toward pure aesthetics with some narrative and mental content but basically im trying to make beautiful things that people enjoy having around them.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I have no idea.
Have you had any other careers? Ive been a whole list of things! A suit salesman, I was a gardener on the island for most of the 90’s, ive been an English teacher in Japan, and now a graphic design, even a short stint as a creative director.How have these influenced your career as an artist? Part of my “Diversity quotient”… creativity needs a diverse diet in order for it to grow and prosper, variations of jobs, places lived and lifestyles keep the mind refreshed and curious, and eager and able to react creatively to what it experiences.
What are the best and worst parts of your work? Best part is being able to exist in the moment of the process of a piece that is coming to life and you feel a sense of satisfaction mingled with the tension of maintaining the level of quality broughton by your own high level of expectation. Worst… stressing about trying to make a living at this sometimes can get to you. But it pales in the sunshine of making art…and theres always gardening!
Have you studied art in school? I spent over 6 wonderful years there… doing that.
Do you plan each of your pieces in detail beforehand or do they evolve as you create them? Stream of conscious, although lately I’ve been sketching out pieces in order to control style continuity.People in your field whom you most admire: I admire traditional aboriginal artists, carvers such as Bill Reid, and Gordon Hatfield in NZ. Designers such as Saul Bass and Stefan Sagmeister, artists, Shepard Farey.
What has the reaction to your work been? I try to only ever put out positive happy work, and so far that’s all I’ve got back, so the cycle is working. (that said, don’t look at some of the snowboards I’ve done).
Do you have the memory of a very special moment in you career? I remember when my grade 4 teacher had me come up to the board and draw a deer for him because he didn’t know how to, I thought “I must be onto something here if at this age I can outdo my teacher…”
Play list of ten favorite songs: Sisters Of Mercy (Leonard Cohen) Concrete Jungle (Bob Marley), Raspberry Beret (Prince), Wide Awake In America (U2), F-Stop Blues ( J Johnson), Ode To Joy (Beethoven), City Sleeps (MC 900ft Jesus), Crazy Mary (Pearl Jam), Any Deep House Music played by DJ Dave Tong, too many!... Massive Attack, Pixies, Cure, Dylan, Ben Harper, Salmonella Dub, Roger Whitiker…!!!
Favorite comic strip/ comic book: Asterix and Obelix
Favorite painter/ artist: ah… cant say favourite.. I like so many.. remember the diversity quotient! Dali, Giger, Klimt…
Web sites you visit regularly: Craigslist job posting
Magazines you read regularly: Juxtapose, Time, Rolling Stone
Movies you love so much you've watched them more than twice: All of Hayao Miyazaki’s movies (Japanese Manga) Brave Heart, Basquiat, Casino…
Last concert/performance attended: Lee Scratch Perry
Favorite authors, fiction: Rohinton Mistry
Favorite authors, nonfiction: Leonard Cohen, William Burroughs
