Interview: NME – An unconventional interview.

Nme’s own words:

My Bio won’t ever be no professional airbrushed Hollywood writing, and it won’t be all sharp and formal; this isn’t a piece from a science textbook. It’s just gonna be true and undiluted, so if you’re looking for Shakespeare, then boy the library is for you!

I just put pencil to paper, knife to card, and hand to can, and try to let the magic happen. It’s my labour of love and a way of life. I live by the paint and will probably die by the fumes. It’s just what I do. I’ve put my life on hold for my art. It is a tough tough world out there, and I will give you the number of my therapist if you try the same!

NME:
I’m a self taught urban artist, living in the South West UK. I’ve always been creative. Growing up in an urban area, I was exposed to street art from a very young age. Skating with friends in the city, and listening to hip-hop; it seemed only natural for me to pick up a spray can and mess around, but that’s really all it was – messing around. I’ve only really been creating artwork for two years, I started off with a couple of stencils sprayed onto canvas and it’s snowballed from there.

When asked who inspires me, then its nobody in particular and no medium in particular, just all forms of art in general, which leave a dent in my mind.
I’m based in the UK, which just looks like a whole bunch of rain drop’s & greyness most of the time, if I’m honest. But I kind of like it, And it’s home.

You will discover my work in many different places: Exhibition’s /Gallery’s/ Street’s/ paint jams/ Festival’s and on the INTERNET!!!!!! which is like everyone’s passport to travel the world and see all different forms of art, in the comfort of their home with some cookies and Coffee/tea.
It’s the electric planet, where people are anything they want to be, superheros, porn stars, gangsters, playboys, playgirls, I chose Artist. Whatever! just as long as your broadband connected you will find me Nme/ Nme urban art or as the Arts Anonymous crew which I’m a part of, right there in full multicolour pixels.

If you don’t like it or approve of it, then why not pop down to your local Food and Wine retailers for an alcoholic liquid that says something like “90%” or “Dangerous” and drink all of it while it’s still in the black plastic (or blue and white, red and white stripey, depending on your postcode/ location) bag, and drown your sorrows, But hopefully what I paint will at least replace your blue mood with some new colourful, neon, techni , multi rainbowed thoughts to distract you.

I could never have hoped for things to pick up as quickly as they have, it feels as though this life chose me and I now create a multitude of work in various styles and mediums from street and canvas, to three dimensional and photographic works.

It’s hard to pin meaning on my work, of course I have my reasons for creating a piece to begin with, but I often find that the viewer’s response to piece, along with my own reflections, together construct meanings within the work.

I believe that the internet and social media have had a hugely positive effect on the accessibility of street art to the general public. As an artist I can create a piece in the morning, take a photo, upload it, and by the afternoon my work can be being viewed by someone in LA. The great thing is being able to see the response and feedback to a piece almost instantly. Social media is also a great way of making contacts, and getting involved with paint jams and other projects.

There’s obviously still a lot of debate surrounding what I do; is it art or vandalism? I have done some street art without permission, and of course it’s a buzz, but I think it’s important to consider what it is you are painting, the location within which you are painting, and the people who are going to have to live with seeing the work on a daily basis. To make anything that would create a negative view of what I do, would be pointless.

I think events such as Upfest in Bristol, in which I took part of earlier this year, are really helping to show street art in a positive light. The hope is that in the long run street art will be valued as much as any other art form, and more opportunities to paint publicly, and legally, will appear.

My friends and family have always been supportive of my choice to work as an artist, which is lucky as it can be hard especially when you’re starting out and going it alone. Thankfully, you soon get to know like minded people and peers within the art world, and these people really help you along the way.

Due to how varied and versatile my work is, I always have a few different projects on the go. I am currently working on using mixed media along with stencils, in order to create multidimensional, textured and layered pieces which I aim to produce, on a much larger scale, for the street.

I am also developing my Coffee Fiend character, originally designed for Free Art Friday a global project in which artists put out a number of works in public for free.

The Coffee Fiend is appearing in many forms; as street art, as page based pieces, as an online presence, in animations, and in various coffee publications and TV spots.

As far as events go I have a few exhibitions and paint jams on the horizon, both nationally and internationally, and the very near future brings with it a cup of coffee and plenty of quality time with my poscas and sketchpad.

Street Art United States would like to say thank you for your time NME. We wish you luck and success and please keep us updated on any future projects.

NME
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Coffee Fiend
Arts Anonymous
Urban Arts Anonymous