Interview: Liv

Today we’re joined by Liv. Liv is a fantastic visual artist who specializes in illustration and character design. She draws in a variety of styles and illustrates various subjects. Her work is amazing in its attention to detail and color. She’s a remarkably talented artist, as you’ll soon see. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.

Dragon Scene

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

My work is mainly illustrations. I do a lot of character designs, backgrounds … story boards ‘n such. I like working in pastel shades and bright colors, but I also like making more low-key stuff. Dark blues … greens … Color and design are usually the main focus in my work, even if I’m drawing portraits I try to pay very close attention to color. I don’t know though; my stuff is pretty varied. I make a lot of different types of art. I make semi-realistic work, characters, portraits, landscapes, buildings … I do whatever I can to improve myself as an artist.

What inspires you?

Music. For sure music. I need to right song before I start. The usual music consists of James Blake, Joji, Tyler the Creator … A lot of low key music. Oh! I also love Tame Impala. I’m also inspired by studio Ghibli movies and other artists. Other artists online really push my work to be better.

Pointilism Portrait

What got you interested in your field?  Have you always wanted to be an artist?

My mom gave me this fairytale book when I was six. It had her doodles in it when she was my age, and I was really taken by them. (They weren’t great, they were made by six-year-old mom) but at the time it was crazy to me that anyone could just … make stuff. I passively drew for a few more years, then got really serious about it when I was 12.

Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in your work that you’d be willing to reveal?

Umm haha I have one thing. I don’t sign my work very often, (which I should do) but when I do, I make it look like a rose. I noticed my initials naturally made this curve that looked like a flower, so I added a little flare for the stem.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

I have a few things actually. I’ll bullet them so they’re easier to read.

• Don’t immediately shut down advice. It can feel like people are attacking your work, your baby, but they aren’t trying to. It helps to hear them out. (if they are trying to put it down though just remember it isn’t about you, it’s about that person trying to be entertaining or whatever) You will get critiques, some harsher than others, always remember that it isn’t meant to be personal.
• Don’t immediately accept it either. Trust your gut. If someone suggests something, and your first instinct is “that’s a terrible idea” then maybe listen to
• Don’t be so hard on yourself. I know it’s difficult, but sometimes it’s best to try to ignore that small voice in your head that constantly puts you down. Analyze your work, learn from it. But do not put it down too much.
• Let yourself make bad art. It’s still practice!! Even if you don’t like it, you’re using those low moments to improve! And that’s always good. Even if you hate making it the whole time because you hate the piece so much, just finish it and learn from it. It helps, I swear.
• Take time to do things you enjoy. Sometimes you need a break from art. DO NOT feel guilty for needing a break. Drink some water, play a videogame. You’ve earned it.
• Don’t let anyone say you can’t make a job out of it. Not even your family. I mean there’s a huge industry for the arts, if you care enough and are dedicated to it, you can make a job out of it. Even if your friends or family say you can’t.

Portrait

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I don’t feel any sexual attraction to any gender. So, I guess just asexual.

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field?  If so, how do you handle it?

I’ve only come out to my friends, who are all “SJWs” haha. They’ve been super accepting. I did, however, come out to someone I was interested in. They replied with “then how do you know you like me? Like more than friends?” the question was annoying in my opinion, but I knew it was just his insecurities speaking and not really him. Well… I would mean that if he hadn’t led me on then dated one of my best friends behind my back. I haven’t experienced anything other than that. Almost everyone in my school is pretty cool with that stuff. I just haven’t come out yet because I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. If people wanna know I’ll tell ‘em, but I don’t think advertising it is very… me.

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

Biggest one I’ve encountered is media portraying asexuals as cold, psychopaths. People seem to go along with that portrayal.  That’s why it’s nice seeing characters like Todd from Bojack Horseman. It’s great to see a funny, generous, insightful person in a TV show be asexual.

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

Lay low. It’s OK. I swear you’ll get through it. Take some time to figure your crap out… Just slow down a little. Remember you aren’t alone, and take some time to yourself to relax and think over things. Thinking does wonders sometimes.

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

I have an art Instagram account called “living.in.yellow” I post a lot of my work there, though the posting gets pretty infrequent every now and then.

Princess Mononoke

Thank you, Liv, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.

Interview: KC Pendragon

Today we’re joined by KC Pendragon.  KC is an amazingly versatile artist who works in a number of mediums.  She is mostly a visual artist, who particularly enjoys geometric patterns and designs.  She also does a fair amount of writing, both original work and fanfiction.  My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.

Box

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

As a painter, I specialize in geometric designs and patterns. More recently, I’ve been using wooden boxes, though I also use canvas and hardboard. In digital art, I occasionally paint and sketch, usually whatever my hand is itching to draw at the moment.

As a writer, I mainly write fantasy. In a way, it’s my form of escapism. Right now, I’m writing mostly fanfiction, which helps me improve my writing and is also a stress reliever. However, my first fantasy series is slowly making progress and taking shape.

What inspires you?

For writing, it can be almost anything. I often pull inspiration from life events, both from my own and from others. When I started to come to terms with my asexuality, it started to show up in my work. And science, my other love, will often sneak its way into my work, even in just the little things.

For visual art, it’s a whole lot of architecture, as well as patterns found in nature and crafts. I have hundreds of photographs from when I visited London; most of them aren’t even visually appealing to other people, they’re just references that I can use in later work.

One of the other things I focus on is colors. Since most of my work is geometric designs, my palette is very harmonious. Often I draw from nature, as well as other artists’ works. If I’m really pressed for inspiration, I’ll take an animated movie, take a screenshot, and deconstruct the color palette.

Ismae

What got you interested in your field?  Have you always wanted to be an artist?

It was really my grandfather that got me into the whole thing. He was a chemist, but he’s also an avid painter. He encouraged my love of art and science simultaneously, and he showed me that I could do both. His geometric art is really quite brilliant and studying his works was the springboard for my own.

Writing, on the other hand, was more of my own doing. I have been writing little stories since I was a wee one, but it wasn’t until I discovered online fanfiction that I actively started applying myself. Then it moved from not only fanfiction to original works.

It wasn’t until about two years ago that I really started to get more involved with more of my art. I’ve been warned against burning myself out, what with the heavy course load I’m required to take as a chemistry major. I’ve been writing and painting much more, in an effort to help relax my brain. That’s when things started to take off.

Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in our work that you’d be willing to reveal?

My palette is typically muted colors. I use all types of colors, but I don’t typically use pastels or extremely vibrant colors. If I do, it’s an accent, meant to catch the eye. In my traditional art, part of that is just because of the hazards of mixing your own paint. For my digital art, it’s because muted colors are easier on my eyes.

Ket

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

Constructive criticism is vital, no matter what your specialization is. Not just getting praise, but actual criticism as well (which is not synonymous with ‘this is terrible’). Find out what you do well. Find out what you can improve on. Writers, don’t just get someone to proofread your grammar. Have them check everything. Are your characters written well? Is your plot twist predictable or did it actually shock them? What gaping plot holes have you missed?

Painters need their own type of proofreading. Would a different color scheme have worked better? Is your shading good? Is your anatomy correct? Listen to people, identify your weaknesses, and then keep trying.

Nat

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I’m asexual, somewhere between sex-positive and sex-neutral.

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field?  If so, how do you handle it?

Not so much prejudice, for which I’ve been blessed (though I have seen some directed at other aces). The people I have encountered have usually been open to it. The reaction to my ace characters has been fairly positive, which was really fantastic.

Ignorance is more common, both in the field and personally, since asexuality just isn’t as well-known. The misconceptions can range from funny to annoying to just plain confusing. If they want to listen, I am willing to talk. If not, I move on.

Positive Orca

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

I found people typically assume asexuality also means sex-repulsion (and to a lesser degree, aromanticism). I used to have this assumption, which is why I didn’t know I was ace sooner. That’s why I’m trying to give my characters a range on the spectrum. I’m don’t know if that’ll have an impact on people, but it’s what I got.

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

Resources, resources, resources. Not just literature, but people. Talk to someone. Talking to a friend is what helped me figure out I was ace.

Qunari Box

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

That’s a bit of a mess right now. My writing blog (which is mostly fanfiction at this point) is kcpendragon.tumblr.com. I post my art projects on my personal tumblr and deviantart (geekwiththeglasses.tumblr.com and kc-pendragon.deviantart.com). The painting is somewhat infrequent because I’m a very slow painter.

Skirt

Thank you, KC, for participating in this interview and this project.  It’s very much appreciated.

Interview: R.A. Faller

Today we’re joined by R.A. Faller.  R.A. is a remarkably talented artist who recently graduated from the Columbus College of Arts & Design.  Their focus is on creature and animal art (the animal lover in me just absolutely perked up when I read that).  They keep a side blog where they draw dinosaurs based around pride flags for marginalized sexual and gender identities weekly.  My thanks to them for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

I am a freelance concept artist who specializes in creature and character design.  My main focus is on creating imaginary animals that are (relatively) scientifically/anatomically accurate and that could potentially function in the real world.  I love birds, reptiles and dinosaurs, and I tend to take a lot of influence from them in the creatures I draw.

What inspires you?

Mainly nature, animals and science.  I’m obsessed with doing research and examining the world and the living things around us, and I think the majority of my work stems from that thought process – of simply asking what else could exist in our world.  Naturally, zoology and paleontology are central to what I do, but I also get a lot of inspiration from fictional stories, fantasy and mythology.  I also like to look back on things that I enjoyed during my childhood –  like Pokemon, Disney and Don Bluth cartoons, monster-suit Godzilla movies and of course dinosaurs.

I’m also incredibly inspired by the reactions people have to my work, as I love positivity and making people happy with what I do. And of course I’m always motivated by seeing the work of the artists I look up to and aspire to be like.

What got you interested in your field?  Have you always wanted to be an artist?

I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember, although it took me a while to realize that my main calling was in visual art.  For a long time, I wanted to be a writer; it wasn’t until my senior year of high school that I realized the characters and stories I wanted to convey would come across clearer through pictures, not words.  I think the creature design aspect of my work comes from a lifelong love of animals and nature, and a childhood of doodling monsters and dinosaurs on every available surface material.

Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in our work that you’d be willing to reveal?

My signature is typically just my name, which isn’t very exciting.  I guess the most consistent feature in my work is that usually I like to paint digitally over scanned in watercolor or canvas textures.  I also like to draw my lineart traditionally as well.  I feel like traditional lineart (and, well, traditional media in general) is dying out in my field (which worries me), but there’s just something about the tactile feeling of leaving marks on paper that I can’t let go of yet.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

Never stop drawing, never stop practicing.  And never stop researching other artists, other techniques, or other art styles.  Don’t worry too much about developing a consistent style (it will come in time), but try to find a balance between working in a style that you’re comfortable with and experimenting with different things.  Versatility is important, and experimentation will help make your work unique.

Also, never be afraid of reaching out to artists that you admire.  I know that I’m always really intimidated by contacting other artists, but I’ve gotten some of the best advice of my artistic career by doing so.

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

Sex-repulsed, aromantic asexual

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field?  If so, how do you handle it?

I only finished with school very recently, so I can’t say that I’ve been active enough in my field to really encounter any prejudice or discrimination.  That being said, I have encountered a fair share of ignorance and disbelief in my personal and academic life when it comes to the subject of asexuality.  It just feels like something non-asexual people don’t want to hear about – it’s always the same reaction of blank stares, visible discomfort, a quick change in subject matter, or worse, the classic “How do you know” or “How can you live without wanting sex?” Even my closest friends, the people I actually consider myself “out” to, have the same reaction – it’s like they just don’t want to connect the concept of asexuality with their personal concept of myself as a person.

I’m extremely sensitive to stuff like that, so I feel like on top of the outside prejudice I have a lot of internal strife related to my identity as asexual.  Before I discovered that asexuality was a legitimate orientation, I spent a large portion of my high school years thinking that I was some kind of abnormal freak, in not feeling any form of sexual attraction or desire.  I would be lying if I said I didn’t sometimes feel the same way today.  Half the time it’s as though I feel intensely proud of the fact that I’m asexual, while the rest of the time I feel deeply ashamed of it.  It’s very confusing.

Lately I’ve just been trying to ignore the shame and be more open about who I am, both in terms of my sexual orientation and my gender identity.  I know I have a lot of internal bias to overcome, and I know I’m probably going to encounter even more prejudice and ignorance in the outside world, but I figure that life is too short to not do what I want to do, and to not represent myself in a way I want to be represented.  So I guess the bottom line is, I haven’t been handling the acephobia very well, but at least I’ve started trying.

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

The usual – that it’s a choice, that it’s the same thing as celibacy, that it isn’t a valid orientation.  Or that I’m somehow suffering or missing out, because I don’t feel the need to have sex.  And of course, that it’s not something worth being proud of.

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

Remember that you are the only person who can choose to define or label your identity, and that it’s perfectly natural to be confused, or for your identity to feel like it’s changing.  Also, never let yourself be pressured into coming out if you don’t feel comfortable doing so just yet – coming out as any non-heteronormative orientation is a huge and terrifying process, and there is absolutely no shame in staying in the closet until you’re ready to come out.

It can feel incredibly isolating being the only asexual person in a group of people, but also remember that there are so many resources and communities available online that you can contact whenever you’re feeling that kind of alienation.  Sometimes that simple realization that there actually are other people like me out there is enough for me to remember that I’m not abnormal and I’m not alone.  Never hesitate to contact people on places like the AVEN forum or on ace-friendly blogs on Tumblr if you feel like you need advice or reassurance.

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

My main website is www.rafallerart.com, and you can also find me on Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook under the username rafallerart.  I also have a side blog (http://pridedinosaurs.tumblr.com/) where I draw weekly dinosaurs based on the pride flags for different marginalized sexual and gender identities.

Thank you so much, R.A., for participating in this interview and this project.  It’s very much appreciated.

Interview: Margo Csipo

Today we’re joined by Margo Csipo.  Margo is an incredibly talented and extremely versatile visual artist.  She’s does a bit of everything and works in quite a few mediums.  Her passion and enthusiasm is quite apparent in her interview.  My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

I am a varied artist and designer. I oil paint, draw, sculpt, design stuff (like furniture and shoes) and maybe some other things . . . Color is hella important to most of my work AND material. Yo. Material controls my work almost as much as I do. Subject-wise it’s really what I’m into at the moment. I mostly work from the figure though b/c I love me some of that human form.

What inspires you?

That moment when I’m almost asleep, Films (I’m super into old samurai movies right now . . . ), paintings/sculptures by old masters, haiku, Japanese textile patterns, Soviet propaganda posters, mid-century American design, Bauhaus design, salmon steaks, seeing your own breath in the cold,!!! Packaging on the stuff I buy from the Asian market!!! Anything I can see/touch really? I love stuff. I’m a stuff lover. A big ol’ materialist . . .

What got you interested in your field?  Have you always wanted to be an artist?

When I was a kid I wanted to be some kind of musician, but preforming makes anyone anxious. I really don’t think I could do it now. I think the stars just kinda aligned in my universe. Visual arts is a great place for me. I can be vague, intelligent, self-indulgent, or anything else I wanna be with what I make and someone out there is gonna like it. I also just like making stuff. I like the physical evidence of being an artist/designer.

Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in our work that you’d be willing to reveal?

I mean . . .  I’ve got plenty of personal clichés . . .  I like swords/knives, drawing and painting rosy cheeks and full, slightly parted lips . . .  but that’s just part of my style I guess . . .  I’m inspired by the aesthetics of foreign languages so I use a lot of non-English text?

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

Keep on doing it. I’ve heard it too much and you’ve probs heard it too much, but if it’s been said that much it probably has some truth in it. ALSO! Experiment! Try out new media, styles, sizes, subjects, disciplines, themes, moods- just do something new until you’ve found something perfect. And then try something else!

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

Asexual aromantic

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field?  If so, how do you handle it?

It’s mostly that some people just don’t understand. I usually only tell when people ask or if they’re trying to ask me out. If they don’t understand or are really tactless about it, I kinda slowly drift away from them. That’s just the way I work I guess . . .

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

That “I’ll meet the right person” B.S. I’ve never felt the need for a relationship that is romantically or sexually charged before so why would some rando person change that? It’s ridiculous people think that’s real.

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

Doubting yourself is natural, but if you identify as something, you identify with something. It’s as easy as that. You decide what you are because you know yourself best. You don’t have to explain why you are the way you are to anyone.

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

My art blog @ http://csipo.tumblr.com/
Behance @ https://www.behance.net/csipo

Thank you so much, Margo, for participating in this interview and this project.  It’s very much appreciated.

Interview: Lou Boyer

Today we’re joined by Lou Boyer.  Lou is an amazingly talented digital illustration artist.  Their use of color is just gorgeous.  My thanks to them for taking part in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

I am a digital painter that works primarily in Photoshop, I love concept art and especially love designing characters and clothing as well as armor. And hair, I loooove drawing hair.

What inspires you?

Literally anything can inspire me in many different ways. Music does a lot, I’ve got a huge itunes library and it has everything from Benny Goodman to Pendulum to Fleet Foxes to Nicki Minaj and all that fits between. Sometimes I’ll just get a really neat idea based off of a certain pose, subject, or detail. My imagination tends to run wild on me.

What got you interested in your field?  Have you always wanted to be an artist?

I’ve drawn since I was a little kid. I always had a bunch of pent up energy and I have A.D.H.D, keeping my hands busy was a must and so most of my notes and schoolwork was covered in doodles. I’d fill a sketchbook in a month and a half and have to get a new one asap or we’d run out of printer paper. Before I had a tablet I drew with a mouse and a butload of patience.

The funny thing is, as a kid I never really thought about being an artist as a job, it was just sort of a thing I always did. I loved animation and I thought it was super neat, but I had my heart set on being a chef. I watched more of the food network than anything else (save maybe Spongebob) and I wanted to own a cafe that specialized in different types of hot chocolates and pastries. And while I still love cooking, it got pushed toward the back burner (hah) around ninth or tenth grade when I started vocational school for Graphic Design.

Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in your work that you’d be willing to reveal?

I have a couple signatures that I’ve hidden in my artwork at different times depending on how I was feeling. Sometimes it’s just a JiiNSY watermark, other times it’s my thumbprint, and other other times it’s a little signature thing I figured out in like 3rd grade because my initials look like a butterfly when you draw them the right way.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

Draw. Draw draw draw draw draw. Art is not all about skill, it is not all about inspiration. It is 1000000% about discipline and making yourself sit down and actually put pen to paper a thousand times before anything looks remotely like you want it to. Don’t get discouraged, don’t compare yourself to other people, and don’t stop drawing.

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I’ve got straight A’s. I am Asexual, Aromantic, Agendered, Asthmatic, Allergenic, and mildly Arthitic.

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field?  If so, how do you handle it?

Plenty. It’s surprisingly hard to explain to people that you won’t draw certain things because of how you feel about sex and all that jazz. Also I sort of constantly get misgendered when it comes to pronouns. Which is part of the reason I came to the realization that I am in fact not comfortable with She/Her pronouns. I had a couple articles written about my Disney Jaeger Pilot series where they kept saying “she did this”, or “her art blah blah blah” and it just knotted up my stomach and made me feel all gross inside.

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

As far as I can tell it’s that most people seem to automatically equate Asexuality with a lack of appreciation for form, or that it automatically means that you can’t “do it”. A lot of people pull the “I just don’t get it” card on me and it takes a dictionary’s worth of explanation for them to just squint at me and walk away, still confused. It’s hard to explain that my personal experience is not the case for every Ace. That some do in fact like to do the do, bump the uglies, have fun friction times. Not me. In my case, yes I am sex repulsed. No, I do not want to be in a relationship. And no, I do not want to be identified as any gender. I don’t give a dang if anyone else does, to each their own, that’s awesome for you, but not me.

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

First off, I need you to know that it is perfectly normal what you are feeling. You are not alone, you are not broken, and I am so sorry that you will have to put up with a bunch of bullshit going forward. It can often feel like one of the most isolating things when you realize this about yourself. So much of the world and of media is so entirely focused on romantic love and lust and the big ole’ gender binary that stepping out of that prescribed mold of social ‘norm’ feels like walking on glass. You never really know who is going to understand and who is going to make you feel worse about it. Sometimes the people you least expect will indeed be horrible about it and the best you can do is find a safety net to fall back on. A support group who can pick you back up and remind you that your worth is not in your ability to find a ‘significant other’ and how often you have sex with them. Romantic love is not the be-all end-all of what is good in the world, sexual attraction is not compulsory, and all you have to do is figure out what your definition of self is, where you are most comfortable, and do what is best for your own personal and mental health. Be awesome, Be the Ace you were born to be.

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

I’ve got a couple places, I have my professional portfolio jiinsy.wix.com/gallery and then my Tumblr which is just jiinsy.tumblr.com which is loaded with my art and a bunch of fandom shenanigans. Always feel free to drop me a line either in my ask box or at my email which can be found on the contact page of my portfolio.

Thank you so much, Lou, for participating in this interview and this project.  It’s very much appreciated.

Interview: Taia Hartman

Today we’re joined by Taia Hartmann.  I first met Taia at a convention last year and have bumped into her a couple times since.  It’s always awesome to meet a fellow ace at conventions.  Taia’s always a friendly face at some local conventions.  Thank you to her for taking time out of her day to answer a few questions.

 

 

WORK

 

Please, tell us about your art.

I currently work as a production artist for American Needle – a hat and shirt company.  This means I put logos on different hats and shirts.  I also get to make some brochures and booklets for new programs.

Personally, I sketch and paint a bit, but the art I sell tends towards linoleum block prints.

 

What inspires you?

I admire simplicity – logos that are one or two colors and often reveal something about the company they represent.  I love shapes that lead you to see something that’s not really there.  On the other hand, I love the incredibly detailed paintings of the Northern Renaissance and the Impressionists always have a special place in my heart.

 

What got you interested in your field?  Have you always wanted to be an artist?

From childhood, when I would draw constantly and make little books, it was always a tossup as to whether I wanted to be an artist or an author.  Especially because as I got older, I realized that I always had trouble writing long stories and I was never satisfied with my art.  When I was in high school, I took a graphic arts class and found out about this program called Illustrator.  Being able to make art on the computer, where I could undo lines that were misdrawn and tweak shapes until they curved just right, made it clear what I wanted to do with my life.

 

Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in our work that you’d be willing to reveal?

I don’t really have an icon for myself, but most of my personal work at the moment has been based around a figure.  The figure is usually solid black, and generally gender-neutral.

 

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

To be an artist, you have to be dedicated to your work.  Fine art’s not an easy field to be in, and there’s a reason everyone knows the phrase “starving artist.”  There’s no shame in having a job simply to pay the bills, because being an artist means seeing and defining yourself that way from the inside.

 

 

ASEXUALITY

 

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

Until about a year ago, I wasn’t even aware that there was an “asexuality spectrum”.  Just identifying as “asexual” has always been good enough for me.  I guess I’d technically be an aromantic asexual, but I feel like that’s an excessive amount of labeling.  Really, I’m just asexual.

 

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field?  If so, how do you handle it?

I don’t usually bring up my orientation unless if someone asks, questions like “do you have an S.O.?”  It’s easier for me to just answer up front that I’m asexual.  Beyond that, I don’t really care.  It’s a part of me, it’s not changing, and it doesn’t matter what they think.

 

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

I don’t know that I’ve really encountered misconception.  When I tell people I’m asexual, I usually get a slightly confused look that dawns into semi-understanding.  That’s usually the end of the conversation except for the obligatory “so you don’t…?” questions.

 

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

It doesn’t matter what anyone else says or thinks.  If you’re comfortable with yourself as asexual, then stick to your guns and ignore them.  We’re not as uncommon as people think, and you probably already know at least one other person who identifies as asexual.

 

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

Anyone who’s interested can view my portfolio online at www.taiahartman.com.

 

 

Thank you so much, Taia, for participating in this interview and this project.  It’s very much appreciated.