Today we’re joined by Wolfie. Wolfie is a phenomenal makeup artist who uses makeup to create extraordinary looks. She has done a number of different things with makeup, from standard beauty to more fantasy and horror related looks. She has also done special FX makeup. Aside from makeup, Wolfie also dabbles in a couple other mediums as well. She’s a passionate and dedicated artist, as you’ll soon read. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.
WORK
Please, tell us about your art.
One of the things I do is makeup and special FX. Be it beauty, fantasy or horror. I mostly do whatever has caught my fancy that day or week. I have done photoshoots, short films and even a wedding or two with my makeup.
Which plays into my other mediums, such as drawing and painting. I have a ton of sketch books filled with art, some I give away and the same with my paintings.
Along with costuming which has been trial and error. As for my leather working I am still a beginner, which I was learning from my aunt and now my dad. Also have been dabbling into jewelry making.
What inspires you?
When I was a kid, fantasy (books, art etc.) and music played in a big part in my creativity.
Along with a rich family heritage that led to being a Pagan Witch, lets me see the beauty in magic and life that goes into my art.
My Aunt also who is deceased now, was also a big inspiration to me.
Being a writer and creative person herself, part of the LGBTQ+ community and Pagan, she always encouraged me to not give up and to pursue what I love.
What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?
Ever since I was little girl, I was always drawing and then moving onto other things as I got older. Heck, I even wanted to be a manga artist at some point!
As for my makeup and special FX, I give that one to my family. We have always been big on Halloween and doing creative costumes, which led to me eventually finding conventions in my late teens. It would also be my early 20’s to mid-20’s that I would go to makeup school for it.
Which I am always learning new and creative ways to improve.
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?
Mostly just my name and other account names I would hid in it, or just smack dab where you can see it.
What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
Just go for it. Self-doubt will happen where you think you art, or you’re not good enough.
But it will be, maybe not in your eyes.
But others will love your art even if you think they don’t.
Never compare yourself to another, each of us is unique and different. We go at our own pace and our artistic journey happen sometimes now or a little bit later.
ASEXUALITY
Where on the spectrum do you identify?
I am a proud Asexual Pan romantic 29 year old.
In my early 20’s I thought I was just Pansexual, but that didn’t seem right to me.
It wasn’t until my mid 20’s that talking with a friend, that they said “Uh Wolf, I think you may be Ace.”
So I looked it up and it started making more sense to me. While giving me a feeling of relief that I wasn’t “broken”.
Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?
Oh boy, in my makeup field I have, since it slipped out one time during class.
And mostly I just educated them, while being calm about it and maybe a ‘wee’ bit of Sass when they asked a personal/ignorant question. But mostly, I just refuse to apologize anymore for being who I am.
What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?
“Well, how can you be in a relationship if you don’t have sex?” Is probably the most common thing I get.
Again I just calmly answers/educate, or (at times) Sass back with a witty clap back that makes them go “Oh! I see! Sorry about that.”
But it is also just standing my ground and not letting other tell me “oh but you just haven’t met-”
“Or have you seen a doctor?” etc.
What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?
It may seem you’re alone and others tell you that you are broken, but you are not.
Don’t let anyone tell you differently, this is your journey of discovery and your identity is real.
For your community sees you and you are loved, valid in your right to not be silenced or harmed as you keep learning who you are.
Finally, where can people find out more about your work?
Today we’re joined by Robin Luigi. Robin is a wonderful visual artist from New Zealand. He’s currently studying in art school. Robin does both traditional and digital art. It’s clear he’s a dedicated and passionate artist with a bright future ahead of him, as you’ll soon read. My thanks to him for taking the time to participate in this interview.
WORK
Please, tell us about your art.
So, I’m a Visual Arts student and I make art that ranges from: Traditional illustrations and Paintings to Digital works. I try to include LGBTQIA+ themes and content when I can.
What inspires you?
I get inspiration from a range of different sources, most often from something I see in the world. I have a fondness for colour theory and I usually get inspiration from a colour I see. Sometimes it can be a number of colours and I use them as a starting point for the tone of my work. One of my favourite places to get inspiration is from the people in my life (be it in person, or over the internet via selfies or photos) and if I meet a new friend, making art of this person helps me to understand them better.
What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?
I’ve always enjoyed making things with my hands and because I find it a lot easier to draw/illustrate things, than I do with writing/calculating things and that became quite obvious to me, that this was where my strength was.
Having said that, I never really considered myself as an Artist and, though I guess there isn’t really a better description than that, I don’t always considered myself as one. I like the term Art Student as I identify with the idea that I am always learning about bigger and better things. Often, when I refer to myself as an artist it’s only because most people know the context of my ideas and interests.
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 don’t think I do? If I do, I don’t do it consciously or intentionally. I really like that idea however and I always admire artists that have their little mark or feature. I personally don’t have the capacity to be so consistent. Unfortunately.
What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
Oh, man. I am not really the most eloquent person but I’ll give it a wack:
The best advice I could give would be, Go for it – unapologetically, Art is what you make it. And I don’t just mean you should be making stuff from nothing, I am saying if you see something/a concept that you think isn’t working or you can see a way to improve it, go for it, change it up. That’s an important and valid creative endeavour. Reminds me of a quote, from a great movie from my childhood:
“When something’s not working right, the best thing to do is tear it apart to make it better” – Drop Dead Fred.
Long Day
ASEXUALITY
Where on the spectrum do you identify?
I’m a Trans-guy and I don’t experience sexual attraction/identify as asexual.
Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?
I personally haven’t had to deal with ace prejudice or ignorance as I usually don’t disclose my sexuality to people often because I don’t view it as a major part of my life. If I did, I would assess the situation and perhaps educate whomever it was that needed to be enlightened.
Although I do make art related to sexual themes, there is a few times where I have made (in my opinion) regular pieces of work and people have given feedback about the sensual undertones, to which I apologise, or ask for further explanation. It’s not really ignorance but I felt that it was an interesting point to add because quite often, art means different things to different people and it always surprises me when people make that association.
What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?
As I mentioned previously I am kind of a closet asexual to mostly everyone I know so It’s not often a topic of discussion, but I remember in high school we weren’t educated on non-heterosexual issues (this was 2009 or so) and during health class, while the teacher wasn’t in the room, we all talked about what we knew about gay and lesbian activities. Because I had previously researched into queer issues, I had to give a small talk on asexuality. Which got some comments of “that’s not a real thing” and “just means they can’t get it up” but that’s the extent of it.
What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?
As I say, I am not the best at advice but I am going to go with:
You have all the time in the world to figure yourself out and don’t feel like you owe it to anyone else to do so. Also, if you don’t want to fit into a box at all, that’s fine too. Be yourself, Love yourself.
Finally, where can people find out more about your work?
I have an art-based Facebook page that has a lot of my work on it. I also have a Tumblr and Instagram where I post art sometimes, however, these are my personal blogs and I may also post personal things and other unrelated things. Most of the time, it’s just things I like or think is funny. Anyway, so the Facebook page is probably the most saturated place to view my art.
Thank you, Robin, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.
Today we’re joined by Schi-Lee A. Smith. Schi-Lee is a phenomenal artist who is incredibly versatile. She does a lot of visual art and even teaches painting classes. When she’s not doing visual art, Schi-Lee enjoys writing and writes both original work and fanfiction. Schi-Lee also has a passion for singing and even has some karaoke fans. It’s clear she’s a dedicated artist with an impressive amount of passion, as you’ll soon read. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.
WORK
Please, tell us about your art.
Well, I paint quite often, I actually teach painting classes sometimes. I sing, a lot; I have some fans at karaoke. I draw with pen or pencil, too, and I write, both fanfiction and original works. My writing is usually like what I read, sci-fi ish, and I pride myself on making realistic dialogue. I like to paint and draw realistically, haven’t quite gotten abstract down. My singing can be just about anything, I can sing Creep by Postmodern Jukebox and Highway to Hell just as easily.
What inspires you?
When I was a child, it was my Dad. I still have his drawings and poems around my house, and when I was very young, he would record us singing on a giant cassette tape recorder thing and let me do skits in between songs. He was very artistic, and just about all my artistic tendencies stem from him. Now, it’s still that in a way, but also I just want to see the beauty in the world, and add to it if I can. Lots of people love hearing me sing, and love my writing, and love my artwork. If I can make someone else happy, then I’ve succeeded.
What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?
Technically my field is Biology, that’s what I’m majoring in in University, but I’ll always consider myself a musician, artist, and writer. My Dad never put me down for any art I did, so I was never afraid to get into something I wanted to do, and it’s always been with me since childhood so even if I never get any recognition for any of it, I’ll always be an artist. Therefore it’s not as much something I want to do, as something I’m doing, even if I stay obscure.
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 do, actually. My Dad’s signature was a heart with ‘LAB’, his initials, in the center, all interconnected, it’s really neat. I made one for myself when my initials were still SAB, but it looked really weird, so when I got married, I changed it to a kind of horns, or something, to match SAS. It’s hard to draw with a mouse, but it’s basically this.
What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
Don’t worry about what others say is art, art is what you want it to be. I have friend who play metal that people say isn’t music, but it is to them, and it makes them happy. Draw/sing/write/do whatever to make you happy, or to get it out of your head, don’t do it for others.
And don’t be put down if it sucks at first, most everyone’s first drawing of a person is a stick figure, just practice, and practice a lot.
ASEXUALITY
Where on the spectrum do you identify?
I identify as a biromantic asexual. I suppose if one goes for this part, I’m sex-positive.
Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?
I have encountered some people that didn’t really know what it was, but my friends were very supportive and defended me before I could. I have awesome friends. Thankfully I have yet to encounter any prejudice or ignorance that scared me like I know plenty have, so I thank God every day for where I am in life.
What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?
That we hate sex, or we never have sex.
What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?
You aren’t alone, that feeling that you don’t understand what all the fuss is about? Other people feel it. It’s not weird to think that a ‘hot’ person isn’t hot, according to your body. You don’t have to pretend.
Finally, where can people find out more about your work?
Well, I have a YouTube channel, youtube.com/schihigh, where I’m attempting to post my singing and music videos I make on. I also have a Tumblr and a specific tag with my art on it. You can just search ‘schi’s art’ on schi-walker-locked.tumblr.com. If someone were to want commissions, they could message me on Tumblr, or email me at schihigh@yahoo.com. Just put commission in the subject.
Thank you, Schi-Lee, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.
Today we’re joined by Jaem. Jaem is a phenomenal visual artist who works in traditional mediums. She does a lot of painting and a little crocheting. Their paintings are large vibrant pieces, which often fit together. It’s clear she’s a very passionate artist who loves to create. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.
WORK
Please, tell us about your art.
I paint on paper or canvas using mainly acrylic paint in select shades for each piece
What inspires you?
Horror movies are great inspiration, and using subtle ways of that, such as cables, skeletons, syringes, or just background images and motifs is very interesting
What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?
I took art as a subject in high school, general at first then moved on to painting, and just enjoyed it and loved it so much I continue to do it
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 use arrows and mountains a lot, whether in the background or as a focal point, I also use three (give or take one or two) shades in a series of work so they all have a good link and you can see how the story develops
What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
Just continue with it, spend as much time as you can working at it, and if you don’t want to spend time on it find a medium that you do want to spend time on.
ASEXUALITY
Where on the spectrum do you identify?
Currently as Demi, but I have previously identified as fully asexual
Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?
I am not out as such to anybody in my field, but I have been told/overheard people talking about sexuality and how “having sex/sexual thoughts is intrinsic to being an artist” I usually say something about how ignorant the person who said that must be or just ignore it
What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?
That people who identify as asexual are prudes/don’t like to talk or mention anything vaguely sexual – there are probably people who this applies too, but there are many others that it doesn’t apply too
What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?
Read up on it, do some research, and see how you are going to let it affect or change your life, you don’t have to let it become a major part of you and effect your everyday life, but if you ignore it or try to shove it away, it will negatively affect your self-perception and how you feel about life
Finally, where can people find out more about your work?
I am not currently displaying or selling any of my work, but in future I am hoping to sell on etsy or a similar website, and maybe if I can, have my art displayed in a gallery.
Thank you, Jaem, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.
Today we’re joined by goatbunny. goatbunny is a phenomenal visual artist who works in a number of different mediums, both traditional and digital. goatbunny has done shows in the past and has a number of different projects they’re currently working on, including creating her own Tarot Deck. It’s clear she’s a passionate and driven artist, as you’ll soon read. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.
Hammer
WORK
Please, tell us about your art.
I paint and draw using both traditional (pencil, ink, watercolor and illustration marker are my main tools, but I also use gouache, acrylic, spray paint, crayons, and pretty much anything else I find) and digital media (I’ve recently gotten back into digital media so I’ve been exploring more of that). I dabble in almost everything else, I’ll try anything once. I’ve sculpted in the past, and I sew a lot when I don’t really feel like drawing or painting, by hand and with a machine. I am currently creating my own Tarot Deck and collaborating with a fellow artist on a card game, activity/coloring books and I have started to experiment more with non-traditional styles of animation with him using “2-D” type of puppets using cardboard and even felt. I have recently created my second short film.
What inspires you?
I try to gain inspiration from everything around me. I try not to focus too much on other visual artists like myself as I try to avoid the trap of having other drawing styles impacting my own too heavily. I am very inspired by music, films, books, etc. I just try to be as observant as possible. Meeting up with other creatives also helps a lot. I have a lot of musicians and artists, and a couple of writers in my friend circle so I like to think we inspire each other.
Llamacorn
What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?
I’ve pretty much been drawing and creating since I was able to hold a pencil in my hand. I have always loved cartoons, comics, animated film and even videogames and had always wanted to be an animator, cartoonist, illustrator or character designer when I was younger. I HAVE always wanted to be in a creative field, even if I was steered in other directions. Even when I was studying the sciences in school or during my short career in the medical field, I never stopped drawing and now I can finally say that art is what I do full time.
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 can’t say that I really have a unique signature, aside from signing “Goat” when I do remember to sign my pieces. Lately I have been watermarking any pieces I have posted publicly online, and have also been incorporating my Goatagram logo in digital work (It’s basically a pentagram with a goatbunny head – a bunny with goat horns).
Retro Goatagram Nob
What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
Just keep creating. Even if you don’t end up being a full-time artist, always make time for art. It’s not the easiest career choice. I’m 35 and have only been a full-time artist for the past 3 years, so I can feel the difference, financially. I almost want to say my parents were right and that you should find a steady, well-paying job but to be honest, I traded said job for the sake of my mental health and I can say that, for the most part, it was worth it.
If you do choose art as a career, you may feel discouraged. You may feel like you want to quit. You may even become disgruntled about what you see in the art world. It’s important to remember why you create and why it’s important to YOU. It also helps to have a close, supportive network to help you through any of the rough patches you may hit.
Vidscreen
ASEXUALITY
Where on the spectrum do you identify?
I feel like I discovered asexuality waaaaay late in the game (early-30s) so I found it really difficult to figure out where I fall in the spectrum. In retrospect, I feel like I could be a grey-ace but it’s hard to really tell what I really felt and what I thought I SHOULD feel. So I generally just use the more general asexual term because I am at least certain about that.
Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?
It’s hard to say as I tend to keep my personal life out of my work for the most part. My city has a large LGBTQ+ community, and a large arts community and they both overlap. I have been invited to fairs run by queer artists through a mutual friend but I feel like ace representation wasn’t strong on there at all. The community feels very overtly sex favorable, and most art is very inundated with social commentary, especially about sexuality, gender and orientation. It even felt like there was even a certain “dress code”. Since my art doesn’t have any specific themes about gender or sexuality, didn’t “look” like them, and am cis in relationship with someone of the opposite sex, I didn’t feel very welcome. Not to say that I wasn’t, but I didn’t feel very included by some of the merchants/organizers. I’m not entirely sure if that counts, but it felt like if I didn’t openly express my sexuality or orientation, I don’t really count or am truly accepted. I tend to not let situations like that get to me since I want people to relate to and judge my art, not who I am.
What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?
Of the few people I came out to and had to explain it, the main misconception was basically that I just don’t like sex. In the case of my husband before we were married, he thought it meant that I didn’t/couldn’t love him or didn’t want to have sex with him. After having explained it a few times, he finally understood that I am capable of love, but sexual attraction is something I don’t experience. I’ve come to realize that for a lot of people, it is very difficult to separate sexual attraction, romantic attraction, love and the act of sex itself.
What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?
That one’s tough, since I feel like I’m still learning a lot about my own every day. I guess: Keep reading up on it. Do some introspection. Be open to what you learn. Accept the fact that your orientation may change. Just learn to accept who you and what you’re going through at the moment. Finding community among others who accept and support who you are and what you are experiencing will also help, whether it’s in real life or online.
Finally, where can people find out more about your work?
Today we’re joined by Ash Kleczka, who also goes by Umber online. Ash is a phenomenal visual artist, an all-around fantasy enthusiast. They love using visual art to tell a story and highlight beauty. Their images show a unique style and a very vivid imagination. It’s clear Ash loves to create, as you’ll soon read. My thanks to them for taking the time to participate in this interview.
WORK
Please, tell us about your art.
I’m a fantasy illustrator, a painter, concept artist, and all around enthusiast… I was going to add more to that statement, but honestly I think ‘enthusiast’ about covers it. I get really excited about concepts that are self-reflective in some way, or that highlight an unexpected beauty.
I really try to create art that tells a story.
What inspires you?
Nature, mythology, the occult. Things that are taboo or archaic. I’m also deeply inspired by role-playing games like D&D and the character building process.
Hogwashn Newton
What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?
The simple, inelegant answer is that I got into visual arts because I was dissatisfied with the attractiveness of some characters from a video game I was into at the time – and I wanted to make characters that would appeal to me.
It’s an ongoing struggle haha.
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?
My super-secret naming convention for pretty much any character I’ve ever created ever is to try to match their personality/appearance/some interesting feature to a bird or other natural flora or fauna and then I build their name around the scientific binomial of that thing.
So for example, one character named Cyril Alcyon is based around the belted kingfisher megaceryle alcyon. Another is named Melia Edarach which is taken from the chinaberry tree, or Melia azedarach.
What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
My advice is to just keep going. It’s OK for things to not look exactly as they do in your head, or to be dissatisfied with where you are with your art. It means that you have room to grow! Stay open to new ideas and roll with the punches. Art, like life, is full of happy accidents.
Greed
ASEXUALITY
Where on the spectrum do you identify?
Grey-Ace/Pansexual
Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?
I’m not particularly open about my sexuality in the workplace, but the few times it’s come up typically end with the person I’m talking to feeling sorry for me. It’s not hateful – just a lack of understanding. So I try my best to explain that it’s not a negative part of my life experience. It’s just an orientation in the same way that being gay, or bisexual is.
I have encountered prejudice in my personal life however. One instance was in my last D&D campaign. I played an ace/aro character, and was met with some questionably in-character commentary from another player. That was really the first time I’d encountered something like that in the wild before, and honestly…I’m open to advice myself.
Fort Save Web
What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?
That it’s something to be fixed.
What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?
Find people you trust that you can talk to, and be patient with yourself. Sometimes it’s not as simple as just being one piece of the big sex/gender pie. Sometimes you’re a triple decker slice of pie with whipped cream and cherries.
I’ve found it really helpful to talk to my husband (who’s allo) to see where we differ. Sometimes the answers you’re looking for are in the empty spaces between two truths.
Finally, where can people find out more about your work?
Today we’re joined by Alex. Alex is a wonderful artist who is a bit of a jack of all trades. He does a lot of visual art, mostly drawing and painting. He also does crafts and enjoys knitting and crochet, particularly long scarves. When he’s not doing crafts or visual art, Alex also makes music and can play the ukulele. It’s clear he’s a passionate artist who enjoys what he does. My thanks to him for taking the time to participate in this interview.
WORK
Please, tell us about your art.
I use my art to create things I think the world is missing, whether it’s music, or extra-large scarves, or just a painting. My art is my outlet, it’s diverse and powerful (even when it’s just for me) and it enables me to express myself.
What inspires you?
The ability to create, to bring something into this world that causes emotion. When I knit or crochet I am, more often than not, creating a gift to give to someone else. When I play my ukulele I hope that someone listening can feel the emotions of the music. I am inspired by the ability to make something that was once missing from the world.
What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?
I had a friend in elementary school who inspired me to create comics. They were just stick figures, but I had so much fun coming up with jokes and stories, that even when I stopped creating comics I continued to draw.
At the same time, my family has always been very musical and so, when my nana let me play her ukulele I decided I wanted have one too.
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?
Ah, no haha, I’m too inconsistent to do something that clever.
What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
At times it may seem tough, but art is an outlet, it doesn’t matter if you think it’s good if you enjoy it. What matters is if you feel good while creating whatever it is you are making. Improvement will come with practice, for now, just enjoy the ride.
ASEXUALITY
Where on the spectrum do you identify?
I identify as asexual and do not use the split attraction model (SAM).
Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?
I’m rather isolated, and I do not bring up my asexuality unless it is with people I trust, so as of current, I have not experienced any prejudice from my fellow artists.
What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?
That asexual means you don’t like sex. Which is false, different people have different views on sex and just because I experience so sexual attraction does not mean that I have no libido or interest. But like I said, it’s different for everyone.
What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?
If you decide one that that you are not ace, that’s OK. If you live your whole life never subscribing to a label, that’s OK. What matters is your comfort and that others respect you. I thought I was a lesbian when I was younger because if I didn’t like guys I must have to like girls then right? But I allowed myself space to grow and now I know I am trans and asexual. There is always room to grow and explore, so don’t feel stuck with one label.
Finally, where can people find out more about your work?
Today we’re joined by Renn. Renn is an extraordinary visual artist who also dabbles in embroidery and sings in their state’s LGBTQ+ chorus. They have mainly worked in traditional mediums, though they have recently started branching out into digital art. Their work is fascinating in its use of color and light. It’s clear Renn is an incredibly talented and passionate artist who enjoys what they do, as you’ll soon read. My thanks to them for taking the time to participate in this interview.
WORK
Please, tell us about your art.
I’m something of an ace-of-all trades (pardon the pun). Most of my work has been traditional pen and ink drawings- I’ve always been the most comfortable with felt pens as my medium since you can re-do the sketch as many times as it takes to get each line juuuuuuust right before finalizing it in ink. Every now and then I’ll do a watercolor- the colors can be quite vibrant and watercolors can blend together in a way markers and ink can’t. Watercolor is something of an exercise in discipline for me; I’m not the most patient of persons even without taking my ADHD into account- so waiting for the paint to dry before adding another piece of color can be trying sometimes. I’ve ruined plenty of paintings only because I just couldn’t wait! I recently started painting digitally with my beloved Huion tablet- a much better way for me to explore painting as a medium because there are no more wait times for colors to dry! And layers! Oh do I love my layers. Working digitally, I enjoy using a limited but vibrant pallet to challenge myself to really bring out the highlights and shadows of what I’m drawing, making the artwork overall more striking.
Sometimes when I have the time + materials + energy, I craft my own cosplays (and bowties!) In my spare time I also enjoy doing embroidery and singing with the Rainbow Chorale, my state’s local LGBTQ+ chorus!
What inspires you?
A lot of my main drive to create comes from seeing the work of other artists. You know how your brain will see someone else’s work and go “Gee I wish I could draw like that!” I take that feeling and turn it into “Well why don’t I go and draw something I want to create that will look just as good that I and other people will enjoy!”
I also enjoy doing art as an out and visible queer asexual person, because it gives other people like me the chance to see themselves reflected in my art and see themselves being represented, even if they themselves cannot be out and visible like me.
Butterflies
What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?
I’ve been drawing since I was really little, like 4 or so. Creating art through drawing was something I would do to relax after school… or something I did to avoid taking notes or doing homework… ah ha. For young, awkward, socially anxious me, art was the best way for me to express myself and communicate. So, in a way, I’ve always been interested in creative fields because that ability to create from my own ideas has always been with me. With respect to “wanting to be an artist” (I’m interpreting this as become a professional) drawing as a job isn’t something I want to do. I’m happy to take the occasional commission, or make something as a gift, but drawing as my main profession isn’t for me. Art is an escape for me, for when life gets to be too overwhelming. If that escape was invaded by the stress and pressure to constantly create and keep churning out artwork, then creating would no longer be that escape for me.
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 always sign my work (well, when I remember) with my screen-name (Renaissance Aeroplane) initials “RA” and a little airplane flying out from the “A”. Typically I’ll put it in the corner of digital paintings, and tuck it in somewhere in sight when I do pen and paper drawings.
I’ve had that screen-name for a while, except ‘renaissance’ was spelled with two Ns since spelling wasn’t a strong suit of mine. Thus that turned into the nickname “Renn” which I’ve gotten rather attached to and started using as an offline nickname as well.
What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
Take a deep breath, and relax. Sit back, stretch your arms, and release that tension you’ve been holding in. It’s okay- if you aren’t as popular as that one artist, if that one line just refuses to come out right, if you fudged up the inking, painting didn’t come out the way you wanted it to- It’s going to be all right! There’s always so much pressure as an artist, to keep making more art and be perfect and get likes/reblogs/retweets/site traffic. That pressure is overwhelming and the last thing that will help you improve is pushing yourself so hard that creating art becomes stressful and overwhelming. So take another deep breath, relax, and continue to do what makes you happy.
Palette Portrait
ASEXUALITY
Where on the spectrum do you identify?
Definitely full-on asexual; the frying-pan of sexual attraction feelings won’t be hitting me in the face anytime soon. It’s not a sensation I’ve ever felt, likely will never feel, and I am cool with that being so. I’m probably?? somewhere on the gray-bi-romantic scale of things; every now and then I’ll become romantically inclined towards someone, but it doesn’t happen all that often. *shrug*
Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?
Fortunately I haven’t had much experience with prejudice aside from the occasional bigot being rude online. What I have encountered more of is well-meaning but ignorant folks coming into my inbox and expecting me to educate them. Which can sometimes be annoying, and other times be emotionally draining and exhausting. So, what I’ll do is send them a few links with good articles about asexuality (or trans/nonbinary issues because I get questions about that too. Yaaaaaay.) that I’ve read through beforehand to ensure all the info is correct. Then I’ll let them know I’m glad they want to learn more, but I don’t have the time/energy to educate them one on one on the basics, that the links I sent contain more info about the subject, and once they’ve read through what I’ve sent and understand it, I’ll be happy to talk with them later.
What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?
That eventually I’ll “grow out of it” or “there’s always the possibility you meet the right person!” *barf* I get that for some people, sexuality can change or you can discover something you didn’t know about yourself, but that is not me. I already did all my soul-searching and exploring and I am quite happy labeling myself as ace, thanks very much. That and there’s something so gross about the insistence that I will become sexually attracted to someone. Euggggh.
What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?
It’s helpful to ask for advice or experiences from other ace folks and to ask other LGBTQ+ folks about their experiences to help you figure out what you’re feeling- BUT what determines your sexuality, above all, is what YOU think and how YOU feel. So, if you think “Well I’ve never/rarely/only sometimes feel sexually/physically attracted to people” then congrats! You’re ace! And that is for you to decide whether or not you want to label yourself that way.
Finally, where can people find out more about your work?
Y’all can find me on Tumblr at renn-aeroplane-art.tumblr.com where I post all of my recent works or if you want to trawl my old Deviantart for some of my older stuff I go by Senkokura there. If you like goofy cat pictures interspersed with the occasional drawing or selfie, then check out my Instagram at renaissance_aeroplane!
The Witch
Thank you, Renn, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.
Today we’re joined by Sara. Sara is a phenomenal visual artist who I met at this year’s Indy PopCon. I was so excited when I realized she was ace and made sure to hand her a business card for the blogs, because good heavens she had such beautiful art. She draws mostly fantasy and original work, favoring a stylized look rather than realism. The result is her work has a wonderful dream-like feel with vibrant colors and soft lines. It’s clear she’s an incredibly talented and passionate artist, as you’ll soon read. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.
Little Witch
WORK
Please, tell us about your art.
I draw a lot of fantasy pieces, whether it’s sketching or digital paintings. I like painting/sketching in a stylized style instead of realistic one. I mostly paint my own characters but I love to do fanart of characters in my own style just to see what they’ll look like.
What inspires you?
My biggest inspiration is music. I love listening to classical or instrumental music when I draw/paint. Music helps art flow and it opens up new ideas for me. I hear a melody playing and think I can turn that into something. I paint a lot of fantasy pieces and nature also helps add to my inspiration especially flowers.
What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?
When I was little I wanted to go into animation. Traditionally animated Disney movies were some of my favorite things to watch as a child and I always wanted to know how they made everything move. Now that I’ve gone to school for animation I’ve gravitated more towards concept art and illustrations.
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?
As of right now, no I don’t have a special signature. But maybe some day I will.
What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
I know this has been said and done many times but Practice, practice, practice. Having raw talent is the start of being a good artist but honing that skill and perfecting it will make you an even better one. That there are gonna be days where you second guess your art, style or your skill but always remember there are ups and downs in all aspects of life even art. Many talented artist out there still have those ups and downs. So don’t quit and don’t lose hope in your abilities.
Veil of Stars
ASEXUALITY
Where on the spectrum do you identify?
I identify as asexual/aromantic.
Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?
Towards me, personally, no I haven’t. But one of the things that does irk me is that there is barely any representation in media. Sure sometimes they have hints that a character is Ace but then they sweep it under the rug as if it wasn’t an important part of a character or that Asexuality is a disease that needs to be cured (I’m talking about the House episode that centered around that).
What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?
“How do you know if you’re Asexual if you haven’t had sex yet?” or “You haven’t met the right person yet.” These questions drive me up a wall and make me feel uncomfortable since I don’t necessarily wanna be in a romantic/sexual relationship with people. So when these questions are directed at me I feel a bright glaring spotlight put on me and it absolutely embarrasses me.
What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?
Take your time with your orientation it’s not a race to figure everything out in one night. It took me maybe 3 years to final except what my orientation was. Talk it out with people you trust and do research (it’s what I did). You are not broken because you don’t want to have sex or be in a relationship.
Finally, where can people find out more about your work?
I have a two Tumblrs and an Instagram. You can find them both here:
Today we’re joined by Hampermarketplace, who also goes by Sophie. Sophie is a phenomenal visual artist and fanartist. For visual art, they mostly do digital illustration, both original work and fanart, They also do some photography as a hobby. Aside from that, Sophie also cosplays and writes fanfiction. It’s clear they’re a dedicated and passionate artist as you’ll soon read. My thanks to them for taking the time to participate in this interview.
Homestuck Collage
WORK
Please, tell us about your art.
Sure thing! I’m mostly a digital artist, though I don’t know if “drawing” or “painting” describes best what I do, but in any case, I have a lot of fun doing it. I draw a lot of Homestuck, (I’m unfortunately rather obsessed with it—and it’s easy to share online), but I also do original work, when the inspiration strikes. Since, when it comes to hobbies, I’m very much a jack of all trades, I’ve done writing (I once wrote a 40k fanfic, several one-shots, and began some original stories I’m probably never going to finish, I’ve got a word doc somewhere full of cringy poetry), cosplay (once again Homestuck—so basically, I’m just really good at putting on grey facepaint), and photography (I take my iPhone and try to take pretty pictures I then post on Instagram so it’s not just all filled with selfies).
Basically, I just like to create stuff, no matter the medium.
What inspires you?
You mean, apart from Homestuck? I’d say my life. Ok, I know that’s vague, but I haven’t quite got a more specific muse. There is a lot to show and tell about the subtleties of everyday life, the things I see, hear, or feel. I’m ADHD, so perhaps trying to put my constant zoning out to good use is my main inspiration after all. I think sunsets are good, too. They’ve got lots of pretty colors, there’s nothing like a rainy autumn sunset to get a good photoshoot full of pinks. The city inspires me, too. The sort of aesthetics born of the layered lives of so many people, written in the concrete and the weed peeking through it, the graffiti’s, the decaying factories and the shiny skyscrapers. In painting, I draw people a lot, too. I think it’s because the figure is so evocative. I like the humanity, the feelings, the fleeting joys and pains of life, and so I try to capture them whenever I’m bored enough. It’s cheesy, but it’s true.
What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?
Oh boy. Well, I’ve always hung around people who drew, and the envy that I felt at their cool talents pushed me to try my hand at it. Around maybe 11 or 12, I got into manga and anime, and the thing with those, is that they make the human figure very appealing, and yet very simple-looking to draw, for someone who is just starting out. I’ve been a casual artist ever since my early teens, and recently, when I graduated high school and all my friends entered art programs, I started to realize just how much I didn’t know about art, and that’s really what helped me get much better really fast. Just a year ago, I didn’t draw half as well as I do now, because now I draw almost every day, pay attention to the world and put a lot more effort in studying the theory of art than I ever did in any of my school classes, ever.
I’m still in college, and I’m not planning on making a career out of my art, but I’ve still got some ambitions to reach a point where I can paint and draw at a professional level, for myself.
Maybe one day I’ll write an actual book or make money from my art—I’ve been offered to be an assistant photographer once, when I showed my Instagram feed to the woman whom we had hired to take our family portraits, but it didn’t work out. In the end, I take opportunities as they go. Art is just one of the things for which I have potential and interest, it’s a refuge, and I don’t want to ruin that by forcing it into a business perspective.
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?
Well, I’m known on most platforms (Instagram, deviantart, tumblr—although only for Homestuck in the last one) as hampermarketplace, and I sign my digital paintings (some of them—I often forget) as HMP. By now, it’s how I sign pretty much all of my artwork. Often, I won’t put it in the lower corner, but try to include it within the drawing, if there is writing somewhere, graffiti or posters in the background. It’s my thing.
What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
You’re going to feel bad sometimes, like you can’t quite illustrate what you want, or like everyone is better than you. It’s important to learn to use that dissatisfaction as motivation, not as a deterrent. The process of improving is an adventure, to be taken one step at a time, so awaken your inner Moana or whatever, and sing about wanting to know how far you’ll go. When you’re stalling, and nothing works, push through by going back to your basics, and putting less pressure on yourself. Take a chill pill. Go watch some Bob Ross. It’s ok to just doodle for 15 minutes sometimes, you’ve got to make art time a time to meditate, to enjoy yourself. If you do it right, it won’t feel like a chore (too much—I can’t make any promises if you decide to make a living out of it). One day you’ll look back and be amazed by how far you’ve come.
Montage
ASEXUALITY
Where on the spectrum do you identify?
I’m asexual, low libido but not sex repulsed per se, and somewhere in the grey areas of romance, probably demi, although I still think of myself as a lesbian because I’ve always had a strong aesthetic attraction to women, and if I were to fall in love, I feel like it would be with a woman, or someone woman-aligned. I identify *mostly* as a woman, although I won’t deny to some gender fluidity as well.
Usually, the womanlier I feel, the gayer I get, then on some days I’m just what is gender and what is love, I want to blog about cats. My main on Tumblr is like 75% cats, 20% beautiful women and 5% ace positivity. I think that sums it up pretty well.
Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?
The most kind of ace prejudice or ignorance I’ve personally encountered is from myself. I’m usually quite down-low about it, I’ve come out a couple of times, but not to everyone, and I’m pretty sure most people going through my art aren’t even aware of my sexuality—I come off quite gay in real life. Since I don’t do commercial work, I can easily surround myself with people who are OK with my orientation, and anyway, I live in some of the most progressive places, where no one would openly challenge you on stuff like that, even if they disagreed with it. I’m lucky in that regard. I’m always afraid that people will still hold subconscious prejudice towards me, though, I don’t think I’m paranoid, but I need to get over it if I want to be myself, and work towards deconstructing those prejudices. When I’ve actually come out, I’ve been met mostly with love and acceptance—just once a bit of confusion. Also, once I came out to a sex-loving vegan by saying “I don’t like sex, but I do like ice cream” and she just told me “You go girl! Live your best life!” and anyway, she gets it.
What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?
I think this one is not an explicit, but an implicit misconception that even well-meaning people will hold, and that is this idea that aces don’t like to talk about sex, or be exposed to sexuality, and that the goal of asexual activism is to make a world where it’s possible to ignore the fact that sex and romance exists. I mean, some aces may be uncomfortable with discussions about sex, or don’t want to be exposed to explicit sexual content, but truly, anyone may have these holdups regardless of sexuality. The basics principles of consent, human decency and content warnings should be plenty to cover that. In my experience, most aces I’ve met are more than eager to talk about sex and the different types of attractions, so long as they are allowed to openly share their experiences without feeling like outcasts or weirdos. Unless they tell you otherwise, it should be perfectly fine to share your latest thirst with your friend who came out to you as ace. You don’t have to stop being yourself, and most asexuals don’t want to be treated like little kids with bleeding hearts that can’t handle the sexiness, neither do they want you to stop being yourself: they just want to be allowed to be themselves as well.
This is pretty abstract, I’m not sure if I’m making sense, but I feel like this needs to be said more. Asexuality doesn’t exist within queerness as a form of “Don’t force sex on me”, because, honestly, sex shouldn’t be forced on anyone, but rather as a force of “It’s OK to live in accordance to how you feel, regardless of social norms or whether or not it aligns with the majority around you,” because that represents much better the aroace community as I’ve known it: diverse, open, with a wide range of worldviews and experiences, just wanting to live their truth.
What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?
It’s not easy to find out who you are. Being asexual is challenging, because it’s probably even only one part of the identities you’re going to have to cope with—asexuality doesn’t mean you won’t have to deal with the prejudice of being gay, bi or trans—but it’s also challenging in and of itself. You’re going to have to deal with conflicting cultural ideals about chastity, lust, marriage and family, with a world that you’ll never quite understand despite your best efforts to do so, and which probably won’t even try to understand you. You’ll fidget in your psychology or sexuality class, not quite capable of explaining how you know for a fact the textbook is wrong without sounding like you’ve spent way too much time on Tumblr. You’ll smile, glad, at queer representation in the media, not quite daring to ask for some yourself—afraid it’ll take away some gay or trans kid’s chance to see themselves on screen. You’ll feel like you don’t exist, like there are no historical figures or public personalities who can bear your flag in your name, you’ll doubt yourself.
Don’t. There is nothing to doubt about it, there is nothing to be ashamed about. You’re on the frontline of progress, of our growing understanding of love and sexuality, as a society. Asexual people have always been there—the world just didn’t have a box to place them in until recently. Before that, we erred like bohemians among dandies and spinsters, bisexuals, pilgrims and nuns. But today, there are words for it, for asexuality, for aromanticism, for all the maybes and in-betweens. We are many, more than you would think, and we are solidary—to one another, and to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people, and to all other minorities, and it is our strength. Through sharing our experiences, through creating new words to define how we feel, we help people from all walks of life define themselves. So maybe, really, we’re something like great.
You can be proud.
Finally, where can people find out more about your work?
My main blog on Tumblr is chaoticintellectual, though, like mentioned previously, it’s mostly filled with cats and pretty women.
I have a Homestuck blog where I post art frequently, called Hampermarketplace, for all the filthy Homestucks out there
Hampermarketplace is also my DeviantArt, though I don’t post much on there, but I do show my original art there more,
And finally, my Instagram, still hampermarketplace, where I post a lot of my photography.
My inboxes are open to talk, I’m quite friendly and impishly verbose, however I’ll be gone and inactive for most of the summer, sadly, but I’ll be back without question next fall.
Thank you, Sophie, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.
Asexual Artists 