Interview: Bobbi

Today we’re joined by Bobbi. Bobbi is a wonderful amateur photographer and a writer. She really enjoys light photography and has dabbled in art photography. For writing, Bobbi writes fiction that examines serious issues and heavy subject matter. She is obviously someone who really enjoys her art. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

I’m an amateur photographer and unpublished writer. Really, I do most of my art for fun, although I did take a photography course at college. I enjoy light photography, although portraiture interests me as well, especially images of family.

My writing is fiction, although it deals with real life situations. I have written several plans and half finished novels about teenage angst, child abuse and drug use. These themes interest me on a psychological level, as I enjoy learning about what causes addiction or why child abuse occurs. I understand it is a very sensitive subject, and I aim to reflect this in my writing.

What inspires you?

I’ve been writing since I could pick up a pen. I have countless notebooks from my younger years filled with unfinished stories, plots, odd chapters and character development sheets. I have yet to finish anything, as I’ve always struggled with endings.

I have had a lot of inspiration for my work, as I was reading voraciously before I was writing. I adore JK Rowling, and I’ve recently developed a love for Patrick Ness.

My photography was an accidental discovery. I was actually studying German, but I found the classes too intimidating, so I switched to photography instead. I enjoy manipulating images to divert them from reality, for instance, I created a Disney Princess inspired piece for my final project.

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

I suppose my interest in photography stemmed from a hatred of German. To be honest, photography is, and always will be, a hobby of mine, although I don’t photograph as religiously as I write. Writing has always been second nature to me. Whenever I get a spare moment, I’m writing, whether it be about my day in real life, or random passages from a story I haven’t yet completed.

It was actually my mum that got me into reading and writing, although I have always wanted to be a writer. I enjoy creating new worlds to get lost in, through any medium, although my drawing skills are abysmal. Character development is probably my favourite part of writing, as I can create anyone I want, from personality to physical features. It allows me some control, of which I feel I am lacking in reality.

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 really have any sort of symbol, although I did play around with pseudonyms when I was younger. My favourite one was Elsie Mets. I’m not entirely sure why, but I liked the simplicity of it. It’s not a particularly fancy name, but it appealed to me.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

My advice would be, don’t procrastinate. Whatever medium you choose for your art, procrastination is definitely your enemy. Also, don’t give up halfway through, even if you’ve lost all motivation or passion for the subject, persevere, and you might surprise yourself.

And please don’t be shy about sharing your work. Honestly, even if someone doesn’t like it, a bad opinion is better than no opinion on your work at all. If nothing else, it will give you a fresh perspective, which is never a bad thing.

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I’m still trying to figure myself out at the moment, but I would say I am asexual, and possibly aromantic. But, as I said, still trying to figure things out.

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

I haven’t actually told anyone about my orientation, as I’m not entirely sure myself. If I was being totally honest, I would say the only ignorance on asexuality I’ve had to face is my own. I also don’t believe my family or friendship group know what asexuality is.

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

“Isn’t that a plant thing?” Seriously, yes plants are asexual, no it doesn’t mean the same thing!

Another misconception I’ve heard is that sex-repulsed aces should ‘have sex anyway’ to keep their partner happy, because it’s ‘the natural thing to do.’ I actually fell for that kind of pressure once, and god am I glad to be out of that situation.

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

I don’t really feel qualified to answer this, as I’m still questioning everything, but if there is one thing I’ve learnt, it’s be honest with yourself. Don’t let prejudices and ‘social norm’ keep you from being who you are.

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

My work is not actually published anywhere, although I am hoping to rectify that, as long as people don’t mind unfinished work. I will finish it eventually! In the meantime, I have got a Destiel fan fic going at the moment on AO3. It’s my first fanfiction, but I think it’s okay so far. It’s called ‘This Is The Way You Left Me’ by bobledufromage. Here’s the link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8089705

My photography, I am hoping, will be on my Tumblr soon; acesarehigh42.

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

Interview: Kirsteen Anne

Today we’re joined by Kirsteen Anne. Kirsteen Anne is a phenomenal hobbyist who hasn’t met a medium she doesn’t like. She writes a lot, mostly short stories and poetry. Aside from writing, she also enjoys doing scenic photography. It’s very clear Kirsteen Anne is an incredibly passionate artist. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

I’ve done a lot of types of art over the years. I used to write songs, as well as dance and sketch. Nowadays I mainly write short stories or poetry, and I act. I even make YouTube videos and take scenic photography on occasion. I do almost everything really.

What inspires you?

I’m often inspired by my surroundings and circumstances, for example I’ll see something or someone will say something and an idea will just pop into my head. When it comes to photography, I tend to look for a contrast in light and dark or colour elements, or just anything in nature that looks appealing. Also my dreams often give me inspiration for writing; I mean don’t the most crazy and exciting things happen in dreams?

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

This sounds kind of cheesy, but it was my teachers at school that got me into art. During middle school I had an amazing art teacher who inspired me to draw often and improve my art skills. And in my final year of high school, I had two great teachers, English and theatre, who encouraged me to create and show my individuality through my work.

I’ve always had a large imagination and creating my own world where I can live out my fantasies is something I still find appealing. So in that respect yeah, I’ve always wanted to be an artist.

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 definitely have a style when it comes to photography. I love taking photos of trees, so often my photos will include trees or nature in general contrasted with something else. When it comes to everything else I don’t think I do, but whenever I draw I usually use geometric shapes, so I guess that? Also I love the words “flopped” and “probably”. I use those words a lot in my writing. Probably more than I should. (SEE?!)

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

Try not to compare your art to someone else’s. You’re not that person, so why do you have to draw like them? Try to focus on yourself and not other people. I’ve spent too much time worrying about that and it’s put me off creating art multiple times.

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I’m a pan-romantic asexual.

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

I haven’t experienced any prejudice online, but once when I was showing a piece of writing to a few friends one of them commented something along the lines of: “Did you do this seriously? With no innuendos? Oh wait, never mind. You’ll get what I mean eventually.” I remember it really rubbing me the wrong way, but I just ignored it.

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

That all asexuals are just broken and/or naive. I’ve heard the naive one a lot, way before I knew what asexuality was. So many people were talking about sex in high school, and I just wasn’t interested and I was asked a lot about it. That wasn’t very pleasant.

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

Don’t let anyone tell you what you are. If you say that you’re asexual and people don’t respect that, you don’t have to change for them. In the end how you categorise yourself or how you perceive yourself is all that matters.

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

Well I can’t put up any of my acting up, but my YouTube channel is voKals, if you want to search it up. My photography Tumblr is (at) frontfacephotography, and I’m not sure if I’m ever gonna post any of my art or original writing online but if I do it’ll be on my main Tumblr (at kgrl7). I’ve also got an account on AO3, if you want to find my singular published fanfic just search up Writer156. Thank you!

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

Interview: Mika

Today we’re joined by Mika. Mika is a wonderfully talented photographer who specializes in animals and fireworks. Her work has an amazing amount of vibrancy and the images practically spring off the screen. It’s obvious that she has an amazing eye and a phenomenal passion. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

I take pictures of a wide variety of things, but my favorite subjects are animals and fireworks.

What inspires you?

I like to show things from a different perspective, or get close to things you don’t see every day, like a lion.

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

When I was very young, I liked to play with disposable cameras. But my interest in photography didn’t really take off until I got a simple digital camera for Christmas when I was nine.

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?

There’s nothing that I can think of. Since my subjects vary, there’s no one constant feature.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

Keep practicing, and don’t compare your work with others. Your work is unique.

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

Asexual and aromantic

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

Not in my field, but in my personal life I’ve heard all the usual lines. “You’ll change your mind.” “You’re just trying to be special.” I have to tell myself that I know myself better than they do, and try to ignore it.

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

That asexual people are cold and heartless. The most outgoing person I know is ace.

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

You don’t have to figure it out yet. If it takes a while, that’s okay.

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

So far, I’m only on Redbubble, but expect to see it updated fairly often. (http://www.redbubble.com/people/sixclawsdragon) I’d like to be able to turn my hobby into a way of making a little money, if I can.

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

Interview: Jill

Today we’re joined by Jill. Jill is a phenomenal amateur photographer who has some absolutely stunning work. Her photography demonstrates a keen eye and a love for the art form. While she favors nature and portraits, Jill is versatile when it comes to subject matter. She has a great enthusiasm as you’ll soon see. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

Well, I’m an amateur photographer! I got my first DSLR camera about a year ago and I’ve been doing photography as a hobby for 2 years.  My preferred subject matter is usually nature, portraits, or a combination of the two! I love flowers in particular, just ‘cuz there’s something really delicate about them that really speaks to me.

What inspires you?

Without going too far into detail, memories and time really inspire me! I love being able to capture moments in time through my prospective and preserve them forever, even when I forget those moments eventually (I have a really bad memory, haha).

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

I used to go for walks around my town a lot as a kid, and seeing sunsets and flowers and other “fleeting” things made me really sad for some reason. When I got my first camera, I finally figured out that I was sad because I couldn’t remember these moments forever; and that got me really interested in photography.

I’ve always wanted to be an artist, but not a photographer; I tried drawing, painting, dancing, the whole nine yards before I got to photography.

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?

No, not really! If anything, I take a lot of pictures of flowers, I guess.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

Just go for it! If you think you won’t be good at something, do it anyways! Nobody starts out great. But if you’re really passionate about something, that’s something you can’t just learn; but you can learn to be really good at whatever field you love. You know? Just go for it!

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I identify as asexual, panromantic, and semi-sex repulsed.

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

Not necessarily in my field, since I’m only an amateur and I don’t interact with other photographers all that often. But in general, a lot of people are ignorant to asexuality and don’t respect my boundaries, which really upsets me. Usually I try to ignore it or educate people if possible.

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

I’ve found that a lot of people are under the impression that asexuality is a new thing that only exists on Tumblr, and is therefore “fake” (“how could you live without sex?!”). It can be pretty disheartening at times.

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

Don’t change yourself for anyone. If someone isn’t comfortable with your asexuality, you don’t have to deal with those people. Don’t stay around people who don’t care enough about you to understand you, y’know? And don’t feel like you’re broken or weird. You’re valid. And cool as heck.

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

I have a Tumblr! My URL is http://memoriesofaforgottenplace.tumblr.com/

I also have a Deviantart under Jillipenny, but most of my work is posted on my Tumblr while only some of it is on Deviantart.

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

Interview: Charlie

Today we’re joined by Charlie. Charlie sent me the loveliest email and is a phenomenal art student. They’re working on building their portfolio and the images they sent along to with their interview shows an individual with a massive amount of talent. They do both fanart and photography. Charlie is definitely an artist with a very bright future. My thanks to them for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

I’m currently an art student, but I also do some fan art and photography for fun as well,

What inspires you?

Oh that’s a hard one, I’d say probably the shows I watch, books I read, fantasy and mythos, and my friends crazy ideas that she gets me to draw for her.

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

I’ve always tried to draw I can never say I was particularly good at it though, however about 4 maybe 5 years ago I was introduced to the world of comics and manga, and I became enthralled by the idea of being some kind of illustrator.

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?

Hmm, well, I like to base my characters on certain themes or mythos depending on what the work is for. I’ve only recently started to explore the idea of symbolism in my art so I can’t say I’ve got any particular as of yet.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

Give it a try. And if it doesn’t look how you want try again. Ugh if I had listen to the advice people gave about practicing and actually getting on with it rather than sitting and staring at a blank page is was afraid to ruin I would probably have more skills under my belt by now!

In summary don’t fear failure, embrace it.

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

Hmm I’m still finding my footing I often teeter between gray and not so gray if you catch my drift. Though I can say for definite I’m pan-romantic.

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

I get a lot of people often confused if I bring it up. I think there is a lot of misconception which is a shame. I’ve never really had any issues directly affecting me in terms of my art and my ambitions so much as I have with my social life.

As for how I deal with it? Well If they ask I will explain as simply as I can (you might know the pie/cake analogy) or if they straight up won’t believe me I don’t argue I find that to be easier, -though it does leave me feeling at meh ya know?

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

That it is synonymous with abstinence or celibacy. This often comes up, however I did once have a girl ask me if it meant I reproduced asexually (as in to clone myself to produce offspring) which I thought was fantastic. I now often use that to describe ace-ness to people who don’t understand it, for laughs!

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

It’s going to be difficult and you’re gonna have people tell you all kinds of things. And you are going to question yourself, but remember sexuality can be a fluid and tricky thing and there may not be a perfect label for you and that’s okay.

In our ‘sex tape culture’ as I once heard it described it is really difficult to find a niche when sex seems to be all there is.

I can promise you this there is far more to life than sex and there is far more to love than sex.

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

Well I’m not too big on the internet at current having only just been introduced to it as a place to post my art.

(@) cariquazae is my Tumblr it’s a tad barren at current but give it some time

Cariquazae my Deviantart of the same name is also suffering from the same issue but it will grow I’m sure

(If any of you would like to contact me I believe my asks are open!)

Pleasure to do this interview, best wishes and to all you out there good luck.

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

Interview: Tristan

Today we’re joined by Tristan. Tristan is an extraordinary visual artist who dabbles in a number of media. They are most fond of photography, but they’re also incredibly talented at drawing and sketching. The images they sent along are positively beautiful and brimming with passion. Tristan obviously has an eye for lines and color, which shows in their work. My thanks to them for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

Hm… I am not sure what to say about it. I am all over the place, I draw, take photos, make sculptures, I try to write and I have recently gotten into making aesthetics.

What I love the most is to take photos, but due to different factors I can’t do that as much as I would like. I would love to get more into making films, so that is a goal of mine.

What inspires you?

Going to sleep. No really, it seems like I am the most inclined to want to do things when I am about to sleep. So I try to hold on to the idea until I have time to do something out of it.

I get inspired to do fanart from either the books or movies I love or headcanons I run into. My other drawings usually come from me wanting to try something new or make something for someone.

The same goes for the sculpting and the aesthetics.
I also like to make pride stuff, in the colours of different prideflags.

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

I have just always liked to create things. Mainly drawing and photographing but whenever opportunity presented itself for working with clay, or sow or anything like that I have been there.

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?

Oh… I don’t think so. Well, a friend and I use to joke about my drawings of people always having very expressive eyebrows so I suppose that could be one thing.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

Don’t be like me. Believe in yourself because you can do more than you believe. And everything doesn’t have to turn out perfect, the important thing is that you try and do what you love. As long as you like drawing, or writing, or making cosplays or whichever way you like to express yourself it is good.

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I identify as the far asexual end of the spectrum, so far I have never experienced sexual attraction and I don’t expect it to happen soon.

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

I actually haven’t. I don’t think it is because it doesn’t exist as much as I have been lucky.

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

That is it not human. Which is rather harmful since it gets in the way of people to realize that it is an identity that could fit them.

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

I would like them to know that it is okay. No matter where on the spectrum they are they are completely valid. I would also like to say that it is also okay to not know where on the spectrum you are, and that it is never too late to find yourself. You don’t have to get a concrete label to be valid and real.

If anyone question you, or asexuality, or both, try and remember that you and you alone can judge your orientation and that asexuality is very real and that no one else’s opinion on it matters.

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

I sometimes post at my main Tumblr blog oneringtoevolvequicker (http://oneringtoevolvequicker.tumblr.com/) and my side blog justanotherpendragon (http://justanotherpendragon.tumblr.com/). I tend to get super insecure so I don’t always post things, or it takes very long time though I plan to post some pictures of my clay sculptures soon.

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

Interview: Amber Skyler

Today we’re joined by Amber Skyler. Amber’s a wonderfully talented and versatile artist. They play musical instruments, sing, write, and do some visual art. They’re incredibly passionate about photography and the images they capture are so beautiful. They are also a very skilled drawer, as you’ll soon see. My thanks to them for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

The arts I practice the most are photography, drawing, writing and singing/playing instruments. I usually take landscapes photos but I do occasionally take photos of people performing everyday tasks. I draw mainly flowers and fauna and write science fiction with the occasional fan-fiction. I have performed in choirs and also in duets and solos, I use my voice and usually accompany it with a guitar or ukulele except when I might be backing someone else who is singing with drums or a bass clarinet.

What inspires you?

The emotions of the people around me. If I am near someone calm, I may draw or sing something calm. If someone is agitated or angry, I write an intense section of a story or sing a heavy song whereas if it is silent, I take the moment and snap a photo of my surroundings.

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

I haven’t always wanted to be an artist, I remember that I used to want to be a personal trainer but I soon dismissed that. Listening to music, seeing people sketch their surroundings and taking photographs and reading often good books has all gotten me interested in art, I have always wanted to climb to their skill level and surpass them and become the best in my field and never stop trying.

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?

Not really, however, I do like to keep the bold lines outlining my drawings present.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

If you want to be an artist, don’t give up that dream. Don’t ever doubt your abilities to create something great, even if people tell you otherwise.

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I am an aromantic asexual, with the addition of being agender.

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

I have had people tell me that since I am asexual and aromantic that I can’t write emotional songs but I usually just ignore them and prove them wrong.

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

When I first introduce myself to people and say that I am ace, they usually get confused and think that I mean that I can reproduce myself without another person.

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

You are you. No one else can tell you who you are and you shouldn’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You are valid. You exist.

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

I put some of my art work (photographs, drawings and stories) up on Wattpad (https://www.wattpad.com/user/AnotherGinger11), a site where you can read and write and publish stories for free. My photographs and drawings are in some of my books but I do have a book dedicated to them.

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

Interview: Seiji

Today we’re joined by Seiji. Seiji is an incredibly talented and versatile artist from Germany. She’s an author who writes novels and draws the different characters she creates. She also customizes ball-joint dolls for her original characters. Seiji also takes photos of the dolls she creates and she also photographs other things like nature and animals. Her photoshoots are really beautiful and I was particularly drawn to her photoshoot entitled Willow (which is just gorgeous). My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

I’m a writer of own novels who creates drawings of her characters. Plus I customize Ball Jointed Dolls to look like my characters (or sometimes like characters of a TV show) and take photos of them.

It’s going hand in hand with everything, customizing the dolls helps me to deepen the relationship with the characters, drawing help me to visualize the characters and to make references for the dolls.

And sometimes I just like to take photos of almost everything I can find.

What inspires you?

Almost everything. I can go through the woods or drive to work and find a scenery that inspires me, is it to take photos or finding a way to evolve a scene in the novels. Seasons and Holidays can be inspiring as well.

For a quite long time I would have count “Tim Burton” as my biggest inspiration, I still love his works but I think I found my own style.

Of course I find inspiration in movies and series. I just discovered that my favorite shade of green is actually the color of the little Mermaid’s tail, which is funny, because it is one of my favorite Disney movies and I have created my own undersea world as well.

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

Ever since I can think I have drawn pictures. Mostly fan art of movies and shows I watched. I began writing in 1998 and was inspired by series like Sailor Moon and Digimon.

Later I began to create own characters and put them into fan fictions. Within the following years I decided that the characters were a piece of me and I wanted to honor them with their own stories in their own world. I left the world of fan fiction and began to write my own novels.

In 2005 I got my first own camera and I started to take selfies a lot, some photos of my pets followed. Photography was nice, but as I got into customizing Ball Jointed Dolls it became more important. The dolls joined my life in 2007 and somehow combined all the things I already did: writing, drawing and taking photos.

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?

Somehow my work is easily connected to the world of circus, freakshows and carnival. The theme crawled slowly into the world of my novels and is now an important part of it.

This theme is present in my photo signature, it’s “Zirkusdolls” which is a combination of my native language (“Zirkus” means “circus”) and English.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

Don’t aim to be perfect. Perfect works are soulless and boring. Do your thing, make mistakes. Try and fail, cry and laugh. You have your own views and you know what you like, nobody can create something like you can, there is no second you and therefore your work is unique and creative.

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I’m panromantic asexual. And “romantic” is maybe too much. I’m not really attracted to anyone. So . . . maybe it’s aromantic? The perfect relationship for me is a best friendship. I need my space, you need your space – perfect.

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

To be honest, since I weren’t out in public and only my two best friends ever knew that I’m ace I never encountered something myself. I tried to avoid any discussions regarding that matter. My sexuality is maybe a part of me but I don’t let it control my life.

I read discussions about sexuality in the BJD hobby and – fingers crossed – at least the asexuals are left out and have their peace there.

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

When I read entries or blog posts it is that asexuals are just “lazy” or haven’t been “fucked good enough” and that’s why they think they don’t need a sexual partner.

As said, I try to ignore things like this. It’s hard sometimes, but luckily I know it better.

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

If your perfect ideal of a relationship is like a good friendship: there is nothing wrong about that. You are not alive to be reduced to your sexual needs. And take your time to find your orientation, there is no deadline that says “now you have to choose your final one”.

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

I have two sites that I update regularly:

http://www.zirkusdolls.de/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/zirkussoldat/

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

Interview: Melissa D’Acunto

Today we’re joined by Melissa D’Acunto.  Melissa is an amazingly talented photographer who is currently attending the New Hampshire Institute of Art.  Her work tends to fall under surreal fantasy.  I was ridiculously excited as I browsed through her links, being a fan of both surrealism and fantasy.  Judging from the fascinating and eye-catching photographs, I’d say Melissa has a very bright future.  My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

Currently my art is headed in the direction of surreal fantasy images. One big theme I try to keep in the back of my mind is that photography is generally seen as being a true representation of the world but now with photoshop anything at all is possible. I want to make dreams a reality through my work.

What inspires you?

I love fairytales and princesses and of course Disney magic. I’m also inspired by surreal photographers like Lissy Elle Laricchia and Kyle Thompson as well as fashion photographers like Emily Soto. Japanese street fashions such as lolita and mori kei also play a huge part.

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

I took a photography class just for fun in high school and ended up liking it a lot! I’ve always wanted to do a lot of things, originally I thought it I wanted to be an illustrator but I got bored of that.

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’m not sure if I have a style yet, but maybe one will show once I complete my senior project.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

Keep doing what you love to do! You don’t have to draw / photograph / write about something just because someone else thinks it’s cool, you do you!

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

Asexual panromantic.

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

I haven’t experienced any negativity in my field but I’m still in school and not really out in the real photography scene.

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

I always get people saying that I’m “not gay enough” or they call me straight which is pretty annoying. There’s no level of gay a person can be. An ace person even if they are still hetero-romantic can still call themselves part of the LGBTQIA.

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

Find more people like you! I found that it helps when you have people you can share your experiences with! I was lucky enough to find that some of my friends are actually ace too and it’s so much better than being confused and feeling bad about yourself.

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

I post the most on my Facebook, but I also have pages on mot social media sites:

Website
Tumblr
Facebook
DeviantArt
Instagram: 2headedcat

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

Interview: Lyric

Today we’re joined by Lyric.  Lyric is an amateur photographer who also enjoys dabbling in film.  Their images are quite extraordinary, beautiful portraits mostly of nature.  If their work is anything to go by, this is a photographer with a very bright future.  My thanks to them for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

I am a photographer and I edit CMV’s

What inspires you?

Nature and conventions: My first convention lots of people were interested in what I do and wanted to who and what I identified as.

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

I started off as a musician but when my teachers got rude I decided to switch to a skill that didn’t really require a teacher. I could pick and choose what I wanted to photograph or film, I didn’t have any limits.

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?

Whenever I do nature photography I try to find some angle that adds sun rays or rainbows in to the camera lens.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

If you like something just go for it choose and do your own thing, not everyone will like it but you will find someone (even multiple people) who will love it as much as you.

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

DemiSexual, BiRomantic

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

Yes, quite a bit however I don’t let it really bother me they just think differently I suppose and yeah maybe I can teach them but usually they’re not open to that. So let them be ignorant and let you be kind and accepting

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

As a demisexual probably that I’m saving myself for marriage. I mean yes, I probably have a deep connection with that person but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other people that I can form deep bond with either.

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

Don’t beat yourself up over it, don’t dwell on it. For a while I thought I was broken because I didn’t like or feel an emotion towards sex. Read what you can about what you know. Most likely you’ll learn more about others things as well.

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

I’m currently just on Tumblr, where I have a My Photography tag but I hope that soon I can open my own website.

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