Today we’re joined by Ashley. Ashley is a wonderful visual artist and writer who enjoys drawing mostly original characters from her books. When she’s not drawing, Ashley loves to write thrillers and fantasy. It’s clear she’s a very passionate artist who loves what she does, 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.
I love to draw and write. I love drawing people, primarily my book characters. I write many different genres, but the biggest ones are fantasy and thriller.
What inspires you?
My passion for writing inspires me the most. I want to make a difference with my work by including many types of characters. My goal is for my readers to be able to find themselves in my work, or see their specific traits represented. This goal is what inspires me to keep writing and to keep putting faces to my characters.
What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?
When I was younger, being an artist had never occurred to me. Later, however, I began to love to read, and I soon realized how many different types of people can be represented through fiction. As for drawing, my love for animation is what sparked that interest. So, I guess you could say I became interested because of books and cartoons.
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?
The closest thing to a symbol I can think of would be in my writing: I always try to include a little piece of myself into any one of my characters. It can be anything from a personality trait, a sexuality or gender identity, or even traits I wish I had.
What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
My advice for aspiring artists is to always keep going. Keep pushing forward and doing what you love. It also takes time to improve, but as long as you keep going, you’ll see yourself getting better and better. Believe in yourself.
ASEXUALITY
Where on the spectrum do you identify?
I’m demiromantic asexual, but I might be biromantic as well. Not entirely sure on that front.
Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?
I haven’t, mainly because I’m not out to anyone besides my close friends and a few family members.
What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?
That just because we experience no sexual attraction, it means we are never willing to do anything sexual.
What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?
It may take time to get used to your identity, and that’s totally okay. Also, never let anyone tell you your sexuality isn’t real; you are valid.
Finally, where can people find out more about your work?
I have a Wattpad where I post my books, however I’m mostly drafting right now. My username is PandoraOfficial.
Thank you, Ashley, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.
Today we’re joined by Avery Delany. Avery is a phenomenal book blogger who specializes in writing about diverse books and authors. They used to be a prolific fiction writer, but fell out of it for a time, though he hopes to start getting back into it (I definitely hope that happens. The more ace authors with different experiences, the better 🙂 ). When he isn’t blogging about books, Avery also writes about gender, disability, and other important topics. It’s clear he’s a very dedicated and passionate writer, 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. At the moment I am primarily a #diversebookblogger over on my WordPress blog RedRocketPanda where I read and review books, especially books with diverse characters and/or are written by diverse authors. I also post weekly features such as book lists/recommendations, discussions pieces, pop culture critique, and movie/tv/video game reviews, as well as personal articles which talk openly about my gender identity, sexuality, and various disabilities.
I used to be a very prolific creative writer as a young child and teenager, especially when I discovered the magical world of fanfiction! Unfortunately, as a result of coming out, mental illness, homelessness and unemployment I lost all confidence in my writing. Through book blogging, I have been slowly building my confidence back up again with the help and support of my lovely fellow bloggers with the aim at returning to creative writing once again.
What inspires you?
It’s such a clichéd answer but everything! My own personal experiences, current affairs, other fictional works, books/tv/movies/video games, people watching…
What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?
Since I was a child I was always obsessed with books and began to get really interested in creative writing around the age of 8 or 9 years old. I have been very lucky to have had supportive English teachers at school, even when I was having a lot of trouble, who encouraged me to keep writing and filled my head with ideas about being a writer so that aspiration has definitely always been there. I didn’t continue studying English in Higher Education though but actually went on to do a degree in History and Anthropology as an adult!
With book blogging, it is something I stumbled upon completely by chance through Goodreads a year ago and I’ve been completely sucked into 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?
With book blogging, everyone knows me for my RedRocketPanda branding as well as my red panda rating system. Aside from that I don’t think I actually have anything for writing.
What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
Keep going with the things which make you passionate, even during times when your confidence is low and enjoy the experience of actually doing your art rather than focusing on the final product. It’s super easy to psyche yourself out of producing work because you’re so anxious about what other people think but it’s better to keep producing work, even if you don’t show anyone what you’ve created until you find your confidence!
ASEXUALITY
Where on the spectrum do you identify?
Exploring aspects of being asexual is actually quite new to me so I’m not overly familiar with the terminology. I’ve known for a number of years now but always felt too ashamed to be open with others about it – until now! I would probably say that I’m somewhere along the lines of ‘bisexual asexual’ but my labels are always in fluctuation so who knows where they will come to rest.
Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?
The most common thing that I see is asexual erasure more than anything which is why asexual and aromantic authors like Claudie Arseneault are SO important. As a book blogger I just try to support and champion diverse authors where possible and speak about books like Claudie’s as much as I possibly can, challenging other bloggers to do better where possible.
What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?
Either that it doesn’t exist or that asexual people never have sex. Obviously, like any identity, sexual desire is a completely individual thing and there is so much diversity on the spectrum but I feel like that is often not recognized or spoken about as much as it should be!
What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?
That you are not alone and there are lots of people out there who struggle with their orientation – even me! If you’re not ready to speak about it with others then that is totally okay, you should never feel pressured to disclose your orientation if you’re not ready or don’t want to in any given situation. For me, readings works and networking with others on the spectrum is a great way to feel less alone until such a time, if ever, that you want to speak about your orientation.
Finally, where can people find out more about your work?
You can also find my one and only piece of creative fiction on the internet that I can actually remember the link to. A little one-shot Marauder Sirius x Remus piece I wrote 4 years ago. https://archiveofourown.org/works/1672394. Enjoy!
Thank you, Avery, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.
Today we’re joined by Kate Adams. Kate is a wonderful young songwriter from Northern Ireland who has recently begun writing poetry as well. She posts singing videos to her Facebook page. Kate has such an admirable enthusiasm and is incredibly engaging, 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.
I’ve recently started writing poems and songs. I’ve always loved music so eventually I just started putting piano accompaniments with the words, the first poem I ever tried putting music to wasn’t my one, it was “Solar” by Philip Larkin.
What inspires you?
I’m inspired by Philip Larkin, I really admire how honest his work is and how he was always true to his beliefs. I am also very inspired by my friends. They are also creatives who are LGBT+ and they encourage me so much. We always share work with each other and give feedback, they are very important to me and I write a lot about them.
What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?
I took English at a higher level at school and really fell in love with the poetry section. I went to a few poetry readings in local bookstores and it really inspired me to start writing. I have been singing from a very early age with my granda, my dad is also very musical and it kind of rubbed off on me. My brother and I took piano lessons for a few years and he really succeeded at it, but I stuck more to singing.
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, I haven’t really thought about a sign off or signature to be honest. I just tend to write my initials.
What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
To any young aspiring artist reading this interview I would say: Even if you don’t like what you have created, it’s probably good you made it because it furthered your talent and ability. Everything you do is part of a creative journey you are on. Be proud of what you and always keep true to who you are and what you believe. Be respectful of others and their work and be you 😊
ASEXUALITY
Where on the spectrum do you identify?
I identify as a HetAce as of right now, but I might be BiAce.
Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?
I have had a few people who are part of the LGBT+ community tell me that I don’t belong in “their” community. I have dealt with it by saying stuff like “I mean, here is some material you could read that may sway you…” and then linking them to posts and articles on the topic. It’s infuriating to be oppressed by being excluded and demonised by a group of people who aim to fight oppression.
What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?
I had a conversation very recently with somebody who thought that all asexuals were repulsed and opposed to kissing, masturbation and sex, I explained that that isn’t always the case and that it varies from person to person.
What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?
I am still figuring out my own orientation, some people don’t figure it for a very long time, orientation and sexuality are very fluid things and labels can change as you grow as a person. Don’t feel that you should fall under one label either! It’s totally okay to just be you and like what you like. As long you are mindful and respectful of others you’ll go far.
Finally, where can people find out more about your work?
I’ve recently started posting videos of me singing on my Facebook page, no original songs yet but you never know what the future holds! Most of the people who like it don’t know about my being asexual, I’m still trying to tell a few people aha.
Today we’re joined by ImprobableDreams900. ImprobableDreams900 is mostly a dedicated fanartist who does a little traditional fanart, but specializes in fanfiction. She’s currently working on some great fics. ImprobableDreams900 also does quite a bit of graphic design by trade. She also has a very clever way to apply her skills in graphic design to her fanfiction, as you’ll soon read. She’s incredibly passionate and it makes for a great interview. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.
Aziraphale and Snake Crowley
WORK
Please, tell us about your art.
In the world of fandom, I’m primarily an author, with my best work in the Night Vale and Good Omens fandoms. I really wanted to be an author when I was young, but I knew it wasn’t a very economically feasible career path, so I switched my aspirations to something a little more likely to allow me to pay rent: graphic design. I’m also a visual artist, with a few pieces of traditional fan art under my belt, but I find myself doing a lot of fandom-related things using my graphic design skillset — I’ve laid out, designed covers for, printed, and bound my own fanfiction, for example.
What inspires you?
There’s nothing I regularly go back to for inspiration, because I usually have more ideas than I could possibly execute, but I do draw a lot from history. Due to my current interest (read: obsession) with Good Omens, I spend an inordinate amount of time reading very old books on early Biblical mythology at the library — not weird at all, right? But they’re great mines for information I can spin into stories.
What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?
As I said before, I always wanted to be an author. When I was very young, I used to take pieces of paper and write all over them and pretend I was writing a book. I’d only get about a page done before I started just drawing squiggly lines on the paper, though, lol. When I got around to actually writing, I didn’t start with fanfiction. I cranked out several “books” in middle school — a pursuit my mother encouraged far too much — and when I was in junior high I spent a summer writing a 200k novel. It was pretty terrible, but all of this writing (along with an incredible amount of reading) taught me how to write well, and at a relatively young age. In addition to art, I also seriously considered careers in history or physics (particularly astrophysics, particle physics, or quantum physics), but history doesn’t pay any better than writing does, and the day-to-day work of a particle physicist isn’t half as interesting as reading about the conceptual aspects.
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, though most of my fanfiction is fairly angsty; I exact an unhealthy pleasure from severely injuring and killing off my characters. I nearly always abide by the ‘angst with a happy ending’ tag, though, and I do my very best to leave them in a better place than I found them. I’m an optimist at heart, you see.
What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
Oh dear — I think technically I’m still a young aspiring artist, lol. If you’re interested in writing, though, 100% the best advice I can give is to read and write a lot. Trial and error and learning by doing are really the best ways to improve, in my opinion.
ASEXUALITY
Where on the spectrum do you identify?
Generally speaking, I’m just very confused, but my current state of mind is gray!ace or demi (and possible biromantic on top of that); I’m leaning towards demi at the moment, because I’ve noticed that it takes an incredibly long amount of time for me to form any sort of emotional attachment to anyone. I really take the friend-to-relationship route, and haven’t had a relationship yet where I wanted to even consider sleeping with the other person. Most of the time I was struggling with whether or not I even wanted to cuddle.
Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?
I’m glad you asked! I haven’t seen a lot of prejudice personally, but I have seen some ignorance, even within the queer community. I was reading a fanfic the other day, and the author introduced a great many original characters, of which practically every one ticked a different box on the LGBTQ+ checklist. I didn’t have a problem with this, but I did notice that the author hadn’t included an ace character (though ace-exclusion was by no means the author’s intention). So in my latest fic, I decided to form an asexual relationship between the two main characters. Due to some complicated plot shenanigans, one of the characters ends up walking into what is basically a porn shop created by his subconscious — meaning that he walks into a porn shop completely devoid of porn, and instead populated with things he cares about, and finds romantic. I put in a lot of little ace Easter eggs, because I’m beginning to realize that if I want to see more ace representation, it’s not going to write itself.
What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?
Someone I know very well in real life came out as asexual before I even had a suspicion that I might be, so I haven’t had a lot of firsthand experience with misconceptions of asexuality. I think the most common misconception is either that a) you just have a low libido, b) you’re going to grow old and die alone as an old cat lady (this being a pitiable fate), or c) that you’ll grow out of it (which is admittedly not helped by the fact that a lot of people seem to do just that).
What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?
Don’t worry about it so much, especially if you’re young. If you’re demi or gray (the only orientations I feel comfortable dispensing advice to), I find it’s rather hard to force romance to happen. I know I don’t have that ‘look, that person is hot’ instinct at all, so I just try to make friends with people I think I might like, and see if anything happens from there. Also, if you’re having trouble finding someone who’s right for you — and again, especially if you’re young (that’s under 30 in my mind) — remember that you are under no obligation to be in a relationship. Mainstream media has misled you and societal norms have shaped your thinking, and I don’t think it’s just asexuals they’ve done a disservice to. Sex isn’t the end-all-be-all, but neither are relationships. Don’t undervalue the advantages of being single — I know I for one really love having enough free time to write all those fanfics!
Finally, where can people find out more about your work?
I’m ImprobableDreams900 on AO3 (fics) and Tumblr (occasional bit of art). The fanfiction behemoth I’m currently working on is a series called Eden!verse for the Good Omens fandom, which is GONNA BE AWESOME when I’ve finally finished writing it. If you’re interested in reading the asexual porn shop scene I mentioned, it’s in Chapter 4 of The End of Eternity in that series, starting about halfway through. If anyone’s interested in commissioning a printed book of their fanfiction (or another author’s, with their permission), send me a message on Tumblr, and I’d be happy to give you more information!
Thank you, ImprobableDreams900, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.
Today we’re joined by ursa-bruin. She’s an incredibly versatile writer who enjoys writing in a number of forms. She’s writing quite a lot of long form fiction, specializing in many speculative genres. ursa-bruin is also a poet who writers a number of different styles of poetry, as you’ll soon find out. It’s very obvious that she’s an incredibly passionate writer. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.
WORK
Please, tell us about your art.
First and foremost, I’m a long-fiction writer specializing in high fantasy/soft sci-fi/light cosmic horror fusion. I’ve been working on the same enormous project for ten years. I also write poetry — structured, free-verse, and experimental — and will be beginning to seek publication soon. On the side, I’m teaching myself to draw and I write the occasional tune and make mashups/remixes.
What inspires you?
Science, actually. A fair number of my poems are inspired by or somehow involve scientific knowledge. And despite my main project being primarily fantasy, there’s a fair amount of research put into it—I like to know the rules so I can break them in interesting ways.
What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?
I was an avid reader as a child, and when I was younger I wanted to be a full-time author. My interest in poetry didn’t come about until high school, when I attended a magnet school as a literary major. My interest in drawing came from watching too many cartoons, and as for music—it runs in the family.
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 signature in writing and in art is something I refer to as “grand caricatures”. I feel drawn towards archetypes and stylizations, although not necessarily towards traditional ones. I like creating internally consistent systems of symbolization, and creating a sense of grandeur by, unapologetically, placing those symbols on display.
What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
As I’m primarily a writer, this advice is for writers: be patient and be unafraid. Keep a journal with you at all times and write down any idea that crosses your mind, no matter how crude or transgressive or wrong it might be. Keep everything you write and come back to it in a few years—if you can’t make anything new of it, at the very least you will gain a fresh perspective on your own growth. And don’t wait for inspiration. Inspiration is a lie. Wait for understanding. Wait for the full comprehension of what you are writing and why.
ASEXUALITY
Where on the spectrum do you identify?
I am definitely asexual, though not sex-repulsed. I am probably bi/panromantic. As I don’t have a full grasp of my romantic orientation yet, I identify as, simply, asexual.
Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?
I tend to “fly under the radar”. As a resident of a very conservative area, I am very selective about who I tell. I don’t believe that I have ever encountered prejudice, but as for ignorance….
What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?
The most common misconception I’ve encountered is that my reproductive systems are faulty on a biological level and that I am not only unwilling but also unable to have sex or bear children. Also the classic “it’ll be different after you try it”. Spoiler alert: I tried it. Nothing changed.
What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?
You aren’t broken or defective. That’s what I thought, when I was first coming to terms with my orientation. I would study myself in the mirror, wondering why I even have this body if I’m not going to use it. Listen: there is so much more to a person than their reproductive system. You have a brain, and a heart. You have a soul. Those things are what make us human, not what’s in our pants or how we’re using it.
Finally, where can people find out more about your work?
I don’t have much about my primary project up, but what little I do have can be found at ursa-bruin.tumblr.com/thridda. If you want to know more, or just want a chat, my askbox is open.
Thank you, ursa-bruin, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.
Today we’re joined by Robyn. Robyn is a phenomenal artist who dabbles in visual arts but is most passionate about crafts. She’s an engineering student as well. Robyn is incredibly enthusiastic about sewing and designing sewing patterns, which are quite amazing to look at. She’s an artist with a wonderful amount of love for her art and that’s always great to read. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.
WORK
Please, tell us about your art.
I love many types of craftyness! I’ve done a lot of knitting, crocheting, drawing and painting but I think my favorite is sewing and make sewing patterns. I’m currently an engineering student and I think it’s really cool how much my pattern design process matches up with the engineering design process I’m learning about in class. I always research similar projects other people have made, plan out which features I want to include, figure out what size everything needs to be, choose suitable materials, put it together all with a good deal of troubleshooting and problem solving along the way.
What inspires you?
In sewing it is usually my need for a certain finished product that inspires me to design it. When I paint I usually paint landscapes of places I’ve been. I really love hiking, nature and the outdoors and I find those images to be very calming.
What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?
I think I’ve always really liked making things. I first started sewing and knitting when I was probably nine or ten and progressed from there, mostly self-taught. My mom knows how to sew and knit so I would sometimes ask her if for help when needed. When I was younger I took a few art classes in painting and drawing. I took an art class in high school that got into acrylic painting. I had previously done some watercolor but found acrylic to be a way better fit for me because I can have more accuracy mixing colors as well as go back and fix things/add fine details without it getting messy.
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 have any snazzy symbol though that would be cool! I sometimes embroider a few words into a sewing project but that’s not a consistent symbol.
What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
Work in whatever medium you’re interested in at the time. I go through phases where I’m really into one type of art and I pretty much only work on that for a few months then don’t do it again for a while and that’s OK. I think the most important thing is that you enjoy it.
ASEXUALITY
Where on the spectrum do you identify?
I identify as asexual. I’m not too sure about my romantic orientation right now but I somewhat identify with bi, quioro and aroflux.
Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?
The combination of art and asexuality has never really come up in my life before so no.
What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?
I think there’s just a general unfamiliarity with asexuality. I have tried explaining it to a few friends with mixed success. For some friends I think it was the first time they had heard of asexuality and they also didn’t really ask any questions so I’m not sure what misconceptions they have. But I’ve also found out some of my friends are ace too so that’s pretty great!
What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?
To me, figuring out your orientation is finding words that fit your emotions so you can express/explain yourself to others. But feelings are messy so it’s usually not as easy as you’d like it to be. It may feel like nobody knows about asexuality since it’s rarely talked about it but it’s still valid and you’re not alone!! Also, you don’t have to hesitate to identify as ace because you’re “not old enough”. It may at some point change and it may not, but either way it’s okay!
Finally, where can people find out more about your work?
I have a blog with a lot of my projects on it: https://craftybirdy.wordpress.com/ I’m planning to start an etsy with ace pride hats and headbands soon but I haven’t started it quite yet.
Thank you, Robyn, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.
Asexual Artists 