An Interview with Brie of teen age chariot!

One of my favourite bloggers/artists is Brie of teen age chariot. Her drawings feature the most adorable, unique, and relatable characters, which I've fallen absolutely in love with. I interviewed her, largely because I wanted to have a reason to ask her a bunch of questions, and largely because I knew it would make for an extremely interesting post. I highly encourage you to check out her awesome outfits, photos, collages, and drawings she posts on her blog, which is definitely a favourite of mine. Enjoy!

1. What inspires your art?

Everything from the people I'm around, my dreams and nightmares, the food I eat, the strangers who scare me, car rides, my subconscious thoughts, my habit of being analytical, thrift stores, cheesy knick knacks, fairy tales, movies, different scents, music, patterns, textures, other artists, my room, skin, hair, eyes, BODIES, plants, nature, death, time, paper, my art tools, emotions, EVERYTHING!

2. What are your favourite art mediums? What is your process (how long do you work on a drawing, etc)?

I love using the most basic mediums like crayons and markers because I think colour is really important in my art and it's the easiest way for me to experiment (but I also really enjoy welding)! On average I don't spend more than an hour on a drawing, unless it's loaded with detail. If I'm working on a sculpture or a painting, it usually takes me about 2 weeks to complete!

Brie also takes super rad photos. This is a photo she took of Monica! Hey guys, if you're ever, like, looking for someone to hang out with, I'm totally down...

3. Who are some of your favourite artists?

Some of my favourite artists are Janieta Eyre, Misa Kawai, Claes Oldenburg, Warhol, Yoshitomo Nara, Tanyth Berkeley, Toshio Saeki, Frida Kahlo, Laura Letinsky, Gustav Klimt, Ron Muek, David Altmejd, Marcel Dzama, Tom Friedman, Mike Kelley, Daniel Clowes, Edgar Degas, Norman McLaren, Jan Švankmajer, Cindy Sherman, Hieronymus Bosch, Robyn Cummings, Monet, Yayoi Kusama, and Mark Rothko. This is kind of lengthy but my taste in art is all over the place!

Brie captioned this as: today i drew my first drawing of 2013. my favourite new/old hairstyle of 2012 was definitely the beehive 

4. How long have you been drawing? What got you into art?

My parents always encouraged me to draw and make crafts when I was young so I feel like I've been drawing forever. Although I loved drawing, I was more involved with ballet, and dancing sort of became my main priority from the ages of 3-13. I only really started to become obsessive in doodling and drawing once my interest for ballet started to die down (so maybe 14)?

5. How did you develop your style of art?

This is kind of tricky to answer, but I guess it just stemmed from doodling. I would obsess over different features that I wanted my characters to possess and play around with the different ways they can be drawn. Like one week I'd obsess over drawing noses and fingers then the next week I would obsess over drawing cool hairstyles. I've been doing that for like four years now and I guess now I've just established a rhythm in the way I draw my little characters and their surroundings!

6. What do you hope to do in the future (with your art or otherwise)?

My dream job would be personal dog portraitist/dog walker but if that doesn't work out I'd love to do commissions for different publications, show in different artist run galleries, maybe open an artist run gallery, illustrate book covers, or make band merchandise!

A photo of Brie with a Little Brie on her shoulder.

7. Why did you start blogging?

At first I started it as a personal diary and as a way to motivate me to scan my art and start getting it out into the big scary world. Then I started following different blogs and realized that there is so much creative freedom that is tied to blogging and it's almost like an underrated form of art (and now I'm hooked).

8. What are some of your favourite movies/books/bands?

 My favourite director is John Waters (one day I really want to create a series of paintings/drawings called Filth, to show my respect for him in the most unusual way) and I love all his films like Female Trouble, Pink Flamingos, Hairspray, Cry Baby etc. I also love Labyrinth, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3, The Shining (um actually all Kubrick films… let’s be real), Hausu, The Party, Asparagus, Harold and Maude, Trainspotting, Gummo, American Beauty, American Psycho, Pulp Fiction, Trainspotting, Velvet Goldmine, Heathers, Burton films, Wes Anderson films, The Man Who Fell to Earth, Welcome to the Doll House, Eraserhead, Girl, Interrupted and Picnic at Hanging Rock!

I could go on forever about my favourite bands, but here’s a little list of my favourite musicians!

http://tweenageriot.tumblr.com/post/41760787916/who-are-some-of-your-favourite-bands

As for books, a lot of my favourites are in my list of favourite movies which is pretty neat-o. Some of my favourites are Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Bell Jar, Trainspotting, The Virgin Suicides, Dangerous Angels, Nine Stories, The Shining, American Psycho, The Great Gatsby, The Outsiders, Wuthering Heights, Mathilda Savitch and The Birthmark.

9. Do you keep a journal?

I do! I started keeping different ones on and off from when I was twelve. I try to write in my diary every night, but sometimes I get home from class really late and am way too exhausted to write anything, so I just draw little things I was thinking about during the day instead. Sometimes I’ll use my tumblr as a diary as well and make a little post about what I did that day and I feel like that’s another way of remembering minor things I might forget about down the line.

10. What do you do when you are feeling uninspired/have artist's block?

I have an artist’s block at least 3 times a week (usually stemming from self-loathing or being lazy). For me, the best way to get out of an artist’s block is to do two things:

1.       Go look at art- whether it’s in a gallery, online, in a book or on TV! I find that looking at other people’s art is a subtle way for the subconscious to yell “WHAT ARE YOU DOING BRIE YOU LAZY SHIT? GO MAKE STUFF. LOOK AT THESE AMBITIOUS FOLKS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR LIFE?” and then I’m usually good to go.

2.       I treat myself to some new art supplies because I’m sad and worth it!

11. Do fashion/music/other aspects of culture influence your art? If so, how?

Definitely! I don’t typically include music into a lot of my art unless it’s a portrait of someone, but any time I’m creating something, I am always listening to music. I find that if I’m painting or drawing to a rhythm, it forces me to take fewer brakes, and just finish what I’m making.  As for fashion, if I’m making a drawing where I want my characters to wear clothes I always thing to myself “What would Divine wear?” or “what kind of make-up would a glam diva in the 70’s wear to crash a swanky a cocktail party?”

12. Do you have a favourite drawing of yours?

http://tweenageart.tumblr.com/post/41223489455/im-home

This one is my favourite drawings because it’s the most accurate depiction of how I feel most of the time when I finally get to sit in my room and make stuff.

13. If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?

I would like to be in a large room-preferably somewhere in Australia-with hardwood floors, large open windows and filled with a collection of plants and art supplies!

15. Do you have any advice for people trying to develop their own style of art?

I would say the best thing to do is to draw or paint movements, rather than aiming to create a distinct style or character. Also, carry a mini sketchbook with you anywhere you go (my favourite are mini moleskins-like the super tiny ones- or anything that is 5”x7” or less) and draw anything and everything you see, even if it seems stupid. I suggest reading “An Illustrated Life: Drawing Inspiration from the Private Sketchbooks of Artists, Illustrators and Designers” for ideas on what to draw if you’re really stuck. Also don’t get frustrated if you feel like your own style isn't showing through, because you’re great and I believe in you honey bunny (am I starting to sound like feminist, Ryan Gosling?)

16. What is your absolute most favourite thing about drawing?

I think my favourite part has to be how it’s immeasurable and limitless. There is always going to something out there that’s never been drawn before and something in the imagination that’s never been brought to life; which is way too overwhelming and exciting to even think about sometimes.