Why do you make art?
I think my understanding of those motivations has changed over the years, recently I've been thinking its probably my only way to react to the sublime in our world. Those intangible moments that some people can comment on and enjoy I need to replicate in art to be comfortable with or truly appreciate.
Who do you make it for?
I'm always trying to impress someone, when you’re comfortable with your art (and I'm not totally there yet) I think that 'impression' becomes more about showing a part of your life, your unique way of looking at things. All my work comes from experiences from my youth, making artwork is like showing a new girlfriend my baby photos.
Do you have heroes? Is so, who, if not why not?
People like Paul McCarthy fascinate me for their ability as artists to appall and attract you to their subject matter but last night I watched Pinocchio and Willy Wonka (the 70's one) again and those films had elements of the same feeling couched in popular entertainment. I think its the animators and storytellers that are my superheros; Jan Svankmajer, Walt Disney, Roald Dalh, Osamu Tezuka to name just a few.
Do you plan out a piece or do you wing it? How do you know when you are finished?
These spaces exist in my head for ages, I build them quickly and shoot them alot, sometimes they come out totally differently or just won't fit what was in my head but I find the end result is a consistent morph of that original world.
What was the first exhibition/artwork you saw that blew your mind?
There is a Fresco in a town called San Gimignano in Italy, it was of lucifer eating all these people and shitting them out. I got taken there a few times when I was 9 and I loved it, the gelati was pretty good to.
Name a recent exhibition that impressed you?
I saw Patricia Piccinini's work at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, there was her normal gallery works but then there was a sight specific work involving the museums natural wildlife and ancient artifacts collection, I don't know how many people would have got to see it. It's the first work I've seen her do that really clicked for me.
If you could have any artwork in the world what would it be?
The Philosopher in Meditation by Rembrandt
