Interview with Ryan Heshka

Q)Something about you.what you want.

A)I HOPE TO CREATE WORK WITH LONGEVITY, AND STRENGTHEN MY SKILLS AND ABILITIES TO GET BETTER EACH YEAR.

Q) What are your main goals when you create?

A)TO TELL A STORY, TO CREATE TENSION AND/OR ACTION IN THE ART, AND MOSTLY TO DRAW THE VIEWER INTO THE WORLD IN THE PAINTING.

Q) Do you rule by any tendency in your creative work, or you only follow what comes in your mind?

A)GENERALLY, I LIKE TO TRY NEW THINGS AND NEW SUBJECTS WHEN I PAINT. I DON'T LIKE TO LIMIT MYSELF TOO MUCH. THE IDEAS I LIKE BEST GENERALLY POP INTO MY HEAD WHEN I'M NOT THINKING ABOUT PAINTING.

Q)How has the internet and your website helped you spread your artwork to a wider audience?

A)THE INTERNET HAS BEEN AN AMAZING TOOL ... IT HAS BEEN MY BEST "ADVERTISEMENT" , AND HAS ENABLED ME TO LAND MANY COMMISSIONS AND FUN PROJECTS. AS SOMEONE WHO USES THE INTERNET AS HIS MAIN SOURCE OF REFERENCE, I KNOW ITS IMPORTANCE FIRST HAND. I ALWAYS TAKE ADVANTAGE AT SHOWS TO SIGN PEOPLE UP TO MY MAILING LIST AND/OR HAND OUT CARDS WITH MY WEB INFO.

Q)How do you define your style and how would you describe your art tosomeone who could not see it?

A)I GUESS I WOULD HAVE TO SAY MY WORK CONJURES UP IMAGES OF OLDER ERAS ... I HATE TO USE THE WORD "RETRO" BECAUSE I THINK THAT WORD HAS A SHELF LIFE. DEFINING MY STYLE IS DIFFICULT, AS I LOVE TO VARY SUBJECT MATTER, FROM PIN UPS, TO CARTOONY FIGURES, TO RADIO TOWERS AND LANDSCAPES. PEOPLE THAT LOOK AT MY WORK TELL ME IT IS AT ONCE RECOGNIZABLE, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE. IT HAS A FAMILIARITY TO IT THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO IDENTIFY WITH IT.

Q)What materials do you use to realize your creations?

A)MAINLY ACRYLIC PAINT, GOUACHE, AND CLIPPINGS FROM OLD MAGAZINES AND FOUND PAPER. I USE OLD PAPER FORM MY GRANDPA'S DRYCLEANING SHOP HE HAD IN THE 1950'S AS A BASE FOR MY PAINTINGS.

Q) What is your favorite a) taste b) sound c) sight d) scent e) tactile sensation?

A) A) SALTY B) POPS AND CRACKLES FROM OLD RECORDS C) STARS/NORTHERN LIGHTS D) OLD PAPER E) FLOATING IN WATER Q) What are you doing now.your current projects. A)A COMIC BOOK PROPOSAL, RE-RELEASING MY HALLOWEEN BOOK, SOME ART SHOWS IN THE USA.

Q) Do you listen to music while you're painting and what do you listen and what do you like to listen?

A)I LISTEN TO OLD JAZZ AND STANDARDS, SOME NEWER STUFF LIKE THE PIXIES AND WHITE STRIPES, AND I ALSO LISTEN TO LOTS OF OLD RADIO SHOWS FROM THE 1930'S TO THE 1950'S ... I FIND THE MENTAL PICTURES THAT FORM END UP INSPIRING MY PAINTINGS.

Q) Do you draw influences from a wide range of artists, musicians, books.?

A)I DO , AND I LIKE TO USE THOSE INFLUENCES SPARINGLY, SO THAT YOU DON'T SEE DIRECT INFLUENCES FROM THOSE ARTISTS IN MY WORK ... I TAKE IN EVERYTHING I SEE AND HEAR, AND DIGEST IT SUBCONSCIOUSLY, SO THAT IT COMES BACK IN MY ART IN A NEW FORM (I HOPE). MY MAIN INFLUENCES ARE OLD ANIMATION, COMIC BOOKS, ADVERTISING ART, OLD MOVIES, RADIO PROGRAMS, OLD TOYS AND POP ART IN GENERAL.

Q)Name 3 things you couldn't create without?

A)AUDIO IN THE BACKGROUND, A MOTIVATION (OR A GOAL/END RESULT), AND FOOD

Q) Where have you show your art.?

A)LOCALLY IN VANCOUVER, CANADA, IN THE US (CHICAGO, SEATTLE, LOS ANGELES,NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY), AND IN HAMBURG, GERMANY.

Q) What haven't you done yet that you definitely want to try someday?

A)GET A COMIC BOOK PROJECT PUBLISHED. AND DABBLE IN ANIMATING SOME OF MY WORK/IDEAS.
Q) How important is self-promotion for an artist nowadays?A)VERY, VERY ... NOT ONLY IN GETTING YOUR NAME OUT THERE, BUT MAINTAINING GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH CUSTOMERS AND GALLERIES AND CLIENTS, AND FINDING NEW VENUES TO GET YOUR WORK SEEN BY NEW AUDIENCES. BEING RESPONSIBLE AND PROFESSIONAL WILL SET YOU APART.

Q) Would you say that your work consciously reflects characters and situations found within your daily life?

A)IT CAN ... EVERYDAY SITUATIONS AND FEELINGS CAN FIND THEIR WAY INTO THE WORK, BUT IT ALWAYS GETS MASHED UP WITH MY IMAGINATION. Q) Favourite book?A)ULTIMO BY JOHN AND RUTH VASSOS (PUBLISHED IN 1931)

Q) Designers/Artists you admire?

A)FRANK R. PAUL, THE CLAYTON BROTHERS, CAMILLE ROSE GARCIA, MARK RYDEN, CHIP KIDD, MONTE BEAUCHAMP (BLAB), JACK KIRBY, LOU FINE, BILL EVERETT, WALT DISNEY, BASIL WOLVERTON, FLETCHER HANKS ... TOO MANY TO MENTION.

Q) Your contacts..e-mail.links.

A) ryanheshka@telus.net
www.ryanheshka.com