#featured artist

An interview with Jacqueline Lin

Footage of an asian girl’s eyes slowly engorging plays alongside a female narrator explaining and defending her desire to undergo Blepharoplasty (eye surgery). The narrator is matter of fact about the issues surrounding having Epicanthic fold eyelids, and explains with a clarity the logic behind her desire. It’s the only voice of the 5 in Record Recreate which isn’t drenched in apology or self-deprecation. But even that voice, like the others, recognizes a distance between self-perception and the body. Girls talk about their physical features and future selves with the same kind of language of desire one might use to talk about wanting an upgraded version of your old iPhone. An attitude of being able to pick, choose and upgrade, to question the quality of characteristics about yourself and be open to the pursuit of something, if not better, then different. This attitude towards identity reappears frequently in Jacqueline Lin’s work. Everywhere from the sacrosanct image of the buddha dissolving into cut-up pieces of itself in Machina Buddha, to the ‘Choose your own adventure’ style of Oriental Battle, to the changing traditional Chinese Opera makeup masks in Bian Lian. Identity, costume and desire are intertwined, with the body as the ultimate canvas for a fluid social negotiation of the self. The subject of Lin’s videos demand us to ask questions about ideals and quest for self-satisfaction, as well as provoking us to stop and consider where the logic of these superficial pursuits originate. We decided to turn the camera around, and ask these questions of the lady behind the lens.

What is your background and how has it influenced the way you see the world?

I spent my childhood growing up in Jeddah and Cairo, and then moved to Taiwan in 8th grade and went to high school there. Living in these different countries made it a little difficult for me to really find my own identity. I never thought I could completely relate to my friends from the Middle East because of social and lingual barriers, and when I went back to Taiwan I found that I didn’t truly understand the Taiwanese culture either because I attended an International school where we were taught in English, and influenced by Western culture. However, I never thought about this as something negative and I feel so blessed to have been able to learn from the Islamic, Chinese and Western culture. I think of myself as a mix of all these influences that have turned me into who I am today. Having experienced ethnically being in both the minority and the majority, I feel more culturally aware and appreciative of everyone’s views.

Though you work in a variety of mediums, video seems to be your go-to. What was your first experience with video? What do you feel is the future potential of the moving image? 

I used to create short movies and ask my sisters to act for me - the movies were really silly though! I was around 12 when I directed my first video about this ballerina who hates going to ballet class and accidentally knocks over her teacher while pirouetting…seemed funny at the time! But what hooked me in was being able to immediately cut and edit within video camcorder – I would storyboard my shots to make sure I knew what to film first and last, and plan when to cut into close-ups of the characters or their actions. Nowadays video comes in all forms and is so easily accessible. I am always recording videos on my phone of things I come across that I find visually captivating – whether it’s the people, the shadows cast on walls, or the patterns created by reflections. I think that moving images don’t have to always be viewed on a screen, and I am more interested in video in other forms such as projected onto surfaces, or how video can change environments that we live in.

One of the primary focuses in your work is the character of an asian girl. Is there something specific you are trying to communicate? What kind of a portrait are you trying to paint?

I find myself returning back to this character of an Asian girl all the time because I draw my inspiration from my experiences of being one. I am constantly thinking about the social norms of being an Asian female specifically and how often they become categorized as one idea when really, each Asian female has her own identity that is completely unique. There are many assumptions about Asian females because of popular media that has given a lot of Westerners certain ideas about us. I am both poking fun at these categorizations because I completely disagree with them, and am exploring ways in which Asian girls identify themselves.

Outside of the asian girl, I also feel like you are constructing an entire body of work based off of a language of personal symbolism- hair buns, masks, nostalgic Chinese music… what do these ideas mean to you when you incorporated them into your works?

The symbolism comes from my curiosity to know more about Asian practices - the traditional Chinese performances or instruments like the Gu-Zheng and learn more about them because I myself am not entirely familiar with it. And honestly, the symbolism I incorporate in my works come from what I am obsessed with at the time of making those projects. For instance, the hair buns came from seeing some friends at RISD do their hair up that way – and I loved the way they looked so decided to create a character inspired by them!

You are now a senior in college, what was the worst moment in your college experience and how did you overcome it? What was your best experience?

If I had to pick out something I didn’t enjoy these past three years it would probably be times when I am assigned a project to work on and can’t generate any ideas for it. I dislike jumping into an idea that I am not happy about and creating something I don’t feel is very me. Sometimes it doesn’t work out and I am not proud of my work, and sometimes it surprises me because a project might take on a different direction and turn out great! My best experience is being able to work with others, collaborating with them, and asking them to be part of my projects. In art school, I am constantly surrounded by people I can share my work with and in turn see their work too. We are always giving each other feedback and sharing our love for art, and that is what I am truly enjoying the most about being here.

An interview with Taiwanese-American video artist, Jacqueline Lin, by Vivian Loh and Jessia Ma.

Sohnyahh describes her art as “organized chaos” that allows her to channel her emotions and the disorder around her into something more organized, clear, and understandable. She says that art is a form of expression that helps her “understand certain aspects of life that I couldn’t put into words”; it lets her make sense of the “complexities of different emotions” in a way that she otherwise could never hope to do.

Sonia grew up in Zurich, Switzerland and enjoys the “quiet, visual” aspect of the creative process. She finds a sense of calm while drawing or making digital collages and she understands that the “alone time, sort of recharging my batteries and gaining energy” helps her find peace. However, she also gets inspiration from friends and nature and is hoping to travel more in the future.

Sohnyahh’s work is inspired by the artist, Suehiro Maruo, because she appreciates “how his work is complex yet simple, and always leaves me wondering.” This has helped Sonia recognize that “not everything needs to have a meaning” a concept that she continues to struggle with but says it’s important to “just keep drawing” and “just keep doing what you are doing.” Sonia believes that this is the most valuable advice an artist can be given and she says it encourages her own creative process.

Follow Sonia Kolner on Instagram at Sohnyahh.

If you want to shop all of Sohnyahh’s designs, check them out here.

Shop Jack Teagle’s design in their Design By Humans Store!

DBH: Where are you from?
Jack Teagle: I’m from the UK, I live in the South West, in Cornwall.

DBH: How would you best describe your art style?
Jack Teagle: Deceptively simple. I like creating bold, eye catching imagery in a naive way. I can focus my drawing ability when I want to though, and I like to keep a balance between detailed pen work, acrylic paintings and the more graphic digital work.

DBH: Where do you find your inspiration when creating your art?
Jack Teagle: I take it from anywhere I can. I used to keep scrapbooks of comics I cut up as a kid, posters, odd toys I grew up with, anything that had a lasting impression on me. I love the work of cartoonists Gary Panter, Jack Kirby and Julie Doucet, and the Fort Thunder Collective. I love outsider art like Daniel Johnston’s work, Bruce Bickford’s animation, Howard Finster’s paintings. Anything visceral, with a lot of personal vision.

DBH: When did you know you wanted to make a career in the art world?
Jack Teagle: Since I started to take notice of art on book covers, album covers, art on the things I enjoyed as a kid like video game box art. I used to really like concept art and old science fiction art books.

DBH: How does art impact your day to day life or your impression of the world as a whole?
Jack Teagle: It’s impacted my entire life. I work full-time as a freelance illustrator, I exhibit my paintings and I’ve had my comics published all over. I’m always working on something. It’s just an integral part of who I am at this point. When I had full-time jobs, I was still making things all the time, in the background.

DBH: What does a day of creating artwork look like for you and how to you start your creative process?
Jack Teagle: For personal work, I tend to make it when I don’t hear anything from a client, or I’m waiting for approval on freelance jobs. If I know I have a free day, I try to plan to work for as long as possible. Time is precious. I’ll tend to go to the gym half way through the day to break things up, run some errands, and I’ll usually finish up work at 2AM if I’m really into something.

DBH: When you’re not creating, what do you like to do with your time?
Jack Teagle: I try to go to the gym as often as I can, just general exercise. I like going for walks with my girlfriend, taking photos of nature while we’re out and about. I love reading comic books, I play video games when I can find the time, and I love cult films. The kind of films that had a real vision.

DBH: What artist (either current or past) do you most admire and why?
Jack Teagle: Possibly Henry Darger. His work was discovered after his death, so for him it was just for himself. He created an entire world with his body of work. It’s imaginative, and in Darger’s own way, highly spiritual. I was lucky enough to see some of his original art at the American Folk Art Museum in New York ten years ago, and it’s always left a lasting impression on me.

DBH: What’s the best advice that’s been given to you as an artist?
Jack Teagle: I’m not sure if anyone has ever given me any real advice, but I’ve definitely had to learn from a lot of my mistakes. I’ve had to learn a lot from time-wasters and people that try to exploit you.

I suppose my advice would be to try to remain positive, and do what’s best for yourself. Clients, companies and other artists are not looking out for your best interests, only you can do that for yourself. You’ll avoid burnout, exploitation and frustration. Don’t bind yourself to a set way of making images. Experiment but always focus and try your best. You’ll never know where your work can take you. It’s all about balancing your expectations, and ego. Work smart and work hard.

Check out Jack Teagle’s store here!

Shop NoviluniumEyes’ designs here!

DBH: Where are you from?
@noviluniumeyes​ - Hello everyone! I was born and raised in Bergamo a city that I “Odio et amo” (translation: I hate and love). It is a beautiful medieval town near Milan, Italy.

DBH: How would you best describe your art style?
Starting from the assumption that drawing has always been a true “language” to me that I use to express myself to others. Over time my art has grown with me transforming into mature symbolism, sometimes concealed, researched, understandable or incomprehensible. I find that “symbolic” and “personal” are the right words to describe my style and my themes.

DBH: Where do you find your inspiration when creating your art?
My inspiration comes from several factors. First of all, what enters into my emotional sphere is an inspiration, even just one object can arouse something like an image. I do a lot of research and also the work of other artists (more capable than me) inspires me to improve my illustrations.

DBH: When did you know you wanted to make a career in the art world?
Probably ever since I can remember. I have done artistic studies and after many highs/lows my project Novilunium Eyes was born about two years ago.

DBH: How does art impact your day to day life or your impression of the world as a whole?
My illustrations are my shelter, my home, what makes me feel good and bad when they are missing. I read the world and I transfer it to the paper, I am what I illustrate and what surrounds me.

DBH: What does a day of creating artwork look like for you and how do you start your creative process?
I do not have a real creative process, but let ideas flow free. I do some sketches. In some cases I’m developing them while in others I set aside the idea to develop later.

DBH: When you’re not creating, what do you like to do with your time?
It’s hard to stop drawing, but usually I read, go out, cook (I make good cookies). I always invent a new recipe. Lately I started to clay and I’m learning how to model jars.

DBH: What artist (either current or past) do you most admire and why?
Hard to say. Having an artistic education, I’ve learned that there is always a cue, a detail of some artistic currents that I’m interested in, whether it’s a brushstroke, an artistic revolution, an installation…I usually love the world of tattooing and I try to take inspiration from that reality.

DBH: What’s the best advice that’s been given to you as an artist?
The best advice comes from a person who has always been alongside me, my sister who has never stopped believing in me and has always pushed me to do my best in the world of art and life. It has not always been easy, but having her in my life has made me realize that I am very lucky to have a person like her next to me. Believe in yourself and keep trying.

Shop NoviluniumEyes’ designs here! 

Check out our interview with this week’s featured artist @camissao​!
Then, check out her DBH store here

DBH: Where are you from?

Camille: I’m from France and currently live in the UK.

DBH How would you best describe your art style?
Camille: Minimalist and digital, mostly with surreal settings

DBH: Where do you find your inspiration when creating your art?
Camille: I’ve been influenced by my environment and dreams since I was young. I’m also quite an observant person. I stop a lot to look at things that interest or intrigue me.

DBH: When did you know you wanted to make a career in the art world?
Camille: I was quite young! I remember wanting to be an art teacher when I was around 8 and when I became a teenager I realised I wouldn’t have the patience to do it.

DBH: How does art impact your day to day life or your impression of the world as a whole?
Camille: Like I said, I observe my surroundings a lot. You see the light in different ways, colours, people etc. But it’s not just visual observations, I think it’s atmosphere overall, like the different smells depending on seasons for example.

DBH: What does a day of creating artwork look like for you and how to you start your creative process?
Camille: In any case, I will always take the time to stop everything I’m doing and If it’s for myself, I have notes where I write down all my ideas. I usually pick the one that inspires me most on that day, do a quick sketch, then do the illustration.think, a lot. If it’s for myself, I have notes where I write down all my ideas. I usually pick the one that inspires me most on that day, do a quick sketch, then do the illustration. If it’s for a client I usually work from whatever material they need me to and do some brainstorming. Then the process becomes pretty much the same as for myself.

DBH: When you’re not creating, what do you like to do with your time?
Camille: I like to spend it with friends and loved ones. Going for walks, to museums, exhibitions, for drinks, for nice food, travelling if I can etc… I also like to watch movies, play video games and read stories (fiction or non-fiction). Nothing that might sound over-exciting but I think it’s a matter of how you enjoy things, and not what you enjoy. You could do the most interesting things in the world but if you act like you’re not fussed about it, it’s not going to make you excited about life.

DBH: What artist (either current or past) do you most admire and why?
Camille: The first person that came to mind was Van Gogh. I absolutely love his work, very distinctive. I also have a lot of sympathy for his personal life and I think he is a great example of the stigma that was, and still is sometimes, placed around mental health.

DBH: What’s the best advice that’s been given to you as an artist?
Camille: Try, a lot, and do things. Keep on learning new things, keep on doing until it feels right. Then do it again because you need to get out of your comfort zone. I don’t always have as much time as I’d like to learn new techniques but I’m getting there.

Shop Coral Antler’s DesignByHumans store here!

Q: Where are you from? 

I’m from South Alabama, bordering Florida. It’s crazy hot there but beautiful. I’ve always felt out of my element there so I recently moved to North East Wisconsin last year and I love it. Everything is so different than the South, and I love the culture and weather change! 

Q: How would you best describe your art style? 

I’ve always had a hard time describing my style. I don’t like labels so I guess I’m a bit of a free-spirited artist. I just do what comes to me in the moment. Eclectic has always been a good word for describing myself so maybe that works for my design style too.

Q: Where do you find your inspiration when creating your art? 

Mother nature in all of her forms. I love spending time in nature and it’s definitely started coming out into my pieces in the last couple years. All of my pieces always can relate to the earth in some way or another and that is always my first thought when I start creating.

Q: When did you know you wanted to make a career in the art world?

I’ve been an artist since I was a child and it’s always been my passion. I always knew I wanted to have a career in art and design. I took so many art classes in high school that I was often in AP classes by myself. I ventured into massage school, which is just another form of art. Then I was a street artist, a photographer (still am), and the art director for a magazine. Now I have many revenues of income for my art and I own a web design company. So I guess I never really got out of it. It’s always been what I’m good at and what I’d look for when finding jobs before deciding to work for myself. Now I have complete freedom to create anything I’d like!

Q: What does a day of creating artwork look like for you and how do you start your creative process?

I don’t have a schedule. Like I said earlier, I just do what comes to me. So that means I only create new art when I’m in the zone, whether that be once a week or several times a day. I don’t force myself to create anything. I usually end up on Pinterest to get the juices flowing, then I wait for it to come to me and then let my imagination take over. If you are a creative type you will understand what I mean, lol. When it’s nice out I will lay in the grass and draw. There’s something about connecting with nature while you’re creating inspired pieces that is magical.

Q: What artist (either current or past) do you most admire and why?

I actually have several artists that I love and I find them on Instagram. I love nature inspired art so that’s what I usually resonate with. Some of my favorites right now are Copper Corners, Hannah Adamaszek, and Kayti Luna.

Q: What’s the best advice that’s been given to you as an artist? 

Create what makes you happy. Art is about expressing yourself and is great therapy. If it becomes stressful it’s not worth doing.

Shop Coral Antler’s DesignByHumans store here! 

Every season, RPD changes its background image and features a new work from a photographer. Information on all of our photographers can be found on the Contributing Artists page. For Autumn 2015, our background image comes to us from photographer Courtney Coles who found RPD via twitter! Below, Courtney tells us how she got into photography and shares some of her other work with us.

My parents were my introduction to photography. Amateurs who enjoyed documenting the lives they shared with their children, every family vacation was either filmed with their old VHS camcorder, captured on my mother’s Polaroid camera or various disposable cameras. As I got older, I got into the habit of getting disposable cameras for class field trips. After a while, I started saving up money just to get cameras to use for my everyday life at school. When my 14th birthday came around, my parents saw that I was serious about photography and bought me my first digital point and shoot that year for Christmas. And, in short, that’s how I’m here. I’m a documentary film photographer. I’m the daughter of two humans who just wanted to remember everything.

A reoccurring theme in my work, aside from self-reflections, self-portraits and portraits of my friends and family, is photographs of interiors- mainly windows, bedrooms and bathrooms. I’m constantly trying to define and dissect “home” and that is why a good portion of my archive is of various spaces that are part of a physical home.

I spend a lot of time indoors. Even as a child, I was never one to go outside and play. I always wanted to read a book in my room or take a bath while listening to music or dream of an alternate life while looking outside windows. The images used here are photographs that were created in the midst of chaos. They calmed me through the storm.

One thing I am intentional about is the use of film when creating images. Though I am capable of using a digital camera, the love and attention to detail is something I’m more aware of when using a film camera. I could go into great detail of how I’m in love with the process, but what I feel like most people forget to mention is that it is all subjective.

Growing up terrifies me. I’m a few weeks shy of turning 26 and I’m still trying to find my home. Photographing the journey has helped me hold it together.