Interview with Kelsey Brookes

1)So, can you tell me a little about yourself? Full name, age, some background info, etc?

1)Name: Kelsey Brookes
Age: 28
Location: San Diego, California
Background: I'm not from here but I like the scenery.

2) How did you get started making art?

2)I grew up thinking that if you were an artist you knew it and practiced it from infancy..I never thought I was an artist...but at age 23 I started to draw and I set out to see if that really was the case.

3) How would you describe your art?

3)I take religious art from the Far East and update/remix/bastardize it until it becomes fully westernized and loses meaning...my art is meant only to be aestatically pleasing.

4) Where do you get the inspiration for your art?

4)Religious iconography, western immorality, sexuality and animals.

5) What are you working on now?

5)I am currently working on a painting of a masturbating female, nude (except for some pink polka dot under where) woman wearing a large golden jewel encrusted headdress with 2 growling lions sticking out of each side.

6)Are there some web sites that you would like to recomend? Artists, art communities, xxx,...!?

6)www.lazinc.com and www.picturesonwalls.com -My friends in London www.rvcaclothing.com -Artist series clothing and much, much more.www.fecalface.com - The best art website in the world.www.woostercollective.com - Second best art website in the world

7) What programs / materials / tools do you use to create your pieces?

7)I use acrylic paint because I am afraid of and intimidated by oil. And do all my line work with India ink.

8) What advice would you give to younger up and coming artist?

8)It sounds cliché..I know...but believe in yourself and never give up. If you set a goal and do this..what ever you want you can have. This is the only universal truth.

9) What is your personal definition of life and art and everything else in between?

9)Life is ruled by the fact that molecules are inherently interested in staying at an unexcited state.

10) Do you think that art is a universal language - transcending all the different languages, cultures and religions etc?

10)Sort of..I never really thought of it like that but I suppose the best art is universal to human beings...so if you only interested in communicating with humans I guess that is the case. I wonder if anyone has ever made art that was to appeal to something other than humans?

11) What are your artistic influences?

11)I really, really love Indian folk art at the moment.

12) How are the reactions on your work in general?

12)Steel it or destroy it...not too much in-between. Or maybe the in-between people don't contact me. If your in-between on my art please write me and tell me about yourin-between-ness.

13) Do you have many connections in the underground scene?

13)I have an alligator lizard as a pet and he use to live underground.

14) Tell us about a recent dream you had.

14)I have had one single recurring dream since childhood about giant shapes (circles, squares and triangles) rolling around on a giant chess board trying to smash me. I always wake up with a strange feeling and smell in my nose.

15) What is freedom to you as an artist?

15)Living from my art and my art living from me.

16) Are there any particular works you've done that stand out as your favorites?

16)Not really. I am in the particularly artistic habit of liking only the last piece I finished.

17) Last Books you read?

17)Richard Dawkins "The Ancestors Tale"

18) Last records you bought?

18)Electrelane "axis"Grand ole Party (www.myspace.com/grandoleparty)

19) Who are your favourite artists & Your favourite galleries?

19)See question 6.all the artist associated with those galleries and companies are my favorite...I also love the work of Os Gemeos.

20) Your contacts..E-mail.Links
20)www.kelseybrookes.com
info@kelseybrookes.com
www.lazinc.com
www.picturesonwalls.com
www.rvcaclothing.com