Interview with Jonathan WAY$HAK

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

A)JonathanWAY$HAK. I'm from a small burb, Milpitas, California in the US. Grew up watching cartoons, and I ended up twisting them into the drawings and paintings that you see on my website.

Q)How did you get started making art?

A)It was just something I enjoyed doing. I wasn't really good at it when I was young. No natural talent at all. I just was too stupid to quit, and I ended up getting somewhat OK in it.

Q)How would you describe your art?

A)It's me....or maybe more appropriately...my Id.

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

A)It's kind of a way to deal with all the constant disappointment that surrounds my life.

Q)What are you working on now?

A)My comic TONER III along with a new solo comic...plus some paintings. I'm always busy with something.

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

A)You should check out this interview with Wrest, sole person responsible for the San Francisco black metal project, Leviathan and Lurker of Chalice - http://www.maelstrom.nu/ezine/interview_iss5_61.php

Q)What's your favorite medium to work in, and why?

A)Ink...it's just what I love. It is very strong, direct. Scratching at the paper with a steel pen nib just feels good.

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

A)Make sure your drawing and painting skills are solid. Don't follow the current trends. Just do solid work...and stay off of photoshop during this learning process...you can get into that bullshit later on, when you need to make money.

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

A)Shit, I don't know...I'm kind of tired right now. So far, life just seems to be a big fuckin scam that rewards all of the liars and cheats. The funny thing is, the worst people truly believe that they are honest, good people. Ask me this later when I'm more awake.

Q)If your persona were immortalized as a cartoon character, who would it be?

A)Probably Conroy for the starblazers cartoon. I'd want to be a pilot.

Q)What are your artistic influences?

A)A lot of music. That mainly does it. Also artists like Barron Storey and Joseph Clement Coll and Francis Bacon. Cartoons for sure. Learned to draw fr watching Transformers the movie in slow motion. At the moment I'm really inspired by the fine films of Kaiya Lynn and the music of Varg Vikernes.

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

A)Not really sure...I don't really pay attention. Sometimes people compliment it, but it's more like small talk...being polite and all that shit.

Q)What are you doing when you are not creating art?

A)Watching cartoons...watching the paint dry on my paintings.

Q)Tell us about a recent dream you had.

A)Something to do with my friend's sister humping a leather saddle. It wasn't erotic...just bizarre. It's all hazy...that's about all I remember.

Q)What is freedom to you as an artist?

A)Being isolated from the rest of the world.

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

A)They are all disappointments. I don't think about my work that much.

Q)Last Books you read?

A)Read SNOW CRASH by Neal Stephenson. Everyone's telling me it's better than Neuromancer, and it is very good, one of the best books I've read in a long time, but it's no Neuromancer. Right now I'm reading The Exterminator by William S Burroghs, For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway, and Star Trek Movie Memoirs by William Shatner.

Q)Last records you bought?

A)Burzum – Filosofem and Comets on Fire – Avatar and Weakling – Dead as Dreams.

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

A)Artists....Barron Storey, Todd McFarlane, Charles Schultz, Francis Bacon, Degas, Rembrandt, and way more.

Q)Which do you think make good art good? originality, or style? And, why?

A)If it speaks to the person in one way or another I guess. What do i know about this shit.


Q)Your contacts….E-mail…Links

A)www.scrapbookmanifesto.com