Interview with Lance Sells

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

A)Lance Sells.31.Living in NYC with girlfriend & son

Q)How did you get started making art?

A)From as far back as I can remember I’ve been drawing. I’m pretty sure everyone makes art as a child it’s just that most people stop and those that don’t become illustrators, artists, designers.

Q)How would you describe your art?

A)Autobiographical but with time travel as a metaphor.

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

A)From pretty much everything. The street, what I read, film, television, personal experiences.

Q)What are you working on now?

A)I’m working toward a huge video that I’m going to release on DVD. It’s been going on for about a year or so and I’m nowhere finished so who knows if/when it’ll ever be finished.

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

A)All I can say is [0-0]

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

A)Pastels and graphite on paper for the most part. I would paint more but I find it hard to make time. Drawing is so much more immediate.

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

A)Practice, practice, practice… Don’t become one of Tim Burton’s children and don’t be afraid.

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

A)I don’t really have a personal definition that I can explain in words. At least not so anyone can understand it. Art is really personal and important to me but I’m not a romantic that’s convinced it’s changing the world or anything. Definitely not in this day and age.

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

A)It can be.

Q)What are your artistic influences?

A)Growing up it was American comic book artists. Now I look a little more to the past to surrealists, dadists & cubists.

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

A)“Are you ever going to do work in your old style? I like your old stuff better.” That would be the main consensus I get from people. It’s too bad because looking at my older work I always cringe and think how I’ve moved light years ahead of it. There’s a certain aggressiveness that I’ve removed from my work which might explain it.

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

A)Not that I know of…

Q)Tell us about a recent dream you had.

A)I usually can’t remember past the first couple hours of waking up so I’ve got nothing for you.

Q)What is freedom to you as an artist?

A)Doing work only to please yourself. I consider myself lucky in the regard that I don’t live off of my artwork so there is no pressure for me. I could be the only person to like my work and it wouldn’t make a difference.

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

A)“Perifidiousness in Arms” . That was the first time I ever worked in motion so it’s defined my professional work in the last 3 or 4 years and has made me move into working more of my artwork in that direction.

Q)Last Books you read?

A)“Everyman” by Philip Roth. “Transmigration of Timothy Archer” by Philip K. Dick. “Starless Night” by R.a. Salvatore .

Q)Last records you bought?

A)“Idlewild” – Outkast, “Amputechture” – The Mars Volta

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

A)Enrico Baj, Roger Ballen, Francis Bacon, S. Dali. Galleries are always changing with each new exhibit so that’s tough to say but for Museums I would say SF MOMA and the MOMA in NYC.

Q)Your contacts….E-mail…Links

A) lance@normalnatural.net
www.normalnatural.net
www.motherland.us