Interview with Joshua Hoffine

q)please tell us a brief info about yourself.

a)I am a Horror photographer. My work often deals with childhood fears. I am based out of Kansas City, where I live and work with my four young daughters.

q)Tell us about your humble beginnings, When did you you first realized that you wanted to be an artist?

a)I studied English Literature in college. I started making photographs shortly after graduation. I never really made a conscious decision to become an artist. I just get images in my head that I want to see made real.

q)What are your tools of the trade and why?

a)Photography. I'd rather act out an idea and take pictures of it, than try to paint it or describe it. The literalness of photography is very powerful.

q)Who or what gives you inspiration on your morbid art?

a)My interest in Horror art is fueled by my interest in human psychology, as well as my ongoing interest in the use of metaphor and subtext in art.

q)Is your artistic background self-taught or did you go to college to study?

a)My interest in photography came after graduating from college.

q)How do you keep “fresh” within your industry?

a)I'm on the very fringes of the photography industry, so I don't really pay any attention to it at all. I watch all of the major Horror movies that come out, though, and try to stay abreast of what's happening in the Horror community.

q)What are some of your current projects?

a)I'm heading into post-production on my first short Horror film, called BLACK LULLABY. The next photograph is called WINDOW, and is part of my series based on childhood fears.

q)Which of your works are you the most proud of? And why?

a)I love them all. BASEMENT is probably my favorite. It most clearly represents the idea of the rational conscious mind descending into the frightening abyss of the unconscious.

q)Are there any areas, techniques, mediums, projects in your field that you have yet to try?

a)I want bigger, more elaborate make-up effects. I want to use miniatures. And pyrotechnics - I want to blow something up.

I really want to try my hand at making a Horror movie.

q)What do you do to keep yourself motivated and avoid burn-out?

a)That's never an issue.

q)how do you spend most of your free time?

a)With my girlfriend, or with my daughters.

q)What contemporary artists or developments in art interest you?

a)I love the video work of Chris Cunningham.

q)We really like some of your pictures, how can we get our hands on them? Do you sell them? How?

a)I'll sell prints through my website.