FEATURED ARTIST: ALEXIS AMANN

Describe your process?
I draw all the time and some of those drawings get pieced together into paintings. I usually start with a drawing, and the feeling and image of the painting in my mind and work on it from there. I try to keep my studio practice steered towards making work that interests or entertains me — things I feel or things I think are funny.  My work is rooted in personal narrative and experience, combined with details that are at turns tragic and funny, rooted in mythology, literature, pop culture, and humor.

What or who is your inspiration?
Lately I’m really inspired by people who pursue their passion authentically and are able to be vulnerable in the work they present to the world, giving something of their own experience in a way that creates self-recognition and shared experience for other people. I think this is the most important thing, really.

I’m also inspired by the Pacific Ocean, the library, comics and illustration, evolution, people in my life, pop culture, mythology, stories, poetry, and humor.

Favorite things?
Internet memes, much to my chagrin — I love how people are constantly making things to entertain themselves and each other. I really do love the Internet, the instant creativity and fast sharing of jokes and images, even if it does create a culture of throwaway images instead of looking at art for a long time. It still makes so much more art instantly accessible to so many people, and has created a culture of sharing information and images that can’t be beat. Audiobooks and podcasts. Lynda Barry books. This month, it seems that one of my favorite things is artist-made 2012 calendars – I seem to be collecting them.

A question you would want to be asked? What is it?
Would you like to illustrate my series of children’s chapter books?
Answer: Yes! Someone email me, already.