Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / March - Melanie McQuoid

Ahh I want my life to be like yours haha
It’s my dream to live in Japan, but I am still in high school and can’t live anywhere but home in the US for now…

but this was a great interview!
Congrats on getting “a smashing chap called Daisuke” [Daisuke. i love that name :P]
I hope for the best of luck for you. Your pictures are stunning!!<3

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / December - Akira

wonderful photo …………. wishing you well ………….. there is such finesse and serenity in Zen of your work….

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / December - Akira

Congratulations!! Well deserved!

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / December - Akira

What an exciting life,I wish you a fantastic trip again on on long journey,must be fascinating to go there…ahhhh!!what a dream…I LOVE YOUR WORK!!!…XX Gigi

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / December - Akira

Akira

1. Congratulations on winning the first Japanfluence Photo Challenge, with your piece Meditation can you tell us a little bit about this piece?

This was taken at Jigokudani, a monkey park in the Joshinetsu Kogen National Park in Nagano Prefecture. There were hundreds of macaques in the valley, with most either playing around, feeding themselves or each other, or keeping a close eye on the tourists. This one, an older male, fascinated me because he looked so serene in the hot spring, and maintained his stance and composure the entire time I was there whilst many of the other macaques’ moved about and were being quite noisy, hopping in and out of the spring, and as other tourists moved about and watched him and others up close.

2. How many times have you been to Japan, what did you do there? Do you have plans to go back?

I’ve been to Japan six times and I intend to go back again in January or February next year to stay for about six months on a working holiday visa. Up until now I’ve been either with my parents or with school, but this next time I will be going by myself in hope of learning more of the language.

3. Your photo Working Girls, is such a great capture of life, was this a hard photo to snap?

Upon quickly glancing at my portfolio one would probably notice that there are very few photos of people, because I often feel uncomfortable taking them. Working Girls I managed to snap while on a parallel shinkansen platform at Ueno station, between taking other photos of a train, tracks and other less interesting scenes to look less conspicuous, since I didn’t fancy shouting across the tracks to request permission. So to answer your question, the very fact that I took this photo in the first place shows that it was comparatively easier to take than the countless others I have not taken!

4. What do you think the appeal of the Japanese Culture is for you?

I am half Japanese, so many aspects of Japanese culture seem quite familiar or are exhibited in my behaviour, so I’m quite fascinated by it. I enjoy the food, many aspects of Japanese architecture and design and the general safety and hospitality that seems to be present in much of the country. Basically, I feel comfortable in Japan without knowing the language and having never been there for any significant amount of time in a way similar to how I feel at home. I have travelled quite extensively, and besides Australia and Japan there are no other places in the world that I feel as comfortable in.

5. What’s your favourite thing about the Japanfluence Group?

It’s good to see the influence Japanese style and culture has on different artists.

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / November - mobii

i want that lion as a pillow~~

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / November - mobii

Big congrats Mobii :)

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / November - mobii

mobii

1. Congratulations on winning the first Japanfluence Challenge, which was a tshirt one, with your tee Samurai Origami can you tell us a little bit about this piece.

When I saw the description of the challenge, and the word “play”, origami was the first Japanese hobby or play thing that came to my mind. I hadn’t ever seen origami instructions on a t-shirt before. I gave it a shot and it seemed to be unique and quirky enough that it might interest people.

2. You have a lot of characters on your tees, Mobii Art, Bye Bye Kitty (lol), Orange Lion, Blue Bunny, Mah, Puk Puk all very cool and kawaii, what inspires you (and your daughter) to make these characters come to life?

Orange lion, blue bunny, and all the other animals are my daughters ideas. But, as she is a 15 year old Thai teenage girl, I have absolutely no idea why she does anything that she does. She is busy playing games with her online friends now, and refuses to be questioned (sigh). As for me, some of those are just gags concerning already known charaters like hello kitty. But the ones I have created are an effort to find an interesting character that I can build a comic, cartoon, or a children’s picture book around. I haven’t found it yet.

3. I Love Geisha, I Love Hentai, Beware of Pantie Theives, Ninjas Ahead… all what i think the Japanese would called Message Tees, have you been to Japan? I love how your work portrays it as a crazy fun place!

I was in Japan for a very short time. Way too short. Asian humor is the craziest thing, not just in Japan, but anywhere over here. The way they seem to look at what’s funny is so straight forward. I don’t understand why they think some things are funny, and some things aren’t, but their interpretation of it is fascinating. I must admit though, that the geisha / hentai stuff evolved from the fact that I think Japanese women are astoundingly beautiful.

4. Cherry Blossoms, Sakura and Sunset are two obviously Japanese inspired nature pieces, but you also have other flowers…… is nature and your environment a bit stepping stone for your art?

My wife is learning photography. Due to this, we take little trips so she can practice, and get new photos. She seems to like taking photos of flowers the most. I take a few once in a while, and then play with them in photoshop, or Painter X, and see if I can give them an impressionistic painting look or some thing. I like photos, but they don’t have texture. Paintings seem to have more depth, and substance. I would like to do more works like that in the future.

5. What’s your favourite piece in your body of work?
Each one of them is a favorite, while I am doing it. I am proud of the more serious works like Sakura, because even though the process can be done in 30 minutes by any 5 yr old, it still makes me feel like I am actually producing something artistic. I just do the goofy t-shirts to make myself laugh, and to make a few bucks. Luckily, some of them make others laugh too it seems. Life is taken way to seriously.

6. This Group isn’t just about photos of Japan, but its more about a style, a composition, an inspiration. What is your favourite thing about our unique group, what do you take away the most?

I put all those nouns under the topic of “flavor”. I love the fact that everyone in the group senses japanese flavor a bit differently. Look at how varied the responses were to this challenge. Seeing the wonderfully creative ideas and unique views of my friends there like Mingtees , and others, on a daily basis, gives me a constant boost of inspiration and stiffens my resolve. Everyone there is so supportive and ready to assist anyone who has a question, or needs an opinion. Japanfluence reminds me of why I do what I do. Oh, and it gives me an excuse, to download pictures of pretty Japanese girls, that my wife will accept….. barely. Haaaa!

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / October - tsubakituesday

great interview as usual and a well deserving featured artist :)

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / October - tsubakituesday

I’ve always loved her work, and now I know a little more about the person!
>^-^<
Gotta love the rick takers!
Well done on the interview too!

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / October - tsubakituesday

Very interesting chat. I am happy to see that more and more people aren’t following “the rules” when they create. :)

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / October - tsubakituesday

Hey, congrats tsubakitueday! (how do you shorten that? tsubaki? tt? haha) You deserve the feature, your stuff is awesome. Gorgeous, envy-inspiring. Should I be writing this somewhere else, maybe? I don’t know. Hope you get this.

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / October - tsubakituesday

niceness~!!

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / October - tsubakituesday

very good work
fantastic
chord0

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / October - tsubakituesday

tsubakituesday

1. Your work is so colourful and vibrant! Can you tell us a little about your process, and what medium you use?

Thank you : ) Well, the process and mediums varies hugely between pieces. I usually prefer traditional media, which can range from pencils, inks, copic & touch markers, pastels, charcoal, acrylics, watercolors, magazine cut outs & collage materials… Along with anything else I find I would like to experiment with..!

There’s is no specific process that fits into each piece, although they do share a few similarities in technique and such. Most end the way they are without even me knowing how they will turn out. My way of experimenting may be a little risky, for some, but I think it makes things much more unique. That way, you end with results you could never achieve with an ‘undo’ button.

2. There is a huge manga influence in your work… but you take it further into your own very unique style. Do you like to look at a lot of reference for a traditional style, or do you like to put a bit of yourself in these portraits?

Well, when I first begun to draw I liked to imitate styles from anime I watched when I was a kid, and eventually it grew into something beyond that. I don’t often look up references for my work specifically, but I’m always looking and admiring art of all genres, so little bits and pieces stick, all while putting myself into my art.

3. Have you ever been to Japan? If not, would you like to go?

No I haven’t, but I would definitely like to go.

4. “Sencha + Hunny,” “. ink,” “sand” and “Oiran” are my favourite pieces of yours. In fact I think it was “Oiran” that drew me to your work a little while ago, can you tell us a bit about these pieces?

Thank you : ) Well, these pieces more specifically have a Japanese influence, of course. I’ve been very interested in Japanese culture and history since I was fairly young, especially in fashion, artistic and socialistic regards (even more so in the heian and edo era), and this often seeps into my art. Most of these pieces share a look similar to styles in Ukiyo-e. Bright or muted colors, repeated patterns, a sense of story and an exotic feel…

5. I really like seeing works like “Its Starr Time” and “A Break Up Scene.” What sorts of things do you keep in your Art Journal, or Sketchbook?

It’s really all over the place! Whatever inspires me, from people, to places, to events, to even things I feel are all depicted in my art and in my sketchbooks. I tend to spill my heart out onto my pages… : )

6. A lot of your pieces seem to tell a very a story… “Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai” “ceremony.”, "bingata"… can you give up some insight to these?

If I was a better writer, perhaps I would be a novelist since I like to come up with scenes and stories. But, since my writing skills aren’t quite up to par, I put my stories into images instead. Most of those listed have to do with characters and fiction I’ve imagined. I could definitely go on, but this interview may consequently never end, Haha!

7. What sorts of things would you like to explore next with your work?
Whatever intrigues me next. I like to be innovative : )

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / September - Jenny Hall

thanks everyone for your support :)

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / July - Karin Taylor

Hi everyone, i’m so sorry i missed so many of your lovely comments on my interview with thickblackoutline, just want to say thank you to you all, and i guess i missed the moment to reply to you all … but i truly appreciate each one of you :)

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / September - Jenny Hall

thanks Jenny for your inside of Osaka and the amazing side of a traditional art of making Kimonos.
Yes i lived in Japan in Hokkaido for 3 years and it feels like my second home also,i miss it alot and those smells.
Now i wish to travel to Osaka to have a look around,thanks again.

arigato
cherry blossom

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / September - Jenny Hall

great stuff, a well deserved feature artist, with so much to offer to the group, thoroughly enjoy your work :)

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / September - Jenny Hall

Thank you everyone for your kind comments. I’m really honoured that I was chosen as the featured artist for the group’s birthday.

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / September - Jenny Hall

Hi Jenny
I really enjoyed reading your interview, how fortunate you are to have had such amazing experiences and to translate them so beautifully in your art.
thank you!
Linda

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / September - Jenny Hall

Hi Jenny, this is the first time i’ve seen your work and feel delight hearing you speak about your japanese experiences…….. i feel the resonance of the culture through you. You have reminded me of a recurring dream-impression visiting and working in Japan.
thanks for the beauty and simplicity!

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / September - Jenny Hall

Wow.. beautiful shots Jenny. Even though I only visited Japan for two weeks, I can’t wait to go back.

Wow.. beautiful shots Jenny. Even though I only visited Japan for two weeks, I can’t wait to go back.Thanks for sharing.

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / September - Jenny Hall

thanks purely decorative! :)

Topic: Monthly Featured Artist / September - Jenny Hall

“I feel that your portfolio is the essence of what the Japanfluence Group is all about”- I totally agree. Great interview…you do just beautiful work Jenny!