Artist Profile: Toxteth O’Grady by community

Toxteth O’Grady is one of the success stories on the Red Bubble.

Toxteth who joined in April this year has gone from strength to strength and shows no sign of fading.

He is a bike riding, music loving lad from Melbourne who spent most of his Higher Education years moving and working around about Australia and Europe while deciding on his future, he even admits to making it through a couple of semesters traveling and working without setting foot inside the uni where he was enrolled at the time.

Earlier this year Toxteth was married, it was around this time he joined Red Bubble through his friendship with Anneli. Toxteth, even though he had Majored in English Literature had never really written for himself up to this point, writing was more of a thing he did to satisfy the requirements of his studies.

Toxteth submitted several stories for the this years Unleashed07 Short Story Completion and he was on his Honeymoon in Vietnam when he logged to discover he had three stories short listed. Toxteth who was totally flattered when he received his first comment and was slightly amazed that others thought it was good then went onto have two stories HARRY & JACK and SCREWED selected for the anthology, only one of two authors to achieve this.

Where the majority of those chosen for the Anthology have all but disappeared from Red Bubble Toxteth has gone on the establish a high profile, contributing stories regularly and sharpening his skills with the Flash Fiction Group, Short stories – Spherical Scriptings & Agent Provacatuer . Toxteth also contributes photography which is every bit as unique as his writing. Toxteth has also managed to spark the imagination of some of the better Tee Shirt designers who have worked with him to do designs based on his stories. Toxteth has also had one of his Red Bubble Stories NOT IN MY BACKYARD published with Lit-Site australianreader.com Australian Reader is going to publish BLIND DATE shortly also.

I cornered Toxteth and asked him a few probing questions and his replies we’re quite enlightening.

Danny: O.K we’ll start with an easy one – who are your influences?

TOX: when it comes to literature i am a complete heathen: as much as I’d love to, i just don’t read that much. probably because i have to read a lot for work. i like will self – beautiful writing. tim winton is great also. recently read sophie’s world which was fantastic, very thought provoking. don’t know if i could really claim anyone as an influence though…

Danny: Toxteth Of all the unleashed07 winners only a very few have continued to write on Red Bubble does this surprise you?

TOX: i’m not really sure how this whole writing game works, so i am not sure if this is surprising or not. maybe people have gone back into hibernation to work on books? or they’re flat knacker trying to work 8 jobs? it would be good to see more from some obviously talented writers (that said my own contributions are erratic at best). publishers tell me that to get short stories published you really need to win short story comps – maybe writers have just focussed their attention elsewhere. a while back i suggested a regular mini-mag with default parameters to facilitate a relatively low maintenance expose of writing to assist writers get exposure: unsure if that’s doable. I guess people tend to prioritise where there’s something in it for them, and on RB at the moment the graphically inclined have a incentive (cash) whereas writers only have the satisfaction of interacting with like minds (a wonderful benefit, albeit less tangible…)

Danny: Do you have a problem with writers who think their works are to precious to appear unpublished on a forum like Red Bubble? Do you have an opinion on this?

TOX: i didn’t know this was an issue, although, despite being a total novice i did wonder about it when i started uploading work. my thinking was (a) i can’t really see anyone copying my work; b) if someone does copy it, you could point to the fact you uploaded it when you did, © it keeps you in touch. i think a bit of competition brings out the best in people, and can help with writer’s block – so the chance for greater exposure could be a good way of getting people to upload work despite the risk of plagiarism.

Danny: You have had two tee shirt designers prepare artwork inspired by your written works, how did you respond to this?

TOX: i was very proud to be involved with the esteemed messrs. sjem & lucan although i am still not convinced they are figments of a brilliant imagination. for that matter, i’m not sure that you or i are real danny… sjem & lucan’s designs, like others such as scott robinson, betelnut & nook are very provocative and would love to do some more word-image collaborations in future.

Danny: This is the writer’s dreaded question: Where do you get your ideas?

TOX: just looking around you & lapping up the world around you, for all its quirks and nuances. my wife has the pleasure, from time to time, of waking at obscene hours to the sound of me scribbling notes on the bedside table, bless her socks.

Danny: That happens at my house too, do you write quickly from idea to paper or do agonize over every word to make sure its perfect?

TOX: usually bang it out, then go back a couple of times for minor adjustments. if pain persists, hit delete and send it down to a folder from which it may or may not ever see the light of a screen again.

Danny: OK one last one, which is better: Short Story, Flash Fiction or Poetry in terms of writing and personal preference for reading?

TOX: i don’t really get into poetry. probably because i’m utterly crap at it. short stories for me, although flash fiction can serve as an appetite whetting snippet. like those chinese rice crackers – tasty but always leave you wanting more (charlie parker would be proud).

- Danny