Jo O'Brien

^{questions: Jo O’Brien
answers: Paul McClintock}

How does being a creative person and pursuing your creativity affect other aspects of your life?

My creativity invariably gets in the way of all the other aspects of my life, causing all kinds of havoc. For instance, it’s 5.30pm now and I’m still at work – and what am I doing? I’m doing a survey. It also means that my creative work is always kind of rushed. But I guess that has evolved into being ‘my style’ – I’m not the kind of person to clean up all the messy lines. I’ll just draw right over the top of them.

This works out, because I have a short attention span.

Tell us about one person or moment that has made your time on redbubble particularly special or meaningful

That’s a tough question. I guess the first time I saw my art in print (on a shirt), and I actually realised… wow, it works, how simple was that? But more than that is the back and forth with other members (some of whom have been nice enough to buy my stuff and show it off aswell) When people do that, it makes a single sale more important than the rest of them combined. It’s a real person wearing my shirt! I wish everyone did that… I wish it were a requirement, that if you buy something you have to show it off, which reminds me – I don’t do that enough either.

Show & tell us about five works on redbubble that have moved or inspired you

Man, just look at my favourites list! I can’t put any above the others. There are so many unspeakably awesome pieces in there. I’m just browsing it now… ok, fine. Here are 5 that pop out at me right now:

self in pern, BATORU ROWAIARU!!, thick rims, awkward positions, and never cry

Watch out for more of these interviews in Paul’s Journal shortly