Portland, OR Artist Colibri Talks Art with peter bryan jenkins.
portrait of artist
Q: As an artist, do you care what the audience thinks of your work? If yes, why – If not, why not?
Yes, i do enjoy hearing people’s reactions to the imagery I create. For me the completion of the creation cycle is the audience feedback. Just like a DJ should make the dancer move the painter/drawer should make the soul move. I also enjoy constructive criticism.
Q: What is your favorite color?
I am drawn more to color combinations than any one single color. I tend to prefer the color schemes of Autumn but vibrant contrasting colors like the sky blue against the pinks and yellows in a sunset can be very exciting too.
Q: What are the greatest challenges and rewards of being a working artist?
Oh, the paradox of it all. Being self motivated can be tough at times but at other times it can be hard to make yourself stop working to do things like eat. Having an irregular schedule can be a pain but can also give you the feeling of freedom. Doing what you love for a paycheck is stressful and exhilarating at the same time.
Q: Can any individual form of expression be deemed art or not art? Who gets to decide?
Life itself can be “Art”. Anything that is done with attention and focus. In my opinion, anytime you get into that zone of not thinking and just moving out of pure intuition then you are creating Art. I think people make the mistake of claiming that something is not Art only because they do not resonate with it.
Q: What advice can you offer emerging artists?
Follow your heart and don’t give up.
Q: What makes great art?
A piece of art can be technically good, well composed and such. It can also be a crude chicken scratch drawing with a whole lot of soul and expression that can speak to you. Both of these very different things can be considered great in my opinion.
Q: When did you first decide to become an artist?
When I was 10. Cartooning has always been my passion. I wanted to be an animator initially but i decided to illustrate instead.
Q: What makes your work stand out in a crowd? Do you have a unique trait or philosophy?
That is relative to the environment. My work would stand out next to photorealistic landscape paintings, sure. My work is an extension of me and who I am is a result of my life experience and so it is as unique as I am. I think that one thing that makes this clear is the elements I combine. For example, the reason I even became interested in “fairy” is because I saw this amazing fantasy style drawing of a bee woman in a Lowrider Arte magazine in jr high. That describes my style and philosophy perfectly. Urban street art blended with whimsical fantasy. I love the intertwining of dark and light. I like to mix the darkness and grime of the citywith the magic and beauty of the forest.
Q: What do you hope your work contributes to society?
My hope is that my work will inspire change and imagination. Make smiles and provoke introspective thought.
To view caricature work by Colibri click here:
images courtesy: Colibri
