Interview with I-lib

Hi, Can you introduce yourself for us? (Where you from etc...)

My name is I-LIB, it’s a Acronym for I LURK IN BUSHES.
I reside in solitude overlooking a graveyard in the distant seaside land known as Hastings



What's your background? Art school? Self learner? Art for Dummies?

Art is my first memory, My dads an artist, poet and musician so I have always been submerged in a very creative environment.
I was home schooled from a young age and went to art college early and studied a ND & HND in Art/Design and Visual Communication then went to The London College of Communication where i continued my studies, the rest came from my own curiosity and self teaching

How will you describe your art for somebody who doesn't know your stuff?

A dark monochromatic organic world depicting anthropomorphism creatures relationship’s revolving around Love, Hate, Life and Death.

What are your favourite materials to work with?

i use a whole arsenal of inks, spraypaint, charcoal, graphite, I love to work old discarded materials like wood and paper, the textures, patterns and distressed/decayed look they convey is very enigmatic and wonderful, and its endearing that it had a previous life before another life is bought to its surface



How long does it take you to produce a piece? Do you start out with a sketchbook or do you freehand all the way?

I start with a couple rough sketches and ideas for a basic idea of shape and form then bring the ides together.
It can take me a couple days but I usually have a couple on the go so I can rest from it and go back and forth.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Daydreaming, the most fertile region seems to be the boarderland between sleep and full awakening, where the matrices of disciplined thought are all ready operating, but have not yet sufficiently hardened to obstruct the dreamlike fluidity of the imagination, those states of limbo combined with Music, People, Love, Hate and Nightmares spark off captivating idea's along with really nice sentences of words all make up my pathway of inspiration



Do you paint/work outside sometimes? Where can we see your stuff?

Yes i do, i have been doing a lot of gallery/indoors work at the moment tho, i've wanted to work in a controlled and protected space so i could work on different processes and ideas within my work that i could bring to the streets, im working/planning some more large hand drawn paste-ups, large scale paintings and 3D sculptures and they are all going to be very site-specific so keep your eye's peeled!



Who influence you the most, any favourite artist(s)?

i have quite a few that inspire me, the likes of Swoon, wordtomother, os gemeos, conor harrington, anthony lister, kid acne, JR, cat johnston, sickboy, candice tipp and jose parla i all love but i would have to say walter potter is a big influence on my work



Living as an artist is sometimes difficult financially, any part time job?

no part time job, altho i get very absorbed in my own world of Dark Love that dealing with normal life feels like a day job sometimes



What do you think of the current "Street Art" movement?

i think its a very exciting time, a lot of stuff is happening thats allowed young artists such as myself to work on projects only more established creative's would get the chance to, but its quite sad that a lot of corporate company's are jumping on the bandwagon and using "Street Art" to brainwash people into thinking there "COOL" and i think its kind of diluting to purity of the form to a point



Best Gallery in the world? and why?

Stella Dore, because of the roster they have and plus they put up with the nightmare that is I-LIB



Best City to paint outside? and why?

London, just cause of the decayed layered affect the city has, its like it has its own life



Beer and Fag or Tea and Biscuit?

beer, rum, wine, whiskey, gin, cough syrup, you name it im drinking it!



What are your plans in the near future? Any upcoming exhibitions?

well im working on these sight-specific paintings / hand drawn paste-ups & sculptures. some more group shows and collaborations with other artists, im also working on something for an exhibition with the the Prince's Trust.
And I am starting work on my solo show that opens at the end of april 09 that will feature large installations and a whole range of new 2d & 3d works.

www.ilurkinbushes.co.uk