IN THE STUDIO | HOV CHICAGO SESSIONS | ARTIST SHELBY RODEFFER
We’re checking out the studio space of House of Vans Sessions artist Shelby Rodeffer whose creative zone is filled with reference books, climate control, different surfaces and most importantly a window. We chatted with Shelby before her House of Vans Chicago SESSIONS live paint event and found out more about her life in the studio. If you weren’t able to join us for SESSIONS, be sure to free RSVP for the next event!
Take the LEAP!
Photographs courtesy of the artist.
Can you describe to folks a little about your studio or creative art space?
My space is sort-of climate controlled with a few different surfaces to work on and a window to let the fumes out, and that's all I need!
What’s a typical day in the studio like for you?
A day in the studio usually involves a bus or bike ride over, taking a few minutes when I first get in to clean up (I am really bad about covering every available surface), doing a bit of practice with paint on paper, and then working on whatever I have going on. There's usually a coffee or beer break in there somewhere as well, and chats with studiomates.
What type of things do you keep around the studio to inspire you or motivate you? What’s the most significant piece of wall art or inspiration you have in the space?
I have a lot of reference books that I keep on hand. Sometimes when I'm waiting for something to dry or trying to get myself out of a funk, I just pull a book out and get inspired. I also have a lot of flat files in the space and one is filled with my paper practice sheets. These really motivate me to work because I can catalog my improvements throughout the years. The most significant inspiration I have in the space is my partner Julian, who is always making cool things with unexpected materials.
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve seen around your studio or out the studio window? What’s your favorite thing about where it is located?
Seeing a truck full of pigs heads was weird at first, but now I'm pretty used to it. We are constantly finding these golden coins from the adult store down the street. It's like a leprechaun has been sprinkling the neighborhood with them and we haven't been able to figure out what they can be redeemed for. Another weird thing was someone carrying a car hood down the middle of the street (for crossfit). My favorite thing about the location is the view.
For folks coming to House of Vans Chicago SESSIONS, what will you be creating for attendees that evening? What can folks expect?
I work a lot with words and figures obscured by architectural elements in my paintings. Imagine climbing the steps to the train and you can see someone's Bart Simpson sheets and laptop through their bedroom window, but then make it super flat and graphic.
Whose studio would you like to peek into?
Anyone's!! I'm so nosey. Right now I've been obsessed with artists that work in miniatures, so that would be a great studio to visit. Also, anyone that works with cast iron.
We’re taking five with Vans House Parties artist Brian Ewing who will be creating a one-of-kind art installation while folks enjoy the music of Taking Back Sunday! We find out about how Brian chills when not making art, his latest book recommendation, and what folks should expect tonight. Take the leap below!
Don’t forget to RSVP for all the upcoming Vans House Parties events!
Photographs courtesy of the artist.
What’s your favorite thing about summer?
That's a tough one! As an artist I'm spending most of my timed bent over a drawing table and wishing I was outside. Luckily my table faces a window that overlooks a tiny dog park. So I get to watch dogs poop, people scoop that stuff into plastic bags and then disappear. It's inspiring.
Other than that I get to travel. My girlfriend (Andria) and I just got back from New York, where we visited friends and family. We were there to exhibit at a convention (Five Points Fest) but we try to massage these trips into mini vacations. In July we'll be doing the same thing for a project I did with Kirk Hammet (guitarist from Metallica) at the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada! You betcha there hey!
After that I'll be exhibiting in California at DesignerCon and in New York at NYCC. We'll turn those trips into more mini vacations with tiki bars, photo booths and hangouts with good friends.
How do you TAKE FIVE and chill out when you’re not arting?
Panic! Fear! SELF-LOATHING! But seriously, while I'm freelancing for bands I also tattoo four days a week at Cauldron Tattoo here in Columbus, OH.
Art is what defines me. So if I'm not "arting" I'm hustling to do more art. I get the most joy out of seeing an idea of mine go from a sketch to a finished piece. Whether it's a poster or a tattoo.
I also have a small toy company with a friend - MetaCrypt. And I just collaborated with UVD Toys on the "Ghost Boner"! I drew it up as a piece of tattoo flash and it became really popular so I made a resin toy & enamel pin with UVD that we just released. I'm constantly trying to figure out ways to avoid getting a real job. To misquote "Lords Of Dogtown" - I plan to be on Summer Vacation for the rest of my life. So far it's worked.
What’s something not many people know about you?
I was born in San Diego, moved to Oahu, then grew up in Milwaukee, WI. From there I moved to Chicago to successfully drop out of art school after a year. Then I moved to Minneapolis, then Los Angeles, San Francisco, Manhattan and now Columbus, OH. I am probably not done moving. I've never had a drivers license and I hate condiments & cheese. Except for pizza cheese.
I used to work in porn at Hustler magazine. Luckily they published Big Brother and I got to work on that too. One of my first freelance illustrations was published in Big Brother. I made sure that Hustler would be my last real job type job. It's been 16 years since I quit to go full-time as an artist. The first time I went to Disneyland - the Melvins took me! I'm left-handed. I'm a kutte-wearing member of the Turbojugend. I'm sure there's more boring stuff...
What’s the last book you read and would recommend to folks?
I read mostly books and articles on art and business. Wow...I'm really boring!!! Ugh...
I try to multitask while I'm working so I'll listen to a lot of audiobooks. Youtube has a ton of them for free. I'll mostly listen to classic horror by H.P. Lovecraft to keep me in the mood as I work on a project. Otherwise "Beastie Boys Book" by Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz. Oh, and "Girl in a Band" by Kim Gordon! I highly recommend these books!
What’s the worst piece of advice you’ve ever gotten?
Don't go to art school - you'll never get accepted. Don't quit your job in porn - you'll never make it as an artist. Don't go into tattooing - you'll never succeed.
My mom was my biggest critic and eventually my biggest supporter. I grew up a million years ago in the 1980's & 90's. There weren't any examples of successful artists that we knew of. I auditioned and got accepted into the Milwaukee High School of the Arts. In my senior year, my art teacher pulled me aside and said "you'll never make it as an artist, so don't waste your time trying to apply to art school." My mom pretty much said the same thing. So I applied to art school! I went for a year and then dropped out because I was trying to pay for it all myself. Luckily I could with a small loan from my mom and grandma and all the side jobs I took on. The thought of owing that much money with no guarantee of a job terrified me. So I dropped out. Got several odd jobs ( I was a janitor and had to dispose of body parts) and then a job at a Kinko's where they had these things called "computers"! I used my job to teach myself graphic design and printing. That's when I began my poster career - I started designing posters for the local venue First Avenue in Minneapolis.
From there I moved to Los Angeles and found myself working at Hustler magazine on their 1-900 ads and scheduling the magazines. I was hired as an assistant art director and got fired the next day because one of Larry Flynt's relatives wanted a job so they got mine.
A couple days later I got hired there again to work on the ads for various magazines. After a few years I wanted to quit. I was engaged at the time and my fiance told me to not quit because I'll "never make it as a professional artist." Ironically we split 3 months later. I quit Hustler on a Friday and started freelancing the next Wednesday. I've been working as a full-time artist ever since.
A year later I got hired to design posters for the Van's Warped Tour (2004). (Where I did a poster for Taking Back Sunday.) I even got to go on tour with everyone. My job was to sign posters for 30 minutes a day and then watch bands. When the tour rolled into Milwaukee (where I grew up) I invited my mom to check it out.
My mom got to see me do a signing and then we walked around. (I even got to introduce her to the guys in the Bouncing Souls!) I said "Look around. Do you see the posters everyone's holding? I designed those!!!" (Every day there were around 20,000 kids who attended the Warped Tour in whatever city it was in.) After that she understood I was doing ok as an artist and was glad I NEVER listened to the many times she told me to quit. From then on she was my biggest supporter.
At her funeral many of her friends and coworkers told me how proud she was of me. That meant everything to me. Gah!! I'm starting to tear up.
The next chapter in my life has been tattooing. When I started out I had a girlfriend who was very toxic. She would constantly tell me that I was never going to make it as a tattoo artist and I should quit. Ironically we didn't last long. I'm starting to notice a pattern... I've been tattooing for 3 years now (under Mike Moses) and will be done with my apprenticeship in a month.
To make a long story longer - the WORST advice I got was the BEST advice. If you have people in your life that don't want to see you succeed and be happy - ignore them! Find people that support you!!! Take all that negative reinforcement and turn it into fuel to keep you motivated and going - even when those voices are the loudest and you want to quit.
VANS HOUSE PARTIES | TAKING FIVE WITH LAUREN ASTA
We’re taking five with Vans House Parties artist Lauren Asta who will be creating an awesome colorful art installation while folks enjoy the music of Julien Baker, Wye Oak and Macseal! We find out about how she chills when not making art, what she wanted to be when she grew up, and what folks should expect tonight!
RSVP for all the upcoming Vans House Parties events!
Photographs courtesy of the artist.
When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
My mom has a drawing I made at age 8 of me painting at an easel with a caption that reads: "I want to be an Artist"... So I think I am right on track!
What’s your #1 essential when out muraling? - I mean, besides the right tools??... WATER.
How do you take five to chill out when you’re not busy with art?
This might sound so boring, but I cherish naps and sleeping these days when I can find the time! BUT, if the weather is nice, there is nothing I enjoy more to chill out than putting on my headphones and walking around the city I am looking at all the sights and hopefully some groovy street art!
Three words to describe what folks should expect tonight? - Complex Colorful, Passion.
What is your favorite soundtrack to paint too?
Prince and Marc Marin WTF podcast!!
We’re taking five with Vans House Parties artist Rich Jacobs who will be creating a one-of-kind art installation while folks enjoy the music of The Rapture, Seedy Films and Tandem Jump! We find out about how Rich chills when not making art, about his very first Vans, and what folks should expect tonight. Take the leap below!
RSVP at Vans House Parties events!
Photographs courtesy of the artist.
What’s your favorite thing about summer?
My favorite thing about summer is probably Italian ices, watermelon juice, backyard bbq's, sunsets, no school, no jackets or warm clothes needed, things in general seem a little mellower somehow.
How do you TAKE FIVE and chill out when you’re not arting?
I go on walks, or to a park, or the city and go record shopping.
Do you remember the first pair of Vans you ever had?
So my very first pair of Vans for me was the original low tops. In the original colorwave -blue red blue in 1978. I then had blue gold blue. I had a pair of the Stacey Peralta style 36 we called’em Peraltas in royal blue now called old school Skate Hi’s or something, but mine were low tops. And I had a pair of gold and black stripes, and then like red ones mostly after that ... or sometimes black or navy slip ons. Wore them mostly since I was 6 basically. Always liked them for skating.
Three words to describe what folks should expect tonight?
Be ready to get open
Who’s an up and coming artist you are excited about?
Hi Dutch and Yuskae Hanai from Japan . Keep your eye on those two . I like a lot of abstract painters too.
IN THE STUDIO | HOUSE OF VANS CHICAGO SESSIONS ARTIST | BLAKE JONES
With House of Vans Chicago SESSIONS gearing up January 30th, we’re chatting and checking out the creative space of artist Blake Jones who will be creating a live mural at the event. Blake shares with us what his typical studio day is like, what inspires him and what he’ll be preparing for his live mural at SESSIONS.
RSVP for upcoming SESSIONS in HOV CHICAGO!
Photograph courtesy of the artist.
Where your space is located:
My studio is in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, its about a mile from my apartment so its insanely convenient for a homebody like me.
Can you describe to folks a little about your studio or creative art space?
It’s actually a giant beautiful room with a ton of natural light (super important) I saw my work getting bigger and bigger and my apartment just wasnt cutting it. I’ve leaned its pretty important for me to have the separation because if I’m home its very easy to succumb into laying on the couch or slacking off. Having a separate spot lets me focus just on stuff i need to get done and every minute I’m slacking off there is just wasting time and money.
What’s a typical day in the studio like for you?
I’m a pretty early bird, so I usually wake up go to the studio I have a little coffee pot and a communal fridge for snacks and stuff. But most days it’s just me doing little bits of 5-6 projects all once. Lay paint down on this, ink this while it’s drying, sand down this panel while that settles, etc. There’s never really a game plan just kinda go in the morning and see what i didn’t finish the day before.
What type of things do you keep around the studio to inspire you or motivate you?
So I share a space with my buddy Jeff (jpak4ever) on insta, and we are both game and anime nerds, so like the first week we moved into it we got a tv, an n64, dreamcast,snes, and a bunch of manga and art books.
We set everything up and then we’re like wait, these are just distractions; we are just trying to turn this place into a playground, so we turned all of it off and haven’t really touched it sense. As far as specific inspiration, we printed out a big poster of some little cartoon character, and it says something like “I applaud you in pursuing your dreams” or some other corny thing like that. It’s the best.
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve seen around your studio or out the studio window? What’s your favorite thing about where it is located?
My studio overlooks a railroad, so trains are going by all day and night. It’s pretty nice seeing all the graffiti slowly rolling by on them, lots of really good bombs and really dumb tags–I’m all about both.
For folks coming to House of Vans Chicago SESSIONS, what will you be creating for attendees that evening?
I’ve been playing with just some overall new color pallets and figuring out ways to do large scale work quicker and easier. Trying to stay pretty relaxed and loose for the event.
Whose studio would you like to peek into?
It would 100% have to be either Barry McGee or Dabsmyla. Both HUGE HUGE inspirations for me. I just don’t even understand how their brains work honestly.
MONDAY MURAL | | HOV CHICAGO SESSIONS ARTIST | MOSHER
Known for his bold graphic style, artist Mosher will be creating one of his signature murals at House of Vans SESSIONS March 6th!
SESSIONS features live painting, open skate, emerging musician showcases and more, so make sure to check out and RSVP for upcoming SESSIONS in HOV CHICAGO!
We’re featuring this eye popping mural by artist Adam Lundquist who recently was one of our live painting artists at the House of Vans SESSIONS event. RSVP for the next one if you’re in the Chicago area at houseofvans.com
House Of Vans Chicago was going off with talent last night with rad skating, music and art. We’re interviewing artist Tatiana Garcia who was hard at work on her live painting piece for SESSIONS HOV Chicago. Tatiana’s art is filled with colorfully fun and imaginative monsters in her own warped fairytale. Through bold color and clean lines, she tells her tale of super strange and cute creatures, including her main one who drips with whipped cream hair and sprinkles. Tatiana shares her artistic influences, her journey to becoming a full time artist, and what inspired her live painting at SESSIONS.
SESSIONS features live painting, open skate, emerging musician showcases and more, so make sure to check out and RSVP for upcoming SESSIONS in HOV CHICAGO and HOV BROOKLYN.
Photographs courtesy of the artist. Portrait by Peyote Creative.
Introduce yourself?
I am an artist from Chicago. I am a painter, illustrator and creator of Elloo (my monster fairytale world). It’s been over year and a half since I took art full-time. Before that I worked random jobs (switching jobs every year) until I finally decided I was ready to pursue art. I kept getting opportunities to paint and couldn’t resist. Life slowly kept pushing me towards this sweet path. It’s been a crazy journey.
Can you tell us a little about your piece and design for SESSIONS House of Vans Chicago?
I wanted to paint something sweet and fun for Sessions. The main character is one of my monsters with whipped cream hair, and sprinkles of course. It’s surrounded by happy clouds and cute little stars. For this live painting session I want to challenge myself to use a limited number of colors, including black and white.
What materials will you be using on your live painting for SESSIONS?
I will be using acrylic and house paint to fill in the main sections. I use Golden Fluid Acrylic for my line work. It’s the best thing to fall on my lap. The paint makes my lines super fine and each stroke perfect.
Where do you learn to paint? Was it something you self taught yourself or did you go to an art school?
I went to art school for graphic design and graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago. I took art classes in high school, but didn’t really take it serious. Art wasn’t something that my mom pushed on me, plus I was terrible at drawing. While I enjoyed it in high school I didn’t think it would be a good career decision but since I wasn’t great at math, science or writing I said why not? Hahahahah lack of options pushed me more into art. I learned how to draw in college, turns out I just had to dedicate myself more to the craft.
When did you first get into drawing? When did you realize that you could do this for a living?
I really got into drawing after my first drawing class at UIC. One of my professors encouraged me to pursue it more seriously. Again, why not? I decided to take my second drawing class and everything finally made sense. I was actually drawing toilet paper and everything spilled from my subconscious: lines, shadows, proportions, everything. Since then I just drew all the time. For a while I loved drawing old people and shortly after a lot of anatomy.
I realized I could do this for a living after working full-time for six months. I became a different person, I started having less time for painting and that crushed me. Being unhappy just wasn’t worth it. I had some savings and gigs lined up so I said let’s do this. Have not had regrets since then.
Who were some of your early artistic influences?
As a youngen I watched a lot of Tom and Jerry, Speedy Gonzales and collected Lisa Frank. I'm sure that inspired me somehow. There was some Rainbow Brite, and a bunch of other magical stuff.
What artists past and present are you really into at the moment? Any particular reason why?
I really dig artist who create their own worlds and characters. Some of my fave artists are Buff Monster, Jason Limon, Ten Hundred, Joey D, and Hikari Shimoda. I love the magical worlds they create and the great color usage. They all amaze and inspire me to push myself and go bigger and create more.
What makes you smile when viewing art? What is it you’re looking at – composition, color, line?
I really love looking at color and cute characters. Tiny characters or cutesy elements really make my smile. When viewing art I enjoy diving into the persons imagination. I like seeing how much they stray away from reality and create what doesn't exist. Then I look at technique and line work.
What’s a common misconception about artists?
Hmmmmm, probably that its an “easy” career. All one does is paint and life is full of rainbows. Everyone wishes they could have this life. Truth be told, it takes a lot of work to get to the point where one can just paint. Takes a lot of hustling and networking. As an artist, I have to find my gigs, put out product to make money, and network to get new opportunities.
How do you overcome drawer’s block?
To overcome drawer’s block I take a break from whatever it is I’m working on. I have found it best to not force myself to draw/paint. I’ll take my chihuahua on a walk or ill clean my studio. There is something about cleaning that makes me feel better. THere are times when I revisit my old work and try to rework those designs. But the thing that seems to work the best is taking a break to clear my head.
What type of music do you listen to when creating? Do you find it helps motivate you or just allows for background noise
I love having background noise, it’s a must. I mostly watch tv shows that can run continuously in the background. Lately I’ve been watching Third Rock From the Sun. I also dabble in court shows or Criminal Minds type of shows.
What do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t an artist?
Well I have tried a decent amount of career options to know that nothing compares to being an artist.
What are your favorite Vans?
Really diggin' the checker slip-ons. Lace free all the way!
What advice do you have for folks who want to do art for a living?
Takes a lot of patience and dedication. It’s a journey of challenges, ups and downs, and you learn a lot about yourself. I say believe in yourself and make it worth it. Take on new challenges and say yes to new things. It’s a beautiful journey with a lot of failing and doubt but in the end it’s worth it.
What are you super excited about that is coming up this year?
This year I have a couple of duo shows I’m thrilled about. In May with Red (@the_red_door) and in October with Joey D (joeyd76). In between all that getting back into sculpting and hopefully doing toys…hopefully. A bunch of other things as well, especially summer. Nice weather to start painting outside.
