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Learn more about her art, process and inspirations in our Sketchy Behaviors interview with Mel Kadel!
We’re checking out LA artist Mel Kadel’s beautiful zine High Noon, which contains 40 pages of her signature characters, patterns and line work. Published in 2010 and printed in the edition of 100, High Noon is a true zine and art lover’s dream because each coffee stained page of the zine feels like you’re handing the Kadel’s original illustrations.
Make sure to check out Mel Kadel’s online shop for new zines and other goodies!
Los Angeles based artist Mel Kadel’s intricately detailed, carefully plotted, and insightfully drawn and watercolored works often feature her iconic female protagonist exploring, struggling, suffocating, and entangling as well as confronting, battling, and overcoming abstract obstacles and unlikely circumstances. From walls to furniture to customizing some sweet Vans Customs, Mel’s works has been featured in galleries all around the world. Like her art, Mel is not only one thing–from running her own online shop, silk screening and hand coloring her own prints, to actively utilizing her art as a platform for her activism. In this latest Sketchy Behaviors, we find out more about Mel– from her first art show to what inspires her as well as what project she’s been the most proud of this year!
We love Mel, so will you–Make the leap.
Photographs courtesy of the artist | Additional photographs by Aaron Farley
Introduce yourself (and maybe a fun or interesting fact you’d like to share about yourself or background).
I’m an artist living in Echo Park. I came from the east coast with a couple suitcases to see what it was like, and I’m still here 20 years later. I grew up in the suburbs, and when I was a teenager I delivered pizza and became obsessed with drawing. My high school art teacher Selby and I still write each other on a regular basis. If it wasn’t for her, I might still be delivering pizzas.
What was the first thing you remember ever drawing? What do you remember about it?
My brother is 3 years older than me, and would come home from high school when I was about 13, and give me the same art lessons he was doing in class. One that comes to mind was turning a photo upside down and drawing it, an exercise in observation. So he handed me David Bowie’s “Diamond Dogs” album, turned it upside down, and said “draw this”.
A lot of your work feature a female protagonist interacting, feeling, and encountering obstacles and overcoming them. Who is she and what does she represents?
I’ve always removed myself from these characters when talking about my work, but as time goes by, I’m realizing more and more how much I’m a part of them. They are little snap shots of emotions that I connect with enough to try and communicate. The characters walk a fine line between strength and vulnerability, which is something most of us can relate to.
What’s your most favorite part of the creation process? What’s your favorite thing to draw when working on a piece? Do you have a least favorite part?
The initial pencil sketch is my least favorite part. It’s just not that interesting to me, so I try to get through that pretty quickly. Once I begin going in with color and pen lines, I get into a really nice meditative state.
What was your very first art show like? And how did that come about?
I showed my work around LA for a couple years, in cafes and group shows, before having my first solo show at Jeff Electric Gallery in 2002. The “Los Angeles Horse Show” was a collection of photos and drawings based on a toy horse that I carried around for months. This horse was my copilot, coming with me to every music venue, bbq, and party. I’d photograph people holding him, and based a large body of work from these portraits. I had some fun times taking pics of Tony Alva, Raymond Pettibon, Don Bolles, and over 100 other friends and local characters. I loved how social the project was. The horse helped me get to know a lot of people and became a buffer to a relatively new city.
Favorite materials? When and why did you start staining your own paper?
My materials are really basic: Paper, pens, ink, and maybe some glue. Years ago, I would draw on old book paper. The yellowish color gave it an instant warmth that I liked. But it had limitations because the sheets were so small and fragile. So as a way to work larger and use more ink & color, I needed something stronger. I tried to mimic these old sheets by staining thick water color paper with coffee. The coffee’s tone helps make the colors I’m looking for, and gives me a base that feels comfortable. I try to work on white from time to time, but It never feels quite right.
What kind of music do you listen to while creating stuff?
I’m all over the place. NPR, music, podcasts, listening to tv, and silence. I go back and forth all day.
Who are some artists that you currently feel are creating some really cool stuff?
They first few that come to mind: Chantal Joffe, Andy Rementer, Michelle Blade, Andrew Jeffrey Wright, Wangechi Mutu, Richard Colman, Jules de Balincourt, and Travis Millard.
What would your ideal collaborative project be like?
I would like to collaborate on more functional pieces like furniture, wall paper, bed sheets, lamps, anything that’s can become a part of a space.
What do you look for when you see an artist’s work? What are you drawn towards art wise?
There is nothing in particular that I’m looking for, but if something strikes me it’s like a gut reaction. Similar to the way you might feel a connection to someone when first meeting them. It either clicks or it doesn’t. Whether it’s a comic or an abstract painting, I’m attracted to that underlying feeling it gives me and some sense of authenticity.
Has it been difficult being an artist? What are some of the challenges you face, and how do you overcome them?
I don’t know of anything that isn’t difficult in one way or another. But yes, art has it’s own unique challenges beyond just creating the work. For most people the challenges in the studio are part of the process, but trying to make a living at this can be an emotional rollercoaster. There are these blissful moments where everything seems to be clicking, right before you’re hit with uncertainty, and that voice in your head has to keep you moving forward. That personal dialogue can be really hard to do over and over, especially if you have some insecurity hanging around. But really, that’s the hard stuff. Once you get past that, you’re golden, at least for a little while.
What project are you the most proud of? What’s something you’d love to do but haven’t had the opportunity to do yet?
I put an image out this year during the Women’s March with the words “Her Rights Unite”, making posters and t-shirts. With everything suddenly shifting in our country after the election, and this huge uproar happening, I felt very strongly about connecting my work to this moment. It’s like the images I’ve been making my whole life about people (mostly women) struggling and persevering, connected with something larger and louder than ever before.
How are you “Not Just One Thing?”
When I’m not working on drawings, which is pretty solitary for me, I go the other direction. Walking, hiking, gardening, dog walking, seeing friends, being a spectator. I’m good at being a sponge.
What do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t an artist?
Running my family’s arcade at Knoebel’s Grove amusement park, in Pennsylvania. I worked at the arcade when I was 15, and still day dream about dropping everything and moving back to run the business after my uncles retire.
What are your favorite Vans?
Canvas Old Skool
What advice would you give someone who wants to do what you do?
Every artist I know has carved a very unique path for themselves. All trial and error really. What works for some people, doesn’t necessarily work for others. And that path changes all the time. So my advice is to not watch other artist’s careers too closely. Choose what feels right to you, collaborate with others, try to apply your work in different ways to keep things interesting, and while you’re busy trying to show it off to the world, remember that your work is more interesting than mimicking the vision of someone else. The ups and downs will always be there, so enjoy the moments that feel good, there’s nothing like it.
What do you have coming up for the rest of 2017?
The rest of this year will be spent creating work for exhibits next year. In 2018 I have a solo show in Los Angeles, and will be traveling to Japan to do a little something at Beams. I also have a collaborative project that I’m working on with Michelle Blade, so hopefully we’ll be releasing that next year.
This week we’re sharing with you some of our favorite #vanscustoms from various artist ambassadors–such as Pacolli (SF), Michelle Blade (OR), and Mel Kadel (LA). Each artist created their own unique Vans shoe using their original work and their medium of choice: watercolor, stickers, acrylic, and/or pen and ink.
Give it a try with your own artwork at Vans Custom Shop (#VANSCUSTOMS), and load up your own art to wear and share!!
1. Pacolli
2. Mel Kadel
3. Michelle Blade
4. Jenny Sharaf
5. Michael C. Hsiung
WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING | TWENTY-ONE at Subliminal Projects
While you were sleeping, we cruised down to the much anticipated group show Twenty One, celebrating 21 years of Subliminal Projects gallery in LA. With a non-stop flow of art appreciators, artists, friends and families, Twenty One was definitely one for the books!! Congrats Subliminal, great job!
Twenty One group art show runs till June 15th at Subliminal Projects.
