Jess Worby tells us more about his various art activities in a cool interview.
As you know, I do a lot of stuffs, so I had to like Jess Worby.
Jess does everything. Fine art, comics, illustrations, installations, and he also writes stories and essays and does print and web design. He is the author/artist of a short graphic novel called A Walk in the Park and a children’s book, Things I Like: A Kid’s Book.
More about the US artist Jess Worby.
Jess Worby soldiers painting
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF
Hi, I am Jess Worby. I am an artist who makes fine art, illustration and comics. I live in New York. We just got hit by a hurricane. It’s ok though.
Jess Worby Oh Boy artwork exhibited
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORK?
I make pictures and stories about the absurd, dream-like parts of reality. I think a lot about how different people’s perceptions of the world can be and how weird and great that is, which is why I like to experiment with new methods and ways of looking at things. I’ve been drawing a lot of creatures and people in costumes lately.
Jess Worby Koukeri painting
PLEASE SHARE WITH US YOUR WORKING PROCESS
Most of the time, it starts in my sketchbook — either drawing from observation or something more iconic and imagined. Some things mutate and become abstract almost to the point of incomprehensibility, which I like just as much as stuff that pokes you in the face with its content. From there, some drawings are the seed of new themes for work or characters for a new story, but most of the time they are just little experiments that help me learn more about what I can do.
Jess Worby installation for an exhibition
HOW DOES YOUR ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCE YOUR ART?
Living in New York probably lends an edge to my work. There is so much tension everywhere. That is not to say that I would just be doing watercolor landscapes or plein air stuff if I were elsewhere, just that the stuff I do make has that kind of energy to it. Or maybe I am just more anxious and paranoid here and my work is suffering. Who knows.
Jess Worby heads drawing
WHO ARE YOUR INFLUENCES?
This is always a hard one for me… For one, I look at a lot of contemporary comics. There seem to be a lot more cartoonists making great work right now despite lack of funds or time than any other kind of artist. The indie comics community is a serious force. I like really contemplative stuff like Anders Nielsen or Kevin Huizenga, but I am also really into more raw, spontaneous stuff like Brian Chippendale. Also, Moebius. For pure craft and imagination there’s no one who comes even close.
Other than that, let’s see… Jim Henson, Saul Steinberg, Ralph Steadman, Egon Schiele, Brad Neely, Taiyo Matsumoto, Edward Gorey, Eiichiro Oda, Haruki Murakami…
ANY LAST WORD?
Mercy?
Jess Worby Phanatic character
