Artist Ant Interviews People Summer Series #3: Austin Duke Satterwaite 7/10/19

Interviewer; Anthony Andujar Jr

Interviewee: Austin Duke Satterwaite 

    Hello and welcome to the latest entry of the Artist Ant Interviews People Summer Series! Today I had the privilege of speaking with fellow member of the comic book community, Comic Pop community, dedicated Superman fan, and writer in progress, Austin Duke Satterwaite. What makes him great is that he is not only a Superman fan, (which is hard to genuinely come by these days), but is a thoughtful individual that provides interesting discussions that go beyond the comic book landscapes of superheroes and storytelling. 

Q0. Who are your inspirations?

AD: As far as comic writers are concerned I love Mark Waid, Kurt Busiek, Brian Michael Bendis, Grant Morrison, Chip Zdarsky, Marv Wolfman, Cary Bates, and Elliot S! Maggin. My biggest love of superheroes comes from my mom, who honestly was a bigger fan of Superman and my source of information.

Q1. How did you get into comics and art?

AD: Since forever, honestly. Growing up in the 90's I watched Spider-man, Batman, X-Men, and Superman religiously. In fact I even had the Fleischer cartoon on VHS and watched it so much that the tape was ruined. I've been a fan of comics since I was 12 and they re-released the first issue of Amazing Fantasy #15 as promotional for the first Raimi film. From there I collected Marvel Encyclopedias like Spider-man and the X-Men, and once I slowly became interested in DC I bought the DC Comics Encyclopedia.

Q2. When did you take writing seriously?

AD: After seeing Spider-man (2002) for the first time my mind was blown. Don't get me wrong, I love the Donner Superman movie and thoroughly enjoyed the first Burton Batman movie, but it was this Spider-man movie that felt like a turning point. It made me even more interested in comic books, storytelling, and movie writing. From there it became an obsession as I was writing my own hypothetical scripts on the side; yes, including how I would tackle a Superman trilogy or a Spider-man 4 movie.

Q3. What drives you in your daily life?

AD: I'm just trying to do the best I can. Life is short and we're not going to be here forever, so I might as well tell the stories I always wanted to tell.

Q4. What made you the person that you are today?

AD: My parents, I love them. Also my mistakes. And regret. Lots of regret.

Q5.  If you could speak to any living creator or inspiration, who would it be, why, and what would talk to them about?

AD: I'd love to talk to Elliot S Maggin. For me, he really did define my appreciation of Lex Luthor as a character and wrote some really broad, cosmic stories that embody the best of the Bronze Age of comics. 

Q6. If there were any deceased creators , actors, singers, writers, etc that you would want to speak to, who would it be, and why?

AD: Christopher Reeve. Granted, I would probably just freak out and forget my questions.

Q7. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?

AD: I'd love to see New York City again. 

Q8. What is one thing that you fear?

AD: That there is no such thing as an after life and our shared existence is predestined to slowly die out and be forgotten in an uncaring universe.

Q 10.  If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

AD: Telekinesis, I feel like that's one of those powers that can do anything.

Q11. What catches your attention when you meet people?

AD: I guess I look out for how they carry themselves and interact with people. Typically I just keep to myself, I am a very solitary person in real life. 

Q12. What is one word of advice that you would impart to your younger self?

AD: I'd tell myself that everything I'm telling myself is a bunch of crap. Things will get better. People don't think differently of you for who you are. And that you are never alone.

Q13. What are three books that you always remember or return to, and why? How did they shape you?

All-Star Superman, it made me realize that even a fictional character will always love you and believe in you. Mark Waid's The Flash, this is the comic run that made me really think about writing and plotting - it's a perfect coming of age story.  Invincible, this one brings it all together for me - great family drama and a lived in superhero world, it ends on a perfect note.

Q14. If you could continue or remake a movie, or franchise, what would be your film of choice ?

AD: I'd remake Green Lantern and or Man of Steel.

Q15.  If you were to make a film, novel, or comic book based on an album, what album or artist would you pick?

AD: Spider-Man, Foo Fighters. 

Q16. Who In this life, has motivated you to stay true to what makes you who are?

AD: My mom.

Q17. Where do you hope to see yourself in five years?

AD: A published writer with my own home.

Q18. What are three albums or songs currently, that you listen to on repeat? And why?

AD: SimCity, Doctor Who series 9 OST, and anything John Williams. Sim City has a great soundtrack that sounds fun and adventurous. Doctor Who series 9 has Heaven Sent and it's a gorgeous episode about grief, loss, and moving on. The OST captures it perfectly.

John Williams is the man.

Q19. What color speaks to you the most and why?

AD: Red and blue. One represents power and passion, the other is the total opposite. 

Q20.What's one thing that you're proud of?

AD: I'm proud of the work I am making progress on and just being able to work right now.

Q21. What is a mantra that you tell yourself?

AD: Every step forward is still a step taken. Keep going and you'll reach a mile.

I might be paraphrasing on that one....

Artist Ant Interviews People Summer Series #2: Prelo White 7/9/19

Interviewer: Anthony Andujar Jr

Interviewee: Prelo White

Prelo White portrait by Photographer:  Brandon Thomas Brown. Check out his photography at:https://www.instagram.com/brandonthomasbrown/

 The individual that I’m interviewing today is a well respected peer of mine that I admire. Prelo White is an active creative within the Brooklyn community. She is the Founder and Creative Director of her own brand Brooklyn Artistry, which is a multimedia company that dabbles into every nook and cranny of the visual arts, be it fashion, video games, literature and art. It’s an honor to know her and have her presence amongst us all here on this digital space that we call the internet. So to start things off, lets begin with the questions shall we?

Q0. Who are your inspirations?

PW: Hmm... I’m in a lot of fields, so I have a lot of people to turn to when I need to be creatively charged or reminded of my own aspirations. However, generally, I’m mostly inspired by anyone working hard at climbing their field. Watching the progression of someone who’s striving to reach their goals is inspiring in itself. That’s why I always try to befriend or associate myself with an artist. Artistically, I’ve always been inspired by Stan Lee. He literally created a universe, and that sort of legacy is more than inspiring. I actually cried when he died. I’m also inspired by Kaws. His work is so simple yet so universally accepted because of how unique it is. I think I’m more so inspired by his brand’s personality than the actual work. His brand’s success is something I’d want for The BĀCo Store.

Q1. How did you get into art?

PW: Art runs in my family, so it was inevitable, but I knew it was something I wanted to do when I was about nine. My mother used to read the funnies in the Daily News every Sunday, and Slylock Fox used to be my favorite strip. I remember drawing him just by looking at him, and when I showed my mother, she was genuinely proud. I think her being so proud is what made me continue. Cartooning was something I’ve always been attracted to. I’m not sure if it were the homemade cards my grandmother used to illustrate for us during our birthdays or if it were the funnies. Shit, maybe it was both who knows.

Q2. When did you take art seriously?

PW: The first time I saw The Boondocks in the Daily News. I’ve always wanted to create comic books and characters but seeing a black cartoonist have his very own strip in the paper, especially one I grew up on, made me start buying base books and proper pencils and pens.

Q 2.5. If you could continue or remake a movie, or franchise, what would be your film of choice?

PW: I wouldn’t! I’m in filmmaking, so I’d probably just make my own. I have too many ideas in my head and ambitions for a change in production for me to waste it on something that’s already been done. I’d leave that to Hollywood, apparently, with all the remakes coming out this year they have running out of ideas covered.

Q3. What drives you in your daily life?

PW: Technically? Spreadsheets. Lol! Running Brooklyn Artistry and all of the companies under its umbrella can be super overwhelming, so I literally start my day by opening a Google Sheet that has five different tabs of task lists. Spiritually, my family. Everything I do is because of them. I, personally, can be content with just doing what I love and living without reason but I know that building a legacy would support my family when I’m done here, so I work to make sure of that.

Q4. What made you the person that you are today?

PW: Who can really answer that? We’re faced with so many choices, and we make so many decisions that prompt us to keep evolving. I guess the closest answer I can give you is who I try to be in this world keeps me aligned with who I actually am.

When I was younger, I was heavily intrigued by psychology. I read a lot of psychology books, studied cases, and learned about micro expressionism. I ended up learning about a bunch of personality traits in the hopes that it would help me become more aware of who I am and it did! Understanding the why helped me move forward with the how. Learning psychology helped me a lot with my personal journey. The ability to be as observant as I am kept me morally in check and also helped me keep shitty people out of my life.

Q5. If you could speak to any living creator or inspiration, who would it be, why, and what would talk to them about?

PW: Hayao Miyazaki. I’d honestly just want to hear him talk about anything. The man could give a story about cats, and I’d be satisfied. He’s another one that created an incredibly animated universe, and I’m interested in understanding how he keeps the momentum going.

Q6. If there were any deceased creators, actors, singers, writers, etc. that you would want to speak to, who would it be, and why?

PW: Stan! Who the fuck else would I want to talk to - oh Biggie. Stan, obviously because of the impact he had on my career, life, and aspirations but Biggie, I just want to tell him that musically he shaped my life and his passing was one of the hardest things Brooklyn as an entire borough experienced in unison.

Q7. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

PW: Aw man...so many places. Is everywhere an answer? I have three places that are currently on my bucket list. Salar de Uyuni during its raining season, Norway because of its Viking history and mythologies (which I’m ironically obsessed with being that it is the whitest of white culture and legit not fond of black people or any person of color for that matter), and lastly Antarctica. To experience the axis the world tilts on, allowing it to be 24-hour daylight and night for 6 months. That shit is fascinating. I also want to experience the Aurora Borealis and come close to the holes in the ozone layer. There’s something about those things that bring me closer to space. Weird, I know.

Q8. What is one thing that you fear?

PW: The loss of my mind. It’s all I have. What am I without it?

Q 10. If you had a superpower, what would it be and why?

PW: I struggle with this question often; two things I juggle between the ability to understand everything which is probably a fucking one way trip to psychosis or the ability to know any language. The two are very close, but at least with knowing the language, I’d just have the ability to know what shit means while understanding everything is the ability to understand why. That shit is scary in itself. Knowing the reason for everything would probably lead to a very lonely and cynical lifestyle. But it's one cool ass power to have though.

Q11. What catches your attention when you meet people?

PW: The veil they have. I pay close attention to how people speak, what they talk about, and how they move when they speak. When things aren’t cohesive, I get distant. I need continuity of authenticity. When people are continually contradicting their words with their actions, I tend to move on from them.

Q12. What is one word of advice that you would impart to your younger self?

PW: “Rebel smarter, bro.”

Q13. What are three books that you always remember or return to, and why? How did they shape you?

PW: Cartooning: Philosophy and Practice by Evan Brunetti, any New York Times Magazine and The
Observer. Evan Brunetti has simplified my perspective of cartooning in such an impactful way. I never
went to school for anything, so learning on my own was really big in my process. Brunetti made learning easy and less scary therefore gave me confidence in honing my skills. I framed one of the first sketches I did while learning from that book. I was so proud.

The New York Times is a constant reminder of the lifestyle that I want to live. The style, literature, and art it publishes is so cohesive with calm rainy days and jazz or coffee and busy Manhattan mornings for me. It’s such a reflection of my personality and to be honest, I don’t know if part of me developed by reading the magazines or if the magazines just fell in tune with who I am.

When I became an “adult,” I started reading the Observer and fell in love. Have you ever read that shit? I actually wanted to write for them. It’s the most direct and sarcastic paper I’ve ever encountered. Literally me. When I lived in Greenpoint I’d pick up a copy at a local Starbucks - THEE most cliche perspective of adulthood you can imagine but fuck you I was living in a loft without roommates with a clear view of the city at 23. You couldn’t tell me I wasn’t a smooth 45-year-old established somebody. Which I wasn’t by the way I lost that place 3 months later.

Q14. If you could continue or remake a movie, or franchise, what would be your film of choice?

PW: You asked me that already! I guess I should answer then. Silence Of The Lamb with an all-black cast and not just any black cast but like everyone has to be darker than Wesley Snipes. Just because I know the uproar that shit will cause.

Q15. If you were to make a film, novel, or comic book based on an album, what album or artist would
you pick?

PW: Bruh! I’d definitely make an animated short film based of Biggie’s Ready To Die and throw in Party And Bullshit as a bonus episode in the middle of the series. I’d absolutely watch that.

Q16. Who, in this life, has motivated you to stay true to what makes you who are?

PW: My mentor, Deeon Brown. He’s super encouraging and always has sound advice that makes sense, is realistic, and honest. He’s helped me grow personally and professionally excessively over the years.

Q17. Where do you hope to see yourself in five years?

PW: Standing in my own gallery. I want Brooklyn Artistry to have a home of its own.

Q18. What are three albums or songs currently, that you listen to on repeat? And why?

PW: Whipped Cream by Ari Lennox. She’s what we need right now; from her lyrics to the cadence of the music she lay them is fucking fantastic. Her whole album is lit, but that song is the one song I gravitate toward. Esthero’s Country Living. That song is beautiful, and it gives me a clear visual in my head of a video I’d love to direct but know that I won't. When music can make me want to create, I tend to become attached to it. Same thing with Hermitude’s remix of The Presets’ Ghost. I don’t know if you remember this, but briefly, I was working on McRabbit, a comic book that I eventually will go back to finish. Ghosts literally helped me create an entire scene. I stopped listening to it for about two years, and when it randomly came on Pandora, that same visual came back to me, and I remembered how much I wanted to finish McRabbit.

Q19. What color speaks to you the most and why?

PW: White. It’s so empty and spacious and inspiring. Whenever I see a white wall, I want to draw on it.

Q20.What is one thing that you're proud of?

PW: Doing something that makes my siblings proud of me. The look they give me is warming. Nothing else can ignite that sort of feeling in me.

Q21. What is a mantra that you tell yourself?

PW: There’s always a solution to a problem. Just find it.

You can find more about Brooklyn Artistry by clicking the link below:

https://www.brooklynartistry.com/ 

 If you want to purchase Apparel, you can go to  thebacostore.com  

Art by Prelo White  

Artist Ant Interview People Summer Series #1 Tiffany Barrios 7/8/19

Interviewer: Anthony Andujar Jr

Interviewee: Tiffany Barrios . 

    Today, I had the chance to interview a fellow art student that I’ve come to know over the past year, and given that she was the first person to respond to my instagram story where I made an open invite for people that were interested in being interviewed for my Artist Interview Artist series. I realized that maybe instead of just interviewing artists, that I would interview people that I know and highlight who they are and what drives them in their pursuits and craft. So to kick off the Artist Interview 2019 Summer Series, Tiffany Barrios is the first guest of this series! This interview was conducted in person at Laguardia Community College. 

Q1. Hello Tiffany, Thank you for joining me in the latest iteration of this series. Its been Two years since I started this specific blog so I figured why not start off with the first question. Who are your inspirations?

TB: Well I guess I could say the creator of Naruto. When it comes down to it, I guess you could say that since I was little I've seen things and heard things. So I get my inspiration from that stuff. Anime in general, is my inspiration. Whatever you grow up with that's what your inspired by. It might sound very negative but after watching a movie based on Jim Carroll, and they movie called The Basketball Diaries with Leonardo Dicaprio. Im very inspired by people who've had a history of drug use and overcame it , being rehabilitated and inform.others about the dangers of drugs and staying away from them. So I put drugs in my work to highlight those topics. 

Q2. How did you get into art?

TB: Well I guess after my dad died, I started to learn more about colors and animation. Even though I stick to traditional, I have fun with experimentations. Plus, who doesn't like praise? Haha. 

Q3. What drives you in your daily life?

TB: To be able to draw? It's practically been a month since I've drawn anything. But I sorta want to get back into it, plus I've left my art department, so I should probably pick it back up. 

Q4. What made you the person that you are today?

TB: Well as a kid I was sheltered but over the years I struggled with social anxiety, but thanks to therapy I was able to manage. But I'm looking to find something to put my all into. I still love art but I do not miss carrying art bags and tripping people.

Q5.  If you could speak to any living creator or inspiration, who would it be, why, and what would talk to them about?

TB: haha I would speak to the creator of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. Like, I would want to ask him where he gets his inspiration from? He creates cool characters that are awesome, like he made a character based on David Bowie. Who would've thought that a David Bowie is a character would be a serial killer? that's just dope. 

Q6. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?

TB: if I could back pack anywhere to any continent, I would definitely go to Japan. 

Q7. If there were any deceased creators , actors, singers, writers, etc that you would want to speak to, who would it be, and why?

TB: the creator of Highschool of the Dead. Hmm, I'm gonna think of a reason haha. Mostly because I love stuff that has something to do with zombies. And I wanted a second season, but unfortunately the creator died and it was all over social media. But I would speak to him. 

Q8. What is one thing that you fear?

TB: I guess waking up one day and realizing that I have no one. How can people live without friends? That's the one thing that I wonder. 

Q9. What's one thing that you're proud of?

TB: I guess that I made it this far. In the past I didn't think I would have inspirations, but after graduating, I started to think about things, that I actually wanted to do and realized that there is so much that I want to do. So maybe talking too much, but it's something that I really want to achieve. 

Q 10.  If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

TB: Flying. I love things that have something to do with zodiac signs. Since I'm a Sagittarius, i feel that were so influenced by a lot of media that we don't get to think about who we want to be. It's important to be what you want to be, so playing games like Poptropica, I would always fly and imagine the freedom of flying. If I could, I would fly all over Central Park just to get inspiration.

Q11. What catches your attention when you meet people?

TB: I guess their facial expressions. We as people are very unique, but when it comes down to it..hahahaha that's it, I don't know what else to say haha. 

Q12. What is one word of advice that you would impart to your younger self?

TB: I guess, ask for help. Umm, I guess, work on your time management skills. Because when I went to see that one artist Rashka,  he told me one time that he is more prone to do things earlier than later. I'm jealous but it's what it is. 

Q13. What are three books that you always remember or return to, and why? How did they shape you?

TB: this one book on Nazi's , it was called The Book Thief. I wasn't a big fan of the books because I felt that novels with just words doesn't give me enough information beyond just the words sometimes. But I liked that books because it was about a little girl who would write books in the darkness, with very little food, trying to survive her conditions. 

Maybe the manga Oyasumi Punpun. He's like this little bird creature but it turns out that's how he sees himself. The creator of the manga is a strange man, but of course everyone has their quirks. But it's about a young boy who gets exposed to the world, and meets a girl that he falls for but then over time she returns and she isn't who he recognized once before. And he doesn't like that, so he falls under peer pressure, and feels that he won't amount to anything in life and that's very relatable. 

  And for my third book, the first chapter of Naruto. His words "never give up" is very inspirational to me. 

Q14. Who In this life, has motivated you to stay true to what makes you who are?

TB: other than the negative people that I never speak to again, but mostly it's the people I interact with in my life. I think the lesson that I learned is to be careful of other people. 

Q15. Where do you hope to see yourself in five years?

TB: I guess in an office with a really nice graphic computer, being surrounded by the people I like. 

Q16. What are three albums or songs currently, that you listen to on repeat? And why? 

TB: Alright, I know this. I listen to music everyday. I wouldn't say albums but I have certain songs. Umm, well there's this one song that my brother recommended to me by the band called A Perfect Circle's " Rose". I also like listening to lo fi, so anything lo fi, I have a playlist. I'm looking for more songs.

*Scrolls through her phone. 

TB: The vaporwave mix of Foster the People "Pumped Up Kicks". 

Q17. What color speaks to you the most and why?

TB: Galaxy. Galaxy colors. You tell me to draw fireworks , I don't know what to do. It's very liberating, I'd love to go into space and be an astronaut. Like, I don't want to be an astronaut per say, but I would like to experience going into space. There are people who pay millions to go into space and they don't know what they're doing. So Galaxy colors do that for me. 

Q18. What is a mantra that you tell yourself?

TB: Today will be a good day, don't let others words get you. You can do this.