Interview with neon-o

q)Please introduce yourself.

a)Hi, I am neon-o, I am an illustrator and designer and I recently started VJing. I am german, i am stubborn but extremely sensitive. I am a sister, a daughter, a girlfriend and a friend.

q) Where do you live and work?

a)I currently live and work in Mexico City, but will soon move to the next big city looking for new adventures and challenges.

q)How would you describe your work to someone who has never seen it?

a)Cute nightmares

q)How did you start in the arts? How/when did you realize you were an artist?

a)I don't consider myself as an artist, never did in fact, I am an illustrator and designer. I don't create art, I illustrate my fears and concerns, which might range from very personal issues until social and / or political problems.

q)What are your favorite art materials and why?

a)Black ink/fineliners and white paper, I am more careful with color (only like to use one or two colors at most) I think it controls and influences the viewers feelings and thoughts to much when looking at my work.

q) What/who influences you most?

a)My fears

q) Describe a typical day of art making for you.

a)There is not really a typical day or time, its more a feeling to draw what is in my mind, whenever I feel I have to put it on paper.

q)Do you have goals, specific things you want to achieve with your art or in your career as an artist?

a)I think I already achieved a lot the moment people take a minute and look at my work, if they start questioning and thinking even better. And of course it would just be great making my money as an illustrator.

q) What contemporary artists or developments in art interest you?

a)At the moment video art artists: Robert Stadler and Takashi Murakami

q) How long does it typically take you to finish a piece?

a)Depends on the size of the piece, can be a 1 day or a month. But in general I like to put the piece away for some time during the process until I find again the right moment to work on it.

q)Do you enjoy selling your pieces, or are you emotionally attached to them?

a)I would like to sell them, so let me know if anyone is interested :0). But yes I am very much attached to my work, illustrating is a very intimate and personal process for me.

q)Is music important to you? If so, what are some things you're listening to now?

a)There is no day without music, right now I am listening to Paul Kalkbrenner, Kollektiv Turmstrasse and Bodi Bill. In general german electro music.

q) Books?

a)My sketch-book

q) What theories or beliefs do you have regarding creativity or the creative process?

a)I believe in the moment, there is the right moment for every creative thought and the right moment for executing this thought. If it happens to be the wrong moment, thought and execution normally get cut off or/and lost.

q) What do you do (or what do you enjoy doing) when you're not creating?

a)Hmmmm I think I never stop, its a little curse creatives have. To create is our passion, hobby and work. If you are not doing it physically, the mind is constantly working. But if I really just wanna cut myself of creating and creative thinking I exercise, I'll be with my friends, I cook, I watch a movie etc...

q) Do you have any projects or shows coming up that you are particularly excited about?

a)No not in particular, I wanna work on some more pieces first.

q)Do you follow contemporary art scenes? If so, how? What websites, magazines, galleries do you prefer?

a)I try to keep my eyes everywhere from newssites to fashion-blogs and just being in the streets of Mexico City is extremely inspiring, the sounds, the colors, the smell its all a big wonderful chaos, I like chaos. Art itself I rather prefer to look at in "life", in galleries.

q)Ask yourself a question you'd like to answer, and answer it.

a)What do you wanna do right now? I wanna grab my backpack and go traveling through Asia.

q)Any advice for aspiring artists?

a)Just be passionate about what you are doing and you will succeed. Try to live every day to your biggest potential.

q) Where can we see more of your work online?

a)On www.neon-o.com and you can find me on facebook.