Behind The Art: StyleBlazer Talks With Illustrator VG Waymer

Photo via VG Waymer

Artist and creator VG Waymer is one of those rare and talented individuals that sees the world through a wholly unique lens.

Warmer’s work intertwines fashion and graphic design. The artist who hails from Boston, has worked work fashion houses like Azede Jean-Pierre and created illustrations for illustrious publications such as The New York Times, and is quickly becoming our favorite contemporary artist working today.

Informed by her studies at Pratt Institute in New York and New England School of Art & Design at Suffolk University, she has developed an arresting sense of style that intoxicates the onlooker and draws them into her resplendent world. Waymer’s use of stroke, line, and color is shown with a gesture and grace that makes her work unforgettable. The dexterity with which Waymer determines the dramatic compositional layout for each of her pieces is indicative of her keen eye for formation of artistic works.

Each of Waymer’s illustrations tells its own story with a captivating perspective. Her regular muses include such powerful faces as Ajak Deng, and the collections of the moment (and of history) that inspire her. The artist characterizes her work as “A healthy blend of what was and that next best thing.”

She touts her inspirations and Antonio Lopez, Patrick Nagel, George Stavrinos and the amazing David Downton.

Below, we got the privilege to discuss art, work, and the creative process with VG Waymer. Read on to gain a look behind the art and into this artist’s world.

Who are you and what do you do? “I am a commercial artist. I’m a creative. (I’ve also experimented with many different media such as lampworking (glass bead making), fabric art, body painting and mask making. I’ve done illustrations for The New York Times Thursday Style section and for Azede Jean-Pierre.”

What is your background? Are you a self-taught artist or did you get training at an institution? “I attended college first to learn fashion design and then found that I enjoyed drawing fashion rather than creating it. Change of majors to illustration and design then things began to feel “right”. I was trained in traditional illustration methods using water colour and ink but I tended to enjoy markers and thinner on vellum. I am self-trained as a digital artist. I don’t knock the self-trained artist. I think it takes a very disciplined person to accept the regimen of learning without “establishment” guidance. To have that kind of determination right out of high school is amazing. I was not that person in my 20’s!”

What inspires your art? In your field and outside of your field? “I am inspired by non-traditional viewpoints of fashion. I like designers who experiment and break the rules. The rule breakers have played by the rules at some point so they really know how to maintain the structure of the clothing while presenting something, although unconventional, that someone can actually wear in their everyday lives. Inspiration? I look at the work of Antonio Lopez, Viramontes and Gruau. I adore Schiele and Klimt. When I’m being too controlled or literal (with my lines/approach) I look to them. Outside of my field? I love looking at street art, murals, especially wheat pasting and graffiti. Some of my work begins as a sketch that has hopes of instigating a mural. (Keeping my fingers crossed on that one.)”

Illustrator or fashion illustrator? “I am an artist who expresses her ideas through illustrations that feature clothing. The people that actually wear the clothes are what I find most interesting. Their attitudes, their poses. I love portraiture lately because you can feature the beauty aspect and still capture the focus of the brief.”

Ajak Deng by VG Waymer

What fashion collections have inspired you the most? “Back in the day? Stephen Burroughs, Willie Smith, because they took a traditional knit and worked it into something that moved with the personality of the woman that wore it. Today I am moved by designers who think about sustainability and diversity as the foundation of their esthetic. I love Azede Jean-Pierre’s work for those reasons. I love Loewe, Alexander McQueen, Public School and Duro Olowu. Lately Vestments.”

What is your creative process like? Take us through your design process? “I draw every day. I used to post a snippet of that work every day however now I don’t feel the pressure to do that…Quality over quantity? I guess so. I think you have to take a bit of what inspires you at your “seat” and instill a little bit of that into whatever you are working on. My process is no different for personal work than it is for my clients. Research, sketching on ridiculously small sticky notes to work out gestural options (poses) and then to the drawing tablet. I may overdo a drawing but love subtracting layers until I get a finished “unfinished” version that I can live with.”

Have you ever had a big break or a turning point in your career thus far? “I’ve been at this (being an artist) for a while now so there have been more than one turning point(s)… Turning points that signal a new style that showcase your talents more effectively or those that connect you to people that support your work. For me especially in the last year or so was being contacted by Azede Jean-Pierre. I was in the parking lot of the local CVS and yelled so loud in my car that I hurt my own ears! Other really wonderful moments revolve around models like Naomi Campbell recognizing my fan art. (Adore her!) I’m a big believer in setting goals and then doing the work to reach them. There is no such thing as an ‘overnight success.’ Work on your attitude, work your plan, breathe, repeat.”

Do you listen to music while you work? If so, what kind of music? “Sometimes I listen to House, Afro House music or Buika. Lately I’ve been listening to a mix on SoundCloud called #MIXMONDAY v91.0. If it’s really early in the morning I love the silence. I listen to a ton of audiobooks too.”

Illustration by VG Waymer inspired by Anna Cleveland.

What is your dream project? “My dream project? I have many. One is to do an installation of background art for the set of a fashion show.”

What is your workspace like? What’s your ideal workspace/studio like? “My workspace is a spare room in my home. I have plans to overhaul it this summer. Currently it has two desks; one for my computer, the other for wet work and there’s a huge easel with a tarp and paint. It sometimes spills over into an adjoining bedroom but my family is pretty tolerant. My IDEAL workspace? A huge loft with exposed brick and white walls and lots and lots of windows. A long, wooden desk and a model platform for live sketching. A space to invite other artists to collaborate or just create together. Actually there’s a place nearby my home by the water that’d be just right.”

Where do you see yourself in five years? “In (less than) five years I want to be teaching workshops on creativity to young artists (in the ideal studio you made me describe above) Experimentation and sharing of experiences is key in finding new avenues of expression.”

What are some of the challenges facing artists today? Advantages? “With the onset of sites offering $5 logos and cut-rate expectations of real-time fees I’d say some artists may find themselves working a part or even full time gig to support themselves in addition to their art. I still think schools aren’t really teaching people the BUSINESS of art. Really there’s very little time to figure that stuff out AND be able to devote time to your work exclusively. Advantages? There are many! Social media for example. The reach of social media platforms like Instagram affords me the opportunity to have someone like Naomi Campbell see my work. I don’t necessarily have to have my work displayed in a gallery for people to see it. I can conduct business solely online if I choose.”

What role does social media play in your work? “Social media is huge for me although I have very little idea how to make it work as effectively as it could or is supposed to. I do enjoy posting pieces that express my work and the avenues that I’m currently exploring. I am working towards hiring someone to guide me along that path. It’s not just about posting stuff. That’s the part people may not understand.”

Scroll through our slideshow below to see more of V. G. Waymer’s inspiration sources and beautiful works.

The post Behind The Art: StyleBlazer Talks With Illustrator VG Waymer appeared first on StyleBlazer.

Source: styleBlazer