Featured Artist: Colie August
Another wonderful artist to add some sparkle to your weekend:)
I first met Colie (they/them) at an intimate art gathering last winter and was immediately attracted to their caring and quirky artistic spirit. I am so excited to share their work and vision with y'all today!
Interview with Colie August:
First of all, where would you say you're from?
Physically I live in St. Paul!
But honestly I don’t feel like I’m from this planet. I’m probably from Venus. That’s so cringy of me...I don’t care, it feels true.
What’s life looking like right now?
I survived COVID-19, so life is looking pretty great.
I have so many plans for art shows and new projects. I’m also illustrating a children’s book!! But I also want to do some public art. And I’m finishing painting my car!
I like to ask people how they start their day, sooo how do you start yours?
After brushing my teeth and taking my meds, I give my guinea pigs their morning salad and then do my daily tarot reading while I finish a cup of coffee!! It’s very cozy.
What do you do when you’re feeling uninspired? Has that changed because of quarantine?
I try not to push myself too hard, as I’m constantly in the working mindset. But one thing that really jump-starts my brain, when I need it, is literally copying a master’s work or re-drawing one of my old pieces.
By the time I’ve finished it, I’ll usually have more ideas!
I want to ask you to say more about your experience as a person and an artist this year. You told me earlier that,
“2020 has been transcending for me, I feel like a molting snake. There's too much to say here, lolz. But yes, definitely transformative in many different levels.”
That is such an intense and insightful way to describe a year that has been so difficult but transformative, as you said, for so many. You say there’s too much to say, but please share at least one bit of your wisdom with us, if you will!
Oooooh where do I start? I feel like the collective has been in distress since 2016, and it’s only gotten…more intense. The fear is getting so bad that we’re all getting pushed into a corner and being forced to bite back.
On a personal level, I’ve been working with my therapist to massage out old traumas, but I’ve been so grateful for the experience.
I feel so much closer with myself than I ever have before.
I’ve also been connecting to my magickal side! Stepping into my power in more ways than one has been the highlight of the year for sure!
You also said that memes and music are another source of inspiration for you.
Say more, please!
If I was to lie and say that I didn’t take inspiration from memes, I’d be fake as hell. I love the internet so much.
And memes are like… a tiny little time capsule of the entire collective consciousness. I truly believe that memes are an art form themselves. I haaaate the way that I sound right now but it’s true.
I want to keep a record of every single new meme every week they’re in rotation. In my opinion, they should exist in history books because it’s so much more important than dates, you know what I mean? Memes give a real, genuine insight into the feelings of creators and everyone else who shares them, a much better insight than something you would usually read in a textbook.
In my art, I can definitely see inspiration from memes in my stuff from earlier this year, (probably because I was just starting to break down into my simplest form).
Now music. My texture pieces [pictured below] are 100% just hyperpop on a canvas.
Just straight glitter vomit.
Which is all hyperpop is, right?
I am classically trained in drawing and painting but there’s a time and a place for technically correct light logic and there’s a time for just vomiting out feelings!!
You said that you find both Yayoi Kusama and Jenny Holzer inspiring.
Anything in particular about the work of these two incredible artists that stands out to you? In other words, what exactly is it that inspires you about their work?
The boldness that they have, the courage that they have, the beauty that they have, the audacity to be that perfect… I mean, both of them are icons and rebels and are responsible for cultural advancement, absolutely.
We don’t deserve either queen, honestly.
Colie words on their drawing, pictured below:
"I just really love hands - fingers are fun to draw. And I love drawing flames. I’m pretty sure in my head I was picturing someone in pain and everyone watching."
Colie has an awesome Etsy shop too! You can check it out here.
They are donating half of all of their earnings from all sticker packs to the ACLU and will donate half their earnings from the charity stickers section to organizations like Black Lives Matter.
The sticker pictured below is available on Colie's Etsy shop! Half of the earnings will be donated to the Coalition for Rainforest Nations!
And finally, fav hyperpop artists??
100 gecs, Laura Les’s stuff, GFOTY, EASYFUN, COBRAH, ThatKid, Dorian Electra… I know I’m missing someone and I’m gonna kick myself later, lolz
Thank you so much for your generosity and fun-loving spirit, Colie!
xoxo
Tasha