CH.89: If you were to categorize or describe the style of your artwork, what would it be and why?
LP: A mix of Pop, Design, Surrealism or something like that.
CH.89: Where do you draw your inspiration from?
LP: It’s hard to explain, inspiration is a kind of a constant drive that I try to enable and feed whenever I can. Some times I think to myself – how would eventual viewers of the work react to it and “see it”?
CH.89: Can you talk a little bit about what your creative thought process is like when starting a new project/ piece of artwork?
LP: The first step is that I have to be or put myself in a creative mood first, walk away from daily problems and negative thoughts or people. Then I clear a drawing area and sit down and sketch or paint and see where that leads me. When something starts to take shape either in form, design or a concept that looks interesting, I just start to drill down and follow it. After working on a chosen idea, I begin to explore the best way to expand the idea and after that it is all execution.
CH.89: Is there anything in particular that you would want people to take from your artwork?
LP: That really depends on a specific piece. Each piece may be different like songs, they have different feelings & expressions and different take-aways.
CH.89: Can you talk a little bit about your lifestyle as an artist and what that is like?
LP: Certain aspects of my lifestyle are good and others not so good. Keeping a creative frame of mind is good, pushing your ideas to completion is good, exploring different ways to express yourself is good. I sometimes wonder about how much easier it would have been to simply get a non-creative 9 to 5 job and give up my artistic ambitions, but I can’t. It’s the old question: “do you do what you love or spend your life wondering if you should have gone for your passion?
CH.89: When starting out an artistic task, do you think it is better to have a particular direction/set plan guiding your way? Or, is it better to act on impulse and go from there?
LP: A mix of both! You have to be open and spontaneous yet disciplined. Some times there are happy accidents or twists and surprising turns that occur, just like in life.
CH.89: What is one major lesson you’ve learned as an artist thus far?
LP: Don’t over work a piece, it is tempting.
CH.89: Do you regard personal style & taste to be of highest importance?
LP: It is only important to my art, not in any way to other people. Our own taste & style is reflected in everybody’s art, isn’t it? And it changes over time.
CH.89: What do you consider to be the hardest thing about being an artist?
LP: Breaking thru and into the industry, getting exposure. There are so many good artists out there and so many forces working against you.
CH.89: What is one thing you love about being an artist?
LP: Coming up with something original and good, there is a feeling of satisfaction there.
CH.89: Is there anyone in particular, any artist’s that inspire you in any way?
LP: From the past I have always liked M.C. Escher, Picasso, H. Bosch, HR Giger, Dali, Van Gogh, Warhol, Rembrandt, the great Dutch, German and French artists – the list goes on across museums. Among living artists, I like the Surrealistic, Low Brow, Kitschy, the Mark Rydens, Robert Williams and Alex Grey, from other fields, people like R. Crumb, just way too many to try and cover in one paragraph.
CH.89: What do you think of technology in terms of being a useful tool for artists today?
LP: Digital is good! I use a digital scanner to create my master files. I use Photoshop and digital cameras to shoot and manipulate sketches to view them on a screen.
CH.89: Do you think being an artist allows you to view the world differently from those who don’t follow creative paths?
LP: Probably, but at the same time what if you were less sensitive to other things in life? All people are valid, some are creative, some are not.
CH.89: Do you enjoy traveling? If so, do you have a favorite city?
LP: I wish I could travel more… I went to London for an event a couple years ago, I loved it there.
CH.89: Do you have a favorite author or book?
LP: No.
CH.89: Any future goals or plans for your artwork?
LP: My goals are to get into better, bigger shows and gain more exposure & recognition, just like most artists. My plans are to keep pushing my own artistic boundaries, maintain my quality and keep creating more and more work so that when I break thru I will have lots of content to exhibit, license, publish etc.
CH.89: What does being an artist mean to you?
LP: Staying true to myself and staying original, always creating new work.
CH.89: What’s the last song you listened to?
LP: A Gram Parsons song called Ooh Las Vegas by the Cowboy Junkies.
CH.89: Any last words on the aesthetic of your artwork?
LP: I hope it is not easy to categorize.
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