CH.89: If you were to categorize or describe the style of your artwork, what would it be and why?
DG: My style constantly changes and fluctuates between realistic and illustrative. I recently push more towards illustrative, stylized style with bold color schemes and emphasis on line work. The main subject is almost always a human and emotions.
CH.89: Where do you draw your inspiration from?
DG: My inspirations come from everything, things that surround me, moments that catch my attention. It can be a little thing like a flower in vivid color, a person I saw in a supermarket, a song lyric. But I think I mostly draw inspiration from my emotional states.
CH.89: Can you talk a little bit about what your creative thought process is like when starting a new project/ piece of artwork?
DG: The process is different for commissioned and personal work. I’ll tell about the latter as it’s usually more enjoyable and creatively free. Most of my work starts with a spark of an initial idea. If I don’t have any time to take it further at the moment, I’ll write it down and hopefully come back later. The initial idea needs a lot of exploration before it’s formed into an actual artwork. I usually think with sketches and some random writing, and it’s so messy that sometimes I am not able to decode it after a while. That’s probably why I usually have to act quite fast and not let the idea sit for too long.
CH.89: Is there anything in particular that you would want people to take from your artwork?
DG: I feel that I’m learning things about myself and the way I express my feelings along with people who joined me on the journey. And I think that’s what I’d want people to take from it, I want them to see my work through their own experience and get in touch with their feelings, giving me the opportunity to further explore my own.
CH.89: Can you talk a little bit about your lifestyle as an artist and what that is like?
DG: My lifestyle is incredibly messy. And I am at a very weird point of changes and making decisions. I think it’s basically constantly trying to make a routine and healthy habits I can stick with. I don’t have many friends and creative people around so I am mostly spending time by myself.
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?
DG: That’s a very individual thing, so I can’t say if it’s better or not. Being able to make a good plan is just as important as being able to adapt. I am a kind of person that won’t go out of a house without a set plan and it applies to everything I do. But with art I like to see where the plan takes me and allow impulses to take me to different places along the way.
CH.89: What is one major lesson you’ve learned as an artist thus far?
DG: There’s no such thing as talent. Everyone can become a master in anything if they put enough hours into learning the craft.
CH.89: Do you regard personal style & taste to be of highest importance?
DG: It’s a hard question and I don’t think I have a straight answer to it. Style is now definitely something that is a focus for many young artists. And there is a reason to it, because style is what makes an artist recognisable and what ultimately will get them jobs and recognition in the industry. But what would style be if there wasn’t a well trained skill behind it? I think it will always be a set of traits that will make an artist/artwork stand out.
CH.89: What do you consider to be the hardest thing about being an artist?
DG: Never feeling good enough, always being my own worst critic. But at the same time it drives me to keep working and keep getting better.
CH.89: What is one thing you love about being an artist?
DG: Being able to say things without words, without being visible as a person. Being able to hide behind it.
CH.89: Is there anyone in particular, any artist’s that inspire you in any way?
DG: There’s a lot of artists that inspire me and it also changes a lot. Every few months my answer would be totally different as I am always exploring the world of art and artists I already know constantly make new things. So I’ll leave this one without an upfront answer.
CH.89: What do you think of technology in terms of being a useful tool for artists today?
DG: I have a love-hate relationship with technology, but it definitely is a helpful and useful tool. We as a species and everything we make is constantly evolving and it’s all thanks to technology. Same thing goes to art. But at the same time I think it’s important not to solely rely on it. It’s still our hands that make things and as much as computer and tablets and other cool inventions can help us do beautiful things, it’s still a craft that will always need a human hand with all the imperfections.
CH.89: Do you think being an artist allows you to view the world differently from those who don’t follow creative paths?
DG: I don’t think creative people are the only ones who see the world in a different or special way. We are just the ones that decide to convey it through a medium that can be viewed by others. We are lending other people our eyes for a moment allowing them to see the world in a different way, in our way. But every human is special, maybe those who aren’t following a creative path are seeing the world in even more special way than artists? But being an artist definitely makes me focus on different and sometimes weird things and at the same time making me miss other things.
CH.89: Do you enjoy traveling? If so, do you have a favorite city?
DG: I do enjoy it a lot, unfortunately I haven’t been able to afford it for the majority of my life. There are a few places in Europe I managed to visit though and so far the city that made me feel the most at home was Vienna. If I was to go somewhere again, I’d definitely pick Vienna.
CH.89: Do you have a favorite author or book?
DG: I read a lot but also I have terrible memory for authors and book titles! I think my favourite so far is Haruki Murakami. There’s no other author that would make me feel things that I feel reading his books. His storytelling, characters, the way he describes places and sets the mood is just perfect.
CH.89: Any future goals or plans for your artwork?
DG: Just constantly learning and getting better, exploring new ideas, techniques, mediums. Doing things that will keep making me excited and willing to fight.
CH.89: What does being an artist mean to you?
DG: To me it means being able to create something from experiences, thoughts, feelings and passions. Something that is not just an object but is some kind of a story.
CH.89: What’s the last song you listened to?
DG: I’ve had my mind on 2 songs recently. When trying to get motivated and work hard it was “The night on the long knives” by Everything Everything. And when trying to wind down, it was “Sleep” by Flatsound, and basically the whole album “sleep”.
CH.89: Any last words on the aesthetic of your artwork?
DG: I am constantly trying to make work that I can actually like and be 100% proud of. My style will always change and sometimes I make works that don’t look like anything I ever made. But deep down I hope there is something that can pull all of my works and styles together, I hope there is a certain aesthetic that can be seen in what I create.
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