ELvis IN hawaii: Interview with Zachariah O'Hora

q)Let's start with the basics; what's your full name, where do you live, and how old are you?

a)Zachariah O'Hora.I live in Brooklyn, NY. Although I am originally from New England, I spent 10 formative years in San Francisco and consider that to be something of a spiritual home.I am 33.

q) Do you have any formal training?

a)I went to the California College of Art in SF and studied one semester on a grant at the Hochschule Der Kunst in Berlin, Germany.

q) Did the place you grew up in influence your image making?

a)Not really...though HOW I grew up informs some of the subject matter.

q) How do you come up with your concepts?

a)Mostly threads of thought and things I have read and are interested in. Jazz and Soul music, the Occult, the wonder of everyday existence.

q) Describe your creations in a clear, concise and understandable sentence. What do you call them?

a)Usually I paint acrylic paintings on canvas or board. Mostly figurative work.

q)What other mediums would you like to explore in your image making?

a)I've played around a lot with printmaking techniques and between that, drawing and painting I don't feel the need to go any where else.

q)What is the best time in the day for you to work on a project? Is there one, or is it more about the environment -- maybe the right mood?

a)Environment is important and so is strong coffee.

q) What are your artistic influences?...and .generally who or what influences you the most?

a)I am a big fan of the German Expressionists, Max Beckman, Ben Shahn, street art, Terry Richardson and lots of artists who I glean inspiration from but do not necessarily effect my work stylistically.

q) Who are some of your favourite artists/designers/photographers?

a)In addition to the people mentioned above; my wife Lydia Ricci is an amazing artist and designer, and the guys that I share a studio with Christopher Silas Neal, Sam Weber, Ted McGrath and Grady McFerrin. We all work quite differently but influence and inspire each other to do better work.

q) What is your next project?Exhibition?Collaboration?

a)I am working on a series of paintings exploring memetics and Alchemy that will be in a show in September. Details for that will be on my site when they are ironed out.

q)What are your plans for the future?

a)...uhh theres a future?

q)Are there some web sites that You would like to recomend? Artists, art communities,xxx,...!?

a)Right now I am addicted to wikipedia.org. You can waste incredible amounts of time, learn about the strangest shit and maybe even be inspired. It's the new porn.

q)What sort of music do you listen to?All kinds of stuff...right now on my pod its Charles Mingus, ESG and the Serge Gainsbourg dub album with Sly and Robbie that's getting the most play.q)Do you collect anything? If so what?

a)I buy lots of records and books and old things that I put up in my studio to give some juice.

q)What do you do for fun?

a)Sleep.