Interview with Charlie Immer

q)Please introduce yourself.

a)Hello, Hello. My name is Charlie Immer. I enjoy candy, slime, skeletons, and slap stick comedy.

q) Where do you live and work?

a)I live in a little known town, well at least by people who don’t live there, called Hagerstown. It’s in Maryland. I work in my room for now and it’s pretty neat.

q) How would you describe your work to someone who has never seen it?

a)It like candy coated extreme violence with a dash of the circus. Like it looks tasty but you hesitate to lick it.

q) How did you start in the arts? How/when did you realize you were an artist?

a)Well considering that I’m basically creating the same artwork I did when I was 5, I guess I started then. Though, I became much more technically proficient after attending the Rhode Island School of Design.

q) What are your favorite art materials and why?

a)Oil Paints. I love the luminosity and vibrancy. I only wish they were less hazardous to my health.

q) What/who influences you most?

a)Slap stick cartoon violence. But lets not forget anatomy books.

q) Describe a typical day of art making for you.

a)I wake up really late in the day. Brush my teeth, shine them up really nice. Pet my cat, pet it up really nice. I work for about 9 hours a day (night) and I like working when the Sun goes down, way down. Then when the Sun comes back up I know it’s time to go to bed.

q) Do you have goals, specific things you want to achieve with your art or in your career as an artist?

a)I really want to get into making toys based on my work. But it would be really awesome to design a playground or some sort of fun house. There are a few galleries that I would really like to show in as well.

q) What contemporary artists or developments in art interest you?

a)Dave Cooper, Famke Heimstra, and James Jean. I’m always interested in what these artists are doing.

q) How long does it typically take you to finish a piece?

a)I don’t log hours or anything on a piece but I can spend 3-4 weeks on a painting. But I try to work on multiple. When I hired to do an illustration I try to finish them in about 3 days.

q) Do you enjoy selling your pieces, or are you emotionally attached to them?

a)I do get very attached to them. I feel funny when I look at them after they are finished. But I also fell funny when someone buys one of my paintings, it’s a different feeling but it’s just as good.

q) Is music important to you? If so, what are some things you're listening to now?

a)I’m big into music, really big. I’ve been listening to Battles Mirrored album a lot for about two years now. I can listen to Ratatat anytime anywhere. Instrmental stuff is my favourite. I also listen to the work that Charles Callet did for the first three Goblins games on PC in the 90’s. It’s really goofy and charming stuff.

q) Books?

a)I read H.P. Lovecraft’s short stories. I really like short stories. The yellow wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a good one.

q) What theories or beliefs do you have regarding creativity or the creative process?

a)Don’t compromise your vision and don’t let people tell you what to do. Don’t second guess yourself trying to please your audience.

q) What do you do (or what do you enjoy doing) when you're not creating?

a)Tell jokes and pull pranks. I try not to take my self too seriously.

q) Do you have any projects or shows coming up that you are particularly excited about?

a)Crazy 4 Cult- Gallery 1988 LA in July.

I have a big show coming up in NOV at Billy Shire Fine Arts.

Show and Tell in Canada sometime in DEC.

q) Do you follow contemporary art scenes? If so, how? What websites, magazines, galleries do you prefer?

a)I like Kirsten Anderson’s blog. (rightsomegood.blogspot.com) I love Hi-Fructose. Juxtapose is great too. I also check out a lot of my favourite artists websites and their links sections.

q) Any advice for aspiring artists?

a)Get your stuff out there as much as possible. Look at other artists and see what they are doing. Like what galleries they have shown in or the different ways they are making their work available to the public.

q) Where can we see more of your work online?

a) www.charlieimmer.com

charlieillustration.blogspot.com