6. What has been the most difficult challenge as an artist and who are your biggest influences?
One of the most difficult challenges for me as an artist is trying to run a company at the same time. The business brain and the artist brain are on polar opposite ends of the spectrum. It’s a constant tension in my world.
Also difficult: staring at a blank page.
Some of my biggest artistic influences are Walt Disney, Jim Henson, George Lucas, Mary Blair, Eyvind Earle, Julie Taymor, Al Hirschfeld, Ralph Steadman, Ralph McQuarrie, Roger Deakins, Gerald McDermott, Ed Emberley, Moebius, Bruce Timm, Peter Chung, Scott Wills, Dan Krall, Mo Willems…the list goes on and on…I’m influenced by a lot!
7. What has been your favorite accomplishment as an artist?
Seeing people respond and connect with my art, whether it was through my job or my personal art. When people “get” what you are trying to communicate, it’s incredibly fulfilling.
8. What advice would you give to someone starting out as an artist?
Practice. Practice. Practice. And then when you are tired of practicing, practice some more. Find any way to put your art out there. Oftentimes, artists are trapped in their heads and it can be the hardest thing to get what is in your head out into the world. That is 90% of the battle for me.
Oh, and did I mention practice?
9. If you could live in a different artistic period, which one would you chose?
I would love to have been working in the film and animation industry in the 1970s, 80s, and early 90s. So many great worlds and characters were created at that time that have influenced me tremendously. I feel like there was more innovation in the art form at that time.
If I had to choose an actual artistic period, I would say the early 1900s with German Expressionism and Cubism.
10. Do you have a favorite art gallery? Do you have a favorite color? And why?
I don’t know enough art galleries to have a favorite. However for museums in the city, I like the Legion of Honor, the SFMOMA, and the Walt Disney Family Museum.
Choosing a favorite color is tough. Depends on for what. I can usually find something to love about every color depending on the context.