An interview with Cherri Wood...

An interview with Cherri Wood

Cherri Wood is a young illustrator that is based out of Minnesota. Her watercolor and ink studies explore various areas of the human psyche such as alienation, childhood idiosyncrasies, and general psychosis. Each drawing contains quotes and dialog culled from a plethora of classic plays and short stories helping to narrate each work in its own special way. She is deeply influenced by independent films, graphic novels, comic art, and photography.

In the new series of works for 'trouble, clearly' a variety of methods and mediums were used in the creative process such as staining patterns created with tea, floral material, caramel soda, and various juice mixes along with acrylic paint and india ink.

Wood has shown with Andenken Gallery, Gallery 1988, Project Gallery, O Contemporary/Opus Underground, and also took part in this past year’s GenArt Vanguard Fair that took place during Art Basel in Miami, FL.

Please talk a lil’ bit about the general idea/vibe behind you new series of works for “trouble, clearly”?
The general vibe behind 'trouble, clearly' is fairy dark and haunting. There are mixture of ghost-like figures in ambiguous locations….there are lots of layering with maps, text.

Over the past two years you’ve been experimenting a good bit with the mediums that you create with, care to elaborate a bit onsome of the new techniques you have been incorporating into this new body of work?
There are a few newer techniques I’m using in this current body of work which I haven’t tried on my earlier work. I incorporated elements of collage and drawing, text, and map transfers to most of the pieces I have for 'trouble,clearly'. The addition of using the map and text transfers let me experiment with the visual texture and noise I was creating on the page, so that was fun. These new techniques, I think, helped me create a much darker air to my pieces. In some ways I think the drawings slightly evolved from what they were in the past.

What’s your earliest memory involving art or creating art?
I’m not very sure…my memories are slight blurs nowadays….I remember when I was around five or six I had this obsession with ghosts and birds. There was something about them that intrigued me.

When are you most productive/when do you normally work on art?
I am mostly productive during the early hours of the morning. I’m currently attending school so it had now shifted to the late hours of night…which I dislike greatly, but I have to work with it.

Tell us something about yourself that someone would never guess in their wildest dreams.
I have this strange trait about my laugh and my sneeze. When I sneeze it sounds like a mouse just exploded. When I laugh it looks like someone pressed the mute button on me (however, it works in awkward situations pretty well).

Are you reading anything right now?
I’m rereading “Night” by Wiesel and Kobe Abe's amazing book “The Box Man.”

Do you listen to music while painting/drawing? If so, do you have a current favourite that inspires.
Yes-yes! I need music when I’m drawing, it’s absolutely essential. My current favourites are Chopin, Strauss, Zoe Keating, Muhr, Nest, Amon Tobin, Blockhead…..many more.

If you had to explain your work to a stranger, how would you do so?
I’d say…my work explores various themes such as idiosyncrasies, isolation, humiliation, and memory. Haunting figures almost coming out of ghost-films appear in ambiguous space in each of my illustrations.

Favourite artists (living or dead) and what makes them special to you?
I absolutely love the work of Sophie Jodoin. Her work is so thought provoking and chilling, She is one of those rare jewels that literally take my breath every time and I am left never disappointed and always astonished. For more, check out: http://www.sohpiejodoin.com/

What have you got coming up in terms of shows and projects after “trouble, clearly”?
I will be in a group show around August 2009 at the Carmichael Gallery alongside Candice Tripp and two others. I’m also planning on launching some limited edition prints of my past work. I will hopefully be working on dry point and mono prints and exploring this whole aspect more, as it feels like very new territory for me.

Don't miss Cherri's debut Los Angeles solo show at Thinkspace coming up on April 10th.

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fysimone/
Live Journal: http://cherriwood.livejournal.com/
Sneak Peek at trouble, clearly:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thinkspace/sets/72157613106779721/

Cherri Wood
trouble, clearly

Opening Reception: Fri, April 10th 7-11PM in the project room

Thinkspace
4210 Santa Monica Blvd. in Los Angeles
http://www.thinkspacegallery.com/