Continuing on with the artist interviews, California native Brendan Monroe is currently living and working in Berkeley with his girlfriend Evah and cat Jalapeño. I was fortunate enough to go to art school with Brendan and watch his art develop. One thing I remember was, he was always busy, always working on something, and super focused. Just recently, Park Life released B. Monroe. A stealth looking book of Brendan’s recent and past works. A Special Edition Box Set is available through his site and Park Life, check it out. Brendan is represented by Richard Heller.
So here we go-
SXH-Where are you from and what can you tell us about your hometown?
Monroe- I’m from Santa Barbara. It was a really cool place to grow up, but now I go back there and feel like it’s a vacation town. It just seems like there is too much beach and nice weather. That’s not bad, but for me it would be a distraction from work.
SXH-As a kid, what did you want to be growing up?
Monroe-Hmm… maybe an astronaut. . . I don’t really remember. In college I sort of wanted to be some kind of scientist. But then I really only liked that because it was interesting and I though it would enable me to do art on the side.
SXH-Who or what do you look at for inspiration?
Monroe-I like to find real life examples for inspiration. For Example, finding insects in the garden or looking closely at the details of a flower.
SXH-Where’s your studio?
Monroe-Berkeley, California. Behind the house I live in.
SXH-Describe a typical work day:
Monroe-Drink coffee and have breakfast. Sit on the computer for a little while. Go down to the studio and paint until the coffee energy is fading. Eat lunch. Go back to work, but at this time it’s a little harder to get any painting done. Then I drink some more coffee. Go back to work again. Then go back upstairs and make dinner.
SXH-What materials do you usual work in?
Monroe-Acrylic on paper for painting and wood for sculpture.
SXH-What is your all time favorite painting?
Monroe-Hmm…I never thought about that. I like this one though, “Betty” (1988) by Gerhard Richter.
SXH-What do you do when you’re not making art?
Monroe-Gardening, cooking, watching movies, walking, bicycling, taking photos, traveling.
SXH-Is there any Artist or Illustrator you would like to collaborate with?
Monroe-I would like to collaborate with a film director. No one in particular.
SXH-What are you working on now and what’s in the future for you?
Monroe-I’m working on a show coming up in Los Angeles at Richard Heller Gallery. It opens in October.
SXH-Important non related question here: Sabbath or Zepplin?
Monroe-Sabbath
SXH-Coffee or tea?
Monroe-Both.
SXH-Music, talk radio, books on tape or golden silence
Monroe-Calypso, old rock steady reggae, old music in general, KALX radio, some new stuff, ambient, classical. Podcasts; This American Life, Anything Ghost, Science Friday(NPR), Radio Lab. Books on Tape; Haruki Murakami, Dracula(my favorite), Roald Dahl, Jack London.
You can see ore of Brendan’s work on his webite www.brendanmonroe.com
