INTERVIEW
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FEATURED INTERVIEW
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Growing up, it was clear to me that I would pursue a career and lifestyle in the arts. My primary sources of inspiration have always been music, music, family, music, friends, and music. I’m of the belief that designing without some form of music blasting is sacrilegious
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JAY ROEDER - ILLUSTRATOR | USA
Jay Roeder is a freelance designer and illustrator that has over 8 years of experience in the graphic design industry. A graduate of Sacred Heart University in 2006 with a double major in graphic design and illustration
Tell us a little bit of who you are as an artist I have always thought of myself as a geek with a love for music and letters. As I sit here trying to sum up who I am as an artist, I think you'd probably learn more about me by checking out my art, since most of it is basically a visual diary of who I am as a person.
things that define my art the imperfections.
Your work deals with typography and you have a very unique style. Please explain what you are trying to communicate. Having taken many art history courses throughout my life, and analyzed every last nuance of so many artists' masterpieces, I alWhen did you know you were most have to laugh at how simple my work is in comparison. Somean artist? times I sit down and literally draw While most kids wanted to be firemen or astronauts, I knew I’d pur- the first thing that comes to mind. sue a career in the arts at a young I like to keep it very natural and age. Some of my earliest memories organic, as if it were just a stream include getting frustrated over the of my consciousness. inability to draw certain things like How do conceptualize your immotorcycles, race cars and ninja ages? Do you draw on memories turtles. The funny thing is, the from having grown up in Minsame flaws that I would get frusnesota, or from photographs of trated over as a child, are now the events, individuals and locations?
A lot of my art is nostalgia based, and some of that has to do with memories I have of growing up in Minnesota. Things like boom boxes, Nintendo, and Ninja Turtles were a big part of my childhood, which is why I can't stop drawing them. What do you think of the artist community in your area? The community of artists in the tri-state and New York area is phenomenal, but I guess that should be expected. One specific area I have always been inspired by is Brooklyn, whether it is the style, art, bars, music, or people. Overall I have just always been drawn to the culture. No matter what I do, Brooklyn always seems to come up. I'll listen to music and discover DECEMBER 2012 /