Abby Portner interview

Abby Portner has constructed for herself the ‘dream job’ that many of us fantasize about. Travelling the globe with an internationally acclaimed band conceptualizing the awe factor to astonish the crowds. Being the artist commissioned to illustrate the record covers and world tour posters, directing avant-garde music videos and short films with professional skateboarders and getting to create graphics and collaborate with skateboard companies.

Interview by Suziie Wang

What artistic formats do you work with?

A little bit of everything, I draw a lot and make videos.

I also make large-scale sculptures for bands and festivals. To me it all looks the same just different mediums.

Did you study or gain a degree in art?

Yes I did, I went to parsons school of design in NYC. I studied fine art with a focus on sculpture and drawing, I have a BFA in fine art How did you decide that you wanted to work as an artist?

I don’t remember really. I went to a Montessori school when I was little and I used to steal all the paper and hide it in my cubby and try and take it home with me to draw when I was probably 4? So maybe then, I used to spend a lot of time at that school drawing… Probably too much In the beginning how did you build up your portfolio?

Art School I guess? And I have worked for Animal Collective doing posters for their shows and t-shirt designs since I was in high school. I also draw everyday no matter what. I did that even more when I was younger Alien Workshop Jason Dill KTC series

What was your first paid artistic job and how did you get it?

Animal Collective for sure though I worked for them for free way before then. They got bigger started making more money and then I was able to get paid for what I did for them.

How long did it take for you to be able to work as an artist full time and what did you do to support yourself up until then?

I think since I have been in LA I have fully been able to support myself and not be stressed about work so much. Past 4 or 5 years I guess?

I lived in NYC before then. I worked at a fancy photo studio as a studio booker for 5 years I think, But it was cool because then I could use all there equipment and studio spaces for free and it got me more interested in making videos. So I didn’t mind working there. On the side I would still do graphics for people and sold some art. I also nannied for 7 years before that, for people like the Ferrari family and the Coen brothers. The hours and pay were always pretty good so I had time to make stuff Any weird jobs you worked or things you to did to get a foot in the door or just to get by?

Not really I don’t think. Nanning is probably the oddest job I have ever done. You see a lot of stuff ha-ha, and I traveled a lot. Lived in Italy on the Riviera for 5 months, lived in London, lots of places. I didn’t do it to get my foot in the door I did it to support myself but it was super inspirational most of the time.

What was a defining moment in your career?

I’m not sure it’s happened yet? Does that ever happen, maybe you don’t notice it. I constantly want to do better

Record cover for Animal Collective, Centipede Hz

Record cover for Panda Bear, Young Prayer

and make better things learn, more about my craft.

There are milestones for sure but only makes me work harder. I directed a video for a Slasher flicks song this past summer/short film. Giovanni Ribisi shot it and produced it. I would say out of everything I have made before this, this video sums up how I think and create, and is pretty perfect to me…. that’s a mile stone I guess?

Frames from “Catchy (Was Contagious)” Music video for Avey Tare’s Slasher Flicks

How did you start designing sets for Animal Collective?

My brother Dave is in Animal Collective, we’re a year apart. We have always been super close When we were younger I would want to hang with him and my cousins who were also a year older. They would trick me into thinking I was playing guns by letting me make all these wanted posters and stapling them to the trees. I was obsessed with Al Capone and used to draw his face over and over and make posters.

And set up weird camps in are yard that my brother and cousins would use basically as the set design for their games ….I think that pretty much is where it started.

We did two nights at prospect park I think it 2008?

That was the first large scale set I built for them. It didn’t have to travel it was used only twice, and the boys loved playing in that sort of crazy make believe world. It was supposed to be sea and tiki themed. It lit up and moved and was super crazy. After that the band decided they wanted to only tour with that kind of world on stage and surrounding them when they played.

What’s the process you go through when designing the sets for Animal Collective?

I do lots of image research. Look at things watch movies listen to the record over and over again that they are touring for. Talk to the band a lot about the themes for the record and what the record is about. The last one, Centipede Hz was all space

Animal Collective performing on the Centipede Hz set

Altamont T-shirt graphics

Animal Collective 2011 set design

themed and was supposed to be like an alien transmition from space. So the mouth would have been the “transmition “ the idea and image started as the radio station then turned into a large scale set. It took awhile to come up with the exact idea. Lots of drawing What do you consider to be your greatest piece of art that you’ve created?

Hmm-tough one… I really like the centipede HZ stage design it’s just so massive and crazy! But I also like the last video I did for

‘Little Fang” Music video for Avey Tare’s Slasher Flicks

Slasher flicks, so much time and work went into it. Really happy with how it turned out.

How did you get to collaborate on all the Skateboarding projects?

During the Mind Field Era, Mike Hill asked animal collective to use two songs for video parts. I have known Dill for years through mutual friends in NYC, so he asked me to do something for his part. I made that puzzle that was stop animated during his part. I then made a deck graphic for him that came out around the same time. I get

along great with Mike Hill so I just started doing graphics for them. I met Joe Castrucci because he wanted to do a Jim Henson habitat colab maybe like 3 or 4 years ago.

I used to work for Henson so I tried to make it happen for them. Aesthetically I think I am on the same page as Joe and Mike so it makes a lot of sense to me that I worked for Habitat/workshop. Altamont was through Andrew Reynolds he’s a big Animal Collective fan. He actually has an Animal Collective tattoo I drew on his arm that him and Atiba got. Andrew liked a bunch of my

Habitat Shoe Collaboration and Video

drawings so we got them made into shirts.

How do you get work, do you have to always be networking, actively promoting yourself, doing jobs for free to make contacts etc?

Yeah I think a bit of all of that. Skating stuff usually just comes threw friends…video stuff I feel like I’m pretty new in the game so I hustle a bit more. It seems usually to just fall into place weirdly. Like I hired Giovanni’s sister Gina to work on a video doing hair and makeup she introduced me to him then I worked on the slasher flicks video with him. Stuff like that. I feel like you just have to be nice really and want to work hard.

Do you have any advice for making contacts?

Be nice? And don’t pretend you’re too cool for anything How do you manage to operate the business side of being a freelance artist, did you do any business courses?

Really badly, I just get overwhelmed! That’s the part I need to get better at actually. I didn’t take any sort of business courses I just get advice from friends who have been doing it longer. I’m at the point where I really can’t do it on my own anymore and trying to figure that one out.

As a woman, are you treated any differently with your work?

I think its all how you look at it.

Yes and no… I mean I think its helpful and harder all at the same time but then again I’m not a dude so I don’t know if it’s any different? If that makes sense?

Working in Live music and in skating as a female of course I have gotten some weird comments, but touring gives you a pretty thick skin. I didn’t pick two fields that have very many women working in them, but the ones that do are all amazing. To me the hardest part is negotiating contracts and things.

Mostly with non-skate stuff and mostly corporate stuff. Its always kind of like “you should be grateful you got offered this job” kind of vibe. I just have this weird feeling if I was a dude it would not be that way. But who knows.

What is the biggest challenge with working freelance & how do you combat it?

Not having a set work week. Its always changing for me and never feeling like you have a day off? Also traveling for me is a bit off a love hate. I have been traveling a lot for work the past couple years and though its really amazing and I love it.

It’s pretty disrupted to real life and I’m trying to work on that.

I have problems with never taking breaks and I’m working on

just chilling out more instead of always focusing on work.

Any advice to pass on for aspiring freelance artists that you wish you’d known?

Hmmm I don’t really know. I think do what ever makes you happy I guess. Take jobs that only make you happy don’t just taking jobs for money or credit. In the end it doesn’t matter when your freelance you don’ t have like an entire office to celebrate with when you complete something, or put something out... Its usually just you. So you have to be stoked and confident and proud at what you are putting out into the world no matter what.

www.abbyportner.com/