Claudio Parentela: Well, first of all please tell us a little about yourself.
Simon Peplow: Hello there my names Simon Peplow, I'm 28 years young. I used to reside in the second biggest city in the UK, Birmingham however the fairmaiden and I recently relocated to the city of Exeter in Devon which is a pleasant laidback place. A good balance of city and country harmonious together.
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CP: How would you describe your work?
SP: Lo-fi shenanigans with a motherly message.
CP: Did somebody encourage you to become an artist?
SP: My mother and father realised how important drawing was to me after they bought me some pencil crayons, I was 5 and transfixed by them, mute for hours just drawing various cartoon characters directly from comics or the idiot box. My father is a really talented draughtsman, he can paint and draw in whatever medium is on hand creating the most detailed animals, people etc. So I was constantly around Art making. My mother instilled in me a passion for food and cooking, she also realised that at 13 I was less interested in my academic studies, Skateboarding had taken over my life and so she channelled all her efforts into encouraging me to create Artwork whenever I wasn't outside skating. So I have her to thank for the direction and belief.
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CP: What is your favourite medium?
SP: The pen will always reign supreme!
CP: Can you describe your process, from the seed of an idea to a complete work?
SP: My work always starts out on paper, whether in a sketchbook or something loose lying around. My commissioned work usually has some text that the client requires me to respond to, liven up if you will. So I'll sketch out some initial ideas until I have something I'm happy with, I will then take this drawing and scan it into the machine to colour and tidy up. The computers a brilliant tool for playing around with colour and resizing stuff, but I wouldn't encourage it for anything else. Nothing beats seeing a visual creation come to life with imperfections intact.
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CP: Generally speaking, where do your ideas come from?
SP: Everything tends to just tumble from my imagination, I'll create a drawing from a random thought, a song, maybe a conversation I've overheard. It varies from day to day.
CP: How long does it take to complete a piece?
SP: I'm a procrastinator, if I didn't faff around I reckon I could complete a piece from start to finish in a day, however in reality I usually spend at least three.
CP: Who are your favourite artists... and who are some artists you are currently looking/listening to?
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SP: Currently looking at: Flickr's a really good place for sourcing new and interesting portfolios from like minded people who share a common ideal. Here's a few links to peeps work you should certainly salivate over, if not then I'm afraid there's something unfixably wrong with you and we can never be friends;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/yar,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/driftwould,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/flickrui
Barry Mcgee and Thomas Campbell are and always will be my greatest Inspirators, they are the masters and I'll never get bored pondering over whatever visual treats they put out into the aether.
Currently listening to: Talking Heads, Tom Petty, Todd Rundgren, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, The Chameleons, Stars, BRMC, Arcade Fire, Songs Ohia and The Organ.
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CP: Are you represented by a gallery? Do you have any upcoming exhibits?
SP: I'm not represented by a gallery, however I've recently acquired an agent for my Illustration work in the States - Ohio to be precise; the sterling Sturges Reps.
I recently won the design a Carhartt advert competition held in conjunction with The Illustrated Ape Magazine, as part of the prize I've been given a small show at their flagship store in Covent Garden, London. So I'll be working on some new bits and bobs for that.
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CP: Do you have any 'studio rituals'? As in, do you listen to certain types of music while working? What helps to get you in the mood for working?
SP: Yep... It goes cup of tea, bowl of cereal, pot of coffee, music, emails and then focus on the job in hand... I definitely could not create my work without good music, In fact I'd wither and cease to exist if it wasn't for talented music makers.
CP: What is your favourite
- taste
- sound
- sight
- smell
- tactile sensation
SP:
- my fairmaiden's lips
- birds chirping
- woman busts in the summer months
- freshly baked bread
- rubbing sandpaper against my teeth.
CP: Do you have goals that you are trying to reach as an artist, what is your 'drive'? What would you like to accomplish in your 'profession'?
SP: Although of course I'm not an Outsider Artist I do feel I inherently share some of their practices, I have a basic necessity to create something daily or I will go insane. Regarding goals I just tootle along day to day, I don't think I'll be the artist I want to be for many years, I certainly haven't got into my stride yet. I hope when I'm gone there is a little bit of Peplow left behind which might hopefully inspire someone at some stage. That's a big ask though. I'm just kinda leaving it in the hands of fate!
CP: When have you started using the internet and what role does this form of communication play for you, personally, for your art, and for your business?
SP: Although it has many pitfalls, many of which can vortex your days away the internet is my lifeline to clients, the majority of my jobs are acquired this way I couldn't source any of the work I get from overseas if the internet ceased to exist. Somehow I don't think my image attached to a carrier pigeons foot would ever make the deadline in time. It has been instrumental in making the creative industry into one of the most important industries we have in the UK.
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CP: What do you obsess over?
SP: The human condition.
CP: Do you have preferred working hours? Do you pay attention to the time of the day or maybe specific lighting?
SP: I'm a night owl so I tend to work best in the dead of night, anywhere between 10pm and 4am is good, no distractions, I just load up on coffee, good music and get fired up into a pen frenzy.
CP: Do you do commissioned works?
SP: Yep!
CP: Any tips for emerging artists?
SP: Believe in your own abilities, follow your own path, surround yourself with inspiring people and just keep on keeping on... NEVER give up!
Claudio Parentela is a prolific and productive artist who conducts interviews with other artists from around the world. Consequently, he has two sites containing his interviews. MungBeing is proud to work in cooperation with Claudio to present extended interviews with some of those artists. Please read more great Claudio Parentela interviews at The eXTra finGer, Foggy Grizzly, and LADy LaMbandPopsy.
For more information about Simon Peplow, please visit his blog, the Frank Sturges Reps site, and The Outcrowd Collective on MySpace.
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