Q:
Perhaps you could begin by telling us a bit about your artistic
background - how did you become a graphic designer?
In
the early 80's I worked in a retail store (the black market)
as a manager. I made custom hand painted-punk t-shirts that
I was selling there.
S hortly after that time I put together some live images
for performance and touring with a band. I was playing around
with slides and developing them together to create interesting
images...all before photoshop existed. I was also painting
at that time, I was exploring and a self taught painter
(oil on canvas). I studied the surrealists. I had great
admiration for Max Ernst...(I still do) by 1991 I settled
down and needed to aquire some computer skills, so I took
a course in graphic design. I bought my first computer right
after and started freelancing.
The computer was a new tool for me to design and create.
One year later Nettwerk approached me to come on board and
join the art department at Nettwerk records. I worked there
for 10 years and I am now starting up my own design company.
I currently paint portraits as well.
Q :
For those not already aware - how did you come to be
Delerium's
resident artist?
I met Bill Leeb around 1983, he was in the band Skinny Puppy...we
dated, lived together. and later (10 years) were married.
We had a 21 year relationship. In the early years We toured
together with his new band Frontline Assembly. Delerium
was a side project at that time, which was much more of
a sound scape and had a cinematic essence to it. I worked
designing and selling merchandise and put together a visual
presentation for the live performance (slide shows). I encouraged
him to step out on his own and do his own music and he gave
me a chance to do the cd covers for Delerium. We worked
as a team and it was a relationship that worked very well
for many years.
Q :
Your images have a distinct style - what have been
your influences pictorially?
I'm mainly
influenced by passion and emotion. Life experience is what
enriches my work. I find beauty and wonder in the world so
many things inspire me. Travel, dreams, nature, film and photography
are just a few things that inspire me. My work has a dark
and romantic feel to it.
Q :
Your artwork for Delerium is really an integral part of each
release, how do you work with the band?
I prefer to
work directly with an artist, rather than through a company.
I find it dilutes the purity of design when too many people
meddle with the vision. It worked well with Bill and I because
we would work very closely. Knowing him so well and sharing
so much intimate time together made it effortless.
Q :
Karma featured some incredible imagery including
the material on the bonus disc - what was your brief for that
album? What was your goal?
Karma was
such a pivotal design for me. It was my first time art directing
...conceptualizing it, I was able to work on something from
the ground up. Right from photography to the layout. I always
prefer to have this kind of control with the vision. It's
ideal.
Q :
Poem was another lavish package - how did the gatefold and
booklet for that one come about?
Bill and I
had a honeymoon in Paris. I found a painting in the antique
flee market there that I fell in love with. It became the
cover on the Poem cd....it was the focus and inspiration of
the design for this piece.
The artist signature reads "Innocenti". It is framed
and hanging in my condo. My prize piece. Bill always honored
the art work and wrestled with the record label to package
it in an interesting ways. His biggest skill in the industry
in my opinion is negotiating.
Q :
The new album continues your lush, romantic style
how did you go about creating this artwork - what was the
starting point, how did the ideas develop?
I designed
the cover at least six months before it was approved by
the band. As you know Bill and I are going through a divorce
and have been for 2 and a half years now. Im sure everyone
knows that...It has been difficult to remove myself from
the emotional aspects of our relationship and work without
passion. I just don't work that way. I wasn't in a place
to be connected to him and his work and didn't think I would
be able to continue the work on the album cover. At one
point Nettwerk tried to get Bill to use another designer..but
he came back to me for this one....and titled it according
to the imagery. So it was a backwards fit. The art work
came first....then the
title to match.
I used to listen to each album early on in its development.
I would critique it as it was written...and it would give
me a vibe on what to create visually. This is the first
album I didn't do this with. I've tried to listen to it
a few times. Maybe one day I'll get through it.
Q :
Whose idea was it to include the portraits?
I'm not sure whose idea it was to include
the portraits.
Possibly the record label.I was
asked to do it by Bill.
Q :
What are your working techniques - how do you create
your images?
Photoshop is my playground.
Its where the structure starts....usually with a photo.
I have loads of images I 've saved and scanned over the
years to source from. I t evolves from there. Experimental
is how I develop
it.
Q :
What is your favorite project so far and why?
I'd have to say the video work I did for
the Delerium tour. I still want to continue in this discipline.
I plan to be doing more film work down the road.
Q :
Would you ever release a glossy coffee table book of
your artwork (please)?
I would love to do something
like that. Hmmmm
I have been approached by a publishing company recently to
sell Giclee prints of my abstract paintings...maybe I will
mention that idea to them.
Thanks
to Carylann for allowing us that interview.
