Interview: Glenn Arthur

Glenn Arthur is a 33-year-old artist living in Orange County, California. His paintings and drawings of often-tattooed females have inspired many Facebook followers of his work to have his designs tattooed on themselves and I believe I came across his work in 2010 when searching for aviation tattoo inspriation; his The Navigator painting is one of my favourite images of any medium. He's definitely one those of you who create art yourselves may want to follow on Twitter or Facebook for inspiration as he frequently posts sketches and work in progress.

Did you grow up in a creative environment?

I was raised in a conservative, religious home; however I do not share the same views. I really had to shed my roots to pursue a career in art. I’ve been creating art for most of my life but only professionally since 2009.

How many hours in an average week would you spend creating?

Art is a full time role for me. I spend anywhere from 6 to 12 hours a day working on paintings, drawings and projects.

What other work or hobbies are you involved with?

I also work with Dr. Sketchy’s Anaheim Chapter as their Master of Ceremonies. It’s so much fun and I love bringing people together as a sort of art community and family.

What artistic training do you have?

I’ve never gone to school for art or taken any formal training so I’ve always been left to my own devices. I think being a self-taught artist gives me more freedom in my creativity but it is a lot of trial and error when it comes to technique and different mediums.

Do you remember the first piece of artwork that you sold?

I do. It was such a great feeling to know that somebody liked my artwork enough to pay money for it. I still get that same excited feeling every time I sell a piece.

What role has the internet played in your career so far?

The internet has played a huge role! It’s allowed my work to reach so many more people than I ever thought possible!

How do you record ideas for new pieces?

I write down little notes all over the place. I try to keep my ideas in my sketchbook but I’ve even gone so far as to email or text myself an idea if I don’t have my sketchbook with me.

Do you have any rituals associated with creating artwork?

I mainly like to paint during the day with a giant cup of coffee at my drafting table listening to music. Depending on the piece I’m working on, I might listen to everything from classical music to electronic dance. Music really helps to set the mood.

What has been the highlight of your artistic career so far?

That is a hard question to answer because there have been so many highlights. I think just being able to travel with my work to galleries all over the place is something that always excites me!

What experience do you have exhibiting?

I’ve had my artwork in solo shows, group shows and museum exhibits. I would say it’s always important to make sure that your work is completely ready to hang and not too complicated for the gallery to exhibit. Also make sure that all contracts and paperwork is in order and agreed upon between you and the curator or gallery owner just so there is no confusion with prices or buyers.

Is there a particular location where you would love to see your work exhibited?

All over the world! I’ve had my work in a good amount of galleries throughout the United States and a handful of galleries in other countries, but I would really love to see that branch out.

What is your favourite colour to work with?

I love warm tones, so working in reds, oranges, browns, golds, etc. is always fun for me.

How important to you is being immersed in an artistic community?

Extremely important! Being around other creative types is very inspiring. It really helps to feed off of each other’s energies!

What inspires you?

I try to find inspiration everywhere I go. I love being in big cities with beautiful architecture like San Francisco. My favorite artists are Alphonse Mucha and J.C. Leyendecker. No matter how many times I study their work, I always come away from it inspired!

Do you experience periods of "artists block"?

I think every artist does. When I experience a block I try to go through all of my old ideas and sketches to see if it sparks anything new. Sometimes I’ll even recreate an old piece in a new style to try to get some inspiration from it.

How has your work developed in the past five years?

Five years ago I wasn’t really making much art. If I was making art, it was only pencil or ink drawings. Now I’m working on full paintings and playing around with a lot of different media.

Do you have any goals for the next five years?

To keep on making art. Five years from now, ten years from now, twenty years from now. I plan to make art until my dying day!

Glenn Arthur website.
Glenn Arthur blog.
Glenn Arthur Facebook page.
Glenn Arthur Twitter.