Q&A for artists come up every once and a while in my inbox. I have to admit I am really slow to respond to interview requests simply because work happens. But here are some standard questions I see often enough to leave them posted here on the blog.
Who are you and what do you do?
I am Laura Resurreccion and I am a fine art illustrator, graphic designer and author. I run a small design firm.
Why do you do what you do?
I don’t think I ever had a choice. I’ve loved the arts since I was a little kid drawing on the coffee table, but when I got to high school I figured I better learn a trade. My school offered a scholarship to train in a BOCES program to earn a state certification to practice advertising art. My guidance councilor said I was “too smart” to learn a trade and I should take accounting. I asked what I had to do to qualify for one of these scholarships and she said they were for people who weren’t doing well in traditional classrooms, so I’d have to fail a language. So that’s what I did: I sat in my Spanish class everyday with my lunch and did zero work. To my surprise I still got a 45% grade for just showing up… From there I went on to college. I have been good at other jobs but I hated them! I finally dove off and decided to do my trade full time seven years ago and I wish I had done it sooner.
How do you work?
I start with the easy tasks first. Lots of trial and error, but I do pull from past experience. I always start with pen and paper before going forward to my computer. For illustration and design work I most always work in a vector format unless the client dictates otherwise. Most all of my writing work is done inside google drive so no more freak outs about losing manuscripts.
What’s your background?
I was trained as a fine artist since the age of 9. I won a scholarship to study at the Art League of Long Island for one summer, and I took advanced art classes through junior high and high school. As I said I began to worry, because I knew that fine art was not something that would earn a living. I pursued training in a trade, I started as an intern at an interior decorating company in my home town of Huntington NY, and then went from there to study advertising art at Wilson Tech in Dix Hills NY.
What’s integral to the work of an artist?
Stay curious. It’s that spark that leads to bigger ideas and projects. I find commercial work to activate that problem-solving aspect of my brain, but working on personal projects is important too. It shows that you have diverse interests and that can lead to other work.
What role does the artist have in society?
I’d like to think that a lot of working artists hold up a mirror, but mostly I think we show the world who we are through our work. Whether that be a safe place or a place that makes us vulnerable, whatever someone is comfortable with showing, or it can be about losing control of the image. It depends on what the artist needs and what an audience can ingest.
What has been a seminal experience?
I never thought of myself as a person who was ‘smart’ enough to go to college until a high school arts teacher told me I could. It never occurred to me to do so before, since I was earning a certification to practice advertising art. I thought I’d work for a local newspaper churning out ads for local businesses and then work on my art in the evenings. But making this my full time occupation, and gaining the know how to turn it into a viable career has been the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.
Explain what you do in 100 words
Designer, artist, author, dreamer. I would say I’m lucky to be able to do what I love everyday and people pay me to do it, but luck was never on my side! I had to fight for this, and it’s made it all the more satisfying. People have literally yelled at me to “get a job” without understanding that this is how I pay the bills. I guess it’s pretty mysterious to people who have no idea. In the end, I’m glad for those people. After everything I’ve developed really thick skin, which is what you need in this industry.
How has your practice change over time
I’ve become a really good listener. I’ve also learned to separate paid work from personal projects, and just because you aren’t getting paid for a pet project doesn’t mean it isn’t a priority. When I first started doing commercial work full time I would say yes to everything, not I say no more.
What art do you most identify with?
Barbara Kruger and Paul Rand, Ivan Chermayeff and Picasso, Joan Miro and Ansel Adams, William Morris and Georgia O’Keefe, Jim Lee and Jae Lee, Dave McKean… just so many. But Andy Warhol is someone I think I am alike in terms of personality. I’m not a people person but I’ve forced myself to be in order to gain commercial contracts. When I show my fine art chops I’m always a bit embarrassed, clients and friends alike seem to be impressed because I guess a lot of younger graphic designers don’t work on their drawing skills very much anymore.
What work do you most enjoying doing?
Pen and ink illustration.
What’s your strongest memory of your childhood?
A teacher telling me “I can’t make the other kids play with you”
What themes do you pursue?
Minimalism for website design, commercial clients need bold graphic logo design that will stand the test of time so I look to simplicity in the Bauhaus and DeStijl schools. My own paintings in acrylic and gouache are bold and abstract, using color and shape.
What’s your scariest experience?
I have reoccurring nightmares.
What’s your favourite art work?
So basic, but Starry Night by Van Gogh. I could sit in the MoMA all day looking at that piece, and I have.
