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CraftJoint Interview: Megan Whitmarsh
What's with all the yetis? I like them a lot. They seem to appear in
your work almost always.
My first crush was King Kong (1976)
It is time consuming to make stop action animation. My attempts are pretty
amateurish. I had a lot of help from a film maker friend named Ian Marshall.
Like girls, do yetis just wanna have fun?
Of course
Do you prefer calling them yetis or the abominable snowman or big-foot?
I call them yetis because I think my introduction to them was in "Tintin in
Tibet" as a child and the character was called a yeti. I never felt close to
the Bigfoot American version-- I never saw the TV show with him and the
six-million dollar man for example, or had the T-shirt, or giant foot
sticker or anything. I also like to draw King Kong although I consider him a
type of yeti really --like cousins maybe.
I don't know why I'm asking you like you're the yeti spokesperson. I
guess because the creature often appears in your work, I feel like
you know him well. Do you believe in other folkloric beings like the
chupacabra and vampires?
I don't know much about the chupacabra beyond what most people would know--
he is not that interesting to me. I like elves and ghosts... Vampires are
okay I guess. I think I like the creatures with the possibility of being
good-hearted. I like the Loch Ness monster too. I used to believe in fairies
when I was kid. I am now somewhat doubtful.
By the way, there's an awesomely bad chupacabra "documentary." Have
you seen it?
No
Was embroidery your first choice for media?
Well, it wasn't really a choice, it just came naturally. My mom embroidered
flowers and butterflies and stuff on our clothes-- hippie stuff. She also
made clothes so I always had sewing stuff around me. I got my degrees in
painting, and I think I am still a painter--just using thread instead.
There are some rock-n-roll depictions in your pieces. What themes are
you working to express?
I don't know about themes exactly. I was in some bands, I like a lot of
bands. And rock stars are kind of funny and revealing. They are a good
medium for transmitting juvenile longings. I am more interested in these
juvenile longings than the rock stars I guess.
What inspires you to create?
I want to be happy
Are there any artists who influence your work or artists that just
make you feel good?
Misake Kawaii, Florine Stettheimer, Sarah Sze's early work, Phillip Guston,
James Franklin, ummm I never can remember artists I like when I need to-- I
hate this question.
I see by the custom fabric jewelry on your site that you have been
bitten by the craft bug. Do you have any other crafty projects in the
works?
Well, I have always made lots of capes and costumes and this is an ongoing
"project". Last costumes made: Icelandic elf costumes for myself and my
husband and a superhero costume for my nephew (the "Whirlwind!") Also I make
embroidered wallets and bags for money.
Your yeti movie was awesome and so is stop-animation. How hard was it
to film it all? Will you ever make another one?
It is time consuming to make stop action animation. My attempts are pretty
amateurish. I had a lot of help from a film maker friend named Ian Marshall.
We shot in a metal garage in August in New Orleans and it was really hot and
we drank a lot of beer. I don't really like beer. It was filmed with 16mm
film which is great looking but cost a lot of money. I am planning to make
a new film and it will be shot on video. I want to have it done by spring to
coincide with a show I am doing in Los Angeles. Once again it will star a
yeti.
Would you rather skateboard two-thousand miles on an icy sidewalk or
slay a fire-breathing dragon with only a sword and shield?
I think I would prefer to slay a dragon-- I don't like being on things with
wheels-- cars, bicycles or skateboards. I would rather walk. Plus after
slaying a dragon I would be considered famous I imagine.
More about Megan Whitmarsh Megan Whitmarsh lives in Los Angeles where she makes art and does random
embroidery and sewing jobs for a living. Her guilty pleasure is watching old movies--
currently she is into Preston Sturges films and Johnny Garfield. You can buy and view
her work at Tiny Industries.
