Vincent Castiglia

 Who are you? Where are you from and where do you live now?
Vincent Castiglia. Born in Brooklyn, New York, now living and working in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan.

What is it that you do? What media do you use?
Surrealist painter, using only human blood and water as pigment (which anyhydrates as iron oxide)

What do you think sets your work apart?
It's honesty.

How long have you been showing your work for? Did you have a “big break?”
5 years. I'd cite as the most notable experience of my career my solo exhibition at the H.R Giger Museum Gallery in Switzerland. There have been many other exhibits and collaborative projects which have been equally important to me. However, if i had to list one, this would be the event.

What are some things that have inspired you?
Circumstance, mortality, all that's hidden, saints, wretches, and daimons.

What have you been working on recently?I've just completed my latest body of work titled, Sacrifices For the Sanguinary Age. This was painted over the last year.

Do you listen to music while you create your work? If so, would you give some examples?
Almost always. It varies drastically. A few examples are Lustmord, Lisa Gerrard, Marcel Peres' Ensemble Organum collections, Lycia, and Love Is Colder than Death

Do you do work in any other media? Other projects not necessarily related to your main body of work?
I have in the past but currently am working only in human blood, outside of the pencil drawings that precede finished paintings.

What advice do you have for artists looking to show their work?
Do your best always, and give yourself a break---life's too short to allow yourself to be lost in the process. Be who you are.

Do you have any upcoming exhibitions of your work that you can mention?
My upcoming show, Sacrifices For the Sanguinary Age, will open at Meta Gallery in Toronto, on September 10th, and will be followed with an artist talk the next day, September 11th at the Gallery. Inquiries may be sent by email to Jody Polishchuk at jp@metagallery.com / www.MetaGalery.com

Where can people see more of your work on the internet?
www.VincentCastiglia.com

Jessica McCourt

Who are you?  Where are you from and where do you live now? 
Jessica McCourt. I hail from the Pacific Northwest and now reside in a restless little navy town on the Kitsap peninsula. The weirdness level here is right out of a Tom Waits song. Seriously.

What is it that you do?  What media do you use? 
I paint things... ghosts, animals, mountains exploding... whatever suits my fancy.  I paint primarily in watercolor now.

What do you think sets your work apart? 
I've been told on more than one occasion the way I paint hair is particularly eye catching. I'm not sure if that sets me apart exactly. I often wonder if people see my work the way I do... if my eyeballs are missing what others see and vice versa. I don't really feel "set apart," but I do feel that my work is my own... a visual interpretation of what's in my head and I'm almost 87% sure there isn't someone walking around out there with the same head.

How long have you been showing your work for?  Did you have a “big break?” 
I've been showing for about 7 years now, but it's only been withing the last couple of years that I think my work has been worth showing. I haven't really had a " big break." I'll be painting and drawing whether it comes along or not. I'd really love to start doing more illustration work. Perhaps I'll break into that.

What are some things that have inspired you? 
I draw inspiration from so many sources, it can feel like a bit of mania at times. Nature is a large influence on my work, as well as Japanese folklore... well, folklore of any kind. I also collect ephemera, old medical books and illustrations and vintage children's books. Currently I've found myself obsessing over images of ships, worn old tools and taxidermy. I'm also lucky enough to live with an artist who inspires me to work every day.

What have you been working on recently? 
Currently I'm working on getting a series of watercolor paintings together to present to galleries. I've mostly been focusing on the idea of the ethereal world mixing with the natural one. Ghost eyes and hands lingering on delicate wings, breathing smoke.

Do you listen to music while you create your work?  If so, would you give some examples?  
Yes!  It varies greatly, depending on my mood. I've been obsessed with the oddity that is Die Antwoord lately. It makes me giggle. Don't ask why. I listen to Sunn o)), Elliot Smith, The Avalanches, Earth, Louis Jordan, Modest Mouse, Nick Cave, the list really could go on and on. I also like to listen to comedy or podcasts.

Do you do work in any other media?  Other projects not necessarily related to your main body of work? 
I mostly stay in the realm of painting in watercolors. I had to reign it in with other media to become a bit more consistent. I've done some musical projects and I hope to do more in the future. It's a great deal easier for me to be less critical of music than my painting.

What advice do you have for artists looking to show their work? 
All I can advise is to research the gallery your thinking of presenting work to. Get to know what they're all about. You may find that while your work is good, it may not fit into the gallery's style and client interest.  And don't take it personally.

Where can people see more of your work on the internet?
At the moment, the best place to check out what I'm up to is on my blog which can be found at:  http://vonsplithoof.blogspot.com/