Interview with Caragh Brooks

+Melbourne Art Review: Thanks for chatting with us Caragh, can you tell everyone a little bit about your works? Caragh Brooks: ”So my practice consists mostly of observational, acerbic, reductive cartoons. I mostly use markers, fine liners and acrylic paint on paper. I also do polymer clay sculptures and am dabbling in installation. My subject matter is autobiographical and essentially covers my thoughts, peeves and experiences of being a twenty-something in contemporary, western culture. I utilise humour and sarcasm as much as possible because I’m really hilarious. I’ve always created. I was basically born with a pencil in my hand. I had my first artwork published at three years old. I’m not kidding. My parents were always very encouraging and supportive of my art . It’s just something (probably the only thing) that has always been consistent for me and has made sense. Things just kind of work out for me and despite what probably seems like resistance (due to my incessant complaining), I generally just ride with the tide and see where it takes me. It’s the only creative outlet where I feel I have true self expression. Art allowed me to find myself. And that’s why I’ve kept at it all these years and why I’ll always continue to create. For most of my work, it starts with an idea. Something I want to say, a statement I want to make… Then I think of a way to visually represent that. And that’s the hardest gap to bridge. I have a lot to say but making it readable in a visual sense can sometimes be a challenge. Especially if it’s a complex idea because I don’t have the luxury of conveying tone through my text. I don’t tell many people this but when I start physically creating any given piece, I lay down all the colour first, then I do the outlines after. I’m a control freak so I found it was the only way I could let go to give my artwork a sloppy aesthetic. Otherwise I’m just way too compelled to colour within the lines. It’s finished whenever I’m done looking at it. Which is usually five minutes later. Actually, no - it’s finished when I’ve uploaded it to Instagram. Haha.” +mar: So how do you keep your practice sustainable? CB: “I work at an art supply store and that pays some of my bills as well as scoring me discounts on supplies. I also freelance as an illustrator doing commissions here and there. Anything to make ends meet. I’m also one of those jerks that sucks the paint back into the tube from the palette when I realised I’ve used too much. To save costs. And while I’m doing it, I look over at the other paint tubes like DON’T JUDGE ME.” +mar: Do you have any work in exhibition at the moment? CB: “I have my sculptures in a show at the moment as a part of Midsumma. The exhibition is called “Somewhere Between Walking and Sleeping” and it’s on at Dark Horse Experiment until the 7th of Feb. There is some great work in that show and none of it mine… I also have a solo show coming up in August at Off The Kerb gallery in Collingwood and I’m mad excited about that.” +mar: What would you say is one of the biggest challenges being a young creative in Melbourne and trying to exhibit and produce art, and what advice would you give to other creatives? CB: ”Definitely financial. Most brick walls I face are financial ones. I put my art before almost anything but most missed opportunities have come down to “well.. You need to pay rent this week”. And rent is expensive. You have to want it. You have to really want it because it’s damn hard. Sometimes I go to bed and I’m like “I’m 27 and did I really just eat cereal for dinner because I’m too poor for an actual meal?” and you have to live with these decisions every day. So make sure your priorities are in order. Also, PRACTISE. Before anything else. Just keep at it. Unless you really, really suck. Then just like… go get a 9-5 and leave the art to us. No, I’m kidding… Kind of. +mar: What are your inspirations? CB: “My biggest inspiration in general is David Shrigley. In terms of local artists, there are always people I see floating about doing interesting things but I am THE WORST when it comes to names." +mar: What is your next project that you are working on? CB: As per usual, I have about five projects I’m working on simultaneously. One that I’m trying to get off the ground is an installation piece of “Instant Validation” boxes. It’s rough. And tedious. But hopefully the end result will be worth it. I get bored making them and want to quit but then I guess there’s a huge level of irony to that….