Coral Anderson

"I aspire to create art that is relatable, weird, unapologetic, and chaotic. Don't expect an explanation, because I do not have one." - Coral Anderson

My latest #inspirations4aspirations interview is with artist Coral Anderson (@witchypunx).

Coral's work is bold and dynamic. Their linework is whimsical, often featuring animals, nature or organic shapes. Their work is a stylistic fusion of folk art, found object art, nature based surrealism and a bit of punk / collage magic.

I really enjoy their illustrations - I have a print of their rainbow encircled opossum on my dresser art collection. Most of all, I love their event flyers - their cut paper with handwritten letters have a cool zine vibe

They reuse materials like maps, textbook pages, dried flowers and plants into their collage art. Their business cards are painted onto reused paper (my copy reuses a frozen breakfast box)

My portrait of Coral pays homage to Leonardo da Vinci's 1490 painting, Lady with an Ermine, but mine is a self-described "Traveling swamp monster" with an opossum. I reference Coral's frequent imagery like leaves, living/dried flowers, and mushrooms. I used digital paper textures and cut paper Photoshop brushes to pay tribute to Coral's collages.

The thin curving typography is inspired by Koloman Moser's 1902 poster, Ver Sacrum (sacred spring), but re-traced with chalk brush for a handmade feel. The thicker type was assembled from a 1908 spring festival poster by Valerie Petter.

1) Why do you create?

Having been brought up by two artist parents, I was always encouraged to create art and express myself. I can’t pinpoint a specific reason for why I create, it feels more like an instinctual part of my being at this point. I don’t overthink it; I simply create. I do rely heavily on creating art to help cope with stress and manage my emotions though.

2) When life gets you down, what inspires you to get back up?

Life has been getting me down a lot lately, I've kind of just been overwhelmed by grief. I think letting yourself feel your feelings is okay sometimes though. I'm thankful to have a very supportive sister and some solid friends, that's been very helpful. I'm also thankful that I have been given opportunities that others haven't--especially my parents-- and I try to persevere for their sake.

3) How does nature inspire your art?

Nature is my absolute favorite subject to draw! I've always felt a strong connection to it. Precision and proportion aren't my strong suit, but finding inspiration in nature comes easily to me. Nature is weird and imperfect! Also, my lifestyle allows me to spend a lot of time outdoors, so it's easy to draw something I see so much of. I make it a point to immerse myself in nature as much as I can.

4) You often repurpose old books, maps, cardboard, and other materials. How does it make you feel to take something that was discarded and make it into art?

My sister and I grew up learning the importance of making the most of what we had. Art supplies especially can be pricey. I remember my mother taking us dumpster diving when we were kids (something I never stopped doing...) Repurposing materials just makes sense to me.

I'm not sure I feel any specific way about repurposing items, besides the obvious "I'm glad I saved this piece of trash from the landfill." There's not any intentional message behind my using trash in my art. As someone who travels a lot, I often find myself using whatever I can get my hands on when my sketchbook is full. I just feel a strong urge to create with whatever materials are at my disposal. Plus, I think it looks cool...

Many thanks to my inspiration and aspiration, Coral Anderson. I’m John Lhotka, wishing you a nice day, and all that jazz.