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Thursday 4 April 2013

Interview with Visual Artist, Kirst Ohh

 
1. Please introduce yourself. Include age, hometown and details of where you studied? 
Hi rad and wonderful humans! I'm Kirst Ohh a kiwi born, Sydney based visual artist.  I grew up in Auckland, New Zealand but have been based in Sydney for the last 5 years where I completed my Bachelor of Visual Arts in 2010.

2. When did you realise you were creative and knew you could take it to the next level?
Always!  I never had an ah ha moment, I was always a crazy creative child!  I decided to study visual arts as I have a broad passion for the arts but didn't want to be stuck studying theory everyday so Visual Arts had a great practical to theory ratio which really appealed.  I loved it instantly but to be honest dreaded the theory once I realised what it entailed.  I am definitely a practical artist who draws influence from everyday life rather than art history.

3 What is your favourite project to date?
Oooh I have a few now but probably the Mr Peacock skateboard deck I painted for the 360 Project Charity Exhibition back in 2011.  It was a break through piece for me as I always thought I couldn't draw (I never gave myself enough credit) and it was the first time under pressure that I cranked out this wicked drawing which I then filled in with acrylic Posca Pens and acrylic paint with a brush.  I turned it around in 12 hours and was so happy with the end result. I filmed the process and it is one of my highest watched videos on youtube.  Artists go through a lot of work that they don't end up loving when completed but to others it might look great. We are our harshest critics, but this time I was beyond happy and I genuinely loved the piece I created (phew).  Iv'e learnt not to dwell on a piece or not to over think it. My best work comes out of nowhere most of the time, the pieces that I spend the least amount of time on but am completely focused on at the time of doing them.


4. If you could meet any artist (dead or alive. Contemporary or historical) who would it be and what would you ask them? 


Andy Warhol!  I'd ask him to make a stupid harlem shake dancing video with me.and I'd ask him if I could dipdye his hair haha!  He had a good mane.

5. I know you are part of rah collective but could you explain to readers what it is and how it came about. Also I'd love to hear about your exhibitions... 
Rah Collective is a group of rad visual artists who all met at Art School.  We all have a love of and passion for art, print media and illustration among other things so it was decided there should be a collective made to motivate one another, create group exhibitions and have general fun times immersed in art.  Qwux, Luke Burcher, Jess Cally, Thom Brandson + Jess ME and I are all still going strong today, all with our own careers booming in very different ways.

 

We are all hugely supportive of one another (I would jump in front of a paint-gun for any of them they are that awesome) and we pull together to motivate and keep each other going. We often meet up for Ramen at the local Japanese restaurant and each bring along ideas and take meeting minutes - although most of that is just for us to pretend like we are really special.  Art is a bloody fickle beast of a thing and a lot of the time we all struggle.  Society make artists out to be these fluffy away with the fairies type people that float through life on a magical carpet of sparkles, but the real side of us is that we live from pay check to pay check and we eat a lot of canned food but we LOVE WHAT WE DO.  And if you love what you do then you cant help but love your life.

6. What are your plans for the future? 
Right now I own 2 business.  My art career as Kirst Ohh, and my videography business FOREVERvideography. I also have a part time job at this stella outdoor cafe by the water right outside my house.  I am lucky and right now I live an awesome life but it took 7 years of incredibly hard work and a lot of struggling financially, and emotionally. 
I have now discovered who I really am and exactly what I want to do, which is amazing but it didn't just happen over night. The great thing is it was an amazing ride getting to this point, I have had so much fun since leaving high school and I don't regret a single moment as it has all lead to this present day.  I am getting married at the end of this year in Thailand, I am planning a trip to Europe next summer and after that I hope to contract out staff members to do some of the filming work so I can have some kiddies and edit and create art at home and enjoy that part of my life for a bit.  I will always be an artist, I just can't help but be one and I hope to pass on my passions to my kids if my soon to be husband Zane doesn't get in there first and corrupt their minds with sports, sports and more sports.  
 
Thanks Kirst Ohh for this awesome interview. Check her out at -