Tell us about who you are and what you do.
My name is Clara Murray, and I’m living in Atlanta as a digital designer and animator for Adult Swim [Dot Com]. I work specifically for a live streaming show called How to Draw that airs Mondays at 9pm E.T. with our two wonderful hosts, Adam and Terry, who make art and talk to people who call in.
When did you start getting into making art?
I always loved to make art when I was young, but fell out of it during those hard-to-navigate pubescent years (yes, I’m talking about middle school). At some point in my freshman year of high school, I found myself drawing all the time. My binders and notebooks were covered in doodles. When my art teacher, Mrs. Russel, let me take home a pack of Faber-Castell markers, the rest was history. I’d get home from school and draw until I fell asleep. It was like a meditative trance––several hours would fly by while I was lost in the space between the pen and the page. I would definitely consider that time to be the Renaissance era of my art career.
What's your favorite part about being creative?
I think back to when I was a kid, and I accidentally crushed a bug on my picture while drawing in the grass. I went to mother about it, upset, and she told me, “Maybe it’s a happy accident.” And so I drew around this crushed little insect––incorporated it into my creation. I think that we like to think of the “artist” as someone who is highly-intentioned with their work, but for me creativity is all about happy accidents. I feel like the best part of being creative is when you hit those inevitable roadblocks, and work with them instead of against them. It becomes a collaboration of the individual and the chaotic nature of life. We can’t always be fully in control.
What's one of your favorite pieces you've done?
Honestly, I think I resent most of my pieces once they’ve reached the internet. Perhaps my use for them is over at that point, and I can only hope that they are appreciated by others. However, a few years ago I made a couple of collage/mixed media self-portraits. My favorite is one I called “Walk this Way.” I think those hold up for me because while I generally don’t like to post pictures of myself on the internet, creating a collage of many photos allowed me to create my own likeness that felt more genuine––as they represented the many versions of myself that have existed and will always exist somewhere within me.
Who/what are some of your biggest inspirations?
I am constantly inspired by the nature I see around me, specifically insects and birds. Humans lack of control over nature gives rise to the desire to recreate it however we can. My friends are also always an inspiration to me, simply through their presence as well as the art they make. Some of my favorite artists are Orlan, Max Ernst, David Henry Nobody Jr., and Joel-Peter Witkin.
What's some advice you'd give to fellow artists?
I think it’s important to remember that I myself never expect to find contentment through my work––and for me that’s how I continue to evolve as an artist. I feel that most of us struggle with lulls in creative drive, too, and put pressure on ourselves to be constantly producing work. While it is important to keep at it, even when you aren’t necessarily inspired, I also think it’s okay to take a step back to absorb life for a time. Take a walk, appreciate a strange note left in the concrete, spend some quality time watching insects or eavesdropping on strangers. Let yourself be present and know that you’re not always going to be turning out pieces that you, yourself, love.
How is your personality reflected in your work?
I would consider my art to be playful and whimsical, yet also grotesque and disjointed. Perhaps I’m not too far off from that (ha, ha). My mom sends me pictures of art she saved from when I was a kid, and I’m always a little taken aback at how similar it is to my art now––balloon faces and boobies are a marked theme. I definitely feed the child inside of me, I think it’s important for all of us to stay curious and allow ourselves times to play. Nonetheless, I have always had an eye on the darker side of life––perhaps I find a certain sick comfort there. I used to sneak DVD’s of R-rated horror movies into my room as a kid and terrify myself to no end. Still, as an adult, I find myself embracing the grimness of life and finding beauty in it. Someone once told me that “duality is the theme of this universe” and I resonate with that a lot.
Music you've been listening to lately?
Lately I’ve been enjoying a lot of older Southeast Asian music. Two great compilation albums my ears can’t get enough of are Cambodian Rocks and Sublime Frequencies: Thai Pop Spectacular.
Best place to get food in Atlanta?
Ah-ma’s Taiwanese kitchen: I would eat their every day if I could.
Anything else you'd like to add?
You rock, Cool Sounds Blog! Thank you so much for the interview. If you're interested in seeing more of my stuff, my website is claraemurray.com or you can follow me on Instagram!
Follow Clara Murray on Instagram (@paintmenumbers)