PART 2 of our Exclusive Interview with Andy Firth

Andy Firth is a self-taught Australian artist of the social generation, known for his signature canvas: the human skull. Capturing the gentle intricacies of lives once lived, Firth’s work has captivated an engaged audience of over 2.5 million people Worldwide! His clientele includes Joe Rogan, Slash, Jason Momoa, Chris Brown and Nikkie Tutorials. This is Part 3 of our Exclusive Interview with Andy.

How do you come up with innovative art ideas?  

My inspiration and motivation come from life itself. The concepts of growth, cultural diversity and the history we’ve created on Earth as a species (both fictional and non-fictional). I feel like our history is so rich with events, that it gives me an almost unlimited pool of ideas to explore! I see ‘Jack Of The Dust’ as my life’s work and my greatest creation, as it’s constantly in a state of change. Each day is a new opportunity to grow and adapt it into something new. 

Who are your favorite artists and what works of art influenced you the most – and why? 

The biggest influence to my artwork is history itself. I am hugely inspired by cultures of the past whether it’s Roman, Mayan, Japanese, Egyptian and everything in between. I’m amazed by what we have done as human species up to this point. And maybe even more excited to see where we are going to go!

You must know of Damien Hirst’s diamond skull “For the Love of God”, what are your thoughts on it? 

I think it’s an absolutely epic piece of artwork. It’s the most expensive work of art by a living artist, and I can’t help but be in complete awe of it.

What types of art do you like to surround yourself with? 

I like to surround myself with artwork from the social generation with artists such as Andy Blank, Harow, Jim Mckenzie, Eva Gamayun, Beth cavener but also artists like Mark Ryden, Takashi Murakami, M.C. Escher and Salvador Dali.

In your opinion, what is the primary skill set one must possess to be a good artist?

Resilience. It can take years to develop your style and more than likely your earliest work won’t be your best, so it’s important to push yourself in those early years when there isn’t necessarily going to be a lot of positive feedback.

There are so many artists today creating amazing art in a vast array of mediums and styles, do you ever feel the pressure of competition?   

Honestly, I don’t! I feel like, as an artist, there isn’t a huge amount of direct competition as everyone has their own take on what they think art should look like! I believe we can all thrive together.

What advice would you give to new artists that wish to make art their career? 

Stay consistent and keep in mind that nothing happens overnight. More than likely your early work won’t be your best, but it does get you started. Push for improvement, walk into unknown territories and explore. It can take years to develop your own style, so patience is a virtue.

Do NFTs interest you as an artist? 

NFT’s do interest me, but I’m not hugely in love with the process of creating digital artwork. I guess I’m a bit of an old soul and prefer working with physical clay.

www.JackOfTheDust.com

^{Interview organized by Maximus Communications. The World Art News (WAN) is not liable for the content of this publication. All statements and views expressed herein are only an opinion. Act at your own risk. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission. © The World Art News}