We are continuing our profiles of the artists for heART and X-Philanthropy's Scully's 50th Anniversary Celebration. Round two of the overall drive featuring heART's artwork is going on now and completes on February 23rd. Round three begins February 26th and runs through March 2nd with a fourth round after that. Click here to view the items up for sale.
Today, we feature Chang Dai who has artwork featured in both round 1 and 2 of the auctions. Some of you may know her as Tumblebuggie over on Tumblr.
Read on after the jump to view our interview with Chang.
XFN: In a nutshell - tell us what inspires you as an artist. What are your favorite artists?
Chang: Compelling visuals that invoke deep emotions are the best inspiration, or drive, for reflective art work. My favorite artists mostly come from animation, giants in the industry such as Milt Kahl, Paul Felix, Man Arenas, and Uwe Heidschotter.
XFN: What type of materials/means and styles are your favorites? Water colors? Pencils? Photoshop? Tell us a little about your creation process.
Chang: I keep a tiny sketchbook in my pocket for jotting down ideas on-the-go, and use Photoshop to realize them fully when I get a chance.
XFN: What motivated you to create these particular works of art?
Chang: Fanart is reflective, Hannibal really "speaks to me", if you will, and drawing is a way of speaking back to join the conversation. The X-Files piece was done largely for comfort, in the wake of watching seasons 8 and 9...
XFN: As a fan of Gillian Anderson’s work and most likely an X-Files fan, what part of their work has been life changing to you?
Chang: I've often seen the Scully character ask questions not as a negation of the fantastical, but a demand for clarification. Her dogged pursuit for the truth in both external and internal realities is something that I try to adapt, in order to go forward in my beliefs knowing that not only are they subjectively right, but morally correct as well.
XFN: What strikes you as the most important thing that SA-Yes does for their people?
Chang: Turning 18 and leaving home can be a scary experience even with familial support; I can't imagine how scary and uncertain it must be for people leaving children's homes. At what must be a time of great change and instability, having one constant person in their life provides an anchor and a friend, two of the most important interpersonal assets a young person can have.
XFN: Scully turns fifty this year; she was a female character that many follow as an example, mainly because in one way or another she is a beacon that questioned the world around her. How do you think that you as an individual can help change and improve the world around you?
Chang: Questions are born out of an innate curiosity, a need to examine and clarify. Our world is so fast paced that in order to function one must assume and accept notions that are quite mad. Questions slow things down, engaging in Platonic dialogues with friends allows us to really examine these assumptions, and sometimes turn them on their head. We can be so wrong about so many things without question.
Our thanks go out to Chang Dai for taking the time to sit down with us, and if you haven't already, don't forget to check out all the artist profiles previously featured on XFN.