Eva Claycomb is one of the featured artists in our latest Artist Series print. She is a multimedia artist working in performance, writing and illustration. Her emotively shrewd manner probes as often as it informs, creating self contained nuggets of existential bewilderment. Her work is available here at Raw Paw as well as Recspec Gallery, Flitch Coffee, The Grand News Stand, Desert Island Comics and Food + Paper.
You can keep up with all the fun stuff Eva is up to @evaclaycomb
#1 I first came across your work while sitting in the tiny coffee trailer Flitch. I really loved all your mini-zines pamphlets, especially the one on diluting your brand. ~ ~ ~ You’re pretty cheeky. I wonder how much care you personally give toward branding? If a friend of yours was on their way to making a brand, what is some honest advice you’d give?
O, I think about branding all the time. Mostly what I think about is how to stop thinking about it. Last year I wrote an every-other-month column in The Smudge called Dilute Your Brand, which I found really difficult because it would get metaphysical really fast. I think it’s always been important for people to be able to communicate their experience and their selves to others, we’re humans, being socially adept means surviving (or it did), but it’s so out of hand. It’s easy to make the argument about why it’s important and useful, but I can’t overlook how alienated it makes me feel. Some of my friends are much better at branding than I am, but none of them seem unconflicted. I guess it seems like a good idea to stay conflicted but not let it eat you up.
#2 Is making art your day-job?
If so, is it a struggle to find time to make personal work?
How do you find the balance between paid-gigs and personal work?
Sort of- I have a two day a week day job that is art-related, and which provides a really stable base for me to freelance and take paid art gigs, and then hopefully still make my own work. I always struggle to make personal work. I would almost always rather be sitting outside or reading or something. But I make myself do it and then it feels good.
#3 In the design you made for us at Raw Paw as a part of our Artist Series, your design feels like to me commentary on burning your wick, this idea of always working, also how people pride themselves on not having enough time. Work, Work, Work. What were you thinking when making this design?
Yeah! People love talking about burning the candle at both ends. Good way to use up your candle, buddy! Also that design makes me think of Fantasia and the scene with all the buckets of water and the brooms multiplying, multiplying. Which I was really scared of when I was a little kid- come to think of it I am still deeply unsettled by it. Why so busy?
#4 How do you like to recharge?
I like to cook, that’s also my procrastination station. Got a deadline? Maybe I should learn to make pasta from scratch! I also like to go outside, mess around in my garden, walk my dog, read novels. Just be lazy. If I get just lazy enough then I might decide to draw or make something.
#5 I often find discipline & perseverance are two necessary secret ingredients in pursuing art as a living. What helps you feel focused and grounded in your pursuits?
I don’t have a great answer for this one. I guess the more I can be in my body and off my phone the better. I have varying success at those things.
#6
Tell us about your background and education.
If you could teach a class, what would it be called?
What is something you didn’t learn in school that you
I studied theater and art in college, but mostly theater. I directed, acted, made sets, wrote plays. I had some studio art on the side, but I never like, developed the chops (is that a thing?) I can’t draw in perspective, or render a horse in realism. Then I moved to Austin and got night jobs so I mostly stopped making theater and did what I had time for- made zines, drew show posters, started painting a little bit. I’ve been here eight years and it’s been a realllllly slow tip into ‘mostly art’. I have also started teaching some workshops. Teaching people how to make zines really fast is kind of tricky. Every time I try, I learn a lot.
#7
Social media, often a love-hate relationship for creatives and let’s be honest, everybody, I think.
What’s your big love for it?
What your big hate for it?
I like to see what my friends are doing, I like to watch videos of animals acting like people. I don’t like the way it enables comparison and makes me feel numb.
#8
What are you listening to: podcasts / bands ?
Do you have a show that you binge?
A book you recommend?
A book you haven’t read but want to?
Favorite films?
Guilty pleasure?
My favorite movies are Grease, A league of Their Own and Moonstruck. I will never stop loving these movies. I binge any show that is set in front of me (sad, I know). Right now I am toggling between Miriam Toews novels and Amy Hempel short stories- I bought everything written by both women and I am plowing through. I need some new music though- I’m on the look out.
#9
Upcoming projects and/or events you’d like to tell us about?
I’ve cleared my docket! Just finished the run of a play, delivered a very late dog portrait. I have a couple projects I’m working on, but nothing that’s ready to be talked on. I’ve been designing a lot for risograph printing lately, so I’m hoping to make a bunch of riso zines this summer.
#10
One superpower can be yours… what is it?
Not confusing my feelings with reality.
#11
Life motto:
Ain’t got one!
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