Name: Aidan Koch
Age: 20
Country: USA
Website: http://www.aidankoch.com
Age: 20
Country: USA
Website: http://www.aidankoch.com
At which age did you start creating art? And why do you feel compelled to create?
Early early. Both of my parents are artists in disguise, so I was always around everything I needed to draw and craft. They often instigated family projects and investigations.
I honestly have no idea what I would do with my time if I was not interested in art. I think its a way to understand existence. It gives me a purpose and goals and a way to express anything I want.
What are you inspired by? And who do you look up to?
My friends' art, antiques, plants, style, big cities, romantic inclinations.
It's slowly being revealed to me how deeply I relate to my family. My interests mirror my parent's history so much and runs parallel lines with my sister. They are all so amazingly skilled that I can't help but be defensive about my own work with them. I am always afraid that they will critique my work in a way that I can't recover from. Their opinion is the most important and often the most honest.
Which influential artist would you like to ask for advice?
I once wrote some fan mail to Mark Todd and Esther Pearl Watson and sent them a copy of my latest comic at the time. They were delightfully responsive to it. I think just understanding that the artists you admire are often just sweet, hard working people is enough to be an influence to me. Advice is good, but motivation seems key.
If you had to put up one piece of artwork on your wall and stare at it for a year, who would it be by and why?
Honestly, I have this dog painting from a thrift store that was done in like '72. It's an amorphous husky face and I think it would have to be the one. There's a lot of art that I love and am influenced by, but when it comes down to it, I'd rather just laugh. It's one of the best paintings I own.
Tell us about your creative process.
Usually I start with an agenda for painting or drawing. What am I doing? What am I looking at? What is it for? If I'm just going at it, the color palette I'm using is the most important part in creating a piece I like. There are very particular shades and tones and saturations that I use. They're usually the same no matter what medium I'm working in and generally never fail me. Or I just use pencil and am pleased. There's a lot of different feelings though that take hold of me and make me want to produce specific work. Sometimes they are simply circumstantial (being stuck in a location for an extended amount of time for instance) or I have a particular show coming up,or sometimes I'm really angry or hopelessly depressed, or sometimes I just don't know what else to do with myself. There is no special environment necessary for me to work. Sometimes very personal is good. Other times, I just want to sit and draw people and buildings and coffee for hours and listen to conversations. I guess I'm a very skillful adapter.
Do you ever find weird connections between life and art?
It's the same! The biggest thing I've noticed with myself is that my style, and wardrobe, and objects, and everything I surround myself with mirrors my artistic maturity. Or maybe it's the other way around. These changes can be seen in palette, patterns, line quality, media, and seriousness. I look at pictures of myself and can pinpoint what I was painting at the moment. My interests and style change a lot, so there's a lot for me to investigate into.
As an artist, are you Technical or passionate?
I've been around enough technical people to know that I am not one of them. I have piles of dumped paintings and drawings because I don't have the patience to plan anything out. I just get a color on my brush and go. I prefer learning through constant corrections and not knowing if anything will work out. It gives more chances for something new and inspirational to just happen. There's always more paper and more time.
How do you determine when a work is finished? Or is it ever finished?
Some pieces are never really done. Some you know, for certain, that nothing more could improve it. It's based off of compositional sense mostly. I also have a ridiculous amount of artists as friends, and they are not afraid to say when something is off.
Do you think there are boundaries you would never cross in your art making?
I don't think I can make any such claims at the moment. I only know that I will never give up drawing.
What frightens you most about your art?
Sometimes I reveal much more about myself than I realize. When I'm making art, I feel really free to get out any and all emotions that I have balled up. I don't really think about how much people might learn about me. It's scary because I hate being vulnerable. It's what I work hardest at to avoid in my personal life.
Do you have any magic cures for creative blocks?
I wouldn't say I have blocks so much. I can always make work that I'm okay with. For work that I feel amazing about though, it's usually essential that I am feeling a bit out of place or particularly self reflective. Things that I create while basically freaking out are usually what I relate to for the longest.
Do you dream about your artwork?
I don't think I ever have.
Which of your own works are you most proud of/ is most meaningful to you and why?
My comics and zines actually. I love some singular pieces, but I've emoted the most in the works I distributed. Knowing that I'm exposed to an audience for such an extended amount of time, in a variety of locations is terrifying. I've done some books that were very specific to me.
Which art mediums and brands do you prefer to use?
Gouache is lovely. Rives BFK & lightweight. Sometimes stonehenge. I pretty much exclusively use moleskin notebooks because they have toned pages and just look smart.
What kind of art education do you have? Do you think it is important?
I'm in my final semester for a BFA in illustration at the Pacific NW College of Art. I enjoy school, but I just don't think everyone needs it. It's a great catalyst for creating new and interesting work.
I honestly have no idea what I would do with my time if I was not interested in art. I think its a way to understand existence. It gives me a purpose and goals and a way to express anything I want.
What are you inspired by? And who do you look up to?
My friends' art, antiques, plants, style, big cities, romantic inclinations.
It's slowly being revealed to me how deeply I relate to my family. My interests mirror my parent's history so much and runs parallel lines with my sister. They are all so amazingly skilled that I can't help but be defensive about my own work with them. I am always afraid that they will critique my work in a way that I can't recover from. Their opinion is the most important and often the most honest.
Which influential artist would you like to ask for advice?
I once wrote some fan mail to Mark Todd and Esther Pearl Watson and sent them a copy of my latest comic at the time. They were delightfully responsive to it. I think just understanding that the artists you admire are often just sweet, hard working people is enough to be an influence to me. Advice is good, but motivation seems key.
If you had to put up one piece of artwork on your wall and stare at it for a year, who would it be by and why?
Honestly, I have this dog painting from a thrift store that was done in like '72. It's an amorphous husky face and I think it would have to be the one. There's a lot of art that I love and am influenced by, but when it comes down to it, I'd rather just laugh. It's one of the best paintings I own.
Tell us about your creative process.
Usually I start with an agenda for painting or drawing. What am I doing? What am I looking at? What is it for? If I'm just going at it, the color palette I'm using is the most important part in creating a piece I like. There are very particular shades and tones and saturations that I use. They're usually the same no matter what medium I'm working in and generally never fail me. Or I just use pencil and am pleased. There's a lot of different feelings though that take hold of me and make me want to produce specific work. Sometimes they are simply circumstantial (being stuck in a location for an extended amount of time for instance) or I have a particular show coming up,or sometimes I'm really angry or hopelessly depressed, or sometimes I just don't know what else to do with myself. There is no special environment necessary for me to work. Sometimes very personal is good. Other times, I just want to sit and draw people and buildings and coffee for hours and listen to conversations. I guess I'm a very skillful adapter.
Do you ever find weird connections between life and art?
It's the same! The biggest thing I've noticed with myself is that my style, and wardrobe, and objects, and everything I surround myself with mirrors my artistic maturity. Or maybe it's the other way around. These changes can be seen in palette, patterns, line quality, media, and seriousness. I look at pictures of myself and can pinpoint what I was painting at the moment. My interests and style change a lot, so there's a lot for me to investigate into.
As an artist, are you Technical or passionate?
I've been around enough technical people to know that I am not one of them. I have piles of dumped paintings and drawings because I don't have the patience to plan anything out. I just get a color on my brush and go. I prefer learning through constant corrections and not knowing if anything will work out. It gives more chances for something new and inspirational to just happen. There's always more paper and more time.
How do you determine when a work is finished? Or is it ever finished?
Some pieces are never really done. Some you know, for certain, that nothing more could improve it. It's based off of compositional sense mostly. I also have a ridiculous amount of artists as friends, and they are not afraid to say when something is off.
Do you think there are boundaries you would never cross in your art making?
I don't think I can make any such claims at the moment. I only know that I will never give up drawing.
What frightens you most about your art?
Sometimes I reveal much more about myself than I realize. When I'm making art, I feel really free to get out any and all emotions that I have balled up. I don't really think about how much people might learn about me. It's scary because I hate being vulnerable. It's what I work hardest at to avoid in my personal life.
Do you have any magic cures for creative blocks?
I wouldn't say I have blocks so much. I can always make work that I'm okay with. For work that I feel amazing about though, it's usually essential that I am feeling a bit out of place or particularly self reflective. Things that I create while basically freaking out are usually what I relate to for the longest.
Do you dream about your artwork?
I don't think I ever have.
Which of your own works are you most proud of/ is most meaningful to you and why?
My comics and zines actually. I love some singular pieces, but I've emoted the most in the works I distributed. Knowing that I'm exposed to an audience for such an extended amount of time, in a variety of locations is terrifying. I've done some books that were very specific to me.
Which art mediums and brands do you prefer to use?
Gouache is lovely. Rives BFK & lightweight. Sometimes stonehenge. I pretty much exclusively use moleskin notebooks because they have toned pages and just look smart.
What kind of art education do you have? Do you think it is important?
I'm in my final semester for a BFA in illustration at the Pacific NW College of Art. I enjoy school, but I just don't think everyone needs it. It's a great catalyst for creating new and interesting work.
What kind of career do you ultimately want? And what kind of career do you think you'll end up having (or already have) realistically?
If I could end up in any situation that I desired, I probably would do freelance or work with a firm for a while (job security is nice), and then develop into only really doing personal projects, and then maybe slow down and open up some kind of shop in a habitable area, and then relax and maybe just focus on setting things up for supporting other people (curating, publishing, etc). I think this is a very realistic and comfortable plan, which is why I like it so much. It's also just vague enough to allow many other things to occur.
If I could end up in any situation that I desired, I probably would do freelance or work with a firm for a while (job security is nice), and then develop into only really doing personal projects, and then maybe slow down and open up some kind of shop in a habitable area, and then relax and maybe just focus on setting things up for supporting other people (curating, publishing, etc). I think this is a very realistic and comfortable plan, which is why I like it so much. It's also just vague enough to allow many other things to occur.
Is your family supportive of your art? Who influenced and nurtured your creativity most?
They're lovely. Without them I probably would have never even attempted to go to art school or work as hard as I do. My parents are so talented, and yet have very little time for artistic endeavors. It makes me feel like my duty to do everything within my power to succeed for their sake.
Which direction do you see your art heading in the future?
Expanding into space and the invisible.
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