JD Iwanski

Hekate Publishing had been following JD Iwanski’s work on Instagram for many months, gawking at this artist’s range and wild creativity. We finally asked if he would be interested in possibly illustrating a future book or two. By way of introduction, we asked Jeff a few “personal questions,” as well as including a selection of his images.

Where did you grow up and how did your growing up influence you to get into art?

I grew up in Grand Island Nebraska, middle America. I always felt like I was a little different than everyone else my age, like everyone was on a different wavelength than me, and my attempts to relate just left me feeling embarrassed by my feeble grasp of the things that came naturally to everyone else. I learned early that I could create my own way of seeing things through drawing. I guess it was a case of trying to fit in by being different, if that makes any sense.  I realized I could make someone laugh or feel uncomfortable or even make someone mad by drawing a picture. When people started noticing, sometimes even praising something I drew, I felt like "ok this must be what I'm supposed to be doing.”

When did you start to sell your art? What prompted that transition?

I don't pretend to know how to successfully sell art, I mean, I've sold paintings and my services as a designer, but I have always had a day job to pay the bills. The way I see it is, if I have to support my need to create by sweeping floors then so be it. I am not good at promoting myself, it's not in my DNA. The beauty of my situation is that I avoid all the hustle and actual work that goes along with doing art as a means of financial support, also I am not beholden to anyone but myself when it comes to what I produce. I'm totally free to create whatever, however I want. Don't get me wrong, I would love to do it full time, but I would never want to compromise what I do to make that happen. I spent several years as a screen print artist making up designs for t-shirts for other people, which was kinda fun up to a point but what happened was that I started to use a cookie cutter approach to get things out as quick and painlessly as possible, sucked all the joy out of creating. Today I sweep floors, that works for now.

What creative people/things influenced you?

Some of my influences are Planet of the Apes, David Lynch, Don Martin, Carter Family, Robert Crumb, Ren and Stimpy, Kiss, Basil Wolverton, Gibson Flying V, Chuck Jones, Jean Luc Picard, Al Jaffee, Tom Waits, naked lady mudflaps, Mouse and Kelley, Ted Danson, Star Wars, Bob Dylan, Ralph Steadman, Klaus Kinski, Looney Tunes, Disco, Ralph Bakshi, Fredericks of Hollywood, Kandinsky, The Andy Griffith Show, Neil Young, Rick Griffin, Gibson J-45, Honeyboy Turner, Kurt Vonnegut, Tex Avery, First Blood, Pablo Picasso, Steve Goesch, Easyrider, Philip Guston, Mickey Mouse, Harry Smith, Captain Beefheart, Leaving on a Jet Plane, Saul Bass, Jessica Rabbit, Neon Park, Eraserhead baby, Joan Miro, Gregory Peck, Wacky Packages, Hunter S. Thompson, Parts Pups, 72 Chevy Vega, Werner Herzog, Desire Caught by the Tail, the key of G, Popeye, Where the Wild Things Are, Andy Warhol and Days of our Lives...there's more.

How do you go about making a picture?

How I make an image depends on the medium or desired final outcome, but essentially, I try to capture chaos. When I'm making my bird portraits for example, I like to use screen printed elements that may have been born out of a doodle or quick splort or splatter. I will make a screen of that element so I can keep reinforcing it in the picture. Then no matter how many layers I build up with paint or ink I can always just print it again over the top, even if I obliterate the original print. I just hit it again and keep going till it's right.

What are your favorite materials?

I use whatever materials that are available, nothing fancy. If all I have is a ball point pen, a glob of spit and a napkin, that's what I will use. You could do a lot with that by the way.

What electronic devices and programs do you use to prepare your work?

I have a really old version of photoshop that I use when I make my "Is This Funny" single panel comic. If I have to set type or something, I use Corel Draw, ha ha. I guess you would say I use "vintage" programs. When I was in college in the late 80s it was a transition time in graphic design. I learned to use a t-square and hand cut & paste a layout as well as use graphic programs. The one I learned on was Superpaint. It’s real, look it up. We all had Apple Macintosh computers with little 8 inch screens. It taught me the basics. That's all we needed.

How do you know something is right?

What is right to me may not be right to someone else, it's all subjective. I have my own set of rules that I apply to everything I do, and those rules change with each thing I make. I know something is right when it conforms to the rules I establish at the beginning of the project … or maybe the ones I make up along the way.

What advice would you give young artists?

I'm sure a young artist could teach me a thing or two.

Publisher’s Note, with respect to the artist’s modesty and the last question. The reason Hekate is honored to work with Jefferson Dylan Iwanski, and why he restores for us hope, involves part of his answer to the second question:

I would never want to compromise what I do.

Young artists and writers are bombarded by NOISE that can interfere not only with concentration but confidence, now more so than ever. And as with any market, the snake oil sales people bark the loudest along with the rule makers.

Jeff’s Instagram Account is worth perusing.