In the Spotlight: Gary Fernandez

Featured in books and magazines, Gary Fernandez has been showcased in numerous art galleries around the world. Also, as the co-founder of the T-Shirt company Velvet Banana, Gary has brought his designs from the wall to be printed on shirts. Having designed his work for several well known organizations, including Coca Cola, Gary continues to push into the future with energy and excitement.

Now, after a larger showing, Gary has had a chance to sit down and give deeper insight to his works.

TC: When you were younger, what did you dream of becoming?
GF: I think I was very interested in Astronomy.

TC: How and when did you get your start as an illustrator and graphic artist?
GF: It was totally accidental and actually, I really don't know what was first. I have a graphic design background, so I started working as a graphic designer, but I guess instinctively I was focused on the illustration part of the job.
Afterwards, when I was working in the design team of a fashion magazine in Madrid, I was more in contact with illustrators and photographers, and then I realized I was more interested in illustration than in any other thing of the design process.
Now, I'm noticing that I'm also very interested in materials, lights and set as well as industrial design. And also in gallery shows.

TC: What types of music do you listen to, how do you dress, and what other factors affect your work?
GF: I usually listen to different kinds of music. I'm listening to music the whole day, and I love to discover new bands, new sounds. Right now my playlist has these bands: Yacht, New Young Pony Club, Liars, Grizzly Bear, Animal Collective, Piano Magic, Panda Bear, Beach House, and Benjamin Biolay, and I'm also re-discovering the Spanish band Los Planetas...
I think the whole atmosphere affects my work: the daylight, the weather, the sounds, the dreams, the people, my relationship with the exterior. I usually work alone, so everything related with human contact is very tough for me while I'm working.
How I dress depends on the day, I like monochromatic looks. One day all white, or all black, or all red, except grey. That's not my favorite color.

TC: How do you do most of your work? (What programs do you use and how long did it take to master them?)
GF: First I review my notebooks and the pictures I took with my phone. There I can find different ideas, different ways to use as a starting point.
When I have a clear idea of the way I want to take, I start working on the finals, detailing the elements, composition, etc.
I usually work with regular pencils and paper, and very basic and common software, like Photoshop and Illustrator.

TC: Where do you draw your inspiration from? (Your style is generally different from other artists, is this your own imprint or something you picked up from someone else?)
GF: I'm just testing things I have in mind, telling dreams I have had, stories I've invented or based on stories I've heard, things I saw, playing with tools I've never used before, and imagining how something would look in a specific way. Or simply, I'm interpreting what I'm seeing on the street or around me. That's how I work.
I'm collecting notebooks full of words, rough drawings with ideas, etc, as well as pictures I usually take during my walks. There I find so much inspiration. But I also love the work of photographers, like Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton, and lately Ryan McGinley.
Other references come from other periods and other places, like Japan, India, Russia, Africa, etc...

TC: What was the most difficult challenge you've ever encountered and how did you conquer it?
GF: The last two years, I've been changing my whole body of work and the way to understand my job, so I think that was my biggest challenge so far.

TC: Of all your pieces, which is your favorite and why?
GF: Hard to tell it's my favorite, but I really love "An Ordinary Day In The Park".

TC: You tend to favor the black and whites, how do the other colors come into play in your work?
GF: Just trying. I don't have any rule on it. Just intuition. I have a color book I bought 9 years ago, and I just play with the colors from there. That's all. Now I'm changing my palettes, and using different ranges, and I'm having a lot of fun with my new colors.
At the beginning, I was a bit afraid of the whole color thing, but now I'm trying, learning and evolving that way.

TC: Which exhibition is your favorite to do/present to the public?
GF: Multimedia exhibition. I like to interact with the whole space. Not only hanging frames on the walls. But I won't say anything else. You will see it in my next one!! ;)

TC: How does the public generally react to your artistic style and how does that affect you, as the artist?
GF: It's really stimulating, motivating, and great to receive emails, and feedback from the audience. I'm surprised how people have answered to my work. I haven't expected it.
But now, I'm trying to be careful about all this, in order to continue evolving without any kind of pressure.

TC: How has your work evolved over time?
GF: I think it's evolving really quickly! During the last two years, I've been developing so many different aspects. Now I'm feeling more comfortable than ever with my work. It's time for fun now.

TC: How did your parents/family take to your career decisions?
GF: I don't remember, but I guess really bad.

TC: How long does it usually take to complete one piece of artwork?
GF: One week and a half or so. Actually, I can't say something really specific, because I love to have various illustrations on the table at the same time. It also depends on how big the illustration is, or how many details it has.

TC: What brought about the beginnings of VelvetBanana? Why "Velvet" and "Banana"?
GF: My love for music and my idea of creating a platform to show something different in my work. The name is a homage to Andy Warhol and his cover for The Velvet Underground.

TC: What's coming up in the future for you?
GF: I've been quite busy lately. Hopefully you will see all this work soon on the street. We'll see.

TC: Personal message to your fans:
GF: Hi there!

Please, feel free to check out his work on his webpage. Also, look over the information and references that colors his credentials and ask him any questions you may have that are not covered in the interview. Like many artists, Gary is a very friendly person and gets back to people rather quickly. Not at all spoiled by his well-traveled shoes, Gary seeks to color the world as he sees fit, and it's for the enjoyment of viewers like you.