Artist: Eddie Vegas
Location: Patagonia, Chile via Ireland
Website: www.republicofvegas.com
Who are you, where are you from?
My name is Eddie Vegas, I am originally from the south of the world, a land called Patagonia (Chile). I am the mastermind behind Republicofvegas.com and the owner of 3 cats and several windowsill plants. Since I left my homeland 4 years ago, I have spent most of my time in the green island of Ireland, watching the rain and eating potatoes next to my beautiful fiancée Sarah.
What do you do?
I am a jack of all trades, At the moment I work as a tattoo artist, illustrator, graphic designer and entrepreneur. I am currently writing a book about tattooing and the magic behind it, so I guess that makes me an author as well.
I try to put an original touch to everything I do, I like combining modern tools to perform old traditional trades. As a tattoo artist I get most of my work from the internet, I work from my studio at home and every now and then I do home calls, how ever, as an illustrator and designer things are a bit more complicated though, it’s a different clientele I must work with, they’re still related to the art scene, but somehow more connected to the
corporate world.
Why do you do it?
I do it because I love being able to express myself through my work. I graduated from IT engineering, and I knew from the beginning that the corporate life wasn’t for me, I am a more sensitive person and I really enjoy making people happy by working with
them. I started working as a teacher in a big IT company, they offered me the chance to start hosting Photoshop and Web Design courses and I completely fell in love with it. A few years later I decided to explore more traditional medias and ended up as a Tattoo artist at the other of the world, it was definitely the best decision.
How do you create these images?
I feel very inspired by current affairs, social movements, alternative history and the global economy. I believe everything is interconnected somehow and I think my mission is to inform people, in a graphic way, about what I read in between the lines. I am a big fan of sketchbooks, fine liners, graphic tablets and Photoshop.
Who are your influences?
Art wise, my influences are people like Gustav Dore, Mike Giant, Salvador Dali, Ed Repka and Angela Giussani (Diabolik), on the other hand I feel very inspired by authors involved into current affairs and alternative history, such as Erich Von Daniken, Michael Tsarion, John Perkins, etc… I am also very inspired by the Bible, the teachings of Buddha, the Kybalion and the amazing Sumerian discoveries by Zecharia Sitchin.
How does the place you live impact upon your work?
The place where I live in has a massive impact on my work, I try not to think or analyse the things surrounding me, instead I decided I should simply concentrate on how I feel about the place and those things, that day everything started to flow in a different way and inspiration was somehow unlocked.
In Belfast, where I live now, I am amazed by the amount of street art related to the Catholic and Protestant conflict, the Painted Murals are full of strong images with a very direct political message, it has a very significant effect within the locals and it identifies the city.
What do you like?
I like lounge music, hotel lobbies, quiet coffee shops, old cars, skate parks and a cosy home. I am passionate about decorating spaces, cooking for my fiancée, cats and farms, traveling to exotic places and learning about the local culture. When I am in a new place I like to find out about the way the locals live and how they feel about the rest of the world.
What don’t you like?
Even though I believe it is the most magnificent and functional invention since fuel engines, Television is what I dislike the most. I believe TV shows are simply marketing tools in a higher and more complex context, I believe News Shows and Hollywood movies must be seen with a very critical eye and it must be understood that even though Cinematography is a form of art, it’s also a very effective way to generate profit and a extremely powerful tool to manufacture reality and consent. However, there are directors and producers who love art and they’re producing wonderful, rich and inspiring
movies.
Find Eddie Vegas here:
www.republicofvegas.com
Originally posted 2012-03-29 09:00:39. Republished by Blog Post Promoter