I’m very happy to be able to share with you my interview with Ryan Berkley of Berkley Illustration for this week’s Indie Artist Fixx. Ryan, who is one part funny man and one part artist, is probably best known for his animal portraits….not just any animal portraits, but portraits of animals in suits. Yes, I wrote animals in suits. You’ll see what I mean below.
Berkley Illustration is actually a two-person team made up of Ryan, the creative force, and his wife Lucy, it sounds like the everything else force. Since Lucy is such an important part of Berkley Illustration, I thought it made sense to have her be a part of the interview as well, so she chimes in every once in a while. I like doing interviews like this, I think it adds something. Anyway, please enjoy and read more about Berkley Illustration below.
Oh yea, I almost forgot. Head on over to the Berkley Illustration blog and vote for your favorite animal that you’d like to see in the Berkley Illustration June line. I voted, and if you want to see what I voted for you need to check out the comments.
1. What’s the name of your business and what do create and sell?
My wife and I run Berkley Illustration, which is mainly an Etsy business so far, where we sell my original illustrations, prints, and a few buttons. I focus on animal art but enjoy doing other themes of illustration when I can. I do all of the art— Lucy does everything else. She’s the business force behind what we do and who we are. I’m working on getting more gallery shows in the upcoming year as well.
2. Tell us how you got started with your indie business.
My first “big” gig was illustrating a book, Super Crafty, and then I started selling prints and original art at craft shows.
After we did some research and bought an archival printer, we decided to give Etsy a try. Luckily for us, we got a quick and very positive response, created a good fan base, and sold enough prints to keep it going as a strong, almost-full time business. We both have full-time regular jobs, so when we get home from work it’s onto our other full-time Etsy work.
3. What are your inspirations in your art and in life?
In my art, I’m inspired by animals and comic books for the most part. I have a deep respect for animals and I grew up in an animal loving family. There’s such a rich pool to choose from when using animals in art and you can take a lot of creative license with them. I was also hugely inspired by comic art growing up, but haven’t done too much comic drawing in recent years. I’d love to be able to incorporated the animals in book form at some point. As far as life inspiration, my wife of course. She keeps me going everyday.
4. Are there any pearls of wisdom you’d like to share with newbie indie business owners?
I would say to establish your business as friendly and outgoing. Try to become inviting, engaging, and fair with your customers, while doing what you love. Be creative. If you have the talent, try to keep things fresh and get an idea of what people like and want. We’re fairly new ourselves and you just have to figure out a lot by trial and error.
Lucy says that being organized is also really important!
5. What three things can’t you live without?
1. Cereal (featuring mascots)
2. Shark week
3. My markers
6. What’s the best thing about what you do? And the worst?
The best, as far as art? I don’t know. I’m kind of proud of some of the textures I’ve been creating with my makers. With each new animal I do, I learn something new and improve upon techniques of drawing such things as feathers, fur, eyes, etc.
The worst. Hands down—drawing architecture and cars. Anything technical that involves straight, even lines and/or symmetry—count me out.
7. What blogs and mags do you read and what shops do you shop at?
I wish we had time to read and shop around more. We read Indie Fixx, of course. 🙂 We read our friends’ blogs, Urban Honking, design blogs (Design Sponge, SF Girl by the Bay, Decor8…). I want to find more cool art blogs.
Mags we read: Juxtapoz, Venus, Bust, Readymade, Herbivore, Smithsonian (we’re getting this
one free with airline miles right now – weird), National Geographic.
There are so many cool shops in Portland! We love Reading Frenzy, Just Be, Floating World, Side Street Gallery, Jackpot Records, and lots of local music and comic stores. Oh, and of course we shop on Etsy!
8. Were you an artsy craftsy kid? If so, what kinds of things did you do?
Definitely. I drew He-Man and Star Wars stuff all the time. From an early age I was told I was a good artist, so I just kept with it and took it pretty seriously. I was entering art contests starting in third grade. I’ve received plenty of encouragement from family and friends. So, if you have a young one who shows potential in any art form, have them stick with it and encourage them! (I can’t wait to have kids!)
9. Are you a dog person or a cat person or some other completely different animal?
I love both, but I have to say I’m a cat person. Cats make me laugh with anything they do. I can’t have a cat because my father-in-law is allergic, but when I see one on the street or at a friend’s house I really try to get in as much quality cat time as possible. Lucy is a complete dog person, but somehow our marriage has stayed intact.
10. What does indie mean to you? You can give a literal definition, choose to be a little esoteric or a combination of both. 😉
Indie just kind of generalizes what I like and do in my life, and the people I associate with. A lot of my friends are independent in some way, either through a business, art, the music they listen to, or what have you. However, I hear the term so often these days, I wonder what the opposite is, when relating this to lifestyles of those around me – what that means. If you’re not indie, then what are you? [Lucy: “Outdie”]
11. What are you reading, watching and listening to?
Reading – World war Z, (a zombie novel). Just read The Road (a very bleak, yet amazing book), comics and graphic novels.
Watching – Project Runway, The Office. Would be watching Hell’s Kitchen if any of the contestants were remotely likable. [Lucy: Ryan has a strange fascination with Chef Ramsey].
Listening to – Sunset Rubdown. She and Him. Beach House. The Helio Sequence. And lots and lots of other stuff. Lucy has been listening to 1960s soul music a lot.
12. What’s one thing you’ve learned as an adult that you wish you knew when you were a kid?
That killing and eating animals is a not such a great thing. For the animals, the planet, and your body.
13. What’s new for 2008? Any new plans or products that you want to share?
Yikes—lots of stuff. We’re doing the Renegade craft fair in Brooklyn in June. I have two solo shows here in town, and another in Canada this year, plus I’ll be part of a few group shows. We’re gonna keep the animals series going strong and we’ve just introduced a voting system on our blog giving fans a chance to have their picks drawn out in fashionable attire. Also, were gonna have the animals featured on a few interesting and exciting products later this year via other indie businesses…So stay tuned—as we like to say at Berkley Illustration! “Good things are always around the corner.”
