A conversation with the Santa Cruz poster artist whose work has become synonymous with (((folkYEAH))) and other Bay Area shows.
CAT JOHNSON: You spend a lot of time creating posters for shows and music-related events; can you talk about the relationship between your art and music?
STACIE WILLOUGHBY: There’s something about combining the two that takes everything a step up. That’s true whether there are visuals happening at the same time as the music, or whether there are visuals lauding the music beforehand, or whether there’s music happening while the art is being made…they just work well together.
I like having the event be the de facto meaning of the poster. It really takes the pressure and the seriousness off of WHAT THE ART MEANS. And if people are looking at the art and they understand inherently that it’s an advertisement for an awesome event, then that’ll be the thing on their mind, and any other meaning they pick up from it will be sorta sneakier and secondary. And y’know, I like shows, I like live music, and live music goes off best when everyone’s, y’know, ready for it. I’m just really into making things exciting…I want my posters to be the best possible kind of foreplay.
How has your art evolved over the years? When did you start drawing and how did you get into doing gig art?
I’ve always drawn. Since my hands could clasp an implement. I’d like to think I’ve gotten more skilled over time, and I know I still have an eternity to go in that department. I’ve gotten much more willing to let myself draw whatever I feel like, even if it’s gonna be kind of uncomfortable for someone. I started making advertisements because it needed doing, and it’s pretty much the best job in the world. For me, I mean.
What kind of physical space do you create for yourself when you sit down to start a project? What is your preferred medium?
I like posters because you can do them anywhere, you can take them with you outside, you just need a hard surface on your lap. I hang out in my room and do them and listen to records. I have a drawing table but I only use it about half the time, maybe, and I haven’t had it that long. I have this board I put in my lap, I just sorta work that way. I like playing with materials, but I guess pencils and pens are my favorite. Markers are cool too, but I’ve been playing with a lot of mixed media lately. Anything that can mark the surface and is even remotely controllable.
The characters that show up in your work tend to be one of a kind, other-worldly types. Where do they come from? Do you plan them out in advance or do they manifest spontaneously as they’re being created?
I don’t know, I don’t think about it. I make something that looks right as I go along. I get an idea, and then it needs something, and then I put it there, and I keep doing that ‘til it’s finished. I’m sure that everything’s psychological. People always see the posters and they’re like, “Hey! It’s a girl with a spiderweb on her!” And it seems silly because you’d think I’d be aware of what the poster is of, right? But actually I don’t see half the stuff other people see in there, so it’s cool for me. The thing never feels fully apparent ‘til someone else tells me what they see.
Poster art has such a rich history. Are there particular artists or movements that have directly inspired your work?
Yeah. Tons. Pretty much everything I’ve ever seen. That’s how I feel about it. I didn’t study anyone, I just have a really photographic memory and I file everything away and let it blend.
Historically, poster artists are record keepers, documenting everything from art and music movements to wars and political upheavals. Their posters are known by all, yet very few know the artist behind the work. Why is this and how can we pay poster artists the respect they deserve?
I don’t know. You either care or you don’t, it’s not a big deal. If a poster strikes me, I always try to find out who did it. Posters are advertisements, so people’s minds go to what’s on the poster instead of who made it, first. And then if the art is really striking, they might want to know who made the poster, and that’s a compliment to the artist. But I think it’s cool that people know of the posters and don’t necessarily know who I am or my name or my face. It helps me to see more realistic reactions to them, unlike when you’re at an art show and everyone’s kinda pussyfooting around, feeling like they have to have an opinion even if they don’t feel anything.
Posters are like guerrillas, they’re out all over the street and half the time you don’t even realize you’re being infiltrated. That’s true of shitty ads too, unfortunately. But I just like making the thing, I like altering the landscape a little tiny bit in my own way. I mean, everything I have to say is in there. But I believe in communication, so that’s why I answer these questions sometimes, but there’s really no need: it’s all in the posters.
Can people hire you for poster jobs?
Of course. I’m always looking for good projects.
This article first appeared on houseofcat.net.
