When Inspiration is Also Distraction with Thom Jopson

Zerothreetwo Conversations: Interviews with the Creative Class

Have you ever looked at artwork and asked yourself, "Where does this come from?" The same thing can be said for all the pop culture characters that you know and love. Sometimes the answer is complicated, but other times, it's as simple as hanging out with friends over a few drinks.

When I first spoke with Thom Jopson, fantasy and surreal painter, we walked around the gallery looking at his artwork. His stories from each piece made his characters come alive. Not only did it seem real, it made it familiar. "I've been in that bar, I've hung out with those people, I have a friend just like that," I couldn't help, but relate as he was talking about each piece.

In this episode, we talk about treating art as work, how to balance inspiration with distraction, painting seemingly mundane situations, and making the real surreal.

Enjoy the episode.

SHOWNOTES

Kenichi Wani

Lean Reboja (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode)

High School Never Ends artwork

I Want to Hold Your Hand artwork

Asylum de Busay

Qube Gallery

Where can you find Thom?

https://www.instagram.com/thebardofboredom/

This episode is brought to you by Qube Gallery, a progressive art space in Cebu, Philippines providing network and exhibit opportunities for contemporary artists with whom they work closely with and promote beyond the local reach. Aside from its physical space in Crossroads, Banilad, Cebu City, you can check out their online collection on www.artsy.net/qube-gallery.

This month at Qube Gallery: Countercurrent by G.I. Pongase and Unchained Melody by Thom Jopson Two of Cebu’s young and upcoming artists, GI Pongase and Thom Jopson, will have their back to back shows at Qube Gallery. GI Pongase expands the range of his expressionist visual language with a series titled Countercurrent. In addition to texture and surface engagements, Pongase incorporates gestural lines, figurative drawings and other graphic elements to complement the rough, vulnerable and potent visual field that he explores with much empathy and restraint. Thom Jopson shows off his fantasy and surreal inclinations in his latest exhibition, Unchained Melody. Luxuriant characters and ornate sceneries compliment the peculiar stories told by each piece. Thom is such a clever and dexterous storyteller, with his art expounding on the sensational lines of magic realism and fantasy.

Catch Countercurrent and Unchained Melody on view at Qube Gallery from October 31 to November 16, 2019.

This episode is brought to you by ASPACE. In need of a coworking space in the heart of Cebu? Be a part of the indie coworking project of ASPACE Philippines.

ASPACE Cebu is located at the creative boutique hub of Crossroads Mall, Gov. M. Cuenco Ave, Cebu City. You can call [phone].

https://aspace.work/

https://www.facebook.com/aspacecebu/

https://www.instagram.com/aspaceph/

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Music is Piano March by Audionautix