New Artist Alert

I also love meeting up with other writers and artists, especially online. It's always a pleasure to click through an artist's website and look at their work.

Most recently, I found Nic Vandergugten's website via (Toronto) Craigslist (a site I visit regularly as entertainment. So many advertisers want writers to write for them for free. It's as amusing as it is maddening. )

After visiting Nic's site, I asked him a few questions about what inspires him, where he studied, and what he envisions for his career.

As is often the case, illustration - even of words - is best left to the artist:

On inspiration

I suppose life and people around me inspire my artwork. Often I'll be attracted to a subject for unknown reasons and only after I've done the drawings will I understand what it was that brought me to draw them. Hopefully this sense of intrigue finds its was back out when people see my work.

About studying

I haven't studied at any art schools, thought I have had some amazing teachers, as far back as high school I always seemed to be aligned with great mentors that encouraged me at the right times. My parents were always very supportive, and my father is an artist as well and gave me the best lessons a kid could have by putting a pencil in my hand and not saying anything.

Career goals

Well, only recently have I started to see art as a career. Art was always something that I did for myself and to amuse my friends and family. Once I started getting into doing illustrations, I realized how much I love working with other people on projects. My only goal right now is to keep working on interesting projects wherever they appear. Ultimately I would like to have the space and income to work on a larger scale than is possible for me now. Toronto is still new to me and its a very big city filled with amazing artists, I'm still finding my place in it.

To find Nic's place online, click here: Nicholas Vandergugten.