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Raszka's life is just as encompassing. After graduating from the University of Connecticut with a fine arts degree, he traveled around the world. He has lived in San Francisco, Reno, and now San Diego, where he spoke by phone to altpick.com from his studio. "I suppose I'll stop moving when I find that perfect place, or when I can't move anymore, whichever comes first," he says. "I like the idea of reinventing myself." Whether it's painting, collage, drawing, photography, or digital art, Raszka strives to integrate his observations of the world, reflecting its beauty without losing sight of his role. "As an illustrator I see my role as a problem solver," he says. "The client needs to get a message out. Illustration is a unique, powerful, and evocative vehicle to do that. With illustration, an emotional quality can be attached to the message that I believe is unique in all media." Raszka has certainly gotten that message out, with a client list that includes The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic Monthly, The Chicago Tribune, Fortune magazine, The Wall Street Journal, National Geographic Adventure Magazine, and Sony Music. His work has also received recognition from Print magazine, The Los Angeles Society of Illustrators and the San Francisco Society of Illustrators.
The traditional emphasizes the hand-done. I use paint, pencil, or any other mark-making device with found images. The only digital part is at the end for delivery. The concept and style merge to create an engaging image. My digital style satisfies my technical side. It is more photographic using my own images as well as found images and really old pictures. I integrate those with hand art and painted texture. The images from this style will often conceptualize a complex or abstract idea. The one thing that they both share is the same problem-solving, concept-goal development. I really enjoy developing concepts. That is the best part of the project. That's where the challenge lies. How do you know when a piece is finished?It's a gut-level reaction. If you do one more thing to a painting it will be too much. And you know at that point when you've done enough. I've gotten to this point because I have taken several paintings too far and ruined them. What inspires you? I am inspired by artists such as Robert Rauschenberg, Cy Twombley, Jean-Michael Basquait, Saul Steinberg, and Ben Shahn. I'm inspired by jazz and other types of music, nature, the urban environment, the challenge of a project. I am always looking for inspiration. I find it not only in conventional places like books and museums but in unique places: a hand-painted sign, a construction site, accidental marks on a wall, urban decay.
I am attracted to the hand-done, the evidence of human involvement in art making - the fingerprint of the artist. To me, the textures and a rough line have character and lend an emotional quality to a piece of art. Do you feel you have to educate art directors on the use of illustration? I've been very lucky in that people who respond to my work enough to call me, know what illustration is all about and they want me to do my thing. It has been rare that someone wants to micro-manage or over art direct. What do you do when you are not working? I spend time with my wife of seven years, fine art painting, photography, bicycling, hiking, cooking, guitar playing, and reading. - Contributed by Mary-Beth Holland >> See more work from Brian Raszka >> See other member spotlights on the member spotlight index >> Find out more on how to become an altpick.com member |
