John Maneval's "Jaw Mandible", an exhibition of screen prints and paintings, will be on display at the gallery from March 15 to April 10, 2011. A reception for the artist is on Friday March 18, 2011 from 6-10pm.
When did you start making art?
When I was a little kid I used to draw monster trucks. I had art class through high school. I didn't really like art class. Then I started getting more serious about 6 years ago. I started painting more on my own.
What is appealing to you about screen printing and printmaking in general?
I like screen printing because I like the process. I took it in high school so I could make shirts and I kind of fell in love with the process of it. Then sometime later I started doing posters. When I learned screen printing, I didn't realize you could do posters and now that's pretty much all I do with it. I just like the thickness and boldness of the colors. I like the feeling of picking up the screen and seeing what you've created underneath. It's actually kind of a long process to get your image onto paper. I like that about it.
I worked at a screen printing shop in Mechanicsburg printing t-shirts for people's family reunions and pizza shops - boring stuff like that. Then I didn't really do it much for a few years until I decided to start doing posters and started doing it at home. So that's where I'm at now.
I read in another interview that you have your studio set up all around your house and not in a specific room. Do you still work this way? How's it working out? Would you rather have a dedicated studio space?
I would rather have a dedicated studio space. I'm going to be moving soon and I'll have a more dedicated space. Right now, yeah, it's all over my apartment. I expose my screens in the bathroom. I actually print in my kitchen. My dining room isn't really a dining room anymore. It's sort of just an art table where I draw and paint. When I spray paint I use the exhaust fan on my oven to get the fumes out. Yeah, I'm not going to have a security deposit, I don't think. Whatever.
I also read that you use your bathtub to clean up.
Yeah. I've actually gotten really good at cleaning my bathtub, so I'm not too worried about that.
It doesn't have a purple ring around it, does it?
Yeah, it's pretty gross. Magic Eraser and CLR can clean it up pretty well.
What's CLR?
It's some kind of spray cleaner.
Is that specific for screenprinting?
No, you can buy it at Giant.
When did you start drawing creatures and monsters?
I'm not really sure. Maybe when I was a little kid, but I really don't know. At some point in the last few years I got really obsessed with them. I don't have a really good technical skill set when it comes to art. I can't draw something and make it look like what it actually is. At some point I just quit trying and now I make bloppy little monsters.
What were you like growing up? What kinds of things were you into?
Umm…mostly just monster trucks. I liked reptiles a lot. I still like reptiles a lot. I was kind of a shy little kid. I remember feeling overwhelmed a lot as a kid. I don't know why. I don't know. I think I was just a really small version of what I'm like now. Probably not as vulgar. (laughs)
Any inspirational monsters? cats? creatures? worms?
I think I have a cat print which will be in the show that is a song lyric to a Weakerthans song. It's pretty inspirational to me. There's a lot behind the print that makes it my most inspirational piece.
What's the song?
It's called "A Plea from a Cat Named Virtue". The lyric I used is " I know you're strong". But, if other people find something else I do inspirational, that's awesome and I'd be happy about that. But for me, that's the most inspirational one.
In your show description you state "Somehow the hardest things to say in life are easier if we let little creatures do the talking". How do you use these creatures to express "the hardest things to say in life"? Are they stand-ins for events or people in your life?
Some of them are. Some are more generic and some are just general things I think everyone deals with. Some aren't specific to things that have happened or people in my life or things that I want to say or have had to say that have been difficult. I think generally though it's just sort of… it's the same way where people might say something as a joke when they're really serious just because they can't bring themselves to say it seriously.
Tell me about your cat, Panda.
She's black. She's great. She knocks everything onto the floor. It's easy to find things, because I know it's always on the floor. She can be a total pain when it comes to making art. She just wants to sit on whatever I'm working on. But, she's great.
How old is your cat?
She's six.
I saw the commercial you made for the Black Thorn Gallery that Panda stars in. Do you often use your cat as a model for your artwork? Does she get treats out of this?
No. Well, I guess the cat print is sort of modeled after her. And the fact that it's a black cat... then I do have one painting is sort of her. But other than that, not really. She doesn't get treats. That's sort of just her job. The Black Thorn Gallery commercial was just sort of a funny thing. It's the first thing I thought of.
Does your cat make that weird face when she smells something weird or pungent? Can you draw this?
You've said you get inspiration from google image searches. Anything you've searched lately that you've been inspired by?
Um. Not really. I haven't been doing it as much lately as I used to. Honestly, for this, I've been going back through my sketchbook and using ideas that I never got around to using.
Are there any new skills you'd like to learn?
Ice skating so I can play hockey.
Any screenprinting you are inspired by? that could be certain artists, an era or genre.
I like a lot of the gig posters of artists currently around. I do a lot of posters for bands . I like a lot of those artists. Drew Millward is one of my favorites. Jay Ryan and also Leia Bell.
Do you generally only print on paper? Do you use other surfaces or mediums?
I've only done paper at home. I would consider doing shirts, but it doesn't interest me as much.
What about graffiti?
I've dappled in it. I don't do it as a habit. I'm kind of inspired by it. I like the fact that it's just there and no one has control over it. It's just there. There aren't gallery or museum people who pick what you see. It's whatever the artist wants you to see. I also like that there's an element of time. The Mona Lisa looks the same as it did 50 years ago. But street art is only there for a while. It might weather. It might get painted over.
Do you listen to music while you work on artwork?
I don't have anything specific. Pretty much whatever I'm listening to at the time. There's no specific genre or artist that I listen to when I'm working on art. I listen to a lot of indie rock, punk rock and a lot of old country stuff. Some of my favorites are Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, The Promise Ring, The Lawrence Arms, Jawbreaker, The Weakerthans.
Are you reading any books? magazines? any good websites?
I'm reading a book that's a collection of old articles on sideshows.
What about websites? any that you go to every day?
well, Facebook! Who's not inspired by Facebook.
Any places you'd like to travel to?
I'd like to travel pretty much anywhere. I really like traveling. I'm going to Montreal soon. I'm really excited about that. I'd love to go to Europe at some point. As far as the United States goes, I'd really like to go to Chicago and Minneapolis and San Francisco.
Any places you've been that you'd like to go back to?
I'd really like to go back to Salt Lake City. I've been there twice. It's awesome! I was to Denver recently. I'd like to go back there.
Have you ever been to a cat show?
(laughs) No, but I'd love to go to one!
More of John's artwork can be found at http://www.etsy.com/shop/jawmandible
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