Evie Cahir’s drawings are partial snap shots of scenes that leave us filling in the rest; there is a curiosity and oddness to them that creates mystery and intrigue.
Based in Melbourne, Cahir’s pencil drawings are beautifully executed, detailed minimal illustrations of mundane happenings and settings. Lone figures in plain and dull material capture and create the honesty of tranquil moments.
In her own words
Would you please introduce yourself and tell us what drives you to create? Have you ever felt like you had a choice?
I am an artist living and drawing above a Nando’s store in North Melbourne. I studied Illustration at NMIT and have been working as a freelance illustrator and pretzel roller since then. The need to draw is intrinsically inbuilt, I don’t want to do anything else apart from art-related activities (prop-design, sign writing, installation, photography, tattoo designs, self-published zines, gocco prints, lithographs, screen-printing, sculpture). The list goes on.
Please describe for us your typical ‘start to finish’ workflow when working on a new image?
It’s difficult to identify a typical timeline for creating a new image, as I alternate between drawing on public transport, in my boyfriend’s backyard or on the balcony, but usually just at my desk. The usual course of action for creating work revolves around the collection of inspiring material, imagery and art-related pep-talks with housemates. The creation of work is swift, I rarely spend more than an hour on a piece of work to prevent over-working. Unaccustomed to re-visiting or correcting work, I continually shift between different subject matter and composition – like a form of artistic ADHD. There are no mistakes per-se, I’m simply driven to do better every time I complete a piece. Once finished, the only step that remains is the choice to either throw it away, sell it or trade it with drawing friends.
What art and whose work do you most identify with and why?
The artists that I feel an affinity with changes almost weekly. It’s usually other fields that influence me the most – film, books, music, graphic design and printed matter. I’ve noticed that the wider the range of inspiration I draw from, the more developed work I produce. That being said, I can definitely pin down a few artists who I follow…
Greg Eason’s use of minimal composition and precision; the thoughtful use of light, particularly reflections and shadows in Dane Lovett’s paintings; Aidan Koch’s extensive handiwork, from ‘The Blonde Woman’ to Riso prints and handkerchiefs.
I just went through my ‘BookMarked’ websites and Clay Hickson, Miso, Sarah Illenberger, RoseMarie Auberson, DanielEmma, John Schabel, Faye Coral Jonhson, Henrietta Harris, Rebecca Holland, Alex Lucas, Mia Christopher, Jennilee Marigomen , Joost Swarte, Ghostpatrol, Kit Bennett, Anthony Cudahy, Girl Mountain, Jacob Ring, Brian W Ferry, David Callow, Tara Marynowsky, Andre Piguet, Guy Yanai, Daniel Lachenmeier and Jonathan Zwada are the stars of the show.
When people come to your exhibitions, how do you want people to feel when they walk away?
To walk away feeling like they have understood the process behind creating the works, making it a more personal and engaging body of work. The idea of installing an immersive and interactive exhibition is one that excites me, a hybrid of residency, workshop and exhibition.
Where do you hope to take your work in the next few years?
I want my work to lead to opportunities that allow for self-publishing of printed matter, join an illustration agency, hold solo shows/group shows with drawing heroes, collaborate on efforts with my graphic designer and illustrator housemates, start a studio with said housemates and go on artist-residencies outside of Australia.
Dream on, dreamer.
Evie Cahir is a lustration student, based in Melbourne, Australia.
All images courtesy of Evie Cahir | http://eviecahir.bigcartel.com/
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