Mark Brabant of HoveringObject.com – Exclusive IPMM Interview

Off The Grid

I got into Mark Brabant via the screenprinting scene. His subject matter is curiously benign, despite the aircraft he seems to assume are hovering overhead. He does a magnificent job of creating an image that allows the viewer to be an integral part, making you feel like you’re a fly on the wall, witnessing a rural miracle.

Lucky for us, Mark was willing to take some time for an interview with me, I think you’ll enjoy it.

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Mark Brabant Interview for IPMM

There is a creepy sleepyness about your work that is very magnetic, do you live in a rural area?

Thanks for the compliment. I’lI take ‘creepy sleepyness’ anyday. I actually live in the heart of white bread suburbia but I’m a ten minute drive from some very rural regions. There’s a nice mix of old, new, urban and rural in this area, that is really interesting. I use a lot of local imagery in my prints.

Retriever

Have you, your dog, or a cow you owned ever been abducted?

Not that I know of, but my dog doesn’t tell me everything. That’s not to make light of the abduction phenomenon which I think is a lot more than what most people think it is.

How did you get into screen printing? Was it your first chosen medium?

Well, I used to be a one man art department for a screenprinting/sports apparel company before I went out on my own as a graphic designer. That’s where I got hooked on creating screen printable art, even though the designs were printed on clothing vs. paper. A few years ago I got an urge to find a creative outlet that allowed me to express myself in a more pure way than client-driven design projects allow for. I was doing a lot of experimental photography and mixed media stuff when I stumbled upon the world of gig posters and art prints. I was completely blown away by the visual possibilities and figured, with my screen print background, I might be able to create the kind of imagery I really wanted to.

Spurned

Do you print them yourself?

No, I leave that to the experts. D&L Screenprinting in Seattle has been printing all my stuff and probably will for a long time to come. Steve and the gang over there are the best in the biz. Someday, when time and money allow, I would love to have my own basement printing setup and learn the ropes, but who knows.

Do you work in any other mediums?

Not really, but I wind up working in a lot of different ways when creating the art for a screen print. It’s a mix of photography, photo manipulation, drawing, inking, paint splattering, texture scanning, etc.

What would you consider ideal conditions for being creative, and/or working on your art?

e=”margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; “>For whatever reason, I get a lot of ideas when I’m driving by myself. Once I have what I think is a good base concept, I try not to rush it and let it sort of develop itself in my head for awhile. Sometimes the idea will seem terrible the next day and I’ll scrap it. Other times the intial idea morphs into a totally different, unexpected concept that never would have dawned on me if I would have rushed it to print. That’s always cool.

I’m always interested in the music artists like, what are you listening to these days?

We Were Promised Jetpacks are a great band with an equally great name. The new Yo La Tengo release is great. My Morning Jacket, Bon Iver, Rogue Wave, American Music Club and The Shins are always welcome in my ears.

The Days Last Lesson

Your piece “The Days Last Lesson” (above) is a piece that I love because it fully captures the moment. An awesome snapshot that my mind can build a plot around immediately. Can you describe the process of creating this piece?

Well thanks a lot. I love the idea of powerlines as tightropes. It’s a theme I’d like to do more with. I took the photo for that print not far from my house. I had done a print featuring a lone guy walking amongst a huge array of wires and wanted to explore the idea of using multiple people and even bigger towers. I have my own interpretation of what’s going on in the image, but, like you said, building your own plot around it is part of the appeal I hope.

Overnighter

Got any new work we should look for?

I finished up the art and seps for a new print a few days ago. It’s in the capable hands of D&L now and I’ll get it posted as soon as the big box-o-prints shows up at my front door.

Lastly, name one artist I should check out.

Lewis Tardy… amazing.