Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Bilyeu.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
Skateboarding, comic books, horror movies, sci-fi & fantasy movies and stories, animation, heavy metal. These all were introduced to me from the ages of 3-5. Those helped provide a solid library for my overactive imagination, and my grandma got me a bunch of those “how to draw cartoon characters” books around that time also. My mom would draw and paint in her free time, and I was a troublesome kid, so I think when she saw I liked it, and it kept me busy, she encouraged it wholeheartedly. She would let me read or look at whatever she had in her personal library, and once I found out there was a library at school, and they were everywhere else too, AND they all had an art section? The whole world opened up. I was always the “kid who would do nothing but draw” in school. I would draw for fun, just to create. As I got older, I made it a point to always have a sketchbook and pencil on me. Once I finished regular school, I thought I would go to college to become an “artist.” After half of a semester, I realized I was paying to have someone walk me through information that was available for free at the library, then telling me to practice it. So I dropped my classes. I figured I would just stick with the draw all the time plan. Thats pretty much the secret to being an artist, create as much as possible, try and improve as much as possible.
Please tell us about your art.
I do illustration/graphic design, or in simpler terms, I draw stuff and make pleasing shapes.
How? I make most designs or whatever you want to call them with pencil and marker on paper, then photoshop. I’ll use any medium a project calls for though so sometimes its Xerox, paint, photography, whatever. I haven’t dabbled in any animation or music yet.
Why? Im not entirely sure, I do know it’s ingrained though. I couldn’t stop if I wanted to. I don’t know what the message or inspiration is. Sometimes if I have feelings about a certain subject (police on Segways for instance) Ill make something concerning that, but it will usually be pretty blatant like “NO POLICE ON SEGWAYS” I just make stuff I like or want to see. It resonates with people on the same wavelength.
As far as the last one, Im into a variety of things, I like to draw, put those together and thats what ya get.
What do you think about the conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
It’s cool being an artist today, with the internet anything you’d need to know to get started making something is at your fingertips. As far as making a living as an artist today? I think its hard, but probably not any harder than its been before I was trying. I think the hurdles someone has to jump through to make it are a little different than in the past, but ultimately it’s hard work and perseverance that will pay off.
I think cities like ours can encourage arts by letting everyone decorate their neighborhoods. I live in Barrio Logan currently and have been coming to Chicano Park my entire life. I was on the playgrounds when I was a child; I would come for field trips in school growing up, I would spend all day skating here as a teenager. Everything is decorated there. Its everywhere in Logan too, the alleys, the shops, telephone poles. Its really special being in a place like that surrounded by creativity, and it lets the residents express themselves, acknowledge and commemorate events. That helps to enrich the neighborhood and builds culture, and everyone wants to help maintain that. Having an area like that influences the surrounding areas to do the same. That’s good for everyone. The walls shouldn’t be used to sell you stuff, for advertisements. We have smartphones and television to push that now. Wouldn’t you like to move through your day surrounded by art?
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I post regularly on my Instagram @visualmalaise. Other than social media, I usually get exposed to people through zines I make or freelance jobs? I’ve done apparel for Kindred, Pizzeria Luigi, Gym Standard, Pops Tattoo Shop, 1001 Skateshop, to name some local ones. I do a lot of shirt designs. Um, I have zines at Gym Standard and Verbatim Books in North Park. Im planning to do something art show wise towards the end of the year, maybe around October to link up with SD Zine Fest.
If you’d like to support my work, I sell zines, prints, and shirts through my bigcartel. Or if you need a design hit me up, if I can’t do it, I can point you to someone who can.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.visualmalaise.com
- Email: chrisbstm@gmail.com
- Instagram: @visualmalaise
- Other: https://visualmalaise.bigcartel.com
Image Credit:
Taylor & Ethan Johnson
Christopher Bilyeu
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