Last year we jumped on the bus to nowhere to attend the beer ‘n paint session in Villa Friekens, Amsterdam. It was freezing cold, as more people recall, but we saw some amazing artists and work out there! One of these artists is Mishfit, we loved her work instantly. Now, half a year later it’s about time we started asking her some questions! The quick essentials; She’s based in Brighton and has a thing for tentacles! Yes I know, the tentacles thing intrueged us too, so please read  on for a spam! interview with this amazing artist. (for a quick background, check out this old wooster collective interview with Mishfit)

What were you doing the moment you received these questions?

Uploading pics onto flickr of a sunny afternoons painting session.

So what is that thing with tentacles you have?

They make a really powerful image and are so versatile: they can be sinister or cute, gross or erotic, alien or primal. They are the perfect form to have in your arsenal, a flowing shape that can fit in around anything or be the main focus.Take a normal looking scene, stick a pile of writhing tentacles in it and u know that all is not well. They’re so much fun!

With all the painting, animating, illustrating and web designing you do, you must be quite busy, how do you divide your time between all of this?

Not having enough time is definitely my biggest problem..I don’t think there’s an answer. I’ve just got to keep trying to do everything until it stops being fun.

Did you study anything in graphic design?

I did an illustration BA

Does your street art flow into your work and the other way around?

There is definitely a cross over between my street are and my more gallery based work. But as for it crossing over into my 9 to 5 job…Not really. My drawing skills sometimes come in handy, but not stylistically.

Is there any work you’ve done that you are particularly proud of?

The reindeer girl I painted at the Nightmare Before Xmas show end of last year really made me pretty happy. It was such a freezing cold day and we were all holding each other together with Irish coffees and general mucking about and the piece just flowed out right for once….I still feel like I’ve got so much to learn with can control and getting the results I really want, but I felt one step closer that day.

My Red Head a Hellingly went up nice and quick and I’m quite pleased with her too, nice n simple. I’ve still a long way to go tho.

What was the very first thing you put on a wall?

A Squidling Tentacle in posca pen.

Do you prefer doing your work legal or illegal?

They’re different. For me it depends on the medium. There’s nothing quite like bumbling round at night with a few beers, pasting up and doodling your way round town..then following the trail the next day knowing that you’re making someone smile on their way to work. Painting legals means you get the time (and the light) to do a decent job without the stress.

What is the essential item to take on the road with you?

In the winter…a warm coat and some leather gloves for painting in..I’m gonna make a rule of only painting in warm countries soon I reckon. The “Paint and Beer” event in Amsterdam last year nearly killed me!! sooooo cold. but worth it!

What is your favorite city, and favorite thing about it?

Impossible to answer, still looking for my favourite cityI think. Berlin rocked my world when I was there. Loved the real raw vibrancy of the place, the persistent creativity ever where you turn and seeing Autechre at the Berghain.

What is the most important item you take on the road with you?

Pen knife, my one remaining leather painting glove, banana caps and sketch book.

If you could fill a swimming pool with something, what would it be?

erm …hot boys!? Failing that…whisky, ginger ale, loads of fresh lime, ice and a massive straw.

Bill(pc) or Steve (MAC)?

PCs if there actually worked properly and Macs if they weren’t so over priced. Not fussed really..they’re just tools at the end of the day…but if someone turned round and gave me a spankin new i-mac i certainly wouldn’t complain! 🙂

What can we expect from you in the future?

Been dabbling with combining stencils and free hand for nice layered effects so gonna keep exploring that. I’m going through a bit of a fetish for all things martial art at the moment, so I’m feeling a bit of an oriental phase coming on which is feeding through into my work. I’m trying to push myself to do more full figures rather than just heads and faces. I want to get more tension and movement into my pieces. And scale, i need to start going BIG!