Co-Conspirer

Megan Newton is a fabulous person I am glad to call my friend. She is in her second year at the University of Cincinnati's fine arts program. I am really impressed with where she is right not in her work, and I can't wait to see where she is going. I hit her up for a short interview. To view more of her work, please visit her blog, The Batcave.


What first got you into art?

What first got me into art....hmmmm I would have to say watching cartoons as a child really got me thinking about art. I wanted to draw like the illustrators of tv shows like Batman or Bobby's World. ( which are both totally awesome shows. WATCH THEM!) But I never really took my art seriously until I started taking photographs, which was my freshman year of high school. Once I got a camera in my hands things seemed to come easier as far as the creative process was concerned.

How you describe your art, in general?

My work tends to be of a darker nature. Line my photography has a dark edge to it, like my blood bath photos. I like things to have weird meanings and different subject matter. My comic work tends to be more portraits in comic style. I've never attempted a full comic yet, but I'm sure I'll be on the road to trying that out soon.

Who are your favorite artists?

Dave Gibbons, the artists for Watchmen. I'm totally Watchmen obsessed and nothing will ever change that. I love Gibbons' use of color in his work and I love his figures. They aren't idealized forms. They are more true to how humans actually are. Robert Mapplethorpe is one of my favorite photographers. I enjoy his use of black and white images. along with his use of the male figure. Also the creators of Batman comics such as Battle for the Cowl or Robin: Teenage Wasteland are some of my favorites, because A. Batman is awesome (More than awesome really) and B. the artists that create those comics are amazing at illustrating the form in action, which is something I want to get better at doing. I often find myself busting out a Batman comic if I need dynamic body shapes in a piece I'm working on.

Who are your least favorite artists?

I hate Henry Matisse for some reason. I just look at his work and make unhappy faces. I'm not sure exactly why his work bothers me so much, but it really does. I don't like the colors or figure work. I hate fauvism in general, but Henry just pisses me off. I know it's odd for someone to dislike a master painter, but Matisse can get over it. I also have a strong dislike of Nick Cave. I do not deny that his work is well constructed and very detailed. However, his creations scare the shit out of me and therefore my fear causes me to dislike it. His sound suits scare me the most. I always find myself thinking, "Now what if this were a real creature?" And then I freak myself out just thinking about it.

Is there anything you dislike about being an artist?

I hate that people think that art is just the easy way out. I know other majors judge Fine Arts majors thinking that all we are is a bunch of hipsters with our thrift store clothing and large black framed glasses, but there is certainly more to Fine Arts than just stereotypes. I also get so frustrated with classes because the grades are so based on opinion, but there is no way to really help that. I got a C in a class, which isn't the issue. However, I found out the professor just gave everyone C's. Why? Our work wasn't "good enough" for him. Well, fuck you. I learned so much in that class and grew during the process of having to teach myself, but that still didn't please him. I tried to perform to his standards, but they were set pretty high for an intro course. That is what upsets me about the major. I received a C because he didn't like it, not because I didn't show up or try. I could have skipped the class and not turned my work in on time and still gotten a C. It makes me question putting forth the effort, and I don't like to feel that way about my art.

What do you hope to do with your degree? Grad school, a specific job?

I'm certainly planning on heading to grad school. I want to have a future steeped in art, but honestly I'm not exactly sure what I want to do. If I could get a photography job or own a gallery space that would be perfection. On the other hand, if I could get a job working for a comic book publisher like DC I would be so happy. I just want to make art and be surrounded by it. That would be an ideal future.