Artist Profile: Darick Maasen.

0 Shares

Artist short profile:
– Name: Darick Maasen.
– Location: Chicago.
– Artistic style: Paintings and drawings on dirty surfaces and broken relics.
– Website/s:
http://www.darickmaasen.com/
https://www.facebook.com/darickmaasen
http://www.redbubble.com/people/darickmaasen
http://artbyape.com/
http://instagram.com/darickmaasen
– Bragging rights(Featured work/collaborations): Recent shows within the past year: SPACE! C2E2. IAM8BIT Entertainment System. Modern Storytellers. Combo Attack.
.

Artist continued profile. Let’s get a tiny bit personal:
.
– What are your goals as an artist?: I like to cause a reaction in people that isn’t necessarily always pleasant. My pieces always have a touch of reality that might make you uncomfortable. Taxidermy recreations of childhood characters, sideshow banners featuring real skulls or toys, odes to bacteria, pervy old men, and the reality of aging.
.
– Favourite artist/why?: I have many, but R. Crumb was my first true love. He was always himself, putting ALL sides unblinkingly on display for people to judge, then not giving a crap if they accepted it or not. I love that attitude.
.
– What do you think of Comics being made into movies?: I love comic-movies, but I always go into them with the attitude that it’s merely an interpretation and nothing more.
.
– Has reading a Comic ever changed your life? Which one/why?: It’s cliche, but Watchmen for sure, especially the death of Rorschach. In the end he decides to be a hero and reveal the truth no matter what damage it may cause, he was the only real hero in that ‘book of heroes’ and he stood up for what was right no matter the cost. This panel still tugs on my feels.
.
– If you could have any power from a Comic character, what would it be/why?: Nightcrawler’s teleportation for sure. Spur-of-the-moment beach vacations, ‘climb’ mountains in the blink of an eye, no more commuting…mmhhmmm. I have spent way too much time thinking about how I would keep my power covered up so I would not be sliced and diced by science. Like, what if I was dating a girl and revealed my power to her so we could go on an Egyptian vacation, but then we broke up, how could I trust her not to tell anyone??
.
– Favourite Comic artist of all time/why?: Dale Keown, his fine-linework, yet bulky creatures, it’s just… *drools*. I love that comics have been just coloring his raw pencil-work lately, seemed like such a shame to ink it in the past.
.
– What do you prefer to snack on when creating a masterpiece?: I like chips and dip, one-handed things work best.
.
.
– Where do you ‘draw’ your daily inspiration from?(See what I did there hehe): Har har! I love fish and aquatic creatures. I have a few fishtanks and an axolotl salamander tank, just seeing how they move and the construction of their bodies is inspiring to me all the time. I have my 90 gallon tank set up right where I can see it while I work at home.
.
– Would you mind sharing an awkward moment we can all relate to/learn from?: It’s not specific, but more generally I am not good at taking live compliments. When I am in a show or am selling art somewhere and someone approaches me with any kind of praise I tend to lock-up and compliment them back quickly. Nice person: “Hey! I love your art!” Me:“Hey, I uh…like your shoes!”
.
– Do you have any secret talents that are party trick like?: I learned how to do caricatures in college at Six Flags as a trick to impress girls at parties. I still do gigs now and then, but when I am feeling awkward at a get-together and I don’t know anybody I will just start doing some, it always strikes up conversations.
.
– Ever fancied a Comic char?: When I was a kid I had a major crush on Jubilee, she creates sparks with her body…I’ll leave it there.
.
.
– Likes: Howard Stern, prank phone calls, banjos, records, old giant plastic monster toys, taxidermy, fishtanks, eyeglasses, anything with Chef Ramsay in it.
.
– Dislikes: The suburbs, cleaning, guilt.
.
– Favourite joke: Bear is in the woods wiping his ass and asks a rabbit “Do you have a problem with poo sticking to your fur?” rabbit says “No?” bear wipes his ass with the rabbit.
.
– Any thank you’s/shoutouts?: Thanks Mr. Benke! He was my high-school commercial arts teacher and all-around weird guy.