Slightly Bruised Fruit, the urban art duo of Cherie Strong and Jonny Arnold, have been blending the styles of fine art and street art to an entirely new level. Their combined forces creating a whirlwind of artistry that spins across the galleries and the streets. Recently I had the opportunity to speak with them about the origin of their collaborative artwork and their upcoming solo art show Urban Harvest.
Starving Artist: What ignited your interest in creating art together?
Cherie:
Both of us were big fans of each others artwork and Jonny had the
opportunity to come to Australia last year for a solo show in Brisbane.
It was the perfect opportunity to get into the studio and work alongside
each other and that in turn started our collaborations that we worked
on together.
Jonny: I would say it had something to do with
bringing something new to the table. Drawing together we realized that
our two styles mixed together nicely. We did a few under the Cherie and
Jonny title, then realized we needed a name.
Starving Artist: How did the name Slightly Bruised Fruit come about?
Jonny:
After a few discussions between us and another artist, Barek, we went
through a whole heap of names. Bruised fruit comes from the song Strange
Fruit by Nina Simone, it was playing in Barek's studio in Brisbane.
Cherie:
We needed a name that suited where we were at this stage in our art
careers, and life in general, something that suited us. Slightly bruised
but still sweet.
Starving Artist: Did you two connect right away, artistically and personally, when you met in Brisbane?
Cherie:
Yes, we had been friends online for sometime having already met in
London last year for a group show. We already had a friendship and had
talked about working together, so it was a natural progression to work
alongside each other once he was able to come to Australia and we had a
proper studio environment to work together in. The relationship came as a
natural progression to working so closely together too I think.
Starving
Artist: I had wondered if you two were in a relationship, it seemed
that way from your interaction and collected works, but I didn't want to
pry. I know how these things can be and sometimes it's one of those
things you don't want to be all out in the public.
Cherie: Not at all, it's no secret that we work and play together.
Starving
Artist: Would you say that the same spark that ignited your interest in
creating art together carried over to your personal lives as well?
Jonny: I would say that we both definitely have a passion for art, this cannot help but be noticed. It's how we live our lives.
Cherie:
We are pretty lucky I guess, we have connected really well creatively
and personally. We both share a passion and bring different things to
the party, so to speak, as a couple both in and out of the studio. We
are happy and challenged and in a supportive environment daily.
Starving Artist: Do you remember the first art piece that you both collaborated on?
Jonny: It was awful.
Cherie: ha!
Jonny:
I remember it was on a massive black board. Cherie's bit was gorgeous,
mine was shocking. I think soon after that we realized that
collaboration is more than just doing your own thing side by side. That
it's more about having a concept and thinking it through and combining
the two ideas.
Cherie: What we were trying to achieve was a mix
of fine art and urban art, mixing the tight with the loose. It took a
few attempts to get going but once we worked together on a piece, not
just his bit and her bit, I think that's when it really started to work.
Starving Artist: That actually brings up a question that I was
personally curious about. I love both of your styles, and I think you
are both incredibly talented at what you do, but I imagine it might be
difficult to mix your styles at times. Yet you do it, very very well. Is
there a secret to being able to connect so well on canvas?
Cherie:
We know where we are going with each piece, we have a final vision and
so we just take it from there. I do what I'm good at, Jonny does what he
is good at, and then together we make sure that it has worked as a
whole. Having confidence in your partner and their ability is the key, I
think. I just hand it over after working on it for a while and know
it's all good.
Jonny: I think there's a certain amount of trust
involved. Sometimes you have to just throw caution to the wind. Having
Cherie hand me an artwork that she's spent hours drawing on to
perfection then chucking spray paint and turps at it can be a bit, how
shall we say, nerve jangling.
Starving Artist: Can you tell me about some of the pieces that will be on display at the Urban Harvest show?
Cherie:
We are really excited about this upcoming show, it's our first chance
to exhibit together. We are still creating new pieces and probably will
be right up until we hang, it's all fresh. We will have a mix of our
older style and our new direction too. The focus is still beautiful
portraits, but with an urban twist.
Starving Artist: What is the best place online for people to view and purchase Slightly Bruised Fruit artwork?
Cherie: We have a Facebook page, Facebook.com/SlightlyBruisedFruit. Both of us also share our Slightly Bruised Fruit work on our collective
pages. We sell directly and also take commissions. We can be
reached through messages on our Facebook page, or by e-mail at cstrongart@hotmail.com.
We have sold pieces all over the world already. There are Slightly
Bruised Fruit pieces in Germany, Italy, USA, Australia and the UK. So
we're happy to ship anywhere.
Starving Artist: Do you have any advice for new or up and coming artists?
Jonny: Be confident and honest with yourself and others. Draw, paint, then draw and paint some more.
Cherie:
Create, create, and then create some more. Do it for you. You can make a
living from art. It's not a fairytale but it's not all drinking coffee
and standing around at galleries wearing black and smoking cigarettes
either. It takes a lot of personal motivation and a thick skin, but I
promise you that its worth it. Art has brought me every good thing in my
life. It's been a tyrant and heartbreaking at times but it has filled
my soul with joy and it will always be my greatest love ... after you of
course, Jonny :).
A huge thank you goes out to Cherie Strong and Jonny Arnold from Slightly Bruised Fruit for giving us their time for this interview. To view their artwork please visit the Slightly Bruised Fruit Facebook page or check them out at their solo show Urban Harvest.
Determined
never again to suffer under the yoke of an oppressive employer, Id-iom
is the ongoing tale of two brothers who aim to take the world by storm
with their Gonzo style of art and design.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Id-iom/159255267462936
Amber
prefers to paint with her hands only, except for outline details, and
makes her own paint colors using house paint as a base and fresh
vegetable juice, oil pastels, and well ink.
http://artdaughter.tumblr.com/
Influenced
by 80’s pop culture, human struggle, myths and violence, dungeons and
dragons, and the heavy metal gods, Skinner’s mind is one of psycho
social mayhem fueled by a calculated chaos.
http://www.theartofskinner.com/
Eric
Knisley is a cartoonist/illustrator from Raleigh, North Carolina.
Combining social commentary with a heavy dose of wit he creates
incredible digital collages.
http://www.silent-k.net/
Olivier
Roubieu (formerly known as Mr Shiz) specializes in Graffiti art,
Airbrushing, Props, and Body painting. His incredible skills and unique
style have taken him to England, France, Cyprus, USA, Ireland, and Italy
to create his art.
http://olivierroubieu.com/
The
White Rabbit is a make up artist from Bristol, United Kingdom.
specializing in theatrical, special effects, prosthetics, hair and media
make-up for photography, film and television she manipulates the human
figure in order to portray a concept, character, story, or a particular
look.
http://www.gemmalouisewilliams.co.uk/
A
hula hoop hooligan skilled in the arts of hula and LED hoops, fire poi,
and live-acting The Incendian Pixie puts on amazing performances and
also creates custom hula hoops.
https://www.facebook.com/theincendianpixie
Once
upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, over many a
quaint and curious street tag of forgotten lore. While I nodded, nearly
napping, suddenly there came a tapping, as of Sicswan's mad skills
rapping at my chamber door.
https://www.facebook.com/sicswan.red/
Conjuring
an archaic aesthetic and a sense of dark allure, Dellamorte & Co.
draws inspiration from catacombs and tombs, mysticism and the realm of
esoteric lore.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Dellamorteco
Using
techniques cultivated from urban doctrines Tai generates surreal works
with a raw visual experience that is both honest and profound.
http://www.artbytai.com/
Stepping
outside of her usual style of acrylics on vintage tables by
experimenting with canvas Barb has shown the ability to allow her
talents to flourish in new directions.
For more information on Barb's paintings please contact sacarrigan@msn.com
Utilizing
a unique amalgam of rubber, fiber and acrylic Organic Armor creates
sculpted costumes and accessories. While their products look very much
like metal, leather, or bone their unique design makes them comfortable
to wear and ideal for performance or festival wear.
http://organicarmor.com/
A
creator and purveyor of fine writing quills, books, and other oddities
inspired by times long since past, Visker & Scrivener create unique
dip nib feather quills, artisan paper journals and scrolls, colored,
scented, and historic inks, ink wells and much more.
http://etsy.com/shop/ViskerAndScrivener
Recycling
on a grand scale La Boutique Vapeur uses all of the old, beautiful,
long lasting brass and copper that is still hanging around today to make
Steampunk style lamps, fans, guns, and much more.
http://laboutiquevapeur.blogspot.com/
Joshua
Hoffine is a horror photographer from Kansas City, Missouri. Fueled by a
deep interest in the psychology of fear, particularly the instinctual
and inherit fears we have when we're children, Joshua recreates the
origins of childhood fears and the images that represent them.
http://joshuahoffine.com/
Purveyors
of all things strange, magical, and fashionable Edge of The World
creates incredible artwork inspired by folklore, fantasy, mythology, and
monsters.
http://www.EdgeoftheWorldart.com/
A
self taught painter who works primarily with oil and watercolor paints,
Daire Lynch aims to convey a moment of time and to tell the story of
the subject in each of his pieces.
http://dairelynchart.com/
Recently we had the opportunity to speak with alternative model and painter Razor Candi about her art, her inspirations, and the culture of her home town of Transylvania.
Starving Artist: How did you get into modelling/performing arts? Is it something you've always been interested in or was there a moment in your life where you decided it was what you wanted to do?
Razor Candi: I’ve always been drawn to the arts especially visual art for as long as I can remember. While I was growing up in the late 80’s early 90’s I found myself very influenced by musicians like David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, and Billy Idol. Later in high school I was drawn more toward the dark arts, film and music so the goth lifestyle was a refuge and escape for me. This is when I found an interest in capturing my ideas on a more permanent level which is why modeling and photography really interested me. It was never out of hopes to become famous or known, just a creative outlet and way to express myself; it wasn’t until about 2004 that I noticed I actually had a fan base and that I was an inspiration for other artists and people like me so I stuck with it. To this day it’s still my favorite way to express myself and a great artistic release for me.
Starving Artist: Your alternative style of modelling is an inspiration for many people. Has punk rock and heavy metal had a big influence on your life?
Razor Candi: Punk music actually came a little later after high school but currently most of the bands that I find myself drawn to now have punk influence especially because of the statements behind what they are singing about. When I was younger I was more of the emotional goth type so bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, and The Cure fed my more sensitive side but as I got older I found myself getting more angry than sad and this is when I started to appreciate more of the punk rock stuff.
Starving Artist: Currently you call Transylvania, Romania your home. What is the culture like there? Is it very old world or is it modernized? What kind of an art/music scene do they have?
Razor Candi: The culture is still heavily engrained with more conservative and traditional thinking especially in certain parts of Romania though in the past 6 years since I’ve been living here I’ve noticed the larger cities becoming Westernized very rapidly. In a way it’s a good thing because no one deserves to be kept sheltered or unexposed to new things but at the same time I find it a little sad because living a simple life can be so refreshing. So far the most noticeable music scene here is metal. They love their black metal over here! Speaking solely from my perspective on things is that there is a major discrepancy between the metal and punk scene due to the fact that the punk scene usually has more left wing ideologies which are not very popular while as metal has a certain right winged influence as a reaction to the same communist background, however in recent years both these scene has become more developed and are shedding their political connotations.
Starving Artist: Aside from modeling and the performing arts you also experiment with oil and acrylic painting, as well as scratchboards. Are there any people who inspire you, or that you just particularly enjoy, to paint?
Razor Candi: I really enjoy painting portraits, particularly of bands and musicians who have inspired me though I have painted portraits of friends, models and other visually inspiring people.
Starving Artist: Are all of your paintings done free hand or do you integrate any stencils or digital technology into your work?
Razor Candi: I prefer to paint freehand because I enjoy the different steps of creation from beginning to end. In a way it’s more rewarding to myself to create something from scratch however I have tried using stencils and they proved to be a great aid but I’ll always feel more proud of something I’d done freehand. I’ve never tried digital painting but I’ve seen some amazing work done with it and would love to try it someday. I support art of all forms and I feel whatever steps are taken to achieve the final result is irrelevant as long as the artist found the escape they were looking for while making it.
Starving Artist: How do you get in the mindset to paint? Do you have any kind of personal rituals or does the mood just strike you?
Razor Candi: Mostly when the mood just strikes me. Sometimes there are periods when I just feel the need to create. I only learned how to paint with tempra colors in high school so I’m self-taught with Acrylics and Oils, and though I believe that talent cannot be taught I do feel that certain technique and methods can be which becomes very frustrating when I feel the creative urge to bust out a new piece but lack the knowledge or information to create something I’d be really proud of, which is why I usually end up falling back to modeling for my creative outlet.
Starving Artist: If you had any advice for aspiring or up and coming artists, be it modelling, painting, or another style, what would it be?
Razor Candi: My advice would be to always stay true to your choices and feelings. There are lots of people out there who will talk down about things or belittle your judgments to gain your attention or to prevent you from going places. Always strive to be an individual and avoid belonging to a group or being part of a scene; this will only hinder your ability to think for yourself or to make your goals and dreams come true.
Starving Artist: Where are the best places online for people to check out your modelling work and your paintings?
Razor Candi: To see full photo sets you can join my members only site http://razorcandi.com/, and I also have sets on https://www.zivity.com/models/RazorCandi, Or you can see brief samples to sets in my gallery, read my blog and also see my art work on http://razorcandi.net/.
Drawing
inspiration from television horror series, such as The Walking Dead and
True Blood, The Poisoned Apples creates unique gourmet artisan caramels
and caramel apples.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/thepoisonedapples
Reformed
Whores are a Southern bred country-comedy duo that have been lassoing
hearts across the country with their sweet harmonies, raunchy wit, and
old-fashioned charm. Integrating a variety of instruments, including the
ukelele and the washboard, their musical skill is matched only by the
hilarity of their lyrics.
http://www.reformedwhores.com/
