Jemma Treweek (UK)

Jemma Treweek (UK)

First of all Jemma is kind of unique because she is a female artists and, as you can see on the blog, they are not so many. Secondly, of course, Jemma is unisque for her talent, but surely, and definitly, Jemma is unique for me, because she is the first artist who contacted me directly saying she was drawing rock posters and that I should have a look at her work, and maybe interview her. After I discovered her poster, I am now sure she deserves a place on the blog. So, if you are also a poster designer and you never received a mail from me, feel free to drop a line, this place is yours and everybody is welcomed ! Thanx Jemma for your initiative and all the best !!!

Hello, of course as every Crewk interview, first question: what are we listening to when we come to visit you?

Welcome! here's some wine.. tonight we're listening to some Matraca Berg, Fleet Foxes, Husker Du, Elastica and some Shins. Probably later we'll be dancing stupidly to some Abba, some Aretha and some Duran Duran.

Can you tell us more about yourself, who are you, where are you from, what do you do?

I'm Jemma, I live in Brighton in the UK, i like the snow, and being in the woods, and I am an illustrator and screenprinter.

When did you start drawing?

I can't really remember, but from being a little girl I remember drawing all over stuff all the time, books, walls, arms and legs, school uniforms.

Did you follow any course or did you improve by drawing in the margins of your schoolbooks?

Did 0 and A levels in Art, then Art Foundation then a BA in Fashion design, all involved tons of drawing, and were the bits I loved the most.

Today are you living from your art, or do you do something else for a living ?

Half and Half! Illustration half the week, and i also work in a Museum doing marketing, press and web stuff.

Are you collaborating with magazines/fanzines, regularly?

No not regularly, but I have done, am always open to offers!

Where does your influence come from? Is there any artists/graphists you particularly like, what are your influences?

At the moment Im massively into Hans Holbein, his drawings of the ladies of the English court in and around the 1530's are amazing, I love a lot of Renaissance art, I also really love all that 70's stuff, Sulamith Wulfing, Patrick Woodruffe, the God that is Sergio Toppi. Also artists Lucien Levy-Dhurmer, Stanley Spencer a lot of the Newlyn school painters, and also people like Brian Wildsmith, Betty Swanwick, Fritz Wegner. WonderWorkshop, Westwood Chris Cunningham, Chris Ofili. I love Mara Piccone, Zeloot, MMMotorcycle, Noon, Sam Chivers, Daniel Danger, Mark Ryden, Mary-Jane Ansell. Aw jeez, there's too many! This is hard!

What are the principal steps in your work ?

Drawing drawing drawing, scanning, musing, drinking tea, looking at Facebook, more drawing, more tea, mustn't smoke, printing!

Do you do everything by hand or on computer?

Bit of both

How long does it take you to do a poster?

4 days for Drawing and re-drawing (again) 1 or 2 days computer, 2 days printing (depending on f ups!)

You have a very distinctive style, are you doing only what you feel like or if tomorrow somebody asks you an oil painting with horses running out of water with a sunset backdrop, is it a problem or are you up for it ?

I'd love to do an oil painting, I've never tried so that would be good. How much are you paying and can the horses be unicorns?

For which band have you already worked for?

Queens of the Stone Age, She Keeps Bees, Duke Spirit, Bonde Do Role. Vashti Bunyan. Turbowolf, The Ripps, Kylesa, Baroness, Abandon Ship.

For which band would you love to work?

Can i have a time machine? Joni Mitchell, The Pixies, Black Sabbath, Hole, Kate Bush, Billie Holiday, Pj Harvey, James Vincent Mcmorrow, OH Ruin, Fleet Foxes, Sic Alps, Fleetwood Mac, The Black Keys, Caribou, Yeasayer, Band of Horses, Jesus and Mary Chain, Gallows.

Do you choose the artists yourself?

Yea sometimes if there's someone i really want to do a poster for then I'll approach them

What is the most difficult part in designing a poster ?

Too many ideas, not enough time. Also I'm well messy when printing.

Do you think you are part of a "Graphic Scene", if so who else ?

I guess, i hope the gig poster scene in the UK, although i am nowhere near as prolific as some of the amazing people here. Also am in a group called BRAG who are a bunch of stupidly talented printers, illustrators and designers. They make me up my game and i am constantly learning from the amazing work they produce. They are also good at drinking and being funny. My Queens poster and the next She Keeps Bees one are a collaboration with Dan Johnson who does the most amazing hand drawn lettering, its been pretty cool working with him.




A bit of self-promotion, take advantage of it, it's free, where can we see your work , on the web or in real life?

http://www.jemmatreweek.co.uk/

http://www.bragcollective.com/

The best praise you received lately?

One of my posters was recently collected by the V&A Museum. That was totally amazing, Me and some other BRAG folks go to go to the V&A and look at some posters in the stores, some Aubrey Beardsleys, lots of Hapshash and the Coloured Coat posters, Some Wes Wilson, Some Jamie Reid's. My eyes hurt at the end of the day cause they'd been opened so wide!

What can we wish you for the future?

Luck and Love, health and happiness. And a Kate Bush poster.

Thanks for answering my questions and see you soon on the website !!