Artist Interview: Kenton Hoppas

Over the next few weeks, we will start introducing the artists participating in the inaugural we. art gathering! It’s always nice to hear a bit more of the artist’s background, their process when it comes to creating and how they’ve evolved over time. In that spirit, we will be posting interviews we conducted with each of the artists so you can become a bit more familiar with them. It seems only appropriate to start with our Monterey County-based artists and we are excited to featuring Sand City-based Kenton Hoppas!

Where are you from originally? 

KH - The incredibly small, progressive, hip and hard to leave small town of Warsaw, Indiana. So maybe it wasn't that hard to leave.... 

How did you first get into art? 

KH - I can't remember a time that I wasn't into drawing more than most kids. However I do remember selling my first drawing of the Snap Crackle Pop cereal box cover and one of Garfield for 50 cents. I did not know about copyrights when I was 12. So when I shared my new business model with a relative they quickly rained on my parade. But yeah, going into seventh grade was when I realized I could choose to pursue art in education and life.

What is your favorite medium?

KH - I don't have a favorite, but I do have a medium that I use most often. And that is house paint and these Grog Squeezers. They are a sort of graffiti drip pen. I can honestly say I get the most jazzed still just with a micron or pencil sketching in a sketchbook. I also do a ton of digital illustration on the iPad with an app called Procreate.

What inspires you? 

KH - Cash advances inspire me! Just kidding. Nature. For real. All I have to do is go outside and sit in the grass and I'll be inspired to live. Inspired to be a part of this crazy thing we call life. Inspired to love. Inspired to give. I do a lot of nature things like waves, stars and birds in my work. Nature inspires that.

Why do you do what you do? 

KH - This may sound cliche but I do what I do cause I feel like I have to. I feel it's a part of me. If I was the last person on earth I think I'd still paint walls, doodle in all those free moleskins. Maybe I'd go find myself a cave and do some cave art. But seriously, I do it because it's fun. It's an emotional outlet that found me. That I never had to learn how to do (Techniques aside), it's always just come as a natural thing to do. Oh, more on this! I prefer that my creative art gets printed on stuff. Shoes, pants, coffee mugs. I guess that's why I do WHAT I DO. Looking at boring old white converse or a beige coffee mug kills me. Let's draw on that sH#t.

What is your creative process approaching new projects?

KH - First I begin by freaking out that someone wants to pay me to do art. After I am done freaking out I try to give it a few days or a week if possible and just put in the back of my mind and see what comes up. When I am ready to start I usually use my iPad, turn on some music moderately loud and start to doodle. Whatever comes up comes up. I'll know if it resonates with me or if I'm trying too hard. The last thing I want to do is pander to an audience. I want my work to feel authentic to me. If it's authentic to me then it's my hope it will resonate with others also. And that's why I do it anyway. To create an emotion in the viewer. Hell, it's why I listen to music, read books or go to the movies, so that I feel and experience the stories of others.

How has your style evolved over the years?

KH - Well I definitely don't wear ties anymore. Not even for weddings. As for my art, I've moved to a very flat style. No depth, or roundness of characters. I aim to create art that looks like you could cut it out and move it all around and it would still work. Maybe I'll try that next!

What is your lifestyle outside of art?

KH - My lifestyle outside of art is riding my bike, drinking coffee, surfing, camping, working at Trader Joe's and taking care of my daughter. 

If you could travel anywhere to create art, where would it be?

KH - Space. For sure. I mean come on, is there any other answer? Please tell me no one said anything besides space?! I'm serious, I think about the infinity of space ALL the time. Just think what you could experience and be inspired by zooming through space! But if you are going to rain on my parade and make it somewhere on earth I pick Europe. All of it. I'd get me one of those fancy speed rail passes and a sketchbook and just be on the train drawing (and drinking coffee), riding a bike around and drawing (not at the same time) sitting in fields drawing. I'm sort of captivated by Europe. It's crazy because the country's are like the size of our states yet all the cultures and customs are completely different just hours away from one county to another. Imagine if you went from California to Arizona and they spoke a different language! 

Do you listen to music while you're creating? If so, what are some of your current tunes? 

KH - Yes. But not always. In the morning I start drawing around 5:30am and I usually start the day with no music. But an hour or two all bets are off. Then it's The Lumineers, The Cranberries, The Avett Brothers, or any band with THE as the first word in their group name.

What role do you think artists have in society?

KH - Well for starters the service industry would be screwed without us! I mean, who else is going to wait tables? Have you ever waited tables? I have, it sucks. So we serve a vital role in the world economy! On a deeper level, and I am not deep, I'd say an artist creates an emotional connection for the "non-artist" to be able to experience and relate to their own life experiences. You know what I mean. Like you read a book or look at a piece of art and say, "Yeah, that's how I feel too!" That and artists make stuff look cool. 

What has been a seminal experience in your art career thus far? 

KH - I'm not being funny when I say I had to look up the word seminal to figure out if I'd had this experience. I would say meeting my friend Jerm Wright. He was the first artist that I've known on a very personal level that his art inspired me to create in a way I may not have had the courage to do on my own. 

Who are some of your favorite artists to date?

KH - Jerm Wright, Mr. Doodle, Pat. I don't follow "The Art Scene". I just see stuff that resonates with me. That informs me and creates action in me. These three all meet that criteria. 

What helps you get "unstuck" creatively?

KH - Making stop frame animation videos. Or playing my guitar. These are two things I don't carry a lot of expectations around. So they help me be creative without the pressure. Sort of unstuck me. 

Who are your biggest influences?

KH - My high school math teacher. He for sure influenced me to be ok with feeling your passions. This guy loved math. I mean really loved math. And he took it seriously. And I felt that passion. Now I didn't need to love math, but I wanted to feel about art and life the way he felt about Math! Him and Jerm Wright. 

Coffee or tea?

KH - COFFEE. 

Surf or snow?

KH - SURF 

Favorite movie? 

KH - As of late it's "The Do Over" with Adam Sandler and David Spade. But I'd also put "You, Me and Dupree" in my top three along with LaLa land.