tim cantrell
The upstart of the mega-conglomertate company, euphoria designs, has been a real eye-opener for the design world.. Stemming from an insane origin of late-night sketching and erratic doodling, euphoria designs and its total concept were manifested through a love for art and acknowledgement of power and talent. We at euphoria quarterly are holding the most introspective interview with its founder and creator, tim cantrell. This interview will not only bring us insight into what euphoria is all about, but also where euphoria is going.
I believe there was and always will be backlash upon the type of imagery I often present. I suppsose then, maybe it isn't for you, if you seek out the good versus evil of everything you consume in life. Because I convey an image of a demon (see 'vermin' at right), that does not mean I cannot give you a clean shot of a baby on a cloud. my point is relating to the age-old philosophy stating that without evil, there can be no good, without pain, there can be no pleasure. I just choose to combine these two ingredients for a very unique and interesting recipe, a dish you surely won't soon forget...
explain euphoria.
euphoria embodies the state of mind between pleasure and awe, the moment likened to the feeling of just before falling in the roller coaster, standing at an extreme level of elevation, a rather queasy yet soothing experience. my favorite quote has always been "such a delicious contradiction". that's what i try to project in my work.
what has been the most exciting thing about making art for you?
i would have to say seeing my thoughts transfer to a visual medium. the most rewarding is to have someone get lost in a piece, to feel it and my purpose of that piece.
at what age did you pick up your first pencil?
wow, i think about maybe 2 months? i remember scribbling on my brother's books and belongings, making them to my liking...
did you receive formal training?
i trained myself, actually. but classes later helped me hone in on my vision, the way i see things and solutions i needed to present to the barriers of representing any given dimension. as far as education in the history and application of art, i attended high school, community college and courses at east carolina university. they were extensive lessons in lfe, rather than art. but was that the intention?
did your parents encourage you? how helful were they in your decisions? what are their views today?
of course they did. what parent doesn't realize their child's talent? my parents were wary of the 'starving artist' phenomenon, but in wake of the many rich artists and designers today, they support me two hundred percent. i believe they just want me to be happy.
who are your mentors?
oh god! claude monet, any of the surrealists, presently i love tim burton, olivia, brian froud, makeup artist kevyn aucoin, and john galliano, a designer. anything unusual, really. but it must exude a cool beauty, within that unusualness.
what is the next step for euphoria?
i hope to expand upon flash design and animation, to bring fluid dreams to life. crazy stuff, it would be...
what is the next step for tim cantrell?
i plan to set up a commission-based service along with business ventures with publications and research graphic novel capabilites.
what things haven't you done that you would like to do at this stage in life?
travel abroad, take a cruise, i would love to write a book...
if you weren't in visual art, what would you be doing?
definitely singing, wriring music or behind the scenes of some elaborate production. then theree is always the openings for janet jackson's backup dancer.
what is your sign? elaborate...
virgo... gosh it is too much to even set a theme... we are crazy...
favorites...
i love mythology.
