Interview: Joe Tsambiras (June 2011)

You mention the impression that illuminated manuscripts had on your artwork. What other artists/artistic styles have influenced you as an artist?

JT: Julio Cortazar, Raymond Carver, Haruki Murakami, Miranda July, Mike Mills, Julie Doucet, Moebius, Julian House, Jasper Sebastian Sturrup, Kiki Smith, Surrealism, Comic Books, Sammy Harkham, Anders Nilsen, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Edward Hopper, Egon Schiele, Kathe Kollwitz, Italo Calvino, Jose Luis Borges, Raymond Pettibon, Armor Design, Stained Glass Windows, Quilt Design, Tile Design, Toru Takemitsu, Basil Kirchin, Broadcast, Michel Gondry, Katsuhito Ishii, Taiyo Matsumoto, Hayao Miyazaki, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Theo Ellsworth, Lucien Freud, Ron Rege Jr, Tadanori Yokoo, Old Libraries.

In what way do you hope your artwork impacts the viewer?

JT: I hope that the viewer might feel a little bit lighter after spending some time with the artwork.

When did you decide you wanted to be an artist?

JT: I don’t think it was much of a choice... the vocation chose me. Everyone draws when they are children. I just never stopped.

Who is your favorite comic book hero?

JT: Man-Thing.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

JT: To a movie theater.