BRIGHT SPARKS Issue Dos – Andy Murphy Interview

Andy mainly works in pen and ink but often delves into hand-painted signs, murals, sculpture, occasionally costume making, and even cake decorating. He has worked with various clients from beer brands to skate companies like Vans. Take it away SJ:

SJ: Righto, bet you’ve never been asked this before – how did you get into illustration?

ANDY: I was in Grade 1 at Drouin West, I won a drawing contest where I drew a picture of Asterix & Obelix. I won a yellow highlighter pen. Just one. But that was when that first came out – like it was “modern technology”. I was briefly interested in graffiti and my

(SJ WOULD LIKE TO ADD FOR THE OFFICIAL RECORD, HE NEVER DID GRAFFITI.)

dad would occasionally bring home a VHS player from his work and we’d rent videos to watch on it. One time, I bought Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo, I’d then pause the screen on certain scenes and trace over some of the graffiti scenes with pencil and paper. I always used to do art for the fun of it. I did a few paintings in high school that was mostly just surrealistic nonsense.

SJ: When did you make the decision to make this your career?

ANDY: After I got out of school, I went into the printing industry where I spent a lot of time in. I started out in a photocopy shop. I did small bits of art here and there during my spare time, but I was more interested in skating and drinking at the time. Then I got a job at a printer at the classic skate spot ‘Tiles’ on St. Kilda Road. Every skateboarder was there every day, and I’d be working there, upstairs. I could see who was skating. I used to have to wear all these dorky suits. So, I’d usually sneak out the back door so no-one would see. So, I’d sneak home, change clothes, get my board and then skate back.

I got more and more into art; I ended up doing things like logos and drawing for records and backpatches.

SJ: Yeah, I saw a lot of band stuff early on that you did.

ANDY: Yeah, punk bands and hard-core bands and stuff, so I did a few logos. I think I did a record cover, and a backpatch for “Mindsnare.”. Concrete Skateparks asked me to draw logos for them, the first paid job I did.

SJ: How did you go about developing your style?

ANDY: I was inspired by other skate artists like Sean Cliver, Marc McKee, and Consolidated Skateboards. I got to spend the night at the Consolidated warehouse while in America, where they have every skateboard they’d ever printed, all over the walls of their offices and warehouse – it was like visiting the Sistine Chapel.

SJ: A very cool style. I can always tell when I see something somewhere “Aw, I betcha Andy did that.” What types of projects are on the boil now?

ANDY: I was recently doing side work for Den Holm, who does some super cool stuff, who I am sure you know. I do a lot of work for a WA brewery Cage Roads – beer labels, designed murals for their Fremantle location, skate graphics, T-shirt graphics, and tattoos for friends. I am picking up a lot of work through Instagram too.

SJ: Is there a dream job? (besides every ambience project of course).

ANDY: Kind of did one of them. Scratch-off skate graphic, based on a scene from Fast Times at Ridgemont High, with a brand called Triple Lindy.

SJ: On the cards for the future? 

ANDY: I’ve lately been working on my own personal illustrations, and even a children’s colouring book, containing pictures that each takes me quite a while to draw, and they’ll be even funnier if the parents get the context of them.

Fire Away Amigo

DINE? What I will say is living on the coast, I don’t eat as much fish & chips as you’d think. 

DRINK? I had a glass of champagne with the neighbours on NY, does that count? 

PLAY? Love getting in the ocean, tried to do a New Zealand-oriented dive called a “Manu” with legs spread out… and f*cked it up. I jump off the pier every morning. 

IDEA? My favourite place for a sunset is Spray Point in Blairgowrie.

SHOP? PLUG ALERT! My wife has a business called The Vallentine Project

Cheers Andy!  He’s been a long-term collaborator with ambience. The collab compliments an ethos here of not just working with like-minded talented pals but rad peeps. Follow Andy @salvadorgnarly and stay tuned for our next Bright Sparks interview.