Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Abigail Vettese. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Abigail, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

In my experience, finding meaning and intentionality in creative pursuits will always outweigh monetary or financial value acquired by expression. The infusion of deep meaning into my work has consistently made the process more important, enjoyable, and compelling; it results in something I can reflect on with a sense of pride, rather than manufacturing projects solely for financial or reputational gain. I find that, in all of my various creative ventures, whether sonic, visual or beyond, meaning is at the heart of my mission. Meaning is the motive behind all that I do, and it is the current that runs from one project to the next, connecting threads of myself to the viewer/listener of my expression.

Recently, I completed an album centered around what I deem as incredibly meaningful. I crafted tracks that were the result of heavy feelings of anxiety and concern for the direction of the world. Particularly, our environment. How can we sustain human life in a reasonable and ecologically minded way at the rate in which we extract the resources from our home? This sort of anxiety leads to an existential reality check – one I have chosen to channel into my work. Of course, my illustrations are predominantly centered around the natural world – detailing insects and botanicals brings me a sense of peace and reflection, however, my recent album, Terror Management Theory, takes a different approach to investigating the human-planet relationship. The piece is a collection of chaotic and aggressive emotions, captured in sound to convey the sort of panic-inducing state we presently exist in. Using the Elekron Model:Cycles, I allowed myself to really lean into the uncomfortable feelings that exist beneath the surface.

It is easy to create things that merely reflect on the optimism and denialism we are entrenched in. I’m certainly not belittling the value of positivity and simplicity in creative works, but for me, art and music are spaces to transmute a deep anger or sadness (also meaningful and deep joy, of course!) and to find a voice amongst the chaotic chatter of the world around me, as it continues to move quickly without much regard for the deeper meaning at the heart of things.

All in all, my work is an investigation into myself – an attempt to uncover the intentions I carry with me in the world. How can I use art to convey something impactful and intriguing? To captivate and encourage others to uncover their depths and not be afraid to inspect the less “lighthearted” aspects of our human lives… Art becomes a space to reflect and to feel into the discomfort of the wide spectrum of human-ness. The very essence that allows us to experience meaning in the first place.

Abigail, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an experimental IDM producer, an illustrator, podcaster, and tattooist, among other things. I’ve always been a creative, intrigued by a myriad of creative outlets and mediums. I believe I’ve carved out a niche for myself as a “do-it-all” type of artist. I love to see what is possible, though I find a desire to always do things with an experimental spin. In many ways my works across the board could be defined as minimalist despite my unconventional approach, considering I work primarily with one instrument for production, and one tool as an illustrator. This attitude has allowed me the ability to really learn who I am and to develop a style, a sound and an aesthetic. I feel proud of my ability to turn something minimal into an interesting work to engage with. When I was much younger, my approach was often more maximalist, unsure of myself and seeking out the most eccentric results in my projects. I’ve learned that limitations are a beautiful catalyst to impactful work.

My vision has shifted in some ways over the years, but ultimately, I want the projects I share with the world to offer space to reflect and consider new ways of existing in the world. I want the folks who choose to explore my work to find something valuable beyond the superficial. Whether that’s connecting with a philosophical theme or developing a greater understanding of an issue centered around environmentalism, or if it’s a new curiosity about something as a whole, I just want people to think and entertain new ideas.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I believe we all need to make better choices where we can in regards to where we put our money. I consider this often, though I wish I didn’t need to! We live in a world where there is always convenience and various options, which often results in us making the “easy” choices. We don’t always consider how helpful it would be to support small businesses and makers and creatives. Instead, we are tempted by large companies that offer just about anything imaginable at a cheaper cost than most creative individuals can feasibly supply. I think that, when we have the privilege and ability to do so, we ought to support other creatives with our dollar. As much as I wish financial affairs didn’t matter to creativity, it simply does. Like I mentioned previously, I certainly believe the deeper impact is MORE important, but many of us have sought to make a living off our work.

The costs artists put into things like eCommerce and websites, let alone maintaining inventories, paying for subscriptions to services like DistroKid and Submit Hub, paying for supplies and gear…it adds up for those of us on the creative end! Perhaps more than most non-artists are even aware of. Society could do much better as a support by opting to engage with real artists, as opposed to falling for the temptations of AI generated art, and large corporations which often steal designs and ideas from the smaller folks who need the support to thrive.

We need to change the narrative about art and music and creativity. It is a necessity in our lives! Creativity should not be viewed only as a luxury or a “fun thing”, instead it must be seem for what it is – a documentation of our history, a calcified re-telling of meaningful events, a way to share ideas and insights, a way to find justice in an unjust world. Art is a way to tell stories and to empathize and relate to one another. Society needs to understand this and not deem art as merely a form of entertainment.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding thing about being creative is the ways in which it opens my mind. I don’t think I would be quite as unconventional in my way of life if I weren’t willing to lean into my creative eccentricities. Being creative often requires you to operate outside of the box, in opposition to what is “normal” or even “acceptable” in society. I love existing on the outskirts of what I perceive as safe and boring. Creativity allows me to be myself fully, and that is not something I take for granted.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.abigailvetteseart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshapeofsanctum/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AbigailVettese
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/abigailvettese/ https://open.spotify.com/show/6qW5bddDER5heX06Vi4ujb?si=f6a8c9939ed24cb6