We recently connected with Pill Concepcion and have shared our conversation below.
Pill, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?
i finally found joy working as an artist when i let go of societal expectations that i had internalized; this happened to coincide with my journey as an lgbtquia+ person. a lot of my artwork has a warm, nostalgic feeling to it, which is my expression of reclaiming lost time. i’m reaching out to intersecting communities of marginalized identities and connecting with them with my art, as well. when i worked a 9-“5” job, i found myself so disconnected from everything — the world, media, myself. the dissociation was disasterous. the isolation was dangerous. my life is fulfilling, now.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
hi there! i’m pill, i use any pronouns and i am an illustrator based in kansas city, missouri. i am queer, disabled, and fillipino. i am a firm believer that intersectionality among marginalized identities is pertinent in greater societal context, and that there is a necessity to not only acknowledge but celebrate diversity. i make environmental illustrations using pen and ink and digital paint. i also thrive and indulge in the storytelling component of illustration and so i draw comics. my artwork is available in glicée prints, zines, playmats, and stickers. i studied at northern illinois university for four and a half years and was in their illustration track. i started doing pop-up shows and vendor shows as well as Official Art Shows this year, 2023. i have a studio space at cherry pit collective.
my artwork generally combines traditional media (such as pen and ink) and digital (paint, usually in clip studio paint.) there is a warm quality to my illustrations. it is mostly an environment or some sort, something swallowed by trees and foliage, though the denizens and the architecture are reprisentative of cultures and viewpoints often not primarily seen. sometimes the expansive space can be harrowing and have a semblence of solitude. that can be bittersweet or maybe nostalgic. my art is a reconcillation and a reclaimation of lost time. it’s also a reminder that you’re not alone, that you matter. it is connection with community.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
i really struggled with perfectionism and comparing my progress to my peers. art may be a vulnerable way of expression, but it also has equal potential to withdraw into one’s head. it wasn’t fair to both me and to my peers when my insecurities started to surface and be projected. turns out, shame isn’t an effective teaching tool. it took a lot of internal re-evaluation and self-love to become comfortable enough to just embrace imperfections. i draw a lot of nature. trees, leaves, animals, the rocks, and soil, and all organic matter truly embraces being the form that functions to them. i started being gentler and kinder to both my art and myself, and letting shapes be their authentic selves. i also started being authentic to myself and am slowly dropping masking. i wish i was closer to my classmates and peers when i was in school; so my present self is really making an effort to hang onto those connections, and make it known that i appreciate those people.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
art has a purpose especially among greater society. inherently art is political. humans naturally are creative, and their outlook for expression manifests in sooo many ways: dance, music, physical art, but also by extension creative problem solving. coding, engineering. for some reason, our value and appreciation has become reserved for the wealthy. truthfully, art is for the masses: we can look around and find beauty and joy in anything. so the first step to support artists is to transform our understanding of art. the next is to uplift creatives, whether that is giving them a nice direct compliment, following them on social media, spreading their art, purchasing (and tipping if applicable!) their goods and services. and then, of course, we can petition, vote, and change and improve the quality of life, lives, for creatives. supporting unions, especially animation/actor/writer/game development studios, boycotting monopolies, and addressing local legislation to create and/or allocate funding towards the arts.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://pillconcepcion.com
- Instagram: @pillconcepcion
- Twitter: @pillconcepcion