The perseverers
Some people sink their teeth into a subject, and then never let go. For example I know an artist who created stylized flower sculptures for decades. Committed and devoted.. His work was never done. He always had a reason to continue chiseling.
Another illustration: we’ve all heard of musicians who, throughout their lives, passionately and tirelessly perform their self-written songs. At festivals. In bars. In venues... Or think of a man like Pierre Culliford, better known as ‘Peyo’, who designed the Smurfs in 1958 and continued producing them dedicatedly until his death.
These people are the perseverers. They embody patience and endurance.
More scout, than settler..
I walk a different path.. Don't get me wrong: I am capable of being patient, and also capable of persevering. That's not the point. But my pleasure lives in the untouched field, the unmarked map, the soil that has not yet been turned over. I'd rather be a scout than a settler.
Is this a sign of superficiality? Presumably not.. My attitude is not the result of haste or fleetingness. It's different. I simply don't care much about repetition.
When -back in 1985- I started working as an illustrator for advertising agencies, I wasn't aware of all the above. I was young, and primarily looking for a way to survive. At the same time, by chance, or by fate, that world fit me.. The assignments I received from advertising agencies were -from the very beginning- unpredictable and dissimilar. They were often short, exploratory projects, that pushed me to produce drawings in unfamiliar styles.
In the decades that followed, I was asked to perform in all sorts of techniques. From super-realistic to simple and cartoonish. From rough to refined. Sometimes in scribbled strokes, sometimes in flowing brushwork. Occasionaly in black and white, occasionaly in color. Operating like that, you learn to adapt, to adjust, to switch gears, to bend, to flow...
I've spent my working life in this mode. From the mid-1980s to the present day. And that made me what I am now: a versatile illustrator. It is immodest to emphasize this last point, but it must be mentioned here, because this personal feature forms the foundation of Parallel Comic World.
Creating this world required the use of adaptability. A world is never uniform. We can only speak of a world when there is a clear presence of diversity. To me, this is so significant and comprehensive, that it must be considered as essential.
Versatility is the key value I’ve been able to contribute to this project.
Adaptability
