what do you think influences your work the most being born in japan?

Japan has influenced almost everything. I traveled there frequently since I was born there, so it had a major impact on my life, and how I see things in the world. I could probably write a book on this. . . . .

have you had art running in your blood all your life?

I guess you can say that. However, when I was in high school, I mainly focused on architecture and didn’t pay much attention to Art. During this time I was skateboarding and writing graffiti in my past time. At the time, I failed to notice that both subcultures were completely drenched in art. Eventually, I lost interest in architecture (due to the math involved), and noticed that I had something inside my heart all along. And from then on out, I pushed the graffiti and art as hard as I could, and here we are.

i heard your work is heavily influenced by mass media, how would your describe your mass media intake [do you watch a lot of tv, read a lot of magazines/newspaper, spend a lot of time browsing the internet]

I think mass media, advertising and such really interested me as a younger guy. Frequently being in Tokyo, I became fascinated with the bright lights and state of the art advertising, and how people digest everything. I enjoy watching how people function in everyday society, and trying to understand how, what and why they function the way that they do. Meanwhile, I will occasionally binge on t.v. and magazines until I start feeling like I am growing stupid. This usually leads me to some conclusion as to how mass media is really taking effect on people, and then this is where my work begins.

do any artists influence your work or do you look to any artists for inspiration?

I would have to say I have influences from multiple artists all the time. Presently, I think that my painting partner Chris Semer is influencing me the most. We are constantly competing against each other one way or another, which is usually a good thing. We tend to talk a lot of shit to each other until we get frustrated to the point were we work even harder.

your slate pieces are, simple put amazing. does the individual piece of slate inspire you as to what to put on it, or do you go out and just grab any piece with an idea in your head?

Since every piece of slate is completely different, I usually come up with an idea for each piece first. I like to use the texture of the slate as the part of the imagery, so I am forced to think about the overall composition before anything.

available to purchase at Rivet

i see have you some handpainted/handmade sculptures, have you ever given any thought of customizing vinyl toys [if you havent already]?

Yeah I think I would like to do that. I think it would be fun to doodle on some vinyl. I am trying to get some molds made at work, so I can make mini runs of some little guys. So maybe sometime soon I will have little figures to sell out of my closet.

available to purchase at Rivet

is there one medium you like working in more than another [i.e. painting or sculpture] and why?

Pen and paper. I want to make more drawings. However I keep painting everything. I’m getting rather impatient with painting at the moment. But, I have always been fond of black and white images. Most of my college work was all black.

you just finished up a show at Rivet Gallery in Columbus and still have a show at Feralmade in Cincinnati, do you have any more upcoming shows planned in ‘08?

I have a show in Portland, Oregon coming up in February at Breeze Block, and an installation at Sole Classics here in Columbus in June.

where would you like to be, as an artist, in five years?

Not in Ohio, not working a corny job, and doing art things.

if jeremy nichols was a game show, which game show would he be and why?

I don’t think I fit too well with game shows. Game shows these days are just. . . . . made for idiots.

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