Who: Johanna

What: Artist, Illustrator

Where: Guéthary, France

Bonjour Johanna! Would you start by sharing your story of becoming an artist? Did you always know you wanted to work in the arts?

I would like to say yes, but, I was born in a small village where nobody was an artist. I loved drawing but I had no idea it could be a real job. Throughout my education my parents told me that I was dreaming too much and that I had to choose to study science because it was the safe choice, so I did. After high school and despite all of the concerns, I enrolled in a design school. I was lucky that my parents supported me. In this school, I studied industrial design, it was half creativity, half sciences. Illustration was still a hobby, I used to post some of my works on Instagram or Facebook, people liked it, a few years later I am now a full time illustrator.

Wow that's incredible, good for you! How did you find your unique minimalist style? Was it challenging to find your own artistic style and technique?

Instead of the usual outings to playgrounds I spent the majority of my childhood locked away drawing in my bedroom. My parents worried that I spent too much time by myself. One day, my grandmother had the idea to take me to a museum. I was happy to discover new shapes and colors. There were no need for words or explanation, I simply just had to open my eyes. At the end of these visits I would come home with a new postcard or an art book to add to my growing collection, it ranged from Picasso, to Klee, or Matisse. My other big influence was because my dad collects French comics (bandes dessinées), I was in love with Marjane Satrapi, Joann Sfar, Hergé and so many other great illustrators and authors. At school I learned to draw everything very well with any style or technique. It's seems hard to find your own style and it's also hard to explain how it happens, but for example, what if you had to draw an apple? Give up doing something very complicated for you, what happens naturally? For me it was drawing it very simply with a black pencil, for some others it would be painting it with details and a multicolored brush. Illustrate something for fun, just for you, and see what happens.

That's the perfect way to explain it. Well, you work beautifully with different media, is there one you favor more than the others?

I love painting and drawing, but every time I work on a new series my whole apartment becomes a massive mess. Last week I bough an Ipad Pro, I wasn't sure about it but I finally enjoy it! I also like linocut or screen printing, tattooing, photography... I don't have a favorite one, when I work on one media for a long time I can get bored. So, I change until I get bored and move on to a new one and I change again and I come back to the first one. I don't know yet what I really want to do, or maybe, I don't want to choose!

And the nice thing is you don't have to! Is there a piece in your portfolio that you're particularly proud of?

I am currently working on a new series for an upcoming exhibition with Sergeant Paper (sergeantpaper.com) and some fake tattoos for Bernard Forever (bernardforever.fr). I am happy with the results!

Who or What inspires you?

I like to draw people and everyday life scenes. Women have always been my favorite subjects. Probably because what I draw is close to my routine. Things I like, things I stand for. Even if it's an illustration, I like that it could also be a photograph, something half in reality.

Do you have a role model?

People in general. It could be everyone. Of course I love classic artists but also contemporary ones. From painters to illustrators or graphic designers. I also take a lot of inspiration from cinema, photography, and fashion. Music is also very important to me. Some writers too... The list would be endless. It's everyone actually, depending of the day, the mood. 

What does a normal day consist of? Do you have a schedule, a daily routine?

I don't really have one. I have many notebooks but I use my weekly diary a lot. Everyday I make a to do list and my main objective is to cross out everything before the end of the day. Most of the time I don't, so I just write it again the next day! I also walk my dog, go to the beach, go to the cinema, have drinks with my friends, just a normal life.

That sounds like the perfect day! Last, any parting words of professional advice for artists?

Ahah that's a funny question, as if I was an old enough artist to be able to give good advice. I just turned 24 and finished school last year. I think what has been working well for me was to start working on personal and commissioned projects while I was still at school. The use of social medias is also very important today.

Haha, well any advice can help! And of course, where can we find more of your work?

Website? Instagram? Galleries?

You can follow me on my instagram (@johanna.olk), my website (johannaolk.com) and from march 16th in Sergeant Paper's gallery in Paris, but also on their online boutique ( sergeantpaper.com)

Johanna Olk

Art Director / Illustrator

https://johannaolk.com/

Round of Applause to Johanna! Thanks for chatting. All photos belong to Johanna Olk!