Please introduce yourself, where are you based and what do you do?
I'm Liam Seear-Budd, I also go by the name of Salad. I was born in New Zealand, and I am based in Melbourne. I work as an artist, I do a few things but I specialise in painting on glass.
You're a very talented multidisciplinary artist, what medium do you enjoy the most?
Chee bo! I mostly paint on glass, but after doing about 100 of them I can’t really say that’s my favourite... but it’s a journey I’m still on. I try to experiment with as many different mediums as I can. Like a literal salad, there’s all sorts of good stuff mixed in one bowl. Over the years I’ve channeled my artistic abilities into music, clothes, album covers, murals, photography blah blah blah... My favourite is visual art, but music has the biggest roll to play in this game of creativity.
What have you been working on lately?
Over the last couple of months I’ve been at home in my studio working on various things. I’ve been doing large scale ink drawings based on old fairy tales, such as The Three Little Pigs. Going back to paper has been very rewarding yet, time consuming. But fuck, there has been a lot of time to burn. As well as the ink drawings, I’ve been working on a few glass works that have already found new homes. I’ve been experimenting with new music, as well as giving things like video editing a crack.
Can you share a little bit of your creative process with us?. For example how do you conceptualize and then execute your artworks?
My creative process normally begins with an experience, or a specific feeling which is present in that time. I pretty much always use art to get things of my chest, and to explore my own feelings. Once I have direction, I’ll surf the web for reference images or go through old cartoon books to gain inspiration. I usually use my iPad to draw and compose images. It’s great for fixing mistakes, and for layering drawings. Once that part of the process is done I’ll usually start fixing up a recycled frame from an op shop. I glue the glass into the frame with silicon sealer and begin to sketch my artwork with a whiteboard marker on the front of the glass. Once I’m happy with my sketch, I’ll begin to paint the image backwards on the glass. The outline comes first; I use acrylic paint through a sauce bottle. The drying process for each step takes about a day or so. While I wait, I'll plan more pieces, or work on other incomplete projects. It’s good to work on multiple things at once. Once the outline has dried, I tape up sections and use aerosol paint to colour each block. Then repeat, repeat, repeat. :)
We commissioned a tee graphic from you recently titled
How has graffiti and lettering helped you develop your style?
Graffiti and lettering have always been an interest of mine. When I was a kid I told myself I shouldn’t do it, because I wanted to be all grown up; a graphic designer. Toward the end of high school was the time I really got into it. I made friends with a couple of people who, in my eyes, were extraordinary at graff. They were lovely enough to teach me all about it. Once I moved to Melbourne, I had figured out enough to try it over here. I was lucky enough to fall into a friend group of talented writers. I’ve always been more about daytime pieces. Toy, I know. However, I’m more interested in being able create a piece calmly, it allows me to learn from the process. My understanding of letters and lettering has flourished from learning graffiti. Graffiti writers are the best designers.
Who are some of your influences / where do you draw your inspirations from?
For the majority, my work is influenced by nostalgia, personal experiences or situations, and the people around me. I spend a long time researching old shows, movies, and books. I’ll often ask my housemates about characters they used to love as kids and assess my own feelings and thoughts to develop images in response to that. Again, music has a big roll to play also. Lyrics can inspire a scene, sounds can inspire a mood or a colour. Shit’s buzzy.
I make most of my art on my own but with music it’s mostly a group activity with all my best friends. Working with multiple people to make something sparks incredible amounts of creativity, and is a lot more interesting than working on your own.
How has music played such a big role in your creativity?
Music is something I wish I’d done from an earlier age. My dad was a cello player and an opera singer, but never pushed music on me or my brother. Although I kinda wish he had, I probably wouldn’t have explored visual art as much.
Any words of wisdom?
Name: Hell / RATLIFE
Location: Sydney subs
How staying active:
I’ve worked from home for about 6 years so that hasn’t really changed since iso started, just the work level and deadline urgency has chilled so I guess I’m doing it less unhealthily and giving myself some time to play around instead of just constantly creating new drops and promo for Ratlife.
Just working on an upcycled drop that I’ve wanted to do for ages, and making more 1/1 of pieces with my embroidery machine but I don’t love the idea that if you’re creative, you’re going to be SUPER creative and productive at this time. Been working on catch up for so long this feels more like permission to take a break than to try and force anything so if I don’t feel like I can, I just play sims, or have a nap with our dogs on the balcony or spend a couple of hours on this ragrug I’ve just started that is going to end me.
Playlist:
Dirty Ramirez - Toxin
Kerwin Frost - Turn That Shit Off! Vol 1
Lil Texas - Whip That Neck
Montana Of 300 - Chiraq
Korn - Right Now
Books:
Happy - Why More or Less Everything is Absolutely Fine
Derren Brown
Hand Job: A Catalog of Type
Michael Perry
@freckhellss
@rat_life
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We took 5 with Joel one of the creative minds behind Sydney natives, ACIDREIGN® & ASYD printing.
Name;
Joel at ACID REIGN®/ASYDprinting.
Location;
55 Sydenham Road, Marrickville. Sydney.
About;
Keeping busy. Staying sanitised. Due to a small team, we are yet to be affected by any virus related issues, so it’s business as usual. Late nights & early mornings. I think in isolation that creativity is key, by any means.
5 songs;
The Doors- L.A woman.
Steve Lacy- Dark Red.
Dean Blunt/ASAP Rocky- Money Bags freestyle.
Shlohmo- For tha Summer VOLXXVIII mixtape.
Johnny Cash- Don’t take your guns to town.
Books;
Aldous Huxley- The Doors of perception/Heaven and Hell.
Podcasts;
Business of Hype.
FIND MORE FROM JOEL HERE
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None of those songs are new but I've been listening to those on repeat.
Any Podcast or Book recommendations?
I don't read too often but I just finished 'This is not a t-shirt' by Bobby Hundreds. I liked it. If you're into Streetwear, I'd recommend it. Even if you're not a fan of The Hundreds, it's a good read.
I never listen to podcasts. Am I like the only person that doesn't?
It's not a podcast but I did watch this vid on Youtube called, Soft White Underbelly, it was cool. There's a bunch of them. It's this Photographer interviewing people, like Graffiti writers, Gang members, Prostitutes, a bunch of different people. I found it interesting.
Check out more of Chico's handy work HERE
Setting up the pit
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