We recently had a ball of a time collaborating with one of our favourite Aussie artists, the talented creative Pete Cromer. His artwork is bright, bold colourful and full of personality even in the tiniest of details. We sat down with him for a chat, so grab a cuppa or a boysenberry choc top, pop your feet up and get ready for Q and A time with Pete.
First some quick questions!
Big party or small gathering?
Small Gathering
Winter or Summer?
Summer
Beer or wine?
Wine
Sneakers or thongs?
Thongs
Tea or Coffee?
Coffee
Star Wars or The Godfather?
Can I say Star Trek instead.
Popcorn or choc top?
Boysenberry Choc Top is a dietary staple.
Dog or Cat?
Dog
Okay, those ones were a little easy, Let's get stuck into the BIGGER questions!
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
It's that moment when you meet a puppy. If I could capture that burst of excitement and happiness and bottle it, I would.
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My partner of 20 years, Mark. Warmest, kindest and most friendliest fella you'll ever meet.
Where would you most like to live?
I'm loving regional life atm, but to be honest, I could live anywhere as long as I'm surrounded by the people I love.
Who is your hero of fiction?
Goku.
What is your motto?
It's my Dad's motto that I've adopted...he always says
"You're dead for a bloody long time"
which is true, so make the most of now.
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
hmmm… Lewis Carrol.
Which living person do you most admire?
My friends and family.
If a movie was made about you, who would play you?
Haha, a movie... gosh...
I'll have to do a facebook celebrity look-alike test to find out......
ok, 34% match with Will Wheaton and 32% match with Ryan Gosling lol
What’s one thing on your bucket list?
Northern Territory for 2020
Have you always wanted to be an artist?
Yes. Always. I got my first derwent pencils 72 piece set when I was 10 for Xmas and I lost my shit.
How did your art career start?
I worked as a graphic designer for years, but wasn't fulfilled so I quit about 7 years ago to pursue my art interest.
Your Druids and budgies are each so unique and so cute! Do you ever find it hard to part with them and do you have a collection of favourites?
Yes, I connect with certain ones and take them home, but I can't take them all home so when the ones I am drawn to sell, I think the buyer must be awesome coz we have the same taste. And that makes me happy.
Who’s your favourite band or musician to listen to while you work?
I'm a mood based music listener. The studio plays a lot of Linda Ronstadt to mellow the work vibes. When I'm collaging I usually go for upbeat noises like Aphex Twin or Daft Punk. Total contrast to Linda Ronstadt.
How do you keep yourself inspired through creative blocks?
I don't really get creative blocks. If I do it's because the work is commissioned and has rules attached which i find jarring, it can take the freedom of things away which I struggle with.
How do you avoid burnout?
I work hard throughout the year and ensure that my summer (Jan/Feb) goes at a chilled pace. I play video games a lot so it helps my brain remove itself from work.
What advice could you give to aspiring artists? Or your younger self?
Go for it and embrace failure. If it doesn't work, don't beat yourself up over it...learn and try again. And learn some more... learning is fun and no-one knows everything. Keep learning and living.
Who are your favourite Aussie artists?
Stephen Ormandy
Do you have a favourite artwork that you have created?
The red-tailed black cockatoo. Really simple forms, but he explodes with so much personality.
If you could do another range with Erstwilder, what animals would you include next?
If it was up to me I would design an ark with 2 of each animal. But let's start with a Wombat.
Now, we're not making any promises... but if we were to collaborate with Pete again what animals would you like to see in a future Pete x Erstwilder collection? Let us know in the comments below!
And if you haven't seen the collection yet check it out right here!
