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Featured Artist Interview- Naja Conrad
BY
Alicia
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Naja questions, what is perfection?
If Han Christian Andersen was alive and still writing today, he would probably seek to hire fellow compatriot Naja to illustrate for his books. God knows the amazing illustrations she would have crafted for The Little Mermaid.
Perfection is non-existent. For if it was, then life on earth would be pointless. But taking steps to achieve perfection is what Naja does best. Giving her brain an off-day whilst her hands go to work is a practice cue which fellow designers could learn from. And her obsessive relationship with curves and lines know no boundaries.
Well, obsession is en-route to perfection, yes?
TAXI>> Hello Naja, nice to have you here on TAXI, what was the first thing on your mind this morning?
Naja Conrad>> Hi, nice to be here. The first thing I thought about was a strange dream I had about a castle and strange creatures walking on a highway. I think it was inspired from an editorial illustration I'm doing, and then I thought about a big coffee.
TAXI>> Hailing from a family of talented artists, when were you first introduced to art?
Naja Conrad>> I don't really remember being introduced to art. I thought that it was normal to have a home smelling of turpentine and paint. The benefit was that I always had nice materials for my usage from an early age. Besides, at my granny's, she always gave us kids thin paper with something written on the back, but hey, she was conscious about recycling.
TAXI>> Was art school planned or something you just decided to do?
Naja Conrad>> It was not really planned. I didn't really appreciate schools that much. But my mind changed once I got my daughter, and I thought it was easier to get jobs with a piece of paper in my hand.
TAXI>> Talent + Hardwork +Bills, what is the ratio needed to succeed in this line?
Naja Conrad>> Well, you have to have talent to begin with, otherwise it doesn't make sense to go through all the hard work it takes to be able to pay the bills.
TAXI>> Admitting your first love for fashion design, is there a fashion designer whom you hold high in regard?
Naja Conrad>> Too many to list. But it's not really fashion designers I'm talking about, when I talk about my love for fashion. It's the small or big future fictive universes that one is able to build up around a subject, state of mind, sound, smell or taste, you name it. It's the future that has my interest and no future without a past. Does it make sense?
TAXI>> In your opinion, how supportive is Denmark towards nurturing talented designers?
Naja Conrad>> Education wise, very supportive. I'm a born mediator who thinks the future looks bright!
TAXI>> You once mentioned that traveling is a great influence to your work. What are some of the aspects you take in to apply to your designs when visiting new countries?
Naja Conrad>> I experience that going somewhere else makes my eyes look different at things. Common things get a new perspective. Depending on the destination, I think you always take a little bit of something with you back, a color, pattern etc. I'm more open to new impressions when I don't follow my illustrious paths.
So, sometimes its enough just to take a walk on the wild side.
TAXI>> Your website has a very interesting name, MEANNORTH. Is there a story behind this?
Naja Conrad>> Mean north? It's a question. I don't have the answer to this question yet.
TAXI>> Black and white paint the primary colors of your website and is also the themed colors for the print design compilation Scandinavian designers. Why the fascination for black and white?
Naja Conrad>> I'm obsessed about the spaces between lines and curves when working with black and white. It's the same thing with colors, but with black and white it's so obvious. About Compilation, black and white was the premise for "vol:01 Black and White"
TAXI>> You don’t paint conventional beauty yet the women you paint with elongated bodies, and oversized features have a certain allure which is striking. Do you develop a personality for each artwork before painting?
Naja Conrad>>Thank you. I usually make up a short story or sentences. Something, theysay or think and then I hope to achieve the right mysterious expression.
Sometimes I just let the pen rule and switch the brain of.
TAXI>> Your collaboration with Danish design company Purenomade to work on a ‘hotel box’ concept used a very good play of colors and shadowing. How would you describe the creative direction for this project?
Naja Conrad>>Thank you again. I was lucky enough to get a lot of freedom in this project. I have collaborated over two runs with the designers from Pure Nomade. They can fold all sorts of paper into amazing 3-d objects. The most special thing on this project for me was to work on a 3-d object with so many different angels and it should have new details and look great from all angels.
TAXI>> Your works are never one bit predictable, with some, edgy black and white penciling to psychedelic illustrations, how do you sew very different ideas onto one canvas?
Naja Conrad>> He he. I have a fascination for many mediums: canvas, textile, paper, so I just go ahead investigating. I just like to play. Well, obviously not if it's a commissioned work that has to lie on the art directors desk the next day, then I have worked long enough with image making to have developed a more straight forward strategy.
TAXI>> Do you strive for perfection or do you allow room for mistakes and improvements in your work?
Naja Conrad>> I allow myself to make a lot of mistakes, but I would never call it mistakes more like investigations, “mistakes” sounds negative to me, so I call it “investigation” instead, and I investigate a lot. Perfection I think is uninteresting in itself, I mean a white surface is perfect and as soon as you put your pen (or something else) on it you destroy the perfect white surface; but of course I aim to make a new perfect "something" on the white surface, but then you can ask the question what is perfection? Isn't it what keeps everyone making new work, trying to improve or at least develop from the last work you've done? That's what keeps me going.
TAXI>> Your latest artwork project, collaboration with Cha Cha Supermarket London must be very exciting for you and your fans, what are some of the items which you will be designing for them?
Naja Conrad>> Yes, I have had the great pleasure to work with Cha Cha Supermarket in London and I'm really excited about seeing the result of our collaboration. I have made carpets and runners. Fans? You mean my mom?
TAXI>> Amid hectic schedules and tight deadlines, is there a place in Copenhagen which you seek refuge away from work to regain a peace of mind?
Naja Conrad>> I'm lucky to have a park right next to where I live, so when the weather is somehow human like I go there. Otherwise I like to go to Berlin with my husband for a weekend and listen to hardcore music which I'm a big fan of, but hey that's not Copenhagen.
TAXI>> Show us a picture of your workstation, the place where it all happens...
TAXI>> It has been great talking to you, Naja. Before we end, tell us a place where you want a taxi to bring you right now.
Naja Conrad>> Singapore. I love Singapore. But that is, maybe, a bit too long to sit in a taxi, so Berlin will also do.
© 2003 - 2007 by TAXI Design Network. All rights reserved.
If Han Christian Andersen was alive and still writing today, he would probably seek to hire fellow compatriot Naja to illustrate for his books. God knows the amazing illustrations she would have crafted for The Little Mermaid.
Perfection is non-existent. For if it was, then life on earth would be pointless. But taking steps to achieve perfection is what Naja does best. Giving her brain an off-day whilst her hands go to work is a practice cue which fellow designers could learn from. And her obsessive relationship with curves and lines know no boundaries.
Well, obsession is en-route to perfection, yes?
TAXI>> Hello Naja, nice to have you here on TAXI, what was the first thing on your mind this morning?
Naja Conrad>> Hi, nice to be here. The first thing I thought about was a strange dream I had about a castle and strange creatures walking on a highway. I think it was inspired from an editorial illustration I'm doing, and then I thought about a big coffee.
TAXI>> Hailing from a family of talented artists, when were you first introduced to art?
Naja Conrad>> I don't really remember being introduced to art. I thought that it was normal to have a home smelling of turpentine and paint. The benefit was that I always had nice materials for my usage from an early age. Besides, at my granny's, she always gave us kids thin paper with something written on the back, but hey, she was conscious about recycling.
TAXI>> Was art school planned or something you just decided to do?
Naja Conrad>> It was not really planned. I didn't really appreciate schools that much. But my mind changed once I got my daughter, and I thought it was easier to get jobs with a piece of paper in my hand.
TAXI>> Talent + Hardwork +Bills, what is the ratio needed to succeed in this line?
Naja Conrad>> Well, you have to have talent to begin with, otherwise it doesn't make sense to go through all the hard work it takes to be able to pay the bills.
TAXI>> Admitting your first love for fashion design, is there a fashion designer whom you hold high in regard?
Naja Conrad>> Too many to list. But it's not really fashion designers I'm talking about, when I talk about my love for fashion. It's the small or big future fictive universes that one is able to build up around a subject, state of mind, sound, smell or taste, you name it. It's the future that has my interest and no future without a past. Does it make sense?
TAXI>> In your opinion, how supportive is Denmark towards nurturing talented designers?
Naja Conrad>> Education wise, very supportive. I'm a born mediator who thinks the future looks bright!
TAXI>> You once mentioned that traveling is a great influence to your work. What are some of the aspects you take in to apply to your designs when visiting new countries?
Naja Conrad>> I experience that going somewhere else makes my eyes look different at things. Common things get a new perspective. Depending on the destination, I think you always take a little bit of something with you back, a color, pattern etc. I'm more open to new impressions when I don't follow my illustrious paths.
So, sometimes its enough just to take a walk on the wild side.
TAXI>> Your website has a very interesting name, MEANNORTH. Is there a story behind this?
Naja Conrad>> Mean north? It's a question. I don't have the answer to this question yet.
TAXI>> Black and white paint the primary colors of your website and is also the themed colors for the print design compilation Scandinavian designers. Why the fascination for black and white?
Naja Conrad>> I'm obsessed about the spaces between lines and curves when working with black and white. It's the same thing with colors, but with black and white it's so obvious. About Compilation, black and white was the premise for "vol:01 Black and White"
TAXI>> You don’t paint conventional beauty yet the women you paint with elongated bodies, and oversized features have a certain allure which is striking. Do you develop a personality for each artwork before painting?
Naja Conrad>>Thank you. I usually make up a short story or sentences. Something, theysay or think and then I hope to achieve the right mysterious expression.
Sometimes I just let the pen rule and switch the brain of.
TAXI>> Your collaboration with Danish design company Purenomade to work on a ‘hotel box’ concept used a very good play of colors and shadowing. How would you describe the creative direction for this project?
Naja Conrad>>Thank you again. I was lucky enough to get a lot of freedom in this project. I have collaborated over two runs with the designers from Pure Nomade. They can fold all sorts of paper into amazing 3-d objects. The most special thing on this project for me was to work on a 3-d object with so many different angels and it should have new details and look great from all angels.
TAXI>> Your works are never one bit predictable, with some, edgy black and white penciling to psychedelic illustrations, how do you sew very different ideas onto one canvas?
Naja Conrad>> He he. I have a fascination for many mediums: canvas, textile, paper, so I just go ahead investigating. I just like to play. Well, obviously not if it's a commissioned work that has to lie on the art directors desk the next day, then I have worked long enough with image making to have developed a more straight forward strategy.
TAXI>> Do you strive for perfection or do you allow room for mistakes and improvements in your work?
Naja Conrad>> I allow myself to make a lot of mistakes, but I would never call it mistakes more like investigations, “mistakes” sounds negative to me, so I call it “investigation” instead, and I investigate a lot. Perfection I think is uninteresting in itself, I mean a white surface is perfect and as soon as you put your pen (or something else) on it you destroy the perfect white surface; but of course I aim to make a new perfect "something" on the white surface, but then you can ask the question what is perfection? Isn't it what keeps everyone making new work, trying to improve or at least develop from the last work you've done? That's what keeps me going.
TAXI>> Your latest artwork project, collaboration with Cha Cha Supermarket London must be very exciting for you and your fans, what are some of the items which you will be designing for them?
Naja Conrad>> Yes, I have had the great pleasure to work with Cha Cha Supermarket in London and I'm really excited about seeing the result of our collaboration. I have made carpets and runners. Fans? You mean my mom?
TAXI>> Amid hectic schedules and tight deadlines, is there a place in Copenhagen which you seek refuge away from work to regain a peace of mind?
Naja Conrad>> I'm lucky to have a park right next to where I live, so when the weather is somehow human like I go there. Otherwise I like to go to Berlin with my husband for a weekend and listen to hardcore music which I'm a big fan of, but hey that's not Copenhagen.
TAXI>> Show us a picture of your workstation, the place where it all happens...
TAXI>> It has been great talking to you, Naja. Before we end, tell us a place where you want a taxi to bring you right now.
Naja Conrad>> Singapore. I love Singapore. But that is, maybe, a bit too long to sit in a taxi, so Berlin will also do.
© 2003 - 2007 by TAXI Design Network. All rights reserved.