Interview
Hannah Ephgrave
A Canadian artist currently living in Edmonton Alberta, Hannah Ephgrave completed a certificate of Art and Design in 2018, but has since been using her art to reach out and connect with others.
Currently, she is working part time to save up to go back to school, and in the warmer months she runs an outdoor caricature stand, drawing portraits and talking to passersby.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“Looking back on how I started my journey as an artist, over ten years ago, to be brutally honest is kind of embarrassing. In 2011, I was simply another socially awkward teenage girl that was obsessed with fictional worlds and characters. However, little did I know that what started as an interest in drawing fanart for these things that brought me so much joy and encouragement, would inspire me to want to create things in the hopes it could do the same for others.”
What inspires you most?
“I find inspiration from many places, sometimes when I am in prayer, personal experiences, walking down the street, the colors on a particularly interesting log, or it just comes out of nowhere, when I least expect it. It's hard to say, anything can be inspiring for many different reasons.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“I suppose in all my work comes a hope, a hope that it will in some way be able to brighten someone else's day, or maybe consider how they as an individual can take the time to shine a light in the lives of those around them.”
“I have learned from experience that sometimes the most absent minded doodle has the potential to become something even greater.”
How would you describe your work?
“As someone who does everything from poetry to painting, I would describe my art as versatile. I can use my art to express myself in many different ways – I can take past hurts and use them to write a deep profound message, or simply into a relatable joke with a comic strip.”
Which artists influence you most?
“I am greatly inspired by the classic era of Disney, their use of linework to add a certain extra level of contrast and interest to otherwise flatly colored images is something that I have always found intriguing. I take much inspiration as well from artists like Kasey Golden, and character designers like Ron Koza. Artists that experiment, and use multiple forms of media including different traditional mediums and even digital.”
What is your creative process like?
“It depends on what I am working on at the time. Everything always starts with a rough loose sketch and gathering reference photos just so I can see the pieces of the idea more visually, and therefore easily bring them together. It also helps to have my favorite music or YouTube videos playing in the background.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“There is no single definitive role, purpose or reason. The only thing all artists have in common is a desire to create, but we all create for different reasons.
I personally believe that as artists, we have a unique opportunity to capture and visualize concepts, feelings, and things that words may not be able to say. Just as musicians or writers can describe what typically cannot be explained. All creators, all artists have their own unique way of helping people feel seen, to make one think, or simply smile. Art is so fascinating isn't it? It's ironic that art is framed when art in itself is so outside the box.”
What is an event you wish to showcase?
“I am a very relationally oriented person – I love people and have often been told I have a big heart. So with my artwork, I want to use it to connect with others. I have done this by running my own stand in different public spaces where I offer to do cartoon/ semi realistic portraits and doodles for passersby. I've also done this to raise donations for charities.
Through this I've been able to talk to and meet amazing people, and with my goal to get a diploma in social work and work at local youth centers; I hope to use my art to make the lives of those I meet a little brighter.”
Instagram: @doodle_soop
