Artist Spotlight: Q & A with Stellar Leuna (Sydney, AUS)
Australian based artist Stellar Leuna creates some graphic bold ink drawings featuring flying witches, horned devil wrestlers, rocking guitar battling babes in addition to her zines,Teenage Heroine and Fatale. She recently had her first solo at The Tate in Oct. 2014 titled Fatale. We’re excited to have her on our Artist Spotlight and to answer a few Q&A about her art, process, influences, her L7 obsession and zines.
What’s your name, age, nationality and location?
My names Stella Leung, I am 23 years old and I grew up in Sydney, Australia. I was born in Hong Kong but moved here with my family when I was 1. I am an identical twin.
Tell us a little about your artistic background? (Art school? Art school drop out? just a drop out?)
I got a degree in Graphic Design over a year ago and when I graduated I was super burnt out and didn’t want to get a full-time job working in a studio or an advertising agency. The idea of being trapped in the same space 5 days a week just scared me. Instead I decided to take a break from it, saved up for a year and traveled. When I got home I continued to work at my shitty day job where I could work whatever hours I wanted just so I could have the time to draw and do what I really liked doing.
What materials do you use? What’s your process?
I use brush and black Indian ink. I gather reference on poses or specific angles that I need by taking photos of friends or family and taking screenshots from films i like. It sounds a bit weird but it’s actually really helpful. I sketch until I am 120% happy with every detail, and then I ink! Lately I’ve been dabbling in colouring my work digitally and I think I like it.
How do comics influence your work?
I really like looking at individual panels in comics because it’s usually when something is about to happen, or is already happening. I like the feeling of being in the middle of something, and you kinda have to put the pieces together or imagine what the characters are up to because it’s taken out of context.
Tell us about your zines, Teenage Heroine & Fatale. What got you into them? What is Teenage Heroine about? How about Fatale? Have a favorite zine?
When I was drawing ‘Teenage Heroine’ I was just thinking about the kinds of girls I’d want to be friends with. I was very inspired by the Riot Grrrl movement and so I’d draw girls who looked like they were from the 90’s, who were in all-girl bands, hung out with demons and were kinda like these cool misfits that other people would be intimidated by but also want to be friends with.
‘Fatale’ was kind of a more evolved version of that idea. Only I took the whole occult theme to the next level. So there’s more supernatural stuff in it. It’s a more “mature” version of Teenage Heroine. It’s a lot darker but still obviously very feminine.
What music do you listen to while you create your work? Some of your characters are obsessed with L7, are you? What would be on your top 5 playlist?
I listen to a lot of L7. They’re my favourite band. ‘Bricks are Heavy’ and ‘Smell the Magic’ are my favourite albums. ‘Fast and frightening’ is my favourite song. It’s about this woman who’s so tough and so cool that all the girls wish they were her or were dating her or something (it was actually written about Becky Wreck from the Lunachicks). ‘Houdini’ by the Melvins, Veruca Salt’s ‘American Thighs’, I really love Mary Timony (from Helium) and whatever she does. ‘The Shapes We Make’ by The Mary Timony Band is one of my favourites too.
What do you have planned for 2015? Any plans to visit the US?
I first visited the US in 2013 and fell in love with it. My birthday is on Halloween so last October I went back and went to Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights and it was the most fun I’ve ever had. We don’t have anything like that in Australia really, because no one really cares about Halloween. I also visited San Francisco for a few days and it was so beautiful. I love California because it’s like Australia, really warm all the time but stuff actually happens there. I love travelling. As soon as I got back from the US I booked a trip to Japan for September this year, so I won’t be visiting the US this year, but maybe next year… who knows.
So you mentioned you had 2 pairs of shoes, one of them Vans (rad). Do you have a favorite pair of Vans?
I live exclusively in my boots and my Vans Authentics because they’re comfortable and go with anything. I’m pretty lazy when it comes to dressing… I wear the same thing everyday. Black jeans or shorts with my boots and vans and tshirts on rotation because it saves having to think about what to wear everyday. Some day I’ll find that perfect outfit that suits every occasion and I’ll by 5 of them and only wear that for the rest of my life like a cartoon character.
Last words, final thoughts, advice to aspiring artists?
Just keep drawing and don’t be too proud to relearn foundations or to ask other people for help. You’re never too good for anything.
Follow Stellar: Tumblr | Facebook | Instagram
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