If you were to animate our ordinary every day lives into our ideal surrealist dreamland lives, it would probably look something along the lines like the works of Chloe Bennett.
Chloe's observation of the world through pop tinted glasses results in eccentric illustrations, capturing humorously or otherwise not seriously intended puns, assembled into the oddities of social behaviour... what's a girl left to do but swoon.
The Fraser Coast based artist gets real with us, with exclusive insights into what really goes down behind the creative mind of Yeah Yeah Chloe.
For those who don’t know much about you, please tell us a bit about your background and your work?
I am an artist slash illustrator slash high school teacher (all of which I don’t do particularly well). I actually majored in sculpture at uni so moving into illustration was never really part of the plan - it just kinda happened. I went through a real period of hating drawing - which is kinda funny as thats what I spend most of my free time doing now.
How long have you been illustrating for and do you remember what you first created?
I have been drawing shitty things since I was a kid. My mum would pack up my art supplies in a little backpack and I would take it everywhere. I remember going out to fancy restaurants and cafes and drawing little masterpieces on napkins and placemats. I guess though, this style that I’ve been developing lately really has only been for about a year - My first image created is my first image on my IG (its the skull in the ice-cream cone or should I say I-scream cone *wink*wink). I love a good pun and I am not very good at them…so needless to say, I was pretty darn proud of myself when I came up with that.
Where do you find your inspiration?
Oh everywhere! I am so obsessed with pop culture it’s sick. If I’m stuck, I find that the internet is always a great place to start - its filled with the best and worst of humanity which is always great inspiration.
We love the colours and aesthetics of your work; do you feel like you’re targeting a certain type of audience with your designs?
Oh blush - Thank ya! I don’t consciously try and target a particular group of people - I just pick the colours that I enjoy looking at. I’d like to think that my audience are the kind of people that appreciate nice colours, are intrigued by weird shit and all agree that Donald Trump running for president is effed up.
What's your preferred platform of choice for creating?
I draw up my images in pencil, outline them in liners and then trace them digitally. I think I do things the long way round but thats how I like it - it feels hands on and authentic. I think I add about ten more steps then I need to, but I end up with these diaries filled with my outlined sketches and it’s strangely satisfying.
There is currently an incredible talent pool of female illustrators right now, how do you think your work differs from them?
I know right! There are so many talented female artists emerging and its so exciting to see. To tell you the truth I don’t know how my work differs - all I know is that I feel really lucky to be apart of a time where girl power is alive and well.
When you’re not creating amazing cool shit, you are?...
Teaching the youths bad habits….or eating
What are your aspirations for the future of Yeah Yeah Chloe?
This is such a big question! I don’t even know - I didn’t ever expect anyone to really like my stuff - so I think I am still kinda working out what Yeah Yeah Chloe even is. I love collaborating with cool people - so maybe one day a collab with some big hot shot brand (Hey Adidas - call me). I’d like to think that in the future I’ll get my shit together to put together a show. I mean personally, I have always wanted to tattoo someone —that was the dream - so if anyone wants to teach me?
Would you please be able to give us a quick Chloe style sketch of your favourite sneaker?
At the moment I am frothing over the Nike Huarache Ultra in the Militant Green colourway. I don’t actually have a pair so I just Google them all day and lick the screen.
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