Interview by Throwaway Press contributor and member of the HGPSCC, Jacob Lyle.
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Boston based artist Sean Patrick (@thankyou_sean) is, from what I can gather, a soft spoken guy. We corresponded via email for this interview and although his answers were short and to the point, he certainly has a way of making a lot with very little. Just take one glance at his art and I think you’ll know what I mean. His subversive takes on American Culture are equal parts comical as they are completely relatable. It’s reminiscent of a life spent wrought with anxiety, something many of us in the HGP community are all too familiar with I’m sure.
Sean most recently collaborated with HGP on the Live Laugh Love Tapestry – a piece that perfectly incapsulates his vibe. Having grown up in a house with “Live, Laugh, Love” painted above our dining room table, this piece hits close to home with a guttural guffaw.
The first thing Sean says is an apology for his sarcasm. I told him that isn’t a problem at HGP as it’s something most of us relish in.
JL: Hi Sean! Tell us a little about yourself.
SP: Hello. My name is Sean. I live in Boston. I make art and I work at a bar sometimes. I am originally from Western Massachusetts.
JL: When did you get into illustration?
SP: I have been drawing for as long as I can remember. My grandfather was a professional artist, so I was always surrounded by and encouraged to make art from an early age.
JL: Tell me a little about the Live, Laugh, Love Tapestry you did for HGP. Where did the inspiration for it come from? Personally, It’s a favorite of mine because my mom always had it all over our house and I found it a little nauseating. I think your piece breathes (or sucks) some new life into it!
SP: The Live Laugh Love design is just my take on the phrase commonly tattooed on/ hung in the homes of the “super positive” (some of the worst) people I’ve met. Your mom is probably fine though, in fact I’m sure she’s very nice, maybe just a little confused.
JL: Do you have a favorite piece of yours that you’ve made?
SP: I like most of the pieces I’ve made in the past year or so. They’re OK.
JL: You draw these very similar characters, most with the same expression. I’m wondering, does that character have a name, backstory? Is it you?
SP: The character doesn’t have a name. It’s me. It’s you.
JL: Who are some artists that you draw inspiration from?
SP: I draw inspiration from this beautiful planet we live on and all of the wonderful things that happen on it all day every day.
JL: I want to get a little personal here and say that your work connects on a pretty deep level. There’s a real sense of nihilism that’s kind of birthed out of exhaustion which really resonates – I feel it quite often. Do you get that a lot – that people connect with your work?
SP: I do get that a lot. If you relate to my work I’m sorry, but sometimes it feels better to know that we’re all going through it together. If we can laugh about it, maybe that helps.
JL: And lastly… what can the readers look forward to? What are you working on? Any plans to collaborate with HGP in the future?
SP: I’ll be vending at THE FEST in Gainesville FL at the end of October, and at the Boston Art Book Fair the first weekend of November. Come say “HI”. I’m always working on something new, and open for collaborations with my buds HGP forever and always. OK Thanks cya.
Stroll on by Sean’s instagram @thankyou_sean to get a look at his work, or shop here. And if you’re around any of the festivals, stop on by and support a local artist!
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