Whopple.com

Today’s Artist Interview Is With Henry Carreno Ortiz from San Francisco, California.

Whopple: How long have you been an artist?
Henry: Wow, I think that ever since I was born or before, but the real journey started when I was 6 years old.

Whopple: Tell us about your first attempts to be creative.
Henry: I was born in El Salvador, and I was in school when I was probably getting closer to 6 years of age and there was a contest in which I needed to place my family in what they called “happy way”. By that time I was able to draw the body fairly well, not the sticks most kids do. So I drew my family and myself working in a circus with animals, I colored them and a few months later I was chosen among thousands of kids from my nation as the first place. I was happy and very surprised. That was the first attempt and also a triumph.

Whopple: Do you make a living with your art?
Henry: Not really, I have sold some of my drawings in the past. Right now I am working on my website which will sell prints of my work. I plan to make a living with my art in the future.

Whopple: How many hours a day do you create?
Henry: School has gotten in my way, so time is really short. I try to invest at least 3 hours a day, when I am free from school I mostly do 8 hours.

Whopple: How did you pick your creative medium?
Henry: Back in El Salvador art is only painting and drawing still life, so while I was there I found pencils to be much suitable for me. Once here and after a while I went from pencil to colored pencils, then markers, and later to watercolor and acrylics. Now I also do digital art. All this in order to fill the hunger that exist within myself.

Whopple: What are your inspirations?
Henry: The most important is life and probably time itself because time and life are short, but many things can happen in such a short time that art it’s the same. Just the thought that tomorrow I may not be alive makes me create art today.

Whopple: How do you recharge when your creativity hits the wall?
Henry: I have many books from existing artists and comic book artists, I go to the book shelf and start seeing the art through the pages, then creativity starts to flow again. Sometimes I might just turn the computer on and start doing abstracts.

Whopple: What was your first job?
Henry: I worked washing trucks, those that people use for trips. Hard work, but it was fun because on a sunny day I could refresh myself. It was part of the job I guess (laugh).

Whopple: What are your favorite snacks when you are creating?
Henry: Well I like cereal and milk, and sometimes I can’t just sit and draw, I must have these with me. In fact, I am in need of it now (laugh). Sodas are good, but I try to avoid them sometimes.

Whopple: What gives you hope in the world?
Henry: Life, being able to be a human and artist makes me think twice how wonderful life really is and what I can create with my hands. Creativity adds that little extra hope. I am happier than a regular person or so I think. I am an artist more than a human though.

Whopple: What do you wish you could do?
Henry: I wish I could have my own art gallery or at least being able to work in one, but I keep working for that.

Whopple: What are your artistic goals?
Henry: I want to publish my work in a book. Right now I am thinking about whether to put everything in a book or just several books with different subjects. That would be the most important one I have now, but many more things will come along the way.

Whopple: What has been your most exciting moment as an artist?
Henry: Being able to create something that others will use and get recognition for that.

To See More Of Henry Carreno Ortiz’s Artwork Please Visit The Following:
http://www.henry-carreno-prints.com
http://darknekoboy.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/darknekoboy
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