Leia Bell Talks 134

One of our regular contributors theotherben has sent us this interview that he conducted with Leia Bell.

A big thanks go to theotherben and Leia Bell for their time and effort doing this for us.

Lost Art

Mr. Jensen Karp has now been revealed to us at the master-mind behind DCaaPB. Was he the person that contacted you regarding The Lost Underground Art Project? Have you previously shown your art at Gallery 1988 LA? We are told that this project was two years in the making. How much advance notice/working time did you have?
Yes, Jensen is who called me to join in this project. At first I dismissed it, because my employee wrote down the message in away that it sounded like a solicitation for television installation, but luckily he called again! I hadn't shown my work at Gallery 1988 before, but I will be in an upcoming "Sports"-themed show there very soon. Jensen contacted me in early spring of 2009, but the project had been underway quite awhile already by then I think. I finished my piece by the end of summer 2009.

Did you choose the "water-cooler" moment or was it assigned? And if you had the chance to create another print in this series what moment would you have chosen?
My moment was assigned, as the other moments had already been chosen, but I was happy with the moment I got. If I could do another moment, I'd probably choose something with the Swan station, or the bunnies.

Some artist had alternative names for their prints. Did you personally title your print or was that a given?
My original title was "Jack's Revelation"

Were you familiar with LOST and this particular moment in the show? And did you re-watch episodes for inspiration?
Oh yes, I remember feeling Jack's pain when he saw Kate and Sawyer together, I felt terrible for him! I did re-watch the episode though, which was mid-way through season 3, the episode "I Do".

There is some question about the choice of images in monitor 2. From what we know in LOST Jack did not see the moment which you depicted in monitor No. 2, but Ben did. Sorry, LOST fans are a bit fussy about details. Is there a reason, or just artistic license to communicate Ben's manipulation of Jack?
I totally get that criticism, but yeah, it was artistic license and for dramatic effect. We as the audience know what was going on, and I'm sure Jack could only imagine-- and the point was to portray the emotion of the moment without seeing Jack's face.

Were you restricted/instructed in anyway. Like "We want this to feature the number 4 of the fourth monitor in a darker color then the rest of the numbers" or anything else like that. We have discovered since the end of the campaign that certain clues were to be found in the posters. Was yours one of these?
My only restriction was to illustrate that particular moment of the show.

Are there sketches or preliminary drawings that we might see?
naaahh...not really

How do you feel about having your work be at the center of people's lives for (at least) a week? What did it feel like to watch the reveal and your print drop? Did Jensen let you know just before your print was revealed, so you could witness the reveal?
I wasn't told that the print was up on the site-- a friend of mine informed me on Facebook. It was cool to be a part of the whole experience alongside so many artists I admire.

Art

What is your favorite theme or color motif that you like to use in your art?
Animals, or more specifically BIRDS are my favorite subjects to draw. I normally use a lot of color in my work, but I like to muddy up the colors a bit-- no neon!

Do you pull your own screens or use outside source?
99% of my work is hand-pulled by me in my little home studio. The LOST series was printed by the incredible dudes at D&L. They have printed a few of my other prints, and I totally trust their work. I'd have them print all of my stuff if I weren't such a control freak. I also just LOVE the whole process of printing from start to finish, and when I print my own work, I can change my mind halfway through (change colors, or add/take out colors) if I feel like it.


Has the LOST DCaaPB experience opened any doors, career wise, that weren't open to you before?
Not that I've noticed (yet anyway). I generally stay very busy with design work, commissions, plus I run a gallery/frame shop and have three kids under 8 years old... I'm not sure how I would handle MORE work.

For those who are just getting into collecting art prints, what advice would you give to them regarding storage and upkeep that you wish you knew when you started?
This probably goes against what many other collectors do, but I have gotten rid of all of my flat files-- they drive my crazy! I can never find anything in them, and prints get damaged easily. Instead, I keep my prints and my personal collection of other art, upright in specially designed bins my husband built. Prints are divided by sheets of acid-free foam core. At my gallery we mount each print on foam core using clear mounting corners (the prints slide in and out of those easily), then we put them in clear sleeves. Again they are displayed in the cool hand-built 'poster bins'.

Out of your catalog of art, what is the one piece of art that you are the most proud of?
That's a tough one, but I still love my poster for the Pixies. They were my all-time favorite band, and getting to design a poster for their 2004 reunion tour was a huge dream fulfilled for me.

How did you get into print making?
I learned the basics of screenprinting in high school, and spent a lot of time printing t-shirts for friends' bands in my parents' driveway. I majored in Printmaking in college- starting at the University of TN, then finishing my degree at the University of Utah. After graduating, I started making screenprinted posters for shows at the music venue my boyfriend Phil owned in Salt Lake called Kilby Court. We lived across the street from the venue and my studio was there too. This was around 2001. We stayed there until 2008 (adding three awesome boys to our family in the process), and then sold the venue and opened up a poster gallery and custom frame shop called Signed & Numbered. That's what I'm doing now.


LOST Questions

Are you a LOST fan? If so, how do you like to watch the show?
1) Lockdown -- no interruptions.
2) With a few select LOST fans.
3) With a bunch of people.
4) It doesn't matter.
5) I don't really watch...

1)- I watch an entire season in a few sittings when it comes out on DVD, and after my kids have gone to bed.

Favorite LOST character(s)?
Hurley is my favorite character. I also like Miles... and Hurley and Miles together-- I could hang out with them.

Any favorite LOST quotes?
Basically anything Hurley says is golden.

If you could turn a frozen donkey wheel and end up anywhere/anytime, where/when would it be?
I suppose anywhere in the future would be cool, as long as I could get back.

Who do you identify with most -- the LOST bunnies, the polar bear or Vincent?
Probably Vincent- he's happy-go-lucky

Do you follow any LOST blogs or post at any LOST forums?
I don't-- and this is only because I don't watch the show in real-time. With three kids I never have a chance to watch TV while they're awake, (and I don't have a DVR), so I wait until the season comes out on DVD. I have to stop people talking about the show and stick my fingers in my ears a lot. It's painful waiting, but awesome to watch an entire season in a few days.

How do you think LOST will end?
oooh, I don't want to speculate... I am just along for the ride.

What is the one mystery from LOST that you are dying to find out? Would you be content with never finding out the answer to that particular mystery?
The numbers... I think I'd live with not knowing though

What is your favorite moment of LOST?
Not a particular moment, but I have always loved anything to do with time travel... I eat that up, it's fascinating.