FACEPOCALYPSE

I noticed Nick’s done a retrospective. I thought I would, too, for the sake of having some sort of compiled record.

Career – Concept artist to freelance graphic designer/artist:

I quit Interzone Games in March, after over 2 years there as a concept artist (with graphic design side duties), having worked on Interzone Futebol since its infancy. The only person left from the original ~14 working there when I was hired was Jack. At its peak Interzone was employing 100+ people over 4 locations. Perth was the main development studio. I don’t know if I’ll ever find a working environment that rivals the atmosphere of Interzone at its prime. It was such a great place to work.

Group photo from Fully Formal Friday.

In February or thereabouts, myself and 6 other colleagues formed Rockethands for indie game development. We released 2 iphone games: Rocketfuse and Space Crash.

After leaving Interzone I also started freelancing again, and am very happy with where I’m at skill-wise. I wasn’t very confident freelancing when I was straight out of uni, but I learnt a lot over my 2 years at Interzone. Everything just started to click.

Art:

I’d always wanted to have an exhibition, and leaving Interzone gave me the perfect window to organise one… Or three.

I curated Snapshot, Apple Cider Tea Party and Summer.

I also put work into the Hale Art Exhibition, Clothespeg III and the St Brigids exhibition.

Other noteworthy events were getting rejected by the Fremantle Print Awards exhibition and the South Perth Emerging Artists Award. Both have made me more driven. Being rejected by a local exhibition specifically for emerging artists felt like a kick in the face. Having said that, I’m just some no-name chump who mailed in the application. If they’d seen all the hard work I’ve put into my art over the years perhaps I would’ve had more leverage… Or maybe I should’ve just painted flowers. People like flowers.

I also did a handful of commissioned paintings. Japan Street seems to be peoples’ favourite artwork, and was one of my commissions:

I’ve done a handful of interviews and met a lot of people in the local art scene, having previously known absolutely noone.

Family:

Mid-year was particularly dark for the Boxers.

Yea…

Relationships:

It certainly felt like something was working against me in an attempt to make 2009 an entirely forgettable year.

I had a strange knack for asking out girls that either a) were just out of an epic relationship b) recently had an ex pop up and cast ‘Confuse’ on them, c) like the ladies, or d) just plain don’t like guys that use wizard analogies.

But srsly, I’m content. It’s nice not having any additional ties to Perth (for work considerations), and I only have to attend my own family’s functions! Ha

Living and learning:

It’s been great working for myself this year. It’s been exhausting and isn’t sustainable yet, but I do things that I actually want to do, and feel like I’m gaining ground on some undeciphered long-term goals. I don’t know where I want to be and I love it. I love the spontaneity, the freedom.

I’m not sure I fit into routine. I want to figure out a way to be sustainable that allows me to live outside the norm and restrictions of having a fulltime job. Part time I can deal with, but I can’t justify dedicating the whole working week to one project. My goals don’t involve material goods or large numbers, they just facilitate a lifestyle I could take or leave. It’s as simple as doing things I’m passionate about.

Anyway, I’ll just keep treading this path in 2010 and see where I end up. There’s no time like now to take a risk. Although realistically I’ve been chipping away for 5+ years.

Nothing worth having comes easy!

Forecast for this year:

More change. What that will be is undecided, but I’ll be scouting out Melbourne come Wednesday, and may well do the old ~networking dance~.

“You can dance, you can dance, everybody network your pants.”

And I mean networking in the traditional sense, with the talky talk – That last line sounded more suggestive than intended. Pants aren’t involved in my networking… Ugh… I seem to have done it again.