11,5q to... Alessandra Maria Peters

TH&Stary Van Dam Starry

Today our 11,5q series is featured by Brooklyn based rising artist - Alessandra Peters. Have a nice trip and so much PJ Harvey ;)

1.
neso: Tell us a bit about the place you currently live in

AM: Right now I'm living in New York, which is such a great place. Very loud, dirty, and noisy - with all these people crammed in trying to make or do something. I do miss trees though.

2.
neso: Most interesting places you've ever been to?

Am: Hm, that's difficult.. I have yet to really travel the world (although my friend and I are saving up to), so I suppose random little towns in middle America. There's a lot of strange and interesting places in this country.

3.

neso: Your top 5 artists of all times.

Am: Klimt, Fuyuko Matsui, Da Vinci, Andrew Wyeth, De Kooning

//examples

Fuyuko Matsui

Andrew Wyeth

4.
neso: Your top 5 movies of all times.

AM: Ohh I'm so terrible with movies! I rarely watch them. Trying to change that more recently, though..

neso: Your top 5 musicians or bands of all times.

AM: Hm.. Well, I suppose I should go with the ultimate standbys.

Nirvana got me into music as a teen, so there's that..

The Smashing Pumpkins taught me how to play guitar,

Bjork's album Vespertine sounds exactly like how I want the work to look like (if that makes sense)..

Anything by Jack White, because I admire his work ethic and absolutely love everything he makes.

And PJ Harvey. So much PJ Harvey.

But I don't listen to all of the above as much anymore because I know every song by them so well. Recently I've been listening to Sleater Kinney, Fiona Apple, Jose Gonzalez, and Bat for Lashes a lot.

6.
neso:The most annoying thing to you?

AM: Hm... I don't know! I don't get annoyed easily. I guess when people are really rude or mean, it never seems necessary. But even then - everyone gets overwhelmed by emotions sometimes.

7.
neso: 3 lessons / advices for beginning artists

AM: Be honest in your work, why do you love art? Why did you start drawing or painting in the first place? Really, really look into the answers to those questions, so you can start to build a philosophy for your work. If you have that base, anything that gets thrown your way becomes manageable, because you have a defined direction to move in.

Keep going - talent doesn't exist. Only persistence combined with a clear direction. (That's just my opinion - but I ascribe to the 10,000 hour rule)

Be a good person - don't be mean or rude or try to use anyone.. It goes without saying, but I do think it's important enough to put here.

8.
neso: 5 websites you like to visit

AM:

-facebook (trying to quit that one)

-tumblr

-supersonic electronic

-that's about it, I suppose!