With Spencer Shope, what you see is what you get.
Donning a platinum buzz cut and tattoos that wear like photos in a coffee table book, she is as strong and full of interest as you would imagine.
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And her work is a direct reflection of that, which is how she (and you) ended up here.
softest serve
Artist Spencer Shope is on the corner of performance and practicality.
You are a fucking unicorn. You have a very punk attitude and approach to both beauty and art. Your means of expression are purely for self fulfilling and discovery. That takes a lot of bravadol I am so happy to have come across your work. Even happier to say I’ve collaborated with you recently for the shoot with Stephanie Severance. Please tell me where the hell you came from?
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Spencer: I'm original from Spartanburg South Carolina but my family lives in Charlotte now. I moved around a lot as a kid so I lived between Las Vegas, Michigan, and the Carolinas growing up. I moved to Baltimore for college.
I landed in NYC three months after graduating from the Maryland institute college of art where I studied painting and fiber arts. I was having no luck finding a job and was seeking more so I packed up everything that would fit in my car and drove up to New York City.
..."I think I confuse a lot of men and so they're not sure what ism to put on me. "
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Ballsy. Not surprised. You make art (paintings and illustrations) and you also do work as a tattoo artist. Seems like a person would be getting one hell of a deal by coming to you for ink but thats another story. How did/does those two worlds manage to collide?
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So I'm a painter, illustrator, diy tattoo artist self taught makeup artist, and sometimes performer. Sometimes the term jack of all trades has been a descriptive of my art experience which is fun but that term me nervous because I fear it makes it seem I don't have a focus. In school I bopped between departments a lot and professors were always trying to get me to commit to one style or type of art making. Which I always rejected, I have have very specific interest in different arenas of art making but I feel they all tie together. Whether I'm giving someone some ink or drawing a figure or painting a face my work has always gone back to the body. I'm forever a figurative painter and so in every aspect of what I like to do it's some kind of obsession with the human body.
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Your illustrations portray femininity as rebellion, almost. There is such power in being a woman, despite the fact that its a total boys club in most industries. Are there any particular agendas or messages you’re intending to get out when you sit down to create?
femininity as rebellion I like that. I like to think that while a lot of the characters I draw are women I'm interested in questioning gender and I suppose the roles that are prescribed with our gender. I like drawing bald women or gender fluid characters, there's masculinity at play with the femininity. I draw a lot from my own experience and often from funny thoughts that pop into my head that I'm sure other people have had pop into there's. Art is such a boys club and sometimes it's hard to get taken seriously but I feel I present myself almost neutrally (I've been called little boy on the street) and my name is Spencer so I feel sometimes I can slide by some of the sexism that comes with the territory. Not that I don't experience sexism I think I confuse a lot of men and so they're not sure what ism to put on me.
What do you enjoy most about each form of art that you're working in right now?
I enjoy so many different aspects to art making and it changes in how I'm working and who I'm working with. Tattoos are obviously very intimate so there's a bonding with another person. Makeup is personal as well which I love I feel when I do someone's face we get to talk a lot about beauty and identity and there's a vulnerability that opens up between us which I value, and afterwards whether it's a beauty makeup or maybe more drag theatrical style I feel I can sense they feel powerful and confident which I love. When I draw illustrations I often do it on the go so I like that I'm kind of within and without my setting, a fly on the wall of you will. I'm such a chatty person I'm rarely quiet so when I illustrate I can observe and I prefer to do these In public because there is such spontaneous moments that you can quickly jot down and bam it's something you would have never made if you were in your room alone. However with painting I love that I work alone, I rework a lot and get very physical with my paintings so for me I love that it's a private practice where I get to spend time with myself and these bodies I'm painting.
What has been one of your favorite creations or projects thus far?
There's a painting of me I did that's my instagram profile image. It's me with super pink scratchy skin and way to many eyes and a derpy open gap smile. I'm super proud of this piece and love it unconditionally, I feel every year I do a painting that's a portrait of myself that's representative of my place in time and that one is definitely me when I made it a few months ago, I'm changing a bit so maybe I won't relate so much in the soon times but for now I see so much of my year in the way I painted that self portrait. Very in love with it.
A true transformation artist. Ever evolving. What are you up to right now? Anything you're working on or excited about these days?
I'm currently revamping my internet presence so I have a bit more clear visual focus and my website as well. I'm working a lot on some crazy makeup looks right now I'm trying to get a look book together and I have some tattoos scheduled that I'm excited to do.
Care to add anything else?
I just wanted to add thank you, and I appreciate your talking with me. Working with you was wonderful and if we ever get a chance to collaborate again I would really love doing it.
Um. Same. Duh.