You all bring the heat as superheroes in your daily lives - with your fresh lewks serving up superpower vibes. Because we love to meet you where you’re at, we called on Portland’s own animator, painter and illustrator. Gary Hogue, to accurately capture our own superhero status at Ginger. You've likely seen these stylist turned superhero images pop up in our newsletters, blog, and social media. Let’s meet the artist behind it all. Friends, meet Gary Hogue.
G: You're a Portland treasure! What's it like being an artist in this city?
GH: Thank you! I moved to Portland in 2005 to attend art school. So, my Portland experience has been all about creativity! I love the creative communities that the city fosters. My favorite part of being a creative person here is the variety of ways to express yourself. It’s basically a place where anything goes, and you can find an audience no matter how weird your work is. Actually, the weirder the better. I need to push my weird side more!
G: How do you come up with your ideas? Do you have rituals to draw out creativity?
GH: Hmmmmm, I’d say that I have always a bit of a challenge not putting my own spin on things. As a kid I would trace other drawings that I liked to try and feel how it worked, but I also couldn’t just trace them. I would always try to change them up somehow. I do that with everything, and it’s probably a little annoying to some, haha! But I do try and encourage my creative impulses. If something strikes me as interesting, I might grab a pencil and try working it out right there. I want to play with those ideas while they’re fresh. And as far as rituals go, I just try to focus more on getting out and living life because the best inspiration comes from those moments outside of your bubble.
G: Tell us about the work you do.
I work in a variety of ways, I’m an animator, a painter, and an illustrator. My current focus is to paint large scale, I’m talking murals! I just love working on something big. It feels good to experience art that towers over you and the challenge of creating something that will pull people in is exciting. I also try to incorporate my own love for life into all of my art. I spent too much time in the past worrying about the past or the future and once I learned to appreciate and live in “the now,” that really made my own experiences better. So I want to give that to others if I can.
G: We love what you’ve done for Ginger! How can our readers hire you to bring their own ideas to life?
GH: Easy, send me an email to gary@garyhogue.com. Let me know what you are looking for, and we’ll talk! Also visit my mural Instagram page, Instagram.com/garymahonrimurals and send me a message.
G: We just have to ask - since we are now seeing everything as a comic. What are the characteristics of your own superhero?
GH: My superhero character would be out there fighting for the hurt children and the people who have been abused by the broken systems in this country. Shit, my superhero would also be out changing those systems so that they work for everyone!