1xRun Thru Interview
The Watchers by Joey Remmers
1xRun: Tell us a little bit about this original painting Anabel Lee.
Joey Remmers: Normally, any paintings I do are either for a group show, a series or are commissions, so I almost never have original pieces hanging out in the studio that are unspoken for. This painting should be hanging out in Germany, but due to an international shipping snafu, I’ve got it and thought it’d be fun to offer it up here on 1xrun. However, back in March, Strychnine Gallery in Berlin did a show with works inspired by the writings of Edgar Allan Poe. Annabel Lee, based on the following poem, was my contribution.
Annabel Lee
It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of ANNABEL LEE;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.
I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea;
But we loved with a love that was more than love-
I and my Annabel Lee;
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me.
And this was the reason that, long ago,
In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling
My beautiful Annabel Lee;
So that her highborn kinsman came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulchre
In this kingdom by the sea.
The angels, not half so happy in heaven,
Went envying her and me-
Yes!- that was the reason (as all men know,
In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of the cloud by night,
Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.
But our love it was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we-
Of many far wiser than we-
And neither the angels in heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.
For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride,
In the sepulchre there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea.
– Edgar Allan Poe
1xRun: Your work seems to contain these beautiful female muses in troubled situations, is there anything in particular that helps you jump start ideas for a new painting?
Joey Remmers: I get my ideas from myriad places; Dreams, music, films, random thoughts. I started keeping a pocket sketchbook with me in order to retain ideas that might otherwise be lost into the ether.
1xRun: Are the various female figures in your work drawn from any reference or real life inspiration or from scratch?
Joey Remmers: Yeah, I always compile or create photo reference. No sense in trying to re-invent the wheel…
1xRun: You also have a background as a tattoo artist; do you want to touch on how that interplays with your fine art work and vice versa?
Joey Remmers: I only tattoo privately now, which really makes me enjoy it more. I can be picky with projects that I take on, much like painting. Anytime I paint or tattoo, I’m constantly solving problems in my head related to value, tone, light, etc, but I’m also always thinking about how the two mediums influence each other. My painting definitely influences my tattooing and vice versa.
1xRun: Which did you get started with first? Tattooing or painting?
Joey Remmers: Professionally, I tattooed first (starting when I was 19), but I’ve been drawing and painting since I was little. Tattooing was always a means to an end for me; a way to make money doing something creative while I worked on painting.
1xRun: How has your 2013 been shaking out so far for you? Any shows coming up?
Joey Remmers: Busy! Lots of painting, started doing large charcoal renderings, school, family, work. Never a dull moment…I’m working on a new body of work right now, so stay tuned. Oh, and I’ve got a painting at the Suggestivism Rome exhibit May 3rd at Mondo Pop Gallery.
1xRun: Where else can people find you?
Joey Remmers: Website – Facebook
-1xRUN