Untitled

Thaise Jenkins

For this project I gravitated towards the dark fantasy genre. This was the crux of what inspired me to scour the internet, books, and music for inspiration. Japanese animation, Japanese folklore, classical music, opera, gothic culture/architecture where the media forms that I drew from. For this project I wanted to create something darker because I wished to play with horror themes. Being interested in dark literature and how the story can be sweet and alluring one moment, then horrific and macabre the next was beneficial in the crafting of this print. Instead of printing the final product on printed and framed. The portrayal of a gigantic, all-encompassing entity hellbent on your destruction can be seen through the woodcarving, as I purposefully made the giant the focus. The subject being semi-enveloped in smoke, while he looms over mountains gives off a suffocating feel that I want people to be surrounded by. I want my audience to feel a sense of awe and to feel interested in what they see. At the end of the day, all that matters is that my piece gets people talking.

About the Artist

My work is centered around many themes, however the ones that I always circle back to are those of video games, fantasy stories and RPGS, sci-fi and more. If I think it is interesting, then I will create something about it. My works draw inspiration from Ghibli Studio films, Japanese animation, classical music, opera, gothic culture, gothic architecture, nature, biblically correct angels and demons and folklore that I know of and don’t necessarily know a lot of. I enjoy the darker side of literature and that sometimes can manifest itself in some of my works. I also enjoy the lighter side of literature as well, where things can be sweet and alluring. Most of all I take inspiration from a combination of the two because when they’re together there are so many emotions that can manifest in ways that I cannot explain well enough in my own words, I try my best to transfer those emotions onto the page and turn them into something beautiful. Whenever I am ready to draw, I usually just jump right in. Other times, when I am trying to portray a person or a culture correctly, then I do research for my drawings. However, I usually just draw and go from there. I have taken a liking to printmaking with woodblocks and woodcarving in general, and I use the same methods I use in traditional drawing for this medium – I draw then transfer it onto the woodblock and then carve away. I just make art for me and if other people happen to enjoy what I make then the more the merrier. I wish to create something that brings me joy and in turn, people aside from myself can enjoy it as well.