Michelle Devereux – Interview

By Daniel Rolnik On May 16, 2011

Michelle Devereux is a young artist creating rad works featuring aliens skateboarding, dudes surfing pizzas, and videos of pregnant women doing aerobics in spandex. Devereux’s work is for the people out there who love to have fun.

Daniel Rolnik: What medium is Rollerblading Alien?

Michelle Devereux: A combination of airbrush and colored pencil.

DR: What’s your favorite t-shirt you’ve gotten from an airbrush artist? And why do you think those dudes never get respect?

MD: I make it a point to go to the State Fair of Texas every year and my favorite thing to do is get a sunset beach scene airbrush tee shirt with my name written on it in script. I started doing that when I was ten. So, I guess I don’t really have a favorite one in particular, just a large collection of a favorite theme. I have no idea why those dudes don’t get respect. I think the memories of those weathered, ex-biker, rednecks blaring heavy metal music and airbrushing beach themed tee shirts for my pre-pubescent self has had a profound effect on not only my artistic development, but probably my general life trajectory as well.

DR: What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve submitted to a gallery?

MD: A video of me in a karaoke room singing Seal’s “Kiss from a Rose” into a dildo.

DR: Who is the biggest weirdo in Austin, Texas?

MD: The standard response is Leslie, an old man who walks around Austin wearing thongs and rangerette boots. He’s actually been deemed the “official” weirdo of Austin. KUT’s John Aielli is probably weirder though.

DR: Would you rather surf on a piece of pizza or eat it, and why?

MD: I think if given the chance to surf on a giant slice of pizza I would have to embrace the opportunity. If someone handed me a regular-sized slice of pizza and said I could surf on it, I’d probably just eat it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o92di6jFtaE

DR: Where did you film the video Pregorobics and how did you make the pregnancy suits?

MD: Well, first of all, those pregnant stomachs are the real deal. I had three friends get pregnant around the same time and they were down to let me exploit their Prego bellies for a self-help project I was doing for Monofonus Press at the time. It was filmed in the un-air-conditioned warehouse at Austin’s Monofonus Compound in the heat of July with some complicated choreography that they had to learn the day of while also being 8-9 months pregnant. I owe them big.

DR: Where’s your favorite place to get 90’s style schwag and cheap shades?

MD: I buy cheap shades wherever I see them, even if they’re not particularly cheap. 90’s schwag? Thrift stores or the Goodwill bins. The schwag in my drawings I just get off Google image searches.

DR: Why does your band SSSTORMSHELTERR have so many S’s and R’s in its name?

MD:I’m not sure; ask our guitarist and band founder Diana Welch. She’s a writer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_9ZFBewFSo

DR: What would you do if you discovered there was another girl out there who tap danced, drew aliens, had a video collective, and loved airbrushes?

MD: Challenge her to a tap-off maybe? But I’m not that good at tap dancing so maybe I would just fight her and hope I didn’t loose.

DR: What would change about Burning Man if Dr. Dre had actually started it?

MD: Well, firstly, that’s not me making that claim, I don’t know who’s responsible for that leak, I’m just doing my part to help spread the truth. I think if it was out in the open that Dr. Dre started it things would be a lot different, more ice n’ bling and less glowsticks for one thing I’m sure. Take a look at the evidence and decide for yourself: http://drdrestartedburningman.tumblr.com/

DR: Can you give us a link to the end of the Internet?

MD: http://www.youtube.com/user/jaxneuron#p/u/35/Et0ysiCQoUA