Jonny Ruzzo was one of ten artists who participated in Day One of the AI32 LIVE Cover Project [watch the video]. Here is what he wrote:

Q: As an artist, what are some of your favorite things about living and working in New York?

A: I have a love/hate relationship with New York City. (Don’t most non-native New Yorkers?) I think for right now I need to live in New York City to continue meeting new people and making connections, which is probably also my favorite thing about living here. You never know who you might connect with, and that opportunity makes living here really exciting for me.

How and when did you first become interested in art and illustration?

I suppose before I can remember—my grandmother has flower drawings that I had done when I was five that I have no recollection of ever doing. I remember all of my teachers since fourth grade telling me that I was going to be an artist and, knowing that I loved to draw, I just went with it.

Three covers for the AI32 LIVE Cover Project.

What was your first commercial assignment?

I had sold a painting in my junior year of high school to my art teacher’s sister, and then shortly after that a teacher in my high school commissioned me to make a painting for her house. These were the first real experiences I had with selling my work and I realized that selling something original that I had made was very rewarding.

What is your favorite part of the creative process? 

I love the explorative part of coming up with the concept for a drawing or painting, and then seeing how it transforms slowly from my initial idea to the final sketch. I get the most excited when I have the idea finalized, my reference photos ready to go, and I can start working on the final piece. I get all tingly and filled up with nervous excitement.

Do you keep a sketchbook? What is the balance between art you create on paper versus In the computer?

I do keep a sketchbook, and in the past year or so, drawing in a sketchbook has really helped me realize what I love to do the most. It has steered my illustration work in a direction that I’m very happy with. I have also been working more with my drawings digitally in Photoshop, but I always start by creating everything by hand and then scanning it in. I think the computer is a helpful tool and makes a lot of things easier, but I am not concerned with making my worklook like it was done digitally. When I list “digital” as part of the media for one of my illustrations, it’s usually no more than 10% of what is seen is done on the computer.

How do you spend the first hour of your work day? What is your favorite time of day for working?

The first hour is usually filled with checking e-mail, eating cereal, drinking coffee, and checking social media. I am not at all a morning person; actually, I’m basically nocturnal. I love working at night and going to sleep around 4 or 5 AM.

What are you listening to? What are you reading

I listen to mostly electronica or techno/pop music. But I really I love anything with a strong beat that gets me pumped up when I’m working. Lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Grimes and I love Mumford & Sons. The most played song in my iTunes is Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap. For reading, I am just finishing up The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, and after that I am going to read The Art Spirit by Robert Henri, which a friend recommended to me.

Who and what are some of your strongest influences?

For the past year I’ve become really interested in Basquiat—not just his work, but after watching a documentary about him and the film “Basquiat," I just find him to be an interesting and complex person. I love when people think someone is unintelligent but they are actually a genius. I have always liked the work of Egon Schiele and Gustav Klimt. I love Bob Peak’s drawings, the way they look so effortless and a little grungy, as well as the work of a lot of illustrators from this period of 60’s lifestyle illustration, such as Bernie Fuchs and Robert Jones. I am always inspired by J.D. Salinger’s writing, the way he describes scenes as well as his characters being so well-developed and believable. And I am always influenced by fashion photography but the list of photographers I am interested in at any one time changes very quickly.

Did your participating in the AI32 LIVE Cover Project have any spillover into your studio practice? Do you recommend marathon art projects for inspiration or redirection?

I have done some live painting/drawing before, but in those cases I always knew exactly what the final image would be. With the LIVE Cover Project, I was drawing from the live models that were available to us, so I went into it a little nervous, not knowing exactly what would happen. I was worried I would be having one of those “off” days where, as an artist, I feel like all of my drawing skills revert to my 13-year-old self, and I'm back in middle school where I can’t even draw two eyes that are the same size. By going into it without a plan, I definitely learned more than if I went in knowing what I was going to do. But with nervousness comes excitement, and I think this type of project can be helpful for inspiration or re-direction. Maybe it’s a fine art mentality, but if I don’t get out of my comfort zone then I don’t feel like I'm moving forward.

Beach (detail); view the entire drawing.

What was the last art exhibition you saw and what did you take away from it?

I recently went to Arcadia Contemporary gallery in Soho, where they had a group show of paintings and sculptures on display. I love most of the work of the artists that show at this gallery, and I saw some Michael Carson oil paintings in person for the first time. His use of tone is really interesting and beautiful, using mid-tones where traditionally the darkest tone would be used. My main concern when making images is usually color, especially with my drawings, since they are very flat. But after seeing his paintings it reminded me how important tone is, and how transformative it can be to an image.

Has social media been a boon for self-promotion?

Whenever someone new approaches me about my work, I ask them how they came across it, and it is usually different. Because of this, I tell myself that social media is an important business tool, because that is the only reason I use Twitter/Instagram/Facebook pages. But I think with the internet alone, any outlet that may allow more people to see your work is important. For me, posting my life online doesn’t come naturally, and really feels like a part-time job in itself. It probably takes me way too long to compose a Tweet, and I’m terrible at keeping followers interested. I never know if I should only be posting art-related things, or if people care to see a picture of me with the crazy bed-head. BUT, I do like how it is an extra way to reach out to people that you want to work for, or other artists that you want to know, and it makes it much easier than if it were, say, the 80’s and we had to, like, pick up a phone, and call them and actually talk to them!

Have you ever had a creative block with a deadline looming? What do you do to get cracking’?

I have not run into this issue much, but maybe it’s because I find that I work better under pressure than if I am not given a deadline for a project. But if I ever feel lost or stuck, I definitely go back to the basics, don’t overthink it, and just trust my instincts.

Is there any particular new technology you’ve embraced as an avenue towards entrepreneurial adventures?

I’ve been using this thing called “Internet,” which I love. It’s like, anything you want to know is right in front of you. It’s only about $30/month and it is such a powerful tool to be taken advantage of. In a way it’s a little dangerous because it makes it easier for artists of all skill levels to have a website and show their work, so the pond becomes crowded with more options for the fisherman to catch. But I really think that some younger artists that are successful today would not be where they are without the internet.

What advice would you give a young artist on selecting an art school or college?

When I was choosing which art college to go to, I realized that only after visiting my top two choices did I know exactly where I wanted to go. I think the most important thing is to visit these schools and imagine yourself being there. Also, since art college can be very expensive, if you are going to be paying for your degree in loans, though it may be difficult for a 17-year-old to realize, you should do some math and really understand the amount of money you will owe after you graduate.

Left: The Laughing Man; center: Just Before the War with the Eskimos; right: A Perfect Day for Bananafish.

Jonny Ruzzo grew up in Cranston, a large town in the small state of Rhode Island, and moved out in 2008. He currently resides in New York City, where he works as an artist and illustrator. He wrote,

“The main themes that reside in my work are superficiality, sexuality, gender, and my perceptions of beauty. I enjoy the use of bright, bold colors as well as shiny, metallic materials in my personal work. I ask myself a lot of questions, and painting is my attempt at an answer. 

“My work has received recognition from publications such as American Illustration, Society of Illustrators, and 3x3 Magazine, as well as being shown included in group gallery shows in New York City. I recently had my first solo show titled “Norns” at Bunnycutlet Gallery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I was listed as one of CMYK Magazine's Top 100 New Creatives of 2013. Some clients include WWD, iD gum from Stride, and Sexto Piso Publishing.” Blog.