“

Carmine Magazine: What’s your favorite piece you’ve ever done? (Please provide a picture)
Invenus: No favorites, no sleep till favorites. I like the one of the girl on the floor, though. I really like the one of the rain window, too. I think I like rain window more.

CM: If you could merge any two artist’s styles into your own which would you choose?
I.V.: I’d like Marilyn Manson’s ability to fill a role and Salvador Dali’s ability to have a mustache. Maybe da Vinci in place of Dali since his name has “da” in it, too.

CM: Which people inspire you the most in life?
I.V.: I will see a beautiful girl working the hair iron kiosk at the mall and think of how much she would love me if I did good work. The people who inspire me in the pursuit of making the work good are usually my friends who enrich and enhance my life through sheer brute force of presence. Speaking of presence, some drunk guy in a Pacifica Safeway told me that stage presence is all about being IN the present moment, so he inspired me, too. Skinny Puppy’s been my latest inspiration because of how they’ve approached music in non-traditional ways and still found what others struggle to fit into. Really good artists who don’t follow rules inspire me, probably because I keep falling outside the lines. Huglguga.

CM: Do you collect anything? If so what do you collect? If not what would you collect (finances and space permitting)?
I.V.: I mainly collect STDs. I would like to make them bigger and put them on display in a dedicated room. I’d like to open a museum one day, but if I made them myself, I think it would be a gallery. I think if they’re born in my system, they are mine, but if they are given to me, I have to wait for babie (sic) STDs to be made.

CM: Name five things you always have near you when you create.
I.V.: First, I reject the notion of being a creator. I just work with what already exists in the world and reinterpret it. That’s what makes art identifiable, relatable, and interesting. It is essentially a method of communication, which means there has to be some sort of common language between artist and audience, and that language is in all our experiences. As far as what I use to be creative, I haven’t found any particular tools that suit me. Computers are distracting, and other objects require a level of commitment where I have to keep them on my person in order to use them. My most creative moments happen in sleep or near-sleep, and my other less-creative moments happen when I’m exploring natural things. I need to sleep in a bush with a notepad and some piano strings.

CM: Name 5 materials/supplies you can’t live without (please include brand names where available).
I.V.: For photography I use a Nikon Nikkor camera that is older than me. I require film for photography because for some reason I don’t feel like my work is that interesting in a digital format. I used to use Photoshop for removing dust from images, but my version broke when I installed Leopard. I can’t really own too many things due to OCD, so Macs been very helpful in regards to recording music as well as keeping a database of all my photography without compromising my neurosis. I mainly use Apple’s Logic for music and have lately been exploring free/cheap software such as LividLooper, Renoise, and pd to find different ways to work with sound. I like drawing in a Moleskine, but school notebooks work in a pinch. I can live without all these things, though. I’d probably be better off.
Links for stuff mentioned: Mac Book Pro, Livid Looper, Renoise, Pure Data & Moleskine notebooks.

CM: What kind of an environment do you need to create in and what does your workspace look like (pictures welcomed)?
I.V.: I need a positive environment. My workspace is negative, so I have to leave to find positive.

CM: If you could have any talent which would you choose?
I.V.: I’d like the talent of believing in myself to a point of delusion.

CM: How do you go about naming your pieces? Do they start out with names or do you have to figure them out once the pieces are finished?
I.V.: I name them after songs.

CM: From idea to finished piece, about how long does the creative process take you?
I.V.: Very short, very little touchup, infrequently cropped/dodged/burned. Photography is a great form of expression for me because it requires so little time but can produce so much beauty. Photographers are dipshits, though.

CM: Which of your pieces took the longest to finish and which was one of the quickest for you to finish? (Please provide pictures.)
I.V.: The photos that take longest are usually dictated by models who like posing. The quickest are the rest.

CM: How do you sign your pieces? What do you sign with and where do you usually sign? (Please provide pictures.)
I.V.: I don’t sign my pictures.

(Invenus noted that this shot took the longest.)
CM: Any words of wisdom or advice to share with other artists or artistic people who are afraid to create?
I.V.: Don’t even think about it.

CM: Are there any special causes or charities close to your heart that you wish you could donate work, time or money to?
I.V.: I’ve volunteered at an animal shelter and have contemplated volunteering in homeless shelters, but that would take away from my schedule of internet.

CM: Do you have any upcoming art shows, releases or other news you would like our readers to know about?
I.V.: I’d like to work with other people because I’m bored with myself. My hierarchy of things I would like to collaborate on is as follows: Music>Drawings>Photography
My website will be updated if any shows come up.

For more information on Invenus and his work check out:
Invenus.net
Flickr