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Name : Sarah Joncas
Place of Birth: Hamilton, Ontario.
Black Cat aka Didi: Would you make a list off the top of your head about things you are passionate about:
Sarah Joncas: Painting, first and foremost! But I can be very passionate about all my cultural tastes – in music, movies, art, books… I love the dark and moody, the surreal, things that give me the creeps (though surprisingly don’t care for horror so much. I prefer things more subtle and psychological). I like learning about and seeing animals, I like bones, and so long as their behind glass, I enjoy insects.
B.C.: When did you first discover your creative talents? Could you tell us about some of your work?
S.J.: I’ve always been drawing, since I could hold a pencil. Not even sure I’d call it a discovery, seemed more like a natural incline. However, the process of creating has always been a discovery. Learning things about yourself and what you could do with the arts. My work is always evolving, too. Since I started painting at 16 you can see a growth of change every year, however, there are certain traits that follow through and carry on. It’s obvious that I come from a background with pop cultural influences. I grew up on anime, comics, cartoons and video games and after starting to delve into art history during my high school years, those two worlds seemed to collide for me. I’m not sure I could give a over arching statement to define what my work is about, but for me painting has been a manner of expressing feelings and ideas that concern me, which has resulted in an overall melancholic body of work.
B.C.: Who do you feel were your greatest artistic influences? Do these influences continue to play a large role?
S.J.: As I stated in the previous question, cultural influences have been the most profound on me – comics, cartoons, anime etc. And I can still see much of their qualities reminiscent in my work. The proportions of the girls, the colours, how I pose the figures… Music and film has also been important to my style. I’ve used a lot of songs as titles to my paintings because I do find them to be a large inspiration while painting. If ever I’m not in the mood, all I need is the right tune and somehow everything feels right again. Cinema and the techniques used in film have been influential on how I compose much of my images, too – especially noir and how I could use shadow and light to tell a narrative.
B.C.: Do you have a "typical" or preferred way of approaching a painting? What rituals do you use to put yourself in the mood to paint?
S.J.: Well, often I like to work out most of my planning before the painting gets underway. Not because it wouldn’t be a good idea or a lot of fun to just dive in, but I simply don’t have the luxury of time. Being on a schedule with my work pushes me to be a little more time conciseness. I usually work out a sketch and the colours before starting. Then, as of late, I’ll use a projector to trace the image onto the canvas. From there I go ahead with an acrylic base, then many, many layers in oils. From start to finish there often can still be quite a few differences and changes from the initial sketch I made though. And so long as I have music to listen to while painting I have no issues about being in the mood.
B.C.: “The Crow Charmer”…What is unique about this piece?
S.J.: Unique from most of my work or from others work? I’m not sure if that painting would be one for me to label as unique, but I do believe it was a successful piece. For the most part, I tend not to like a lot of my work months after I’ve finished and look back on it… It’s very frustrating after while, but I also think the discontentment is a drive for me to want to improve and keep doing something better. If I can still look back at one of my paintings and not completely dislike it, then for me I’d call it a success.
B.C.: What’s your favourite creation? …and why?
S.J.: I don’t think I have a favourite painting of mine. There are certain works that have stood out for me over the years as being images I still enjoy and recognize as important works to my progress though. Some of my older pieces (from when I was still a teenager) – ‘Lilith and the Snake”, “Portrait of a Harlequin”, which stand out as more mature in comparison to what else I was creating at that time. A couple from my university years, “Somebody to Love” and “Ghosts”. And even one of my newer paintings, ‘Leave your Makeup on, and I’ll Leave on the Light’, which I think hit just the right amount of subtle narrative and intrigue.
B.C.: In which way do you express your dark side?
S.J.: Through my art. Sometimes I think painting has become a way for me to let go of the restrictions I feel in my everday life. I’m a very shy and reserved kind of person, I don’t like to rock the boat or disappoint people, nor would I enjoy the attention if I could outwardly express myself, but when I get a blank canvas that stress isn’t there anymore! Due to the darker nature of my work, I think people often assume that I must be sad myself, but there’s no other time I feel happier than when I have that brush in hand and am doing my thing.
B.C.: What relationship is there between the dark art and the female icons? But especially in which way your hidden self is tied up to the female image?
S.J.: The previous question ties into this very well since I’ve stated art for me is a bit like a therapy. However, if there’s one question I get more then any other it’s whether my work is self-portrait based and I’ve always denied it. A self-portrait to me is the true self, more especially in feeling and meaning then the objective resemblance of an image to oneself. I think I put some of myself in my work – almost seems impossible not to since everything expressed is of your own nature, but the girls are not who I am. Sometimes they feel like who I wish I could be, someone more confident and in control. Sometimes they’re what I hate, arrogance and narcissistic. Overall though, they’re just what I enjoy painting. I love darker music and film; I love moodiness and mystery… The girls can express personal feelings of mine, they can even resemble me (as many point out), but they’re by no means being used to tell an autobiographical story.
B.C.: What memorable responses have you had to your work?
S.J.: When people tell me they’ve been inspired by my work to start painting themselves, or just emotionally they’ve felt something from it, I am always hugely flattered and appreciative.
B.C.: Is the artistic life lonely? What do you do to counteract it?
S.J.: I think most artists would agree it’s a lonely life style, but often it needs to be if you’re going to get work done. I can’t work with a lot of people around, if there are I need headphones and music to block most of it out. I’ve always been shy and more of a reclusive soul though; it’s only been in the last few years that I’ve made much of an attempt at having a social life. I think being alone all the time has made me a bit critical of my social abilities as well. However, I do wish to take up some life drawing classes, maybe a photography class for not just the learning experiences, but as a chance to meet with more like minded people.
B.C.: What is your dream project?
S.J.: I fantasize about making a book one day - a book of my artwork, a children’s book, a graphic novel even. Have wanted to make a kids book since I was a kid myself, but it’s a very intimidating idea… And I don’t really have an idea yet for what I’d like to make. Maybe if I ever have kids of my own in the future it’ll be something more easily inspired. Either way, one day I will set things aside and do it.
B.C.: Thank you Sarah for your time and good work!
