Chloe Ruby is an artist and illustrator based in Auckland, New Zealand. Chloe’s work is inspired by the boundless possibilities that nature and humanity provide, an appreciation for beauty and the imaginative world that lives inside her head. In our interview with her we learn how her obsessions have crept into her work and what her mantra is for 2018!
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What do you do?
Huge question! I see my career as a tree with many branches. At the core, I am an artist with multiple avenues of creating income. It is a constant tension balancing my time between freelance Illustration, personal art, selling my work and odd creative jobs here and there (eg making cute doorstops for my local cafe Kokako). I work from home in central Auckland and fill my days in my studio with my cat Gus, or at local cafes getting some necessary human interaction.
What did you have for breakfast?
Black coffee and a scone. The coffee scone habit is real.
What’s currently on your walls at home?
I like to collect work from other artists and surround myself with it. It’s good to stop looking at my own work and stay in awe of creativity. Art swaps anyone?
If you weren’t making art/doing what you do what would you be doing?
If I could have two lives at the same time, I would love to be a tattoo artist. I always thought my style wouldn’t translate well but recently I’ve been seeing such a diverse range of tattoo art, to be honest, I’m still really tempted to give it a go. Wait tattooing is still a form of art so I didn’t really answer the question!
Current obsession?
Knitting! It’s like meditation and creating something beautiful at the same time. My knitting obsession has even made an appearance in my drawing (with a surreal twist)
Career highlight so far?
I think I am in constant awe of how my career is naturally evolving. I never thought I would be able to draw every day for a living. If I have to pick a favourite job it would be magazine illustration, in particular, drawings for Glamour (Germany) and watercolour paintings for Together Journal (New Zealand).
Dream project or collab or both?
Murals! I have attempted some small wall painting and the idea of scaling up a drawing to hundreds of times the size blows my mind. It is definitely on the list of dreams for the next year. I also love that street art is for everyone not just those who can afford to buy it.
Plans for the future?
I have recently decided to cut back on commissions and focus on my own art. I am an over-active thinker and I find that when I stop worrying about money or what other people will like I end up creating my best work. This year’s mantra- worry less, create more.
