We love seeing exhibitions from people whose work we’ve followed for some time, especially when its their first solo show.

Having followed Deej’s work for some time, with his stylised approach and fresh take on the hiphop-meets-comicbook-meets-lowbrow style, its great to see that he’s getting it out and onto some gallery walls – because it deserves to be seen. Given that his work is often subtly familiar to many, due to his design work on flyers and CD covers for many artists and events within the Perth hip hop and music community, it was, really, only a matter of time.

We caught up with Deej in the lead up to the opening of his show at ABD The Gallery in Northbridge, and got the low down on his love of hip hop, gangsters, hot chicks, paint, comics and more …

Can you tell us a little about how your passion for art and design started, and what in your formative years lead you to pursue it?

Well, I’ve been drawing all my life from a very young age. I used to draw dinosaurs a lot, as well as copy Footrot Flats and Garfield comics. As I got older, that turned into drawing stuff out of comic books, like 2000AD and Heavy Metal. I was actually quite the human photocopy machine when I was a kid, I’d copy the styles and compositions of all my favourite artists. I was always obsessed with comic books, not necessarily for the story lines, but just for the artwork. As I got older the more I got into the writing, but I still would buy something for the artwork alone. I discovered at one point that all the artists I was into had a background in Graphic Design, so that turned out to be the next obvious step for me.

So I enrolled at Central Tafe, and got my Advanced Diploma, and in the eight odd years since then, I’ve had various illustration and design jobs – but my focus and obsession has always involved drawing and illustration.

How do you approach your design work differently than if you are doing a personal piece, and what are the differences in process between them?

After so long running a design business, I’m used to working with visions that other people have, and putting my own spin on them. Doing my own artwork with only me to answer to is a luxury, there isn’t much I enjoy more. I love that I can just start a picture and not even think about it – most of the time I’m kinda freestyling it, and just seeing where I end up.

Every now and again I get a bee in my bonnet that I have to get out, but most of the time I like to wing it and see what happens.

In terms of influences, where would you say you draw most heavily from in regards to your style?

I’d say my style is a mix of all the things I’m interested in, like comic books, graff, hip hop culture, movies and, of course, beautiful women. I’d say I have more of a “commercial low-brow” style, if there is such a thing. I like my work to be able to cross over to any demographic, while not losing the style that I’ve developed. I just like to paint things that I think would look cool.

I’ve always loved the street artists, and those that are awesome painters – people like Dash have been massive influences on me. Also, there are so many comic book and street artists that I’m a huge fan of. I suppose it all rubs off on to me in some way, into my own version of art.

You do a fair amount of graphic design work, can you give us an insight into this side of your creativity, and what kind of design jobs you usually cater for?

I usually work as a designer in music, mostly Australian Hip Hop. I’ve done heaps of CD artworks, layouts and gig posters from heaps of local hip hop musicians, from all my good mate in the Syllabolix crew to some of the new up and comers like Bitter Belief and Smiley. I also do other sorts of design work for all sorts of clients, but the bulk of my work comes from the local music scene.

How has your interest in hip hop played a part in the general evolution of your personal work?

I have always been a massive hip hop fan, of not only the music but the culture. When I was young I started out using spraycans and listening to hip hop. Where I grew up in the Perth, in the northern suburbs, we were the first generation around there to fully embrace the hip hop culture and that’s just how we lived.

It was from this that the local oz hip hop scene grew, both Downsyde and Syllabolix have their roots in the area I am from – I couldn’t call myself a graffiti artist, but that as well as hip hop itself have had a massive influence on my work, even though its often quite subtle.

Girls, Gangsters and evil clowns – can you explain a little about the composition of the show, and what you are aiming to represent? As a first solo exhibition, will it be a little of everything?

I started painting on canvas again a year or two ago, and it was easy to see that theme I was following was pretty much hot girls! Its something I have always considered myself pretty good at, so I just ran with it. After that I had a time where I was obsessed with evil clowns, like Pennywise from IT. Love that stuff – its so cool visually.

I also got on to a whole gangster movie obsession, that still hasn’t ran its course, so there are a few pieces based on my love of that. I have a few pieces that I’ve done that I won’t be using for this exhibition. as they didn’t really fit the vibe.

I’m being quite general with the show, but I still wanted it to follow a few themes, rather that flat out randomness.

How have you composed a majority of the work that you are putting in the exhibition? What mediums have you used for the work, and do you believe that you have achieved a sense of personal style within those mediums?

All my work is acrylics on canvas, with some spraypaint and markers thrown in.

I started out using only Posca Paint pens, I just found it a lot easier to get back into it that way as they were less messy. I really like using the pens, but the more I did, the more I used traditional paint and brushes. I love the bright colours of the Poscas too. My personal style is something I have a bit of a problem identifying myself sometimes, as I try to change it up as much as possble and not be too repetitive.

Although I am told I definitely do have a style of my own!

Can you tell us a little more about ABD Gallery, as well as your involvement with them, and how you came about organising to do a show with them?

ABD The Gallery are a gallery in Northbridge in WA. They saw my artwork and asked me if I would like to put on a show. Around about that time, I’d been asking about about possibly doing shows at other galleries, so it was perfect timing.

I really appreciated the fact that they sought me out, and wanted me to show off my work, as I haven’t had that sort of response to it before.

How much has Perth itself has influenced your work, and what are your opinions on the Perth creative scene right now?

I’ve lived in Perth most of my life, so it definitely has influenced me.

There is so much talent here in art and music, and to know a lot of these people and to be a part of it is very inspiring. I always surround myself with creative people as that sort of energy always rubs off and i find it massively motivating. I think the Perth scene is the strongest its been in a long time, and people and crews like Ololo and Last Chance Studios are doing some amazing work. Then you have all the graff veterans still doing great stuff.

Even the fine art scene has become more mainstream, with people like Stormie doing great things to get more people out there, and excited to view and create art. Then, also, you have all the comic book work that has been coming out of this state and gone international.

Two of my favourite artists of all time, the street artists Dash and Kid Zoom originally started in Perth – I  think it will just get bigger and better, as more people are recognised for the killer work they are doing.

Where would you like to take your artwork to next, after the completion of this first exhibition? Do you already have plans for creative projects that you want to do in the future, and if so, what?

Id like to do more large scale stuff, and get my can control back to a respectable level! hahaha … cranking out all this artwork has lit a fire under me, and I have many plans going into next year. I really want to get involved in group exhibitions here in Perth, as well as over east, any chance I get.

I’d love to be able to say I have shown work overseas, so that’s a big goal of mine … and, I guess its only a matter of time before I do all of this again!

Click here for more info on the show opening this week. Also check out Deejs website, Toasted Designs, as well as the ABD Gallery website for more info on his upcoming show.