The Happy Hellscapes of Joe Vaux
Artist and animation director Joe Vaux paints what he likes. His personal work is teeming with impish demons. His cheerful hellscapes are populated with lost souls, sharp toothed monstrosities, and swarms of wrong-doers. And yet, there’s an innocence to all of this. Vaux’s love of these scenarios is genuine and if you’ve ever met him and his mischievous smile, it all makes perfect sense. It’s as if the years of honing his craft has finally caught up with his unbridled sixth grade fantasies. Vaux’s particular plane of hell is an inviting one; so longs you have a solid escape plan. Ok, let’s get to the interview part. It accompanies advanced preview images for his upcoming solo show.
It’s easy to assume that your paintings have a narrative to them. I mean, they’re chock filled with anthropomorphized elements, characters with familiar themes (monsters, ghosts, knights, etc.) yet your world is filled with conflict, it seems every element that inhabit it is evil?…
I love storytelling and filling out environments. Yeah, my work typically, is a chaotic jumble. Hieronymus Bosch and my sketch book are my key inspirations for this chaos. I don’t study the grand master’s work but love how he forced the viewers eye to roam his canvases. Something terrible or strange in every nook. It’s like looking at a Where’s Waldo book (which I also love).
Conflict plays a huge roll in most of my paintings but not every creature within is evil. Don’t get me wrong, the majority of the beasts I paint are filled with darkness. It’s tough out there in the wilds of my imagination. There are a lot of monsters trying to tear you apart but also, a lot of friends that put on a tough exterior to protect themselves. Don’t be too judgey of those ugly beasts.
Conflict plays a huge roll in most of my paintings but not every creature within is evil. Don’t get me wrong, the majority of the beasts I paint are filled with darkness. It’s tough out there in the wilds of my imagination.
Ok, let’s get to your upcoming show at Brass works Gallery. It’s called Glitch. Sounds catchy and concise … explain yourself, human. Why give it a title like something from a movie that you’d find on a VHS from the 90s?…
I’m so excited for the show at Brass Works! Greg and Robin have been great, and I’ve never been to Portland. “The Glitch” is a name I gave to a group of witches that live in dense wood. These gals use the magic and secrecy of the forest to play and create. The whole concept was inspired by an early work of mine titled, “Witches Playground”. I was attracted to the idea of revisiting and expanding on the idea of a witch’s workshop. Not all of their experiments/spells get the result they wants. Mistakes are part of the process and part of the fun. This backdrop allowed me to do what I love most, painting weird creatures. (DEEP 90’s STYLE ANNOUNCER VOICE) “This Spring, there’s something calling us to the woods. Natures beauty is the hook but beware, the path you follow might lead to…. THE GLITCH. EEEEAHHAHAHAHA!”
I mean, are there any protagonists or does everyone and everything have bad intentions?…
Who’s to say the work of the Glitch is evil. Most of her victims are humans, and watching the news, you can see that our species is a mess. Maybe the creatures in the paintings are handling a planetary problem. I use my art to exercise my anxiety and fear that our world hits me with on a daily basis.
…is there any hope at all? or do you just leave that to the areas of bright color?
I’m a father of two, three if you count the dog, which I do, and yes, there is hope. For my kids, I have to believe in humanity. I’m generally a smiling and upbeat guy, people often are perplexed when they compare my work to my outward persona. I vent my frustrations by painting monsters, but the color is the joy, wonder and hope.
Should we assume that the anyone with a noble purpose is a background victim?
The inhabitants of my paintings are mostly just living their lives. In my cruel world some will become victim. Others may be living their best life. Perhaps crossing paths with the Glitch leads to a better existence.
What would the soundtrack of your paintings sound like? If i listen real hard I hear HeavY Metal Thrash Grind Core , but played with bagpipes?
Man I love music! I’m always excited when I discover or someone shares a new artist that I dig. Most of my musical preference is mellower than you’d think. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a time and place for thrashing bagpipe metal. LOL. This year’s favorite music listening belongs to: Cobra Man, STRFKR, RUSH ( a perennial fav) , John Williams scores (since I was 5). There are others, of course, but these folks get the shout out.
The paintings that you create; they are so dense with creatures! There are fifty or sixty sets of eyes in some of them. DO they leave their lairs at the same time?
I’m big on eyes and teeth. And yes, we hold mandatory meetings monthly.
Some people might not know that you work on the Fox show Family Guy, as a story board artist and occasional director. In one episode, the characters fell into the nightmarish Vaux world. What was it like cross -pollinating your personal fine art with commercial art for a major television show en masse?
My paintings are my passion, but animation has paid the bills for my adult life. I’ve been Directing Family Guy episodes for 11 seasons now, worked on the show for eighteen years. I’ve worked in animation since 1996. I feel really lucky to have the two artistic outlets. The day job exposes me to a ton of other great, inspiring artists. We work together on episodes, that are essentially group art projects. We brain-storm, pool ideas and draw our asses off. We have an amazingly talented and friendly team on FG.
Just before I switched from being an Assistant Director to Director on Family Guy, I was granted an amazing opportunity. The writers on our show, who were aware of <my> painting career, had scripted a nightmare sequence for Brian Griffin. The dog was to experiment with some psychedelics he’d stashed for a rainy day and have an awful trip. The script read something like: Brian’s nightmare trip sends him spiraling into Joe Vaux’s painting world. My mind exploded and two worlds collided. The Execs were mostly hands off and just wanted me to write and direct a three minute horrific trip for Bri. It was such an honor and the results still make me smile.
Ok, what is a Wihwin. and why does it stare so blankly?
“Wihwin” was created for a book called “Beasts” It was a collection of artists doing renditions of mythical creatures. Wihwin is a malevolent water spirit from Central America, part horse, part croc. Don’t be fooled by that blank stare. It’s observing all it’s surroundings.
Would describing your paintings as a mutated hybrid of Ralph Bakshi and Hieronymus Bosch be insulting? If not, why not?…
Ralph Bakshi plus H. Bosch equals Joe Vaux. I’ll take it! Ralph actually gave me my first job in animation. I’m forever grateful for that. He really took me under his wing. It was a surreal first gig, working for an animation icon, out of a small New York Studio. I think his film “Wizards” played a huge role in my artistic development. I’d also add to the above equation. RB + HB + 2 amazing artist parents + 1 demented uncle + 70’s and 80’s films = Joe Vaux
I noticed that you are exhibiting sculptures in Glitch. Can you tell us about your foray into the third dimension?
“The Glitch” will feature 3 small sculpts. Trophies from my trip to the forest. It’s been a while, but I used to sculpt a lot. My first solo show at the Mendenhall Sobieski Gallery, in 2004, featured quite a few dimensional beasties. I sculpted a giant shark fin ripping through the floors of Copro Gallery for my solo, “Catch of the Day”. The venture into 3D isn’t new just a return.
It’s important that, in order to remain a semi-respectable publication, we’d like to ask you at least one near-biting question that make you so uneasy that you almost not answer it. You know, something where a reader could sense the uncomfortable nature of the whole back and forth… Problem is, we’re fans of what you do, so we’re a bit too biased. So, what should we ask you to make you almost angry with us, but still respect us for asking?
HA! Hey, I’m honored to be asked to do this, you can ask me anything. My paintings make me happy, they’re not necessarily filled with deep meaning or ground breaking unexplored artistic territory, but I think they are entertaining. I picture each piece as if they are a still from an animated film or nature video. As far as an uneasy question, how about: Joe, is it true that you went into that jacuzzi while having active diarhea?
Oh, err. in that case. We will leave it at that. But, speaking of uncomfortable things, have you fully recovered from winning Wipe Out? And what did you do with the prize money?
AHHH! Wipeout! Ok, my neck will never be the same, but my Wipeout appearance worked out. Season 5, Episode 7, “That’s Snow Way to Fall Down”
What can I say, I’m a glutton for punishment. My earnings went toward a cute front yard fence and the kid’s college funds. It was well spent/invested.
Joe Vaux’s solo show “Glitch” opens in March at Brassworks Gallery in Portland. Images courtesy of the gallery.
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