Meet Richard A Chance

Speckled textures, subtle laughs, and thought provoking compositions make up the body of this artist’s work. Richard A Chance is an artist operating out of New York City who has been published in a variety of places, but no matter the venue they always stay true to themselves.

We had the chance to chat with this terrific person in our latest interview about giant fish, artistic techniques, and music. Check it out.

Two truths and a lie

Answers at bottom of interview

I feed parking lot cats 1 dollar can food .

I played football for a bit in College.

I Brought a bottle of rum to a party, and ask everyone hey do they wants some moments after taking a big swig from it.

If you could pick one species of animals besides people to become 15 times their current size which one would you choose? Why?

I wish fishes were bigger, they would get way more respect if they were bigger. There was a cartoon I saw as a kid and I don't remember the name of the cartoon but there was a scene where one fish eats a smaller fish and a bigger one eats that then it keeps going. Then we eat it. If Aqua man eats a fish is that cannibalism? He's a man with the power to talk to fish but like does that make him part fish? I just now thought about Aquaman at red lobster, and someone says I want a fresh lobster and he hears screams in the kitchen, jeez, anyway make fish bigger

Some questions with Richard A Chance

What advice do you have for artists starting out in NYC?

Keep drawing, in school I heard it a lot from pros but its facts. Matter of fact, draw something you are passionate in. You ever looked at a dude and wonder why this person so passionate about this particular topic, he must be a bit odd, people like odd right? Or go to a bunch of Design Events, NY has a bunch a year. Go to a bar or dance spot, if you go out enough you gonna bump into someone that's a creative.

What kinds of stories and narratives inspire your work?

I'm really into mundane things. The stuff that we know it's weird but we go along with it anyway, like eating with your hands. Then seeing someone's reaction to that is funny. Why not eat with your hands is what I'm saying, burritos Burgers and Sandwiches, but if I eat spaghetti, na that's "weird". Then you agree, okay, let me use a fork. Then someone corrects you and says "you have to twirl the spaghetti on the fork". Situations like that is weird and make me really nervous because you don't know what to do in most situations so I draw it. I rather draw it than complain to people about it.

What kind of music was playing in your house when you grew up? Has it influenced the work you are making today?

I heard a lot of DanceHall and R&B from my parents and neighborhood. Live in NY so Hip Hop of course, I drew a bunch of gifs based on Rappers I liked.

What kinds of techniques do you use to achieve the unique textures in your work?

I do this cutout thing. It's hard to say with words, it's like sharp edges. You mask off an area with a tape then spray in the exposed spots. The tape won't give you a nice shape, so I leave the jaggedness. I wish people can see my PSD files and look really close, it's just a bunch of tiny dots. It so small sometimes I write little words in the drawing.

If you could only use 10 words for the rest of your life what would they be?

Alright, Na, Fuck, Shit, Sick, Legit, Chillin, Word That's Crazy. I don't talk too much, so I'm pretty sure I went days at work and just said these words.

What do you want people to take away from what you make?

Stop taking everything so seriously. I'm hoping people get the little dad jokes in there, I don't want to still be the kid in class giggling to himself.

Who has been your biggest support throughout your artistic career?

I feel any person that knows I draw support me. I haven't come across someone doubting or not supporting. But the biggest, I don't know?

Any final comments? (This is your electronic soapbox for one last answer.)

Back to the fish thing. If fishes were bigger, it would give a different meaning to "there's more fishes in the sea". That was thee biggest fish I've captured and now it's gone. Its probably at some restaurant served up with spaghetti and lobster tail.

Two truths and a lie answers:

True: I feed parking lot cats 1 dollar can food .

Lie: I played football for a bit in College.

True: I Brought a bottle of rum to a party, and ask everyone hey do they wants some moments after taking a big swig from it.