TARA MCPHERSON: POSTER ARTIST AND ILLUSTRATOR FROM NEW YORK CITY
Tara is a painter, poster artist and freelance illustrator based in New York City. Her clients have included The Ravenettes, The Strokes and The Fall as well as DC/Vertigo Comics and Fanta.
What is your background? Did you train as an illustrator?
I grew up in a strange little boring town in Los Angeles, so entertaining myself as a teenager was an essential priority. Sneaking out and experiencing new things was great, and I still enjoy doing that to this day. As far as art training, I had always gone to art magnet schools since Jr. High, so even before I knew what I wanted to do, I was paving the road unconsciously by taking all the art classes I did. Once I was in Jr. College, I decided that becoming an astrophysicist was going to be too lonely and depressing, so I focused all my energy into art. In a couple years I had enough work in my portfolio to get accepted to The Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. My work at that point pretty much consisted of etchings and silkscreens. After going to Art Center for a while, I fell in love…with paint…so my fine art work is all acrylic and oil, where as my posters are more line oriented with flat colors. I like doing both, I mean the styles are so similar but they both have such a different technical approach. It’s very satisfying to bounce back and forth from one to the other.
Who or what inspires you?
I’d have to say that the impetus behind my illustrations are people and their interactions. With that subject alone, I have a lifetime’s worth of material to explore. People and how they react, relate, process, and organize their lives and relationships is so entertaining to me. You know…people are strange. It’s great! There’s a precarious balance of good and bad in our lives, and I try to show that in my art.
Also, looking at other people’s art really gets my fire burning. There are so many artists, old and new, that are really inspirational to me. Bronzino, Egon Schiele, Botticelli, Katsuya Terada, Yasushi Nirasawa, Mark Ryden, Glenn Barr, Joe Sorren, Kent Williams, John Currin and Michael Hussar are just a few.
How would you describe Tara McPherson’s art to someone completely oblivious?
Hmmm… Cute but subversive. Pretty but dark.
How did you get into doing posters for bands?
I started doing them for my old band after I graduated from college. It just kind of grew from there. People liked them, and I liked making them. I also knew a lot of people in the music industry just from living in L.A. my whole life, so I started asking them if I could do posters for the venues they booked shows at. It all worked out pretty good. Now, I tend to just do posters for Goldenvoice and tour posters for bands that hire me.
Are you a frustrated musician?
Hahaha! Well… I think I’m frustrated in general, but in a good way! In the way that I never feel too comfortable… with what I like to call art anxiety… That feeling that burns inside you, that keeps you going and always makes you work harder. I’m my own worst boss. I’m my own worst enemy. But I think we all are in some respects. If everything was easy it would be no fun.
But back to the real question you were asking… I play bass and do it to have fun. I have a P Bass with an Ampeg SVT amp. I have no illusions about becoming a rock star. So therefore, I’d say I’m not a frustrated musician, just a frustrated artist.
What’s the worst record cover you’ve ever seen?
This Miami Vice picture disc with Jan Hammer’s theme song on it that I bought when I was like 15. But it’s so bad it’s good! They’re standing there trying to be all dangerous and sexy, but really they’re just standing there in pink suit coats with really bad hair! I still have it.
What is your favourite band poster of all time?
I don’t even own it, but it’s Kozik’s Soundgarden poster. The one with the green lady with the star on her face and the tattoo’s on her arms. That would be amazing to have up in my house. Not my favorite band, but it’s a great rock poster.
first appeared in Fused Magazine issue 2o
