The Daily Muse: An Exclusive Interview with Charlo Frade, Visual Artist and Illustrator

Charlo Frade is a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design with a B.F.A in Illustration/Communication Arts. He is interested and is involved in many things. Illustration, Comics, Writing, Fashion, Photography, Music, Film, Animation, Sculpting, Fine Art, Installation, Video/New Media, Video Games and many other fields. He plans on making a career out of all of them, or least pursuing them his whole life.

To see even more of Charlo’s work or to purchase something, visit any of the links below:

And now, our exclusive interview with Charlo Frade

How would you describe your art?
Well, I hope child-like and sincere, quiet.
How long have you been an artist and how did you become an artist?
I never really thought of myself as an artist, only recently being around other artists and the word being thrown about that I thought about what I was doing as art…but I always just drew, since I was little, I can’t remember when I started, its just how I naturally communicated my ideas.
What is your favorite medium and why?
I don’t really have a favorite medium, I’ve worked in many and to be honest I’m not particularly enthralled with any medium. I supposed writing and drawing are the most natural and raw, but a bit limiting… for versatility film and video games.
Pick one work of art from your portfolio and tell us the story behind it. Why does this piece have meaning to you? What steps did you take to create the piece?
A series of very personal etchings I did a bit back that I actually quite enjoyed at the time. They were an opera in my head and I saw them more as sketches or process work for this play or opera. I’m quite over them now though haha
Tell us about one medium, technique or style that you would like to try working with (that you have not tried before) and why you would like to try this.
I have worked in a bunch of different mediums, but I haven’t flushed out a complete film, simply written scripts and filmed short stuff I’ve never put out. Having said that probably a play, writing and directing one. Plays fascinate me, and have never worked on one.
How do you make time for art?
It’s a struggle, I have to make myself, I get many ideas but I don’t necessarily enjoy drawing in and of it self. I work a day job too so that makes it difficult but it also pushes me since it sucks.
If you could imagine the “perfect art day” for yourself, what would it be like?
A studio in which I have all and endless resources and the freedom to just play.
If you could spend 24 hours with one artist, living or historical, who would you want to spend the day with and why? What would the two of you do?
Yuichi Yokoyama, seems like a swell person, his art is extremely interesting, either him or David Ohle the writer. Onsies and drinking.
Do you have any tips or advice for aspiring artists?
I’m still myself an aspiring artist haha, but work your jellies off and play, play, play. Don’t forget to have fun. I know with myself, I often go very inward and things can get heavy and obsessive. I’d also say research a tremendous amount; continue to bring in information always.