Artist Spotlight - Bee Mure
B.Mure, self described as a "rowdy illustrator, comics artist and graphic facilitator" and we concur!
I often know when I'm about to bump into B.Mure, because, shortly before I see their pooch pal, Parsnip, a Jack Russell, Chihuahua mix. And just like Parsnip, Bee's work is both charming and comes with a message... ( Parsnip's message is that Bee is just around the corner.)
The work that Bee produces is both whimsical storytelling and cultural obvservation. Their work, is sketched, with energy which conveys an ambiance.
The colour choices show attitude, mood and emotion, and that's is why we are so drawn to Bee's work. We've been fans of their work for a long time, especially the tenderness and introspective insight B grants with their work, so we just knew they had to make something for the club!
So what have they made for the Spotlight?
Bee has created these awesome Patches, great for large spaces, such as a denim jacket, old or new.
Aren't they beautiful! Measuring 20x20cm these patches are delightfully detailed and depict our favourite aspect of SGC. Togetherness.
Purchase one of B's amazing patches here
Onto the Q and A's, with B.mure
What's your favourite fictitious Ghost from popular media?
I don’t know if they’re strictly ghosts but the hattifatteners from the moomins are great. they’re spooky, grow from seeds and worship a barometer. they’re very relateable
What's the best item in your pencil case?
my friend Mish gave me some X-Files pencils recently. I have one that says ‘that’s why they put the I in FBI’ and it makes me happy. also I have this really good golden pencil sharpener from the huge stationary shop Modular in Berlin, it is really satisfyingly weighty.
Paint? Pencil? or Tablet?
all of them! most of my work has at least an element of hand drawing in it but not always and anything that needs doing faster/might need lots of edits tends to be totally digital. although I busted my scanner recently so I’m doing a lot more fully hand drawn stuff before scanning it in. it sucks not to have things but I think you use what you have. There’s a great Brandon Graham comic where he’s like “you can steal pens and paper and make the best comic ever! this is the trenches!” it’s fun to play with materials and to just make stuff with whatever there is.
What's your go-to motivational album?
it really depends on my mood and what I’m working on. I like to make playlists for certain projects though, like saying, “if this was a video game, this would totally be the overworld theme”. some albums I have been rinsing recently are Pieces in Space by Sammus and Oversleepers International from Emperor X. As I’m writing this I’ve thought of like ten more. new Sufjan Stevens is out as well and that tears my emotions apart in all the right ways.
How would you describe your work? Are there any common themes?
I think my work is like me, in that it is quite neurotic and erratic but sometimes a bit funny. I draw a lot of cute but depressed animals. I like things that are very sweet but deal with mortality, the human condition and surviving under capitalism. I also enjoy drawing cats farting
What’s your proudest piece that you've worked on?
I’m very bad at being proud of things I have done, at being able to look back and go, “that was good.” I drew a board about different kinds of milk in Cafe Kino and I am proud of that because it is useful. I think I am the proudest of the silly throwaway scribbles I do in the pub to make my friends laugh. I once drew a rabbit with a saddle on saying NEIGH and i basked in the warmth of that achievement for days
Do you have any/many artist rituals?
I drink unhealthy amounts of caffeine and I make pentagrams with the empty mugs. really helps me to concentrate
What motivates you?
the main thing is that I have to, that no matter what I do I will still think of things that could be drawn, of projects to do even if I am not doing them. I have also always been very motivated by this idea that creativity as a career path/subject choice and softness as a mentality is illegitimate or unreasonable in this world. I am stubborn and I like things to rail against.
What do you do, that you think no one else does whilst working?
I wish I could say I did something original or interesting but I only hire between 4 - 8 rats to do my work for me and then take a nap like everyone else
Who are you inspired by?
everyone! my friend Remy Boydell is very inspiring and honest and good. I love my fellow Leanhounds. But also I am very inspired by lots of women and NB people doing things in DIY music especially in Bristol, by activists, co-workers and other worker’s cooperatives. I love seeing people carve out spaces for themselves and claim them (and contrary to this widely spread idea that a safe space is stale and exclusive I think it can encourage other people to carve out their own nooks, like a network of badass tunnels). I love seeing new and surprising things: what are the kids who are at school now gonna do? what about in 20 years? protect the arts and protect the people who could potentially make that art but might be told NO for a variety of reasons
What's your favourite way to practice self care? (Especially after a busy week!)
I love to cook, or take my dog Parsnip to a nice green space that we haven’t been to before and watch him snuffle everything or have a very nice cup of coffee.