Artist Myriam van Neste on Collabing With Indonesian School Kids
Boriana HeimBook covers, murals and coffee cups: artist Myriam Van Neste loves to spray her art on everything! And we’re proud to announce that Myriam added a Face This T-shirt, tote and sweater to this list. The Canadian artist, who is based in Austria, loves to do everything by hand, so all her projects start with scissors, colorful paper and a playful collage session!
We spoke with Myriam Van Neste to discuss her art, her life as an artist and of course about her collaboration with us.
Face This: Can you tell us something about your cultural background? Where did you grow up? Did you always like to draw?
Myriam Van Neste: I am from Quebec, Canada, and my first language is French. I have been drawing since I have been able to hold a pen! I was a creative kid who was super into sculpture and drawing. Same as today!
Face This: Are there specific moments in your life that made you decide to become an artist?
Myriam Van Neste: There is no specific moment, no. I have always been making and creating and there was never really any doubt that I would do anything else in life.
Face This: What is the biggest challenge for you, being an artist?
Myriam Van Neste: That my livelihood is tied to my artistic practice.
Artist Myriam Van Neste’s studio in which she created her magnificent Face This artwork
Face This: Pablo Picasso once said: ‘Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up’. How do you remain an artist? And do you have tips for non-artists to cultivate their inner child?
Myriam Van Neste: Just make stuff with no judgment, just for fun & for the process, not the end result. For instance, I really enjoy painting with my kids, even though I am really bad at it (not my medium at all!). But it’s still so enjoyable to play around with it!
Face This: You designed an artwork by using some of our Indonesian kids’ drawings. With the proceeds of your artwork, we will be able to provide the kids you’ve collabed with a playground. How important is playfulness for you as an artist?
Myriam Van Neste: Playfulness is the most important, it’s where all the fun is!
Face This: When we reached out to you, what made you want to join?
Myriam Van Neste: I loved your mission and was really into creating an illustration based on the kids drawing (such a wonderful challenge!).
Face This: When you received the drawings, what was your first reaction? What did you see in them? Can you describe them a bit for us? Which drawings did you use to create your artwork with?
Myriam Van Neste: So expressive and endearing. One kid had drawn these really intricate little houses – so wonderful, and I used them in the final work. Kids’ minds are a real treasure trove.
The Charly Clements x Face This collab is available on tees and a sweater. Pic by Michelle Piergolam
Face This: Can you tell us something about how you have experienced this collaboration? Have you learnt something from working with the kids’ drawings? Did the way the drawings were made inspired you in some way?
Myriam Van Neste: It’s a very different process to start with someone else’s work instead of my own sketches. But the kids’ drawings were so expressive and chaotic (in a good way) and I wanted the end result to feel vibrant and to translate that wonderful energy.
Face This: To conclude, is there something you would like to say to the kids who made the drawings you’ve worked with?
Myriam Van Neste: You are so creative and wonderful and it was an honor creating an illustration from your marvelous drawings!
