Long-time contributor to FinalBoss, Jon Holmes, is currently showcasing his short film, Dogs Chasing Cars, in numerous festivals across the globe. A deep and personal look at mental health, Dogs Chasing Cars needed a powerful and evocative poster to match its themes. Today, Jon interviews friend and artist Patricia Lara, the mind behind the artwork.
Jon Holmes, FinalBoss: Hi Patricia. Apart from future husband and wife, what is our current relationship?
Patricia Lara: Oh! Our relationship is great. It’s like a nest from the North of Mars, the South is pretty clean and unpolluted… it’s a nest invaded by nasty pickles and smiley-face turtles. It might not make sense but you get the picture in your mind. It’s funny, innit?
FB: How did I approach you to be a part of this project?
PL: Well, I got a few memories of that night. We decided to go out to this pub in town. It was full of gentlemen and old ladies. There was a stage, lights, spangles and cocktails. It was more like being on one of those cheap cruises. We ordered the first round, the second, the third one… and then the madness came to us.
We were dancing swing with the old ladies, we took off the clothes of one of the barmen on the stage, everyone got crazy, smoking lots of weed, bodies soaked in alcohol… off our faces. Then, by the end of the night, we were very drunk and having an argument about who could do this, who could do that…. and finally you said I hadn’t got the balls to be part of this project and my answer was, YOU BASTARD!
FB: …And how was I as a boss?
PL: You were like this old ladies; wonderfully naughty.
It’s quite hard to fit me in to one box, I think. The connection between my styles is they are all coming from myself.
FB: Tell me about your hometown in Spain.
PL: My hometown is a small village in the South-West of Spain full of sheep, tomatoes and tiny people. There is not much to do there, maybe that’s why I started drawing.
FB: What is your art style?
PL: I mainly do illustrations and paintings, but I’m trying to get into embroidery and silk – screen print as well. The idea of being multidisciplinary is something very fascinating to me. I don’t get bored. If you see my stuff you will notice that I’ve got different lines of work. Sometimes I do portraits, in others I do fish characters, or sometimes the drawings are more personal; landscapes, floral illustrations, objects, abstractions, lines – many, many lines. It’s quite hard to fit me in to one box, I think. The connection between them is they are all coming from myself.
FB: Originally, I specifically said that you should follow the styling of [2000 AD comic book artist] Simon Davis, who I showed your poster to first hand; to which he said how good it really was. How was that moment for you, when I told you that had happened?
PL: Oh Lord, I almost pissed myself really. I drank 4 pints of beer before we met up.
FB: You called your mum, didn’t you?
PL: Of course I did – to make her proud of me, for once. She’s tiny but she still loves me.
FB: What technique did you use on this particular poster?
PL: It’s a digital artwork. I used my laptop, graphic tablet and Photoshop.
FB: I assume that you’ve never created a film poster before Dogs Chasing Cars?
PL: You assume very well, sir.
FB: Was it much of a departure from your usual work?
PL: I would say part of the style was but you can definitely find things, elements related to my usual work. It can very different but there is always something, a part of your art, always.
FB: And how is it to now see your poster covered in accolades of festivals all across the planet? Dogs has currently featured in festivals in Portugal, Ireland and England.
PL: I need to call my mum again.
FB: What are you currently painting?
PL: I’ve been participating on this drawing challenge (Shaketember) where every day there is a new prompt and you draw anything related to. The challenge finished over a week ago but I actually want to get it done completely… so I’m drawing a hot rod car. It’s not easy to be fair.
You can watch the Official Trailer for DOGS CHASING CARS right here, you can follow Patricia on Instagram right here. Then read more interviews from FinalBoss.