Barcelona-based freelance artist/illustrator, Conrad Roset, has already accomplished a lot so far. When he isn’t drawing the female form and splashing it with vibrant watercolors, he is teaching illustration at the School of Design BAU, launching his own iPhone app, exhibiting his work in galleries and museums, and working for different brands, publishing companies, and advertising agencies. But amongst all this, he has traveled to the big city where he has resided for three months straight. Here we chat about his stay, how NYC’s color contrasts and diversity will play into his work, and what to expect from him next.
Cliché: How has your stay here been so far? Is this your first time in the city?
Conrad Roset: This is my first time in NYC, and to me it seems to be an incredible city. There are so many things to do each day: exhibitions, concerts, etc. I love it!
How would you say working in NYC compares to Barcelona?
I’m still not working much in NYC, but I think that everything here is bigger. The customers are more important, and your job has more diffusion. It is like climbing to the first division.
Since you have been here, have you done any exhibitions or are you planning any for the rest of your stay? If so, could you talk about them?
I can’t wait to make some pieces in NYC, but I haven’t found a gallery as of yet. I’m just starting to move in that direction, looking for galleries to present my work.
Beautiful women are usually the central focus of your art. Have you found inspiration in the versatile faces of NYC to incorporate into future work?
I have found many new inspirations here in NYC. Traveling is ideal to evolve your art, and that is why I am doing it. Here there is a lot of diversity. It is such a cosmopolitan city and that is something that I might use in my artwork.
Have you been able to find other new inspirations in the city? If so, what are you currently inspired by?
Yes, especially the greatness of the city, the buildings and everything here being so gigantic in comparison to Barcelona. What is also inspiring me a lot are the colors of NYC, the contrast of the green nature of Central Park with the grays of the tall buildings.
I saw a post of yours recently about a new project that you and MariaDiamantes are working on called “El Pequeno Lenador” or “The Little WoodCutter Book.” Could you tell me more about this?
Yes, it is a children’s book fairy tale about a woodcutter child and a wolf. We are creating a new style by fusing together my art and that of MariaDiamantes. I believe that we’re going to make a very nice book.
Have you met any other artists in the city that you either already have or would like to collaborate with in the future?
Yes, I am doing a new project of photos and illustrations with a photographer named Helga Traxler, and I hope to meet some new artists here soon. I am also going to be meeting Erik Jones and Jason Levesque (Stuntkid) soon, which I am very excited about because I really love their art.
Are there other artists in the states you’d still like to meet and work with?
Many. Too many!
After your stay here, what do you have planned next?
I haven’t thought about what to do with my future yet. It all depends on how my stay here in NYC goes.
To see more of Conrad’s work, visit his website conradroset.com
Conrad Roset’s interview originally appeared in Cliché Magazine’s August/September 2013 issue.
Images courtesy of Conrad Roset
