THE COLORFUL WORLD OF BRADLEY THEODORE

Bradley Theodore had never actually wanted to become an artist preferring instead to study computer graphics. What gave him an idea to pick up a brush was a malfunctioning 3D printer he was planning to use to work on a couple of art pieces. While trying to fix this expensive piece of equipment, an idea had struck: “If I want to create art for this amount of money, I might as well paint. It’s cheaper!” And so it started. He got rid of the machine and went to a local art supply store to purchase forty canvases and a few tubes of paint. Listening to the tunes of Rolling Stones and Kanye West, Theodore painted his now iconic portraits of Karl Lagerfeld and Anna Wintour among quite a few others. I met with this busy New York artist amidst the exciting World Cup season and had a chat with him about art, soccer and Andy Warhol.

Tell us about your creative process

BT: When I decided to start painting, I painted every day. My rule was: If you want to do something, do it right. You can’t become amazing at something unless you repeat yourself day in and day out. So everyday I painted: days that I was depressed, sad or happy. I’d throw on three albums and just listen to them over and over. Most people that know me don’t understand how I work. If something clicks, something interests me deeply to paint then I become a machine. When I work, I zone out. I’m in a different world; I can go on for days without eating… I do it over and over again, like Andy Warhol’s machine. If you do a factory type work – Warhol and other artists – it’s great, but I prefer to paint by myself. Art is personal. It’s all about the canvas and me when I paint. Continue the journey...