thread
Japanese Galatic #11
dani elle
danielle langley
3
words by chelsea hideki
By 25, many of us just hope to hold down a stable job and have a roof over our heads or to be finishing our studies and going out into our chosen filed but what happens when, at only 25, you get offered to produce a 3 meter high billboard for the middle of our countries capital city or get offered to be a feature artist in a brand new gallery with only two other artists? How do you both embrace the challenges and the rewards and still stay humble? Danielle Langley, 25 and already publishing her art to the world. A dream, a goal for so many other artists out there that she’s achieved already, born with a Greek heritage and two sisters, Dani has lived in Wellington most of her life, traveling occasionally overseas for adventures and soon hopefully for her art. I find Danielle to be both gentle in nature and in body, with subtle curves and soft eyes to match that of her soft heart, talking to her about her achievements and her goals really made the connection between us stronger and her giving, selfless personality makes it easier to write a positive piece about her and her art Growing up in Miramar, Wellington, Danielle retells of her childhood. Spent mostly indoors due to being a introverted girl, a lot of her early years were spent reading, watching anime’s and playing video games. Finding comfort in her own space, her bedroom was safe haven for her creative mind to grow. Moving onto high school, knowing that not every one has a picture perfect experience, Danielle found art in high school to be the only subject that she took an interest in. ‘the schools curriculum didn’t fit with my genius mind’ she recalls. Putting together a portfolio of ‘badly drawn’ sailor scouts with unrealistic body shapes and elements of feminism throughout, this was the portfolio that scored her the scholarship to Natcol. Wishing there was a time we could change the outcome of or the choice we made, Danielle wished that in 2004 she could have changed the outcome of her Yu-Gi-Oh (card game) debut, being knocked un the first round buy one of the most powerful cards has stuck with her for her life as one thing she’d change if she could! But other than that, she has no regrets or wishes to change anything that’s happened. Everything thing that’s happened has led up to this moment in time.
danielle langley
How long have you been interested in art/drawing? Uh, I don’t know? That’s a really good question. Ive always been into animations (anime movies) like Sailor Moon and stuff since I was about 5 or 6 but I guess I never really took it seriously until I was in my last year of high school when, out of spite of my dad telling me I wouldn’t get in, I applied for an art scholarship to Natcol in 2006. The diploma lasted a year and it was for graphic design. That was probably the first time I had experience in the art/design world. How many pieces of art do you work on at a time? I was trying, at one stage, to work on one every day when I had lots of time before studying but now I’m trying to get even one a week finished as well as assignments. It’s hard.
4
words by chelsea hideki
Is there a skill you want to master while you’re studying? I really want to get into digital painting, what i do now is mostly vector panting and that is working with a lot of lines rather than brushes. I really want to make vector paintings that can be printed huge and not lose detail. What do you wish to achieve with you art? I have an end goal in mind. I’d really lo e to work on a character design team for either anime or video games, freelancing of course and do my own merchandise and manga. I want to experiment and see where I can go but I want to be known as an experimentalist.
On a personal level, how does having epilepsy affect you? I don’t let it affect me at all. I feel Studying, how are you finding it? like is too short to focus on things Studying a passion is hard? that bring you down and i should be I find it really hard because I’m be- focusing on the good which is my art ing challenged to do things I havand it makes me happy. en’t done before and its pushing I take medication to keep it in check me well out of my comfort zone and and lately its been taking a lot out of to create things I wouldn’t think of me because my body isn’t used to making. it but I’ll adjust and then I wont let it Thinking more and working on the bother me! fundamentals of art rather than just drawing some hot anime chick haha.
danielle langley
5
words by chelsea hideki
danielle langley
6
words by chelsea hideki
danielle langley
7
words by chelsea hideki
danielle langley
Having a billboard in the middle of Wellington must be overwhelming, how did you get commissioned for that job? My sister is a facilities manager for one of the richest men in New Zealand, Rob Jones, and he felt sorry for the krill being killed off by the whales. He wanted to draw attention in protest of the mass culling of Krill by trying to campaign against whales. I don’t know whether he was serious or not because he’s a pretty strange character. My sister told me to design a piece with that in mind and he loved the innocent style I gave to the krill and the design elements, as well as the colour scheme that he put it on the side of a building in Lampton Quay. Safe As Gallery have also just recently offered you a place in one of their upcoming art shows, how does that make you feel? Overwhelming, honestly. I just can’t even put it into words right now. let me get back to you.
8
words by chelsea hideki
What are you most proud of? How far I’ve come in such a short time. Like the billboard is pretty cool, its crazy to think and see my art on a building. I never would have thought it would happen and now getting offered a place with only two other artists for a whole gallery show is just nuts. I look back and I feel i’ve grown so much already and I’m a better artist than when I drew the billboard but it pushes me to do more things, crazier things and take every single opportunity. On the subject of opportunity, teaching in japan would be amazing challenge, its an admiral goal, what do you need to get there? Basically, I need to hold some form of a degree and a visa. Thats usually all employers over there want, hah. I do really want to be fluent in the language though, i feel that would ensure that adjusting to the culture and the lifestyle easier as well as being respectful and understand what and where I am helps ha.
danielle langley
9
words by chelsea hideki
I’m still figuring myself out, you get what you get with me.
I don’t sugar coat or beat around the bush. I’m poetic as fuck.
www.alcapparel.com