Paige Pumphrey is an artist based in New York City.
You seem very influenced by scenes like roller derby, burlesque, and rockabilly. How does subculture influence your art?
Paige: Growing up in the suburbs of Maryland in that dark time before the internet, I desperately wanted to be cool. I’ve always skipped around subcultures dipping my toe in various scenes all through adolescence in an attempt to find myself. But I’ve always been first and foremost a big ol’ nerd with a wicked case of OCD when it comes to my obsessions, so I always treated each different subculture that I monkey-barred to and from as almost like a costume of different characters I was trying to be.
Paige: I’d also explore different subcultures in my art and creative endeavors as well, especially when I played tabletop RPG’s in high school like Vampire: The Masquerade and Shadowrun. As the Dungeon Master/Game Master/HBIC/whatever they call it I would have to create several characters for my player characters to interact with and any subculture at the time I had a slight interest in I’d have a character be a part of, who would require an illustration to show what they looked like to the players and mostly just served as an excuse to draw a cool outfit. I’ve also always had a love of crazy clothes and good music, which really is the basis for so many subcultures floating around. The best way I can express my love of them is through my artwork.
You frequently appear at conventions, dressed almost like one of your characters. How do you find this sort of socializing and interaction with fans?
Paige: I’ve been going to conventions for over 12 years, starting in 1998 at Otakon, an anime convention in my hometown of Baltimore. I’ve always been one for dressing up, from Halloween to Rocky Horror to goth clubs and getting into cosplay was yet another outlet for me. Plus at conventions people actually KNEW and appreciated who I was dressed up as, unlike at Halloween. Plus the pictures and attention especially as a nerdy, awkward late bloomer just coming in to her own sexuality was intoxicating. The first guy I ever had sex with I met dressed as a Pikachu. I had my John Hughes-esque prom queen moment of the slow descent down a staircase with all eyes on me dressed as the Baroness from G.I. Joe in a hotel lobby during Katsucon. So I cosplayed for a good 6-7 years before I realized I should probably start getting serious about attending conventions as a professional, since editors don’t tend to take you seriously at portfolio reviews when you’re drunk and high in a Sailor Moon costume. I had my first Artist Alley table at Baltimore Comic Con 07 and as the years have progressed my outfits have gotten crazier and crazier. I’m basically my own booth babe. Sometimes I do get the semi-patronizing “you did these all by yourself?” from random passerby, but also I kinda take that as an off-handed compliment at the same time. I’m like one of those deep sea fish with the dangly light-I lure folks over to the table, then chomp on them with my art. I’m kind of starting to see myself as almost like the Christina Hendricks of the comic book industry. Which I’m totally fine with.
Is there a “type” of Paigey girl you draw?
Paige: The Paigey girl, like myself, has evolved over time. A lot of people say that I look like my artwork, or that my artwork looks like me, I’m not entirely sure where one begins and ends sometimes. I think it’s always been that I draw the kind of girl I’d want to live vicariously through. Now it’s these perpetually giddy girls with hips and thighs and tummies and smiles that are dancing and eating bon bons and having a great old time. The stuff I do now seems to make people happy. When I see people flip through my art book or portfolio they’re always smiling, and I like seeing that.
You’ve branched out into jewelry, figurines, even lipstick cases. Tell us about making objects with your art.
Paige: Originally when I started selling my artwork I was sticking primarily to prints. But then I encountered a problem at conventions with buying stuff myself where I had bought so many prints from artists I like that I ran out of wall space. I can only assume my customers would encounter the same problem. I want to get my artwork into the hands of as many people as possible, so I try to put it on items that you would use everyday. I have several friends who are big into crafting and are generous enough to share their ideas and suppliers with me and we’ve formed a bit of a network. And especially at comic conventions, which are so male dominated, my Artist Alley tables have become known as the ‘Girlfriend Table,’ which is a slot I don’t mind filling especially at the more mainstream comic shows. I’m also collaborating with my best friend Fenny’s DIY company Little Asian Sweatshop on specially designed hairflowers, bags, wallets and eventually my own line of dresses featuring my Paigey pinups.
What’s next for you?
Paige: Next year will be a very exciting time as it will be the beginning of my first calendar year spent as a full-time freelance artist. I’m planning on expanding my fanbase as I vend more events than ever, branching out to include concerts, hot rod shows, festivals and roller derby bouts, and as always continue working my beloved comic conventions. I also plan on releasing my second artbook which will collect my artwork from 2008 until now and I also want to help a few of my other very talented artist friends get their own artbooks together as well. There also will be plenty more handcrafted products bearing Paigey artwork in the future. And as always creating newer, awesomer artwork.
Find out more about Paige Pumphrey here:
Interview by Molly Crabapple (@mollycrabapple). Below showgirl pic by Aniline Black.
