In an extraordinarily rare interview, artist Raymond Pettibon discusses his journey, from early punk rock works to present day artistic themes, technique and rhythms, the Getty archives and more.
Topics Include:
- Raymond Pettibon has been drawing constantly since childhood, "always with a pen in hand"
- Started with crayons, pastels, pencil - India ink came later as too messy
- Early influences included Albrecht Dürer, etchings, and comic book art equally
- Self-taught artist who learned through trial and error, never attended art school
- Studied economics in college, bringing analytical thinking to his art practice
- Approaches work as fine art, not commercial art, values creative freedom
- Rarely takes commissions - the more constraints, the less he likes it
- Band artwork usually selected from existing drawings rather than commissioned pieces
- Black Flag's "Nervous Breakdown" images came from his "Captive Chains" book
- Artwork inspired by "Blackboard Jungle" film - students destroying teacher's jazz records
- Has experience teaching, can identify with teacher-student conflicts from that period
- Left SST Records in 1985-86 due to oppressive environment
- Describes certain subjects he returns to repeatedly over the decades
- Works on multiple drawings simultaneously, some remaining unfinished for years
- Enters a meditative "fugue state" when drawing or writing
- Never experiences artist's block - blank paper doesn't intimidate him
- Believes he can write about any subject with natural fluency
- Doesn't plan series - they develop organically through returning to themes
- Sometimes works directly on gallery walls during exhibitions for coherence
- Used to work all day and night when deeply engaged
- Dislikes deadlines - they make work harder, not easier for him
- Sees deadlines as triggering psychological rebellion despite wanting to please collectors
- Hates when people suggest ideas - it "breaks the spell"
- Admits he's not the greatest draftsman but learned on the job
- Recently donated personal archive to Getty Research Institute for scholarly access
- Participated in Getty's research scholar program, one artist among academics
- Program reconnected him with economics after years away from the discipline
- Still has unfinished drawings in studio, some over 30 years old
- Currently creating less due to frustrations with art world dynamics
- Values complete artistic freedom - no curator has ever asked him to change
High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide
Photo by John Newsom
