果冻传煤

Artist David Brame, whose work in comic books is featured in the exhibition Lines of Sight at the 果冻传煤 Museum, spoke about major influences and the themes of his work.听

David Brame鈥檚 early artistic education began with Saturday morning cartoons and newspaper comic strips. Raised in a strict household, he jokes that 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 allowed to do a lot of stuff鈥�so I started drawing!鈥� Encouraged by a Sunday school youth pastor as well as his parents, who sent him to countless afternoon and weekend art camps, Brame kept drawing with a focus and persistence unusual for his age. He graduated High School one and a half years early and devoted the time he鈥檇 saved to making art. He later attended college to study painting and illustration, as well as a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Cincinnati. Now a professional graphic artist, Brame collaborates with a wide array of creatives in the comic industry, illustrating and creating graphic novels, comics, films, and curricula for youth.听

Images from St. Jude,听one of Brame鈥檚 comic projects, and听Lion Man: The Tower of Proof.

果冻传煤 Museum: What is your background with comics? When and how did you start?
David Brame: My uncle taught me to trace newspaper comics strips听 when I was 5 or 6 and I never stopped.

AM: What was the first comic you remember reading? What was the first one that had a significant impact and/or made you want to become a comic artist? Major influences?
DB: Sunday and weekday comic strips were my first comics. Calvin and Hobbes as well as Bloom County were the first comic loves. Bill Watterson, Paul Pope, Gojima, Otomo, Mura, Inoue

AM: What are the major themes or issues you address in your art and storytelling?
DB: Black, Brown and Indigenous catharsis, stewardship, and community development with a focus on cinematic moments of the sublime.

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AM: What makes a great comic/comic artist?
DB: Passion, intensity, commitment.

AM: Have you ever been involved in a museum exhibition before, and what have you learned from participating?
DB: Yes. Allowing curators and their teams space to be creative makes for a complete show.

AM: Which is better (and why), a comic with fantastic art but a lousy story, or a comic with a great story but sub-par artwork?
DM: No such thing鈥攊t鈥檚 either a good comic or not. I wouldn鈥檛 finish either option.

AM: What piece of advice would you give to any aspiring young comic artist? What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?
DM: Young artists need a community of collaborators to grow the comic culture they want to see. I鈥檓 living the comic life I envisioned when I was young so I have advice for young me.

To read more about David Brame, VISIT HERE to revisit his interview during his time as a digital artist-in residence. In the interview, Brame says that over the years, he has collaborated with several other artists including Professor John Jennings, with whom he created听After the Rain,听their recent adaptation of Nnedi Okorafor鈥檚听On the Road, for which they won an Eisner Award.听

鈥�I always think you end up with a better product, in general, when you collaborate,鈥� reflects Brame. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if individualism is a useful way to experience or view the world. Working with others helps you develop a well-rounded perspective.鈥�

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