The DART Interview: Featuring Anthony Freda

Peggy Roalf: Which came first, the brush or the pen?

Anthony Freda: For me, the pen is the essential tool. It is a sixth finger that leaves a mark.

PR: Please describe your work process—is most of your work done directly, or do you also use digital media? 

AF: Usually I start by working traditionally, then scan the piece and proceed to save the good parts and enhance the rest in Photoshop.

PR: I noticed that you have moved towards doing editorial illustration in the 3D—Shrine to American Pop Culture, for example. Could you tell the readers about how this shift originated, and in general, how this work grew out of your practice of combining vintage and new materials?  

AF: I have always wanted to create three-dimensional versions of my 2-D imagery. I made a collection of small figurine assemblages, but the work needed to be more substantial. Building a six-foot shrine containing hundreds of figures and dozens of narratives provided an opportunity to create a work that makes an impact due to its scale and scope. I hope that the detail and complexity of this “assemblage” (which I made in collaboration with Nick Chiechi), will engage the viewer.