Greetings people. Welcome to the first edition of the You are SO fine art series on VIMBY. The first artist I would like to introduce you to is Derek Albeck. I can’t remember how I ran across Albeck’s work, but I was impressed at first sight. I think his work conveys a coolness and contemporary aesthetic that has a very lifelike quality. Something about his art makes you feel at ease, but at the same time makes you wonder…

Tamika: So first off, tell me a little bit about yourself, or rather introduce yourself.
My Name is Derek Albeck and I’m an artist working out of Los Angeles, I live in a real life mini house and I share a studio space in Chinatown. I paint draw and sometimes make sculptures but right now I’m spending most of my time drawing in graphite and colored pencils.

Tamika: What are some of the things you like that influence your work?
America and the people that inhabit this amazingly fantastic beautiful unbelievably stellar country! GO AMERICA!

Tamika: Looking at pieces like Put on a Happy Face (pictured below) I see some dark themes, where does that come from?
It’s funny that you see dark themes when all the portraits in the piece are smiling huge smiles!

I would say the body of work that I have been working on for It’s Just a Ride is quite dark but I also feel that it’s humorous as well. I’ve always enjoyed dark humor or satire as a means of making light of things that are sometime hard to deal with. The world can be a pretty fucked up place if you spend too much time paying attention to what’s going on in it, so I’m just trying to make light of things I feel are interesting and stupid in this world.

Tamika: Do you think your work has a resounding theme, something you want people to look out for, subconsciously or consciously?

I do think the work has a consistent conceptual undertaking and I am interested in engaging people with the work. I feel that different ideas are developed in different ways so although the work itself might not necessarily follow a consistent visual language the ideas behind the work are always meant to bring it together. As for how people understand the work, that’s out of my hands but I’m always open to dialogue with people interested in better understanding the work.

Tamika: Tell me about any of your upcoming plans?
I have a large group show in San Francisco at Giant Robot for the BEATS 2 book that was just published by Fantagraphics. A group show at DOMY books in Houston in March and other than that just spending more time on more ambitions projects.

Tamika: Is this your first single showing? Tell me about some of the galleries you’ve worked with before if not…what was it like?
This is my first gallery solo show so I am excited for that. As for working with other galleries, there have been quite a few of them. I would say that you generally get good and bad experiences working with galleries. Sometimes its fun and sometimes it’s not fun, you have to find who you work best with, who you can trust, and who is going to work hard at getting your work out into the world.

Tamika: And just for shits and giggles- Rock, paper or scissors. Why?

I choose rock because it can inflict the most damage.

Stay tuned for the next edition of You are SO fine coming soon enough…