CONVERSATION WITH THE ARTIST
Caitlin Manchester, Don't Look Don't Touch, 2020, ink on paper, 10 x 10 inches.
Caitlin (Cam) Manchester is a 20 year old illustrator and student based in Detroit, Michigan. She is inspired by her personal experiences with dreams, PTSD, and memories. Caitlin’s work is greatly influenced by graphic line work, bold shape, and type to create visual narratives within her work. Caitlin’s goal to inspire others to grow and heal from PTSD through their creative passions, and to touch others who find themselves in the same place of being.
What are you working on?
With the crisis currently impacting lives all over the world, I've been taking time to really focus on my schoolwork and reflecting on which direction I want to head after graduation. I've been quietly working on creating a "days in my life" comic that shows happy, sad and coming of age experiences.
Has the format of your practice been impacted in the last few weeks? Are you using different mediums or sizes?
The Covid-19 pandemic has had quite the impact on my work. Before the safety procedures were taken to reduce spreading of the virus, I was working on a few murals in Midtown, Detroit, along with large scale illustrations. The last few weeks I've had to resort to working primarily in my sketchbook, journals and digitally.
Does the social distancing aspect of this period help you focus or has it changed the trajectory of your work?
I feel like most creatives can all relate to introverted practices used in our daily lives- however, this crisis gives "working from home" a whole new meaning. The joy of working from home before used to be a "treat" or "reward" for working hard in times of stress, now it's feeling like a punishment. The impact of social distancing has put me in a very apparent place of reflection and isolation. I am thankful to be quarantined with my partner's family, but still struggling to find my will to create work without my creative peers by my side.
Are there any apps or online tools that you find helpful in this time?
I've been very much enjoying Spotify's mood playlists. Music is a huge part of my process. I've also been using apps like Instagram, Youtube and Pinterest to see other people's inspirations and hobbies throughout these unfamiliar times.
How are you remaining connected to friends and family?
Staying connected with friends and family has always been an importance to me, I reserve time out of my day to call or text friends and family. Thankfully, the Covid-19 crisis has not impacted this for me yet.
What do you do to separate your practice from the rest of the day? Have you set boundaries or is it permeable?
Without distractions, I usually just find myself drawn to creating. It doesn't have to be a set time of the day, but I could be in a space or in a train thought that encourages and inspires me into doing my practice. I'm really taking advantage of these unusual times to not to feel pressured into creating work. I want my drive to create to be natural and true to the message I want to share.
What have you been using for inspiration from home? Do you have any recommendations?
For music, I have been heavily listening to Marvin Gaye, Blood Orange and Talking Heads. I've also been enjoying Lisa Hanawalts content like Coyote Doggirl and Tuca and Bertie. Despite the current situation we are all in, I've had a lot of fun finding new things to indulge in. I highly recommend watching Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Ramy and A24 (honestly, almost anything from A24 - I love their content).
Walk us through a piece you have been working on.
I've been quietly working on a days of my life comic that will feature multiple short situations and circumstances I've experienced. This image below is a snippet of a comic from my take on a situation at my part-time job where a priest had come into our restaurant and blessed the space. However, I was required to clean and mop after a full day of business- which included the holy water. This situation/comic is very dear to me, as I feel like it's almost a reflection of my personal relationship with religion and luck.
