Interview with Andrew Bell for 'Monsters and Misfits IV'!

We're getting closer to the Monsters and Misfits show, and lucky for us, we were able to grab some time with Andrew Bell to chat about his upcoming pieces for the show! I've always been so curious about where Andrew draws his continued inspirations from and it was fun to catch up in this exclusive interview and hear all about it!
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Kat: It's so exciting to see that you're a part of the Monsters and Misfits show again! Where do your inspirations for each exhibit come from?
Andrew: I’m inspired by life and the state of the world around me, I try to tell a story through my characters, both individually and as a group. In The characters that I created for this exhibit are divided into two factions. One faction is themed around war and violence, an unfortunate constant in life. The commander devil character attempts to lead a haphazard group of warriors, and they in turn control their war dogs. The warriors and dogs lack eyes, representing their blind obedience and lack of vision for a better world. The second faction is themed around nature and the cycle of life. Here a drippy reptilian swamp monster benevolently watches over his smaller frog-like brethren and their offspring as they develop and look for a way to persevere despite the violence and chaos of the world around them.

Kat: Do you think monsters and misfits naturally get along? What do you think friendship between the two would be like?
Andrew: Not all misfits are monsters, but monsters tend to be misfits. They’re both seeking their own place in the world, set apart by their looks or very nature. I think they’d be able to commiserate on the difficulty of getting along in the world while being perceived as an outsider. Although some monsters will eat anything, so it’s a potentially dangerous friendship.

Kat: Your pieces always have a bit of loneliness in them, and yet there is often a friend to go along. Why do you choose to depict this dichotomy, and what are you hoping a viewer sees?
Andrew: True equal friends are hard to come by, often one party is in a position of power over another. If you look a bit deeper you may notice that my ‘friends’ are often in subservient positions- pulling a vehicle, acting as a pet or a guard, being ridden or otherwise being exploited. I hope the viewer might bring a bit of themselves to the situation, and perhaps see it as an inspiration be a better friend to someone else!

Kat: Favorite misfit?
Andrew: Jerry Only.. wait, maybe Danzig. It’s hard to decide.
Kat: Any surprises to expect at the show that you haven't revealed yet?
Andrew: Here’s a little sneak peek of the Frob Lord!

Thank you again so much for spending time with us Andrew!! Love your pieces, and very excited for the show! Remember the show opens April 1st, with online purchases available at www.tomenosuke.com on April 2nd (11 AM local Tokyo time) when the web preview is launched.