I will be posting my normal blog on Monday, but I wanted to share this interview with you done by Main Street Magazine. It is a print magazine based in Canada. The blank spaces are where photo's and pictures are in the publication, but I couldn't cut and paste theme for the article. If you want to see the article as it actually appeared, you can go here to download it for free. I hope you enjoy!
Main Street Magazine had the opportunity to interview “Nick”, and we are happy to have him in our
first “ART IN ACTION” article! We know too that as you read his story, walk in his shoes and get to the
man, the artist and the vision of “Nick Rose”- that you too will love him as much as we do!
“I was born with the name William “Nick”
Johns”, Nick told MSM, “but after becoming a
professional artist, I decided to go by a name I
had used in my days of doing fandom art, Nick
Rose. I always have had a love for roses, and I
felt like my life was a lot like a rose. After a long
time I bloomed into something beautiful, but
still would draw blood if you were not careful.
That’s one reason I named my blog “Every Rose
has its Thorn” like the song by Poison. If you’re
interested in reading it, you can find it at
http://nickroseart.blogspot.com/
I talk about my life as an artist, the work I do,
and share the lessons I was taught by 2 of the
greatest artist in the world, Master Daniel
Horne and Fantasy legend Todd Lockwood. Like
myself, I realize that there are a lot of talented
artist out there that never got the chance to go
to an expensive art school and learn the things
that “famous artist” learn, but mostly don’t
want to share. I understand why a good
percentage of artist don’t want to share the
knowledge, (They don’t want any more
competition than they already have) but in my
eyes, I feel that the knowledge should be
shared with anyone who seeks it”. Daniel
reached out and offered to help me after we
had known each other for several years. He is
truly one of the all time greats, and a wonderful
man. His paintings, sculptures and Monster
masks are amazing, and he does do some on
line classes as well. The lessons he taught me
where handed down by the very first American
Master, Howard Pyle. So there is a lot of pride
and history there. One day I hope to do a book
or a long article on the linage of how the
knowledge was passed from one student to the
next. I know the Master that trained Daniel is
named Ken Lagger.
Daniel introduced me to Todd Lockwood to
learn the basic rules of drawing and painting.
Todd is an awesome man and artist, but he
explained to me he didn’t have time to blow
smoke up my butt, and if I wanted to learn, he
didn’t have time to waste so I did everything he
told me to do. It was like going to boot camp, I
love Todd to death, but he didn’t cut me any
slack. At one point he told me I had no business
painting, because I didn’t even understand how
to draw. I’m not ashamed to admit it, he had
me in tears. Up to that point I had been working
in small press and had at least 80 illustrations
under my
belt, 20 of those being covers, and at the time I
could not understand why he would say such
things to me, but now 4 years later, I
understand why, and in his shoe’s would have
done the same thing. One thing is for sure,
without the help of these two wonderful men,
my career would have been very different.
A self taught
artist does not
know those
basic’s, you can
read about
them, but until
someone
actually takes
the time to go
over them with
you with
examples, questions and answers you really
don’t “get it”, or at least I didn’t and most of my
friends that I came up through the ranks with
didn’t either. It’s like when I was a kid and I
wanted to learn Kung Fu, and I bought some
book full of pictures on how to do it. I studied it
and I thought I knew what I was doing, until I
got out of the Army and studied Martial Arts for
several years. The real thing, and I what I
thought I had learned from the book where two
very different things. So this is why outside of
doing my own art and projects that passing this
knowledge on is something that is very close to
the chest with me. I want to equal the playing
field, and give everyone the same chance I was
given. If Daniel and Todd hadn’t helped me, I
would be someone that only a few people have
heard of. I am also putting all this information
into several books and DVD’ that should be
available around 2014, and we are going to sell
them very cheap compared to the 100 grand
you would spend at an art school. I’m thinking
just enough to cover the cost, plus a few dollars
for the work put into it, and of course the
money we donate to children’s charities. That is
something very important to Madison and I.
MSM: Your artwork is considered by most as
being on the dark side. How do you describe it?
What some see as dark and scary, I see as
beautiful, mysterious and consider to be part of
who I am. I often tell the young folks that I was
“Goth” before people had a name for it. I am
not a person of evil, a devil worshiper or any
such thing. I just see the world in a dark light,
and I consider that a gift. You can’t have the
light without the darkness. Most the images I
paint are a reflection of how I see some of the
real life monsters that have always found there
way to me ever since I was a child, or the ones I
see on the news, and pass by on the street. The
painting of the ghost girl (Spooky) to me is a sad
painting. A poor little girl’s spirit left behind for
whatever reason, just wanting someone to
spend time with, but people run in terror from
her because she is different and misunderstood.
Like all things the majority of the human race
doesn’t understand, they either kill, or
experiment on. I have dreamed about her on
several occasions and often wonder if she is
real.
Over half of the work I do comes from my
dreams, and a good bit comes from writers who
I am hired to illustrate a cover for, but things
have changed now. If I do work with a publisher
or writer, it really has to be something that gets
me excited and I feel like was made for me. I
have reached the point to where I can pick and
choose the work I do, and the really dark work
is yet to come. One of the projects I am
publishing myself is going to be called “The
Book of Rose” It is a story told, with countless
drawings and paintings by me, and it will be
very dark. The faint of heart will have
nightmares from it. But that is all I can say for
now. Perhaps when I get it completed and
published, I will tell more then, but honestly, I
have a few people out there that like to steal
my ideal’s, and this one no one is going to have
a clue about until it is out and everything is
trademarked and copyrighted. I am creating a
role playing game based on it as well and there
will be many volumes of “The Book of Rose” to
come. This is one of those projects that will
keep on as long as I am alive, perhaps even
longer.
To me the darkness is like a blanket. In it, I feel
protected and free from harm. When I am hurt,
it is where I go to heal. I remember when I was
a young teenager; my stepfather would get
drunk and beat either my mom or me. I still
have the scars under my neck from where he
threw a glass at me and it shattered in my neck.
My mom wouldn’t take me to the hospital,
because she was afraid of what he would do.
Instead, she picked most all the glass out of my
neck with a pair of tweezers. I was lucky that it
didn’t hit a main vein, after that I ran into the
woods to a place only I knew about and hide in
the darkness. The moon was out, and I could
feel something around me giving me comfort as
I shook with terror from what the monster had
done to me. I didn’t come out of
the woods the next day until he
had left for work. That was the first
time I can remember not being
afraid of the dark, and felt safe in
it. That is why my tag line is “May
the Darkness Comfort You”
How did you come up with the name "Wicked Kitty Studio?"
Well, the truth is, it just kind of happened. I’ve
always loved cats, and anything to do with
them, including cartoons. Shortly after I moved
in with Madison, she got a cat for her daughter
and named it Misty. We had no ideal how old
Misty was, because the family we got her from
had found her a few years earlier in a church
parking lot. At that point she was already full
grown. But the couple who had found her told
us that she didn’t “Play” well with other cats
and hada lot of “wild” left in her. They finally
had to get rid of her, since they had several cats
and Misty didn’t want to share the food with
the other cats.
She was declawed, so she could not scratch us,
but she had one mean bite. I had also noticed
that she seem very sensitive in the back half of
her body, so I am guessing that she was hurt at
some point and
was never given the medical attention she
needed.
Misty took up to me like I was her long lost
owner, but she would play rough with Madison
and the kids, so
as a joke I
started calling
her “Wicked
Kitty” and one
night when
everyone else
was in bed, I got
a wild hair and
did a sketch of a
cartoon like cat
with an eye-
patch, scars and so on. A few weeks later I did a
quick painting based on the sketch, and I added
the words Wicked Kitty Studio, and the Studio
was born. It was about this time that Madison
started forking out a ton of money for some
very expensive equipment for me to use, and as
the year went by, she had invested a lot into my
career and gave me the chance I never had
before. So Wicked Kitty Studio became a
publishing company as well. Once we knew that
we where going to be married and spend our
lives together, I made her the owner of
the company, so everything we build will be
protected. By the time people are reading this,
it will be Wicked Kitty Enterprises LLC.
Would you say that Nick Rose is the alter ego of William Johns?
Now that is a very interesting question.
Maybe William Johns is the alter ego of Nick
Rose, my secret identity. Lol. Seriously though,
that is something to talk about, and I have
never really thought about it until now. Back in
the day, when I was working doing fandom art, I
had to install floors to support myself. So I
created this switch in my mind and when I got
up in the mornings, had my coffee, got in my
van, and drive off to bust my tail all day putting
down carpet, working as hard as I could just to
get home to the things I loved. By the time I got
home, I would be tired and frustrated. One
thing about being an artist is that you hate
doing anything other than creating or you get
‘upset” when you can’t do what your heart
desires to do. Anyway, when I got home, I
would take a shower, set the alarm clock to
sleep and hour, and when it went off, the coffee
was brewing, and I would walk into my studio.
At that moment I would become Nick Rose, and
I would draw and paint until quit often I would
fall asleep in my
work chair. Then the next morning I would wake
up and be William Nick Johns again. I know that
sounds strange, but it worked. If I went into the
studio and still had the dirt and sweat on me
from installing carpet, nothing creative could or
would happen.
When I was Nick Rose, I wouldn’t take a
business call, it was like having on a suit of
armour to protect me from all the bullshite of
the real world, and I wouldn't let anyone in.
When most young people where out partying
and dating, I was very happy in my studio letting
my imagination take me to dark and happy
places, other worlds, and just forgetting all the
pain and memories that continued to haunt me
to this very day.
Throughout my career I have used the name
Nick Rose, and very early on, I went by the
name Gypsy, which was a nickname my friends
had given me. It’s tattooed on my right
shoulder. When I started training under Daniel
and Todd, a close friend talked me into using
my real name, William Johns, because as they
convinced me, it was the proper way to show
respect. I agreed and believed it to be the best
thing to do, but I soon realized what a horrible
mistake I had made by doing this. It was like
showing all the wounds from the pain I grew up
with that never healed. Some people poured
salt on those wounds in a matter of speaking. It
was the worse psychological mistake I ever
made. I showed that beaten, terrified child to a
cold word full of people who hated me because
I had been given the chance that Thousands
dream off, to be trained by a Master. I spent 3
weeks in the hospital because I almost
committed suicide.
These days, buried somewhere deep inside of
me is William, but Nick Rose is who I am now,
and will always be. It’s the only way I can deal
with Monsters and pain. I have been seeing a
Therapist this last year, and I don’t know if that
will help me or not. I don’t know if I want to be
helped, but I have learned to forgive, but I
cannot forget, and as long as I can not forget, I
will always need Nick Rose. So Nick Rose is not
an alter ego, it is who I am.
Who are your biggest fans?
This is one of the big surprises that I never
expected. To have fans for one. Just on
Facebook alone, when you count my friends,
the number of people in my fan club, and the
followers of my blogs, the numbers are over
11,000 fans and friends, and all of this has
happened in just this last year. I prefer the word
friends over fans and from what I can tell, my
audience is about half male and the other half
female, and there is no certain age bracket. The
fans range from 18 to 70. 30 and above buy
more prints, which Is normal, because most
young folks can’t afford things like that yet.
I had a birthday a couple of days ago, and I got
over 400 happy birthday wishes from my friends
on Facebook, and probably another 1000 in
private letters or regular mail. Two years ago, I
got one Birthday Card and well wishes. On
Facebook, I took the time to thank each person
that wrote Happy Birthday to me. It took me 2
long days to respond to all of them, but I did. It
was important to me to let them all know I
really appreciated them. Madison told me that
I should just say one big Thank you and in the
future I may to do that if the numbers keep
growing, but right now I want people to know
how much I appreciate the kind things they do
and say for me. This last year I went through
some serious health issues, and if wasn’t of the
love of Madison and the children, and the
friends I have made through my art, I don’t
think I would have made it. I did though, and
now I am healthy as you can expect from a man
with my health issues. I keep promising
everyone at least 30 more years of new art and
teaching, and I don’t break my promises.
I’ve had to go through some bad things in my
life (But we all have) but if I had known that it
would all bring me to right here and right now, I
wouldn’t have changed a thing. This has been
the happiest year of my life.
You had some personal battles in your life regarding drugs and alcohol, is your art a reflection of those
experiences?
I am really glad you brought this up Tilly. It is
not something that I am proud of, but I really
hope the young people out there listen to what
I have to say and take it to heart.
Yes is the simple answer. My life is my art, the
things I’ve done, the people I have known, the
people I have loved, the places I have traveled
and the drugs I have taken. What I am going to
tell you is the truth, and I’m not proud of it at
all.
Back in 1975, when I was in High School, a girl
who I had a major crush on, I think her name
was Missy, offered me a joint one night on the
way home from an after school acting class in
what I thought was the coolest van I had ever
seen. I smoked it with her, and I keep smoking
until I was around 40 years of age which was
about 13 years ago. The day I walked away from
drugs after pot had been a major
part of my life for 23 years. In those 23 years I
had also done mushrooms, acid, speed,
downers and hash. It was my escape. I didn’t
drink much, as a matter of a fact back then I
was a lightweight, after 2 beers I was sick and
done. So my escape from reality was pot
mostly. The other stuff was just here and there,
very rare for the most part.
I discovered my art talent while I was in the
army, I was a late bloomer, and my art and pot
became one and the same. You know, like
peanut butter and jelly. I could not, or at least I
thought I could not, draw or paint unless I was
stoned. That is probably the main reason I
wasn’t able to make art my career until
recently. After I got past the pot, I took up
drinking. As I got older I found out I could drink
much more than when I was young. I just went
from one addiction to another. I honestly
believed that without my “high” I could not
create. During all of those years, I also smoked
cigarettes. Two Packs a day, every day.
When I look back at this part of my life, some of
it I can blame on the horrors of my childhood,
but the real truth is, I did these things because I
was not happy. I was your stereotype artist,
having a tortured soul and all. I hated my life. I
hated having to work for other people,
especially step family, and I really hated being
on my knees all day installing different types of
floors. All I could think about was getting home
to draw or paint. That was the only time I felt
alive. There was no doubt in my mind that I was
meant to be an artist, but of course everyone,
including some of my family thought it was just
a silly dream, and I should grow up.
Now here comes the reality break, I could have
changed my life if I would have had a clue to as
which direction I should have took, or had the
courage to move to New York City. Again,
another reason for
my blog. It was the year 2000 before I
discovered the potential of the internet. By this
time I had given up drugs, except for speed and
was nothing more than a working alcoholic that
hadn’t drew in about 5 years. I had given up. I
was drinking myself to death. Then I saw that
with the internet, I could reach 100s of
publishers with samples and go see all the
artists that had inspired me through the years.
To be brief, I paid to have a website built for
me and then I sent e-mails out to 5 publishers
with samples. Within 3 days I got back 5 letters
from those publishers, offering me work. Within
2 weeks, I was invited to 2 conventions as a
guest in NC and VA. Now 11 years later, things
have never stopped, and I have countless fans
and I paint for a living. Almost 2 years ago, I
finally quit smoking, and a few months ago I had
my last drink. During those years, I did a lot of
damage to my body, all because I was not
happy. Now I am happy and I have given up all
the bad things. Because of all those bad things I
now have COPD, Diabetes, Ulcerative Colitis,
High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease to name
some of the Hell’s I created for myself. The VA
even tells me I have PTSD from my childhood.
So no matter how you look at it.
My body is a mess. It is recovering, and getting
stronger, but I will never be whole again. The
best I can hope for is that I keep doing the
positive things I am doing for myself and with
the powers that be have mercy on me, and let
me be with you all for another 30 years. The
number of paintings I could paint in 30 years
and the students I could train is very motivating
to me.
The thing is this, if I had just focused on my
work, instead of how miserable I was, things
would be very different now. For one, at 53, I
would be healthy. What I am hoping people
realize is this, if you just keep working hard, and
don’t be afraid to open any closed doors, your
dreams will come to you in time. Don’t torture
your body; it’s not its fault. Most problems with
our world, especially in the states is that
everyone wants it all right now, and there is no
honest way to do that. Live by these words if
your a creative person “Live your life and follow
your heart. Never give up on your dream.
Learn all that you can and work very hard and
most important have patience. That’s the
biggie, Patience. Listen to only what your heart
tells you and hold it dear. Don’t listen to the
people that tell you to grow up, or “Get a real
Career”
Find a job that allows you to have more free
time to work on your craft. For instance, get a
job where you work 3-12 hour days a week. If
you can find a mate that supports and believes
in you, instead of putting extra stress on you
or/and calling you a loser, if you can’t, worry
about making your career happen first instead
of listening to your hormones.” Above all
though, don’t torture yourself because the
world hasn't accepted your work yet. It takes
time, and always remember your ego is your
worst enemy. You’re never as good as you think
you are, and always be kind and well mannered
to the people who publish and promote you.
They could have just as easily published another
artist instead of you.
Besides Spiderman- who else is your hero?
Without a doubt, that would be Madison. After
that I would have to say Daniel and Todd. In the
last several years I have been lucky enough to
meet some really awesome people, and all of
them I would call Hero’s. In my heart I pray
everyday for the soldiers that give us our
freedom and safety, as well as the people who
watch over us and keep us safe, such as
Firefighters, Police officers and the people who
work for the health industry. The Shriners are
personal hero’s of mine for the work they with
children.
When I was growing up, Spiderman was my
favourite hero. I am a huge fan of many comic
heroes’, but Peter Parker I could relate to. He
was just your normal geek with a load of
troubles, but he could become so more than
that when danger lurked around the corner. As
a child the only hero’s I had where the ones I
would read about. Spidey got me through.
Going back to the beginning of your art-what were the reactions of your close friends/family when they
saw your works?
I didn’t take an interest in art until I was in
the Army. Once I got out of the army, I went to
a local community college for a year. To do that,
I had to work a full-time 3rd shift job, and then
go to school all day. I had gotten married while I
was in the army, and soon after we had a
daughter. My ex was going to school to be an
accountant, and she did that at night, so I was
living on about 4 hours of sleep for several
months until my body finally just said “No
more” I haven’t seen my daughter since she was
2 years old. Her name was Beverly Elizabeth
Johns. Her mother and I had gotten married
way to young, we where still children ourselves.
After she moved out, I never saw Beverly again,
and I didn’t have the means or money to track
them down.
That is when I really started doing Fantasy art,
and I hung out with a group of friends that I had
meet in a Science Fiction Fan Club called
“Starcore”. Those were some very wonderful
days. We always went to the midnight movies
and always were together. A few of the
members where artist as well. They really
encouraged me which was wonderful, because
no one else did. Some of my family, including
my mother would always tell me,”Why don’t
you paint flowers or barns, you know the things
people like and buy.” (That was another reason
I started using Rose as my last name. I sure
wouldn’t want to embarrass my family. Lmao)
and of course my brother was a Southern
Baptist Preacher, so you can imagine the things
he would say about my work. As I got older,
things didn’t change much until I did a few years
of commercial work for the sports teams
around my hometown, Charlotte, NC. I even did
some work for Sea World and greeting card
companies as well. Now, the family all liked
that, because that was “Normal” but I left that
behind because the nightmares inside of me
where dying to come out. Until that point, most
of my work had been Fantasy, but I wanted to
sink my teeth into something really dark and
scary. I was just worried that it wouldn’t be
received well. You have to remember most of
my life I lived in the Bible belt and I seriously
was concerned my house would get burnt down
or other terrors. In those days, people probably
would have considered me the Anti-Christ if
they saw the work I was doing these days.
I live in Michigan now, and love it. People here
are much more friendly and encouraging.
Is there any negative feedback regarding
your works?
Not that I am aware of. I do have a few
crazed people who harass me here and
there, but that is to be expected. Ever since
I started training with Daniel and Todd I
have had people threaten me and recently
even Madison. We don’t worry about them.
They have issues, not us.
Outside of that, everything is very positive.
This year alone, I’ve done 8 interviews with
very reputable publications. I’ve also
done a radio interview, and I am doing
another one on Halloween. I was filmed for
a documentary called the “Kings of Scream”
but I don’t know where that stands right
now. We have had tons of positive publicity
and honestly, I know now how it could get
any better.
I am sure in the years to come I will do
some pieces that will “upset’ some people
out there, but that’s fine. I welcome that. I want my work to “disturb” people, at least then I know there
paying attention.
If you had to choose between drawing fantasy or horror- which would you choose and why?
That wouldn’t even be a contest. Horror hands down. As far as my horror art goes, I am just getting
warmed up. I will be doing some “Dark” fantasy art, but very few to be honest. I am very interested in
the “Steampunk” look, and I will be doing some work along that line as well, with a “Dark” touch. Like I
said, I have a gift for seeing the Dark side of life, and I am finally getting to the point where I am not
afraid to show it. Twenty years ago, I don’t think the world would have been ready for it, but these days,
the Dark Days, people are starting to relate to me more and more.
Do you see any animation in your future?
Well Tilly, I’m not an animator, but I would be open to a company using some of my characters for
animated work if they wanted I recently had some doors opened to me in Hollywood, so at this point,
anything is possible. I am looking forward to doing character designs and movie posters; In fact I am
thrilled to death to have this chance. Working in the movie industry has always been a dream for me
and this last year I was approached by several Indy film makers about doing work, but nothing ever
came from them.
One of the models I do a lot of work with, Scream Queen Suzi Lorainne has started producing movies,
and so I hoping to do some work with her. She has a movie coming out next year called “Won Ton Baby’
it is an Indy film and I am going to do a promotional painting for her of the movie. It should be a lot of
fun, and I just love working with Suzi. She is a wonderful model and friend.
The Hollywood job I mentioned is on a much larger scale and I am hoping to have a chance at
impressing some movie makers with my imagination and skills. There are so many things I want to do
with my art, and after all these years I am finally getting my chance. Please keep your fingers crossed for
me.
Some of your characters would make some awesome video game heroes, is this something you would
consider doing?
Yes. I am planning on having a video game and RPG’s made of my “The Book of Rose” project in a few
years, and I would be open to any RPG or video game based on my work. I think that would be a blast.
The funny thing is that for every character I draw or paint, I have a story that goes with it. I always have.
If life gives me a chance to use all these gifts I was born with, I think people will get what they are always
saying they want something new, things that no one has ever seen, stories that have never been told. If
life will give me another 30 years like we talked about, I will leave behind one hell of a legacy.
Final thoughts....
First and foremost, I really appreciate you taking an interest in my art and doing this interview with me,
and I hope your readers found it to be interesting. I came from the world of hard knocks and working
hard. I was no golden child born with a silver spoon in my mouth. Like the readers and my friends, I’ve
had to work hard all my life, but now my I am living my dream. It took me a lot of years to make this
happen, and without the help I got, it would have never been possible. But please take this to heart, if
you work hard, stay patience, and get a break or two your dreams will come true to. Drugs and Alcohol
are not the answer, believing in your self is. There is no quick route except for a path of evil. Stay off that
path, or you whine up where so many before you have, no where and forgotten.
Whatever your gift is, treasure it and work as hard as you can at being the best you can. Never put fame
over your passion or you will lose both. Make a note of my blog and join me there. I will share with you
whatever I possible can, and I will encourage you when no one else will. One last thing, please check
out my website at http://www.wickedkittystudio.com we do have prints for sale at very reasonable
prices, and please check out the link page as well. You can visit the websites of the models I use, my
artist friends, and other great things.Many blessings and Much Love. “May the Darkness comfort you”
~Nick Rose~
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